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CHAPTER 4

"There it is," Sokka said, pointing down over the edge of Appa's saddle. At the edge of the forest was a large building surrounded by thick metal walls. Aang yanked on Appa's reins, bringing him down before the gate. The guards didn't seem surprised by a flying bison dropping down out of the dark predawn sky. Aang jumped from Appa's head and strode toward the gate. He pointed his staff threateningly at one of the gate's many guards.

"I want to talk to the captain," he said angrily. "Now!"

One of the guards slipped in through the gate. Aang looked back at Appa. Toph stood with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning against Appa's leg and tapping her foot on the ground, listening for any trouble. Sokka sat on Appa's head, reins in his hands, ready to take off in case of an emergency. Aang turned back to the gate. He noticed with some confusion that there was a large barrel of water on either side of the gate. That was unusual for a Fire Nation base.

"Wakey wakey, Katara," the captain said, banging on her cell door. Katara woke up from her fitful sleep. She scrubbed at her cheeks with the heels of her hands, trying to clean off the tears stains. She had been crying in her sleep. That hadn't happened since she was a little girl, after she'd lost her mother. She groaned a little and stood up, rubbing her sore wrists. Liung pushed the door open.

"Sorry to wake you in the middle of the night, but I have a new job for you," he said, grinning with malice. "It's going to require some strenuous waterbending, so I'll get someone to remove those shackles."

"No need," Katara said quickly, blowing ice onto the metal and slamming the shackles against the wall. They shattered like glass. An irritated frown passed over Liung's face, but it passed quickly.

"I'm surprised you didn't try that before," he said silkily.

"Don't be," she replied darkly. "You would have killed my father."

Liung chuckled and walked out the door. The guards walked in and led her out, following the captain. She didn't say another word until they reached the gate, which was closed. The captain stopped and turned to her.

"There is an intruder on my property," he said simply. "I want you to get rid of him. Take him down so we can take him prisoner. Any questions?"

"Yes," Katara said warily. "Who is this intruder?"

"I believe you know him," Liung said carelessly. "The Avatar."

Katara's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in horror. "No..."

The guards began pulling the gate open. She caught a glimpse of Aang, standing before the gate. She stepped back from the captain, shaking her head. "No... no, I can't do this," she said quietly, panicking once again. She turned to the captain, terrified. "Please, please don't make me do this." Tears stung at her eyes again, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back. "I'll do whatever you want, just please don't make me hurt him," she cried desperately.

"Begging? How disappointing," the captain said, shaking his head. "What would your father say?"

The captain placed a hand on Katara's shoulder and steered her out through the gate, stopping her between the two barrels just outside the walls. "Do not disappoint me," he said quietly in her ear, backing away behind the gate with the rest of the guards.

"Katara!" Aang shouted excitedly, running toward her. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt his body heat drawing near. Before she knew it, his arms were around her waist, pulling her against him. She closed her eyes and let herself go for a moment, placing her hands on his shoulders and resting her tired body against him. She buried her face in his shoulder, inhaling deeply and trying to comfort herself with his familiar smell. He could feel her heart beating furiously against him, her ragged breathing on his neck.

"Katara, I'm so glad you're okay," he said quietly, his voice cracking with emotion. "I was so worried about you..."

Katara bit her lip, more tears welling in her eyes. She heard the captain clear his throat behind her. "Aang..." she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Katara," he continued, his arms tightening around her. "It's all my fault you were captured... I'm sorry..."

"Shhhh... Aang, stop, please..." Katara whispered, placing her hands against his chest and pushing him away from her. He looked at her, confused.

"Katara... what's wrong?" he asked, startled to see the tears in her eyes.

She backed slowly behind the barrels of water. "I'm so sorry, Aang," she said quietly. She closed her eyes and extended her hands toward the barrels. Aang barely had time to look surprised before he was hit in the stomach by a large amount of water and thrown back across the ground.

Katara opened her eyes and saw him laboring to stand, confused, hurt, and she started to feel sick for what she had just done. "Aang!" she shouted. She was so confused, so conflicted. She hated herself for hurting him, and she knew she couldn't attack him again without tearing herself apart in the process. But her father would be killed if she didn't. She moved toward him out of instinct, her entire being rebelling against just letting him lay there.

"Don't go near him," she heard Liung shout from behind her. She stopped in her tracks. Aang looked up at her, so confused.

