Crap, just realized I've been forgetting this...

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

Author's note: It's Friday! Finally! Once again, thanks to my awesome reviewers: Calchexxis, beastlySmalless, storm2011, secretsofadarkangel, Katey123, Jumpingbeans480, ArrayePL, InItToWinIT, AnnaAza, hg-always, temariXshikamaruluva, Densharr, and badonyx. I must say, beastlySmalless, when I saw that I elicited an "immense fangirl shriek" from you, I felt very giddy, then I said, "my work here is done." Thanks! The rest of you, thanks for the anger and the threats over the cliffhanger, LOL. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for…

Chapter 3: Mercy

Mercy - pure and simple
Longing - cold and hollow
With sweet breath you'd come to warm me
But I held on too hard to only a memory

You lie there on the swollen ground
Deserted in your heart
Still longing for what yesterdays lost
And for all that tomorrow might bring

The passion lost - taken, stolen
The dreams we had and we shared - shattered, broken
With kind words you'd come to soothe me
But I go blind and filled with fear
Would send you away from me

There is no hope in regretting now
All the pain that we could not see

We both knew what we wanted
And we took it believing it free
And we took it believing it free

-Mercy, Sarah McLachlan

Fire Lord Zuko stood over the peasant waterbender, ready to strike the final blow. By killing her, he would eliminate one of the largest threats against the Fire Nation. She would always fight. She would train a new generation of waterbenders. He couldn't let that happen.

He looked down at this peasant girl who should have meant nothing, absolutely nothing to him. He was the feared Fire Lord Zuko – the man who ruled the world. And who was she? A skilled warrior, to be sure. A waterbender – a race his father had ordered to be eliminated years ago. Once his prisoner. Once his enemy…now his enemy.

She should be nothing to him.

He looked down into her cerulean blue eyes. She stared up at him, her gaze unwavering. Most warriors, no matter how fierce, always shied away from the moment of death. They closed their eyes. They looked away. They did not meet it head on. Her beautiful face was devoid of fear. That fact struck him. Nearly every other person in the world looked upon him with fear. She had always met him as an equal. She was a peasant, for Agni's sake!

No, the expression on her face was not fear. The expression she wore was sadness…regret…pity. His mind flashed back to the rare times when he had seen a smile on her face. It was a smile that had lit his dark world. Every fiber of his being rebelled against the sadness she wore. He wanted to see her happy. To eliminate the light that was her…the light that was Katara seemed so incredibly wrong.

She should be nothing to him.

She was everything to him.

He closed his fist abruptly, effectively snuffing out the fire he held. He was completely vulnerable in that moment. He knew she held an ice dagger in her fist. All she needed to do was shift her weight to allow her arm to throw it, and everything would be over. She looked up at him, disbelief clouding her features. She had been so certain she was about to die. And she had been correct. She had been about to die – by his hand.

Zuko's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Damn you!" he hissed at her. "Agni help me, I can't do it!"

Katara moved, propping herself up by her elbows in the snow. Her eyebrow arched quizzically, and her mouth hung open slightly. The ice dagger melted out of her clenched fist, all but forgotten.

"Zuko?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

He turned to face her fiercely. "Go!" he shouted. "Go back to your people! They have all but lost, but perhaps you can find a chance with them!"

She gave a quick glance over her shoulder to the now-fallen stronghold. He was correct. They had been soundly defeated. Even now, the Fire Nation was gathering prisoners. Pockets of fighting still carried on, so some still resisted. Her eyes fell upon a small group that seemed to be gathered together. Even from a distance, she recognized Bato, Pakku, and the Ruling Council. Warriors milled around them. They were still holding their ground.

Night had nearly overtaken the land, and the moon had risen. Winter was coming, and the darkness covering the land was growing longer. It would have been an advantage for the waterbenders, had most of them not already been captured. The temperature was quickly dropping, and Katara's panting breaths came out of her mouth in puffs of white vapor. A light snow fell from thin clouds overhead.

Zuko gave her a pained look. The light snowflakes reflected off of her dark hair – the moon was peeking through the clouds and catching the multi-faceted surface of the frozen flakes. She looked as if she had a thousand diamonds scattered in her hair.

"GO!" he screamed at her. Katara gave him one last look and ran.

Katara's breaths came in gasping pants as she ran, the moist air from her lungs immediately freezing in the frigid night air. The adrenaline of battle was beginning to wear off, and pain was starting to rip through her. Her muscles ached horribly, and her confrontation with Zuko had left her with several bad burns. Angry red blisters were forming where her skin peeked through scorched holes in her clothing.

She forced herself to put Zuko from her mind while she escaped, at least temporarily, from his forces. Several other Water Tribe warriors were running from the scene of the battle with her. They had also spotted the small group of senior Water Tribe leaders. The figures in the group came into focus as she gradually grew closer. The night was cloudy, but the moon poked through the clouds every so often, giving her a better view of the hostile landscape around her.

