HOME | DD

Description
    Once our ship passed Zhao's, breaking the death glare between him and Zuko, Zuko turned around to me. I looked up at him, my tear-streaked face red and blotchy from crying. He gave me a look of sympathy, squeezed my shoulder gently, and turned to Iroh, who was looking slightly angry.
    "Why do you think Zhao let me pass?" asked Zuko, pulling a cotton handkerchief out of his pocket and handing to me, "Why didn't he jump aboard and arrest me?"
    "The ship is damaged, Prince Zuko," he began, looking up at the black smoke billowing out of the ship's engine, "He is going to follow the ship's trail to the Avatar, and to Kiyah," he said sadly.
    "If Zhao wants to follow some smoke, that's what I'm going to let him do. He's not getting the Avatar or Kiyah," he snarled, looking back at the blockade.
    "I have an idea," said Zuko after a few seconds, heading toward a few guards that stood near the left side of the ship. I sniffled, wiping my eyes on the handkerchief that Zuko gave me. As soon as I brought it to my face, I inhaled deeply – the cotton smelled like Zuko. I smiled to myself and inhaled again, taking in his sweet scent.
    "I'm going to pursue the Avatar in a wooden boat that's being lowered as we speak." said Zuko, walking back over to Iroh and I. "Uncle, keep heading north. I'm going to use the smoke as a cover from Zhao." he continued. Iroh was looking very disapproving, but he agreed.
    Wait a minute. He didn't really think that I was going to let him go alone, did he? As he started to walk away, I put my small hand on his large shoulder, stopping him. He turned around to face me, looking down into my face.
    "You're not going alone," I informed him, giving him a stern look. He looked dumbfounded, like I had just told him to go and clean his room like a good boy. He looked down.
    "Kiyah, no. If Zhao's there, something might happen --" he started, but I cut him off.
    "Listen Zuko, if I don't go, something could happen to you. I'm going with you, whether you like it or not; now get in the boat." I ordered, pointing to the small boat being lowered from the deck. That should do it, I thought, smirking inside of my head as Zuko nodded and did as I said. I joined him in the tiny boat, crossing my legs so that he had more room. We said goodbye to Iroh, who still looked wary, and we were lowered into the sea.
    Zuko started rowing toward the front of the ship, trying his best to stay out of Zhao's sight. The sun had started to set, casting it's long pink and orange reflection into the ocean around us. Zuko and I talked as he rowed the boat toward Crescent Island, which was visible in the distance. The sweat on his forehead was glistening in the setting sun; I reached into the pocket of my pants and pulled out the handkerchief that he had given me earlier. I reached across the tiny boat carefully, trying not to upset the balance, and gently mopped the sweat from Zuko's brow.  "Thanks," he smiled, panting slightly from the continuous work of rowing the boat forward.
    When we finally reached the island, Zuko had to help me steady myself. Where I was sitting with my legs crossed for so long, both of my legs, and my ass were asleep. When I told him this, he laughed, pulling me along the beach with him up to the old, tall temple that stood before us. Zuko looked at the status of the setting sun; it was halfway down. We had time, but not very much. We ran inside, but it was deserted. Almost as soon as we started looking around, there was the sound of a large commotion over our heads. Zuko looked livid.
    He lead me through passageways, toward the source of the noise. We walked quietly through a large secret door, bumping straight into the Avatar. He gasped and Zuko grabbed him, pinning his arms tightly behind him.
    "Zuko! Don't hurt him!" I pleaded, giving the Avatar an apologetic look. There were fire sages standing next to a large door on the other side of the room, but we were hidden by columns and they hadn't seen us yet. There seemed to be some sort of squabble going on behind the large columns and then a male's voice yelled: "Now, Aang!" Was that the Avatar's name?
    "Aang, now's your chance! Go!"shouted a girl's voice.
    Zuko still had a vice grip on Aang, who was struggling to get away from him. He walked him to the front of the columns, and said: "The Avatar is coming with me!"
    I followed behind them, my head hanging. The fire sages, who were laying on the ground in front of the water tribe girl and boy, sprang up out of nowhere, tackling the girl and boy. I ran forward, shooting fire blasts at the sages, but they blocked them with fire bending of their own, and tied the girl and boy up to a column. Two sages then grabbed me from behind, forcing me painfully to my knees.
