chapter 16.......they're hhheeeeerrreeeeee.....

Katara sat at the desk, her head in her hands. Crumpled pieces of parchment filled the empty space of the desk. She had been sitting like this for days, trying to write the perfect letter to Sokka. Zuko had told her not to but, being as stubborn as she was, she had to write. How she would get it to him, she hadn't a clue.

"Katara, come to bed!" Zuko called from the bedroom. His only reply was a no. Sighing, he got up and walked into the study where Katara had been for the last 2 days.

"You need to get rest" he told her, Walking behind her and gently massaging her shoulder for her to relax. Almost she dazed off, but stiffened when she did.

"No, Zuko. I need to write Sokka. I can't live with knowing he had to find out that way." Sighing in defeat, Zuko got up and walked to the door.

"I'm getting some tea." And with that he was off, Katara just nodding, looking at a fresh piece of parchment.

She looked up at the sound of soft china clinking together. Zuko walked in, carrying a tray of teacups and a kettle. She sighed as he placed the tray down, pushing the parchment away. Sitting on the desk's edge, he silently poured her tea and pushed the cup to her. Shaking her head, he sighed.

"Katara, drink it. It will make you feel better, I promise." Reluctantly, she reached for her drink and sipped some. It had a funny after taste, and she knew immediately it was drugged.

Zuko silently boiled the water for tea. One way, or another, she would be getting sleep, he thought to himself.

He strolled over to the drug cabinet. Eyeing the bottles, so neatly put away, he found the one that he wanted. The drug used for sleeping. The white powder dissolved instantly in a drink, and became invisible to the naked eye, so you could slip it to people easily, without their knowledge.

Silently, he poured it into the water, and poured in the tea leaves. Stirring it slightly, he put it all on a tray and made the way back to his room.

Katara wanted to scream and yell at him for doing this, but could only lean back into the chair as the numbness of the drug took effect.

"Tired?" Zuko asked slyly. She could only nod, as her eyelids drooped, getting heavier. Smirking slightly, he scooped her up, and walked to the bedroom. After hearing him mutter an apology, she finally fell into the black abyss she called sleep.

Katara opened her eyes slowly, but shut them as the light suddenly flooded in. Making no move to get up, she heard voices talking close by. Keeping still, she listened in on the conversation.

"Are you sure she's healthy?" a voice asked, she was positive it was Zuko's.

"Yes, but I don't understand how she could sleep for 1 week straight. That's just not normal, unless she was given something."

"I, err…well, she wasn't sleeping properly." She could hear the regret laced in his words.

"How much did you give her my lord?"

"um…about half the bottle. I couldn't be too careful, she is stronger than she looks."

"Ah…I see. Well since you, so carefree, put that much in her drink, it's no wonder she's been out cold. She should be waking soon." She heard Zuko sigh audibly, and could help but grin inwardly.

"Did anything else happen this past week?"

"Her breathing stopped at one point, I've had servants watch her more closely after that. And she was screaming one night. Another, she couldn't stop twitching, and last night, she had broke into a fever." Zuko recounted the entire week.

"Oh dear, well I supposed that could be the consequences, but be more carful when handling these types of drugs. They are meant for Fire Nation, not Water Tribes, especially not waterbenders."

Zuko sighed again, "Thank you."

"Well, you better head back to her. I suspect she's been listening this whole time."

Katara held her breath as she heard the door open, then close and heavy footsteps cross the room.

"Katara, I know you're awake" a voice whispered gently next to her ear. Turning her head, she opened her eyes once more, except this time; she saw Zuko's face staring back at her. She groaned, and glared daggers at him.

"I'm sorry" he said, before capturing her lips with his own. Tasting hers, he groaned as she started to respond. How he had missed the feel of her full lips on his own, matching the passion he gave. He rolled over, so he was now hovering above her, his arms keeping his body from crushing hers. He came up for air, and dove back down, leaving feather-light kisses starting at her earlobes, and ending at the start of her robes.

Glancing up he saw her closing her eyes and living in the moment. That is until her eyes flew open and she arched her back, shoving Zuko off of her in the process.

She let out a whimper as she shut her eyes tightly, but her back still arched.

"Katara," Zuko approached carefully, "Katara, what's wrong?" Her slight whimpers made him worry even more.

"Zuko," she rasped out in voice that was not her own.

"Katara," he inched closer so their faces were only a few inches apart.

Her eyes opened and she slowly settled back into the sheets, slightly whimpering.

"Katara, what happened?"

"Aang," was all she said. He gave her a puzzled look, "he's in trouble, and so is Sokka."

"How?"

"They are being attacked."

"By whom?" If someone else was here, he had better be prepared. Suddenly the ship rocked and they both feel out of the bed, Katara landing on Zuko making him grunt.

"Us" she choked out before another jerk and she was lying next to the bed, her eyes closed.

"Katara," he crawled to her, and checked for her pulse. It was there, the rhythmic beating, so she's was out cold. Getting up he walked out of the room, throwing a robe on in the process. Stomping up the stairs, he heard the sound of a battle taking place.

He opened the doors, to only come face-to-face with a glowing-eyed Avatar, who, by the looks of it, was not happy with the young Fire Lord.

aang is going to go all avatar on zuko's ass........dun dun duuuuunnnnnnnn