Author Note: MATURE SCENE….Yeah it's back…and in the beginning Thanks for the reviews and for reading along!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any rights to Avatar the Last Air Bender. I did not create it and I will not profit from it in any way, shape or form.

Chapter 17: Hurting Freedom

As dawn approached, Azula woke up in the big bed they had retired to the night before, still fully clothed. No matter how hard she worked at seducing Sokka, he wouldn't budge on his silly little two day rule.

It was driving her nuts.

Here they were, in a nice big bed, in a safe neutral environment and he refused to take advantage of the situation.

Well she was ready to take advantage of it, and this time she wasn't going to fail.

Carefully removing his arm from her waist, she sat up while moving the covers to the side and slowly rolled Sokka from his side to his back. He stirred slightly but stayed asleep. Azula took a moment just to look at him and thought the same thing she always thought perfection…and it's all mine.

She started at his stubble cheek, wondering if he was going to shave it, hoping he didn't. It gave him a rougher sexier look that sent thrills of excitement through Azula. Never would she have thought that the way a man looked would bring out such a reaction in her. But he did, he always did.

She moved her hand slowly down his neck to his chest. She loved exploring his body, especially the expanse of his toned upper body. When she had touched his nipples last night, she found it fascinating that he had reacted in such a similar fashion as she did when he touched hers.

At least I know one thing he gets pleasure from me doing.

This was all new to her and she was enjoying every minute of it. Well until he put a stop to it because she was a little sore.

Well that's not going to last much longer.

Azula looked at Sokka's lower body and saw that part of him erect and pressing against the confines of his pants.

Yesterday he had allowed her to caress him there, but she wanted to know what really brought him pleasure. Her hand moved from his lower abs to just above his shaft. So focused on her task, she jumped when Sokka's hand captured her wondering one. Azula whipped her eyes upward and looked into Sokka's sleepy ones.

Smiling sheepishly at being caught taking advantage of his sleeping state, she said shyly, "good morning."

"Are you taking advantage of a sleeping man?" His gruff sleepy voice sent a shiver through Azula.

"Yes." She stated. "Since you don't let me take advantage of it when you're awake, I figured I'd do it while you slept." Azula adjusted her position so she was laying over Sokka, her face position directly over his.

Game on.

She kissed him lightly, then pulled back and kissed him lightly again. On the third time, Sokka grabbed the back of her head and pulled her down, kissing her soundly.

"I can see that you don't really mind all that much," she said, a little breathlessly.

"We still have one more day until you're ready," Sokka stated calmly. Azula rolled her eyes.

"How would you know? Can you feel how sore or not sore, which is the case, I am right now?" she asked while throwing her leg around Sokka's waist, straddling him.

"Do you really want to pass up the opportunity to do this in a big," she kissed him, "comfortable," another kiss," oversized bed? We'll be in the colonies soon and all we'll have to think about is our tasks and we may not see a bed like this for a loooonnngg time."

Azula smirked knowingly, as Sokka closed his eyes and sighed, she was winning.

"You're a demon spirit you know that? A tempting demon spirit sent to this world to ensnare all the men to satisfy your sexual appetite," Sokka commented slyly.

"Hey!" she smacked him on the shoulder lightly, "I didn't even know I had a sexual appetite until you unleased it. So if I am a demon spirit, then you're to blame for releasing me. AND the only man I want to satisfy me is currently right where I want him."

She bent down and kissed him soundly, she touched her tongue to his lips. He opened immediately and met her tongue with his own. Grabbing his hands, she placed them on her naked waist, needing him to touch her.

"So satisfy me Peasant," she commanded quietly next to his ear.

"As you wish my lady," he replied slowly running his hands under her shirt and pulling it over her head. Azula smiled as he gasped at the naked breast bared before him.

"The demon decided not to sleep with an under covering last night, hoping that you'd be more willing to satisfy me. The demon was correct. "Her last words came out in a moan as Sokka leaned up and took a peak into his mouth.

She loved when he did that, the moment his lips came in contact with her, a shiver of need went right to her core. She felt Sokka slowly moving his hands down her pants, touching her gently, Azula let out an inner sigh when nothing but pleasure greeted his fingering.

Slowly they continued to undress each other. When they were both naked, Azula straddled his hips once more and slowly sat on Sokka's shaft. Once she adjusted to his size, she started a steady rhythm, rising up and down, grinding against him.

His hands came around her waist, helping her balance while he pumped into her from below.

It wasn't long before both of them were shouting out there pleasure.

Azula fell on top of Sokka, tucking herself just below his chin.

"See that wasn't so bad now was it?" Her head rising as Sokka took a deep sighing breath.

