"I've been ordered to take you to Commander Hahn's chambers at once." The Northern warrior says when she steps outside the door.
How kind. He waited until she chose to leave rather than barge in like some barbaric brute. Katara sniffs, raises a brow, and levels the taller man with a stare that shrinks him down beneath her. His hands clench at his side, his throat bulges from a swallow.
"Oh?" She asks though it's not really a question. "Well you can go tell your commander that I'm not a dog to be summoned whenever he pleases it. Just because I'm on his ship doesn't mean that I have to obey his orders. He's not superior to Commander Sangok, and that is who I defer to."
Toph behind her snorts. The boat dips from a harsh wave and the blind girl stumbles before clinging onto the fabric of Katara's tunic.
"Master Katara…" The man gulps again and she swears his eyes shift down to the floor in humility before he looks back up. "I think you should go to the Commander. Your father - "
She perks "My father?"
The warrior nods and she's worried that his head will fly off. "Yes - your father will be arriving soon and - " She breezes past him instantly, Toph grappling behind her to maintain a hold as the waterbender marches up the steps and leaves the warrior behind in the dark. "Wait - Master - "
Words are lost as she steps around the railing and to the back where Hahn's room is. She didn't expect her father to arrive so soon - Hahn had only notified he and her brother a few days ago. But if her father was coming, then that meant… Oh.
Zuko. And news of Aang. She hadn't heard about him even before she was taken by Zhao.
"Watch what you say," Toph reminds her. "This isn't the time for - "
"I know," Katara cuts her off promptly, stopping in front of Hahn's door to soothe down her tunic so that she looks as put together as an iceberg. "Hama warned me earlier, too. Maybe he won't try to enrage me too much."
Toph just looks at her with blank eyes but Katara easily understands what she's saying. "Yeah. Right. It's Hahn, here."
Katara opens the door, takes a breath and strides in as she always has: like she has nothing to worry about with this Northerners. They need her. Need her strength, her power, her blood ties to the Southern tribes. They may try to ignore just how badly they need her but they can't.
She knows. And Hahn knows. It was probably the only reason she wasn't locked up in some cell like Zuko was.
Thinking of the firebender clenches her stomach but she tries to shove that away as she meets Hahn's eyes. The room is filled with other Northerners, mostly Hahn's warriors, and Lu Ten with his handful of loyal firebenders.
Strange. How is it that Prince is allowed free reign and friends while Zuko is being kept somewhere on this damned ship in the dark? Then again, Lu Ten has been with them for quite some time. He's proved his allegiance in numerous battles, even if he was still treated like a second class citizen in this room.
Perhaps they're not so different now that she thinks on it.
Maybe one day she'll stop comparing herself to firebenders. Who will it be next?
She stops just before his desk, Toph behind her, and looks around at the others in the room. Men, of course, plus Hama - the only one who actually meets her eyes with a neutral face. So she looks back to Hahn, quirking an eyebrow expectantly.
"We've received word that your father will arrive soon. Perhaps tonight, maybe tomorrow morning. I'm sure that you're pleased to hear that." He says, but his words leave something to be desired.
"Of course. I look forward to seeing my family again in peace."
His lips curve into a bow that's waiting to be unleashed. "I'm sure you understand that once your father and brother arrive that we'll be able to make a decision as to what to do with the firebender - the Prince. We only need five votes."
Lu Ten. He's one of those votes. Part of the deal made a long time ago when he had only a few firebenders, not a ship like the one that he commands now.
She says nothing. Maybe Hama, her father, and brother will at least listen to her when they get will need to get to them before Hahn does - before he can make the situation out to be something that isn't.
Katara crosses her arms over her chest, glances over at Lu Ten before she looks back at Hahn. "I hope that you will all make the right decision. Killing civilians isn't something that we've prided ourselves on before."
Hahn just stares at her. "A firebending Prince doesn't exactly count as a civilian."
"It did when Lu Ten first came to us." She says, now pointedly turning to the former Prince. "How does it feel? Knowing that your own blood is somewhere on this ship rotting?"
"A firebender is a firebender," he replies.
"Oh really?"
"Zuko hasn't proved loyalty to us or pledged allegiance to anyone. He can't be trusted until we can make sure that he's turned completely against his father. And even then, he must be treated with caution and watched."
"He's pledged allegiance to me. That should be good enough. He renounced his nation to me after we discovered that Zhao had him declared dead. I think that should at least count for something."
"With all due respect, Master Katara." Now it's Hahn speaking. "Given your circumstance, I can hardly count you as a reputable source for these claims."
