A/N. I had so much trouble writing this, because I know where I want to go, but I have to write several chapters in between to get there lol!

I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Two long weeks.

Two weeks of worry and searching.

Two weeks where Katara had tried everything she could imagine breaking out of the fort. But nothing helped, nothing was safe enough… That damned mile of open ground would be the death of them, no matter what she would try. The waterbender had wanted to escape through the sewers, like they had done in Omashu, but that idea had gone up in smoke when On Ji had said that the pipes were just a few inches wide.

After that, On Ji had suggested to use her charms to make Hide convince his father to sign the pass. Hide had just laughed apparently, telling her "Not to be silly. Run home now, we will get out of town for a week or two after marriage."

That was exactly what they were trying to avoid. So, their third idea had been riskier. To break out of the town by sheer force. But her suspicion had been correct, and the garrison was simply too large to actually have a chance at succeeding at that.

After that, the ideas had been more fantastical and even more far-fetched… Resulting in the fact that after two weeks, she was still stuck here. True, her stay wasn't horrible… Katara was treated as a friend by the family, given a place at their table and given a place to stay, thanks to On Ji, but it was still a factual imprisonment.

Appa would probably have stopped searching and would have joined Aang and the others. That was her real hope at this moment… That the Sky Bison would find the airbender, and that he would take him here. Aang would understand what had happened, or at least, he would understand she was inside the walls of this town… And he would come to get her out.

And she worried about him. Tui and La, how would he be at this moment? She had been so lost when Aang had been struck down, so horribly alone and ridden by guilt for what she had let happen… Now, she imagined Aang in the same situation. He had always said that if something happened to her, he would not care for the cost, he would find her… And Katara was afraid he would do just that. Such things had, for the moment, never resulted in him losing grip of his principles… But she knew that when it came to her, Aang danced a tightrope between what his conscience told him to do, and what his heart shouted for.

Now, sitting at the desk in the room she had been given, she scratched a quill over a piece of paper. She had tried to get messages out, but the office that was responsible for the hawks had refused her access, as she didn't have the proper paperwork for a message.

My love,

I'm alright, stuck at the place where I told you I love you.

Tara.

Sighing, she threw it away. The message was too clear. Enough people would make the connection between her true name and the name Aang used for her when they were alone. Too many people would know whom the love of Katara was… And they would know she was inside the town.

Twinkletoes,

Stuck at the dance party,

Sugar Queen.

Yet again, too many people would be aware of the names Toph gave them… It was no use. In irritation, Katara crumbled the paper into a ball and threw it into the small fire that was blazing in the little furnace in the corner of the room. On Ji's parents were rather modern, and they had placed furnaces in most rooms to keep the house warm.

And it was needed. Two weeks ago, there had been a smouldering heat in the air, but now, apparently the monsoon was coming. Katara had no idea what that meant, but On Ji had told her that it was rather chilly. Not like she wasn't used to cold. But still, the warmth spreading from the furnace was nice and made her wish for home…

A soft knock on the door of her room could be heard, and Katara stood up. As she opened the door, On Ji slipped inside, trailing a blanket behind her and holding a large scroll under her arm. The girl didn't say a word, just sat down on the bed, folding her legs against her chest, putting her back to the wall. To finish it off, she pulled the blanket around herself and threw the scroll next to her on the bed.

Katara sat down in the chair next to the desk, rubbing her face as she tried to chase off the fatigue.

"Where had we left off yesterday?" the waterbender breathed low.

"You had just got to the part where you found Appa in Ba Sing Se." On Ji spoke more clearly, visibly less exhausted than Katara.

"Ah yes." It had become one of their silent agreements. Katara had offered to tell On Ji about their travels, to make the girl trust her, and since then, the Fire Nation girl had come back every evening for more of her story. After a few evenings, Katara had just begun to tell the whole story, from the beginning. And she had been honest in her storytelling. Nothing was left out, nothing had been forgotten.

To be honest, after the first few times, Katara had found herself longing for the hours where she could tell her story. It was the only time she could truly be herself, without having to pretend that she was a certain Sapphire Fire, stuck here due to a stupid mistake. Here, during story evenings, she could be Katara, master waterbender, sister to Sokka of the Water Tribe, friend to Toph Bei Fong and Suki of Kyoshi Warriors. Wife to Avatar Aang…

"Well, we showed the Earth King, Kuei, who was truly pulling the strings. He didn't believe us at first, of course. But we showed them the drill Azula had used on the Outer Wall of the city, and he understood he had been lied to his whole life…" She let that sink in, as it also applied to the Fire Nation girl. After a few seconds, she continued.

"He agreed to help us attack the Fire Nation." Yes, she had also told On Ji about that. It would have been dishonest to lie about that part, because it was true… "The king told us that there had been reports. Toph's mother was in the city, and my own father was at a bay south of Ba Sing Se… Even Aang had a message, from a guru who had known the Air Nomads."

