It had been a strange day. To some it up, Zhao had stolen there crew (attempted to take her too, though she refused), he had tried to have Zuko blown up by pirates (Iroh and Zoe had been taking an evening stroll at the time), and now the three of them were working for the bastard (Zuko and Zoe were undercover guards).
Currently however, Zoe and Zuko were sitting in Iroh's new bed chamber, Zoe tending to the Princes new wounds.
"I hope you've learned your lesson." She said tersely, though her heart clenched and she felt dizzy when she looked at the state of Zuko's face. He had been so lucky, but the close call had freaked Zoe out more than she would admit. She didn't know when it happened, or when something inside her changed, or perhaps it had always been there. But, she had started to really care about this Prince.
"What?" snapped Zuko outraged, but trying not to move because the yellowy ointment currently being lathered on to his face stung quite a bit.
"Next time we go for a walk and ask you to come," she replied, looking him directly in the eyes, sharp steely blue grey faced with blazing topaz, and she paused her dabbing for a moment, "you'll get off your ass and come with us."
Zuko glared at her for a minute, but she had a small smile on her face despite the tense lines around her eyes. He smiled slightly too and she resumed her dabbing. He flinched, "What is that stuff?"
She looked small jar in her hand, and then back to Zuko, he had a long cut over the bridge of his nose, a black eye, three jagged incisions above his right eye and some scratches on his top lip. Considering the enormity of the explosion, his grievances were not too grave. "Aloe vera, papaya and tea tree oil."
"I've never heard of those all mixed together before." said Zuko suspiciously.
"That's because it's homemade, and it works wonders." Replied Zoe, slightly defensively, "Now, be quiet I need to get this done before we have to get back out on duty."
She moved to the cuts above his lip, her fingers shaking slightly, but she stopped before touching his skin. She had noticed his whole body was tense, his fists clenched by his sides. "Would you relax?" she demanded; he was making her nervous.
"I am relaxed!" He retorted. She looked pointedly at his clenched fists and he sighed, releasing them slightly.
"Thank you." With that she dipped her finger in the ointment and lightly spread it above his lip, her fingers lingering there for a moment. It stung, but Zuko barely felt it; he was more aware of the soft hand that kept lightly brushing his lips. He became even more aware of it as heard the clink of the ointment jar being set upon the desk beside them and Zoe's hand moving to rest on his cheek softly. With her other hand she lightly traced the dark bruise outlining one of his eyes, he closed it softly.
With a spur of courage Zoe found herself suddenly leaning forward, ever so slowly and placing a light peck on the corner of Zuko's newly wounded eye. Her breath caught and her nose lightly brushed Zuko's sensitive skin, sending a shiver down his spine.
It was an understatement to say he was surprised. He couldn't fathom how she could stand to touch him, let alone with her lips. He was a monster, he looked hideous. Well, that's what he thought.
Zoe cleared her throat and he opened his eyes. She was flushing furiously, her head down, refusing to look at him; she wasn't sure what she'd do if she looked into those golden eyes right now.
"Well that's you all fixed up." She sounded a little flustered.
"I'm just going to…" What was she going to do? Wait for Zuko to tell her never to touch him again? He hates her? "Umm, get my helmet. Where'd I put that…"
Zuko watched her speechless as she began to search the room. He didn't know what to say, that was quite often a problem for him in situations like this. So he decided to find his helmet too so that he could hide his face, unfortunately, his helmet was right next to him. Not much searching required there. He went back to watching the strange girl scour the room instead.
Zoe looked quite different; to be able to wear the helmet without showing her hair she had to have it pinned completely back in a flat up do. Her face looked a lot older and open when not surrounded by messy curls. Really, thought Zuko, she was very pretty.
Iroh had told Zhao she'd run off after hearing of Zuko's 'death', to avoid awkward questions with Zhao; the least they needed was for him to discover she was an air bender. Luckily their previous crew hadn't seen it necessary to share the information with him either.
"Here it is." She said thankfully, shoving the metal thing on and closing the visor. Then she turned to face Zuko. "Are you ready to go?"
He nodded and the two left the room quickly, making sure not to touch each other.
