A/N: Sorry I didn't update as soon as I wanted for the last chapter, bad internet connection. I got the fever idea from one of the first fanfics I read, so I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, if I did, episode 312 would play this week.

Chapter 4: Fever

Kalaya was awakened in the middle of the night by a loud scream, and it had come from Kozu's room. She got up and tried to get into his room through the washroom. His door was locked, so she pounded on it, but no reply came. She went to her main door, and opened it to reveal a guard looking hesitantly at Kozu's door.

"What's wrong?" she asked, but the guard made no reply. "Please, I might be able to help."

The guard shook his head as if coming back to himself. "I'm sorry, but I don't think you ought to."

Kalaya grew angry. Would this guard do nothing if his prince was dying?

"I'm going in; he could be hurt, or worse." She stormed over to Kozus' door and opened it. A wave of heat met her, and she couldn't get in. She could see Kozu on his bed, twitching as if in a terrible nightmare, sweat covering his bare chest, arms, and head.

"Get Master Li, quick, man!" She said to the guard. He complied and she ran back to the washroom through her own door, and turned on a valve. She bent as much water as she could easily maneuver onto her shoulders before turning the valve off and headed back to Kozu's door. The heat had intensified, and Li had arrived at the same time she had. He looked from her to Kozu, and nodded. He then started moving his hands, bending the heat away from him and cleared a path from the door to Kozu's bed. He checked the young man before turning to Kalaya who had followed him in.

"He has the fever. We carry a flame within ourselves, our emotions express it. If it is suppressed by suppressed emotions, it builds until it consumes us. You must bring his fever down."

Kalaya looked at Kozu, hesitant. She was terrible at healing, but she had to try. She bent the water to cover his arms and chest and froze it as it made contact with his skin. Once the water was stable, and she was in a habit of bending the melting water back into the ice, she checked his vitals with her left hand covered in blue, healing water. What Li had said was correct, she could almost feel a small flame in Kozu, and it was trying to grow, to consume him. But it was being fought back by the ice, and was slowly being tamed.

She didn't notice sweat forming on her own brow as she worked, nor did she notice the passage of time. All her attention was on Kozu, and making sure he survived. His fever finally broke and Kalaya bent the ice back into water and took it to the washroom to let it go. She returned to his side, watching him.

"Kalaya….no," he muttered in his sleep. He had muttered her name along with Zow's while she had been working, and she was curious as to why.

"Shh, it's ok," she said, stroking his cheek with her hand. He relaxed and fell into a deep, natural sleep. Li watched as Kalaya leaned back from the bed, stretching. He thought he knew why his prince had had the fever, and he needed to tell Kalaya. She was the key, and she could help Kozu to bring out his emotions.

"Kalaya, you should know what happened tonight."

She turned to look at Li, expectantly.

Li looked from Kozu to Kalaya, and then began. "Firebenders are people of emotion. Our fire intensifies our emotions and vice versa. If we suppress one, we suppress the other. When this happens, the fire will want to get out, to consume something. If it is kept caged, it will consume the body. I believe Prince Kozu is suppressing a very powerful emotion, one that is directly connected to how he feels about you. He may feel that he can not let that emotion out, I don't know why. When he awakens, you must tell him what happened tonight and help him express his emotions. I believe you are the only one who can."

Kalaya mulled over this information as she watched Kozu sleep. She wondered what he felt for her, and how to get him to express it. She didn't have the slightest idea where to begin, but Li had faith in her.

Li left before dawn, to make sure everything was running correctly and to get them some tea. Kalaya was starting to drift off to sleep when the dawn light came through the window and hit Kozu's face. He awakened and turned his head, fixing his gold eyes on her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, wondering why she was in his room and watching over him. She looked exhausted and still had tear trails on her cheeks from the night before.

She sat upright and looked into his eyes as he sat up. She had to keep herself from staring at his bare chest otherwise she'd forget everything she needed to say.

"You had a fever last night. I heard you scream, but couldn't get into your room, it was so hot. Li said it was the fever, that you had suppressed your emotions and your fire, and it was consuming you. I managed to bring your fever down with some ice. What are you suppressing?"

Kozu thought about what she had said. The fever was deadly, and rare. Firebenders naturally let out steam and their emotions easily. "I'm not suppressing anything," he said finally, trying to stand up. He swayed and almost fell back onto his bed, but Kalaya was quick and caught him. She helped him stand, then put a glass of water in his hand.