Finally, she arrived at the small gathering, and promptly collapsed. Her body finally gave out on her, and she lay in the snow unable to move. Footsteps crunched in the snow next to her, and one of the warriors that had escaped with her spoke after approaching what was left of the Ruling Council.

Katara's heart sank at his words.

"This woman…the Fire Lord…battled her," he gasped out, trying to catch his breath. "He let her go. I fear she is in league with him! They spoke quietly before fighting, but…but I made out some of their words. I heard her claim that she loved him! Their whole fight must have been a ruse! She will lead him to us once we escape!" he accused, pointing a finger at her. This was apparently the final nail in the coffin. Several of the men moved toward her with purpose. She could feel the hateful glares. After all that had happened, every last belief in her innocence had died with this latest development.

Her fingers clenched in the snow. She had neither the energy nor the will to fight. Several warriors held her down as they bound her hands and feet tightly. Her eyes searched desperately for Bato or Pakku. Surely they would not stand by and watch!

In the midst of the chaos, she spotted Pakku. Every last shred of hope in her died when she looked at his face. His wrinkles were deeper, making him look even older. He looked away from her as she tried to meet his gaze, and he shook his head sadly.

Her body went limp as he turned to walk away.

Even Pakku thinks I have betrayed my people.

She lay in the snow, her mind without thought. Her emotions were completely numb. The warriors had left her bound face down in the snow drift. She turned her head to the side. She was aware of dozens of bodies milling around; they were frantically trying to gather supplies for an emergency flight across the tundra to escape the Fire Nation forces. It was a last attempt to live to fight another day.

The cold snow pressed against her face. Her various burns pained her, but she was unable to gather the strength to heal them. She shivered in the cold. Would her people leave her here, lying bound and helpless in the snow? Would they take her with them as a prisoner? A tear made its way down her cheek and promptly froze. Everyone she loved had abandoned her.

As much as she wanted to ignore it, her thoughts turned to Zuko. She had been positive he would kill her. She had accepted it when the time came…she had been ready for death…but he never threw the killing blow. Even stranger, he had sent her away rather than take her prisoner. Why had he spared her? Why had he let her go? She tried to look at the situation objectively. Was there some advantage to him allowing her to live? She could not think of a single reason for him to spare her. As long as she lived, there would be a threat against the Fire Nation. She gasped as she came to the conclusion that he truly and completely loved her.

When he had extinguished his fire in front of her, she had gained an opportunity. The ice dagger in her palm had burned at her skin, calling to her to use it. When she had looked up and seen the anguished expression on his face, she knew she could not use it. The images from her nightmares had flashed before her, and her decision was made. The ice dagger melted into the snow, the once-deadly weapon becoming a harmless frozen puddle.

And there it was. She had betrayed her people. She had been given another opportunity to eliminate their greatest enemy, and she was unable to carry out the action. She had not been able to kill him even as his military destroyed what was left of her home and her people.

She heard shouts as more people approached. Katara gave a shuddering sigh, and attempted to close out the world.

The Fire Lord had watched her as she had run full speed for the isolated group of Water Tribe warriors. Her strides had become more labored as she had made her way across the distance, and she stumbled in the snow a few times. She had been joined by several other Water Tribesmen who were also attempting an escape from Fire Nation forces.

Zuko sighed. He should go after them. Most of his soldiers were preoccupied with taking prisoners in the heart of the city. Small skirmishes flared up when pockets of resistance were discovered. The group Katara was running to was obviously planning on escape – a few people had gathered some meager supplies, and they were distributing it among the remaining warriors to carry.

He felt both frustration and relief as she reached them. He couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around what had just happened. He felt anger at himself for his weakness. He knew she would rise up against the Fire Nation again. She would train more benders. As long as she lived, the Water Tribe would have someone to fight against him. Why couldn't he rid himself of her? His heart knew the answer. He loved her. He did not want to live in a world where she did not exist. On the other hand though, he was ready for the war to be over, and it would not be over until both the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom were completely subjugated. He let out a low growl of frustration.

Sudden movement grabbed his attention. The other Water Tribe warriors were circling Katara menacingly. One man appeared to be yelling, and he thrust his hand out and pointed at the waterbender, who had collapsed in the snow. Fury gripped Zuko as they mobbed her and bound her hands and feet. She seemed to be looking at someone in the group, and he watched as an older man had turned his back to her and walked away.

Did they think she had betrayed them? To him? Before he knew what he was doing, he had called some soldiers to join him, and he re-mounted his komodo rhino. Blind rage licked at him as he watched them leave her bound in the snow. His decision was made.

If they don't want her, then I will retrieve my waterbender!

