A/N:

Heads up, this story is OzaixKatara, yes but its supposed to be dark. Its supposed to be fucked and its supposed to feel like what the hell am I reading. This is how I picture them getting together if Ozai had ever escaped and kidnapped her. It's not pretty and its not loving. It's literally Ozai being his cruel self and Katara surviving it.

Chapter 17:

While he originally wanted to break this girl for stealing into his mind with her waterbending, forcing him to relent the possible location of his ex-wife, Ozai had grown rather fond of the waterbender. He dare say he was falling for her and sure, he knew it was one-sided as she made it very clear. However; the former tyrant told himself that didn't matter as she would eventually learn to accept his affection and one day return them.

But just this morning when he slipped the ring on her finger, he had noticed a crazed look on her face. She began having what he knew was a meltdown. He had seen it with his daughter and ex-wife. For some reason any time he would do something that was not acceptable to them, instead of verbalizing their opposition, this would happen. Either all women were like this or it was him, he didn't quite know. But what he did know, he couldn't have her cracking. He didn't want to break his plaything anymore. It actually meant something to him.

So as soon as he noticed this, Ozai had left her to be alone for the rest of the day. When he returned, she seemed to return to her normal self. It didn't last long when he tried taking her to bed and she protested. He reminded her of the ring on her finger and what she was to him, Katara snapped again. This time asking for him to just let everyone take their turn with her since she was now a glorified whore. If he hadn't liked her so much, he'd take her up on her offer but Ozai didn't like sharing what was his with others.

Instead, he figured being less forceful might work. This wasn't only about getting her to better respond to him but to get his bending back. He needed to better appeal to her and he knew exactly how to do it.

Katara woke to a white thick fur blanket over her unclothed body. She wiggled around in it and pressed it to her face, smiling as she rubbed it against her sleepy cheeks. It felt like home. La, she missed fur blankets. The feeling of them against her skin was too much to take. As her eyes began to open, the waterbender nearly jumped up in fright.

"What are you all doing in here?!" She flipped.

There were several women circling the side of the bed holding out trays with different items on them, all smiling creepily at her. Katara swallowed hard as she felt unnerved by the sight of them. Why were they here? And where was Ozai?

"The master told us to prepare you for this morning. He wanted you to look your best for when you're brought to him. He has a surprise for you."

Katara looked at the women as if they were out of their minds. A surprise from the likes of him did not sound exciting at all. It sounded terrifying and she felt her stomach sink into a dark abyss. This was not good. Ozai was getting nuttier and nuttier by the day and she didn't know what to do to get him to stop. La be with me!

As she was dressed in a red and white kimono, eyes painted with red and gold shadow, gold earrings with red rubies, red lips, black eyeliner, hair pulled up with a rose hairpin stuck through a false hair bun threaded to her actual hair. Katara looked at herself in the mirror and gulped. She looked like a glorified whore. Kimono collar spread down to her lower shoulders as she held a black fur shawl through her arms as she held her hands through her sleeves.

"You look like a high placed consort." One woman said.

"A favored consort."

"You should be honored."

As they threw more backhanded praises, Katara tried not to let her nerves get the best of her. It came as a relief when she saw Shinji come through the doors, waiting to escort her. She wanted to speak with him. For some reason she hadn't seen much of him lately and in the midst of this mess she had been caught in, he was the closest thing to a friend she had right now.

Walking her down through the halls as she received looks from the men, Katara nervously clung to Shinji.

"What is he planning? It has to be something. Everyone is staring at me like they know something." Katara said in a paranoid voice.

Grinning as he wanted to chuckle, Shinji assured her they weren't looking at her knowingly. "They're looking because of how you're dressed up."

"I look like an expensive prostitute." Katara scoffed.

Looking at her from the corner of her eyes, "I wouldn't say that. Maybe a favored consort. But not a prostitute."

"Well, what's the difference. They both sleep with men for a living."

"Well, one gets to sleep with high-class men."

