Chapter 3
Gone
Katara and Zuko could not get enough of each other! All they did from after dinner to dawn was have sex. They would whisper the dirtiest things to each other. They would do it in every section of his quarters, and the bathroom. Zuko found that if they started in the water Katara was better in the bed. ;)
But Zuko mad a vital error, he had kept Katara below deck for so long that she lost track of the moons cycle.
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Katara woke up suddenly feeling noxious she ran as fast as she could to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach into the head.
Zuko was woken by Katara's sudden movement; he had been holding her while they slept. He followed her into the bathroom, "Katara what's wrong?" Zuko stated concerned.
Katara removed her head from the toilet seat and sat against the wall, "I don't know my stomach is just-" She didn't get to finish because the next round of nausea hit.
Zuko went over to her sat down and started to gently rub her back. "What do you think is wrong, baby?"
Katara slowly sat next to Zuko and then bent some water from the pitcher and washed her hands and mouth. "I don't know it might be the food. You do not eat a balanced diet. I ate better when I was with-" She once again couldn't finish that sentence but this time for a different reason, she missed her family. She hadn't seen them in two months.
"I know. I wish I could take you back to them but I have no idea where there at." Zuko said hugging Katara.
"You probably think I'm a huge baby for crying." Katara sniffled.
Zuko brought her face to his, "Everybody cries. You are no exception, you are away from your family, you miss and you're scared for them." He kissed her lips lightly.
Katara looked him in the eyes, "Do you miss your family?"
"Uncle is my family; he is here with me so there is no one to miss." He said in his usual monotone voice.
Katara cleaned herself up and Zuko went on with his duties about the ship.
Every morning for the next three days Katara was sick but it went away after a few hours. On the third day of sickness Katara preformed some tests on herself. She in essence did a self diagnosis, but just to make sure she had Zuko bring her the star charts from the last two weeks.
"How are the stars going to help you?" Zuko asked from the bed.
Katara looked up irritated at him from the desk, "I'm a water bender remember? The night guides us like the day does for you. I'm trying to see if they are holding the secrets of why I'm so sick in the morning."
"Can't you do that tomorrow? Please come to bed." Zuko pleaded.
Katara rolled her eyes and began to get up but stopped, "What if I don't want to?" She asked with a mischievous smile.
Zuko gave her a 'if you don't I'm going to be mad because I'm going to have to get up and get you' look.
Katara just sat there with a smile on her face she liked torturing him like that.
"Please?"
"You have no idea how much fun this is." Katara teased.
"This is so not fun." Zuko said getting out of bed and practically running to Katara.
"What are you doing?" Katara asked alarmed as he came towards her.
Zuko picked her up and twirled her around. "Zuko put me down! What are you doing?" Katara squealed.
"I'm taking you to bed." He said dropping her on the bed and nuzzling her neck.
After they were through and falling asleep Zuko asked, "Did you find anything on the star charts?"
"I'm not sure."Katara said. It was a lie; they had given her the answer. She was plotting her escape that very minute. She was allowed to leave Zuko's quarters now and she was going to use that to her advantage. She also learned from listening to the guards outside her door that Appa had been spotted not too far away. She knew exactly where they were. How she did she had no idea but her plan was made and to was her mind.
Zuko
He woke up around three in the morning to and empty bed. He looked around to see if Katara had gone back to the charts, she wasn't there neither where the charts. That's weird. Zuko thought. He got on his clothes and went to the bridge to see if she was there.
Zuko got up there and she wasn't. He woke up his crew and had them search the entire ship for her.
Zuko went back to his quarters and looked around the room something on the desk caught his eye on the desk. He walked over and picked up a scroll of paper with a blue ribbon around it, he united the ribbon and unrolled the scroll it read:
Zuko my love,
I have enjoyed my stay with you but you and I both know that I could never stay on this ship.
I have a family that needs me.
I want to be with you and one day I'm sure we will be together.
But for now we are considered enemies and we will be that until Aang defeats your father.
We will be together someday always remember that
I love you never forget that.
Always keep your door unlocked.
With all my love,
Katara
Zuko was thoroughly confused by now and deeply hurt. Why was she doing this? What had he done wrong? Then it hit him, she right she had a family, their nations were enemies, and she needed to help raise the air bender.
But what had she meant by 'Always keep your door unlocked' that really is what was puzzling him. Did she have some plan to have him killed, hurt, or was it something else?