Chaos erupted as he approached. The warriors dropped supplies they were carrying to take up battle stances. He easily burned through their defenses. His sole focus was getting to Katara. He dismounted and ran for her, skillfully wielding his fire whip against the enemy warriors.

He was almost upon her when an elderly man jumped in front of her to protect her. Zuko's eyes narrowed at him. Now they wanted to protect her? He held his fire threateningly.

"Move aside, old man, she is coming with me," he snarled.

The man summoned water. A waterbender.

"You will not take her," the man said, ferocity burning in his eyes. Zuko suddenly realized that the man was a worthy opponent, despite his age. Could this be the waterbending master?

Movement from Katara caught their attention.

"No!" she shouted. "Pakku – don't. He will kill you," she said as her voice broke.

"I can't let him take you!" the man – Pakku – said desperately.

"I am not leaving without her. I will slaughter everyone here if I must," he said, his fire crackling around him. The flame cast an eerie glow.

"You have already taken her prisoner once. You will not have her again!" the wrinkled old man said, his water moving around him.

Zuko's flames grew in intensity at the elder waterbender's words.

"Yes, I took her prisoner! She was an enemy! But you – her own people – have taken her prisoner when she has done nothing against you! She fought for you; she revealed nothing to me! She has the strongest will I have ever seen, and she fights with the strength of ten warriors! And you have cast her aside in disgrace! I will fight you for her if you do not back down!" Zuko shouted. The Water Tribe warriors backed away from him as his flames expanded around him.

Both waterbender and firebender readied themselves to face off, when Katara's desperate voice cut through the night.

"No!" she cried, thrusting a hand out toward them. "No, Pakku. I won't have you fight him for me. I will go with him willingly. You cannot stop me," she yelled, attempting to stand up in the snow. Her bound legs no longer supported her weight, and she fell back down. "As it is, there is no longer a place for me here anyway," she whispered, her eyes downcast.

Zuko longed to reach for her as she spoke. Her face looked as if it was ready to shatter into a thousand pieces. She was being forced to give up her home and her people.

Pakku's shoulders seemed to deflate. Sadness passed over his features, which suddenly hardened.

"Go then. If you join him willingly, you are no longer part of the Water Tribe," he said, his voice barely audible.

Zuko extinguished his flames and strode over to Katara with purpose. He gathered her into his arms. She looked stunned.

"If you cast her aside so easily, then you don't deserve her. She just saved your life, old man, and if you are who I suspect you are, this isn't the first time she has suffered for you," he spat at the man through gritted teeth. He felt her soft hair on his arms, and spared a look down at her face. A trail of tears had frozen on her cheek, and it glinted in the moonlight. He looked back at the elder man and narrowed his eyes once more. "As soon as she and I are safely away, my men will attempt to stop your escape. Consider yourself warned."

He lifted Katara up into the saddle of his komodo rhino, and seated himself behind her. Once they were a distance away, he heard the sounds of battle behind him. He found he did not even care about the outcome of that skirmish. All he wanted was to get Katara to safety.

He had some distance to cover on the way back to his tent. A temporary camp had been set up on the outskirts of the city. There was still fighting in the area where the ships had come ashore, so it was not practical to return to his flagship. Exhaustion practically emanated from the waterbender, and by the time he reached his tent, her eyelids had drooped closed and she was sound asleep.

He carefully lifted her down from the saddle, but she was in such a deep sleep that she most likely could have fallen to the ground without awakening. Zuko reflected on the irony of the moment. He had been trying to kill her mere hours earlier, and now he tenderly laid the sleeping waterbender on the bed that had been meant for him. He carefully unbound her hands and feet. She stirred slightly, and a pained sound emitted from her throat. Zuko was relieved when her breathing became even again.

After settling her on the bed and placing several furs on top of her sleeping form, he stepped outside and exchanged a few words with General Taiki.

The general bowed to him and updated him on the battle.

"My lord, victory is ours," he said, a rare smile coming to his face. "There are still holdout groups of enemy warriors, but we are systematically eliminating them. We control the bulk of the city. Surviving warriors are being taken prisoner and are being processed onto the prison ships. The skirmishes should decline overnight as we continue cleanup operations," he finished.

"Good, Taiki. You have done well today. Continue to finish up the battle. I am going to sleep for a couple of hours. You may rest when I awaken," Zuko informed him. The general gave another quick bow and Zuko dismissed him to carry out his duties.

Wearily, he entered his tent. He was much more tired than he cared to admit. The day had been taxing both physically and emotionally. He glanced at Katara, and once he was satisfied that she was sleeping soundly, he piled several furs on the icy floor. Not the most comfortable bed he had ever been on, but he was too tired to care. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the soft furs. For the first time in several weeks, nightmares did not plague his sleep.