"Oh, what an honor." Katara said sarcastically. "Maybe I should thank Ozai for taking an interest in me. Serve him kindly as it is such a great honor."

Shinji chuckled as he side-eyed her, "You really don't like him, do you?"

"Would you if he killed your father, kidnapped your child, and forced his way with you?"

The amusement died on Shinji as he returned to looking forward and cleared his throat. "I guess you have reason to still hate him."

"Plenty." She said bitterly.

The two walked in silence as they made their way to the doors of the garden sanctum where Ozai awaited her. Katara felt more anxious by the moment as they reached the doors. Shinji rubbed her hand to soothe her and she looked up at him with fearful eyes.

"This isn't it for me, is it?" She asked.

Shinji shook his head, "No, it is not. But I do advise you not to run in that dress."

Katara hadn't a clue what he was talking about but she didn't like it. She was so sure that Ozai had here brought her to finish her and what better way than killing her while she's dressed like an honorable hooker. He could send her body to Zuko with a note of what he did to her. Katara shivered. She didn't want to die here.

Shinji grinned as he opened the doors for her. He watched as her eyes widened at the sight of what or should he say who was on the other side. The waterbender tried to run despite his warning and he had helped her from falling when she stumbled over herself. Guiding her to the table, Shinji helped her sit at the low table of the inner sanctum.

As soon as she sat, Kai came running into her lap and she embraced him warmly, kissing the crown of his head. She tears up as he tells her she looks and smells pretty. It makes her giggle that her son thought she was pretty. Her eyes lift to Ozai as he watches her.

"Thank you." She utters through her hushed voice as she holds Kai to her.

Smirking as he took a sip of his tea, "Thank me by giving me what I've lost."

"Whatever you want, I'll do it." She tells him as she looks back at her son.

Ozai is satisfied with this response as he tells Kai to return to his seat to finish eating. "You have lessons soon. I don't want to hear you were lacking the energy because you didn't finish your breakfast."

"Yes, papa." Kai says as he receives one more kiss from his mother and takes his seat beside her.

Ozai ate silently as the mother and son ate and spoke. Kai told his mother all about his lessons with a firebending instructor and his tutor. Katara is amazed when she sees him control the flame within a jar glassed candle.

"Alright, get going before you're late for your lessons again." Ozai interrupts them.

Kai bows his head, "Yes, papa." He receives one more kiss from his mother.

As she watched Kai run off to where his instructor was waiting for him, Katara sighed. "So he's a firebender?"

"Yes. You should be proud. It's not often that a woman of an inferior race is able to produce a firebender. Especially not a waterbender." Ozai tells her.

"Are you going to use him as a tool like you did your daughter?"

Grinning with his teacup pressed to his lips, "We'll discuss that when you make good on your word to return my bending."

Turning around to face him, Katara pushed her plate aside and narrowed her eyes at him. "Then let's get this over with."

Chuckling as he placed his teacup down. "Not so fast, waterbender. I hear from Zhao you waterbenders are strongest on a full moon. I want you at your best when you return my bending. So there won't be any excuses for why you have not succeeded."

"But I've never done this before."

"I'm sure the waterbender that defeated my best weapon is capable of returning my power," Ozai said confidently.

Katara's eyes fell from him to her lap, "What if I'm not successful?"

"Let's try to stay positive, dear. I'm in a rather good mood and I'd hate for it to be spoiled." Ozai picked back up his tea and drank it.

The waterbender swallowed hard and twiddled her fingers. He might not have said much but that was definitely a threat.

...

"We get this letter to Katara and its sure to be seen by someone else." Aang said handing the letter he wrote.

The plan they devised was to get as many rebels as possible out of the brothel to sneak in and get Katara and Kai back. Without reinforcement, they were severely outnumbered by the rebels. It would be unlikely that they'd be able to get Kai and Katara without alerting Ozai if they went in now without a plan. This was a stealth operation. They needed to be swift and precise about this. Any wrong move and they could lose Kai and Katara for good.

