Hey guys, this is it! This is the chapter where things get serious! I loved writing this chapter. Hope you like, review please!

Disclaimer: Shush

Spoiler Alert: If any of you guys have any ideas on what game Sakida should play, let me know please!

After last night, Hakoda didn't want to talk to Katara at all. In fact, he couldn't care less what she does or who she hangs out with. If she wanted to treat her father this way, so be it. If she refused to be related to him, fine by him.

But it was eating him alive knowing that Katara thought of him that way. All he wants is the best for his kids, is that so hard to ask?

He was a little confused when Katara didn't show up for breakfast, and he was even more suspicious when Zuko didn't show up either.

"Where's Zuko and Katara?" Hakoda asked, looking around the table.

Sokka, Suki, and Toph looked away and hid their faces like they knew something. Aang looked around and shrugged. Kana and Pakku exchanged a glance.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Miss Katara probably slept in late and my nephew has his council to deal with." Iroh reassured him.

He wasn't convinced.

After breakfast him and Sakida wandered the halls in search of his daughter.

"Why are you so worried?" She asked, pulling on his arm. "She said it herself, she doesn't want anything to do with you,"

"I know, but I have to know what's going on," He replied. "something's going on and I want to know."

They walked into an outside hallway, where it opens up to a stone floored courtyard. There, two people sparred, fire against water. Pale skin against tan skin. Man against woman.

"Why are those two sparring at this hour?" Sakida asked in disgust. Hakoda just watched in amazement at how good his daughter is at waterbending.

Katara did a back flip as Zuko send fireballs at her, dodging each attack. Hakoda witness his daughter send ice daggers at Zuko, who used his firebending to melt them. Katara froze all the water around them and used it to trip Zuko. Zuko fell hard on his back, wincing at the impact. Katara's expression softened when she saw Zuko's twisted face, and ran over to help. Only to realize that he was faking, and tackled her. He pinned her to the ground, his hands holding hers by her face, his body hovering over hers.

Hakoda was about to interject, when he watched Katara used her foot to waterbend a water rope around Zuko's waist and lift him up. Katara rolled over and pinned Zuko down, smiling in victory. She then did something that Hakoda was not expecting. She kissed him! Right on the lips!

Hakoda was seething in anger, but Sakida was smiling viciously. This plan is going perfect for her, all she needs is a distraction. Something to take Katara away for a while. Seeing Hakoda in anger just might do that.

"Well?" Sakida asked, nudging her fiancé. "go get her, she's kissing the Fire Lord!"

Hakoda nodded, releasing Sakida and charging over to the couple.

"Gotcha," Zuko smiled down at her. He had just pinned her to the ground; winning the match.

Something cold and wet wrapped around his torso, lifting him up in the air and flipping him onto the ground. Another body crawled onto his and pinned him down.

"No," Katara smiled, shaking her head. "I got you now."

She leaned down and pressed her lips to his. Sweat and water didn't taste good, but that didn't matter to them. They had been sparring for hours, only getting this chance to be by themselves. Only they weren't alone.

"Katara!" A deep and loud voice shouted.

Both benders shot their heads up and looked where Hakoda was speed walking towards them, Sakida was a few meters behind, smirking.

"Dad! I can explain-" Katara stood up and helped Zuko.

"No need, I saw everything," Hakoda reached out and grabbed Katara's wrist. "We're going back to the South Pole, this instant."

"No! Let me go!" Katara struggled against his hold, which only made Hakoda angrier.

"Chief Hakoda, please, let us explain-" Zuko was cut off by the man's seething anger.

"Explain what?" Hakoda stopped walking, but refused to let his daughter go. "How you guys lied to me about Katara being in danger?"

Katara used her waterbending to release the grip on her wrist. She then ran over to Zuko, who took her in his arms.

"No, Katara is still in danger-" Zuko was cut off again.

"Yeah," Hakoda scoffed. "in danger of becoming the Fire Lady."

"Dad stop! You don't understand!" Katara pleaded.

"Then tell me what I saw wasn't what it was supposed to be," Hakoda growled.

"I can't do that," Katara shook her head. She couldn't lie about loving Zuko, he was her world, everything she lived for.

"We're leaving," Hakoda reached out for Katara again, but she pressed herself closer to Zuko, who held her tighter. No way was anyone taking his Katara away.

"Just give me ten minutes to explain," Katara pressed, clenching her fists to Zuko's arms.