"And why not?" She whirls around, feeling ice grow along the base of her throat and spreading up her cheeks and into her eyes. "I've suffered just as much as anyone else in this room. I've contributed just as much and demand that same respect."
"It's not that, Katara," Hama says. "You've been under tremendous stress from being kidnapped and tortured by Zhao and from being in the Earth Kingdom with the firebender boy. We don't know what happened in those forests."
"Nothing happened," Katara stresses. "I'm fine - I swear."
The older woman steps forward, gives her a soft smile that feels like a knife in the back. "It's just...perhaps you should wait and let everything absorb before you make rash decisions and judgements."
A wrinkled hand stretches out, graces against her own and Katara jerks away. No. Not Hama - Katara shakes her head and shoots Hahn a glare. "I'm fine. I haven't been… corrupted or anything."
"Ka - "
"No," she cuts Hama off, "you don't understand - none of you do. Zuko had every moment in that forest to kill me but he didn't. Tried to capture me? Yes. But alive. And now, he's here and willing to do something to help us. He has no where else to go. We can't turn him away like that."
A warrior sneers at her. "He's a firebender. We already have enough of those."
Lu Ten and the men at his side stiffen. "Oh? Well perhaps - "
" - he's right, we can't have any more of your kind on board - "
" - used not to even associate with the likes of you and - "
" - this alliance - "
" - should just kill the Prince now - "
"No!" Katara hisses and steps towards the warrior who had dared mention killing Zuko. "You will not harm him. You won't even touch him. Zuko is mine. He brought me here instead of letting me die out there. I owe him and I won't let you harm him."
The man's eyes flash with something akin to fear before he straightens and masks himself in ice. "When did we start referring to Fire Nation prisoners by their first names? When did we refer to any of the Fire by their names rather than what they truly are."
"Since you entered into an alliance with people of the Fire." Lu Ten's voice is hard, eyes narrowing the warrior and the Northerner blanches.
This was becoming dangerous.
"Enough," Hahn spits out harshly. He shoots a heavy glare to the warrior with the mouth and to Katara. "That's enough. We cannot make a formal decision about what to do with the Fire Prince until Hakoda and Sokka arrive."
Katara glares. "I meant what I said. I won't let you hurt him."
Hahn's grin makes her blood boil. "And what makes you think we haven't already?"
She tenses.
"You son of a bitch," she clenches between her teeth, leaping forward with her hands twisting and fingers arcing and then there's a wall - a body - that's between her and him and that damned smile that she wants to freeze off.
Lu Ten blocks her, grabs at her wrists and forces them behind her back and she keeps pushing forward, arching up to glare at Hahn with enraged eyes and a caged beast's snarl. "If I find out that you touched him, I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you, Hahn."
The firebender pushes her back. He's a lot stronger than she is and all she can see is red as he forces her out of the room. Toph is somewhere, but all Katara can see is Hahn - smiling, treacherous as an ice bridge in the summer - and oh Spirits she wants her icy fingers locked around his neck.
She wants to feel his blood in her hands. Wants him underneath her control and screaming.
The door slams shut and she can't see him anymore. But she can feel him. Hear him. The rage is still there and she wants to tear the door back open and shatter him to pieces on his own damned ship.
They keep moving and Katara keeps twisting out of the firebender's grip, her ankles dragging along the floor. Her throat is clenched, a sob choking her and she forces down the cold tears that try to blind her.
Zuko. They - they couldn't - Hahn was bluffing, right? He had to be. He had to be bluffing.
A door opens and the next thing she knows, she's being flung into a room. Her hip hits the mattress of a cot and she hisses at the shooting pains. Tensing, she forces herself upright, glaring at Lu Ten as he slams the door shut behind him.
"Are you fucking insane?" He hisses. "Threatening Hahn isn't going to get Zuko out of that cage any sooner."
"Like you've helped him! How could you let them touch him? He's your cousin - your blood - and you don't even care!"
"If you think for one second that I don't care for Zuko, then you're wrong. But do you think that screaming and shouting threats at their faces is going to help him at all? If you do, then you're far more stupid than I thought."
"Don't even think to lecture me. If you supposedly care for Zuko, then what have you been doing to get him out of here? From what I could tell, you've done everything to keep him there!"
Lu Ten exhales smoke through his nose. His fire doesn't wither from her ice.
"Where do you think Zuko is the safest right now? Locked up somewhere where only Hahn can reach him? Or roaming around on a ship full of waterbenders who want nothing more than to watch him freeze?"
