I'm back! Because of my obligations to college and the military I have been busy unfortunately, however I want to thank some folks who have been sticking by:

Kamil the Awesome: Thank you so much for the review! I appreciate the input and no worries; I'll take it into consideration! Also here's a new chapter as promised!

xXxBurplexXx: Glad you like the story and no worries, I'll keep up the good work!

Gangstasdontpee14: Thanks for the heads up on the emotions; I'm glad that I've nailed them perfectly. I'll keep it going!

Disclaimer's Notice: I do NOT own Avatar The Last Airbender, or the characters that make up the series, Although it would be nice to tweak some outstanding issues….

Sokka's Troubles

Chapter 4

Normal Narration

Emphasis

thoughts

Sokka sat his cell as he looked straight ahead. His eyes not daring leaving the spot that he set for himself after the incident that just previously took his now deceased girlfriend away from him. When he originally set his goals from his arrival in the cell, he knew that he was being held for a bigger purpose then just being Azula's torture plaything.

This of course was confirmed to him when Azula revealed her grand plan to him moments before the first session.

But the strange revelation didn't give him the insight as to what he was looking for. Sokka didn't know what exactly his part in her plan entailed. He wasn't a bender and he didn't have the skills as his sister, Toph, or even the Avatar did. What he knew he had was the brains to get the group out of situations, but further than that, nothing came to his mind of strategic importance.

His thoughts were interrupted as a knock on the door caused him to turn his head to it. The door opened and in walked Mai, dressed in her usual outfit that covered everything, but revealed nothing. Her posture and her demeanor were neutral to the naked eye. Luckily, with the days spent in captivity, Sokka could see past the exterior and find out why she was here.

"She's doing ok now, the Doctors have fixed her up." Said Mai with a tone that betrayed nothing but neutral speech patterns.

Sokka looked at her with a deep and broken gaze as he tried to decipher the reasoning behind why she decided to give him this information. He looked closely and then noticed her foot slowly but surely tapping the ground. There was his breakthrough, she was nervous, but for what? Sokka knew it was time to press for information.

"Why?" Sokka asked in a dull, dead voice.

"Why what?" Mai replied with indignation. He was getting under her skin and he knew it.

"Why tell me this? Am I not your prisoner?" Sokka responded with the same dull, dead voice as he gaged his eyes right into hers. The battle of wills was still going on, but Sokka was winning.

"She asked for you when she woke." Mai replied. This took Sokka back; he knew that at some level, Ty-Lee cared for him to a degree, but not to this point. Sokka knew that something was really up if Mai was sent to get his attention. But this just meant that Sokka needed to press harder for the information in order to get a clear picture of what was going on.

"Can I see her?" Sokka calmly responded, although it had the unintentional effect of throwing Mai off. She looked torn, as if deciding between two choices that would cause her misery.

"Can I see her…please?" Sokka asked with the added word of respect, something that normally in a prisoner situation would never happen, but this was odd beyond reason, and he needed to see Ty-Lee for himself.

Mai looked at him as if he grew two heads and then started singing the fire nation's national anthem. This after days of torture and interrogation was when he started to show polite respect? Even Sokka knew that this was out of the norm and he shifted his body into a standing position as he looked directly at Mai with intense determination.

"Fine, but I will be escorting you to the medical bay and back." responded Mai with a bit of nerves showing.

Mai then slowly pulled a key from her robes and undid his shackles as she pulled a knife out of her robes with the other hand. The unspoken words hung in the air. Move any way that feels threatening and you get gutted. 'Swell' Sokka thought with sarcasm as he realized his position in the whole of things.

The pair moved into the dimly lit hallway as they moved to the medical area, Mai walking behind Sokka giving him directions at each impasse and Sokka dutifully following to prevent from getting stabbed. As they got near the medical area, the hallways seemed to brighten and grow to be nicer in décor. Sokka noticed this and although he was still in pain from the torture, he was relaxing a bit and drinking in the nice atmosphere.

The duo finally reached the door marked "Medical" and Sokka slowly reached up and pushed the door open. As they entered, the doctors and nurses looked at Sokka as if he was a walking corpse, the shock of what happened to him finally catching up, he suddenly felt all alone again as the doctors slowly started walking to him.

Sokka backed up fervently into what he thought was the corner of a room muttering the words "Stay back!" to the doctors that at this point were worried about the injured man in front of them, but ended up bumping into the bed of the only medical occupant of the room who slowly wrapped her arms around him.

When the mysterious stranger's arms finally started to squeeze around Sokka, it was then that he noticed he wasn't in a corner of the room; rather someone was holding him and at this point, hugging him from behind. The doctors finally closed the distance and before any of them touched Sokka, the head doctor came to the front.

"I am Doctor Han, and I am the chief Physician on this vessel. I mean you no harm, and it is my sworn oath as a practitioner of medicine to help any and all who ail of illness. What perhaps is your name?" the now identified Dr. Han asked Sokka who was trying to figure out at this point who's soft hands were holding his body?

"I… I'm Sokka." said Sokka who was trying to turn his head to see who was behind him.

"Well then Sokka, I hope that Ty-Lee over here will let you go so I can give you treatment hmm?" said Dr. Han.

At this point, Sokka was slowly released as he turned around to the occupant of the bed, who just so happened to be a laid up bandaged Ty-Lee who only responded to Sokka's shocked expression with "Hi!"

Well that's this chapter folks, and I hope you forgive me for the long hiatus, between all the stuff in college, the military, and even family issues (ew) I'm glad to be back on the writing wheel again! I hope you all have a safe and happy holidays and I'll have the new chapter to you soon!