Katara awoke with a start just as dawn was breaking. She desperately tried to shake off the fuzzy feeling of sleep as she attempted to figure out where she was. She was in a tent. Another snowstorm seemed to have moved in, and the fabric walls whipped in the wind. She felt the icy air even through the thick pile of furs atop her.

Furs?

Her eyes darted around the enclosed area. The fabric was red.

Fire Nation.

She had been in a tent like this before – a few days after Zuko had initially captured her.

Zuko's tent. I'm in Zuko's tent.

The events of the previous night came crashing back to her consciousness.

The frenzied sprint back to her people. Every muscle in her body giving out on her as she collapsed in the snow.

The accusations of her fellow warrior.

I heard her claim that she loved him!

The disgust and disappointment on Master Pakku's face. She realized she didn't even know where Bato had gone after the warrior's revelation.

They had bound her limbs – she hadn't even known if they would have taken her with them, or abandon her there to die.

Then Zuko had come. To save her. The thought barely registered. Master Pakku had been ready to fight the Fire Lord, and she had been so fearful that Zuko would kill the older man. Pakku was a skilled warrior, but Katara knew that Zuko would have defeated him.

And so she had offered herself as Zuko's prisoner willingly in an attempt to spare Pakku's life. Her waterbending master had not seen it as a sacrifice. He thought she had betrayed her people and joined the Fire Nation. His last words had cut her to the core.

If you join him willingly, you are no longer part of the Water Tribe.

She had been banished by her own people; expelled from her tribe by a man she had studied under for years – a man she had looked upon as a surrogate grandfather.

An involuntary gasp left her throat as the implications of what had transpired the previous night hit her full-force. She was a prisoner of the Fire Nation…and no one would be coming for her this time.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she realized that her limbs were once again unbound. Had the Fire Lord gotten careless and forgotten to chain her? She had been bound before losing consciousness, however. Zuko must have unbound her limbs. Confusion played in her mind. Perhaps he neglected to restrain her because he knew she had nowhere to run.

The gray light of dawn had gradually grown brighter over the past few minutes, and wrapping one of the furs around her shoulders, she stood up and shakily made her way to the doorway of the tent.

She needed to know what the status of the battle was. Her legs stopped moving as she hesitated. The sight that greeted her would not be a pleasant one, she was certain. She would likely find her home destroyed and her people in the process of being imprisoned.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the remaining distance to the closed tent flap. She slowly reached for it, her hand shaking, and jumped with a shout as she felt a hand drop onto her shoulder.

She whipped around, her warrior reflexes at the ready despite her physical exhaustion. The face that greeted her was not entirely unexpected, but she hadn't realized he was in the tent with her. Her gaze fell upon a pile of furs on the ground. He must have spent the night there buried under the furs.

Zuko caught her quick glance at the doorway.

"Don't," he petitioned sadly, his hand still grasping her shoulder.

Angrily, she tore her shoulder from his grasp, and with a quick motion, shoved the tent flap open. She gasped at the sight before her. Figures in both blue and red riddled the landscape. The once pristine white snow was now stained with blood and ash. The city had once again been effectively destroyed. All of the entrances to the ice cavern system had collapsed. The surviving Water Tribe warriors were being rounded up into groups and forced to board Fire Nation ships. Katara had no idea if Pakku, Bato, the Ruling Council, and the group of warriors from last night had ended up escaping into the tundra.

It was over. The Water Tribe had been soundly defeated. She had expected this moment, but she had also expected that death would have taken her before she would be forced to look upon the defeat of her people. The last thing she had expected was to look upon the sight from Zuko's tent, with him standing inches behind her.

She let the flap of the tent fall closed, and turned to face him.

"You did this! There will be none of us left! You have nearly wiped out my people!" she shouted, her voice wavering as she attempted to hold the hot tears back.

Zuko had stood with his mouth slightly open, seemingly at a loss for words, when she drew her hand back and slapped him. She stepped back immediately, a tinge of fear beginning to pierce her righteous anger. Expecting retribution, she took another step back in an attempt to put more distance between them.

Rather than striking at her, he merely looked at her sadly, his eyes downcast. Shock filtered through her as she realized that he wore a look of shame upon his face. Saying nothing, he turned and left her alone in the tent.

She heard his gruff voice order guards to be posted around the shelter. Absently, she rubbed her wrists, which were still strangely devoid of chains. She wondered at his lack of concern at her relative freedom. It struck her that although her limbs were unbound, she was more of a prisoner than she had ever been. She had been effectively banished from her tribe, her home, and her people. Everyone and everything she had ever loved was gone. She had nowhere to run…no one to turn to…except for him.

Author's note:

Aww, come on. You guys didn't really think I'd bump Katara off right then, did you? I was halfway tempted to post a fake first sentence that went something like this:

"Katara lost. Zuko won, but then he felt like crap. The end." Hehe.

See you guys next week! As always, reviews are much appreciated!