Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue!

song of a free heart: Thank you so much for your comment on my writing! I really try to write in a way that brings attention to the little things, and knowing that my efforts are successful makes my happy :)

MagicalBender: Oh how cliche they were... .

NollasBlack: I'm doing fine, thanks for asking! And I'm sure everyone is a fan of steamy situations ;)

She gasped for air, willing her feet to move faster. Her lungs burned, and her arms had long since lost feeling. She could feel her pursuers practically breathing down her neck like a pack of hungry dogs.

Move move move!

She streaked down the night-darkened alleys, whizzing past countless buildings. Her hand flung out, blindly catapulting what little water she could manage at the gangsters behind her. She didn't know why they were chasing her, but all she knew was that she had to get away. Katara turned fast down a street to her right, and was greeted by more thugs.

Stop stop stop!

And then suddenly, she was being yanked upwards so fast, she could've sworn she'd gotten whiplash. A dark figure had grabbed her by the back of her collar and had pulled her up onto the roof of a building. She hadn't even been capable of screaming due to the lack of oxygen in her chest. The confused and enraged shouts from below caused her to try and stand to run away. But alas, she wasn't invincible. Her legs turned to mush the second she tried to stand.

An angry yell from a thug climbing onto the roof caused panic to grip her heart. Then, her mysterious savior- she was sure it was a man -roughly reached for her and began sprinting away, carrying her bridal style. Katara attempted to catch her breath, all the while trying to make out who he was. But all she was greeted with was a devil's mask and the hint of gold beneath. Her arms desperately clung to his shoulders, more out of instinct than anything, and she memorized the broad, yet lean muscle underneath the midnight clothing, his height, the way he walked. Everything that she could observe.

He carried on with incredible stamina until the men that had been chasing her were long gone. She had just begun to breathe again when the Blue Spirit had abruptly dropped her, right in front of the Gaang's Upper Ring house. In the time it took for her to blink, the spirit was gone.

Zuko froze at the sight of the Watertribe girl. The tea tray on the counter Uncle had told him to pick up lay forgotten, along with the dozens of customers awaiting their orders. His heart hammered in shock.

I'm good now, I'm good now, Don't panic.

He saw her eyes narrow in not panic, but thought. Her hand visibly tightened on the scroll in her grasp, and that irritating monkey-thing perched on her shoulder squawked once and then flew away. The girl started walking straight towards him, face set in determination.

Panic, Zuko, Panic!

But before he could even think about getting into a defensive position, she was in front of him. Yet, she wasn't attacking him. She was just...standing there. Only inches apart, her blue eyes stared at him. She didn't say a word, just stood there searching him as if looking for something. Zuko squirmed uncomfortably under her intense gaze, wondering what on earth she was trying to do.

Then, her hand, the one not holding onto the scroll, reached into her robe and withdrew something. He felt that something being pressed into his hand, but didn't dare to look away from her.

She stared for a minute more and then a smirk curled her lips. She turned suddenly and sauntered away from him, not bothering to look back. He waited until she was out of the tea shop (and his heart had calmed down) to examine whatever she had given him. It was a parchment, folded over. He unfolded it quickly.

His eyes widened.

It was a wanted poster of the Blue Spirit.

Author's Note: I'm going to ignore the fact that this drabble, if it had happened, would've basically screwed the whole series up... Oh well, the price of Zutara I guess :)

Hopefully this one was more or less original, and not as cliche as the past couple...

MI3

Quote of the Day: Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. ~Annette Funicello