I huffed around in my anger for almost the rest of the day. How could he be so close to kissing me and yet act as if nothing happened when someone enters the equation? Why did he do that? Why did he act like he had been simply tying my hands back together like he had originally had been doing? Sometimes he made me so mad.

I couldn't figure it out. We had been so close. We so close to kissing, and yet he pretended that it didn't happen. He ignored the fact that it happened. It wasn't something that could merely go away. I mean, we were enemies! Enemies! Enemies aren't supposed to fall in love, let alone kiss. Enemies aren't supposed to kiss. They aren't supposed to even come close to kissing. And yet we did. Did that mean we weren't enemies anymore? Did that mean that Zuko would let me go after dinner?

I stayed in my misery and perplexity until Zuko returned once more. He wasn't carrying dishes again. I assumed that he was only checking on me. I hoped so; if it wasn't time to eat, then he wouldn't have a reason to untie me and perhaps fall again. Unless he needed to untie me to make sure I'm healing properly.

I could've been healed long ago if Zuko would've untied me and let me waterbend. But no, he had to go off on a rant about how I would attack him and his crew if he allowed that. I guess I would've if I got the chance to, but I even if I had healed myself, I still would've been sore and I was sure I had a broken rib or two; I can't heal bones.

I wish I had paid better attention to the healing lessons at the North Pole. It would've come in handy many of times. We had come across so many people injured beyond my healing. Maybe if I had paid better attention to Yugoda then I would know how to stop internal bleeding or how to mend broken bones. Maybe if I hadn't been so arrogant and willing then maybe I would be a better waterbender than I was.

But whether I could heal bone or not didn't matter because I wasn't allowed to waterbend at all. I didn't even know I had the strength to. Maybe I did before I tried to escape, but after that, there was no chance I was going to bend for a while.

The metal door creaked open, announcing Zuko's arrival. I silently groaned, dreading his return for a long while. I hadn't been too excited, to say the least, of Zuko coming back. I didn't want to talk about what had happened earlier, and I hoped that he didn't either. It would be way too awkward if he began to apologize about it or try to arrange an agreement of some sort because of it.

The Fire Prince shuffled into the room with a light coating of sweat glistening off his bare, upper body. He looked worn out and exhausted. He grabbed a towel from a chair and began to pat his face, soaking up the sweat.

I silently stared at him, taking in his appearance and judging his mood based on his looks. He seemed to be in a tired and, more than not, grumpy mood. I thought it best not to bug him or make him angry, but sometimes I have no impulse control. I only wanted to be untied; that was all.

I decided to be sweet and innocent as possible. If Zuko bought my act, then maybe he would untie me. It was worth a shot as bad of a plan it was.

"Train hard? I hope not too hard because if you did then you may be too tired to untie me," I said. Zuko glanced at me almost quizzical. As if to say, 'Did you hit your head?' or 'Are you ok?' "Well?" I looked at him, trying to look as innocent and ignorant as possible.

"If I untie you," Zuko set the towel back down and walked closer to the bed, "you will most likely escape or try to."

"Zuko, I am much too wounded to try anything." I batted my eyelids to trying to look cute and, well, maybe a bit seductive. "Puh- lease?" I drew out my words and pouted a little.

The Fire Prince stared at me with his infamous squint. His golden eyes studied mine as if the reason behind my poor and cheesy acting were hidden in my pupils. He crossed his arms, telling me it was more no than yes. He finally sighed and drew near me. He stretched over me and untied my wrists.

I gratefully returned his actions with a "thank you". I sat up, but winced in pain. I soothingly began to rub my chaffed wrists. They were red and dry and almost rubbed raw.

Zuko then chided me for my foolish deed, telling me not to move so much if I didn't want to risk further injury.

It angered me a bit that Zuko was concerned for my injuries and didn't want me to stress my body anymore than it already was, but my wrists were hurting like crazy at the exact same moment he was getting on to me. I shrugged off his words, perfectly aware of my injuries and sure that I could handle myself and hold my own. After all, I was Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, master waterbender.

