A/N. I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The low rumbling coming from the north made its way to the home of On Ji, and Katara felt the soft vibrations coming from the tilted floor. For a few days now, that sound had become the way the people of Kirashi measured time… It was always half an hour between each, beginning when the sun came up and ending when it went down.

Of course, everybody knew what it was. The catapult Piandao was using… He was clearly restraining himself, hoping that the governor would give up and surrender… otherwise, knowing the man, he would be using more catapults, and he would actually use those eight thousand men outside the town… And Katara wanted him to attack… It was a horrible thought, but she knew that the sword master would do everything in his power to avoid bloodshed.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the map that lay on the table in front of her. It was the map of On Ji's father of the town… Looking at it, Katara knew that that little catapult would never breach the northern part of the walls… The town's fortifications were built too strongly… It would take weeks, perhaps even months.

Months she or On Ji didn't have.

The girl had acted weirdly ever since returning from the meeting the governor had with Piandao, acting distantly. On Ji had also stopped coming to her room in the evening to listen to the story of Katara's travels… The waterbender feared that was because she had lied about Aang… Well, not lied, but had not told the girl she was married to him.

But… That had only been because she had not yet come to that part of the story.

"Sapphire?" A voice came from the door and looking up from the map, she saw the girl in question stand there, with a suspicious gleam in the ember eyes that were normally so kind.

"Yes?" They had agreed to use her hiding name whenever they were talking outside of the room, as to make sure no one overheard them using a clearly non Fire Nation name.

"I have some questions." On Ji answered, closing the door behind her.

"I guessed…" She sighed, knowing what was to come.

"Why didn't you tell? That would have been important to know!" The Fire Nation girl sounded wounded, but also afraid. That emotion Katara couldn't exactly place, but after a few seconds she dismissed it.

"It happened just before the comet… I was just not there yet. I would have told you… When we came to it." Katara explained.

"Exactly… when we came to it… You always tell things only when you have to!" On Ji answered angrily, falling down in a chair next to her. Katara didn't understand where this came from… It was too much anger to be only about the fact she had not told her Aang and she were married…

"I know… and I'm sorry. But it wasn't because I didn't trust you… But to understand what happened, you have to know the whole story. That is why I didn't tell." Katara looked at the girl, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

"Tell me then." On Ji's voice was hard. Yeah… She deserved to know the rest of the story…

"Alright. We managed to meet up with my father, who brought the invasion force with him. We attacked the capital, with the idea that the distraction would give Aang a window to sneak into the palace. He did, but the royal family had gone into a bunker. So Sokka, Toph and Aang went into it, but only found Azula… She threatened things to do things to Suki, and… Well, to me." Katara began to explain is a hushed tone. She couldn't know who was around, for it was a normal day… Servants could be anywhere in the house, and it was better if they didn't know who she was…

"What things?"

Tui and La… Katara had forgotten how innocent On Ji was…

"Capture me and use that fact in such a way Aang would break… Much like she has probably done… But without the whole capturing part then. The threat would be enough…" Katara looked out of the window… How would Aang be doing? And her brother? And their friends? Azula had been clever, making sure Aang wouldn't fight. The idea of someone hurting her would be enough to keep the airbender in line… Oh, what she would do for him to know she was alright…

"Ah… I understand." On Ji whispered. The girl probably had guessed what she meant, without exactly knowing what it meant.

"Just before going to the palace, Aang had given me a necklace… Much like this one." Katara pulled her tunic down a bit, revealing her mother's necklace, "Where I'm from, it is a promise… A promise of marriage. When the invasion failed, we fled to the Western Air Temple. And… I give it back to him."

"Back? But… That would probably mean…"

"It did. After everything that had happened, I didn't think it would be safe to do that… I didn't want to be used as a bargaining chip in that war, to be used as a weapon against Aang. He didn't deserve that… We were stuck in a place where his people were murdered, he was depressed because of the invasion, and to top it all off, I refused…" Standing up, she walked to the window, blinking back the tears she could feel in her eyes.

Aang had already lost too much… Gyatso, Jinora, all of the people he had loved during the first sixteen years of his life… And now, he probably thought he had lost her too. But those walls stood between her and freedom… And between her and Aang.

