Warning!!!! A LOT OF ZUTARA FLUFF, but yet it still is kinda cute. This is my partial flashback chapter, and the flashback is mostly alot of fluffyness between Zuko and Katara. So I hope you enjoy.

Force of Iron

Chapter 4

Departure and Reunion

A woman yelled in her bed chamber from the pain of childbirth. She heaved and groaned as the child within her made its way into the world. It was the middle of the night and she was exhausted. Finally she relaxed as a newborn's cries echoed through the room.

'It's a boy,' exclaimed the midwife proudly, as she handed the newborn babe to its mother.

Sweat dripped from her brow, her hair was plastered to her scalp from the moisture. Yet despite how tired she was, she smiled as she looked at her wailing son.

As she held him in her arms he slept peacefully. Suddenly the now familiar pains of childbirth returned. Thankfully the midwife was still around to help.

A maid took the newborn son from his mother's arms, and rushed him off to see his father, while his mother gave birth to yet another child.

Hours later another son was born, the spitting image of his brother. Upon seeing her second son, she was as happy as she was when her 1st son was born, but a flash of fear flashed across her. The fear of what her husband would do to one of the boys if he had two legitimate heirs to the throne, when he only needed one. She thought no longer as she passed out from exhaustion.

Outside the dawn was breaking across the horizon. It indeed was the beginning for the two boys, but also the beginning of a long hard struggle, that would affect many for years to come.

Katara awoke from another shaky slumber. Having had another dream that left her questioning 'was that what happened?' when she awoke.

She pulled her face out of her cloak, glancing around her cell. For some unknown reason the cell was slightly brighter. It was still dark but not the pitch black darkness it was when she arrived.

She could see the cell's interior, it was round, with hay scattered in various piles across the floor. It was made entirely out of the same dull gray stone the prison was constructed out of. Then a mix of fear and curiosity leapt inside her when she saw a figure, lying across the room. She soon realized that it was a human, a man, obviously sleeping. His clothes were dirty and torn.

As she approached the figure she realized that his clothes were once nice, those of a ranking high official, his face was unrecognizable, because it was concealed in what appeared to be an iron mask of sorts.

As she knelt beside him, tears sprung to her eyes upon seeing something that she once had and had only given to one person and one person only.

Flashback

Katara lounged on a couch in her bedchamber her nose buried within a book. The afternoon sun shone through the windows, letting the rays of light dance across the floor of the room.

Soon Zuko entered, dressed in leisure clothes, leisure compared to the fire lord robes he usually wore. His short hair was down from his topknot. He had grown within the past few years; he was no longer the teenager that had anger issues, and hunted the avatar to only eventually join him. It was obvious he was a man now.

He looked over at his Katara, lounging in the couch reading. The sun's rays penetrated the room's curtains and danced across her dark skin and chocolate hair. He still found it hard to believe that he could win the love of a beauty like her.

Katara looked up from her book, as Zuko sat down on the couch next to her.

"Hey you!" she said cheerfully, as he kissed her. He kissed her on the lips strongly and passionately, holding it for a few seconds longer then he usually did.

When he let go she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, its just the council needs me to go to Ba Sing Se for a few months, maybe even longer then that."

"Zuko, something else is bothering you, and I want to know what so I can help," she said, placing her hand on top of his.

"I just have this eerie feeling that something bad is going to happen…to you," he said putting his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

"Zuko, nothing bad is going to happen, I'm almost certain," she said in a calm voice, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He looked down at his betrothed, at the woman he loved most dearly. He rubbed her shoulder and said, "But still I don't think you would like spending the next few months in the palace all by yourself or going on what is most likely a senseless political trip to the Earth Kingdom."

"You're probably right; the only joy I would get out of it would be spending time with you."

"I'm flattered, but that would probably only come at night," he said, growling seductively into her ear. She giggled, thankful to the spirits that she could be this happy.

Looking up at Zuko she said, "If it wasn't for these blasted traditions I would have you right."

"Bet you would," he said jokingly. She jabbed him annoyingly, afterwards he started kissing her again. Several beautiful moments passed until they broke apart.

"So were would you like to go, say the place and I have a ship ready for you to take you there."

"I wouldn't mind paying my family a visit."

"You want to go down to the South Pole?"

"Yes"

He eased in to kiss her neck, "Very well then, if that is what you wish my queen."

As he kissed her neck she let passionate moans escape her lips, how they both wanted each other right then and there. But according to tradition, as it was in all nations, an engaged couple must practice celibacy until their wedding night. If they failed to do so it would result in bad luck.

They had already slept together once, the night they became engaged. But it wasn't until the next morning they were reminded of the tradition that currently kept them from the intimacy they longed for.

Soon the day came when they were supposed to leave. Zuko being the gentleman he was escorted Katara to her ship. Before she stepped on the ramp and left, she took Zuko's hand in hers and said, "I have something for you to remember me by."