"I will feed your inner demon any time you want, but you better always come to me. Got it Sex Demon?"

Smirking Azula sat up and looked down at Sokka, "I always come for…whoops...I mean to you. Didn't you know that?"

Sokka clasped her face in his hands and pulled her down for another kiss.

"Damn right you do."

It was long after midday before they got dressed to and ready to leave the room. Azula was starting to believe she was possessed by a sex demon spirit. The morning had been filled with slowly but steady love making. After the bed they had shared the tub in the bathroom, her sitting on top. Then she had dried him off with her hands which lead to another round on the floor followed by the both of them retiring to the bed once more.

Now Sokka's stomach was growling and Azula knew it was time for sustenance.

"I do believe it's time to feed you my savage satisfier," Azula said grabbing Sokka's hand and pulling him towards the door. They exited with Sokka locking their room behind them and pocketing the key.

"Savage Satisfier, huh? I think I like it." Azula didn't miss the pride tone in his voice.

"Well, for the most part. There was that moment from the bathroom to the bed that you gave out on me, but I'll let that pass," she said in an unimpressed voice.

Her comment was met with a smacking sound of Sokka hitting his forehead with his hand. She laughed as they continued towards the dining hall.

"Well this looks different," she stated entering the massive below deck.

"You've seen it before?"

"It used to be a ship for the royals; of course I've seen it before. But this room used to just have one main kitchen with a great table in the center. Less…commoner looking," Azula responded glancing up at Sokka.

"Right forgot," he waved his hand to the choices. "What are feeling this morning for breakfast?"

"It's closer to dinner time now, but I'll let that slide as well," Azula looked at the options. The stations ranged from chicken, to noodles, to meat dishes to bakery products.

Feeling the need for sweetness, she moved towards the bakery, Sokka following close behind her.

"I'm in the mood for something sweet. What about you?"

"Sweet, I like sweet things. I'm starring at something sweet."

Azula rolled her eyes at his attempts at flirting.

Stepping up to the station she looked over all the choices. Sweets were not something she had been served in her cell nor were they something they had come across yet in their journey. They were, however, a weakness of hers. She had been known to secretly binge on them back in her days of royalty.

"I'll take a cinnamon roll and a cream puff please," she ordered from the man behind the counter. Weaknesses had to be controlled, even if they did look so delicious.

When she didn't receive a response, she looked up to find the order taker looking at Sokka, a stunned look upon his face. Azula turned towards Sokka and didn't see anything worth being stunned about, well at least not for a man to be stunned about. A woman, on the other hand, she could understand the stunned look. She turned back to the man behind the counter.

"Hello? I want a cinnamon roll and a cream puff," she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

The man behind the counter shook himself out of his stunned state.

"Yes yes of course. And for you, sir?"

"I'll take two cinnamon rolls and two cream puffs please," Sokka ordered behind her. She gave him a questioning look.

"What? I'm hungry. I need my calories to keep up with you," he smirked.

Azula rolled her eyes and watch the man put the orders together. He handed the bags over. As Sokka went to pull out money, the man shook his head and hands at him.

"No no no. On the house, you deserve it," he told Sokka.

Azula exchanged glances with Sokka.

With a shrug Sokka turned back to the man, "Umm…thanks. They look delicious."

"Enjoy!"

Sokka pulled her over to the meat station as well.

When she shook her head he responded, "You're the one that said its closer to dinner time. Dinner time means meat." Once he got his meal of meat, they moved towards a table in the center of the room.

Unwrapping her cinnamon roll, Azula took a great bite and moaned. It was sugary sweet and hit all the taste buds just right. The roll itself was fluffy and perfectly cooked. The icing was pure sugary sweetness. She took another heaping bite. Looking up she found Sokka's wearing a slightly horrid expression.

"What? These are really freaking good," Azula responded. "So I have a bit of a weakness for sweets. Sue me." Another tasty bite entered her mouth, a moan leaving it as she chewed.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so excited over anything like that before. Okay well maybe one thing," Sokka smiled wickedly.

Azula rolled her eyes and continued enjoying her roll, noticing a look of pleasure on Sokka's face as he bit into his own. Now it was his turn to moan.

"It seems I'm not the only one excited over their sweet," Azula smirked.

"Shhhhh I'm having a moment."

Azula laughed, the rest of their meal past by quickly with a few moans and groans. While Sokka willingly shared his teriyaki steak with her, he immediately smacked her hand as she tried to steal the half of cream puff he had left to eat.