"Fine," Hakoda turned around and started walking back to his future wife. Zuko and Katara followed close behind, waiting until we were in the privacy of Katara's room before talking.

Something about the atmosphere made Zuko uneasy, like something bad was going to happen. He was looking all around him, trying to spot something he can't see.

"What's wrong?" Katara whispered to him, shivering at the coldness. She was in her under wrappings, while Zuko only had pants on.

Noticing the shiver, Zuko raised his body temperature to warm Katara up, and it worked.

"I just have an uneasy feeling in my gut," He whispered back, looking down at the waterbender still in his arms.

"Me too," Katara looked around, her eyebrows knitting together on her forehead.

Hearing commotion, Hakoda turned his head around to see his daughter and the Fire Lord still in each other's arms, holding onto each other for dear life.

Maybe he's wrong, maybe his daughter isn't in love. . .Oh who is he fooling? Not himself that's what. His daughter. . .is in love! With a firebender! The Fire Lord!

There's no doubt in his mind that on Katara's sixteenth birthday, Zuko will be asking for her hand in marriage.

Hakoda sighed, breaking the silence. Beside him, Sakida was putting her plan into action. She looked up, and spotted her Dai Lee agents hanging from the ceiling. Smirking, and slightly tilting her head, she gave the signal.

All the lights in the hallway went out at once, encasing the four warriors in complete darkness.

"Zuko!" Katara cried as she was ripped away from his body. Something hard hit her pressure points, making her arms and legs go numb. She tried waterbending, but failed.

"Katara!" Zuko's voice called for her. He wasn't doing any better. His chi was blocked and he couldn't bend. Something hard wrapped around his wrists, pinning him to the nearest wall. He tried fighting it, but he could break the hold.

Hakoda was knocked out by Sakida the moment the lights went out.

Katara turned and punched fists into the air, using her hand to hand combat on anything in her reach. Her wrist was then jerked to the side, and her arms were stretched out behind her.

"Zuko! Ah!" She screamed as she was hit on the head, knocking her out unconscious.

"No! Katara!" Zuko growled, using all his strength to break the earth cuffs off him. He ducked and dodged all the attacks, but then he too was knocked out after Sakida jammed her knife into Zuko's right arm.

Sakida stepped over his body, who is still alive, and cleaned off the blade. She walked over to Katara and nudged her head with her foot.

"People will be here soon, get her to the bunker and keep her locked up, and her chi blocked. Feed her and give her water while her hands are bound." Sakida ordered the Dai Lee agents. Two of them picked Katara's body up and threw it over one's shoulder.

"Shall we do anything else?" One soldier asked, collecting all the earth cuffs that were used in the fight.

"Keep her. . ." Sakida pondered before answering. "tortured."

The Dai Lee nodded before disappearing in the darkness with the unconscious waterbender.

After all the evidence was removed, Sakida laid down next to her fiancé, and pretended to be knocked out.

"Come on!" Toph shouted, running down the hall. "I know something's wrong!"

Her, Aang, Sokka, Suki, Iroh, Pakku, Kana, Piandao, and King Bumi were all running down the hallways. Toph had felt something wrong with the vibrations, and knew Katara and Zuko were in trouble.

"Are you sure they're not just sparring?" Sokka asked, still concerned for his sister.

"I'm sure! I felt more than just two people." Toph grumbled, using her earthbending to find Katara and Zuko.

They rounded a corner, and skidded to a stop. Hakoda was passed out on the floor, Sakida right next to him. Zuko was lying on his stomach, blood pouring out of his upper arm.

Katara was no where in sight.

"Zuko!" Iroh cried, running over to his nephew. Pakku ran over to heal him.

Hakoda groaned, stirring in pain. Kana and Sokka aided to him, while Zuko was being helped by his uncle and Pakku.

"Zuko, please, tell us exactly what happened," Iroh begged, holding Zuko's other arm while Pakku waterbended around Zuko's cut.

Zuko groaned, holding his head, the images started to come back. "Everything went dark, I called out for Katara, but they blocked my chi. . ." Zuko opened his eyes wide before turning to face his uncle. "They took her! They kidnapped Katara!"

Zuko moved to stand up, but the pain in his head and his arm stopped him.

"We will get her back nephew, but now you must heal-"

"No! I won't rest until I find her-ugh!" Zuko hissed in agony.

"Zuko, you need to relax," Aang reassured. "Katara couldn't have gotten far, we'll find her."