The first time she had told On Ji about her travels, it had felt out of place and weird to explain her feelings to someone other than Aang. Now, she cherished those moments, as it made her feel closer to the airbender, wherever he was.

"To organize everything, we had to go our separate ways… Aang was going to the Eastern Air Temple, Toph to see her mother, my brother to our father… And I stayed in the city to help the invasion. That night… Well, as I told you, Aang and I… We had been turning around each other." Katara had even told her how she had felt about the airbender during the spring months. She had omitted the parts where Aang had explained Air Nomad culture, however. And how he had taught her the basics of his native language. That, that was just for them.

"You told him you loved him that night?" On Ji asked softly. Katara had observed how the girl enjoyed those parts of the story, the ones where she and Aang had clearly been pinning for each other without the other one realizing truly how much.

"No, not exactly." Katara laughed softly, "I…" Should she tell her?

"I was planning on it, but things kind of got out of hand. That was the first time we slept together." Katara closed her eyes, remembering the barn in the gardens of the Earth King. It had been wonderful, quick and sweet. She thought of how awkward they had been… She had not even done anything, and Aang had been rather enthusiastic… it had been sweet.

Smiling at that memory, she looked up to see On Ji looking at her with wide eyes, lips slightly apart.

"But… But…"

"But what?" Katara spoke kindly.

"How… How do you do that… that thing… Without… well, being… you know. Married?" It sounded awfully shy.

"You don't have to be married to do that. People just say that to give women restrictions." On Ji had called it that thing, "You do know what I'm talking about, right?"

"Yeah! S… in… you know. That." The word came out in a very low whisper.

Katara couldn't help but feel a spike of anger shoot through her heart. The first day, they had visited the Northern Gate, and it had been clear to her that Hide spent most of his days holed up in an inn that also served as a brothel. They wanted On Jo to marry that kind of man, without even telling her what sex was. How cruel was that? Hide would never be as considerate as Aang had been… And that would traumatize On Ji…

They needed to get out of this place.

Where are you my love?

"Remember me to tell you later how all that works. Your mother never told you, right?"

"The… ehm… basics?" The girl whispered, still in that shy voice.

"Basics. Yeah, right." She couldn't help but scoff at that, "But that will come later. After that night… Well, Aang had to leave for the temple, and I stayed in Ba Sing Se. I found Prince Iroh and Zuko in a teashop, serving customers and so on. This was before we became friends, mind you… So, I ran to the king, who was supposed to be guarded by the Kyoshi Warriors. You know, Suki and the others from the island."

"Oh yes!" On Ji had liked that story.

"But it wasn't Suki keeping watch over the king. Apparently, she had been overpowered by Azula. So, it was the princess and her friends, who infiltrated the palace using the uniforms… I was captured and held prisoner."

The Avatar will come back and hand over the city… for his bitch.

Katara sighed at the memory. She knew Aang would have done that the moment he would have been given the opportunity… Spirits, she really hoped the others had managed to keep him calm. As long as they thought logically… They would understand she was somewhere between the capital and Wulong. She had made sure to fly Appa in a straight line, so there were only a few options for her to be. Aang just had to visit each location, and that would be enough…

But two weeks was a long time… Aang would start searching in the bigger settlements and work his way down towards the villages. So, if he thought logically, Kirashi would be pretty high up on that list…

"Princess Azula captured you?" On Ji's voice sounded a little confused now.

"Yeah. They kept me prisoner for a few days, before suddenly moving me to the caves underneath the city. I didn't understand it at the time, but during his time with the guru, Aang had a vision of my capture. As soon as he learned that I was in danger, he travelled back, collecting my brother and Toph on his way."

"He… You told me he had to meet that guru to master the Avatar State, right? He came back, for you?"

"Yeah…" Katara couldn't help but feel a smile make its way to her lips, as the warmth in her heart spread all across her chest.

"Couldn't he just… Master it, and then come save you?" The Fire Nation girl pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders, looking at her with a confused look.

"Aang is too… Well, passionate for that. If any of his friends, or to be honest, anyone, is in danger, he will throw caution in the wind and come to their rescue. That is just how he is. I believe he tried to help you when Hide claimed to be your boyfriend. That is the kind of man he is." It had taken a few days, but Katara had seen the small changes in On Ji. She didn't call Aang the Air Degenerate anymore, tried to understand why he had made some choices, and was clearly confused about the story the waterbender was telling her.

On the one hand, the Fire Nation had fed her lies all her life, but on the other, someone who knew the Avatar intimately, was trying to show another story. One where the Avatar was just a man, just a lost person trying his absolute best.

