Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. I do own any characters I create.

Restoration

Chapter 5: The Inquisition

Lee stirred awaking from a deep sleep. Looking around the cave, he noticed that it was quite dark and Hana was missing. Lee got up and walked out of the cave.

"You're finally awake. I washed your black outfit. You will find it folded near your bed. Did you have a nice rest?" Hana said casually from her spot where she sat up against the cave looking out into the forest.

"Ya. How long have I been asleep?" Lee asked still trying to wake up.

"Well since the sun is starting to set, I would say that you've been asleep for about seven hours." replied Hana. "Umm, sorry if you woke up because you were cold. I don't know how to start a fire without spark rocks."

"Don't worry about it. I'll go start the fire." Lee replied walking back into the cave. Hana followed Lee into the cave sitting down on her mossy mat. Seeing that the wood pile was getting small, Hana rose and said, "I'll go look for more wood before it gets too dark out."

"No, it's alright. We have enough wood to last us until morning." Lee quickly replied before Hana could leave the cave.

"Are you sure?" Hana asked as she stopped at the entrance of the cave.

"Of course I'm sure." Lee answered gruffly while starting the fire with a fire-blast, which was a little larger than he expected.

Hana took no notice and pursued the topic further, "I should gather some more, just to make sure that we have enough. I don't need to go far. I saw some dry wood just outside the cave. I'll be right back." Hana hastily left before Lee could protest any further.

"Fine, do whatever you want." Lee whispered in frustration to himself glaring at the fire.

Hana returned shortly with more fire wood. Lee was lying on his back with his arms behind his head looking up at the roof of the cave still thinking of what he was going to do about Hana. After Hana laid the wood on the wood pile, she walked over to the boulder, where the flowers had been laid, and picked up the salve and two clean strips of cloth. Hana walked back over to Lee and sat down next to him.

"Your hands need new dressings." Hana said in a caring tone. Lee kept his gaze on the roof of the cave as if in deep thought. After a few moments of silence, Hana thought that Lee had not heard her. As Hana was about to ask Lee to change the dressings on his hands, Lee turned his head to look at Hana and asked, "Other than your ability to bend more than one element, why did the Fire Nation capture you?"

"Ummm…well…" Hana hesitated looking away from Lee's piercing gaze and nervously ran her fingers through her long, auburn hair.

"Well, what? Not everyone gets to be kept at a fortress instead of a prison. Why are you so important to the Fire Nation?" Lee said impatiently.

"Well, the Fire Nation did not know that I could bend water and air when they captured and imprisoned me. They had heard rumors that there was someone, who could airbend. But they discarded that rumor when they saw me bend water." Hana replied.

"You still didn't answer my question. Why did they imprison you in the fortress?!" Lee asked again impatiently, sitting up slightly on his forearms.

"Since they heard that there was an airbender in the area, the Fire Nation thought I was the avatar or that I was a survivor from one of the air temples. But I am neither one." Hana said, struggling to stay calm under Lee's insistent questioning.

Lee sat up and took a firm hold of Hana's upper arm, saying, "Why are you evading the question?" Hana looked at Lee unsure of what to do. Lee raised his voice saying, "What are you trying to hide?!"

"Please…I don't…I can't tell you." Hana said looking down at the ground.

"Is it because you do have a connection with the avatar?" Lee asked. At this, Hana quickly looked up at Lee shocked.

"How did you…" A defeated expression overtook Hana's face as she looked away from Lee continuing, "Yes, I do know the avatar personally and because of that connection the Fire Nation imprisoned me."

"See, now that wasn't too hard." Lee said mockingly releasing his grip on Hana's arm. Hana looked at Lee hardening her expression.

"How can I trust you?! For all I know, you could be working for the Fire Nation. Befriending me and trying to get me to trust you so that I would tell you information, which the Fire Nation wants." Hana said accusingly. Lee was silent looking down at the bandages on his hands. He seemed to be pondering how to answer her accusations.

"I guess you can't trust me." Lee replied solemnly.

Hana softened her expression saying, "Lee, you need to understand. Since you are a firebender, I can't accept you at face value. I don't want to seem mean or prejudice. I am just being cautious."

"I understand." Lee said in an indifferent tone.

"Well, I want to thank you for breaking me out of prison and for the new clothes. I best be on my way in the morning." Hana said.

"Where are you going to go?" Lee asked looking up.

"I am going to find the nearest village and gather supplies." answered Hana.

"Do you even know where you are going?" Lee asked again.

"Don't you fret. I'll find my way just fine." Hana mockingly replied.

"If you don't know where you're going to go, you can travel with me and my uncle until you do." Lee said.

Hana looked at Lee confused at why he was being kind to her after she had accused him of being a spy. Thinking 'well, at the present, I don't really have an idea of what direction I am heading. It wouldn't hurt to have some company for a short time while traveling', Hana decided that it would be alright to travel with Lee and his uncle.

"Alright. I'll travel with you and your uncle but no more probing questions concerning my imprisonment. Got it?" Hana firmly said.

"Fine, agreed." Lee said a little defeated. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two before Hana broke it.

"So, where is your uncle?" Hana asked.

"He is waiting for us in a cave hidden on the edge of a mountain range." Lee replied.

"Oh, how far are the mountains?" Hana asked.

"It's probably a three day walk, but I have an ostrich horse hidden not far from here. So it will just take a day and a half, maybe two days at most, to get to the cave." Lee explained.

Hana gave Lee a warm smile and asked, "Well, anyway, do you want me to help you change the bandages or do you want to do it yourself?"

"I can do it myself." Lee replied.

"Here." Hana handed Lee the salve and cloth and walked back to her mat.

Hana and Lee did not say another word to each other after their conversation. To Hana, it felt more like an interrogation than a conversation. However, Hana did not let hard feelings hinder her from getting some more blissful sleep; on the other hand, Lee seemed more troubled than he let on. Lee lay awake on his mossy bed until late at night thinking of a reason for the Fire Nation to keep this girl in a high security cell when they did not know that she was an airbender. What information does this girl possess to make the Fire Nation so desperate to have their hands on it? What special connection to the avatar did this girl have? There was definitely something more to this girl, and he was going to find out, even if he had to act nicely to her, which might drive him to the brink of insanity. Zuko would stop at nothing to capture the avatar, so as to have his father's love and restore his honor. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, Lee finally fell asleep from physical and mental exhaustion.

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Well, I hope that you liked this week's installment. It probably raised more questions then it did give answers. This isn't a story for the faint of heart. lol I'm getting a little too poetical here, I guess. Since school has started up again for me, I won't be able to update every week like I have been. It will be once every two weeks now because of time constraints with juggling a job and college. Thank you for your patience as always. Please review if you want.