Obsession (Zuko X OC fan fic) - Discontinued

28. Passing

We all sat around the fire together as Zuko brought us tea. I was a tiny bit afraid to try it as he had nearly poisoned us last time. Okay so not really, but it tasted like it.

Zuko began filling tea cups and I rose to help him. "No one can make tea like Uncle." Zuko smiled hopefully. "But hopefully I learned a thing or two. Would you like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?"

Katara smiled kindly. "Sure."

Deko smiled. "I like jokes."

Zuko and I each took a tray and stood up. "Go ahead, Zuko." I smiled.

"Okay." Zuko knelt between The Duke and Haru. "Well, I can't remember how it starts but the punch line is, 'Leaf me alone, I'm bushed.'" Everyone give a dead panned look. Zuko was slightly crest fallen. "Well, it's funnier when Uncle tells it."

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "Right." I handed Katara a cup of tea. "Maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing." Everyone around us laughed lightly as Zuko blushed and laughed awkwardly.

Toph smiled as I put the cup of tea in her hand. "It's nice to get a chance to relax a little." She tentatively took a sip but didn't automatically spit it out. "It hardly ever happens."

"You are far to right about that, Toph." I handed the last two cups to my dad and Deko. I put my had on Deko's hair. "You need a haircut, Ko. You're starting to look like Zuko."

"What? You don't like our shaggy hair?" He teased.

"It's not that, Ko." I scuffed up his hair. "You just can't pull it off the way Zuko can." I put the tray down beside me as I sat down beside Zuko.

Sokka had been sitting by himself off to the side, thinking. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

I looked up at him and stood in unison with Zuko. "We'll be back." We followed Sokka to where Appa was resting.

Zuko asked, "So what's up?"

Sokka led us further into the dark of the temple. "If someone was captured by the Fire Nation, where would they be taken?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Who was captured?"

"When the invasion plan failed, some of our troops were taken. I just want to know where they might be..." Sokka sighed.

Zuko looked at me as I shook my head. "I can't tell you."

Sokka asked, "What? Why not?"

Zuko shook his head. "Trust me."

I looked down at the ground. "Knowing would just make you feel worse." We turned around but Sokka grabbed Zuko's his shoulder. Instinctively, I grabbed his wrist.

Sokka let go, seeming to gather my tension. "It's my Dad. He was captured. I need to know what I put him through."

Zuko sighed. "It's not good Sokka..."

Sokka continued to beg. "Please."

Zuko closed his eyes. "My guess is..."

"They were taken to the Boiling Rock." I looked at Sokka. "It's no guess, either."

Sokka frowned slightly. "What's that?"

Zuko looked at me then Sokka. "It's the highest security prison in the Fire Nation." Sokka's mouth fell slightly agape. "It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake. It's inescapable."

Sokka looked thoughtful. "So where is this place?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need to know? What are you planning?"