A/N: Again the emotions are fast, but that's how it works sometimes, that's kind of how it happened for me. ) Hope you enjoy. Please R&R.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar; though I wish I did sometimes.

Chapter 7: Explanations

Kozu ran forward and caught her as she fainted. He laid her down gently before he returned to the wheel to guide the boat south. He caught up with his ship before dawn and waited while stern opened up and a pulley system pulled the smaller boat inside.

He picked up his mask and turned to Kalaya. She knew, but she'd be safe here. He had to explain. Kozu hid his mask in a compartment inside the small boat, and then donned his armor over his ninja suit. He picked her up gently as Li came up to him once the boat had finished docking.

"Is she ok?" he asked, worry on his face.

"She's fine," Kozu said gently, starting to walk towards his room. "She just didn't expect me."

"What will you do now?"

Kozu stopped and turned his head to Li, worry and concern on his face. "I don't know, but I need to tell her. Everything. You too if you want."

Li smiled. "I'd like that, but we should make sure she is comfortable first."

Kozu nodded and continued on to his room. He laid Kalaya down on his bed and brought a small chair next to her. Li entered the room and closed the door behind him, locking it, before sitting down on the other chair at the table. Kozu looked over Kalaya, noticing a bruise forming on her cheek from where Zow had hit her, and tucked a stray hair that was on her face behind her ear.

"I did what I did to keep you out of this," he said to Li, keeping his attention on Kalaya.

"I heard rumors of a conspiracy, and I needed to find out what Zow was up to, and now I have proof if his conspiracy. I need to face him openly now, and restore my honor. But I don't want to go back home anymore. How long have you known?"

He turned to face his teacher as he said the last. He studied Li's face intently. Li looked thoughtful, and worry lined his weathered face. He finally touched a spot on his left arm before answering the prince.

"I've suspected for a month now, but didn't know for sure until Zow questioned her, and I saw her scar. Zow may not have known exactly what it was, but I have that very type of scar and have given that treatment to many soldiers when I was younger. I'll leave you to tell your lady. Do not hold anything back." Li got up and walked to Kozu, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm proud of you Prince Kozu. You are honorable no matter what anyone says."

Kozu looked at Li and saw a smile on the weathered face of his master. "Thank you."

Li smiled reassuringly, and started to leave. "I'll bring food for you two, and you'll need a story to tell the crew as to why she's here."

"Don't worry, I'm already on it," Kozu replied, turning his attention back to Kalaya. She was still out, so he got up and headed to the washroom. After he had washed his face, he went back into his room and was surprised to see Kalaya sitting upright on his bed, holding her head in her hands, gingerly feeling the bruise on her cheek.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

She jumped back, startled. "Who are you?" She looked at him, as if trying to decide if he was the prince or the blue spirit.

He sighed and sat down in his chair again. "I am Prince Kozu of the fire nation, and also the blue spirit."

She looked at him quizzingly. "Why? Why did you do it? Why did you involve me? And why did you question me?!" Her voice rose as her temper rose.

Kozu sighed again as he looked into her dark eyes, She was confused and angry and hurt. The last pierced him the most. "I'll explain everything if you calm down. Please."

She eased back, sitting with her arms crossed and waited.

"I told you I never approved of Zow's tactics, and spoke out against him. I dueled him, lost and was scarred by him, then banished by my father for how dishonorable I was. That was over two years ago. I learned of a conspiracy plot he had six months ago to dishonor and force marriage with my sister. I had found the mask when I was younger in the palace with a note. It said, 'I used this when I could not be seen, to do the right thing. If you use it, make sure it is to do what is right.' I needed information, to stop Zow, but needed to go where a banished prince could not go. I did what I needed to do, but could not get the right information. I saw you help me when we first met, but didn't think anything of it until I saw the colonel try and arrest you. I couldn't let you get hurt for helping me, so I questioned you. I was surprised and impressed at how you stood up to me.

When we met again, when you were shot, it was my fault, and I couldn't let you die. I had hurt you, but I needed to protect you. When Zow wanted to question you, I had to step in. I cared for you, even if I didn't realize it at the time. But after his disrespect, and your anger, I was angry, and couldn't deal with it. I had protected you, done the right thing, but you didn't want that.

That night, you saved my life. I dreamed of you walking away, of going to Zow, of Zow taking you and killing you, and I couldn't bear it. But then you were there, and everything was all right. As I talked with Li while you were sleeping, I realized that I cared for you, maybe even loved you. When I heard that Zow had captured you, I was furious, but couldn't do anything. I couldn't, but the blue spirit could. Getting you out was the most important, but if I got the chance, maybe I could get what I needed to expose Zow. You know what happened last night."

He studied her face as he talked, and saw the hurt lessen, and compassion replace the anger. She was silent for a minute after he finished.

"Do you love me?" she asked. A blush formed on her cheeks, and she looked at him expectantly, both dreading and hoping for the answer.

Kozu got up from his chair and sat next to her on the bed. She didn't shy away, and continued to look him in the eyes.

"Yes," he said. "I do. I could never let anything happen to you." He kissed her, and she leaned into it before pulling back.

"I can take care of myself, you know."

He smiled, seeing her start grinning. "I know. I only helped because I couldn't see you get hurt."

She kissed him, but scooted away when she heard the door open. Kalaya blushed and stared at her hands as Li came in with a tray of food. He had seen the two kissing and grinned as Kalaya blushed shyly and Kozu gave him a dirty look as if he didn't want to be interrupted.

"Just some food for you weary young folk. What shall I tell the crew, Prince Kozu?"

Kozu straightened his expression. He was hungry and Li approved of Kalaya. Hopefully he would have plenty of time alone with her.

"I was walking back from the mayor's and saw the thief known as the blue spirit come ashore with Kalaya in a small fire navy boat, probably stolen. They looked exhausted, and the thief was ready to defend her, but she told him that it was ok. That I had treated her honorably, though we've had our disagreements. The thief asked if I would keep her safe. I agreed and she came with me."

Kozu glanced at Kalaya as he told Li his tale for the crew. He didn't want her to seem weak, she had proven that she could take care of herself, and him, but they needed an alibi. She nodded in understanding as he finished, accepting it before glancing at Li, wondering if he knew the truth.

Li grinned. Kozu was not the best at weaving a tale, but he wasn't bad either. "Good, then maybe once you two have had breakfast, I would be honored to hear the rest of your thrilling rescue, my lady. But you two should clean up first, and rest. Shall I keep the heading, my prince?"

Kozu nodded, and Li left, still grinning. Kozu got up and held out his hand for Kalaya. She accepted it and rose with him. She was still thinking about what he had told her, and the fact that he had said he loved her as he led her to the table to eat.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing she wasn't eating. She had been captured the afternoon before and now it was dawn. She must have been famished, but she didn't touch her food.

"I… I don't know. You really love me? Even though I'm from the water tribe, and a waterbender?" She looked into his eyes and he saw that she was confused over her own emotions.

"Yes. Do you love me?" She didn't answer him, but looked as if she were thinking about it. "I know I'm from the fire nation, and a firebender. I'm sorry about your brother and father, but…" Kalaya leaned over and kissed him.

"That doesn't matter. Yes, I… I love you." He grinned at her before they started eating.

After they were done, he let her use the washroom first. She looked refreshed, but even more tired when she was done. She insisted that she was fine while he used the room, but when he came out, he found her asleep on his bed. Kozu smiled as he gently lifted her from his bed and took her to her own room, making sure she was covered before he left. He retired to his own bed, grinning as he thought of Kalaya loving him.