Chapter 9: A Promise

He had heard the door open, and the footsteps but no one said anything so he looked back. It was her; there was a long silence before she said in barely a whisper "Aang"

A little bit of light went back into his eyes when he saw her "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, I'm fine" he let out a sigh of relief

"Are you ok?" he nodded "If you were captured then where's Sokka?"

"He got away, I let myself get caught"

"What!" she went quiet for a moment to see if anyone had heard her outburst, when no one came she continued. "Aang what were you thinking?" she didn't give him a chance to respond.

She signed "Never mind that, how are we going to get you out of here?" she started thinking of a way to get him out.

"No Katara"

She stopped thinking and looked at him "What?"

"You have to get out of here, Zuko has me, he won't come after you."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not leaving you here."

"But Katara-"

"No Aang, I'm not going to leave you here, if I escape then we escape."

"But I told Sokka that I'd get you out"

"Aang right now saving the world is more important than saving me"

He looked at the floor and gave a little nod.

"I'd better get back before someone notices that I'm missing. But I'll be back, and then we'll come up with a plan." She walked to the door, but before she opened it she looked back I'm sorry Aang, it's my fault you're in here. She then proceeded to open the door, and made her way back on to the deck.

When she was back on the deck people were where they were when she left. Good they didn't notice.

O...O

*later that night*

Music night was over and the crew was retiring to their rooms, Katara helped Iroh put everything up. She sat the last instrument in its proper place.

"That's the last of them"

"Thank you for your help, I'm usually the only one who puts them up." He smiled at her

"I'm going to go make some tea, would you like some?"

"It's a little late for tea don't you think"

"It's never too early or too late for tea."

They made their way to the kitchen. Iroh began to make the tea. Once he had it made he poured Katara a cup and then one for himself.

"So Miss Katara did you like music night?"

"Ya I had fun"

"I'm glad, so, where were you the first few minutes?" Katara nearly choked on her tea. What am I supposed to tell him? The truth? What if he tells Zuko? Would he? "I was…um uh…" what do I say? Let's see we're on a boat and it's night. Boat, waves, night, stars, moon. The moon! "I was looking at the moon from another part of the boat"

"Really? Because where we were at you could see the moon fairly good"

"I…uh…wanted to see it from a different angle"

Iroh sat down his cup and sighed "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" she sat down her cup "...ya I do, how'd you know?"

"You looked like you were worried about something when I brought you your breakfast, and it being the day after he was captured...it's one of the reasons I invited you to music night, so that if you wanted to, you could investigate"

"You're not going to tell Zuko are you?"

"No, I'm not. But I should warn you, that if you get caught by my nephew, I won't be able to help you, so be careful"

She nodded "I will"

After they finished their tea Iroh took Katara back to her room.

When she walked into her room she sat on her bed and started to think of an escape plan. It had been a while since she actually made plans to escape. Katara was thinking about her previous attempts, she would try to learn as much as she could from them. I've already failed twice. But you know what they say 'third time's the charm'

O…O

It had been a few days since Aang's capture, and tomorrow was the day. Katara and Aang, with some help from Iroh, had made a plan. They had been docked for supplies and they would be leaving tomorrow, they would escape when they got far enough away from the docks. That way they would have reached land long before Zuko could even get the ship turned around.

Now that they had that plan, Katara had one more order of business to attend to.

She made her way to Aang's cell, Katara could tell he had been working on the bars like she told him to, they would just need one more good waterbending slice; but that would wait until tomorrow.

They went over the plan again, because they figured they only had one shot at this so it would have to be almost full proof.

"Aang you have to make me a promise"

"What is it?"

"If something happens and I fall behind, you have to keep going, don't look back"

"What! No Katara I can't do that, I'm not going to leave you here with Zuko"

"Aang I'll be fine, I'll escape"

"Then why haven't you escaped already?"

Because I failed before "Because, what if you came for me and I had escaped, then Zuko would have what he wants, I stayed in case you came so I could get you out" she'd lied. Katara felt she didn't have a choice, if I had told him that I failed twice before, he would never agree to leave me behind if I get caught.

"So, do you promise?"

He paused for a moment, thinking about it and then nodded "I promise"