Yay! Chapter 21 is here! go me, go me, go me! well, enough about me...this is all about Zutara, isn't it? Well, read on, my friends...

disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Sadly.

Chapter Twenty-one

Jet watched as Sokka took off with Appa. So that's how it was. He smirked as, a moment later, Princess Azula and her friends began to follow the obvious ruse. So Katara and the others were still inside the temple. At least she was safe.

He sighed as he entered the structure. His feelings about Katara were confused, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone. He had used her once, tried to use her feelings to his own ends. A smirk crossed his face. And then she had frozen him to a tree. He couldn't help but admire her for that. He couldn't help but fall in love with her as she walked away, furious.

"Where are they?" he asked out loud, exasperated. "They can't just have disappeared."

But they could. It wouldn't be the first time Katara had slipped through his fingers. Jet shook his head. He had changed for her, had changed his whole world for this one girl, and yet he could never catch her. But this time…This time he wouldn't let her walk away.

Katara's face flashed in front of him. Her eyes were so beautiful, like water on a clear day. Sometimes they could be calm and kind, but when she was angry…the fury in her eyes was enough to make him want to kiss her.

Just as he was passing another door, he paused, hearing a noise. Jet pressed his ear to the wood and dared a whispered, "Katara?"

Katara was just drifting back to sleep—as far away from the shirtless Zuko as possible—when she thought she heard a noise from beyond the door beside her. After a quick glance around, she moved closer and pressed an ear against the wood.

And then she heard it. "Katara?"

Her heart sopped beating for a moment. She couldn't believe it, but it had to be true! "J-Jet?" she asked hesitantly, quietly.

"Katara!" came the whisper. "Katara, open the door."

Katara had to suppress a wild squeal of happiness. Jet was alive. And not only was he alive, but he was here! "Hold on a moment," she whispered back. And, without another thought, she opened the door, allowing the Freedom Fighter into the chamber.

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As soon has he stepped through the door, Jet was nearly knocked back when Katara gave him an enthusiastic hug.

"Oh, Jet! I can't believe you're okay!" she exclaimed, no longer bothering to keep her voice down. She stepped away, her blue eyes filling with tears. "I thought you had…"

Jet sent her a smirk, though it was a little warmer than his usual expression. "I know. But I'm okay now. And when I heard what happened to you, I just had to come and see if you were all right."

Katara stared at him for a moment and then dragged him further into the chamber, shutting the door behind him. "I'm so glad you're okay," she told him, sitting down. "And now that Sokka…" she trailed off and looked away. "Well, he's on a big mission, getting to be the great hero he's always professed to be."

Jet laughed. "That's good. Now where are the others?"

She waved his question away and answered distractedly, "Oh, they're around here, sleeping." Her gaze suddenly grew troubled. "Jet…we're traveling with two firebenders now," she confessed.

Jet moved to stand, his hands already going to his swords, but Katara stopped him with a gentle motion. "But Jet, they're not bad people. They're not. They've offered to help us and they're good people. Really."

After a tense moment, Jet nodded. "All right, Katara. As long as Sokka let them into the group."

Katara laughed affectionately. "Well, there have been a few tense moments, but I think Sokka's pretty much over it by now." She looked away, tears welling up in her eyes once more. "I hope he's all right."

Jet leaned closer. "He'll be fine, Katara."

"I hope you're right."

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Zuko couldn't sleep. He stared up at the ceiling of the large chamber, listening as Katara moved restlessly in the dark. And then he heard a noise that definitely did not come from the chamber. He tensed, ready to jump up when a single word gave him pause.

"Katara?"

He heard Katara's soft intake of breath and knew that the voice was as familiar to her as it seemed to be to him. But where had he heard that voice before? Zuko stayed where he was, waiting to see how everything would play out.

"Jet?"

As soon as she said the name, Zuko felt as if he had been punched. "How did Jet get here?"

But, as Katara let the Freedom Fighter into the chamber and the two began to talk, it no longer mattered. Zuko squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to hear their laughter, trying not to hear the happiness in Katara's voice, or see the tears he knew would be in her sapphire eyes.

The next morning, Aang greeted Jet with enthusiasm and Toph with reserve. The meeting with Iroh and Zuko, however, did not go so well.

As soon as he spotted the two firebenders, Jet dropped into a fighting stance, his hooked swords out and ready. "You!" he snarled.

Katara cast a confused look towards Zuko, but he ignored her. Shaking her head, she placed a hand on Jet's arm. "What's wrong, Jet?" she asked softly.

"Them!" Jet replied angrily. "They're the reason the Dai Li took me to Lake Laogai!"

Katara was hardly able to hold him back. "What's this about?" she asked, her eyes boring into Zuko.