    "Let her go!" ordered Zuko angrily, but the sages didn't listen; they only smirked around to one another. My hands were tied behind my back and I was kicked to the floor. I rolled over, angrily spitting hair out of my mouth and cursing loudly.
    "Thanks for trying to help us," whispered the pretty water tribe girl, smiling weakly. I smiled back at her, sitting up against the column that she was tied to. The fire sages looked around at one another, and made to close the doors. Zuko must have wanted this, because he smiled wickedly as he walked Aang up to them. But Aang was too quick! He tripped Zuko and made him stumble. Then, after knocking Zuko down the stairs to our left, he jumped on the heads of the four Fire Sages and jumped into the room where he would be able to speak to Avatar Roku. The doors closed quickly behind him, and the Fire Sages and Zuko all made angry noises.
    "Open the doors!" he ordered the Fire Sages, and joined them to make five separate fire blasts hit the door that Aang had just jumped into.
    "Why isn't it working!?" demanded Zuko angrily, smoke shooting out of his nose.
    "The locking mechanism!" croaked one of the Sages, pointing at the door, "He must be speaking with Avatar Roku, or it would open!"
    At this, Zuko punched a column in anger, breaking the stone, and leaving him with a bleeding hand. Minutes passed and Aang still didn't emerge. I wriggled around uncomfortably, doing my best to try and burn the ropes off of my wrists. It took a few tries, but I finally got it. When nobody was looking, I crawled around the back of the column that the boy and girl were tied to, burning through the rope and freeing them. I walked  back around the column, ready to face the Sages for what I had done.
    "Hey, I'm loose!" whispered the boy to the girl, who had just realized the same thing.
    "Yeah, but how?" asked the girl, looking around in search of her savior. I nudged her and she smiled, nodding her head to thank me.
    "My name is Katara, and this is my brother, Sokka," she said, gesturing to Sokka.
    "I'm Kiyah," I said quietly, looking around at the exasperated Sages and Zuko; they were still trying to open the door.
    "Well, Kiyah," said Sokka, rubbing his hands together, "I think you just might be our new best friend."
    "It was nothing. I don't want the Avatar captured, let alone his friends." I informed them, making sure that no one saw that we were all free.
    "Then why are you with Zuko?" asked Katara, clearly confused.
    "He and his Uncle saved me from Admiral Zhao," I admitted, turning my head to look at him, "and they've been protecting me from him and my father ever since." I explained, forcing myself not to laugh at Sokka's open mouth. I turned, and Zuko was right in front of me, glaring. I looked up at him and gulped, backing up to the column behind me. His face was inches from mine, and I could practically hear his heartbeat. A Sage who was laying unconscious on the floor was now stirring, waking quickly.
    "Why did you help them?" Zuko asked in a deadly whisper. He had only talked to me like this one time, and the aftermath was me punching a wall.
    "I couldn't stand by and watch the Sages hurt them!" I said honestly, bravely looking up into his angry face. He was silent, nodded, and turned to the Sage on the floor, pulling him up by his shirt.
    "Why did you help the Avatar?" he ordered, shaking the man.
    "Because I am a Sage, and it is our duty," he said calmly, and Zuko threw him back to the floor.
    Clapping filled the room, and Admiral Zhao entered with some of his men. My stomach lurched, and I slumped back onto the column, sliding to the floor. This was the closest I'd been to Zhao in almost a month, but the memory of what he did to me wasn't fading away. Katara gasped and got down on her knees beside me, brushing hair out of my face and comforting me.
    "What a moving and heartfelt performance," he cooed, his eyes flashing menacingly at Zuko, "I'm completely certain that the Fire Lord will understand when you explain this to him."
    Katara motioned to Sokka, and he hoisted me to my feet, holding onto me to keep me from falling back to the ground. Four of the five Sages bowed to Zhao.
    "It's okay," Katara said gently, trying to comfort me further, "he can't hurt you with us around."
    "No," I sputtered, my face very white, "it's not that I'm afraid of him...it's that seeing him brings back a terrible memory; something he did to me." I gulped, trying not to tear up. I hated falling to pieces like this.
    "What happened?" asked Sokka quietly, nudging me softly in the ribs.
    I looked down and said: "He raped me."
    Both of them gasped and looked angrily over to Zhao, who seemed to be having quite a good time taunting my Zuko. Wait...did I just call him "my Zuko"? What the hell?
