Chapter 11-Fallen

Katara P.O.V

Zuko was about to reply when a guard came smashing into the room.

We both looked at him, surprised he had not taken any precautions in opening our cell door.

"The Avatar has fallen."

My heart skipped a few beats as I tried to register what had just been said. It couldn't be Sozin's Comet yet…could it?! I swallowed tightly and looked up at the guard. "W-What?" I asked, my voice shaking. The guard looked annoyed that he had to repeat himself. "Your little friend has failed you." He started, a grin breaking out on his face. "The Avatar fought and lost. Funny part is that he ran away just minutes ago. Disappeared into the unknown." He finished, making my heart shatter into millions of pieces.

My head throbbed again as I turned to Zuko, praying that he was lying. He had to be lying. They always lie. Aang wouldn't lose. He certainly would not have ran away without getting me out of this hell hole. What had happened? Had he been so scared that he forgot how to bend anything? Had he just been too small and young? Questions overwhelmed me.

Zuko turned to me, his expression sorrow.

"Katara, I'm-"

There was a loud bang noise and the guard fell, unconscious, right in front of us. Sokka stood behind him, cuts and bruises covering his almost unrecognizable face. It had not been that long since I had seen my brother, but I felt my heart start to pick up the pieces after seeing his face. "Aang lost." He spit out, running over to me and throwing his arms around my body. The pieces fell back down, all traces of hope breaking like a mirror.

I could feel him trying to hold back a sob, and I couldn't help but feel a ounce of pride in my brother. He was trying so hard not to break down in front of me. Sokka knew I needed him. Closing my eyes and hugging him tightly, I finally grasped the fact that Aang lost. Ozai had defeated my friend, whom I had so much faith in. Maybe it was my fault; I should have tried harder to escape. Maybe it was my fault because he needed my support to win.

Sokka leaned back and wiped some of the dirt from my cheek.

"We have to go Katara. Toph and Suki are waiting for us on Appa."

My brain could not process everything that was happening. This was too much for my weak brain to handle. What were we going to do?! What was going to become of us?! Sokka helped me stand up and I jerked away from his grip. "What's the use Sokka?!" I yelled at him, fear and anger stealing my personality. "There's nowhere to hide! We're going to die either way!" I threw my arms around desperately, wondering why he didn't see this situation how I did.

Sokka's face turned sad and he walked towards me, cupping my face in his hands. "Katara, listen to me. We're going to find a place. We are not going to die, okay? I just need you to believe in your older brother right now." He said calmly, looking at me for an answer. "Can you do that?" Sokka asked. I felt my entire body shaking, but I somehow managed to nod my head. "Okay." I replied, following him out of the cell. We had just begun to run down the hallway when Zuko yelled to us. I had almost forgotten he was there. "Wait!" He yelled, chasing after us. I grabbed Sokka's hand and made him turn around. Sokka obviously had some very hard feelings for Zuko, because he glared at him the moment Zuko caught up.

"Go out the left door on the top of the staircase. I'll bet anything the guards are coming in through the right door. You're safe if you go through the left one."

The air was tense as Zuko and Sokka stared at each other. Sokka seemed unsure if he should listen to Zuko's words or not. He glanced over at me, silently asking me what I thought. "Trust him." I said simply, looking over at the prince. I never thought I would ever trust someone like him, but hey, I never thought I would be raped either. Surprises, surprises.

"Let's go."

All three of us ran up the staircase and went to the left, hearing loud footsteps coming from outside the right door. My legs were incredibly sluggish; I was struggling to get over every step without tripping. Zuko laid his hand on my waist, attempting to help my struggling body. I shot him a thankful glance and he returned it, giving me a "I've got you" nod. Sokka must have seen this, because he gave me a confused look.

We had reached the door, but guards' voices could be heard coming up on us.

The cool air hit my face as the door was kicked open by Sokka. Zuko had let go of my waist, causing my unsteady feet to clumsily trip over the first step of the new staircase. My shoulder collided with Sokka, sending both of us flying down the stairs. Not only did I feel terrible, but my pain screamed from my body as we finally found the bottom. Since I had my eyes closed, I could only hear my brother's worried voice.

"Katara! Katara, are you okay?!"

I forced my eyelids to open, the bright light from the orange-looking sun blinding me. Sokka lifted me up, the voices of the soldiers getting louder and louder. Zuko was still standing at the top of the staircase, a torn look on his face as he looked from the on-coming Fire Nation guards running this way, to Sokka and I. "Go! I'll hold them off!" He yelled, motioning us to run. I stared at Zuko, wondering what in hell he was planning to do. There was at least fifty guards charging at him.