As the two continued putting together, their plan, Suki walked back in with the groceries she picked up from the market. As well as a little surprise.

"Iroh, I knew we'd run into you!" Aang said.

"Uncle?" Zuko rose from the table that he and Aang were sitting at. "Aang said you'd be here but I didn't think we'd see you with how big the city is."

Smiling at his nephew, "I knew you'd eventually find your way here."

"You did?" Zuko raised a brow.

Nodding his head, Iroh went to sit on the edge of their inn bed. "Yes, when Aang told me of his suspicions that Katara was still alive, I didn't quite believe it. Your father doesn't have any qualm about killing a person. However; when I first arrived here, I saw for myself she was alive. I knew if you believe for even a second she was still alive, you'd come looking for her."

Suki eyes widened as she hurried to Iroh's side, "You saw Katara?!"

Zuko and Aang looked as if they desperately wanted to know as well.

Iroh sighed and nodded his head. He told them how he found her sweeping outside a brothel inn. At first, he didn't recognize her in the black wig she sported but when he did, she took off running back into the brothel inn. He later ran into her again with some man that he caught her embracing. He thought that maybe there was more to what happened to her. They chatted and Katara and the young man looked somehow very well acquainted. Iroh saw his nephew twitch at this little detail.

"However; when the man left, she told me herself that your father had captured her." Iroh sighed and shook his head. "I told her to find out where Kai was and I'd get them both out of here as soon as possible. I haven't seen her since. Even when I visit the brothel she was at, no one seems to know what happened to her."

Zuko clenched his fists, "So you knew about my son too, uncle?"

"Zuko, I'm sorry but Katara wanted us all to keep silent about him. She knew what it would do to your reign as Fire Lord if you knew and word spread." Iroh tried to tell him.

But Zuko wasn't hearing it. He couldn't believe even his own uncle, the man that had been more a father to him than his own father, knew about his son and never said a word. "This could have all been avoided if someone would have told me!"

"Zuko, what could you have done?" Suki says. "You were back with Mai. You left Katara to figure things out herself."

"Well, I wouldn't have had I known!"

Aang sighed, "You don't know that, Zuko. You were so focused on trying to do right by the world and by your country. Something like finding out Katara was pregnant would have been another burden. She did what she thought was best for you."

"So this is my fault?!"

"No, Zuko, this is no one but your father's doing." Iroh told him.

"Well he would have never gotten to her had I known she had my son!"

"Zuk-"

"No! I need some air.." Zuko said marching out of the room.

Iroh sighed and shook his head. He knew this day would come. They all did. Zuko was bound to find out about the boy. Who were they kidding? This was a devastating mess from the start. Suki took a seat and rubbed her still flat belly.

"I feel bad we didn't tell him...If I had done that to Sokka, he'd never forgive me."

"Yeah, but its not like you two were in different classes on top of being the opposite race. Katara and Zuko should have never happened." Aang said.

Iroh looked at the two young people, "What's done is done. Right now, we need to get Katara and Kai from my brother. Things could be a lot worse than they seem."

"How so?" Aang asked with the look of curiosity on his face.

The old man looked between the two and swore them not to tell Zuko until they retrieved Katara first. Yet another vow of secrecy from Zuko.

...

Finding himself at the brothel where Katara was supposedly at, Zuko figured he would talk to Ty Lee again and possibly get some information. Luckily, she spots him first and sticks a cup of sake out to him.

"You look like you could use a drink." Ty Lee smiled and took his hand. "Come, I'll cheer you up." Zuko lets her drag him off to one of the rooms and drinks the cup of sake.

After an hour of getting him to drink up and dancing for him, Ty Lee finally gets him to open up about why he came all this way back to the brothel.

"I need you to get this to Katara. Please make sure she gets it soon." Zuko drunkenly states as he hands it to her.

Ty Lee takes the note and puts it into her bra and tells him she'll do her best to get it to Katara. Zuko gets up and staggers off as if his mission was complete. Making his way out of the brothel, Zuko bummed into another man and stumbled a little. Helped to steady himself, Zuko looked up from under his hood at his help.

