Author's Note: Hey guys! Okay, this chapter is a bit more mature than the rest of the story has been so far, and the next chapter will be the same way, I still rate it Teen though because it's not explicit enough to be mature. Okay, having that said, tell me if you can figure out who the "familiar stranger" is, I think it's pretty obvious, but I wrote it, so I don't really know what it'd be like from an outsiders perspective. Okay, I have no rights except for those which the constitution gives me and it does not say that I own A:TLA or the characters. All places are fictitious. Enjoy and review! =)

Katara was the center of attention on the other side of the club. She danced solo in the middle of a circle that had formed by witnesses trying to get a better look. The way she moved on the dance floor made every man watching wonder just how she would move elsewhere. Katara was hardly aware of the lustful stares from the crowd as she danced sensuously under the influence of multiple unnatural substances. The song ended and Katara began to walk out of the spotlight to go and reunite with Suki. It took her a minute to notice a pair of bright topaz eyes staring at her from a couple of yards away.

Moments ago, two dangerous rather drunk men had set their eyes on the beautiful stranger of a girl.

"Check out that hottie," one had said. The other nodded without taking his eyes off of the girl that he had already spotted seconds ago.

"She's mine," the second man declared. The first man gave his friend a competitive glare. If he had just been slightly more sober he would have known better than to cross his stronger and smarter companion.

Katara had just noticed the pair of golden eyes as she walked somewhat aimlessly to the crowd, it was as if she was in a trance. The sight of those eyes almost triggered her to remember something, but she couldn't quite grasp what it was. Mesmerized, she walked toward the stranger. There was something comfortably familiar about him. Her woozy concentration was broken when she felt someone with rough hands grab her tightly around the forearms. She didn't know who he was or where he came from, but she knew that he smelled really gross. Katara tried to wriggle free from the stranger's grasp, but it was to no avail. Let go, Let go, Let go, she kept repeating in her head, never knowing if her voice was heard. It's too loud, she thought, too loud, and crowded, and scary, and that guy still hadn't let go! Her panicking thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she distantly felt the man's grip fall away from her arms. Dizzily, she sunk to the floor and looked around, trying to get an understanding of what was going on. She heard a man's voice stand out from the crowd. It was that guy that she saw earlier, the one with the amber eyes. She could see that he was reprimanding the other man, that must have been the guy that was grabbing her. Katara blinked, feeling how heavy her eyelids were. She opened her eyes again when she felt a firm but gentle warm hand on her arm. Someone was pulling her up off of the floor. It was so cold down there. She looked to see the source of the warm hand, it was that guy again. Something told Katara that his topaz eyes weren't the only thing familiar about him. What was it? That warmth, he seemed so warm to the touch. That strangely above average body temperature was like somebody else. Zuko. That's right. His name stood out through the haze of her brain. Zuko's warm like that. Like fire. And those eyes. The guy reminded her of Zuko. That's why she could trust him, she concluded. Zuko would be there for her, and hadn't this guy just helped her from some slimy stranger?

The guy said something to her, it sounded like an "are you alright" kind of question and the poor girl muttered an appropriate response. The familiar stranger leaned down to speak into Katara's ear.

"It is so loud and crowded here, come with me. I can take you somewhere with a much better…atmosphere." He waited, gauging her reaction. The blue-eyed girl nodded and he took one of her hands in his as he guided her with his free hand placed comfortably on her shoulder. This man in the blood red button down and black jeans led the wrongfully grateful young woman down a corridor and up a stairwell where he knew of a hallway full of rooms. He dished out big bucks for the hall's attendant and took the girl down to the last room on the hall. He made a point to utilize that particular room every time he went that way, for it was the best, and he would settle for nothing other than such.

He examined his entertainment for the night. She seemed old enough, he figured she must be about nineteen. A fine age. She was definitely the prettiest thing he'd had up there in a while. Maybe she'd be the best of the whole damn year. He saw the girl stumble and he steadied her, keeping up his pretense with difficulty only overcome by his experience. She was walking dreadfully slow in her intoxicated way and he was getting rather impatient with her. About halfway down the dimly lit corridor, he lifted her off of her wavering feet and carried her bridal style down the rest of the way. He was pleased when he felt her slender arms wrap around his neck, clinging to his ersatz safety. He smirked to himself as she buried her head in his shoulder, it would be even easier to seduce this naïve girl than he thought. He locked the door behind them before he set her down gently on the crimson satins of the bed.

"You look tired," he leaned over her and brushed a few strands of her hair off of her shoulder, let me relieve you of your shoes, I'm sure they are not the most comfortable on your feet." Eyes closed, she nodded, grateful in her scattered thoughts because her feet really were starting to hurt. The man slipped off her shoes and took in the appearance of her bare shoulders, her exposed midriff, feminine collar bone and curves, her fishnet clad legs were asking for it. He imagined what it would be like to see her naked body, to feel her, to take her. He slipped onto the bed beside her, careful not to get too close. She was like a butterfly, if he moved too fast or too close, she'd be frightened away. He waited to see what she would do. He felt a taste of victory when her body rolled in so that she was facing him and she wrapped her arms around his muscular torso. He noticed her dopey half-aware smile and vaguely wondered what the hell someone had slipped her earlier that night. He realized that in her current state he could probably abandon his little pretenses and she still wouldn't refuse him. He brushed the back of his hand down her side, ending the stroke by her waist. Katara moved in closer to him and muttered something that he couldn't quite understand, but he took it to be a name for sure. Perhaps she was so out of her mind that she thought that he was her lover?

MEANWHILE

Elsewhere in the club, Suki noticed that her two friends were both missing in action. Last she saw Katara she was dancing her ass off and then she disappeared into the far part of the crowd, by that back corner. Oh no, she thought, that couldn't be good. Suki decided that she needed to find Zuko. They did drag him along for a reason in the first place. He'd know what to do, and besides, maybe they were together, Suki hoped.

Okay Suki, think, she told herself. Where would they be? Maybe they stepped outside! Who knows, Zuko might have needed a smoke break. Suki bolted outside to the front of the club and to her relief, there was Zuko. He was slouched against the wall, head down and hands on his knees. Suki noticed that he kept making swift glances in every direction, like he was avoiding something, or someone.

"Zuko!" Suki shouted out to him before approaching her friend. She was going to ask him what he was doing out here and why he looked so skittish when Zuko interrupted, noticing her questioning attitude.

"Long story," he said. "I've been running from this gay Latino guy-"

"Is he cute?"

"Actually, yeah"

"Wait, was it Haru?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so. You know him?"

"Yeah, we go way back. But, that really doesn't matter right now. I need your help. I've lost Kat."

"You WHAT?" Oh no, Suki thought, angry firebender alert. She took a wise few steps backward. "C'mon, we HAVE to find her. Let's go," Zuko jumped to his feet and took Suki by the hand, nearly dragging her back into the club.

"Where should we look," Suki yelled out.

"Anywhere dark and suspicious"

"Zuko, we should split up."

"Okay, um, search the floor down here, make sure she's no t at the bar. I'll go ask June and then go that way." He pointed over to a back corner that looked particularly shady. " There's a stairwell over there that leads to a second floor hallway lined with rooms. If she's there, I will find her." The threat in his voice sent chills down Suki's spine. If anything bad is happening to her now, someone is going to feel the wrath of the angsty bender. The two split to search for their friend.