And she couldn't leave On Ji here… Aang would understand.

"We worked it out together. It took a while, and in the meantime, Zuko joined us. He managed to get Aang to trust him, then my brother and Toph… It took a little moment for me to get used to the idea of having him around. But he didn't betray us, and it was clear he had only good intentions… Azula found us, but we managed to get to Ember Island, where we stayed. After a week or so, I realized that marriage wouldn't change a thing for our enemies. They would still come for us, knowing what Aang's weak spot was. Marriage only changed things for us… Air Nomads were not exactly known for marriage."

"Ah! You said it yourself! Air Dege… Air Nomads were supposed to love only one person! But now you say they didn't marry!" On Ji pointed a finger at her, as if she had just found a problem in the story… An inconsistency.

"Loving someone doesn't mean you have to marry. No, what I meant was that Air Nomads defined the relationship in whatever way was right for them. And we… Well, we found that this is what we wanted. So we did it…" Katara knew she skipped a lot of things that had happened, but On Ji didn't need to know about Jinora, about all the things that had happened at the Western Air Temple…

"You… You said he was kind. But all I… All I heard, was that the Avatar was an evil spirit…" The Fire Nation girl said hesitantly, wincing when a low rumbling sound announced yet another stone thrown against the wall.

"That wasn't a half hour…" On Ji spoke through gritted teeth. Katara had seen how the siege was beginning to affect the girl. Each time the catapult fired, On Ji looked towards the sound, biting her lip as the noise of the crash resounded throughout the town…

The door of the library was thrown open, and Orsu walked in, clearly in a rush.

"Oh, ladies! You are here!" The man walked up to them, looking around as if he was searching for something.

"Father? Are you not supposed to be with Lord Kantuno?" On Ji composed herself, and Katara realized that the girl had been hiding her true feelings about the siege from her parents. Her parents had been so caught up with what was happening, that they hadn't been able to spend much time at home…

"Yes, yes… He wants to put up a field hospital… a hospital for the wounded…" The man fell down in the chair between them, and let his hand slide over his face, "Here, in Kirashi… Agni, I regret the days of Lord Ozai."

"I don't." Katara couldn't help but mutter as he said it. Orsu turned to her with a frown above his ember eyes.

"I never had to clean my own stables to make place for a field hospital." The man grumbled, "Spirits, they are lucky I don't have any stock at this moment."

Katara's ears perched up at that sentence. Orsu had said Spirits. Fire Nationals never said that. Most of the time, it were the people from the Earth Kingdom who used that turn of phrase, and Aang also did that. The Water Tribes preferred to use Tui and La… But the people of the Fire Nation always swore by Agni…

"Spirits?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Spirits, yes! I normally don't swear, excuse me." Orsu let his chin fall on his chest, acting embarrassed. He had probably thought she meant to chide him for swearing… But that wasn't what was bugging her. Fire Nationals were supposed to say Agni…

"The stables? But… Wouldn't that be disgusting?" On Ji whispered.

"The stable boys are cleaning them now… Kantuno has also decreed that all families have to provide food for the garrison." Orsu sighed, "Not a problem for me, to be honest… But to be fair, that… the governor… imposed this on everyone."

"But Shoji's family can't afford that!" The Fire Nation girl's hand flew to her mouth, and Katara felt the same anger. Sure, she didn't exactly like the tall young man, but only the heartless would not be angered by such a brutal decision.!

"I know. I suggested a fairer system, for all families to contribute, in accordance to their wealth… But Kantuno refused. He said that all loyal people should help the war afford. All the while, he only has to give up one hostage to avoid this catastrophe!" The corners of his mouth pointed downwards, and Katara could nearly feel the hopeless irritation radiate from the man.

"A hostage?" She asked. She had not heard about this.

"My daughter didn't tell you? Lord Piandao suggested an honourable way to avoid this charade. He just had to surrender Hide! You saw it On Ji, the other hostages were clearly well treated… So why not? Why not avoid bloodshed and do what is right?" Orsu threw his hands in the air, and Katara could nearly see Aang nod approvingly in her mind. That was what the airbender would do, yes. He would see an opportunity to make sure no one had to die… And he would take it with both hands.