He waits for her answer. But Katara doesn't have one.
"Exactly. Name one Northerner on this ship that wouldn't jump at the chance to kill the Prince of Fire. You heard them in there. They hate me and my kind just as much as they hate Ozai; but they can't touch us. So who do you think they'll go after if Zuko could get out?"
"I would protect him."
"You can't even protect yourself."
She glares at him.
"Getting Zuko here was the easy part. Keeping him alive? That's a whole other thing altogether that I don't think you've thought through."
"Of course I didn't. I didn't - I didn't expect…" She swallows, shifts on the cot. Didn't expect...what? Liking Zuko? Befriending him? Protecting him? Liking him? "I didn't expect any of this to happen."
Lu Ten looks at her. Katara almost looks away. Then he clears his throat, nods. "Well now it has. And you have to figure out how to help him out of this mess that you put him in."
"And how am I supposed to do that? I don't even know where he is. If he's safe or hurt or," she stops, jerks up. "Have you seen him? Is he...is he alright?"
She's almost scared to hear the answer.
"Yes, I've seen him. He's...fine. Enough, considering the circumstances. Hahn hasn't hurt him yet. Just tried to scare him a little."
Katara gulps. "Can you take me to him? I - I need to see him. For myself."
"Only on the condition that you keep your mouth shut and lay low for a while. You're causing too much uproar and you're only hurting yourself and Zuko. If you're trying to save him, you're doing a horrible job."
"Fine. Yes - I'll keep low or something." She sighs and nods. "I just need to see him to make sure that he's fine."
Lu Ten looks at her for another long moment. Then he nods and turns to the door. She gets up to follow when he holds a hand up. "No. Not right now. Do you think just any Northerner is going to let you and me both down there to see him?"
He scoffs. Katara narrows her eyes. He better be thankful that she needs him to check on Zuko because otherwise, she'd turn his heated blood into chunks of ice and laugh.
When he closes the door, Katara slides back down onto the cot and sighs.
She really hates when others are right and she's wrong.
-/-
After a while, Katara just sort of falls asleep. She's woken by a particularly rough wave. Her head hurts and there's a kink in her neck for some reason, so she rolls off and stands up, stretching out her limbs as best as she can.
Then she remembers. She hasn't looked at her scar since she's been on the ship.
There's a mirror in the corner. Small, but enough to check out her back. When she turns to look at herself, she's a little startled at her appearance - hair loose from the braid, tired and heavy eyes, collarbones and cheekbones a little sharper than they used to be.
She smooths her hair back and re-braids it as best as she can before she takes off the robe and the undershirt. Katara pauses at her bindings, but figures that she might as well re-wrap those now anyways. She tosses everything onto the bed and takes in a breath before she turns her back to the mirror.
It better be impressive.
Katara looks over her shoulder.
The first thing that she notices is that it is similar to Zuko's. She can tell where Zhao's hands touched her skin - where the heat hit her the most. Two dark, angry red splotches close to her shoulders surrounded by thick, mottled paler red scarring that stretches across the skin, stopping just above her hip area.
She likes it. Even if it's not… attractive, she still likes it. Worth the pain? Hardly. But representative of the pain? Yes.
Katara stands a little straighter. She reaches around, curious to feel it again now that she's seen it. Her fingertips run over raised skin, slight bumps and smooth valleys across the pink. Tough - like leather - in the red.
It's like Zuko's. Just bigger. Was he reminded of his own scar and story whenever he saw her back? Had he seen her back?
Thinking of the firebender - and of him seeing her bare back - make her palms clench and she looks away from the impressive scar. She grabs the bindings and starts wrapping, typing it off at the end and tucking it to a secure place.
She pulls on a fresh blue tunic. Watertribe colors. When she looks back at the mirror after she pulls on the leggings, she's a little startled. She's just so used to black against her skin - not blue.
It makes her look softer. Her skin, lighter. Eyes bluer. The black was so severe against her skin and her features that it made her look like a completely new person. Now, back in the pale blues of the tribesmen, it's like she's being led back into her proper spot.
She looks like a tribesman again. It's...strange.
The band around the waist needs to be adjusted a bit. She's lost a lot of weight since she was in the forest and it shows. The sleeves are a little baggier and she's never seen her collarbones pop against her skin like this. Her face has changed too - the softness and roundness has left and has been replaced with sharp edges.
Her thighs are thicker though. It takes a bit of tugging to pull the leggings over them. Calves, too - they're more defined and tight when she bends down to touch them.