"Azula had also captured Zuko and threw him in the prison with me. He and I talked a little, and he seemed changed. Iroh and Aang managed to find us, and we wanted to find the exit. Azula and the Dai Li were waiting for us, however… And attacked us. Together, we managed to hold our own, but Zuko finally took a decision, and joined his sister. We were being attacked from all sides, and we just couldn't win…"

A lump formed in her throat as Katara thought back at that moment… At the moment her hopes and dreams had been snuffed out. The moment Azula had killed the man she loved. Trying to steel herself, she straightened her back and continued.

"Aang managed to get into the Avatar State, but before he could even do anything… Azula shot lightning at him." She heard the small gasp coming from On Ji's lips, and the cold shivers in her back didn't help her anxious feeling.

"Iroh… Iroh saved us, costing him his freedom… But I… I managed to get… to get Aang out of there. He… he wasn't breathing. There was no heartbeat… Nothing." She clenched her fist, trying to stop the trembling, "Sokka found us like that. We got… We got on Appa, and I was… I wasn't really making any sense. I still had that Spirit Water I got from Master Pakku, and I used it on Aang's back, trying to heal him. Sokka thought it was madness… For he was already… already… well, you understand. I tried regardless… And it worked."

'You brought someone back from the death?" The blanket dropped from On Ji's shoulders as she quickly scrambled towards the corner of the bed, "That… Agni, that is impossible! The announcement telling us the Avatar still lived said there had been some strange savage magic at play… It was true!"

Katara sighed, shaking her head. The girl had been getting more comfortable with hearing about other cultures, but sometimes, she could still get… Well, like this.

"No, water healing… And perhaps some magic, yes. Spirit water comes from the pool with the Ocean and the Moon spirits, remember what I told you. I suppose you pray to Agni, hoping for some things to become true. I cursed the spirits, telling them I would come for them if they let Aang die… Perhaps that was some kind of prayer too." She explained, trying to sound as patient as possible.

"Mm… Yeah. Sure." On Ji didn't seem very convinced by this idea.

"But the important thing was that… well, Aang lived. We brought him to my father's camp, where I had to heal him… while… well, I wasn't in a very good mental health at that moment. The man I loved had died and come back in my arms… And he still was so terribly weak."

That was the important part of this portion of the story she had been telling On Ji for the last two weeks… That Aang wasn't a monster, just a man. Just a man who knew love, happiness, sorrow and sadness. Just like anyone else… Capable of living and dying, just as any other person.

The Fire Nation girl settled back on the bed, next to that scroll she had carried into the room. As Katara watched, On Ji took the paper in her hands and fingered the wax seal anxiously, as if she was trying to decide something.

Probably a new announcement she would have to hang in the square tomorrow morning, after curfew. It had become a daily occurrence. Proclaiming someone an outlaw, announcing a new law, things like that. Last time, two days ago, it had been a long list of people declared traitors to the Fire Lord Azula. Katara had also seen the list, but had not recognized any of the names. She supposed those were the people supporting Zuko…

"I… I have to hang this tomorrow." On Ji whispered awkwardly, "I… I haven't opened it. But the messenger who brought it from the governor said it was… Well, it had to do with what happened outside."

Katara could feel her eyes being drawn to the scroll… News… However meager it would be, however, riddled with lies… It would be news… And she longed for that so much. Since the rumours her host had heard, two weeks ago, she had not heard a word about what had happened to her friends… And Azula wouldn't give out news about something else… It would be about her friends.

"I'm not supposed to open it before… Before hanging it up. Shoji and I… we would never take a peek. It is forbidden…" On Ji continued to touch the seal with a finger, tracing the flames pressed into the wax.

Ah yes… Shoji. Katara had seen him several times these last fourteen days, and had not become very fond of the tall young man. He clearly had a thing for On Ji, which Katara was glad of in a way. At least someone liked the girl for whom she was. But she had also seen the rather awkward moments when On Ji caught the young man when he looked at her… There wasn't the same attraction there, not the pull to each other that was so hard to ignore that she herself had with Aang…

It was clearly not mutual. For On Ji, Shoji was a friend. For the tall man, however… It was more complicated.

"News from outside?" Katara asked gently, trying with all her might to stop herself from snatching the scroll from the girl's hands and ripping it open. News…

"Yeah… Regarding the traitor. Apparently, something has happened." On Ji's finger suddenly cracked the wax seal in two, and with a guilty look in those ember eyes, she unfurled it slightly, just an inch or so, "I… I don't know. If Shoji sees it has been opened… he might tell someone…"

"He won't." Of that, Katara was quite sure.

"Yeah… He probably wouldn't." On Ji nodded, spreading out the scroll in its entirety. Katara watched as the girl's eyes flew over the lines, widening considerably. Not being able to hide her curiosity any longer, the waterbender stood up and took the two steps towards the bed, sitting down next to On Ji. The scroll was clearly an important announcement, as it had several signatures and even the symbol of the golden flames on a red field that was the one from the royal family.