    One of Zhao's men lurched forward and grabbed Zuko, pinning his arms behind his back. I gasped and tried to wriggle my way out of Sokka's grip to help him, but Sokka only held on tighter.
    "I don't think that's a good idea," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I sighed, ready to punch Sokka and run toward Zuko if anything bad were to happen. Zuko struggled and glared up at Zhao.
    "You're too late!" he yelled, his voice bouncing off the walls of the tall tower in an echo, "The Avatar is already inside, the door is sealed!"
    "Oh well," said Zhao casually, "he has to come out some time." Zuko gritted his teeth and fought against the guard's grip. Zhao suddenly looked over to me, his eyes flashing and full of lust. He took a step forward, and stopped when Zuko started yelling.
    "DON'T YOU EVEN LOOK AT HER! I'LL KILL YOU!" he threatened, still fighting against the guard's strong grip. Zhao laughed and ignored him, continued walking, and stopped about five feet in front of Sokka, Katara, and I. I whimpered and took a deep breath, nudging Sokka hard in the ribs as a sign to let me go. When he didn't, I looked up at him angrily and he shook his head. I looked pleadingly at Katara, who was in a fighting stance and glaring at Zhao. I didn't want them to protect me; I wanted them to get out of the way so they wouldn't get hurt.
    "Let the girl go, Water Tribe filth," he spat at Sokka, raising a fist threateningly. Zuko continued to scream at and threaten Zhao. He now had three guards hanging onto him so that he couldn't get free.
    "Let me go, Sokka," I whispered, glaring into Zhao's lust-filled eyes, "I don't want you two to get hurt just because of me. Now go!" I nudged Sokka in the ribs much harder this time, and he let go, holding himself in pain. I pushed Katara backwards into Sokka, and they both fell to the floor.
    "Are you ready for round two?" asked Zhao, hungrily looking at my exposed stomach and chest. Sokka and Katara were immediately behind me when he said this, ready to fight him off. Zuko was screaming louder than ever, still struggling against three guards.
    I lunged at Zhao, punching him in the mouth, wiping the smirk right off of it. He recoiled and tore at my shirt, exposing my right breast. I gasped and sent fire at him. He dodged it and sent some back. I pushed Sokka and Katara away again, blocking Zhao's fire blast with one of my own. Zuko was yelling, Katara was screaming, and Sokka had wide eyes as Zhao came toward me again, knocking me to the ground and ripping my shirt further, exposing the whole of my pale chest. He stared down at it hungrily and ordered the remaining guards (that weren't holding Zuko down) to restrain Katara and Sokka. I screamed and punched furiously, doing my best to get Zhao off of me. This couldn't happen to me again. It was traumatizing the first time, and a second time would have me on the verge of suicide, I just knew it. I didn't want to dream about this every night for the rest of my life. My heart was racing, my breathing was shallow, and I punched Zhao again as he tore at my pants. Sokka and Katara were screaming, but they were barely heard over a sobbing Zuko.
    I kneed Zhao as hard as I could, and he fell backwards. I unleashed everything that I had in me; I shot fire at him, I kicked him in the face repeatedly, and when I thought I could do no more, he pulled me to the ground, and rolled on top of me, pinning me to the floor and glaring. The blood from his nose dripped down onto my forehead, and he punched me, as hard as he could, in the face. He then got up and straightened his uniform, walking over to the Sages.
    My nose stung, and warm blood trickled down over my mouth. I sat up, wiping the blood on the remains of my clothes. I covered myself the best that I could and scooted myself backward, until my back touched the column. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at Zhao with hatred.
    "When that door opens, unleash all of your fire power!" Zhao ordered the Sages. They all nodded and took stance alongside Zhao. I was pleased to see that blood was still dripping from his nose.
    "How's Aang going to make it out of this?" moaned Katara miserably, hanging her head.
    "Uh, how are we going to make it out of this?" asked Sokka, struggling against his chains.

    About a minute passed and the doors flew open with a gust of wind, and visible in the darkness, were a pair of glowing blue eyes. The Sages and Zhao were all standing, ready to fire at the Avatar.
    "No! Aang!" squealed Katara, her eyes widening in shock.