"Oh Yatori, what are you doing here?"

Yatori's eyes were wide. What is he doing here!

"Come to get a look at the girls, did you?" Zuko chuckled drunkenly. "Have fun my friend." He said patting both Yatori's shoulders as he started on his way out.

Yaroti's eyes narrowed at Zuko as he stumbled his way into the street. Why was he here? Did he find us out?

Finishing up with her next customer, Ty Lee took her break and on her break, went to the place that lead to the inner sanctum. She stood by in front of the double doors where two men stood guarding it. She gulped and tried putting on her feminine charm.

"Hey, boys, have you seen a man about this tall, skinny, and good looking. His name starts with an S or something." Ty Lee said.

The two men chuckled as they looked at one another. "You're gonna have to do better than that, girly. Most of us here have names that start with an S."

"And are good looking too."

The two burst out laughing.

Ty Lee's jaws set. Ugh.. men.

"I think his name is Shinji."

"Oh," Nudging his elbow in his friend's side, "She wants the pretty boy."

"Shinji, really? You know that idiot gots his eye on that blue-eyed slut I hear gives it up to the master."

"HA! Isn't that sad? Wouldn't want the leftovers if I were him."

Ty Lee wanted to puke. Men were so disgusting at times.

"Sure, we'll get em' for ya. But what's in it for us?"

Smirking, Ty Lee told them she'll give them a free dance if they came to her after hours.

"How about we pull up ya lil skirt and take what we want." One of them came up to her and tried to touch her.

Immediately after a few strikes, the guards fell over, paralyzed by her jabs. Ty Lee then looked up at the other guard. "Can you please get Shinji for me?" Her eyes sparkled.

The guard didn't hesitate to go run and get Shinji.

A few moments later, Shinji came out to the sight of one of the guards lying on the ground. His eyes looked up to see one of the brothel girls standing with her hands behind her back with the look of innocence on her face. He eyed her, knowing very well she had something to do with the guard on the ground.

"What do you want, woman?" Shinji asked coldly.

Walking up to him, Ty Lee reached in her bra and slipped out the note Zuko gave her.

"I know you like my friend, Katara, the blue-eyed girl that your master is holding hostage." Ty Lee took his hand and placed the paper inside his hand, looking up at him sincerely. "Give this to her. Please, don't let anyone else see this."

Shinji took the note and looked at it in his hands and then eyed Ty Lee. "Fine but keep your hands off the guards. If Zhao finds out about this, you don't want to know what he'll do to you."

Shrugging her shoulders as she rolled her eyes, "I suppose Katara wouldn't feel too lonely if you ask me."

"I say, Zhao isn't interested in keeping pets." Shinji warned her.

"Oops, well, I'll get back to work. Just get that letter to our friend, okay? See ya around, cutie!" Ty Lee then flipped on her hands and began walking with them back to the brothel.

Shinji watched her and thought how Katara must have always kept strange company.

Heading back into the inner sanctum, Shinji opened the note as he walked through the halls.

"Got a love letter from some brothel whore, I hear." Lao came up beside him as he read the letter.

Scoffing as he rolled his eyes, "I'm sure you wish one of them would talk to you."

"Don't need to wish. Just have to bring a few coins and no words need to be exchanged." Lao grinned slyly.

Agni, Shinji couldn't stand men like Lao. They lack self-restraint and class. Abusing and using women as they liked. Lao was lucky their master had a strict policy on internal conflict, otherwise, he'd slice his throat open. Breaking away from Lao, Shinji made his way to where their master and Zhao were discussing the plans to attack the Fire Nation capital. Knocking to enter, Shinji let himself in upon receiving a verbal entry. He passed Zhao's watchful gaze and went directly to his master.

Holding the note out to Ozai, "Your son is in the city. He knows you and Katara are here. This letter was intended for Katara."

