Um… thank you to all of my anonymous reviewers? Seriously guys, get accounts! And again, thank you *bows*. Thanks to everyone else who reviewed last chapter as well (I'm referring to those of you with accounts here). Anyway, here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. :D Remember, 4 reviews or no update.

Read, review and enjoy.

10. Shattered Glass

"Katara?!" Sokka shouted. He followed the footsteps in the sand as they led him along the beach. She should have been back by then. The fleet was ready to set sail and be gone from the stupid Fire Nation. "Katara?!"

When Sokka noticed a second pair of footprints join with his sister's and follow the same path, he started to panic. But when there was a third set, he began to run.

Who was with her? Was it Zuko? And maybe Mai? Or Toph? Typical…

Sokka grunted angrily under his breath. He reached the rocks and started to scramble over them until he was standing at the top of the biggest one. He looked over all of the other rocks and turned to face the way he came. There were the three sets of footprints he'd followed – Katara's, starting back at the docks, then a second pair joining her half way and a third pair, just before the rocks. But Sokka couldn't see anyone or anything in amongst the rocks and there were no footprints anywhere leading back away.

"Katara?!" he called out again. He still got no answer.

Sokka's heart stopped in his chest. What if they'd taken her? Zuko surely owned one of the extra pairs of footprints – had he hurt her… again?

Spirits, I'll kill him if he's touched a hair on her head!

That was when he saw it. The sunlight touched the rocks at just the right angle for it to catch his eye. Something sparkled gently in the sunlight. Sokka snapped his head around to look at it and hopped towards it. Hidden from view to those on the other side of the beach, Sokka bent over the rock. There was glass. Not just glass – shattered glass. Some was tainted black and some was tainted white. And lying in the midst of the debris were two black necklace ties. Something in the back of his mind clicked; his father had mentioned the Yin and Yang necklaces he'd gotten Zuko and Katara for their wedding present. He'd gotten a set for himself and Suki as well, only the Yin necklace had a dark blue circle in it and the Yang necklace had a green circle. Hakoda had said that Katara had gone for a walk to burry the necklaces – she must have come here.

But they had not been buried. They were lying there on top of the rocks in pieces.

"Katara?!" he cried out, looking up and about frantically. Something had definitely gone wrong here. He scrambled back up the rocks and looked out over the water. Had she been swept out to sea and not tried to save herself? "Katara?!"

"Sokka?! What's wrong?!" a girl's voice called. He knew the voice immediately and turned accusingly towards the owner.

"What have you done with her?!"

Toph stopped dead in her tracks. "What happened?! What are you on the verge of having a heart attack for?!"

Sokka glared at her and lifted his head to glare at Zuko, standing just behind her.

"What have you done with my sister?! Where is she?!" he demanded.

Zuko's expression was vacant. He should have known something terrible was going to happen. His mother had warned him. Why did he have to forget that tiny little detail about protecting her? Why couldn't Toph have reminded him just a little sooner? Then maybe he could have been in time to save her! But evidently, they were all too late.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Toph asked, knowing Zuko was unable to answer.

"About an hour ago, back on the ship! She went for a walk and never came back, so I came looking for her and followed her footprints over here. But your footprints joined up with hers and now I get here, find you two and I want to know what you have done with my sister," Sokka hissed. He was dangerously angry.

"We only just got here, Sokka. We haven't seen Katara since she left the palace."

Sokka glared at Zuko, "You have something to do with this! I know you do!"

"Well, you're wrong," he managed.

In two steps, Sokka closed the gap between them and had Zuko by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen here, Zuko," he growled. "You've hurt my sister enough in the last day or so. The game is over – give her back so we can leave! If you and Mai want to play your dirty game anymore, why don't you just use Toph for it?!" He jerked his head in the earthbender's direction.

Toph frowned, but did not face him. Zuko scowled.

"This isn't a game to me – it's not even fun," Zuko said. "I don't take the people around me for granted and I don't use them. Something has obviously happened to Katara, but I'm sure she'll turn up eventually."

"Ha!" Sokka laughed sarcastically. Toph tensed, sensing how close he was coming to just snapping Zuko's neck. "You know, you're really funny, Zuko! You've got her, just like you've got Aang. Give both of them back, and then leave us the hell alone! You can keep Toph and Mai and whoever else wants to side with you, but let the rest of us go! NOW GIVE THEM BACK!" Sokka's voice broke on the last sentence.

"I don't have any of them! I thought we already established the fact that Admiral Shang took Aang, so he's probably got…" Zuko trailed off and his eyes widened, dear gods… "He's probably got Katara too."

"Where is Shang?!"

"I don't know!"

Sokka made an aggressive noise in his throat and his hand sprung to Zuko's. In half a second, Toph shifted the earth beneath his feet and he was suddenly waist-deep in sand.

"UH! Toph, let me go!" he ordered.

"Not until I'm sure you're not going to kill someone!" she shouted. Zuko reminded himself to breathe.

"Where's Katara?!" Sokka yelled again. Toph covered her ears in annoyance.

"Sokka, just calm down and sort out what you actually know," Zuko suggested. "Ok, so, Katara's missing… no, Toph and I have nothing to do with it. It was most likely the same person who took Aang, so it's most likely Admiral Shang… What else do we know for sure?"

"Hey!" Toph suddenly shouted. "What's with all of this shattered glass? Maybe it's a clue!"

"That was my Dad's wedding present for you and Katara," Sokka spat, glaring up at Zuko. "She came out here to get rid of it."

Zuko bit his lip to stop himself from wincing at the thought of Katara handling what was supposed to be her wedding present.

"That's a start," Toph decided, climbing up the rocks and making sure to avoid the shards of glass. "What's this?"

Zuko and Sokka saw her bend down to pick something up. In a heartbeat, Zuko jumped up to join her and snatched whatever it was out of her hand as soon as he saw it.

"Shang," he hissed.

"What?" Sokka asked, trying to turn around in his little trap. "What is it?! Let me see!" He struggled aimlessly for a minute before grunting, "Toph!"

She didn't take her eyes off whatever was in Zuko's hand, but she unearthed Sokka nonetheless. He brushed himself off exasperatedly before joining them on top of the rock.

"What is it, damn it?!" He tried to see over Zuko's shoulder, but it was too small. He walked around to the front of Zuko and looked over his hands.

"A note?" Toph asked.

Zuko nodded, "It's the same sort they left for Aang."

Sokka snatched it out of Zuko's hands.

The waterbender has been kidnapped. Do not try and follow the kidnapper or rescue your friend or she will be killed.

Admiral Shang.

Yes, it was exactly the same note as the note they'd found after Aang had gone missing… minus the change of name.

Sokka swore under his breath. Without another word, he turned around and sprinted back towards the docks, clutching the piece of paper to his chest.

"Sokka, wait!" Toph yelled after him. She made to earthbend the sand again, but Zuko put a hand up to stop her.

"Wait," he said. "We'll follow him. He'll want to find Katara… and Aang too. We'll help."

"They'll send us away," she pointed out.

"We won't listen. They're going to need as much help as they can get. I don't care what Sokka says – I'm gonna get Katara back!"

Toph smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. She could see the doubt in his heart. He knew that it was most likely false hope, but he clung to it anyway – anything to let him believe that Katara would be safe in the end.

"That's right, Firefly."

Well, there you all go. How'd you like that? Can't you wait to read what happens next? Lol, don't mind Sokka completely skitzing out for a moment there… yes, I did that on purpose. Lol.

Remember to review – I need 4 or there won't be an update. ;)

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