Our eyes connected for a second, and I could see the panic and concern in his golden eyes.

I wanted to run to him and tell him I had his back. We could take on the army together. Maybe he could escape with us and we could start a rebellion against the Fire Nation.

Sokka pulled on me and my stare with Prince Zuko was broken.

Zuko P.O.V

Please let her get away.

My heart was praying the whole time I was fighting off the guards. I was not focused on beating them; I was only focused on fighting them long enough that Katara and the others got away. It was weird how some feelings cause you to do strange and dangerous things. Was this what my mother felt like when she left us?

My discouraged thoughts were interrupted by one of the guards over-powering me. I felt my head smash onto the railing of the staircase, blackness flashing. I forced them to stay open though, not wanting to let them take me easily. The giant man grabbed my head full of hair and ripped me onto my feet. Mental note: where a hood next time you're in a situation like this.

As my vision started to get clearer, I saw Aang's bison fly through the air and into the storm clouds.

At least Katara was safe.

"Take him to his father. I think he'll want to have a word with him."

I had already seen this coming of course. My father may be a dick, but he sure is intimidating. When you didn't know what to do with something or someone, you take them to my father. He was like the snake of a garden; everyone is afraid of him and no one dares to stand up to him. The guards chained my hands together and dragged me from the back of the castle and to the front. I struggled as best I could, but my leg was burning like my scar had when I first received it. Terrible memories flooded back to my mind.

"He is not going to be happy with you when he finds out you let the wench out of her cage."

I spit fire out at the guard, setting his leg on fire. He started squealing like a little girl and kicking his leg in every direction, desperately trying to get the fire out. I smirked to myself as one of the men through water onto him, leaving him soaking wet. The other guards thought it was funny too, but the one guard, the one that I had always despised, did not share their amusement. He kicked me in the cheek, shooting searing pain across my face.

I groaned angrily and glared at the man, my anger boiling up inside of me.

He got down level to my face and frowned at me.

"You're never getting the throne if you keep acting like that boy."

I tried to lunge at him, but was pulled back by the other men. The man simply laughed and I was dragged up the stairs. I bet my father was watching from his window, getting a real kick out of his son being dragged against his will so he could punish me. Thank goodness I wasn't anything like him. Well…at least I wasn't anymore.

I tried to focus on the happy thoughts.

Katara and the rest of her friends were safe. For now. The Fire Nation would catch up to them eventually, but I'm sure they'll come up with disguises. Our guards aren't the smartest, so it shouldn't take much. Still, there was something biting at my mind. It wasn't only Katara in danger now; it was the entire nation. Every bender and non-bender was in serious danger now. Aang was the only thing that kept my father from completely taking over every nation. Now that Aang had ran away…he was no longer stopping my father from doing so.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in my father's office.

He was at the window, smiling at something outside. Or maybe he was just admiring his own reflection. For the longest time, he did not say anything at all. For a moment I actually thought he was just going to let me go. Well, I have been wrong before, so I wasn't surprised when my father kicked me in the side. Man, was I getting stomped on today!

"I thought you had lost your honor before my son, but now…now you've really done it."

Hiding the pain I was feeling, I glared up at Ozai. For being disappointed in me, he sure didn't look like it. In fact, he didn't even looked surprised that I helped Katara escape. "Your sister is going to get the throne within the next year, once she gets through the training. Do you have anything to say about this?" He asked me sternly. I had over a million things to say about this, but I wasn't in the mood for lecturing my father.

"Only that the Fire Nation better hide their children."

My father smirked, not because he thought it was funny, but because he knew I was trying to keep calm. "Must have gotten that trait from your mother." He grumbled, leaning down beside me. His hand grabbed my chin, lifting my head up so he could see. "No scar? I must say my son, it's been a while since I've actually seen you looking…decent." Ozai sneered, an amused look on his pale, white face.

"That's funny…mom always said I was handsomer than you."

My father grinned, and I got a terrible feeling something bad was going to happen.

"We'll just have to change that, won't we?"

With his hand still on my cheek, a severe burning sensation started to form on the left side of my face. When I realized what was happening, I yelled and started to thrash around, desperately trying to break free of my chains. I could feel the blistering, along with the fresh blood dripping down to my neck. I closed my eyes as tight as I could, hoping this was all a nightmare. An awful, horrifying nightmare.

After what seemed like hours, my father took his hand off my face.

My eye was unable to open, just like last time. My entire body was shaking in pain as I made a note to kill my father someday. Through my good eye, I saw my father open the door, his expression blank.

"Get out."

Muahahaha! Sorry Zuko, but this was always the plan. At least you got to live scar-free for about…thirty minutes? hahaha Thanks for reading!: ) Keep reviewing!