    "Fire!" ordered Zhao, and the five firebenders shot five continuous fire blasts at the door. But the fire wasn't entering the sanctuary; it was staying at the doors, stopped by a much more powerful ball of swirling fire. At the very heart of the fire ball, was Avatar Roku! His eyes were glowing blue, and he pulled all of the fire back toward himself, and shot it at Zhao and the Sages, knocking them all backward. The heat melted Zuko, Sokka, and Katara's chains. Zuko immediately ran over to me and cradled me in his arms, running away from the room.
    He ran until he reached the beach. The temple was smoking now, and there was lava coming down from it. He gasped and pulled me closer to him; my head laying on his chest. I groaned in pain; my head felt like it had been split open and my body ached. Zuko looked down at me sadly, and held me tighter.
    "Prince Zuko! Over here!" It was Iroh, waving his arms from the ship. Zuko nodded, and ran toward where the ship was: about 40 feet away from the blazing temple. The metal ramp was lowered and Zuko walked up, panting. I took my arms from around Zuko's neck and got down, stumbling slightly.
    "What in the world has happened to her!?" asked Iroh in alarm. I was sure that I looked terrible.
    "Zhao," said Zuko with hatred in his voice. Iroh shot a glare at the larger ship, docked at the other side of the island. We immediately set sail at full speed, getting as far away from the island that we could, and out of the Fire Nation.

    Zuko walked me into the bathroom. As I sat there on the tub, head in my hands, he went into my room and brought back a pair of sleep clothes. I stood up and thanked him, reaching out to put an hand on his arm.
    "Thank you for every, Zuko," I whispered, looking at my feet. I had lost a shoe as well.
    "I couldn't stand it." he said after a few seconds of silence. I looked at him, confused.
    "Couldn't stand what?" I asked, moving closer to him.
    "Watching Zhao...do that to you. Even though he didn't get your pants off, it killed me on the inside. I've never hated a man more than I hate Zhao." he admitted, looking down. With everything that Zuko and I had talked about, nothing he said was this heartfelt.
    I tilted his head back up, so that he was looking into my eyes, and he threw himself on me, hugging me tightly. We embraced for a long time, and I enjoyed every minute of it. He stroked my tangled hair and caressed the back of my head.  I felt his warmth, and I knew that I had found home.

Description
    Once our ship passed Zhao's, breaking the death glare between him and Zuko, Zuko turned around to me. I looked up at him, my tear-streaked face red and blotchy from crying. He gave me a look of sympathy, squeezed my shoulder gently, and turned to Iroh, who was looking slightly angry.
    "Why do you think Zhao let me pass?" asked Zuko, pulling a cotton handkerchief out of his pocket and handing to me, "Why didn't he jump aboard and arrest me?"
    "The ship is damaged, Prince Zuko," he began, looking up at the black smoke billowing out of the ship's engine, "He is going to follow the ship's trail to the Avatar, and to Kiyah," he said sadly.
    "If Zhao wants to follow some smoke, that's what I'm going to let him do. He's not getting the Avatar or Kiyah," he snarled, looking back at the blockade.
    "I have an idea," said Zuko after a few seconds, heading toward a few guards that stood near the left side of the ship. I sniffled, wiping my eyes on the handkerchief that Zuko gave me. As soon as I brought it to my face, I inhaled deeply – the cotton smelled like Zuko. I smiled to myself and inhaled again, taking in his sweet scent.
    "I'm going to pursue the Avatar in a wooden boat that's being lowered as we speak." said Zuko, walking back over to Iroh and I. "Uncle, keep heading north. I'm going to use the smoke as a cover from Zhao." he continued. Iroh was looking very disapproving, but he agreed.
    Wait a minute. He didn't really think that I was going to let him go alone, did he? As he started to walk away, I put my small hand on his large shoulder, stopping him. He turned around to face me, looking down into my face.
    "You're not going alone," I informed him, giving him a stern look. He looked dumbfounded, like I had just told him to go and clean his room like a good boy. He looked down.
    "Kiyah, no. If Zhao's there, something might happen --" he started, but I cut him off.
    "Listen Zuko, if I don't go, something could happen to you. I'm going with you, whether you like it or not; now get in the boat." I ordered, pointing to the small boat being lowered from the deck. That should do it, I thought, smirking inside of my head as Zuko nodded and did as I said. I joined him in the tiny boat, crossing my legs so that he had more room. We said goodbye to Iroh, who still looked wary, and we were lowered into the sea.