"The Governor surely had his reasons." On Ji spoke softly, not sounded convinced by her own words. Confused, Katara looked at the girl who was wringing her hands together, forehead scrunched up in thought. There was clearly something gnawing at her mind, but the waterbender couldn't guess what it was.

"Hide is a sorry excuse of a human being, you would think the governor would be happy to be rid of him." Katara spoke, not accepting it. No, enough. Orsu was clearly o the verge of speaking up against the governor, and he just needed that little push. He would be such a better governor of the town, and to be honest, if they all got out of this without any problems, she would advise Zuko to do just that.

"You're right." The voice of On Ji's father sounded defeated, "Agni, you're right." His face went into his hands, and Orsu looked like a man embarrassed by what life was throwing his way.

"If you know, why let her marry the creep?!" Katara couldn't help it, it was stronger than herself. On Ji thought she didn't care about anything other than escaping, and to some extent… That was true. But she couldn't let this man dictate the life of someone else.

"It still is a good match… The best in town." Orsu whispered, but without much conviction, "I hope he becomes a better man with the years…"

"Yes, because the governor seems to be such a good man. The example parents set for their children might have something to do with whom they become. Is that what you want? An army of grandchildren like Hide?"

"Sapphire…" On Ji warned softly, but Katara didn't listen, it was all a farce. A stupid, idiotic farce that these people had played for far too long. The governor thought he did what was right for the town, all the while destroying it for his own selfish reasons. Even On Ji's parents were part of the problem. They thought they were doing something good, finding the best and safest match for their daughter… But in their efforts, they had forgotten who they needed to look after. Not themselves, not their daughter's interests…

"No, I don't. Young lady… I normally don't like being contradicted." Orsu spoke with a thin tone, his pride clearly wounded, "But I can't say you are wrong… When this siege is over, I will do what is right."

"When the siege is over, Kantuno will be in Zuko's prison, and Hide will probably lie in a ditch, or in the hospital they are asking you to build." Katara continued, not caring who would hear her, "Easy to do the right thing when it is already done."

The ember eyes of On Ji's father looked at her, and Katara realized that the Fire Nation girl had inherited the colour of her eyes from him. It was interesting to see how much the two were alike. Calm and kind most of the time, but when you found that little thing that bugged them, they could get irritated. Now, Orsu was looking at her with unhidden curiosity.

"You are far too young to be talking so pragmatically." He sighed, "I guess that war has that effect… On people who have seen it."

And it was at that moment Katara realized that Orsu knew. Or at least, he knew that she wasn't just a friend of his daughter. Of course, the lie had been very thin, and anyone with half a brain and the time to study the lie would find holes in it. But Orsu was clever, and probably knew she had seen what war did to people. He had probably read the announcements, had read the descriptions… And if he put two and two together, he would know…

"I can only hope that Lord Piandao is as merciful as he claimed to be. If this town has a chance of survival, it will be by his mercy, not by how the governor is commanding this siege." On Ji's father changed the subject, looking at the map.

"It seems that most of the soldiers are concentrated in front of the northern wall. The western and eastern walls are being watched, and apparently, the soldiers are also digging in along the bay. In a day or two, we will be completely surrounded…" The man kept his eyes on the map, sighing.

Katara knew what that meant. In two days, the town would have to decide whatever it was willing to be besieged, or if they would prefer to take power into their own hands… Of course, the governor had not said how dire the situation truly was to the population, but it was clear for anyone to see…

"We should surrender." Orsu spoke softly, as if only speaking the sentence was treason, "To be honest, I would like to see how it is to live life under a peaceful regime… And if Lord Zuko and the Avatar can promise that…"

Yes! The waterbender saw the slight surprise and fear in On Ji's eyes. The surprise, she understood… The fear, however, she did not.

"Peace is… difficult." Katara spoke in the same soft tone, "But I know someone who told me that it is the most beautiful thing in existence. That a life where you don't need to fear the coming of soldiers, the constant threat of famine and death… It is something worth fighting for."