Odd, in a funny way - Katara has traveled across the Earth Kingdom and what does she have to show for it? Weight loss, muscled legs, a huge scar on her back, and a firebender boy that's in this ship somewhere.
There's a knock on her door and Katara turns just in time to see one of Lu Ten's firebenders - an older man with grey and white hair and thin lips - peeking his head in. Her escort. Lu Ten is holding up his promise.
"Master Katara," he acknowledges as he slides through the door, closing it behind him softly. It's sad that the firebender called her by her proper title without needing a reminder. Her own people - a Commander, at that - hadn't even bothered. "Master Lu Ten sent me to escort you to him."
He tosses her a black cloak. She grabs it and raises a brow.
"Concealment," he says and she nods, pulling it across her chest. "Do you know the layout of the ship?"
She shakes her head as she lifts the hood to cover herself. "No. Commander Sangok's ship was originally a fishing ship from the Southern Tribes. I'm not familiar with the way the Northerners set up their war ships."
He smiles a little. "I was wondering why you hadn't gone after him yourself."
"They'd expect me to. I'm afraid that if I did go after him on my own, things would only turn out worse for both him and I."
"True. Well, shall we?"
The hallway is lit with the dim light from the sunrise. Waterbenders would have just fallen asleep. The firebender leads her down a corridor, then turns to another. Hahn's ship is rather large, even by common standards. He and Hakoda had the largest Water Tribe ships ever made, specifically built to be actual warships.
He seems to know where he is going by instinct. Eventually, after so many twists that Katara thinks that he's just trying to confuse her, they go down a staircase and step into the belly of the ship.
Lu Ten is there. So is a waterbender guard but he doesn't even blink. "Paid," the firebender whispers in her ear when he notices her tensing shoulders.
That doesn't exactly appease her any. But she ignores it, shoves down the accusations of treason - because this is a violation of the Commander's orders but so is her even being here. In fact, Katara thinks that she's committed more acts of treason over the past few days than she even dreamed of.
They're in front of a door in the dark hallway that's lit only by a few spaced small torches. She draws the cloak tighter around her chest to block out the dampness that's in the air.
"Can I…?" She swallows, looking at the door. Suddenly, standing in front of it makes her anxious, worried. Like he's going to be angry at her - oh Spirits, what if he is angry with her? What if he blames her for all of this?
What if?
But Lu Ten nods. "Just remember what he has gone through and where he is now." He moves to open the door and pauses. "Now might also be a good time to tell him that I'm an ally. He doesn't know who I am yet."
Oh. Right. She still hasn't told Zuko that his cousin is not only alive, but working with the tribesmen as well. That his cousin is trying to help them destroy Ozai and the Fire Nation that stands today. That at one point, he was even willing to destroy him if he tried to get in the way.
A great conversation to have. Especially when she isn't sure about the territory they are on now.
"Make it quick. I'll knock when it's time to get out."
She gulps. Nods at the firebender and tugs at the cloak some more. Appeased, Lu Ten turns the knob and the door creaks open to reveal a room that is just as dark.
Katara takes a breath - charred air - before she steps inside. Dark and at the bottom of the ship it is, but at least it isn't the cage that she imagined.
And there he is. Awake, sitting up on his palms across a cot dressed in the black tunic he wore in the forest and his hair in a mess around his narrowed, cautious eyes. He's tense. Long and his arms are clenched and his fists squeeze the thin sheets that cover the cot.
He wears thick gloves. Manacles are wrapped around his thin wrists and chains drape to the floor.
"Who - " He begins. But she silences him by reaching up and removing the hood, revealing her face to him in the dim light and he stops, takes in a sharp breath. "Katara."
"Zuko." Katara takes a step forward - cautious because she still isn't sure if he blames her for the chains that bind him or not - and his fists relax a little so she takes another. Then another. And then she's standing right there with her thighs against the bed and her hands reach up to soothe his hair back. "Zuko."
There is a bruise on his cheek and a slice that's partially healed on his forehead. The corner of his lip is split and his forearms are raw from the manacles.
But he's here. He's warm. Underneath her palms that are in his hair, he's alive and breathing and together and -
"You're alive." He says, like he expected something different and it's enough to make her pause. "They didn't tell me - they didn't let me know - and I didn't think that I - "
"I'm here, Zuko," she urges. Her fingers tighten around his hair, a little oily but she doesn't mind and it feels perfect regardless. "I'm alive. You're alive. We're alive."