Ozai snatches it and looks the letter over. As he reads the letter his son wrote for Katara, the letter turns to ash little by little. Glaring up at Shinji.

"Gather fifty of our men and have them search the city for that bastard son of mine. I want him snuffed out."

"And what of your security, master?" Zhao asks.

"I don't plan in going anywhere till after my bending is restored. The girl and I are staying."

"And of your grandson?"

"Have him escorted to a separate location. I'll have Shinji and that bastard Yatori take him to a village north." Ozai said standing up. "I'll make Zuko wish he hadn't come looking for them."

Zhao left the room to go inform the men to prepare for the search. Shinji left as his master wanted to be alone. Possibly to tear up the room in frustration.

Shinji sighed as he stepped out of the room. He needed to now go see Katara. Tell her what was going on. Hopefully, she'd like the plan he had come up with. As he came to the chamber door, he didn't knock as he let himself in. Katara was in the sitting room bending a few spheres of water around in a circle as she stared at them in boredom with her back turned to him.

"If we're having sex tonight, I'm on top. I hate when you put your weight on me." Katara said as she remained in the same position. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"As much as I'd like that, I think you've got the wrong man." Shinji grinned as she turned around with an embarrassed look on her face.

Katara's hands went over her mouth as she gaped at him. "Shinji, I'm so sorry. I thought you were Ozai."

"No, it's fine. I didn't knock." He said coming up beside her and sitting down. "But I think your plans tonight might get canceled. Ozai is having Kai's location moved."

Tilting her head to the side, "Why would he do that?"

Shinji explained to her from when her friend handed her the note to him taking it to Ozai. Something like that he couldn't hide from someone like Ozai. So it was necessary to give the letter to him instead but Shinji tells her he has a plan.

"Ozai's leaving me and a new guy in charge of Kai. I'll knock out the new guy and take Kai to General Iroh. The rest is up to you as far as getting away from Ozai."

Katara felt her breathing increase with anxiousness. Zuko was here? He didn't believe she was dead? Her heart pounded and Shinji was going to help Kai escape. She felt relief that maybe this could actually happen. Maybe she could really get away and escape with her son. La, she was so thankful for Shinji. Without thinking, Katara threw her arms around Shinji and smashed her lips into his.

Pulling apart, Katara looked him in the eyes and thanked him. Shinji just looked at her in a daze and focused his eyes between her eyes and lips, before he dived in for another kiss. He pulled the waterbender against him as she climbed in his lap and ran her hand through his hair as they moaned into each other's mouths.

"W-wait," They both broke the kiss. "I can't...Ozai wil-"

"Right now, I don't give a shit." Shinji said as he grabbed the waterbender by her ass and lifted her up as he stood, walking towards the bed. "I'm so sick of that guy."

Katara laughed as she cupped both sides of his face and kissed his lips. "I'm sick of him too."

...

Kissing him as she sat in bed with the sheet pulled to her, Shinji tried putting his clothes back on and chuckled as the waterbender tried to pull him back in.

"Don't leave me to him," Katara whined against his lips.

"Okay, I'll stay and we can continue until Ozai shows up and kills me mid-thrust." Shinji half-joked. A part of him didn't mind dying that way.

Giggling, Katara smirked and told him to come find her when he got Kai to Iroh. Shinji nodded his head against hers and kissed her one last time as he stood straight up to pull his pants up and buckle his belt. Katara sat there under the covers grinning at him.

"Go before you get caught."

Shinji grinned and went towards the window of the bedroom. "I'll see you soon." He said.

And with that, Shinji lifted himself to the bedroom window and climbed through it. Katara heard a thud on the other side and chuckled. As she giggled to herself, the doors of the chambers opened and she quickly laid into bed, pulling the sheets to her chest and shutting her eyes.

"Waterbender, we need to t-" Ozai stopped when he stood in front of the doorway of the bedroom.

Sitting up as she rubbed her eyes, pretending to have been asleep. "What?"

"What have you been doing all day?" He asked suspiciously.