"Katara..." he said, the pain in his voice so obvious...

She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, trying to think. She could barely concentrate, not with Aang so close, his scent making her think of her father, that sword against his neck...

Her knees hit the ground. "What am I supposed to do?" she shouted in frustration.

Aang pulled himself to his feet, using his staff for support as his stomach began to throb. "That's it, time to figure out what's what," he said, jumping forward and whipping his staff toward the ground. In a great rush of wind, the air was filled with dust and dirt from the dry ground beneath their feet. Nobody could see a thing. Aang dropped to his knees in front of Katara.

"Katara, please, what's going on?" he asked quietly. He could hear the soldiers stumbling through the dark haze, trying to find them.

"Aang," Katara whispered frantically, looking up at him. "I'm so sorry, you're not hurt are you?" She reached toward him, fingers grazing his stomach where she hit him. She saw him flinch, felt the bandages beneath his shirt, and gasped. "Oh, Aang... that's where that firebender... I'm so sorry!"

Aang took her hands in his, attempting to stand. "Come on, Katara. We're getting out of here," he said quickly. But she didn't move. She just shook her head and pulled her hands from his, wiping her eyes.

"I can't," she said quietly. "You have to understand Aang... that's why I attacked you... they..." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "They have my father, Aang. They're threatening to kill him if I don't do as they say. I'm so sorry..."

"They have your father?" Aang repeated blankly. That explained everything. He wondered bleakly what else they had gotten her to do. It made him feel a little sick, so he quickly turned his attention back to her. He had never seen her fall to pieces like this before.

"Come on, I have an idea," he said suddenly, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. With a sweep of his staff, the dust cleared, and they found themselves surrounded by soldiers. Aang stepped toward the captain. Katara watched silently, rubbing her face again to wipe away more tear stains.

"Captain, I have a proposition for you," Aang said darkly.

"I'm listening," the captain said, stepping out of the gate.

Aang looked at Katara for a moment. His eyes flicked back to Sokka and Toph, watching and listening in dismay. He turned back to the captain with a scowl. "You let Katara and Hakoda go, and in return, I'll come without a fight," he said loudly.

"Aang, no!" Katara shouted, racing toward him and grabbing his arm.

"Dad?" Sokka gasped.

"What do you think you're doing, Twinkle Toes?!" Toph shouted.

"Alright, you have a deal," the captain said. "Someone go get the water tribe prisoner and bring him here." A few guards ran off.

Aang turned to Katara and was startled once again by the tears in her eyes.

"Aang, you know what you're doing, right?" she said quietly. "You... you can get out of here?"

"Don't worry about me," he said with a smile. "I've gotten away from the Fire Nation more than once. I think I can do it again. Just take care of Appa and Momo until I get back."

Katara bit her lip and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. "Alright, I trust you..." she whispered. "But... if you're not out by tomorrow night, we're coming in after you, okay?" He could feel her shuddering breath against his ear as she tried to keep herself from falling apart.

A few guards pried him away from her. Katara felt herself trying to resist. She couldn't help it. His heat, his scent, his nearness, that stupid nearly-full moon hanging up above her, it invaded her mind. She pulled herself away, breaking their contact quickly. She watched blankly as they pulled Aang through the gates. He looked back at her for a moment before he disappeared from view.

All of the guards went inside the gates. She found herself very much alone. Then suddenly, Sokka and Toph were behind her. She found herself on her knees again. She could feel Sokka's hand on her back, she could hear his voice.

"Katara, dad's in there? What happened?..."

She took a deep breath. So tired...

Toph was saying something now. "Come on, Sugar Queen, he'll be fine..."

"Katara, what happened?"

Katara exhaled slowly. "I think I love him, Sokka," she whispered. Sokka and Toph fell silent. She closed her eyes. "I think I love him..."

"Katara! Sokka!"

Katara looked up. Her father was running out toward them.

"Dad!" Sokka shouted.

Katara felt herself and Sokka being pulled into a huge bear hug. She was pretty sure Toph had been pulled in too.

"Katara, what happened?" she heard her father say.

"That's what I'd like to know," Sokka added.

Katara latched onto the front of her dad's shirt and buried her face in the fabric, trying to keep herself from crying. "They took Aang, dad. I wasn't strong enough..."