"Let me come with you." Said Zoe suddenly. Zuko was preparing his canoe; the siege of the North Pole had begun and Zuko was making his getaway. That had been their plan; hide out until they reached the North Pole, then Zuko could slip off and find the Avatar before Zhao had a chance.
"No." was all Zuko said, not even turning around.
"But, I could help you!"
"No, you couldn't. You'd only get in the way." He turned his head slightly to the side, looking at her over his shoulder.
Zoe huffed in indignation and Iroh walked into the icy room.
"You're fishing for an octopus, my nephew." He said wisely, hands clasped together in front of him, "You need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape!"
"I don't need your wisdom right now Uncle." said Zuko, his voice tight.
"I'm sorry," Iroh said softly, like a parent, "I just nag you because, well,"His voice seemed to beclogging up, and Zoe realised the strong, elderly man was on the verge of tears. "Ever since I lost my son…"
"Uncle," Zuko's eyes were squeezed shut, he looked pained. "You don't have to say it"
But, of course he did, "I think of you as my own" His voice was stronger now, but his eyes too were closed.
There was a long pause, Zoe didn't think she could swallow and her eyes were stinging as tears that threatened to escape.
"I know Uncle." said Zuko, his face sad, "We'll meet again." But, Iroh ran forward before he could leave and embraced his nephew, "After I have the Avatar." finished Zuko, his voice hard and determined.
Zoe moved over to them, now they had said farewell. Zuko hopped into his tiny canoe. She didn't want to wish him luck, for some reason that didn't seem like the right thing to say to Zuko. He wasn't one who liked luck.
"Don't forget to keep your toes and feet moving." She said. Zuko looked at her, but Iroh nodded in agreement. "It keeps the blood flowing, you'll be warmer." She explained.
"I will." And he turned back to the ropes holding his contraption up, starting to lower his boat.
"Remember your breath of fire!" Said Iroh suddenly, seeming not willing to let Zuko leave, "It could save your life out there!"
"I will." He repeated.
"And put your hood up! Keep your ears warm!" Both Iroh and Zoe said at the same time, leaning over the side of the ship to watch Zuko lower himself into the freezing depths of the North Sea.
"I'll be fine!" He cried back, trying not to sound like an annoyed teenager, but failing.
With that he was off, swiftly paddling away from them and towards his Avatar. Zoe wondered if he would ever tell her why he was so obsessed with capturing him, if he would tell her why he was banished, or perhaps if he would just tell her about his childhood, his life she knew nothing about. She'd like that.
Zoe put a hand on Iroh's shoulder as he continued to stare out to sea.
"He will be fine." She assured him, though she didn't know it herself. "Zuko never gives up from what I've seen."
"Yes, but that same drive drives him to do reckless things." Replied Iroh softly, but then he patted her hand and the two of them headed in to the warmth.
Zoe had cloth, two spears and some string. There was no way she was letting Zuko sail out into that sea while she sat behind safely on Zhao's ship. She was making a new glider, seen as her old one was blown up along with Zuko's old ship.
She had started to strapping the pieces together, breaking the spears into the required parts when Iroh walked in, a bundle of cloth or something in his arms. It was his bedroom after all.
"Ah," He said, nearly chuckling, "I thought I might find you doing something like this."
"Iroh, I can't just let him fend for himself out there!" She started defending herself, but Iroh held up a hand to silence her.
"I understand, I wasn't trying to stop you." Zoe's mouth went from a determined line to form the shape of a little 'oh'. "But, I thought you'd need some warmer clothes."
Zoe beamed and ran up to Iroh, giving him a tight squeeze. "Thanks, Iroh."
He chuckled warmly, "You are most welcome."
"Sokka! Sokka look!" Katara's heart clenched in her chest, her stomach flipping as she thought swore she saw Aang fly over them on his glider, disappearing into the thick, grey clouds.
"What is it?" Asked Sokka, turning from the drivers seat on Appa's head.
"I…I think I just saw Aang." She was still hopeful, searching the sky frantically. She couldn't believe she had lost to Zuko, that he had taken Aang right from under her.
"Katara, he's still in the spirit world and we are in the middle of a blizzard and he doesn't even have his glider." Said Sokka in his intelligent, pointing out voice.