His chains clink and then his arms wrap around her waist, tugging her forward and she shifts, propping her knees up on the bed. He buries his head in her chest right against her heart as if he's making sure that it's beating even though she's kneeling in front of him.
But she holds him there without saying a word. Because he's warm against her through the layers of clothes and he just feels so alive that it makes her heart twist and something hot pool at the pit of her stomach.
"I'm so sorry." She tells him. Katara holds him tight against her and she swears that she isn't going to cry; but the brush of the chains against her ankle remind her that they're in his cell even if it is a bedroom. And it's partly her fault that he's here. No - it's entirely her fault.
She keeps gripping his hair, sliding her fingers back and forth as if he's going to disappear from right underneath her. Right here, right now - she feels so raw it hurts.
"You're so stupid," she says, choking on a laugh that hurts her chest. "You should have left me out there. You don't - you don't deserve to be in here."
He squeeze his arms tighter. Katara is pulled against him more.
Stupid. So stupid. He's alive and she's glad - thrilled - but he's here in the pit of a ship with Lu Ten right outside that door and waterbenders above them. So stupid.
And she can't tell if she's glad - because at least here, he's here. He's pressed against her and his arms are warm and heavy and his warm breath soaks through her tunic to heat her chest and he's here. Alive. Solid, right in her arms and she can't help but squeeze him a little tighter.
Katara's legs give and she slides down a little, resting fully on the cot and she throws her arms around his neck, tugging herself up against him. "I'm so sorry," she whispers into his neck.
Her whole body aches and hurts because he's in one piece. It's more than she could have ever expected. She was so scared and worried that Hahn's teasing was true. She never expected him to be like this. One piece. Chains, yes. Bruised, yes. But that's nothing.
It could have been far, far worse. And she shudders just thinking about it.
"It doesn't matter. I'm here, okay? That matters. I'm here and you're here - isn't that what you said?" Zuko unwraps one arm to brush her braid down her back rather than where it was over her shoulder. She burrows closer.
Not too long ago, she was afraid to touch him. Three days ago, they had really touched for the first time in the forest. And now she was pressed against him so tightly that his weight crushed into her completely.
How much time has passed already?
"Zuko - Zuko - I don't have much time," she says. Her arms tighten and then she slides them back, letting go and he lets her. His eyes are wide, dark even in the dimly lit room. "Listen - I need to tell you - "
"I know. Hahn has already tried to get me to talk - I haven't told him anything but - "
"No, that's - that's not it." She shakes her head. "Your cousin - Lu Ten. He's alive. He's alive and he's working with us. He has been practically ever since he left the Fire Nation."
Zuko stiffens. Blinks. "Lu Ten? He's...here? Wh-Why didn't you tell me this earlier? How long have you know?"
I've know for a while," she admits. "I just didn't know how to tell you and there never seemed to be a right time for it. I'm sorry but - "
"No. No, it's...fine." He waves off her apology. "I probably should have expected it. It's just… I haven't seen him since I was a kid and…"
"He's - we're - trying to get you to safety. We want to get you out of here but it's not safe for you to be up there. But we're trying, Zuko, we haven't abandoned you. I haven't abandoned you. Toph, Lu Ten, his firebenders and I? We're making sure that nothing bad happens to you until then."
He gives her a wry grin but it falters quickly. "I know. I never doubted you, Katara. They haven't done anything yet but they seem to be getting frustrated. So far, it's been nonviolent. I don't know what they're playing at, but it won't last long."
Zuko grabs her hands, squeezes them. She squeezes back. The gloves block the heat though. She wants nothing more than to touch his bare skin.
"Just make sure that you stay safe. I didn't carry you all through the woods to the ship, get thrown into this room and chained to a bed just for you to destroy all ties to your tribe because of me." He laughs, smiling strongly this time. "You have to live with them, not me. Whatever happens - remember that."
Katara shakes her head. "I don't know what's going on anymore. They still treat me pretty much the same, but at the same time … I don't know but something has changed. I've changed. I won't let them hurt you."
"Don't risk anything for me. Do you understand? It's not worth it. It may take you some time to get used to things again but you have to stay low. These are your people. This is your home."
Then why does it feel so strange? Why does she feel so out of place? Why won't any of her people look her in the eyes?
"Everything is just happening so fast and I can't keep up with it all."
"Hey," Zuko cups her chin, tilts it up so that she can look at him better. "You're a waterbender, right? Waterbenders can't drown. Just breathe and push through this - just like you did that entire time out on my ship and in the forest. You didn't let Zhao get to you and you can't let any of this either."
