Us

Fear part 3.

Two days later.
Zuko.

He was frantic, desperate, and lost.
It had been two days since Katara and Azula went missing.
Two days for Agni only knows what to happen.

They had tore the whole palace apart, and aside from a few servants and guards missing, they hadn't found anything.

"We're looking at a Rat here, you know that right? How else would someone have managed to slip in and out without anyone noticing?" Toph said.
They were all gathered in Zuko's office after another full day of searching for something, anything at this point.

"Yes Toph I know, but we have no clue who it is, and we've already questioned every servant and guard and you said none of them were lying." He said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It had to have been one of the one's that disappeared." Aang said after a moment.

"And how does that help us now? We have no idea where the hell they went." He was quickly losing his patience. He needed her back and he kept hitting dead ends. It killed him to think about what she might be going through.

"I'm just trying to help Zuko." Aang said a little hurt.

"Well you're not! Nobody is! It's been two days Aang! How the hell are we supposed to find her?!" He snapped. Everything became too much, and he let his temper break loose.
Swiping his arm across the desk, sent everything flying across the room but it wasn't enough.
Grabbing the edge of the desk, he flipped it, then picked up his chair and threw it so hard it broke apart when it hit the wall.

His friends shrunk back, as pieces of wood flew about and smoke filled the room.

"Zuko! Stop!"

He whipped around at Sokkas voice, ready for a fight, anything to get rid of the pain.

Sokka grabbed his shoulders instead and shook him slightly.

"This won't bring her back! Don't you think that this is killing me too?! She's my sister and I want to find her just as bad as you. But this won't help. We have to keep it together for her!" Sokka held on, as if he'd let go Zuko would break apart completely.

"We will not stop until she's safe with us again. I don't care how long it takes, we'll never stop. She's all our family." Aang said coming to stand next to him.

"Twinkle-toes is right. Katara is the sister I never had and when we find whoever took her, they're gonna pay." She said slamming her fist's together.

"We have your back Zuko. We will find her." Suki told him, putting a gentle hand on his arm.

"Maybe we should search Azula's room." They all turned to look at Ty-lee who had, up till this point, been a quiet shadow in the background.

"I mean it couldn't hurt right?" She suggested again when they just kept staring at her.

"Let's go." Zuko said and they all made their way to holding cell that had once held his sister.

Opening the door, they started looking.
Zuko went to check the bedside table, when something crunched under his boot. Raising his foot he saw the broken tea cup.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"A tea cup?"

"Azula hated tea though."

Silence...

"I believe your sister took Master Katara, my Lord." Wong spoke from the doorway. "And I believe she drugged her with this." He held up a small empty bottle.

"It has no taste, so Her ladyship wouldn't have noticed it in her tea and it only takes a drop to make someone sleep. It was Azula's."

Zuko stared at the old servant, unsure if he could really trust him.

"Lady Katara has always been so kind to us all and I want to help you find her. Please." Wong said to Zuko.

"He's telling the truth. Let him help sparky."

"Okay. Is there anywhere we might have missed that you can think of?" Zuko asked him.

"Follow me please." Wong led them to the hall, explaining his hunch as the walked.

"You remember the underground chamber your father built and hid in the day of black sun?"
At Zuko's nod, he continued.

"Well, he had built secret entries all over the palace. Including the medical ward and the holding cell's and I believe Azula used one of these to escape through."

"That would explain why no one saw or heard anything." Sokka said.

Zuko really hoped the old man was right. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time.

Leading them to what at first, just seemed to be a wall, Wong pressed his hand against one of the brick and a wide door opened.

"Bring her back to us, my Lord and be safe, all of you." Wong said bowing to the war heroes before him.

"We will." And then Zuko and the gang set off to save her.
He prayed they weren't too late.

******
Katara.

Her head was pounding as she came to. Her mouth dry and tongue swollen.

She slowly opened her eyes and carefully sat up. Taking in the dim room that held her.

"What's going on?" She said out loud. Not expecting a reply.

"Oh good! You're awake. I wouldn't stand up just yet. Those awful sleeping drops are quite strong and make one feel weak."

She jerked her head to the dark figure in the corner, fear racing up her spine.

"Azula!"

The ex princess clapped her hands, the sound bounced off the walls and made the pain in her head worse.

"Congratulations. You caught me." Azula gave her an evil grin.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Hmmm, and here I thought you were the smart one of your little group. Oh well, I'll explain it slowly."
Azula walked closer to her, stalking around her like the predator she is.

"You, my brother and the Avatar took everything from me and I want it back. For five years Zuzu let me rot in that pathetic little cell, it was humiliating!" Azula's sudden scream made Katara want to cover her ears but she still felt the effects of the drug.

"So now, I will make them pay. I will bring them to their knees! And you're going to help me do it." She said, getting in Kataras face.

"No! You don't have to do this Azula. We can help you-"

"Silence! I don't need help from peasants like you! I was born to rule! Not sit in a cell, watching my brother screw up everything our father worked for!"

Grabbing Kataras face, her nails digging into her skin, she spat her next word's at the waterbender.

"I hope you enjoyed Zuzu while you had the chance, cause it will be so much more satisfying to make you watch him die."

Katara started to shake.

Yue help them all.....

Part four coming soon!