    Zuko started rowing toward the front of the ship, trying his best to stay out of Zhao's sight. The sun had started to set, casting it's long pink and orange reflection into the ocean around us. Zuko and I talked as he rowed the boat toward Crescent Island, which was visible in the distance. The sweat on his forehead was glistening in the setting sun; I reached into the pocket of my pants and pulled out the handkerchief that he had given me earlier. I reached across the tiny boat carefully, trying not to upset the balance, and gently mopped the sweat from Zuko's brow.  "Thanks," he smiled, panting slightly from the continuous work of rowing the boat forward.
    When we finally reached the island, Zuko had to help me steady myself. Where I was sitting with my legs crossed for so long, both of my legs, and my ass were asleep. When I told him this, he laughed, pulling me along the beach with him up to the old, tall temple that stood before us. Zuko looked at the status of the setting sun; it was halfway down. We had time, but not very much. We ran inside, but it was deserted. Almost as soon as we started looking around, there was the sound of a large commotion over our heads. Zuko looked livid.
    He lead me through passageways, toward the source of the noise. We walked quietly through a large secret door, bumping straight into the Avatar. He gasped and Zuko grabbed him, pinning his arms tightly behind him.
    "Zuko! Don't hurt him!" I pleaded, giving the Avatar an apologetic look. There were fire sages standing next to a large door on the other side of the room, but we were hidden by columns and they hadn't seen us yet. There seemed to be some sort of squabble going on behind the large columns and then a male's voice yelled: "Now, Aang!" Was that the Avatar's name?
    "Aang, now's your chance! Go!"shouted a girl's voice.
    Zuko still had a vice grip on Aang, who was struggling to get away from him. He walked him to the front of the columns, and said: "The Avatar is coming with me!"
    I followed behind them, my head hanging. The fire sages, who were laying on the ground in front of the water tribe girl and boy, sprang up out of nowhere, tackling the girl and boy. I ran forward, shooting fire blasts at the sages, but they blocked them with fire bending of their own, and tied the girl and boy up to a column. Two sages then grabbed me from behind, forcing me painfully to my knees.
    "Let her go!" ordered Zuko angrily, but the sages didn't listen; they only smirked around to one another. My hands were tied behind my back and I was kicked to the floor. I rolled over, angrily spitting hair out of my mouth and cursing loudly.
    "Thanks for trying to help us," whispered the pretty water tribe girl, smiling weakly. I smiled back at her, sitting up against the column that she was tied to. The fire sages looked around at one another, and made to close the doors. Zuko must have wanted this, because he smiled wickedly as he walked Aang up to them. But Aang was too quick! He tripped Zuko and made him stumble. Then, after knocking Zuko down the stairs to our left, he jumped on the heads of the four Fire Sages and jumped into the room where he would be able to speak to Avatar Roku. The doors closed quickly behind him, and the Fire Sages and Zuko all made angry noises.
    "Open the doors!" he ordered the Fire Sages, and joined them to make five separate fire blasts hit the door that Aang had just jumped into.
    "Why isn't it working!?" demanded Zuko angrily, smoke shooting out of his nose.
    "The locking mechanism!" croaked one of the Sages, pointing at the door, "He must be speaking with Avatar Roku, or it would open!"
    At this, Zuko punched a column in anger, breaking the stone, and leaving him with a bleeding hand. Minutes passed and Aang still didn't emerge. I wriggled around uncomfortably, doing my best to try and burn the ropes off of my wrists. It took a few tries, but I finally got it. When nobody was looking, I crawled around the back of the column that the boy and girl were tied to, burning through the rope and freeing them. I walked  back around the column, ready to face the Sages for what I had done.
    "Hey, I'm loose!" whispered the boy to the girl, who had just realized the same thing.
    "Yeah, but how?" asked the girl, looking around in search of her savior. I nudged her and she smiled, nodding her head to thank me.
    "My name is Katara, and this is my brother, Sokka," she said, gesturing to Sokka.
    "I'm Kiyah," I said quietly, looking around at the exasperated Sages and Zuko; they were still trying to open the door.
    "Well, Kiyah," said Sokka, rubbing his hands together, "I think you just might be our new best friend."
    "It was nothing. I don't want the Avatar captured, let alone his friends." I informed them, making sure that no one saw that we were all free.