She laughs, a sad, broken sound that feels as hollow as it sounds. "To think I came down here to comfort you."
There's a knock and then the door opens. Zuko glances up, his hand that's still in hers clenches but then his whole body goes rigid.
"It's time. We need to get out of here before the guard rotates." Lu Ten. The door closes and she looks over her shoulder to see him warily walking forward. "Zuko."
"Lu Ten."
Katara tightens her fingers around his. She's here. For him.
"Are you...holding up well?"
The corners of Zuko's lips twitch. "As well as a prisoner can. But, I've known others who have gone through worse." He looks at Katara and she shakes her head.
Her time on his ship? Nothing compared to what he could face. If the votes decide...things will not be so great down here for him.
No. They have to get him off before that can happen though. She doesn't care what she has to do - who she has to pay or piss off - she will get him off this ship. They won't even get the opportunity to hurt him.
"Good," Lu Ten says a bit awkwardly. "I've tried to make sure that you were well fed."
"Thanks. And...Uncle Iroh - is he safe?"
"We know where he's being kept. But we haven't gone after him just yet. Knowing him though, he should be holding up well. I think out of the two of you, you are in the worse position."
"He'll be fine," Katara assures.
"Katara, we need to go." Lu Ten says.
But she can't go. She can't leave him here, away from his sun like how he had kept her from her moon so long ago. It isn't right - it isn't fair. Did he feel like this? Did he feel this guilt in keeping her apart from her element?
Their positions have been reversed. The game has changed. And Katara doesn't like it. Not. One. Bit. Because just as the game has changed, so has her entire life - her entire outlook. Being with Zuko and getting to know him has altered her entire world. And feeling his hands squeeze hers where they lay in his lap, she knows without a doubt that he feels the same way.
"Katara." Lu Ten is impatient. How can leaving Zuko here be so easy for him when it's so hard for her? They're blood.
Maybe it's because he hasn't shed blood for Zuko like she has. Maybe it's because Zuko hasn't shed blood for Lu Ten like he has for her. Sharing blood ties them together loosely. But shedding it has tied her to Zuko in a way that she can't even describe.
Katara pulls her hands away only to latch onto him again with her arms wrapped around him. He surges into her, grabbing onto her and pulls her against him again.
She can't leave him. Not again. Not like this. Not down here, with his hands manacled and palms covered.
When Lu Ten sighs behind them, Zuko gently pushes her away. He smiles. "Remember what I said."
"Remember what I said." She tries to return the smile. Fails. "I will protect you. I promise."
"We need to leave. Now." Lu Ten grabs her arm and starts to pull her away from the bed. "The new guard will be down here any moment."
"I can walk myself," Katara hisses, yanks her arm out of his grasp. Zuko sits stiffly and narrows his eyes at his cousin. Lu Ten huffs, throws his hands in the air, and marches out of the room without her.
Zuko's chains clink as he shifts on the cot. "Watch him. Watch everyone, Katara. Be careful out there - up there."
"I will. And...you too, Zuko." She gulps, backing up towards the door because she can't bring herself to turn her back on him. "I - "
But the door closes before she can finish. She growls at Lu Ten, who has his hand pressed on the door and a scowl on his face.
"Sweet. But we need to get up there before they realize we're not on deck."
"You didn't have to do that."
His hand grabs her arm and he pulls her towards the stairs. She stumbles, but follows after him because she can't yank her arm away. "You already took too long. If they find out - "
"They're not. Now stop."
"Do you know what I'm risking here?"
"Do you know what I'm risking here?" She fires back. Katara finally rips her arm out of his and glares. They're on the second floor and he finally stops, turning to glare down at her. "We may be some sort of...messed up allies here. But don't touch me again."
"Then don't make me regret trusting you."
"I have more to worry about with you when it comes to that."
"Don't think that because I wasn't there for him then that I won't be there for him now. Family is important in the Fire Nation."
"Yeah. I have seen tons of examples of that." She steps right up to him and he squares his shoulders to prepare for an onslaught. "Thanks for taking me down there to see him. I really appreciate it. But don't think that I'm just going to trust you completely because of that. I don't like you any more than you like me. But as long as you're looking out for Zuko then that's enough for me."
He cocks a brow, surprised, and smiles. "Didn't expect any less." Then he backs away towards the stairs that lead up to the deck and she waits. "But do remember what he said, Katara. Be careful up there. A little more so than you have so far."