I feared what Aang and Sokka would do when they found out we were in love. I was so scared that Sokka would totally lose it and attack Zuko. Lord knew how prejudiced my brother could be when it came to firebenders. Even people from the Fire Nation. Although sometimes I couldn't be sure if he was prejudiced because they were from the Fire Nation or just a bender at all.

I promised that no matter the outcome of telling Sokka and Aang that we were together, I would stand by Zuko and defend him. Even if they didn't approve of us together and wanted Zuko to leave, they couldn't ignore the fact that Aang needed a firebending teacher and Zuko was the only one who would do it. There was Jeong Jeong, but he had disappeared and we didn't know where he was. Zuko was the only one.

More days past—I thought at least—and nothing happened. We went around and around in the same cycle. Words were hardly spoken and it was eating at me like crazy. Words could sting like anything, but silence broke the heart more than anything else in the world. The silence that had covered over us like film was so quiet it was loud. It was quite contradicting, but it felt like it was taking up the entire cell and coming into our bodies, filling us up with want for more silence.

I bit my lip. I had to say something to Zuko. Anything. It didn't matter at all what I said as long as I said something. Although it couldn't be something stupid like cheese. That would definitely receive a snide remark.

I sighed and crawled over to Zuko slowly. To be honest, all I really wanted was for him to hold me. He had barely said anything to me for...I didn't know how long and he had most certainly not touched me in any way shape or form. And I was yearning for his comfort. I wanted him to hold me and just say something gentle. Like he used to do.

Zuko snapped his head towards me in shock. He gazed down on me surprise, wondering what in the world I was doing.

I pulled up to his shoulder and moved his arm out of the way. I leaned up against his chest and folded his arm over my shoulders. I gripped him tightly for I wanted to be as close as possible.

I couldn't explain it, but I was feeling really lonely. I had been feeling so lonely lately. I missed a lot of people. I missed Dad, Sokka, Aang, Gran Gran, and Mom so much. I felt all alone as I sat in the cell so cold and miserable.

Goodness, it's like I'm having a pity part for myself, I thought.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked in hushed voice.

"I just," I explained, "want you to hold me. I feel alone."

Zuko gazed into my eyes with worry, my words startling him. "Why?" he questioned. He held me a little closer to his chest. He was so strong and comforting. Just being in his arms made me feel better.

I shrugged. "I'm not really sure. We've just been so quiet lately; I guess it just got to me."

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm starting to really worry about what's to become of us. It's been almost a month since we were thrown in here."

"You've been keeping track?"

"I've tried to," he replied. "I'm not certain of how much time has elapsed since we arrived. I can only guess."

I bit my lip and stared at the ground, not really seeing it. "And could you guess what's going to happen to us?" I asked though I already knew the answer.

"I'd rather not," he darkly answered.

I inhaled deeply. What were we to do? I didn't want to think of the future and what it held for us for no one could be certain, but thinking about it seemed inevitable. "I'm worried, Zuko," I admitted.

"I am too."

I sighed. I was very distraught over the fact of being so uncertain about the future. I was the type of person that liked to be informed. I liked to know things and what was in store for me and being in the dark about this was troubling and was taking its toll on me. I didn't like it one bit.

"I'm scared to think about what's to become of us," I admitted as that was slowly becoming the thing to do. We were slowly and hesitantly admitting our secrets and fears to one another. In our solace, it was the only thing to do.

Zuko held me tighter. "I am too, but we'll be alright."

I drew my lips into a thin line. As much as I would have liked to believe him, I couldn't find it within myself to. I couldn't force myself to think the way he did. So sure of our future as if he wrote Fate's book himself. Why couldn't I be as optimistic as he was? "How can you be so sure?" I inquired.

Zuko tilted his head down to mine, and I leaned mine up so our faces were parallel. "Because as long as I'm with you, I'm alright," he said. "If I'm with you and have your love, I'll never be alone."

I forced a smile in his direction. That was really sweet of him to say. I hugged him tightly, not wanting to ever let go. "Yeah," I agreed, "we'll be ok."

He nodded his head and then kissed the top of my head.