"Oh come on, you've already polished off half the steak, two cinnamon rolls and a cream puff, just give me a little bite. Please," she tried making pleading eyes at Sokka. Never being one to plead, she wasn't quite sure if it was working or not. When he passed the half of cream puff over, she figured it had worked perfectly.

Until he commented, "We need to work on your pleading face as well. It looks more like you're planning my demise than pleading for something."

"Well whatever works," she said polishing off the cream puff.

As they moved to leave the room, a young woman approached them. Azula could tell the woman was frightened about something, her hands were clasped together and she was shaking slightly. There was a fresh looking bruise on the woman's face.

"Please….please you have to help me…they've taken…they've taken Ya-Chin…I can't…I can't get him back please," she fell into Sokka grasping the front of his shirt.

This must be the woman he saved yesterday.

"Who's Ya-Chin?" Azula asked.

The woman looked up at Sokka, ignoring Azula.

"My son, Ya-Chin is my son. They've taken my son. The men…the men who threatened me yesterday, they've taken him and won't give him back unless…unless…"

"Unless what?" Azula ask suspiciously. She was finding it rather odd that this woman was just talking to Sokka and not her as well.

Maybe she just doesn't know that I can fight. She's just thinking Sokka can. What with the whole society idea that woman can't fight and all. Azula explained to herself, trying not to jump to conclusions.

"Unless you fight them again," the woman responded quietly, still only looking towards Sokka.

Her eyes were big and pleading, Azula had a shot of envy.

Why can't I do that with my eyes...Wait am I jealous? The thought that she might be only annoyed her more.

"Where are they?" He commanded quietly. His voice was colder and more menacing than Azula had ever heard him speak before. It sent a shiver a fear through her even.

"I don't know, I don't know." The woman's eyes filled with tears. "They told me that I had to find you and tell you to meet them on the back deck." She was burying her face in Sokka's shirt, crying.

This only irritated Azula more. The back deck was a place for hauling goods. No one went back there until they were loading or unloading products. It wasn't heavily watched, nor heavily populated.

"Let's go," Azula watched him grab the woman's arm, starting to move towards the back deck.

"Wait hold on. Shouldn't we discuss this?" Azula said incredulously.

He was just going to run off with her to face who knows what?

"What's there to discuss. They have her child, Azula. We can't just let them get away with that," Sokka responded angrily.

"We need to have a plan, Peasant. You don't know who's waiting up there for you." She took a deep breath, "No we need to sit and talk about this. We need to have a plan," Azula said, controlling her voice to sound calm and collected.

"She's right," the woman finally looked at Azula, "we should plan something."

At least she has some sort of sense.

They all moved to a table in the dining hall.

"Who are these men?" Azula asked calmly. She wasn't going to do anything before she knew what they were up against.

"They're patrol men for the ship. They ride the boat back and forth to the colonies. If you're going to the fire nation, they leave you alone and just patrol the ship. But if you're going towards the colonies, they demand you pay them a 'protection fee'. If you pay the fee, you won't be bothered by the other patrol men in the colonies," the woman explained.

"Patrol men in the colonies? What kind of patrol men?" Azula asked. They needed this information for their own journey to the colonies.

"We're focusing on finding her son right now. We'll worry about the colonies later," Sokka responded darkly, giving Azula an annoyed look.

Azula cocked her eyebrow at him.

"If there's an issue with the patrol men in the colonies I think that would be something my brother would like to know about, don't you think," Azula said with calm acidity.

"The patrol men at the colonies don't have my child. My child is in the hands of the vicious ship patrol men. Please you have to help me," the woman begged Sokka once more.

Azula's anger grew as Sokka reached over and took the woman's hands in his own.

"I'll get him back, don't you worry about that," he told her quietly.

"We'll get him back you mean," Azula pointed out.

"No no no, it has to be him, he has to come alone. They told me…they told me they'd kill anyone else if they came with him," the woman pleaded, a new level of fear entered her eyes. Azula narrowed her eyes, something really wasn't right. "I couldn't…I couldn't live with myself if anyone else was hurt."

"Why didn't you mention that before now?" Azula asked accusingly.

"I lost my SON! I'm not thinking right. You wouldn't understand, you've probably never lost a thing in your life," the woman all but yelled at Azula.

That hurt, mostly because it was true. Then she looked at Sokka, no, she may not have lost someone like that, but she wasn't going to start now. But Azula wasn't going to show it of course. She put on her royal arrogant face and looked towards Sokka.

"Can I talk to you, in private?" She gave him a knowing look.

"There's nothing to…damn it Azula," she grabbed him by the hair, pulling him away from the table.