"Drink," she ordered. He looked at her, doubtful that she could ever order him around, but drank the water. He was thirsty, and if she was right, he was probably dehydrated. He handed the empty glass back to her, and she set it down.

"You're suppressing something, otherwise you wouldn't have had that fever last night," she said, her temper rising. She needed him to talk to her, and if that included yelling at him, she would do it.

Kozu looked away from her. "You wouldn't understand."

"I can't understand if you don't tell me. Try me."

He looked back at her. She had her arms crossed over her chest and had a look about her that said she wouldn't budge.

"You can never understand. I was a good son. I went into the navy and worked my way up. I became Commander at a young age. I had never approved of Zow's tactics, and when I spoke out against him, I had to fight him!" Kozu started pacing, getting angrier as he talked. "I lost, and he gave me this scar. Because I had spoken out against one of my fathers' favorite admirals, and lost as well as being disgraced by him, I was banished! See, you could never understand!"

"What wouldn't I understand about that? I was banished too, remember?" Kalaya's patience was gone. She poked Kozu in his chest, emphasizing her point, and locked his gaze with her own. "We both stood up for what we thought was right, and were banished because of it! Oh sure, the girl doesn't understand," she said in a mocking tone. "I wanted to fight, to help my people the best way I could, but they wouldn't let me!"

"At least you weren't scarred! You don't have a scar on your face shouting to the world that you've been disgraced!"

"Maybe not, but I still have scars!" Tears formed in her eyes. "I lost my father and brother to the war, and because I wanted to fight, no one wanted me, no one cared about me. I was unlucky, lonely Kalaya, who no one wanted. At least you have people who still care about you!" Kalaya turned and fled to her own room, closing the door behind her before she started crying again. She had not seen Kozu's face soften and a look of worry come over his face as she fled, fighting back tears. She curled up on her bed, and heard her door open a few minutes after she had left Kozu.

"I'm sorry," Kozu said in a soft voice behind her. "You need rest, when you awaken, let the guard know, and I'll escort you to your boat." He started to leave, but turned back to her again. "Thank you, for saving my life, for helping me." His emotions were confusing, and he didn't know how to say what he didn't understand. He left her room and headed out to train and talk to his master.

Kalaya sighed as she heard him leave, glad that she did help in some way and drifted off to sleep.

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Kozu went onto the bow and began training, practicing his firebending. Li watched and noticed that his student was not concentrating.

"Why don't you rest, you were ill last night. Come, join me for some tea," he said after Kozu nearly fell from doing a flaming roundhouse kick.

Kozu looked at Li and nodded, walking over to accept the tea. He drank it, his mind elsewhere.

"I'm glad to see you feeling better after last night," Li said, "If there's anything you need to talk about…"

Kozu put his cup back onto the small table Li had. "I don't understand her," he said, turning to stare out at the sea. "She's so irritating sometimes, and others, she's so nice. Why is she so hardheaded? She doesn't understand me, but she talks like she does."

Li smiled. "She sounds like my best student. He wasn't a prodigy or a master strategist like his brothers, but he was stubborn and hardheaded and worked very hard."

"Humph, yeah, but she'll never understand me."

Li looked closely at Kozu. The young man was fighting something, and the struggle showed on his face. "You were both exiled for following your beliefs. If anyone understands you, it will be her. Do you love her?"

Kozus' face fell in shock as he turned to stare at the elder. Li was scrutinizing Kozu's expression, trying to find the truth that he was hiding, even from himself.

"I…I don't know. I like her, but she's so stubborn sometimes. It's just so confusing!"

Kozu turned his face away again, looking out to sea.

Li smiled again; at least he was getting the prince to think on what was bothering him the most. He almost didn't hear Kozu's next words, for they were in a whisper.

"She said I at least have people who care for me. She has no one left."

"But you care for her, let her know. You can not cage a wild bird. It will always try to escape, but if you draw it in carefully, loving it and caring for it, it will be bound to you as if you are the most important thing on earth."

Li saw Kozu's shoulders sag. He turned to Li, stood and bowed, a small smile forming.

"Thank you master, you are most wise."

Li stood, and bowed back to his prince, glad he was returning to normal in a fashion. A soldier approached them as they straightened up.

"Sir," he said, addressing the prince. "The lady said she is ready to depart."

"Very well, I'll be there shortly. Don't worry," he said to Li, "I'll tell her something."

"Good, we wouldn't want you to have another fever without a waterbender around," Li said as Kozu turned to head inside, grinning.