Katara's face fell miserably "I know…I just hoped."
"We'll find him, if we know anything it's that Zuko never gives up."
She must have lost her mind. She'd seen the Avatars bison fly out of a small sanctuary in the city, and Aang hadn't been on it. So Zuko must have him, and they were tracking him. So, Zoe figured she should track them.
Well, that was easier said then done. Getting out of Zhao's ship, across a sea of Fire Nation army boats and into the city guarded by determined Water Benders had been hard enough. But, trying to navigate and keep control in this blizzard was nearly impossible.
The wind was screaming in her ears, the snow and ice whipped air sliced and burnt her skin, cutting straight through her many layers of clothing. The wind was so strong it took her every ounce of effort to bend to try and let it take her the way she needed. Her fingers were frozen to the stick of her feeble glider and the whole thing felt as if it would snap in any moment.
Another huge billow of twisting wind catapulted into her, answering her fear as the cloth on her glider split, allowing the wind to speed through it and she began twisting and falling down to the white earth below.
She supposed in one way she should feel grateful that there was a blizzard, without it there wouldn't be quite so much snow. But, even with the snow, the blow had knocked her straight out.
Zuko had the Avatar, he'd taken him from under Zhao's nose, he could finally go home.
But, he couldn't.
This blizzard wouldn't let him. He had to find shelter. So here he sat. In a cave, the boy tied up and motionless, apparently in the 'Avatar state'.
"There's always something…" He was saying, whether to himself or the unconscious kid, he didn't know, "Not that you'd understand." Now he was talking to the boy. He walked to the cave opening. "You're like my sister, everything always…came easy to her." his scowl deepened. "She's a fire bending prodigy, and everyone adores her." He spat spitefully, unable to keep the jealousy from his voice, "My Father says she was born lucky, he says I was lucky to be born." He stared out into the ruthless snow storm, "I don't need luck though," he whispered, "I've always had to struggle and fight. And that's made me strong."
He was glaring at the rapidly falling ice and flakes when suddenly he saw something large drop, twisting from the sky and land about twenty metres from the cave entrance.
With a glance back at the Avatar, he put up his hood and ran to investigate it. His eyes widened when he realised it was a body, they widened even more when he saw who it was. Without a thought he picked her up and began to carry her like a baby to his shelter. He felt her cheek lightly, it was deathly cold, but as he moved his hand to her neck he could feel a pulse, light, but there. Suddenly, the cave to which he was headed lit up with a ghostly, bright blue light. He began to run. The Avatar!
As he reached the opening he saw the boy worming his way out of the cave. He stopped, so did the Avatar and they glared at each other for a moment. Then suddenly the tied up boy took an enormous breath and blew it at Zuko and the bundle in his arms. They flew backwards skidding to a halt in the snow. Zuko got up and placed Zoe over his shoulder gently and then walked over to the Avatar, grabbing him by his collar.
"That won't be enough to escape." But, then that massive fluffy animal of his flew over their heads.
"Appa!" cried the boy happily. Zuko threw him aside and placed Zoe on the ground carefully, then he turned to face the Watertribe peasant whom had just disembarked.
"Here for a rematch?" He said, getting into a firebending stance. This too tanned girl was really starting to get on his nerves.
"Trust me Zuko," Said the girl, raising her arms, the snow moving with her movements. "It's not going to be much of a match." She doused his ball of fire, sending a heap of snow directly at him, throwing him high in the air, and then she dropped it harshly. He fell, unconscious, back into the snow.
With Aang back on Appa, they prepared to take off. But, the boy looked at the two bodies lying in the snow regretfully.
"We can't just leave them here," He said finally.
"Sure we can." said Sokka, "Let's go." He said in a hard voice.
"No!" Aang jumped from his bison, "If we leave them, they'll die."
"Yeah this makes sense." said Sokka sarcastically when Aang had heaved the bodies onto Appa's back. "Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us. And who's the girl?"
"I remember her!" said Katara suddenly, "She was with Zuko when he tried to have us tracked down by that bounty hunter!"
"Whoever she is then, she's a friend of Zuko's; and an enemy of ours." Said Sokka firmly, and the bison took off, back into the blizzard, back towards the city of ice.