"Listen here, Peasant. Something is not right with this. Why would she say that only you have to go? If she's so worried, why is she only coming to you? There are plenty of others on this ship to help her. Or at least we should be doing this together," Azula said arrogantly releasing his hair.

"We can't do it together, you heard her, they want me alone."

"And that's not causing any warning bells?" Azula said dryly.

"I was the one that challenged them. I was the one that stood up to them when no one else would. She came to me for help. And I'm not going to walk away because you're all jealous about it."

What?

"I'm not jealous, what would I be jealous about? I'm worried about you going in there getting your ass handed to you and me having to come save it. We need to be ready for tomorrow. Remember, we're on a few missions right now!"

Sokka crossed his arms giving Azula a sarcastic smirk.

"So that's what this is about, you're worried about losing your chance for freedom? A woman has lost her CHILD Azula. I can't just walk away from that." He glared at her, his words coming out cold and biting "I can't decide who is worse, you or Katara. She thought I couldn't take care of myself and apparently you don't either. The only difference is Katara cares for everyone, you've never cared for anyone but yourself."

How dare he compare me to that water bending peasant! I do to care…I care about you…she wanted to say it but her pride refused to let her. His word had meant to hurt. Azula buried that hurt under a layer of arrogance and pride.

"I thought we were in this together, Sokka," Azula said with pride. She wouldn't let him see her pain.

"We were, but you still cling to your own needs and don't think of others. You have the fire nation mentality that everyone is out to get you. They're not.

This woman needs my help. And I'm going to help her…you can do whatever you want…Princess." Princess was all but spat at her. Making her feel even smaller, hurting her even more.

With that, he turned away from Azula and walked towards the woman. Azula kept her face blank, posing her face and body to give off an air of carelessness. She watched silently as Sokka took the woman by the arm, and they walked out of the dining hall.

I just want to protect you. That's all I want to do.

When they had disappeared, Azula started out of the dining hall as well, replaying what they had just witnessed. Maybe she was overacting. Maybe she did have that fire nation sense of paranoia. Leaning her hands over the railing, she looked up at the sun, already falling in the western sky. The day had past so quickly, changed even faster.

They had woken up so intimate with each other, and now…now she had messed it up. When would she ever learn to just be…good? She just wanted to do the right thing without hesitation, without thinking about herself. But she was struggling, and on the one person she needed help from had just walked away to help another.

Was it really a bad thing to help a lone woman find her child? What would the woman have to gain by getting Sokka hurt? Azula closed her eyes leaning her head back. She had been wrong, she had let her jealousy and hurt get in front of the main fact. They were together, they were a team, and as a team they worked together.

He's not going to want to work with me now for a while. Good going Azula, you really messed this one up didn't you?

"There you are, oh spirits am I glad I found you." Azula turned to find a plump little old woman rushing up to her. The old woman looked familiar, then it clicked, she was the one had gotten the room wrong the day before.

"Why would you be looking for me?"

"Where…whoa…where is your man? Is he with you?" The old woman took a few deep breaths; Azula guessed she wasn't one to rush anywhere.

Azula turned back to the setting sun, "He's not my man…at least not right now. And no he went off to be a warrior in shining armor. A woman had her child kidnapped, he went to help her."

Surprised, Azula turned as the woman grasped her arm firmly. Frowning at the woman she said, "Listen he's not here to ogle alright. He'll be back soon."

"Do you know where he is?" the old woman asked desperately.

"Yeah, on the back deck why?"

"You must go to him; you must go to him now!"

The hairs on Azula's neck began to stand up.

"Why? What happened?"

"That woman made a bargain with the men. They would give her protection in the colonies, but she had to bring your man to meet them, they plan to hurt him possibly kill him. You must go to him, now."

"Are you sure? Maybe it was the only way to get her child back, they took him from her, she had a bruise on her face," Azula responded, her mind refusing to believe the old woman. Didn't assumptions get her into this mess?

"I overheard the whole thing, she bargained with the patrol men. Said she'd go tell your man that they took her child and the only way to get him back would be for your man to meet them. In return they would promise her protection in the colonies. They punched her, claiming to make it more believable. But the child is safe, I saw him in his mother's room next to my own. You must go, before it's too late."

Azula was stunned, she had been right. Sokka, the great and good, had been wrong. And now he was about to pay for it.

Azula took off running hoping against hope that she wasn't too late.

Damn it, Peasant. I told you no!

Ending Author note: Will Azula be too late? Will Sokka figure it out and save himself? What's going to happen?! I don't know because I haven't written that chapter yet, okay I lied…I have it started… But I won't have you wait long…hopefully…been kind of busy lately…but the next chapter is in my head and some on my computer…so it'll be out soon!