Hakoda and Sakida had finally stood up, and now Hakoda was glaring at the young Fire Lord.

"Not in danger huh?" Hakoda hissed at the firebender sharply.

"I told you we were telling the truth," Zuko winced as Pakku and Kana started to wrap his wound in cloth.

"I'll have the palace guards begin the search," Piandao said as he turned around and ran towards the barracks.

"Just give him a chance Hakoda," Kana pleaded. "no one has ever loved our granddaughter as much as Zuko loves Katara,"

Aang's face was, despite the serious situation, really hilarious. His jaw dropped to the floor, his eyes popping out of his head.

"W-hat? When was I to know about this?" Aang stomped his foot.

"Calm down Twinkletoes, you're not that late," Toph shrugged.

"You knew?" Aang asked, looking around at everyone in the room. The only other person that didn't know was King Bumi, who shrugged.

"We all did, Katara didn't want our dad to know about them yet, Suki and I were the first to find out." Sokka shrugged.

Hakoda glanced around the room, feeling like all this is his fault. Maybe it is.

"I promised her," Zuko muttered, holding his arm and standing up. "I had promised Katara to protect her, and I failed."

"No you didn't Zuko," Sokka disagreed, walking up to him. "it's only been a few hours, maybe minutes, we'll find her."

Zuko looked up at Sokka's determined face, and relaxed a little.

"Uncle, call for the Council, I want everybody of high alert for any Dai Lee agents, or Katara." Zuko ordered.

"Dai Lee agents?" Toph, Aang, and Sokka all exclaimed at the same time.

"What are the Dai Lee doing here?" Toph asked, her eyebrows lifting up.

"Azula had brought some home after the defeat of Ba Sing Se, when she was supposed to be Fire Lord, she had banished them all." Zuko explained. "I don't know who's in charge of them now, but we'll find out soon enough."

"How did you know it was the Dai Lee if all the lights were out?" Aang asked.

"Their earth cuffs, they felt like the ones they used in Ba Sing Se before they captured me and threw me into the crystal catacombs." Zuko replied.

"The Dai Lee used those on us when we tried to talk to the Earth King," Aang said.

"Yeah, after Snoozles broke down his big fancy door," Toph added sarcastically.

"But what would the Dai Lee want with Katara?" Suki asked the big question.

No one could think of an answer. Why would the Dai Lee want Katara? What good is she to them? Who's in charge if the Dai Lee as of now?

Zuko had his suspicions, but he couldn't say them aloud. He needs to speak with his friends in private.

"I need to go talk to my councilors, Sokka, Aang, Toph, Suki, I would like you all to attend this meeting as well," Zuko asked, trying not to say too much at the moment.

"Sure Zuko, we'll be there," Aang agreed, reaching out to take Toph's hand.

"Thank you, if you'll excuse me, I need to go change." Zuko said, turning to walk down the hallway, but not before glancing back at a confused and hurt chief of water tribe.

"My Lord," Ha-Neul greeted. He and the other councilmen sat in their seats as they waited for their Lord to be ready.

Zuko dressed in something comforting, and not his usual heavy robes and attire. He was just wearing a simple pair of pants, shirt and tunic. Sokka, Aang, Suki and Toph sat in the first four chairs at the long meeting table, while Zuko took the throne.

"I know you're all wondering why I've called you here for an emergency meeting." Zuko called out, his authority voice taking over.

"We heard it had something to do with the attack that happened early this morning," Wang said, referring to the rest of the council.

"Yes Wang, it is," Zuko nodded, sadly. Toph, Aang, and Sokka all stifled their laughter, giggling and holding their stomachs. "is something funny?"

"Oh nothing Sparky," Toph giggled, holding her stomach. "Wang is the name Snoozles used while we were traveling through the Fire Nation during the war."

"Wang, Wang Fire, nice to meet you," Sokka whipped out his beard and mustache, putting on on and mimicking the old voice he used. He held out his hand for the real Wang to take, but he didn't. Toph, Aang and now Suki all started laughing again. Even Zuko cracked a smile, despite the seriousness.

"No disrespect my Lord," Wang spoke, glaring at Sokka, who still held his hand out. "but can we please get on with the matter at hand?"

Zuko cleared his throat, getting Sokka's attention. "During the attack, one of our own was kidnapped;" He looked around the room. "Katara."

Gasps erupted through the room, excluding the four that already knew. Murmurs and conversation started between the men, some sharing nasty words and saying rude things about the waterbender.

