Oh my god. I'm really sorry for not updating. I had parent teacher conferences, and my teachers claimed that I talked too much… SOOOOO I was grounded. But I'm free for now so, here's an update! Kay, so like I promised in the last chapter, whoever found out who the mystery sniper was gets a shout out right? Okay, only one of you guys got the answer right! So, nice thinking Swalgren! But, BenignViewer, you had such a good idea I thought about using it! A listening scope, huh? Hmm, thanks for the idea! Alrighty, enough talking.

Please read, review and Enjoy!

They both stood in the closet holding their breath, waiting for the Sniper to come inside the bank. Minutes passed and neither one of them made a sound. Katara didn't expect her day to turn out so dangerous. All she wanted to do was prove to her father that she wasn't weak or useless. Hadoka wasn't known to use such downgrading words, but when it came to Katara and her recent failures in missions, he couldn't keep his mouth shut much longer. Women weren't even known to join the SACF in the first place. Sokka and Katara were able to convince Hadoka that she should be in it.

But, standing in that closet made Katara actually think for once; all this time she'd been using her instincts instead of thinking out her conflicts thoroughly. She wouldn't be in this situation if she had stayed home. Was this a setup so the assassin could kill her? If that was the case, then why was Aang here when she, ironically, needed help?

Katara looked down at the floor. All of these realizations were starting to make sense. Her father was trying to kill her off! Of course he would go as far ass killing his own daughter just because she was the weakest link. Even if the facts started to come together, Katara couldn't seem to grasp that this was the situation. Hadoka loved her! Throughout the years, he showed her nothing but love and support. That was her father, without him she wouldn't even be alive, and if he didn't want her from the start why hadn't he killed her when she was a baby?

Her anger was beginning to overthrow her fight-or-flight mood. Her icy eyes glazed over with pure hatred and betrayal. What was she supposed to do now? Her options were to either get killed, or be the killer. But if she killed the sniper, then later she would have to face her father with the disturbing truth she had discovered. However, if she was killed then her existence would be over. No more family, friends or enemies. Would she really leave this planet just because of her wicked father?

No, she wasn't going to put herself in that predicament. There was just too much to lose, and those things were precious. Her father would have to be dealt with later. Now was the time for her training to be put to the test. Maybe if she was able to elude this hell hole alone, then perhaps she could prove to Hadoka that she is worthy of being a member of the SACF.

"What was that thing, Aang?" Katara asked without trembling.

Aang sighed and said as lowly as she had, "It was a smoke bomb, but its contents are highly toxic if inhaled. So here's the issue, we have to find a way out, with or without killing that guy. There was to be a way onto the roof from our location…"

Katara gulped noticeably and peered through the vent from the closet. The smoke had settled and could seep into the vents if they didn't move quickly and quietly.

"Well we can't just sit here and quiver like a leaf!" Katara whispered angrily.

Aang snickered and whispered into her ear, "I'm not the one who's gulping here."

He was right, and Katara knew it. So instead of arguing with him, she changed the subject to Aang's surprise.

"How are we going to get out of here, then?"

The moon-kissed teen held his breath and covered Katara's mouth when he heard footsteps coming not too far from their hiding spot. Katara inhaled deeply and her sapphire eyes widened gradually. Aang narrowed his eyes when a person stepped in front of the door.

Aang knew exactly who he was! The mystery sniper was Jet, one of Zuko's old friends. He didn't really know Jet, but now that Aang thought about it, he was around the base a lot. Jet had short brown hair with piercing brown eyes and a rock hard body. Ty-Lee used to be madly in love with the killer, but after an incident she wanted nothing to do with him. Aang wouldn't have been surprised id Jet smacked her or hit her in any way.

Jet's eyes scanned the long hallway as he sucked on his cigarette gracefully. Katara trembled violently when his eyes landed on the door. The smoke that he was in didn't seem to bother him at all! His hand reached for the doorknob, and Katara's heart was becoming a snare drum. Aang held her tighter as he too prepared for whatever was going to happen next.

But, to their luck, something further down the hallway collided with the marble floor and Jet's attention was instantly intercepted. He grunted and exhaled the cancerous smog that was caused by his cigarette. He re-loaded his gun and continued down the hall. Once his footsteps were inaudible, Aang and Katara took deep calming breaths.

"Oh my god… We are lucky to still be standing here," Katara muttered as she massaged her temples.

Aang cracked open the door and peered through the smoky room. "Yeah, but we have to move now. If he decides to come back then we're going to have a big problem."

Aang grabbed Katara's hand and instantly they both pulled away as if they were shocked. And that's exactly what happened. As soon as their skin came in contact, a tingling sensation filled their bloodstream. Katara rubbed her hand absentmindedly and stepped into the smog. Neither of them made eye contact, but the tension filling the already hectic atmosphere was too much.

"L-lets go find an elevator or something…" Katara trailed off as she began to lead the way.

Aang followed suite and he ran a hand through his disheveled midnight hair. The smoky room wasn't making him breathe abnormally anymore…

xXxDDSFxXx

The duo had wandered around upstairs, where the smoke hadn't covered yet, and they were completely lost. Bickering, swearing and silence had been going on for almost forty minutes. Right now Katara was pacing back and forth whilst Aang lay on a couch that was in a lobby. Katara never knew how huge the bank was before. They had climbed at least four flights of stairs and now they were lost!

