Rose POV

After we convinced Aang not to leave us behind, we started for Crescent Island. Xiu Juan and I felt an odd presence as we left that Village. But we ignored it and continued on to the Island. We saw Prince Zuko's ship chasing us, but we flew too fast. We went by a barricade, but they let us pass. Suspicious.

When we got there, we hurried inside and called upon the inhabitants of the temple. We were shocked to find that they began chasing us. We outran them, and then discovered a lone guardian, waiting for us. He told us to trust him and then showed us how to get to the inner chamber. The specially designed mechanism required all of the sages to open the door. Sokka tried to open it, but it didn't work. Instead, however, it looked like it had. We hid behind a pair of pillars and waited for the Fire Sages to come so we could jump them. The friendly Sage, named Shyu, fed a pack of lies to the other sages so that they opened the door. Sokka and I took down one, and Katara and Xiu Juan took down the other.

"Go, Aang! GO!" We screamed.

But, from behind Aang's pillar, came Prince Zuko; with Aang in a headlock. I gasped and stumbled backward into one of the Sages. Aang slipped out of Zuko's grasp, kicked him down the stairs and jumped through the door right before it closed. There was a flash of blinding light. The other Sages grabbed at Shyu and tied his hands behind his back.

I stretched my arm out to Shyu. "No, don't!" But a hand flew out and grabbed at my arm. I turned and looked up at the face to whom the arm belonged. I shrieked and was about to cry. "Zh-Zhao! No… please… no!"

"I've found you at last," said the terrifying face that haunted my nightmares. He tightened his grip on my arm, turned his finger in a certain way so as to hit an especially painful muscle on my arm. I exclaimed with pain. Then he kicked the front on my leg and I crumpled to the ground, writhing in agony. He dragged me across the door and grabbed at my sister. I used my free arm and pulled out the three inch long dagger in my boot and tried to stab through his armour. It failed, and only enraged him. He lifted me off of my feet, pinned me to a column with his hands on my upper arms. (Get your minds out of the gutter, readers!) I struggled, but it was in vain. He smirked at me and his hands started heating up. I pleaded with him, but his smirk only doubled in size. I felt my skin begin to singe, and it started to burn. Then Zuko grabbed his arm and pulled it away, and I dropped to the floor, silent tears dripping down my face.

Zhao turned to Zuko. Zuko had fire in his eyes. "Leave the girl alone, Zhao. You have no trouble with her."

Zhao looked down at Zuko condescendingly. "How would anyone treat a runaway child?" Zuko's eyes widened.

"Runaway child?"

I looked up at Zuko; the tears were still in my eyes. "He- he's my mother's older brother." I sniffled, and Zuko looked down sympathetically. He lifted me off of the ground, and stood in between Zhao and me.

Zhao scoffed. "Protecting your little girlfriend, are you, Zuko? Well, it doesn't matter. Oh and, although it was a noble effort, your little smoke screen didn't work. " He pointed at the Sages. "You! Chain the Water Tribe peasants and that traitor to the pillar! Chain these three," He motioned at Zuko, Xiu Juan and me, "to the other pillar." They came toward us, and I tried to protect Zuko to return his kind favour. Although we resisted, they overpowered us. They pressed us against the columns and chained us to them. Zhao was sadistic enough to put Zuko and me next to each other.

Hoo. Ray.

I stood there, awkwardly chained between my sister and the Prince of the Nation I'd renounced. (Again, minds OUT of the gutter! OUUUUUT!) Eventually, I'd worked up the nerve to speak, but just in a whisper. Before I had a chance, my uncle strolled up. He grinned at me, and looked down at his own opened hand. I looked down, and saw that it was heating up. He drew his hand back and slapped me. It was very quick, but not quick enough for me to feel no pain from the slap and the fire.

Zuko tried to rush at Zhao, but he was too tightly chained to the pillar. I was shocked at how voraciously he defended me. Zhao laughed scornfully and walked away. I inhaled deeply, and whispered to him, "Um, thank you." He turned to me and gave an odd face. I pecked him on the cheek. I turned to the pillar that Katara and Sokka were chained to. I thanked the lucky star I was born under that they hadn't seen that. And then I realized that I wasn't born under a lucky star. He shifted positions slightly and moved a little closer to me. I looked at Xiu Juan. I gave her a face that said "I shouldn't have done that, should I?" She shook her head no. Zuko's pale arm lightly grazed against mine, sending a shiver down my spine. (No, I did NOT mean to rhyme! GAHHHH I DID IT AGAIN!) I gulped, involuntarily, and tried not to look at him. Then, there was a blinding light. I turned my face away, in Zuko's direction, and my head buried into his arm. I couldn't help it; I needed to block the light. When the light subsided, I turned to the front. I saw the exact silhouette of Avatar Roku. He blasted fire at Zhao and his men and at our chains. When ours melted, Zuko's lips brushed against my cheek, almost invisibly and ran. I hurried to the other side of the room and whipped out my dagger and the fans that the Kyoshi Warriors gave my sister and me. We slashed at the chain and it fell apart. Aang was in the doorway, and dropped like a leaf to the ground. We took him ad flew from that isle, preparing to set off for the North Pole yet again.