Yes, of course you can handle yourself. You're Katara, master waterbender, bested and captured by Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation, master firebender.

Ok, so maybe I didn't do so well in that battle, but once my wounds are healed, I can successfully escape.

Life has some pretty funny twists and turns. If someone would have told me that I was going to meet the Avatar, befriend him, travel along with him on his quest to defeat the Fire Lord, master waterbending, and become captured by the Prince Zuko all in the span of eight or nine months, I would have told them they were crazy. But there I was, Aang as my friend, master of water, and Zuko's prisoner.

It didn't seem fair; I was one of the heroines in the story! I shouldn't have been captured! I should've been able to beat Zuko and be on my merry way! It wasn't supposed to end like that! Aang, Sokka, and I were supposed to be traveling to Bah Sing Se together, as a family, the three of us! But instead they were probably searching the woods for me! Aang was supposed be learned earthbending- hopefully- by now! It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair at all! This cursed war!

We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the war! The accursed war! Although I wouldn't have met Aang if there wasn't a war. But if there wasn't a war I would still have Mom, I would probably have become a master waterbender without traveling to the North Pole, Dad would be back home- we would all be back home! Everything would've been so much simpler if there wasn't a war.

But we can't have what we want, and life can't always be perfect. Everything happens for a reason, Katara. Things that we don't necessarily like happen for a reason, whether we can see it or not. God sees to it. Gran Gran informed me.

Though I knew she was right, I didn't want to listen to her. I wanted to wallow in my misery and longing for a better life. There were so many regrets and "what ifs" in my life. I constantly thought things like, "What if there hadn't have been…" or "If only I had…" or "What would've happened if…" As much as I wished for so many things to have been different or to change, I couldn't change the fact that life is too short to waste on giving up or wasting time thinking back on past mistakes.

I grabbed the pillows and set them on top of one another and lay back, using the pillow to prop myself up. I let a content sigh, relishing in my small comfort. It felt nice to relax for whatever amount of time I had. I felt a twinge of pride that I had made myself so happy and comfortable all by myself. True, it sounded a bit boastful and petty, but I was, oh so, content with myself.

"Do you think that this war is worth it?" I asked, looking down and fiddling with my nails.

"What?" Zuko gaped.

"Do you think that there could ever be a good outcome of this war? Do you think that the Fire Lord is in the right and that everyone else is in the wrong, fighting against his armies?" I tried again, elaborating. I looked up at him. He was standing

"It doesn't matter what I think," he shrugged me off. "Now close your eyes so that I may change."

I had forgotten about that. I forgot that we were sharing a room for the time being and that there was a problem with that- changing.

I obediently closed my eyes, not wanting to catch a peek of the Prince in the nude. I heard the ruffle of clothes and continued on with my questions. "What do you mean? Of course it matters. It matters an awful lot on what you think," I pursued.

"No, it doesn't," he gruffly said. "Ok, you can open your eyes."

I opened my eyes again. He was wearing a red tunic with gold tracing the hem and red pants.

What did he mean? Of course what he thought mattered. Why did he think not?

The entire time Zuko chased us across the world, I barely learned anything about the young man. I knew that he was the Fire Nation Prince. I knew he traveled with his uncle. I knew he needed Aang to restore his honor, but that was really all I knew.

It suddenly dawned on me that maybe Zuko isn't really a cruel and evil man much like his father. Perhaps he was being forced to capture Aang. I remembered thinking that the "Zuko" I knew wasn't the real "Zuko". Maybe there was something more to him. I was sure that he had things that he needed to hide; I did. But how was that different from anyone else? We all had things we were ashamed of or embarrassed by or simply were too personal for someone to know. It was a natural fact of life, so how that pertained to Zuko anymore than it did to anyone else was beyond me.

"Why is your father so bent on conquering the other nations?" I asked, trying to stay calm and not let his yelling and aggravated tone get to me.

