My first review!!! You are my special reviewer now- lets get more people reading this! I know it doesn't sound so great in the summary…but it is a good story- lots of twists and surprises. Kind of like a soap opera. Lone reviewer- you have made my day : ) I hope you continue reading because you make me smile. This chapter is for you.

Oh! And a quick note. I'm pretty sure somewhere in here I wrote that Zuko was 16. Maybe. If I did, I would like to change that to 18. Thanks : )

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Chapter Five : Fights

"Hold it there….hold it there….almost got it…."

Zuko sighed to himself, rolling his eyes quickly so that the large woman couldn't see him. His arm was stretched upwards, holding up a piece of rope as the large woman, a shop keeper's wife, tied the end to a tall pole. It was a laundry line- as Zuko had been walking, the woman had asked for his assistance. He noticed that things like this happened a lot- the villagers would see someone and ask for help, and help was always given. No one was alone on this island- if they needed anything, there was always someone to come to their aid.

The woman smiled and stepped back, and Zuko put his hand down with a relieved sigh. "Looks beautiful," She slapped his shoulder. "Fine work we've done!"

Zuko watched the woman walk off, her steps filled with pride and he slowly shook his head. It was a laundry line; he wasn't quite sure what there was to be proud of…but these people took pride in the little things in life. It was…quaint, he thought.

With another sigh, he turned, but something caught his eye. A man, one he recognized as the local pottery maker, was hauling something off behind his house. Something made out of wood that looked exactly like…

A fire lit up inside of Zuko- could it be? Was this his chance.

"Sir!" He called out, rushing towards the man, who looked up perplexed, "Sir wait!"

When the man saw Zuko approaching him, he smiled in a friendly way, giving him a wave. "Well, hello there young man, good day to you!"

Zuko nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, good day to you too," he said quickly. "Sir, is that…is that a boat?"

The man patted the boat that he had been hauling and nodded. "Yup, built her when I was twenty," He winced a little, rubbing his back as if in memory, "Course…that was a long time ago…" With a laugh he shook his head. "I have no use for it though so I was taking it to the back to chop it up. What I do have use for is wood for my fire…and this boat is just full of wood,"

Zuko's eyes widened- he was going to destroy the boat? Even if it was a rather simple boat, it was still a boat. "Sir, please, if I could somehow have this boat…"

The man eyed Zuko, taking him in. "Why do you want my boat?" He asked, scratching his chin with a dirty hand.

Zuko paused for a moment, trying to think of the best thing to say. "Fishing," was what he finally came up with and then man smiled brightly.

"A boy of your strength would do good at sea!" He said brightly. He frowned slightly, thoughtfully. "I'll tell you what… I need wood and if you're going to be taking this boat, perhaps you can help me out. If you'll chop wood for me, this boat is all yours,"

"Done," Zuko agreed quickly. He could hardly believe it. A boat. A way out. An escape. It was here. He could practically feel the metal of his own ship beneath his feet, see the Fire Nation insignia that hung in his quarters. Soon he would be sailing the sea's with Uncle Iroh again, searching for the avatar…capturing the avatar…and returning home.

The man gave Zuko another smile and nodded, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, good then! I'll see you here tomorrow! Till then!" He gave a wave and headed off towards his house.

Zuko smiled to himself. Luck was finally on his side, finally. He turned, heading back towards the main road that would lead him to the large building when he saw Kaori in the distance. She looked upset, he could see that her fists were clenched.

The past few days, her mood hadn't been so wonderful, but it was understandable. She was still reeling from the death of her cousin. Sometimes he would catch her staring off into space, tears in her eyes that she would quickly blink away. However, recently, her old spark had been returning and she had been laughing more. Now however…something was obviously wrong.

Zuko watched curiously as she strode away from an exotic looking building, a scowl on her face. From the building, a boy, perhaps a little older than himself, followed after her. He was tall and brutish looking, his shoulders wide and thick and his neck hardly coming off of his shoulders. His hair was cropped close to his head and his eyes were squinty, his nose to large. There were muscles rippling down his arms and even from where he stood, Zuko could see the veins in his neck.

The boy followed after Kaori, a deeper scowl set in his expression. He caught up with Kaori quickly, grabbing onto her shoulder with a meaty hand and spinning her around to face him. Zuko couldn't help but notice that none of the village people were looking at them, but their expressions were extremely uncomfortable. Slowly he began to make his way towards Kaori- he wasn't sure why, his feet were moving on their own will.

