So sorry for the long wait...school is horrible...as is the flu...i get sick a lot and the flu was definitely not one of the better illnesses...anyway, i've got this new chapter up, and i hope everyone likes it...so, here we go!

disclaimer: i don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender...unfortunately...if i did, we wouldn't have to wait so long for the new season!!!!!!

Chapter Twenty-seven

He was careful as he snuck about the temple. He couldn't let anyone know he was there, though they were all asleep. He had made sure of that. He couldn't fail at this, not if he wanted to save her from herself.

He remembered where her room was and he knew that he could leave with her and not be caught. Still, he was a bit concerned. Zuko seemed rather attached to her, and Jet wasn't sure what could happen if he happened to wake.

"Then I'll simply have to be careful," he whispered to himself.

Carefully, he entered her room, pushing the door open slowly and quietly. He smiled as he saw her sleeping form. This was going to be easy.

Jet managed to lift Katara without any trouble, slipping his hands under her still form. He silently raced through the temple.

Azula had been too nervous to come to the Temple herself. Not that she had said anything. Instead, she had dumped the task on him, wanting to test him. Jet smirked in the dark. It hadn't been anything he couldn't handle.

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"ZuZu is too stubborn for his own good. Even if we managed to capture him, he wouldn't give us any information…and he's not as valuable to either my witless uncle or the Avatar. It would be easiest to capture that Water Tribe girl."

"You want me to kidnap Katara?" Jet asked incredulously.

Azula turned away from him. "Don't bother coming back without her."

Jet sent a silent snarl at her back and then said, "Fine." Without another word, he turned and left the two Fire Nation girls. He would kidnap Katara, if only to end this.

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Jet looked down on Katara with a grim expression. "Don't worry, Katara," he whispered. "You'll be fine." He held her closer as he raced through the woods. He wasn't sure what plans Azula had, but if they involved hurting Katara, Jet would do everything to stop her.

Despite the fact that Jet had seen the feeling and emotion between Katara and the Fire Nation prince, he still had been unable to let Katara go. Her determination to stop him, her inner strength…both attracted him to her like a bee to honey. She was everything he admired. She was kind and caring, but could be the fiercest fighter in the world without a moment's hesitation. And, though he hated that she had chosen that firebender over him, Jet couldn't help but still like her.

"I see you didn't fail. Did you do as I asked?"

"Yeah. They know exactly who's responsible."

Katara stirred a bit, hearing the voices as they pierced through her dreams. Azula? Jet? She was confused. This was an odd dream, especially if those two were in it…but then again…maybe this wasn't a dream. Maybe it was a nightmare.

In her sleep, Katara slipped a hand into the pocket of her dress and clutched at the stone there.

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The figures moved around her, fire blazing behind them. She couldn't see their faces, but she didn't need to. She heard their voices, knew they were evil themselves. Up above her head, the sky had turned blood-red, the sun dim and dark.

"They'll come soon enough. Just wait. If my brother is anything, he's predictable. Quite pathetic, actually."

Katara turned towards the voice, her eyes searching. But all she could see was a shadowy figure. "I know you're there, Azula!" she screamed.

The figure turned and for a moment, Katara could see her face, but then Azula turned her back once more.

"What is it?" Mai.

"Nothing," Azula answered softly. "I thought I heard…" She shook her head. "I hope ZuZu hurries; I don't want to get too bored."

In the dark, shouts began and Katara fell to the ground, tears slipping down her cheeks. She could hear her friends, but they were so far away…so very far away…

"Zuko…"

"Zuko…"

The young firebender gave a cry and woke from his sleep, launching his body from the bed. "Katara!" His breath was coming fast and uneven; sweat covered his brow. He pressed a hand to his head and stared into the darkness of his room.

Sighing, Zuko lay back down, assuring himself that everything was fine. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep but the feeling that Katara was in trouble persisted. Shaking his head, he stood.

"I'll just go check on her," he whispered to himself. "Maybe she's cold or something." Even as he said it, Zuko knew it wasn't true. The feeling in his gut said something was very, very wrong.

He left his room and noted that the temple was very quiet. He glanced out one of the windows, finding the night just as still and silent. Something was not right. His heart skipped a beat as he thought of his dream. Katara had been surrounded by fire, crying. He hoped nothing was wrong.

Zuko reached Katara's room in record time but, as his eyes spied the open door, his heart nearly stopped. Katara never left her door open at night. Having little privacy while traveling, she held every solitary moment to herself.

The scarred prince entered the room, hoping against hope that she had just forgotten to close his door, even though he remembered seeing her close it. And as he neared the bed, his hopes were dashed against the rocks of a restless ocean. Her bed was empty, showing no sign that she had gotten up of her own accord.

For a long moment, Zuko couldn't think, but then he yelled. It tore from deep inside of him. He was drowning in his rage; he couldn't see past him. It was only when he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder that the enraged prince could see, could speak.

"She's gone."

Iroh came to stand beside his nephew as Sokka raced into the room, his hair still mussed from sleep. "Oh, Nephew."

Zuko didn't look at his uncle as he turned and stormed from Katara's room. "I'm going to get her back," he growled. He didn't notice when the door burst into flames behind him.

"Wow," Sokka whispered, putting his own anger aside to gaze in amazement at the retreating prince. "He's more powerful than I thought."

Iroh nodded grimly and began to follow his nephew. "Unlike Azula, Zuko has trouble pushing aside his emotions, but it makes him unpredictable, his bending uncontrolled. While that gives Azula the advantage most of the time, emotions strengthen Prince Zuko's bending. He isn't always accurate, but what he loses in his lack of discipline, he makes up in sheer force."

Aang walked up to the two, his face set. Toph and Ty Lee soon followed, both looking just as grim.

"Katara's gone," Sokka explained, his voice growing angry again. "And we're going after her."

No one said anything. They merely followed in the smoky wake of the banished prince.

Katara smiled in her sleep, her panic slowly dying. Somehow, she knew Zuko was coming. He would take all of her nightmares away. She snuggled deeper into her pillow, only to find that it wasn't there. Puzzled, Katara opened her eyes to find it. And found herself on the ground.

Her eyes widened as she heard someone speak.

"Good. You're awake."

She glanced around and nearly screamed as her gaze fell on Jet. Biting back a sob, Katara closed her eyes. "Hurry, Zuko…"

I know, I know…kinda short…and Jet kidnapped Katara! It's so horrible, but luckily Zuko's coming to save the day, forest fires trailing him. Sorry for it being so short, and I want to thank everyone who has ever reviewed…but I need more! It's like crack…sadly enough…

-please review!