Aang had said that. That he would fight in the war, only to make peace a possibility. That he would dance the thin line of his convictions and the necessities of war to make that a reality. For them…

"The Avatar would destroy us!" On Ji suddenly slapped the table, making Katara look to the girl, horrified. Had all the things she had told her been for nothing? The firebending girl had been… open to all the things she had told her… Katara had opened her heart and soul to this person, explaining that everything the Fire Nation had told was false. That the Avatar wasn't an evil spirit, but a flawed and scarred person, who wanted nothing more than to be left in peace…

"On Ji… Not everything they tell you is true. The princess tells lies, and the Lord Zuko also lies… They all do. The important thing is to see what the good lies are and what are the bad." Orsu also seemed rather startled by his daughter's outburst.

Katara still looked towards On Ji. She was fidgeting her eyes from left to right, as if she was… As if she was afraid… But of what? The siege was still in its early stages, and even though the waterbender didn't like being here while giant rocks were hurled towards the town, she had spent enough time with Toph to know that most rocks flew right past.

"How do you know if the Avatar is the good choice?" On Ji asked her father, who seemed surprised to be met with such resistance from his daughter. Of course, the girl had never even dared to question her parents… Even when Katara had just arrived, she had been hesitant to even voice her opposition to the marriage to Hide… Katara could nearly forgive her for doubting Aang because of the fact she was voicing her opinion.

"I don't." The father stood up, putting his hands in his pockets, "I only… I hope. Princess Azula is the wrong choice. She did horrible things, just to have a chance against her brother in this war. Who would imprison someone and use that person as a threat? That is low… Too low. We do have honour, and we should be graceful in defeat. The prince seems like he is doing everything in his power to limit the bloodshed… And if the Avatar is truly evil, he would already have burned us down to get to his wife."

Looking at On Ji, Katara saw the light of defiance leave her ember eyes, to be replaced by doubt.

"He seems to be keeping away from the fighting, just like the princess demanded… That seems, to me, to be someone who cares for the people around him."

"He knows what he can do… But doesn't, out of fear." Katara added, trying to sound as neutral as possible, but Orsu had guessed perfectly how Aang was acting at this moment. Katara knew the airbender, and knew that he would do anything to keep her safe… Even if that was doing nothing.

"Yes… I think that too." On Ji's father turned to his daughter, "It is what I would do if it was your mother. I would be worried sick… But I would do what was asked of me to keep her safe. So no, I don't think the Avatar is evil… I would even say I respect his choice." With that, Orsu sighed and walked out of the library, muttering something about the stables.

When the door fell shut behind him, Katara felt the awkward silence settle between her and On Ji. Where had the doubts come from? The Fire Nation girl, until the night of the dinner, had seemed rather sympathetic to her and Aang... But now, she had questioned if the Avatar was truly good… She had not been convinced by Katara's stories… But something had convinced her that he was evil… And now, she had heard her father voice support for the enemy…

"You don't know what to believe, I guess?" Katara tried, without much success, to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Would you, in my place?" On Ji bit back.

"I have told you everything there is to know about Aang!" She answered, even though she knew that was a lie. His fears, his dreams and his past… The things he had only told her, she had kept those for herself.

"Then tell me, what would he be like now? Thinking you are in danger?" On Ji's eyes fixed her, and Katara thought she saw a small flicker of something that looked a lot like anger.

"He… He would be a mess." The waterbender admitted. Spirits… He would be in a very bad state, she would guess… She could only hope that their friends would keep him from doing something stupid… Him and her brother…

"He would be trying anything possible to know where I am… And he would probably be looking for Appa. If Appa found him, he would have brought Aang here. And the others would not have let him leave without anyone to… To stop him from being reckless."

Yeah… That was true…

"Probably Suki or Toph. They would never have let Aang and Sokka leave together, Spirits know what those two would have done left alone. Suki would be a good choice, but she can't stop Aang if needed… So, just to make sure, they would have sent Toph with him…"

"Because he needs to be stopped? Doesn't sound very nice to me." On Ji grumbled.

"Aang can be… He can be rash."