"You would never understand, do you hear me?" Kaori yelled at the boy, getting up in his face.

The boy let out a growl and grabbed onto her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "You can't talk to me like that, you wench!"

Kaori shook herself out of his grasp. "I'll talk to you however I like! What I do is my business, you do not control me!"

The boy took a step towards her, his eyes burning. "No, because nobody controls you right? You think you're everything to this place but all you are is a whore!"

"And you only think you're important, when really you're parents sent you here because they couldn't stand to look at your ugly face for one moment more-"

The boy cut her off, closing the distance between them and smacking her clear across the face. Kaori fell to the ground with a yelp, her hand going to her cheek. No one on the street made a motion to help her, to comfort her, and to tell this boy to get away from her. They let it happen, as uncomfortable as they all looked, they pointedly ignored everything that was happening.

Zuko couldn't do that. "Hey!" he yelled, coming over quickly. His eyes were murderous. In the moment the boy had his Kaori, he had been reminded of his own mother. He had seen that expression before- that hurt and scared expression, vulnerable and open. The boy looked Zuko over, scoffing to himself and rolling his eyes. Obviously he had pinned Zuko as anything but a threat.

"Touch her again and I will kill you," Zuko said, his voice low, and the boy let out a laugh.

"Who are you to interrupt a conversation between two people. Buzz off, pipsqueak," The boy's laugh faded off into an annoyed glare and he made a move towards Kaori.

Zuko cut him off quickly. "So hitting a girl is your idea of conversation?"

The boy's mouth turned down in a grimace. "You know…I'm getting pretty tired of looking at you,"

"And here I thought I was the only one in pain," Zuko snapped back, and the boy's eyes widened. He let out a yell, swiping at Zuko who quickly moved backwards, avoiding the hit. The boy hit the ground with his fist, causing a chunk of rock to lift from it and float in the air. Zuko cursed in his head- an earth bender. He should have known.

There wasn't anytime to think on that though as the rock came hurtling at him. Zuko moved quickly to the left avoiding it, and managed to swerve to the right to avoid another rock.

"You're quick," The boy shouted. "But you can't dodge forever!"

He planted his feet hard in the ground and raised his arms with a loud grunt. Three chunks of large rock were pulled from the ground slowly and with another grunt and a spread of his arms, the boy managed to separate each rock in half. With a yell, he propelled his arms forward, shooting all the rocks at Zuko.

Zuko did not hesitate, he had not been trained to do so. He dodged one to the right then quickly ducked and rolled out of the way of the second, only to jump up and to the left to avoid the third. The fourth came at him from behind, which he quickly back flipped over, landing on his feet for a moment and then raising his foot to kick the fifth one in half and away from him. The sixth was larger though and as he tried to move to dodge it, it clipped him in the shoulder, knocking him backwards and off balance. He caught the boy grinning and another rock was shot at him, hitting him square in the stomach and sending him on his back.

The boy dug up another rock from the ground, but this time, used his hands and sharpened it so that one end was like a blade. He approached where Zuko lay on his back, readying the rock, aiming it right for Zuko's chest.

But Zuko had not been taught to lose to obnoxious earth benders such as this boy, in fact, he would not allow that to happen. As the boy got close enough, he let out a yell and rolled backwards, swiping out his feet and hitting the boy's ankles, causing him to drop the rock and lose his balance, falling backwards onto the ground.

Zuko took his position again, ready for any move the boy might make. His hands were begging him to use his bending, but this earth bender did not deserve his fire. Slowly the boy got to his feet, looking murderous.

"STOP!"

Kaori moved between them, holding out her hands. "No more," she ordered, "Stop this now," She turned to Zuko, her eyes narrowed. "Go back to what you were doing Teken. Go back to your room,"

Zuko blinked, his stance faltering. "But Kaori, I was-"

"Teken!" Kaori shouted. She stared at him for a long moment until her face softened. "Go back."

Zuko's fists clenched and he stood there, staring at her, but she did not relent. Growling softly, Zuko turned. "Fine," he muttered walking away. If she wanted to be pushed around by that brute then it was not his problem.

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Zuko brought the axe down, chopping the piece of wood in two halves which he would later cut again. This was one thing, he knew, that his bending would never help him with. Wood and fire did not mix well together, he had learned that through several experiences.

The sun was blazing as he swung the axe, making him sweat, but he was glad for the work. There were times where he felt as if he would go crazy on this island with nothing to do. He was not a people person, so helping out the islanders was not something he wanted to do all the time. However, this time, he would be rewarded for his help. Rewarded with the means to escape.