Stretching her arms up and to the sides, "Sleeping mostly."

Ozai wasn't buying it. Something felt off. He walked up to the side of the bed and tore the covers off of her and raised his brow as he looked at her. "And that's all you've been doing?"

"Did I have a little fun with myself? Sure. But I don't see how that matters right now." Katara pulled the covers back over herself and looked at him with furrowed brows. "I'm assuming you need to talk about something. What is it?"

Letting it go, Ozai sat down on the edge of the bed and stared hard at her. "Your precious Zuko has found out our location."

"Oh really?" She said.

"You don't seem surprised."

"Because I'm not. Did you really think that scene you staged wouldn't go into questioning? There was no body." Katara folded her arms and looked back at him with a know it all look on her face.

"There are some instances where a body does not remain. If you keep this attitude up with me, you'll find out firsthand." Ozai warned.

Rolling her eyes, "If you're going to make me your woman, you could at least be nicer to me, otherwise, it's hard for me to tell how to respond to you. Especially when you threaten me."

"I wouldn't threaten you if you acted more like my woman. Starting by not welcoming other men in my bed, you damn whore!" Ozai raised his voice as he stood up. "Who the hell was it?! I know one of them was here! Or did you fuck a group of them?!"

Katara scoffed and looked away from him, "I didn't fuck anyone!"

"Then why is your lip paint smeared and the scent of sweat on you. The sheets are too disheveled for you to have only been sleeping here." Ozai pointed out.

She honestly wasn't surprised he figured out someone else was here but she really hadn't fucked Shinji. They fooled around. She let him get a feel. He let her feel on him. They pretty much just made out with their clothes off. But was there any intercourse? La, she wished, so when Ozai accused her she could at least throw it in his face as the best sex she had whether it was true or not, just to upset him more.

"Look, you crazy asshole, I didn't fuck anyone! If you want me to prove it, I'll spread my legs right now."

Ozai glared at her, "No need, you do that enough."

"Oh go to hell, you son of a bitch! I pray to the gods that Zuko finds us before you get your bending back. I'd love to see him wipe the floor with you!"

"You think he's capable of defeating me?!"

"Last I checked, a twelve-year-old defeated you. I'm sure he can too."

Ozai was furious when he suddenly stormed up to her and grabbed her by the hair. He yanked her out of bed and drug her across the floor. She tried fighting back and standing up as she threw her fists at him, hoping he'd let go of her hair. But he simply swung her into the wall. He grabbed her by her head and then threw her head into the wall next. Katara slid down the wall onto the floor. When she looked up at him, he reached for her hair again and this time drug her to the door. Katara still tried to fight back but after hitting her head hard against the wall, she was having a hard time reacting.

Through the halls, she was drug in front of men seeing her naked body and her pissed off master. She never felt more humiliated in her life. La, she was going to make Ozai regret doing this to her. He wasn't going to get away with this.

Finding herself in the courtyard, Katara heard Ozai shout for his men to all come. Her hair was clenched tight as she clawed his legs to reduce his pulling on her hair. What was he going to do now? When all the men in the inner sanctum showed up, including Shinji, who was staring right at her in confusion, Ozai proceeded with further humiliating her.

"I don't know who but one of you decided to take my woman to bed! I want to know right now, who was it?!" Ozai snapped.

They all looked amongst themselves. Who was actually crazy enough to mess with the master's woman?

"So no one knows?!"

Silence.

"Fine! Zhao, come here!" Ozai forced Katara to her feet as Zhao came forward.

As Zhao arrived next to his master, he was given his orders to burn her feet and then beat her with a rod. Ozai focused his eyes on every one of his men as Katara's feet when burned and she was beaten. He was watching for expressions. However; while some of his men stared sadistically, some were either uncomfortable watching or simply didn't watch at all. But one of them did stand out and he figured it had to be him.

Shinji had the look of guilt written all over his face. Ozai figured it was him. It was why he specifically searched the crowd for his face. I warned you, Shinji. He had something in store for Shinji too.