"This is terrible!" One man shouted.

"How? She didn't belong here in the first place!"

"She should have stayed in the Water Tribe!"

"Women should be cooking, cleaning, and caring for children and husbands, not fighting in a war."

Zuko was upset, angry and furious that his council was talking about Katara this way. If it weren't for her, the war would still be going on, Ozai would rule the entire world!

"She's just a peasant from the Southern Water Tribe," Someone spoke in disgust.

Sokka was about to speak up and beat whoever said that, but Zuko beat him to it.

The flames around Zuko's throne flew up sky high, blinding everyone in the bright light and heat. Zuko's anger reached everyone, and they quieted down. Standing up, Zuko parted the flames apart and walked down the steps. He was in full Fire Lord mode now.

"Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe is a huge friend and ally to the Fire Nation. Her father, is Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. Sword Master Prince Sokka is her brother. This royal family is a huge alliance to the Fire Nation. Anyone who thinks they are nothing but peasants, or useless, will speak directly to me. Not only is Katara an ally, but she is my best friend," Zuko walked onto the table, noting how some people tensed as he passed by. "she will be treated with the same respect you would give me. If I hear anyone talking about her in such a disrespectful way, I'll have you thrown out of court and stripped of your wealth."

Argument immediately broke out, shouts of disagreement shot through the room.

"You can't do that!" "This is an outrage!"

"Enough!" Zuko shouted, spinning around really fast. "My word is final!"

Zuko's tone of voice scared everyone in the room. Sokka, Aang, Toph and Suki were surprised. Never had they heard Zuko talk to anyone in such a tone.

"I want every soldier on the look out for any Dai Lee agents, Katara, or any waterbenders. If they find something, they report directly to me. I want everyone on high alert. I want Katara found, and I want her found now."

So far, nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Katara couldn't be found. She just-vanished.

Zuko was going crazy. It's been three days. Three long, agonizing days. He's been training his butt off too, not resting nor eating since Katara was kidnapped. No sign of her, not a word. Zuko didn't eat, he didn't sleep, and it's been making his friends and Uncle worry.

Right now, he's in the training room, sparring with Aang and his firebending. He had beaten Aang about five times. Training swords with Sokka didn't help either, Zuko just won every time.

For the sixth time, Zuko flipped Aang over and beaten him. "Sorry," Zuko muttered, helping Aang up.

"It's okay," Aang replied. He watched Zuko get a drink and wrap a towel around his neck. Zuko's eyebrows were always frowning, they have been since Katara was taken from him. "you know we'll find Katara soon right?"

Zuko didn't look up, he continued glaring at the floor, his jaw clenching tightly.

"It's going to be okay Zuko," Sokka reassured, walking up and placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "we'll find her, unless she's already trying to escape."

The thought of her escaping had completely skipped his mind. But if she were to escape, wouldn't she have done it already? It's been three days.

"I feel useless," Zuko admitted, sitting down on one of the benches. "I'm just sitting here, doing nothing when I should be out looking for her."

"Where are you going to start?" Sokka asked skeptically. "She could be anywhere by now, and we don't have time to search the entire Fire Nation by hand. Sometimes it's just better to sit and wait for something to happen."

"I can't sit and wait for something to happen, I need something to happen, and I need to do it now." Zuko pressed. He wanted Katara back in his arms so badly it hurt. He wanted to hug her and kiss her until they passed out. He wanted to caress her hair and face, and he wanted to feed the turtle ducks with her.

A messenger ran in the room, panting and breathing heavily. He held a small note in his hands.

Zuko stood, hoping for news about Katara.

"My Lord, a letter had arrived only for your eyes to see." The messenger panted. Zuko walked over the took the letter, opening it slowly. He made sure Aang nor Sokka could read it.

Fire Lord Zuko,

It's been three days. Why have we not seen you here to save your precious waterbender? Is it because the feelings you feel for her are fake? Or is it because you have no idea where to look. Let's make a deal. I love games. I'll tell you where we're hiding, and you can come get your waterbender, but it comes with a price. Come alone, no friends, no allies. Just yourself. I'll let you see your lover, but pain will suffice. You have to play the game I have in mind, and if you win, you and Katara shall go home safely. If you lose, well, you can just say goodbye to your throne, nation, family, friends. . .and Katara. Forever.

At the bottom of the page, was where they were keeping Katara.