I fell asleep in his arms that night and I felt the safest I had ever been in a month. The days passed again and I thought another month went by as well. I couldn't be sure. The same things happened every day. Day in and day out. The man would come give us food, but this time Zuko quit trying to get information out of him. He realized that it was a wasted effort for the result we received.

After I had curled up beside Zuko, we were more open with each other. We talked a little more and talked about stuff besides the war.

"What are the Fire Lands like?" I questioned one day.

Zuko perked up. "The Fire Lands? Why would you want to know about that?"

I shrugged. I wasn't sure. It was just something that sparked my curiosity all of a sudden. "I've told you about my home and I know nothing about the Fire Nation besides from my travels," I elaborated.

"Well," he started and sat up straighter, "there was red. Lots of red. All the roofs and clothing and decoration were red. It's a beautiful color; the color of my element. It was always warm and nice outside. Nothing like the barren wastelands of the Earth Kingdom with their bitter winter and autumn."

I leaned back against the wall of the cell. I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them. "It sounds nice," I sighed.

"It was a nice place to grow up aside from it being war torn. There was a lot of poverty everywhere. Hardly anyone was rich. I don't think anyone else was rich besides us."

"That's awful," I said.

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, my father ran the country dry due to his lust for power. The entire country is in debt."

I shook my head. How could a man be so blind and selfish that he would totally destroy the economy of his country? "That's terrible."

"Yeah, but for the few years I lived in the palace with my family, we were really well off. We didn't have financial problems for some reason."

"That doesn't surprise me," I commented.

Zuko shrugged. "I guess, it wouldn't."

Silence grew and spread us apart. We came back to our usual routine, sitting with our backs to the walls in silence. The day passed by and so did the night. I didn't expect anything else to happen; I expected the day to move on as any other day would. But it didn't.

The heavy door opened and light streamed in like rays through a cloud. Two men stood in the doorway; one held the door and was off to the side while the other stood beside him in the middle of the doorway. They were dressed in an Earth Kingdom uniform.

I shrunk back closer to the back wall of the cell. I didn't know what they were doing and I didn't like it. Fear and panic was starting to swim around in my mind.

Zuko stared at the men harshly, daring them to make the first move. Though he wanted to say something and put up a fight, he knew better than to. He knew it was best not to make even more trouble that had already been made.

The man standing in the doorway flung his finger out and pointed it towards me. "You two," he harshly said, "come here."

I hesitated. What was I to do? If I refused, they would surely drag me out, but what if I didn't? What would become of me then? I took a shaky breath and slowly stood up. I stole a glance at Zuko.

He had worry and concern mixed into his eyes. He stared into my eyes, wishing me the best of luck. He stood up slowly and followed my lead.

I walked to the doorway and stood as bravely as I could in front of the two soldiers. I tried to not look like a scared, little girl, but it was hard considering the fact that I was one. I was scared to death of what was to become of me, but I promised myself that no matter what happened I would not cry or beg for my life. I would bring honor to my country.

The man standing right in front of me grabbed my hands and roughly tied my trembling hands as the other guard did the same to Zuko. He bound them palm to palm and then pulled us out of the doorway. The other man closed it and it made a loud clang.

The two then began to lead us away down the long corridor that was dimly lit with torches. They both stayed on either side us with a hand on one shoulder, ensuring that we would try no funny business.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Where are you taking us?"

Zuko cautioned me with his eyes. He was warning me not to talk, but I paid no mind to him. There was nothing wrong with asking a simple question.

The man on my right replied, "You are to talk with Keiichi."

"Who is Keiichi?" I asked. I began to feel my stomach churn from adrenaline and fear, a deadly poison that made me want to retch. I let out an unstable breath and fiddled with my bonds.

"The general," the one on the left said.

I felt more bile mix in my stomach and gruesome thoughts were created. What was to happen? What are they going to do to us? Torture? Execution?

We walked for a few more minutes, winding through more and more corridors. We finally reached two doors guarded by two other burly Earth Kingdom soldiers. They eyed me like a Komodo rhino might to an offending mosquito. They then opened the earthen doors and we entered.

My heart raced in my chest and all I could hear was the steady thrum in my ears. I braced myself for what might come as I took in the room.