"We were on a refugee ship together. He accused Uncle and I of being firebenders. We couldn't get caught, so when Jet tried to expose us, I didn't firebend. The Dai Li took him away for attacking me," Zuko replied stiffly.

The waterbender sighed. "Jet, let it go. It's over and they're helping Aang now. We can't fight, especially not now."

Iroh stepped forwards to diffuse the situation. "I am sorry, young man, if your life was disrupted, but my Nephew and I are working for peace." He spread his arms out. "We can no longer stand the actions of our own nation."

Katara nudged Jet and he lowered his swords. "Fine." He glanced towards Aang. "Those Fire Nation girls followed Sokka and Appa; I don't think they'll be coming back for quite some time."

Aang bowed. "Thanks, Jet." He straightened and then turned to grin at Iroh. "Ready for my lessons?" he asked.

Toph frowned and took hold on the Avatar's shirt. "Oh no you don't, Twinkle Toes," she growled. "You still have to master earthbending, too."

Katara giggled as Toph dragged Aang out of the chamber. She knew the blind girl had been uncomfortable sleeping in the chamber—she preferred to sleep outside—and she needed to reconnect with the earth…and maybe spend a bit of time alone with Aang.

Both Jet and Zuko turned towards the sound of Katara's laughter, but the Freedom Fighter spoke first. "What's so funny?"

Katara didn't say anything, merely shook her head, eyes full of laughter. Zuko's heart constricted and he turned, storming deeper into the chamber. Iroh glanced over towards his Nephew and sighed, recognizing when the young prince wanted to be alone.

The old general put on a bright expression and winked at Katara. "I think I'll have some tea out in one of the courtyards," he told her. "It seems too good a day to be cooped up inside."

Katara nodded her agreement and then looked at Jet. "Come on," she said, grabbing hold of his hand. "I want to show you around the Temple."

As soon as he was alone, Zuko growled in anger and punched the air, sending a blast of fire crashing into the wall. "Aargh!"

Sokka and Appa raced across the sky. They weren't very far ahead of Azula and the others. They had to move fast if they wanted to keep from being caught. Sokka was so consumed with looking ahead that he never noticed as Azula took aim.

The lightning barely missed Appa, singeing his fur and bringing the smell of burnt hair to Sokka's nose. Not wanting to get Appa hurt, Sokka made the flying bison land. Getting off, he whispered to Appa, "Go hide and then get Aang."

Appa reluctantly obeyed, ambling through the forest as quickly as he could. Sokka gave a smirk and turned to face Azula. As the three Fire Nation girls came out from the forest, Sokka kept his face passive. He couldn't betray Ty Lee, not when she had risked warning them.

"What do we have here?" Azula taunted, moving closer to the defiant Sokka. "A Water Tribe peasant?" She smirked as anger flickered over Sokka's face. "Tell me where the Avatar is, peasant, and I might just let you live."

"Aang's already escaped," Sokka spat. "He and the others are far gone by now."

Azula's nostrils flared in anger but, other than that, it seemed as if she were calmer than ever. "We'll see about that."

Sokka laughed bravely. "What? The only reason you got Aang the last time was because you had an army at your back," he spat. "Face it, Princess, you're not nearly as strong as you think you are."

She stepped even closer, not seeing the look of abject horror on Ty Lee's face. "You'll regret those words, peasant."

Sokka barely managed to get out of the way as Azula shot a spear of lightning right towards his heart. He bit back a scream as it hit his shoulder. He went down with a cry and the Fire Nation princess advanced on him.

"Wait!"

Azula turned, her annoyance written on her face. "What is it, Ty Lee?" she demanded.

Ty Lee moved forward. "Think about it, Azula. If you kill one of the Avatar's friends, it'll only make him stronger. But if you leave his friend injured, it'll slow him down. The Avatar will have to wait until he's healed before they can move. You'll have him right where you want him."

Azula paused, considering the idea. And she smiled evilly. "You're right, Ty Lee," she said. "Fine. Stay with him and make sure the weakling doesn't die. I can't have my message messed up, can I?"

Ty Lee nodded, barely holding back her sigh of relief. "Whatever you say, Azula," she replied, trying to sound annoyed. As the Princess and Mai walked away, she grumbled, "I don't see why I always get stuck by myself." She knelt beside Sokka, gently smoothing his brow. Tears ran down her face at the pain in his blue eyes.

"Just don't mess this up, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee sent a malevolent look towards Azula's retreating back. "I won't."

Poor Sokka. I was going to get him captured, but this seems more dramatic. And, I know there seems to be a budding romance between Jet and Katara, but I've got it covered. After all, this is all about Zutara here, so it'll come back soon. There just has to be a couple of twists and turns. It can't all be so easy! Please review!