...

"We're going out to scout. We'll let you know what we see." Suki said as she waved at Aang and Zuko who were both too busy with their plans to pay her any attention.

Suki scoffed and rolled her eyes as she went on to leave with Iroh. The older man offered her his arm and she gladly accepted. The two of them strolled through the streets casually as if it were nothing in the world that mattered to them. Just as ordinary people would. However; they were looking for signs of Ozai's rebels. Hoping to get a good count of how many members they actually had.

"You think we'll get Katara and Kai back alive?" Suki asked.

Iroh sighed and patted Suki's hand, "Miss. Katara is very capable of doing whatever it takes to survive. I'm sure we'll find them alive and well."

Suki sure hoped so. If Sokka knew that Katara was still alive right now, he'd storm the brothel immediately and take Katara and his nephew out of there. She just hoped she could finally bring Katara and Kai back home. She felt responsible for what happened. Katara tried to tell her someone was following her. She tried to tell them all. But none of them took her serious. They thought she was just paranoid that Zuko sent someone to spy on her.

As they continued scouting and scoping the area, Iroh spotted a man with a hooded cloak walking up to them. He raised his brow as he noticed the face. This was the man that he saw with Katara a while ago. Iroh stopped when he realized the man had made eye contact with him.

"General Iroh." Shinji said as he stopped in front of him.

"Shinji, was it?" Iroh smiled at the younger man.

"Yes," Shinji nodded nervously as he looked around him. "I have something I need to share with you. I can help."

Iroh smiled even wider as Suki looked hard at the man, trying to figure him out. Who was this guy?

"Ozai is relocating Kai tonight. He's having me and another take the boy to a village north of here." Shinji says quickly and in a whisper as he looks around for any signs of his fellow rebels. "I can knockout the other guy and get Kai to you. I just need you all to meet me there."

This delighted them both. They could finally get Kai back. This was great news.

"What about Katara? can you help us get her back?"

Shinji shook his head as he stared pitifully at the Kyoshi warrior. "I can't save her. He won't let me go near her."

"Did something happen?" Iroh asked curiously, he had seen the two and figured they were friendly with each other.

"I did something and he took his anger out on her...I think he knows it was me and I doubt either of us is going to make it past tonight."

"What do you mean?!" Suki grabbed him by his shirt and glared at him. "What did you do?!"

"I kissed her, Ozai figured it was more and had Zhao beat her till she was unconscious. I saw her be dragged out like a lifeless doll. I don't even know if she's still alive." Shinji said.

Suki let go of him and shook her head, "That bastard!"

"Look, I can get you the boy but as for Katara, you'll have to get her yourself. I won't be able to reach her." Shinji said.

Iroh thanked him for his willingness to help them and had him go before someone saw him with them. He turned to Suki and patted her shoulders, reassuring her that they would get Katara back. It was just a matter of them getting to her fast enough.

Back at the inn, Iroh tells Zuko what they just learned. It all seemed like great news up until Katara was mentioned. Zuko threw his fist into the wall.

"I will kill him for this!" Zuko shouts. "That bastard's gone too far! First he kidnaps her and my son, then he forces his way with her, and now this! I'm going to make him pay!"

No one said anything to calm him down. He had every right to be upset. They knew Zuko wanted his father executed four years ago when they first defeated the man. He argued with them that his father and his supporters would not rest if he was to remain alive. Zuko had warned them this would happen. However; they didn't want to start a peaceful era with more death. Keeping Ozai alive was an act of mercy and a symbol of renewed value for life. But this was the result of their mercy. Katara was being abused and there was little word on what had become of Kai.

"We strike tonight! Lure my father's men out and let's take him down! Uncle and Suki, go to the next village and get Kai, then we'll all meet back up in Bei Seng Sei. No looking back!" Zuko tells them.

Everyone is on board with this as they had waited long enough for this moment.

...