    "Then why are you with Zuko?" asked Katara, clearly confused.
    "He and his Uncle saved me from Admiral Zhao," I admitted, turning my head to look at him, "and they've been protecting me from him and my father ever since." I explained, forcing myself not to laugh at Sokka's open mouth. I turned, and Zuko was right in front of me, glaring. I looked up at him and gulped, backing up to the column behind me. His face was inches from mine, and I could practically hear his heartbeat. A Sage who was laying unconscious on the floor was now stirring, waking quickly.
    "Why did you help them?" Zuko asked in a deadly whisper. He had only talked to me like this one time, and the aftermath was me punching a wall.
    "I couldn't stand by and watch the Sages hurt them!" I said honestly, bravely looking up into his angry face. He was silent, nodded, and turned to the Sage on the floor, pulling him up by his shirt.
    "Why did you help the Avatar?" he ordered, shaking the man.
    "Because I am a Sage, and it is our duty," he said calmly, and Zuko threw him back to the floor.
    Clapping filled the room, and Admiral Zhao entered with some of his men. My stomach lurched, and I slumped back onto the column, sliding to the floor. This was the closest I'd been to Zhao in almost a month, but the memory of what he did to me wasn't fading away. Katara gasped and got down on her knees beside me, brushing hair out of my face and comforting me.
    "What a moving and heartfelt performance," he cooed, his eyes flashing menacingly at Zuko, "I'm completely certain that the Fire Lord will understand when you explain this to him."
    Katara motioned to Sokka, and he hoisted me to my feet, holding onto me to keep me from falling back to the ground. Four of the five Sages bowed to Zhao.
    "It's okay," Katara said gently, trying to comfort me further, "he can't hurt you with us around."
    "No," I sputtered, my face very white, "it's not that I'm afraid of him...it's that seeing him brings back a terrible memory; something he did to me." I gulped, trying not to tear up. I hated falling to pieces like this.
    "What happened?" asked Sokka quietly, nudging me softly in the ribs.
    I looked down and said: "He raped me."
    Both of them gasped and looked angrily over to Zhao, who seemed to be having quite a good time taunting my Zuko. Wait...did I just call him "my Zuko"? What the hell?
    One of Zhao's men lurched forward and grabbed Zuko, pinning his arms behind his back. I gasped and tried to wriggle my way out of Sokka's grip to help him, but Sokka only held on tighter.
    "I don't think that's a good idea," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I sighed, ready to punch Sokka and run toward Zuko if anything bad were to happen. Zuko struggled and glared up at Zhao.
    "You're too late!" he yelled, his voice bouncing off the walls of the tall tower in an echo, "The Avatar is already inside, the door is sealed!"
    "Oh well," said Zhao casually, "he has to come out some time." Zuko gritted his teeth and fought against the guard's grip. Zhao suddenly looked over to me, his eyes flashing and full of lust. He took a step forward, and stopped when Zuko started yelling.
    "DON'T YOU EVEN LOOK AT HER! I'LL KILL YOU!" he threatened, still fighting against the guard's strong grip. Zhao laughed and ignored him, continued walking, and stopped about five feet in front of Sokka, Katara, and I. I whimpered and took a deep breath, nudging Sokka hard in the ribs as a sign to let me go. When he didn't, I looked up at him angrily and he shook his head. I looked pleadingly at Katara, who was in a fighting stance and glaring at Zhao. I didn't want them to protect me; I wanted them to get out of the way so they wouldn't get hurt.
    "Let the girl go, Water Tribe filth," he spat at Sokka, raising a fist threateningly. Zuko continued to scream at and threaten Zhao. He now had three guards hanging onto him so that he couldn't get free.
    "Let me go, Sokka," I whispered, glaring into Zhao's lust-filled eyes, "I don't want you two to get hurt just because of me. Now go!" I nudged Sokka in the ribs much harder this time, and he let go, holding himself in pain. I pushed Katara backwards into Sokka, and they both fell to the floor.
    "Are you ready for round two?" asked Zhao, hungrily looking at my exposed stomach and chest. Sokka and Katara were immediately behind me when he said this, ready to fight him off. Zuko was screaming louder than ever, still struggling against three guards.