"What could that possibly be?" he said curiously.

Reaching into her pocket of the crimson dress she wore, she pulled out her mother's necklace. As she was about to tie it around his wrist, he said, "No I couldn't' take this it was your mother's."

"Please," she said pleadingly. "This necklace is supposed to be given to the person one loves. I love you Zuko and I want you to have it."

With that he couldn't say no, he was touched by the gesture. He let Katara tie it around his right wrist, the pendant resting on the inside of his arm. As she securely tightened the knot he kissed her goodbye. He couldn't deny the feeling inside of him that something was going to go wrong. But as he pulled her close kissing her, he knew he would eventually see her again. He could only hope it would be soon.

He had a plan: get to Ba Sing Se, settle the disputes between their nations and get home before anything bad happened. The same eerie feeling told him that only part of that would go as planned.

They said their goodbyes once again, before going their separate ways, knowing deep within their hearts they would see each other again.

End Flashback

It was her necklace, the necklace she had given to Zuko before he left. She had to know if this was her Zuko, or if it was a cruel trick Ozaian wanted to play on her. She gingerly took the iron mask in her hands, examining it to see if there was a way for her to remove it. The only thing she found was a small lock on the back of his head. It was a rather small keyhole. Then she remembered the key that was hidden under her dress.

She hastily pulled it out of her dress, and over her head. She tried to push it into the lock; her hands trembled constantly, making it hard for her to place the key within the lock correctly. After several attempts she finally got it in, it slid in perfectly, a perfect fit. Turning the key with a rough jerk, the lock snapped open.

She carefully pulled the mask off his face to reveal the Zuko she thought she had lost. Tears rapidly fell from her eyes, upon seeing his face. It was covered with scars, bruises and dried blood. Taking his face in her hands she laid his head in her lap. With one hand she supported his head, while the other checked for a heartbeat.

His face was warm, and she could feel a faint heartbeat. She let out a small sigh of relief, knowing that he was still alive. He looked so serene and peaceful with his eyes closed. His hair was matted and greasy, and some parts of the skin on his neck seemed a little irritated. Probably the mask's doing.

Being the healer she was she needed to heal him, and increase his chances of survival. She removed her hand from under his head, looking for water to summon and heal him with. She glanced at her palm to find it covered with Zuko's blood. She let out sob, seeing that Zuko's head was still bleeding.

He was stuck in a cell for three months, with a head wound that never got a chance to heal properly. The mask didn't do much to help either. She couldn't, no wouldn't think of the blood loss he suffered.

There was a small water jug sitting not far from where the couple was. Summoning the water, gathering it around her palm, she checked to see if it was clean. Seeing that it was pure she began to heal Zuko, starting with the head wound. She cleaned out the wound, and stopped the bleeding, giving it the chance to heal properly. She then cleaned out his hair, and then began healing his face. Most of the scars and bruises disappeared completely. But one of them, that sat on the left side of his face, tracing through his scar, remained slightly. She healed it all she could but it left a small white streak, down the side of his face

She soon found some minor injuries, scattered across his arms, legs, and stomach. She healed them easily. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he got them from a fight or battle of some kind. It was then that she remembered her dream that she had the other night. 'Maybe that was what happened; that was where he could've gotten all these injuries.'

Seeing that her work was done she deposited the water back into the jug. She felt for a heartbeat again, it was stronger this time, he was even breathing stronger, compared to his shallow breath before.

"Zuko," she said, hoping he would wake up soon. She had healed him all she could, it would be up to him now, if he decided to wake up or not. She shuddered at the thought of never seeing his amber eyes again, the kind, yet fierce eyes that she knew and loved.

His mouth was open slightly. For a second she thought she heard him say something. Placing her hand on his cheek she said, "Zuko, it's me Katara."

A few moments of silence passed, and she heard nothing. Tears sprung to her eyes, thinking that what she heard was really wishful thinking. She watched his face for any sign of movement or life.

His eyes started to shudder, while the lids remained closed. He inhaled a deep breath and said in almost a breathily voice, "Katara…"

Then his eyes opened.

4th chappie I kinda feel like I'm on a roll, I mean I usually I have a busy schedule, and i thought i would never have enough time to do fanfiction, but here i am posting chapters to my story weekly. I'm so happy:)

I kinda felt like this chapter was a little raunchy to be rated T, so I have considered moving it up to M rating. I'm not going to do sex scenes, I'm just going to hint at the sex (in later chapters). I you think I should please say so.

Also, I don't mean to nag, or sound needy but... Reviews People!! I didn't get a single review for chp. 3. Is my story really that bad or boring, come on. (you don't have to review its not mandatory, but I just appreciate a little feedback from time to time.)

also thanks to all the peeps that added my story to their story alert, those made me feel special.

until next time:)