To all Fire Nation citizens,

My brother Zuko has declared civil war upon us. After we tried to make him hand over the capital, that he so traitorously occupies, in a peaceful manner, he refused. Making his intentions clear, Zuko has brought fire and war to our good and glorious nation. He promised a new beginning, one of peace and prosperity. His promise lasted three days.

His faithless allies have come to Fire Fountain City, encircling the city from all sides. He has no support among the Fire Nation, so had to bolster his forces with Water Savages and Earth Filth. Even the Avatar has seen how hopeless the situation is for the Traitor and has abandoned his cause.

All garrisons are to prepare for the eventual arrival of the enemy.

Fire Lord Azula of the Fire Nation

What… What were these lies? No way Zuko would be foolish enough to break his promise of peace. No way Aang would let him. But then again… Apparently, if this announcement was to be believed, the airbender had "abandoned" Zuko's cause…

No, Aang wouldn't do that. He would try and pacify the opposing parties, yes, even if one of the sides was Azula… He would try and snuff this war out before it would explode into something far more dangerous than local skirmishes… But abandon one of his friends, while that person would need him? No…

Unless…

Spirits… That could be it. Aang had never hidden the fact that if it was a choice between her or anything else, he would always choose her… It was something she had been afraid of during their time in the Air Temple, that he would choose to surrender if she was hurt or captured. They had known what Azula wanted to do… Perhaps Aang didn't abandon Zuko, perhaps he just… Perhaps he wasn't even at Fire Fountain. Aang wouldn't stay put in one place if that meant he wouldn't be able to find her…

"Of course." On Ji spoke bitterly.

"Of course, what?" Katara didn't like the tone the girl had used… It sounded too much like that night she had found out that Sapphire wasn't who she was saying she was…

"You said the Avatar would try and stop the fighting! But apparently, they are already fighting! The traitor promised peace, and all he brings is war! We have never had to fight on our own soil! This is horrible!"

Anger rose in Katara's heart.

"Yeah, and why was that? Because the Fire Nation invadedthe other nations! The destruction you are afraid of, the rest of the world had to live with that for a hundred years! Now it's your turn, and suddenly it is wrong?" The waterbender answered, balling her fists in frustration.

"I never said it was alright! I just don't want to see my home burned by the traitor!"

"Well, welcome to the fucking club." Katara hissed furiously, "It is not like I wanted to see that when I was eight."

That made On Ji pause, all the anger and fear gone from the ember eyes.

"W-… What?"

Katara bit her lip, realizing she had said too much… She had told On Ji about the fact that the necklace she wore had been her mother's… But she had never told the girl the exact circumstances of her getting the necklace… But perhaps it would make her realize that what was happening in the Fire Nation, the fighting… It had happened all over the world.

Thanks to the royal family of the Fire Nation…

"Nothing…" Katara sighed, standing up and walking to the window. The night sky was covered in stars, and she saw the three bright lights that represented the Three Brothers Chasing the Polar Bear Dog… And remembered how she and Aang had talked about what stars meant in their respective cultures… For him, it had been the Good Deeds of Yangchen…

Do you have some stars too, my love? Spirits know you deserve it…

"No, no, what did you mean by that?" On Ji had also come to stand next to the window.

"The Fire Nation…" She saw the near full moon and sighed once more. It was coming rather close to the time that bloodbending would be possible… And Aang wasn't here… He had promised to be with her, each month… Each time that vile and horrible thing made its appearance.

"The South Pole was raided many times by the Fire Nation. I think that if there is a siege at Fire Fountain, it will be a rather dull affair compared to that. Zuko won't permit the soldiers to plunder, burn and… other things." Katara answered instead, avoiding certain topics. On Ji didn't need to know what happened exactly when a city fell to a cruel enemy.

"What you told me about Prince Zuko doesn't inspire much confidence to be honest." On Ji grumbled, crossing her arms next to Katara. Yeah… The waterbender could see why the girl didn't trust the ponytail prince, and his actions…

"Yeah, that happened recently…" Katara agreed, "But Aang won't let anything happen."

The waterbender didn't say that she was surprised the airbender had let it come to this already… But she couldn't know what exactly was happening, because she was stuck in this Spirit forsaken town!

"The Avatar abandoned the traitor's cause." On Ji sighed, "That is what the message says."

"And you believe it?" That was the important question. Did the Fire Nation girl trust whatever she was told… Or was her mind rebelling against the lies?

"No, that would be stupid. It is clear there have been lies. But I'm not convinced by you either. You said the Avatar would protect anyone. But letting someone besiege an innocent town, that doesn't sound protective. That sounds rather destructive."

Yeah… Katara could see that point… Aang had hated the idea of invading the capital of the Fire Nation… And letting soldiers attack a city was so unlike Aang… So, that had to be a lie. What had Zuko said? Azula always lies…