Chapter 2: Life Debt

"How dare she," Zuko seethed through his teeth at the wall of his cell. He resumed his pacing, though it was more like a shuffle for him as the shackles around his ankles severely inhibited his movement. "How could she do this-"

"Yes," Chief Arnook stated through the cell door bars, causing Zuko to glance over his shoulder in his direction. "How dare that girl step in and save your life." Arnook continued.

Zuko turned fully to glare at the chief. He was sure the older man would not try anything. After all the stupid Avatar brat had placed him under his protection. But Zuko was sure it would be his word against anyone else's if he was treated unfairly. And he was positive no one here would believe the word from the exiled prince of the Fire Nation.

"Rest easy young prince, you shall not be harmed. Katara has made it quite clear that you are under the Avatar's protection."

Zuko remained quite starting Chief Arnook down.

"I have come to clear up some matters." Arnook explained. "I was quick to anger and setting blame at your feet where it did not belong. Even so, I am not here to apologize, but to make things perfectly clear." His eyes narrowed on the exiled prince. "Katara has saved your life, by Fire Nation law you owe a life debt. I advise that you make sure nothing happens to the girl while in her proximity. That you allow no ill will to befall her or her companions-"

"Her companions are nothing to me." Zuko interrupted him. "My life debt is to her and her alone." He added. He wanted to make the rules perfectly clear. "Until I can repay Katara, no harm great or small will come to her until I have repaid her fully in saving her life like she has done mine."

"I guess that is the best I can expect from Fire Nation." Chief Arnook replied. "But for her sake, I hope you never have to save her."

"You doubt my honor?" Zuko asked in anger, taking a step towards the bars.

"I doubt the honor you think you have lost. Do not make me regret listening to Katara in sparring your life. If you fail in your duties with the life debt you will have the whole Northern Water Tribe to deal with." Arnook threatened. "I will discuss the binding ceremony with Katara." He added and then walked away.

It was already dark by the time Katara had worked up the courage to venture down to the holding cells. The only place in the north that was iron instead of ice, because lets face it, if you had to hold a water bender who had committed a crime you could not place them in an ice prison where they could just bend the ice walls to there will and escape. Or in this case a firebending prisoner able to just melt his way out.

She would have much rather of stayed in her room listening to her brother asking repeatedly if she was not – in fact – crazy for saving the stupid fire price's life, and listening to Aang thank her for stepping up and saving the prince to which Sokka exclaimed they were both crazy for wanting to save the exiled prince that had been chasing them around the world. But both Sokka and Aang were sleeping in their rooms now, and she could no longer stop picturing Zuko huddled in his cell with no protection from the elements, battered and bleeding.

And so, with bandages, food, water, extra clothes, and a coat Katara made her way down to the holding cells. She passed by several empty cells as she walked. She was beginning to wonder if they had even brought him down here when she rounded a corner and finally spotted him through the bars of the last cell. He sat in the far corner with his back to the bars, bending forward straining at his arms chained behind his back. And she could see him shiver.

"If you came to stare, just keep walking." Zuko suddenly said, causing her to jump. And when he did not hear retreating feet, he said again. "I said keep walking." She just stared at his back. When he finally turned to look at his would-be tormenter and saw it was her, surprise lit up his face. Then his constant scowl took back over his features and he demanded. "What are you doing here?"

Without breaking eye contact Katara held the basket out and produced a key from her pocket. "I brought you food and water, some clothes and a parka." She explained. "As well as some more bandages."

"I do not need any more help from you. You have done enough damage already." Zuko stated gruffly, turning back away from her.

With a sigh, Katara unlocked and entered the cell, allowing the door to close behind her, officially locking her inside with Zuko. He turned to face her skeptical. His life debt did not allow him to hurt her, but he was unsure if she would hurt him. True she saved his life recently but several bruises along his torso reminded him that she was no longer the untrained bender he had encountered in his pursuit of the Avatar. She was well on her way to becoming a master he thought bitterly.

He moved slightly so she was not between him and the door, but with his arms and legs still bound he doubted he could get far before she would do something about his attempted escape. But that did not stop him from glancing longingly to the cell door. But another sigh from Katara brought his attention back to her.

"If you are thinking of trying to make a break for it, do not bother. A storm is blowing outside the city and you would probably die from the cold before you made it three feet." Katara stated and took a couple steps toward him. He in turn took a could steps back to keep distance between them. "I am not here to hurt you. I am here to help you."

"I do not need your help ok." Zuko spat angrily. No one ever wanted to help him, except maybe his uncle. Everyone always something in return.

"Yes, you do." Katara stated matter-of-factly. "You do not have to admit it, but you do. Now are you going to let me treat those wounds or would you rather wait for infection to spread and loose a limb or two?" she asked as sweetly as she could muster.

The statement was a bit harsh, but she figured he would not let her help him unless the consequences would be drastic. But unfortunately for her he continued to just stand there staring at her with suspicion.

"Will you at least take the food then?" She asked him, reaching into the basket and producing a bowl of spiced fish and rice. She removed the lid and the smell filled the small cell quickly. Zuko's body betrayed him. She heard the growl of his stomach and he took an involuntary step forward, leaning toward the bowl. But then he caught himself, shook his head and looked away.

"It is not poisoned if that is what you are thinking. I would not have saved you just to kill you myself." Zuko's eyes narrowed at her statement. "Just hurry and eat it before it gets cold." She stated placing it on the ground by the basket. He looked at it longingly, and Katara thought she heard his stomach growl again.

"Fine." Zuko suddenly stated after a moment's hesitation, and dropped to his knees beside the bowl.

Katara stared at him blankly, wondering how he could make him eating sound like he was doing her a favor. When suddenly he glanced up expectantly at her. At her blank expression he glared at her.

"What?" She asked.

"Well, how do you expect me to eat?" Zuko demanded, twisting slightly to the side showing her his still bound wrists. "I am not going to bend over and eat like an animal."

A smile played at the corners of her lips as his words formed an image in her mind. One of the exiled prince on all fours lapping up the food like a polardog. She shook her head to clear the image and produced a key from inside her pocket. Walking around him she removed the shackles from his wrists. Zuko pulled his arms forward and rubbed the raw skin. Katara removed the shackles from his ankles as well. Zuko moved so he sat cross legged on the ground reaching for the food. Katara came around him uncorking her water skin as she reached for him. Zuko twisted, and clamped his hand around her wrist.

"What do you think you are doing?" Zuko demanded.

"Again, trying to help you." Katara exclaimed as she tried to pull free from his grasp.

"By waterbending? I do not think so." Zuko replied, squeezing her before releasing his hold.

"I am a healer Zuko, let me show you." She held her hand out to him. "Trust me." She asked of him.

She waited with her had outstretched, waiting for him to make the first move. He did so slowly, hesitant, but eventually his arm was extended out to her and she took it gently. She moved the water to his wrist. She held his hand tighter as the water encircled his wrist and the faint blue glow appeared. He tried to pull away, but she held firm. Then as the glow faded the water flowed off his skin to the ground, and Katara bent down to check her handiwork. Satisfied she released his hand and grabbed for his other hand to complete the same process.

But Zuko was no longer paying attention to what she was specifically doing. He had brought his hand up, turning his wrist this way and that in disbelief. He could not believe it was gone, the bruises, the raw skin, the pain. It was all just gone. When Katara finished with this other wrist he thoroughly inspected that one as well.

"Are you sure you do not want my help?" Katara asked him.