    I lunged at Zhao, punching him in the mouth, wiping the smirk right off of it. He recoiled and tore at my shirt, exposing my right breast. I gasped and sent fire at him. He dodged it and sent some back. I pushed Sokka and Katara away again, blocking Zhao's fire blast with one of my own. Zuko was yelling, Katara was screaming, and Sokka had wide eyes as Zhao came toward me again, knocking me to the ground and ripping my shirt further, exposing the whole of my pale chest. He stared down at it hungrily and ordered the remaining guards (that weren't holding Zuko down) to restrain Katara and Sokka. I screamed and punched furiously, doing my best to get Zhao off of me. This couldn't happen to me again. It was traumatizing the first time, and a second time would have me on the verge of suicide, I just knew it. I didn't want to dream about this every night for the rest of my life. My heart was racing, my breathing was shallow, and I punched Zhao again as he tore at my pants. Sokka and Katara were screaming, but they were barely heard over a sobbing Zuko.
    I kneed Zhao as hard as I could, and he fell backwards. I unleashed everything that I had in me; I shot fire at him, I kicked him in the face repeatedly, and when I thought I could do no more, he pulled me to the ground, and rolled on top of me, pinning me to the floor and glaring. The blood from his nose dripped down onto my forehead, and he punched me, as hard as he could, in the face. He then got up and straightened his uniform, walking over to the Sages.
    My nose stung, and warm blood trickled down over my mouth. I sat up, wiping the blood on the remains of my clothes. I covered myself the best that I could and scooted myself backward, until my back touched the column. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at Zhao with hatred.
    "When that door opens, unleash all of your fire power!" Zhao ordered the Sages. They all nodded and took stance alongside Zhao. I was pleased to see that blood was still dripping from his nose.
    "How's Aang going to make it out of this?" moaned Katara miserably, hanging her head.
    "Uh, how are we going to make it out of this?" asked Sokka, struggling against his chains.

    About a minute passed and the doors flew open with a gust of wind, and visible in the darkness, were a pair of glowing blue eyes. The Sages and Zhao were all standing, ready to fire at the Avatar.
    "No! Aang!" squealed Katara, her eyes widening in shock.
    "Fire!" ordered Zhao, and the five firebenders shot five continuous fire blasts at the door. But the fire wasn't entering the sanctuary; it was staying at the doors, stopped by a much more powerful ball of swirling fire. At the very heart of the fire ball, was Avatar Roku! His eyes were glowing blue, and he pulled all of the fire back toward himself, and shot it at Zhao and the Sages, knocking them all backward. The heat melted Zuko, Sokka, and Katara's chains. Zuko immediately ran over to me and cradled me in his arms, running away from the room.
    He ran until he reached the beach. The temple was smoking now, and there was lava coming down from it. He gasped and pulled me closer to him; my head laying on his chest. I groaned in pain; my head felt like it had been split open and my body ached. Zuko looked down at me sadly, and held me tighter.
    "Prince Zuko! Over here!" It was Iroh, waving his arms from the ship. Zuko nodded, and ran toward where the ship was: about 40 feet away from the blazing temple. The metal ramp was lowered and Zuko walked up, panting. I took my arms from around Zuko's neck and got down, stumbling slightly.
    "What in the world has happened to her!?" asked Iroh in alarm. I was sure that I looked terrible.
    "Zhao," said Zuko with hatred in his voice. Iroh shot a glare at the larger ship, docked at the other side of the island. We immediately set sail at full speed, getting as far away from the island that we could, and out of the Fire Nation.

    Zuko walked me into the bathroom. As I sat there on the tub, head in my hands, he went into my room and brought back a pair of sleep clothes. I stood up and thanked him, reaching out to put an hand on his arm.
    "Thank you for every, Zuko," I whispered, looking at my feet. I had lost a shoe as well.
    "I couldn't stand it." he said after a few seconds of silence. I looked at him, confused.
    "Couldn't stand what?" I asked, moving closer to him.
    "Watching Zhao...do that to you. Even though he didn't get your pants off, it killed me on the inside. I've never hated a man more than I hate Zhao." he admitted, looking down. With everything that Zuko and I had talked about, nothing he said was this heartfelt.
    I tilted his head back up, so that he was looking into my eyes, and he threw himself on me, hugging me tightly. We embraced for a long time, and I enjoyed every minute of it. He stroked my tangled hair and caressed the back of my head.  I felt his warmth, and I knew that I had found home.