The Phoenix

Truth

Smeller bee sat on the stairs of the ship sobbing into her hands as Jet was on the ship but no where to be found as Katara had her arms crossed and looked on the verge of tears.

"Long shot was caught," Zuko announced seeing people were confused. "And executed,"

Ty Lee hung onto mais arm wide eyes in shock.

"I'm so sorry," he looked at them sympathetic as he removed his hat to place over his heart. Anyone else who wore a hat did the same for the lost.

"I hate it when situations are unavoidable, I don't know what happened but it was a wrong place wrong time, we fly our colors high tonight for long shot, we'll never find another archer like him," Zuko gulped a little looking at his crew as they mourned.

Zuko looked at Katara almost with suspicion as she looked guilty, he set his hat on a table and nodded to let everyone go back to what they were doing. He went over to the water bender.

"Hey, what happened? How did you get caught?" He asked softly.

"I don't know, it happened so fast," Katara breathed closing her eyes. Zuko frowned.

"You're hiding something?" He looked at her confused. "Katara tell me everything, for smeller bee and jets sake tell me what happened,"

"I-I..." her jaw trembled a little. "I didn't know they'd take him..."

Zukos heart dropped. It wasn't an accident or coincidence..

He immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her along, hard enough to get her moving but not to much to arouse suspicion on what they'd be talking about.

Zuko shoved her in his quarters and closed the door behind him looking at her wide eyes.

"What the fuck did you do?" He hissed.

"I didn't mean too," Katara backed away with tears in her eyes.

"Did you sell him off or something? What did long shot do to you?" Zukos voice broke for a moment as he scrunched his nose up in disbelief.

"I went to some soldiers for-for help," she admitted.

"And caught long shot, I thought they'd just take me away to help but he came up to get me back and I-I don't them he was a pirate, I ran away to find you after, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..." Katara trailed off seeing the captain furious.

"You killed him?" Zuko breathed.

"No!" She cried out.

Zuko laughed shaking his head running a hand through his hair looking insane. Tears were in his eyes as he looked at her with a cruel smile.

"She was right, I shouldn't have trusted you, I should've just kept you in a fucking cage," Zuko chuckled pushing his hair back and kept his hands scrunched in his hair by his nape.

"Lee that's not- you can still..." she couldn't even allow herself to say it.

"It wasn't my fault," she defended.

"For agnis fucking sake, it's only your fault," he snapped harshly.

"Maybe if you didn't fucking kidnap me you lunatic!" She yelled back.

"That's the reason long shot was hung!?" He roared.

She shoved him back, Zuko growled annoying barely budging, she shoved him again and hit his chest but Zuko had enough and slapped her across the face.

Katara held her cheek in shock he raised a hand at her. She knew he could hit harder but it was hard enough to make her stop. He grabbed her arm pulling her close.

"You are not one of us, you are a prisoner, you do not get to act like your innocent, you killed one of my men," Zuko snarled down at her as Katara was frozen.

"I am the captain, show some fucking respect on my ship," he spat shoving her back as Katara stumbled a little.

"You lost all trust you built up and have no respect now, and you have no one else to blame but you Princess," Zuko told her coldly.

"Are you going to tell everyone it was my fault?" She whispered fearful.

"No, you'll be dead by the end of the week if I told them, so you better keep it to yourself, that guilt you have, lock it up," he glared.

"You don't get your bending back, not until that spirit water comes in, after that your in the fucking cell," Zuko warned and she pursed her lips rubbing her cheek.

"You won't bruise, toughen up and go see the pain you've caused," he motioned to the door.

"You've killed too, have you had to go see the pain you've caused?" Katara asked hugging her body looking at her feet.

"I've gone to some of their funerals," he nodded not regretting his kills.

"I've never killed a child and I've never killed in front of their family," Zuko said calmly.

"Long shot was sixteen, and was killed in front of his brother and sister," he opened the door for her to leave. Katara gulped nervously as she looked at him wide eyes.

"Get out," he spat.