Silence fell once more, and Katara knew that she had to let On Ji decide for herself. She had all the information… She knew what her father thought, what the Fire Nation had told her… And what Katara had told her. Now, the waterbender had to let On Ji decide her own opinion.

"Would he… Would he destroy the town if he knew you were here?" The question was asked softly, shyly.

"If he thought I was in danger, you mean?" Katara sighed, "He could. I told you he nearly blew up that fortress when he thought the general killed me… And that was before everything that happened between us… So, I won't lie, if he thought I was in danger, he would do that to get to me…" That was the truth, and On Ji deserved that, for once in her life.

"That isn't speaking in his favour…" The frown on On Ji's face made Katara think that the girl wanted to say something else, but the moment the Fire Nation girl opened her mouth to speak, a sharp trumpet-like sound resounded throughout the town.

"The watchtower at the port." On Ji said immediately, and that made Katara raise her eyebrows. The town was besieged from three sides, and only the bay was still open… The town had no ships to speak of, even though the shipyards of the Fire Nation Navy were there… But if a watchtower at the harbour had sounded the alarm, there was one clear thing. Something was happening.

"Come." She said, grabbing the girl's arm and pulling her up. She had to know… There was a big chance that it was the ships that had dropped off Piandao's army, but that would also mean that the harbour would be closed off. And that was good news. It would mean no food, no means of communication… And it would shorten the siege by a lot.

"Katara!" On Ji whispered, in a tone that suggested it was urgent, "I need to tell you something!"

"What?" The waterbender asked as they walked through the corridor. Opening the door that led into the courtyard for On Ji, Katara realized it was weird… The girl had never used her name in such a dangerous environment. Most of the time, she used to call her Sapphire, just to be safe… And, Katara knew, because her real name made the Fire Nation girl uncomfortable.

"He's here! The Avatar! Aang! He is outside!" The urgency in On Ji' voice made Katara stop in her tracks, right in the middle of the courtyard. Aang… He was here? Feeling her heartbeat accelerate, she couldn't help to look towards the northern parts of the town… Just behind that wall… Just behind the town wall... He was here? Tui and La…

"H-he… he is?" She had to be sure…

"I saw him during the negotiations. He… He was in disguise, just when you were here a few months ago. I didn't tell you… I… I was afraid because… well, he didn't look sane." On Ji's voice grew smaller and smaller as she spoke, and Katara felt how her heart broke at that image. Aang's gentle, kind face… If he didn't look sane, that was something Katara didn't want to see…

But he was here.

"You… you are sure?" She managed to ask, the world spinning around her. She could hear sounds coming from far away, noises that sounded like metal scraping on metal, and she didn't care. But On Ji's attention was drawn to it, so she didn't answer. Grabbing the girl by the shoulders, she looked in the ember yes.

"On Ji. Tell me. Are you sure?" The girl looked startled, drawn back into the conversation.

"Yes… Silver eyes, hands and forehead hidden… I'm sure."

As relief flooded through Katara, she knew she could weep knowing he was alright. Spirits, Aang…

"Do you hear that too?" On Ji asked, confused, but Katara didn't listen. Aang was here… Of course, he was. The airbender would never, even for a second, let anything happen to the people he loved… At least, not voluntarily. Azula might have threatened things… But he would never abandon her. Of course, he would have figured out that Kirashi would have been a good stop travelling to Wulong. And of course, Appa had found Aang…

They were coming here. He just needed to know she was inside… unharmed. He would bend that fucking wall down and they would be able to find peace… And just be together, without the pressure of the war, of an imminent doom… They would be happy… Finally…

"Ships!" A voice cried, and one of the stable boys stumbled into the yard, waving his hands. That word made Katara's daydream turn sour. What had he said?

"The banners on the ships! At least twenty ships are coming towards the harbour! And the traitor's ships aren't attacking them!"

"Oh come on…" On Ji whispered beside her…

Answers :

Kalaong: Yeah! I love the dynamic between Hakoda and Aang! Both are honorable and trying to defend the people they love. In different ways, but still! And of course, Hakoda is a softy, so he sees a traumatized, hurt and scared person, the first thing he does is try and help him.

Shade5280: God, that must have taken so much time lol! I'm really happy to see that you enjoyed it so much!