A/N - I know I'm quoting the show again. I absolutely DO NOT own any of this.

"Now," I said threateningly, "Where is the Avatar?"

"Go jump in the river!" she yelled. Yeah, I didn't think that would work.

I put on a different tone: calm and cool. "Try to understand...I need the Avatar to restore something I've lost: my honor." I walked around behind Katara and put my head next to hers. "Perhaps in exchange," I took out her necklace, "I can return something you've lost." I held the necklace around her neck.

"My mother's necklace!" she gasped. "Where did you get that?" I walked in front of her, still holding the necklace up.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what your asking. Would you like it?" I asked.

"Of course I want it!" she cried.

"Then please tell me where he is." I replied calmly. Getting angry would get me nowhere. Perhaps acting calm will make her calm as well.

"I'll never tell you, Zuko! Give me that necklace, NOW!" Apparently not.

"You're not getting this necklace, Katara. Not until you tell me where he is." I said, my temper now starting to raise. I can't help it; I'm an angry guy.

"Why don't you just look for him yourself, you lemur-monkey?" she taunted. Steam shot from my nose as I tried not to burn the tree, and her, to the ground.

"Don't mock me!" I yelled. I saw Katara flinch and cower back in fear. Suddenly, I felt sorry for scaring her. I guess I really do like her. However, I realized something besides that: a way to get what I want, even if she won't do it.

I set my hand aflame and held it in front of Katara's face. Leaning my face up to hers, I said through clenched teeth, "Tell me where the Avatar is, or you'll get a nice scar to match mine." I could see her literally shake with fear. And yet, her eyes shone with determination.

"I will never give in to you, Zuko." she said, also through her teeth. She took the bait perfectly. I said nothing; I stepped back just far enough for my plan to work. I shot the flames from my fist at Katara's face. They stopped fractions of an inch from her face, but she didn't realize that. She screeched so loud, it would impossible for the Avatar not to hear her.

(Okay, so Zuko doesn't really know this next part is happening; I just had to include it for informational purposes. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

"Sokka, did you just hear that? It sounded like Katara!" Aang said, sitting up quickly. Despite he'd just woken up, he wasn't tired at all; Katara might be in trouble!

"What?" Sokka said groggily, "Hear what?"

"That yell!" Aang persisted. "You wait here, I'll check it out!"

"Fine by me." Sokka said, rolling over. Aang heard snoring and sighed. But there was no time to worry about that. He ran to where the sound came from and wound up on the beach. And what he found wasn't what he was expecting. He ran out of the trees and into a net held by two fire-bending guards. He saw Katara tied to a tree, and Zuko standing beside her.

(Okay, now back to Zuko.)

Just a few moments later, Aang and Sokka were in separate cells on my ship, Appa was chained to the back of the ship and would trail behind, and Momo was in a small canvas sack in my hand. Katara was still tied to the tree, begging for me to let them all go. I smirked at her and shook my head, but she kept on going.

Suddenly, the Xin Fa walked in on us. "I saw you got your boy and other captives, now give us the scroll and the girl!"

I scowled; I'd forgotten about him. I had a promise to keep. But...

But that would mean leaving Katara at the hands of these dirty pirates. I looked at her. She was now begging more fearfully at the thought of the pirates.

I couldn't leave her in the hands of the pirates. I just couldn't; not her. I-I...love her. I turned back to Xin Fa determinedly.

"You can have the scroll," I tossed it to him, "but I keep the girl." Katara suddenly stopped, wide-eyed.

Xin Fa scowled, and said through clenched teeth, "We had an agreement, boy. I get the girl."

"She was never part of our agreement." I said coolly.

"Yes, she was!" he yelled.

"No. You mentioned her, and I got off that subject. The deal was that you'd tell me where they went, and I'd negotiate." I gestured to Katara dramatically, "Consider her, negotiated."

Xin Fa growled and scowled and ranted and raved. "You're going to pay for this, you...you..."

"Clever genius? Witty king?" I taunted. Xin Fa pulled out his sword furiously. I signaled my men and they started to gather around the pirates, outnumbering them by far. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you. Tell you what? I'll throw in the lemur as a bonus." I said, tossing the sack to him. Xin Fa walked back towards his ship. His men followed him angrily.

"At least we got the lemur, cap'm." one pirates ventured. Xin Fa nearly punched him in the face, but the man ducked. "I...I'll just get in the brig, then." he said nervously. I grinned at them; I'd won.

Now I again turned to Katara. She had still been struck dumb, but when I turned to her, she immediately started yelling for me to set them free.

"Yeah, sure, Katara, I'll just do that." I said sarcastically. Now Katara was slightly sobbing.

"But why all of us? All you want...all you want is...Aang. What do you want with us?" she said, now sobbing harder.

I replied, "You and your brother might try to rescue him if I let you go. The bison...it'll fetch a nice sum of money at the circus." She gasped.

"NO! Not Appa! Aang will be crushed!" she yelled.

"Well, you don't exactly get quality time with your bison when under Fire Nation captivity!" I pointed out. Katara sighed, realized there was no reasoning with me. Heh, she was right.