He had discarded his shirt long ago, the sun to hot for the cloth to be against his skin. Already he had a large pile of wood. Originally he thought he would just have to chop the wood, but it turned out the man needed him to chop down thin trees and turn that into smaller pieces for him. It took time, but it was nothing that Zuko couldn't do.

He brought the axe down again, splitting another piece of wood when he heard a shuffling behind him. He had the faintest idea of who it was, so he did not turn around, just scowled into his work and continued.

"Teken,"

Zuko brought the axe down again. "What do you want?"

He heard her shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. "I just…I'm sorry about all that. Yesterday. You were so kind to defend me…but…I had to send you away,"

Zuko paused for a moment, then brought the axe down harder than before. "So you like being hit?" he snapped at her, anger evident in his tone.

He heard her falter. "No, of course not! I just…I don't have a choice."

"You always have a choice-"

"No, Teken, I don't, if you knew, if I could explain everything to you-"

He turned around quickly, eyes blazing. "Then why don't you? All you do is dance around subjects and I'm tired of it. It's always 'if I could explain things' or "I wish I could explain things," but you never do. Stop saying it and start,"

She stared at him, her eyes hurt and her mouth open the slightest. "I…I can't…" she whispered.

Zuko stared at her for a long moment and then turned his back to her. "Then that's your choice," he muttered. His hand tightened around the axe and he went to bring it up again when he felt her hand slid up his shoulder, turning him around. He had no time to speak; her hand was on his shoulder and he was facing her and her lips were against his, the movement so quick and so fluid. The axe slipped from his hand, falling to the ground and he stood there, completely frozen.

Her lips were so soft against his, so soft and sweet, everything he would have thought her lips would have felt like. He wasn't sure how to respond- half of him wanted to push her away, to cut this bond forming between them right here and now and never look at her again. He didn't want to think about her or allow himself to feel anything for her.

But the other half wanted to feel things; wanted to try and see what it could feel for her. He wanted to feel normal for once in his life and feel as if someone enjoyed having him around…someone who needed him. He wanted to kiss her back and pull her to him, hold her as he had never held anyone else before in his life.

Before he could decide what to do, her lips broke away from his slowly and her brown eyes stared into his gold ones. "Teken…" she whispered. She looked as shocked as he did. "I…I didn't mean to do that…you just…I just…" She blinked, as if coming out of a trance and took a step backwards, running a hand through her hair. "I want to tell you everything…"

Zuko stared at her, "Then tell me,"

Kaori brought a finger to her lips, touching them gently as if she could still feel Zuko's lips against hers. "The council…" she began in a whisper. "Five months ago, on my eighteenth birthday, they deemed me of a marriageable age. The problem was, there was no one to marry and they didn't feel I could find someone on my own. So they found Tonu for me- a last resort but a resort none the less and I have no other choice."

Zuko frowned slightly. "Tonu…?"

She glanced at him as if he should have known this already. "The boy. The one you fought. He is…my betrothed."

Zuko stared at her, trying to keep all emotions out of his face. No, he didn't care, it didn't concern him at all. He was getting his boat and getting out of here as soon as he could. It didn't matter that Kaori was betrothed or that she had kissed him or that her lips were so soft or that she was interesting and sweet and beautiful…

No, it didn't matter, none of it mattered. The only thing that mattered was returning home and finally being where he belonged. He was Prince of the Fire Nation and an island girl was not going to make him forget that.

Kaori took a step towards him, her fingertips still touching her lips. She looked confused, as if she wanted to kiss him again but couldn't read his expression, which he was glad about, since he couldn't quite determine how he was feeling either.

"I'm…I'm happy you came here though…Teken…" she whispered, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "I…I can't explain it.."

Zuko looked away from her sharply, his eyes narrowed. "I'm almost done with this wood here. Once I am, I'll be leaving soon."

Kaori blinked, her expression wide and even more confused. "L..Leaving..?"

Zuko nodded, picking up the axe from the ground. "Off the island. I need to get back to my life,"

He turned away from her, pausing for a moment. Then he held up the axe and swung it down, chopping another piece of wood. He never heard Kaori walk away.

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I hope you liked your chapter! This was a long one- sorry about that. In the original story when I first wrote it, things were so unorganized so I'm trying to create a better flow. That means chapters may get a little longer… Anyway, more soon : )