It had a yawning ceiling that the wobbling lights of the torches barely grazed the top. Maps of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom were mounted on the walls, making it undoubtedly a war room. There were men with withered, old faces that hid many countless tales of war in circles as they poured over maps and battle plans.

The one man that struck me instantly was the one I had faced many days ago in the throne room. He looked the same, but wore a green cloak over his shoulders and down his back. He was surrounded by many other men and was imbibed into the discussion before we caught his eye. He withdrew from the group and approached us.

He must be Keiichi. I thought as I watched him draw nearer and nearer.

The two guards that had escorted us to the war room backed off a bit. They released our shoulders and withdrew to the doors. From there, they kept a close eye on the two of us.

Keiichi's strutted up to us in the same regal manner in which he had descended the throne with many, many days ago. He pulled his hands behind his back and stood up straight. "You must be Prince Zuko," he said as he looked Zuko in the eye.

Zuko met his gaze with determination and stubbornness. "I demand you release us," he ordered.

The man laughed lightly and it sounded nice surprisingly. "That's a very bold request of you, but seeing as there's a war going on with the Fire Nation, you are my prisoner," Keiichi stated.

"Release us or I will kill you and all of your men!" Zuko shouted.

I looked at him as if he was growing horns. What was he doing? Threatening the general would not get us very far.

"Quite a big boast for a young man like yourself," he laughed jauntily as if he was talking to a sulking child, and, in a way, Zuko was like a sulking child.

"I am as old you are and a firebender, Son of the Fire Nation!" Zuko shouted as he took a step forward.

I felt my insides twinge in fear and anxiety. Zuko was making things only worse for us, but I sort of understood where all this anger was coming from. After being pent up in a small cell for about a month would call for releasing some anger. But still…!

Keiichi held up a hand, halting Zuko's rampage of the day. "Hold it, firecracker," he chided steadily like an old friend would.

I giggled at the nickname. That certainly fitted Zuko.

Zuko threw a dirty look at me, and I swallowed my amusement.

"I have an offer for you," Keiichi said.

The Prince eyed Keiichi with boiling anger and malevolence. "What do you want?" he snapped.

"Hm, typical firebender temper," Keiichi noted. "Perhaps your girlfriend here can tame it, eh?" he teased Zuko who stared menacingly at him and growling in protest.

I giggled again even though I was fighting off a blush as well. It was nice to have Zuko humbled for once. Perhaps his ego would drop a few pegs now.

"Stop wasting my time, earth peasant." So much for wishful thinking.

"My men are good and strong warriors, but I have received several new recruits that do not know what they are getting their selves into when going off to battle. They do not know how to fight a firebender properly. My proposition is that you can either stay in that small cell until the war ends or you die, whichever comes first, or you can train my men and be treated as one of us, which entitles you to hot meals and comfortable living spaces."

"Forget—" he started to say, but something stopped him. Something made him pause and reconsider his actions and the paths laid out in front of him. He sighed and finally asked, "And what of Katara?"

"She will be given the same privileges you receive," Keiichi answered.

Zuko looked at me for a second, holding our gaze. He turned back to Keiichi and nodded his head. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Wonderful," he stated. "We will start training tomorrow morning after breakfast," he announced. He motioned to the guards, and they came forward. "Escort Prince Zuko to his new living space; I would like a word with your friend."

I took a worrisome glance at Zuko as the guards took Zuko by his shoulders and began to lead him away. I watched Zuko disappear behind the two earthen doors. I turned to Keiichi, worry and wonder mixed into my eyes.

A/N: Hey! Well, I'm actually on time! Yah! Have I restored your faith in me now?

Well, anyways, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, or how they say it in England, Happy Christmas! Haha, and a happy New Year as well! I did; we had a Harry Potter movie marathon :D it was great.

Does anyone else think this chapter is a little short? Oh, well. Deal with it.

Oh, my goodness! This chapter was exciting, was it not? Yeah, it was alright I guess. I had fun writing this chapter, but I also didn't really. it is what it is, you know?

There's not a lot to talk about actually. Zuko's going to be training the new recruits! Oooooo! Sounds interesting! Wonder what will happen!

Well, thank you guys to much for reading this! Please review!

-Neon