Well technically they weren't "lost" but in their game of cat and mouse, they were losing by a major disadvantage. Her thoughts were eating her emotions like a vacuum sucked up debris. She wanted to talk, but what was she going to say? Katara wasn't even supposed to be this close to a murder! However, the more time she spent with him she had a feeling he wasn't as tough as he seemed.

Katara growled in frustration which piqued Aang's interest.

"Something wrong, Katara? Oh and I wouldn't stomp around like a maniac, if you had forgotten there's a high-class sniper downstairs-"

"I know, I know! Fuck, this is an impossible situation to get out of. What kind of bank doesn't have a door to the roof?" Katara hissed angrily.

Aang chuckled lightly and looked at the bland white ceiling. Her rampage was comical, but he was beginning to get anxious. The silence was overwhelming and he was going to scream if he didn't hear her voice. Of course he wasn't attracted to the beautiful tanned girl, well maybe attracted was a bit too strong. Aang was in fact interested in Katara, but he did not take a liking to her.

"Just relax. Sit down or stand, just don't stampede around the place."

Katara stopped short in her tracks and she took in a shaky breath. "Aang, c-can I ask you something?"

Aang sat up slowly, and his heart beat with curiosity and somewhat fear. The tone in her voice made chills run down his spine like horses on a racetrack.

"What is it?" Aang asked calmly, though he was shaking with anxiety.

She turned around and hugged herself tightly. Her bright blue eyes met his briefly before they traveled down to the marble floor. "I-if we don't make it out alive, or just one of us do… can we at least die knowing that we hate one another for a real reason? I mean, if there… is one?"

Time seemed fix at that moment, the first time ever Aang was completely shocked. His face was twisted with a hidden emotion, and Katara was the first to ever witness it.

"What do you mean by that?" Aang asked stupidly.

"Well, here's a-an example. Do you really despise me?" Katara asked with a pint of hope gleaming in her eyes.

Aang stared at her until he had to blink. Was she really asking him that question? And, was he really thinking it over?

"Well, now that you ask, no I actually don't," he said trying to keep his stoic composure. "Do you hate me?"

"N-no of course not! I only hated you because my father influenced me… but now that I'm standing here with you and having a civilized conversation," Katara smiled weakly. "I realize that you aren't as bad as I believed."

Again, that took Aang off guard. As tough as Katara was… she was opening up to him? Right then, he felt like the walls were closing in on his very being. He wasn't worthy of listening to anymore of her voice. Katara was actually breaking down his walls, and those walls kept him alive. Without them, he was nothing.

Noticing his harsh pause, Katara decided to push his emotions to the limits. Maybe if she dissected him, the information could be used later.

Or not.

"Why are you even working for Zuko? He's a heartless bastard… and you, you actually have a heart. I never felt so… giddy before" Katara took a few steps closer to the dangerous delinquent and as she did so, Aang could feel his insides screaming for help. He was in pain, so much pain and he didn't know how to express it. She was sitting on the lounge couch with him, leaning over towards him. At that point, she basically was lying on top of him.

Yes he had touched the teen before him inappropriately, but he never intended on actually doing anything harmful to her innocence. Now, with her inches away from his face he could feel those well-kept walls tearing down with every word she had said.

"Please… Katara I really don't want to-"

"Shhh…" Katara hushed him by placing her pointer finger on his slightly pursed lips. Her own mind was reeling with lust and longing that she didn't know how easily she was tearing him apart.

Katara's lust-filled eyes fluttered briefly as she stroked his soft cheek. Ever so teasingly she moved closer to him longing for their lips to touch. Aang on the other hand, couldn't take much more of it and he gripped her wrist tightly causing her to gasp. Once again, the walls were back up in an instant and his cold personality was back.

"Do not touch me." Aang growled and tightened his grip.

"Ow! Aang you're hurting me!" Katara whined while her eyes began to get glassy.

But her plea for him to stop wasn't enough to crack through his shield. Tighter and tighter his grip became, like a Boa does when it's killing its prey. His mind was fogged with horrid memories and pain. She was the first thing that crossed his path, and his anger would be taken out on her.

That was, unless she didn't cry.

Katara sobbed quietly and it was like Aang had awoken from a terrible nightmare. Instantly his hold was released and his eyes scanned over the damage. Her thin wrist was cradled in her chest and was turning black and blue as each second passed. Aang's eyes widened and he looked into her feared eyes. She flinched when he reached out to hold her, and he flinched slightly too.

"I-I don't know what came over me…" he muttered as he stood up, hyperventilating.

"No, it was my fault I shouldn't have come onto you like that…" Katara coughed out as she wiped her tears.

Aang eyed her wrist and then his gaze fell down to his hands. He sighed and it was his turn to pace back and forth. Katara stood up and decided that he wasn't going to beat himself up for her own mistake. Carefully she strolled towards him, still hugging her injured wrist tightly.

"Please don't be upset… I said that it was my fault," Katara said weakly.

The boy turned, and gingerly pulled her hand away from her chest. He inspected the large bruise, and kissed it lightly making Katara intake a sharp breath. His misty eyes poured into hers and his next words made Katara shiver even more.

"I think it's my turn to share something with you."

W00t! All done that chapter! I think it was pretty interesting, what do you guys think? I know, it took a while but I have some new news. I'm going on vacation soon and I have no idea when I'll update again. So, stick around, review, PM me whatever! Oh, and a song that I dedicated to this chapter is "I wanna Know" by Joe. Listen to it, to me it relates to the story ^^! Cya Lates! *waves*