In a metal cage on her knees with her arms cuffed behind her and restraint placed around her neck, Katara is naked and freezing as she hold her bruised eyes shut. She is immense pain and even breathing feels like a beating in itself. At this point, she had given up. As long as Kai got out of here, that's all that mattered to her. She just wanted her son to get out of here. For her, she was pretty much a goner. There was no helping that. If anything that fortune teller said was correct, then this was pretty much her life now. She just had to suck it up and pray it was a short life for her. Besides, even if she escaped this place, how was she going to go back to normal after this? How was she going to function after this? A few tears shed from her eyes. Maybe she was better off dead. Maybe she could antagonize Ozai some more when Kai got to safety. Maybe this could be all over sooner than she thought.

The doors to the chambers were opened and Katara's eyes shifted to the side to see it was Zhao and Ozai. What now? Another man entered with them, an older man with grey hair.

"We have a doctor making sure you don't die on us before you've served your purpose." Zhao informed her as the older man walked over to the cage and squatted down to her level.

Setting the bag he brought in down, the doctor looked up at her and tried to smile, hoping to show himself friendly. "How old are you?"

Katara didn't say a word, just stared lifelessly at him.

"She's eighteen, I believe," Zhao answered.

Pulling out a tool to look closely in her eyes, "Is she tribal descent?"

"Yes."

Going towards the back of the cage to check her pulse. "Have you given her any water in the last three hours?"

"Not that we are aware of. She's on punishment as you can see." Zhao said.

Shaking his head as he looked over the bruises and marks on the young girl's body, the doctor sighed. "Did you know she was pregnant before you punished her?"

Silence settled in the room. Katara clenched her teeth and dropped her head. Zhao looked over at Ozai, wondering if he knew. Yeah, he didn't. This was the first he was hearing about this. Ozai balled his fists and stormed out of the room.

"No, no we didn't."

Standing to his feet, "I advise you all, if you're going to let her keep the baby, you should at least loosen up the restraints and give her water and food periodically. I recommend every two hours. Also, kneeling isn't a good position for a pregnant woman."

Zhao thanked the doctor and said that they would remain in contact for when she needed to be looked at again. The old man nodded and looked back at the caged pregnant woman and sighed. As the door closed, Zhao shook his head and came up to the cage.

"You've just made this a very difficult situation, pretty one." Zhao crouches down to her. "I really find it fascinating how much your people can endure. I wish to see to what limits does it take to break your kind. Maybe it's this that will. But I promise you this, pretty one, I won't let our master get too handsy with you. You need to preserve this life you'll have growing inside you."

Looking up at him, Katara wore a pitiful look on her face. "I don't want it." She says.

Zhao mocked pitty. "I'm sorry, pretty one, but that's not your decision. It's for our master to decide. But I'll see if I can convince him to loosen your restraints, the doctor's orderers."

Katara hung her head and began weeping.

Zhao smirked as he stood up and looked the waterbender over, "If you give him a firebender, maybe he'll let your other child go. Who knows."

Moments later...

"What are we going to do with the waterbender now that she's pregnant?" Zhao asked as his master shot back three glasses of fire whiskey.

Ozai threw each glass on the floor, "That girl betrayed me."

"Yes, I'm sure you are deeply bothered by that."

"We're keeping it. She can redeem herself by giving me a firebender." Ozai says.

Finding she had taken someone else to bed really fucked up his mood. He was really falling for her and she did that with Shinji. Now he had to find a way to kill one of his best men and somehow forgive that water slut so that he could get out of this bad mood of his. Damn it!

"Bring Yatori to me. I have orders to give him."

"As you wish."

...

A/N:

YES, Ozai is psychotic in this story. Straight up sadistic and psychotic. I like to picture him being the older male version of Azula when she was at the beach party. Katara did not fuck Shinji but they did get carried away. Yatori is not Ozai's supporter but is here on behalf of Mai, his lover. Zuko doesn't know how to feel. And Toph and Sokka will be in the next chapter.

Thanks for reading!