Zuko stiffened. I could tell he was weighing whether or not to speak. "He believes that it is his sole purpose," he explained. His sole purpose?

I could tell just by the way that he spoke that he didn't believe what his father did. It seemed that Zuko had been taught that there was no other way; expect the Fire Nation way. That the Fire Nation was supreme over all the other lands.

"And what do you believe?" I pierced him with my eyes. I wanted the truth. Tell me the truth, Zuko, not what you've been force- fed your entire life.

His stony persona quickly changed to anger. "I am a loyal son of Ozai! I follow him without question!"

"But that doesn't answer my question."

"You dare question the beliefs of the Fire Nation Prince?" he balled his hands into fists. Small wisps of smoke and acrid flames bounced off his knuckles. Great. Fate seemed to be in need of humoring.

"No, not at all," I reasoned. "I just want you to elaborate. You're shutting me out. I ask you a harmless question and you evade it. Tell me the truth. Tell me what you truly believe." I felt frustration build inside of me. If only he'd open up. If only he'd crack and tell me the truth. "I'm trying to understand how you can act kind and gentle towards me when we are alone and yet nasty around Aang." My voice began to get loud and full of anger. "Why do you want him so much?"

"I am in exile!" he shouted. "I disgraced my father and he banished me! I am not welcome in my own nation! In my own home!"

I gasped. I had never known that. I couldn't imagine Sokka or Aang shunning me away.

"I can only return if I capture the Avatar! I am without honor, my nation, my father's-" he stopped himself. A stunned look crossed his face. He had said too much for his own comfort. Was it just me or was he about to say "love"?

"Without what, Zuko?" I clung to the conversation. I wanted to know what he was about to say. If only he would've opened up just a little more… If only he would've put his guard down just a little more…

"Nothing." He shut me out once more. He turned around and walked out of the room. He left me alone I my thoughts once again.

I laid in the bed in almost a dazed silence. I was bewildered that he had said so much. …And so little at the same time. I felt that there was nothing that I could do to understand him better. For that moment, I had gotten as much information as I could, more than anyone before, I'm sure.

The rest of the day went by slowly. Zuko returned with a plate of food with me. He didn't bother to tie me up again, which I was very grateful for. I didn't know what would've happened if I had slept another night with my arms hung above my head.

We didn't speak at all. Not a word was said. There wasn't even the usual "hi" or a polite "yes" or "no". Nothing.

I had struck a nerve earlier, and I wanted to apologize, but I couldn't find the strength to. I supposed I wasn't strong enough to swallow my pride enough to apologize even though I knew I was in the wrong.

Gran Gran continually chided me and pressured me into apologizing. But I didn't listen. It was hard not to listen, but I managed.

Night soon fell upon us. It was the thing that I had dreaded since I woke up- bedtime. It seemed to have gone unannounced- at least with me it was- that Zuko and I would be sleeping in the same bed. It wasn't the most comforting thought. I didn't want to sleep in the same bed as my enemy, let alone the same room. It was awkward to begin with, but our argument from earlier made it even worse as Zuko pulled the covers aside and slide in next to me.

"Um… Sleep tight," I said, trying to break the silence in the most discreet way possible. Wow, Katara. That was lame.

Ok, so maybe it was lame, but I got a reply out of it.

Zuko grunted, "Night."

And that was that; even if we had had argument earlier, by morning it would be all gone. Zuko and I would go back to our new normal lives. We would try to stay out of each other's way and still try to go on with our lives. I would try to get him to open up a little more and wait for my wounds to heal.

A/N: Hey! There's the 4th chapter! Wow, i got that out really fast! Like a week! I think that that's a record! haha! Not much happened in this chapter. I just thought that Katara needed to grow as a character more, and frankly I'm quite sure what should happen next! I've already got an idea, but it's filling in the spaces is what's hard! A lot of the time I find that I have a certain idea for my writing, but I have trouble putting it into words. Haha! Well, I hope that the next chapter makes sense!

Please review!

-Neon