The Duke looked around cautiously. No one was in view, but that didn't mean some weren't hiding and he knew that.

"Keiko, how long do you think we have been here?" The Duke whispered, just to break the unbearable silence that was stretching out before them. He had called out so quietly Keiko had to strain to hear, and when she did understand the boy's words, a flare grew inside of her.

"Too long." Keiko replied shortly, stepping out of the cell cautiously, not even bothering to look both ways. Just the direction Right was all before she took a daring step beyond.

"Keiko, this is a bad idea. I don't think we should risk dying." The Duke looked Left.

"We will be careful. Come on, we can even explore the area for weak points." Keiko glared at the weak boy before her, how could one just give up everything with not even trying? It bothered her.

"But if Zuko finds out, he'll get really mad." Pft, he wouldn't even know they left.

"Well, he won't, because no one will tell him." Right?

"No. Keiko, this is a really bad idea, if we do this we will need a really good plan."

Sticking her nose in the air, she replied, "Well, I am a great leader, therefore a good planner. Follow or not, but I am leaving this stinky jail."

Keiko wouldn't have as good of a chance if she went alone and they both knew that, even if Keiko wasn't expressing that. "Fine, I'll go but only for a little while," The Duke muttered sullenly, quickly looking Right, the direction he missed checking before. Keiko didn't even bother checking Left once, already moving out.

Keiko smiled in the lead. This is going to be so much fun.

I hate this! Stupid girl Zuko just had to save her. Zuko is going to go insane! This is so not what I call fun!

The Duke stared ahead as Keiko eyes wandered here and there. To give the girl some credit she could have been memorizing signs or distinguishing landmarks, but The Duke knew that that was just bullshit, Keiko was just . . . plain and simple bored. A creaking noise broke Keiko out of her wanderings, her eyes widened beyond the size available. The Duke gave a quick and panicked glance toward his so-called leader; she returned it with one of her own.

Damn.

And just as a voice drifted closer to their station, The Duke was pulled roughly into room. Or at first is seemed like what one would call a room. Its cold air bit into his skin like a million starving mosquitoes was the only indication to The Duke that they were not yet safe. They were never going to be safe.

A whisper called, "The Duke? You okay? Can you still hear them?" The Duke was not himself at that moment because right as she called out to him, he pondered on two things. One, she had said The Duke, only Zuko had ever called him his real name. Haru and the others would just laugh and mess up his hair, repeatedly calling him Duke. Two, What in Oma's name were they in?

"Psssssstt!" A serpent in mortal form.

The Duke finally looked toward the young woman. Her hair was a mess but her face had changed. In those few seconds of being a child from noble birth, she transformed to a mature woman still in her one digit numbers. "Are you okay?" She was not angry; a little annoyed for sure, but too much guilt was on her, covering the anger that she wanted to let out.

The Duke nodded once. Twice. Th-

"Good," Keiko looked down to her hands, her hair falling in front of her eyes as a curtain, shield.

His mouth moved before his brain even began to process her words. "Do not blame yourself. I came along willingly. Hell I did complain," He put in at her head shooting up. "But who wouldn't? We are risking out lives, who would want to do that? We are doing this to help everyone, not ourselves. This is a selfless act and it is not done yet." He smiled. "Got that amazing plan yet, leader?" No mock entered his tone at all, not even the slightest. He believed it, she was his leader.

Of all things in the mighty bending world, a world with a war going on, they were in a jail, and they were lost beyond belief, she blushed. Her face was lit in color and she felt the heat rushing to her face. Her head bent down again as protector to her cheeks and she smiled widely.

"Oh yeah, The Duke. This is definitely something no one will ever think of." Her head moved to face him, the tint of pink gone. Her wide smile turned his to dust right upon sight. What did I just do?

..o0o..

Sokka gasped as he sat Zuko down in his cell carefully as to not hurt the teens already abused body. The blood had seeped onto him as well, changing his rusty red garb to a sticky, vivid, orange tinted color of red. Sokka looked down to inspect his hands. The liquid was warm on his skin. Sokka flexed his fingers, watching the blood move around, some falling onto the stone ground with a plop. The sound gave him an uneasy feeling, making him grab his stomach as if it physically hurt.

Sokka sighed finally, letting his hands fall limp near his waist. What was he going to do? Sokka turned a wary eye on the enemy's son whom was laying limp in an awkward position, eyes still closed as if dreaming. Sokka wished to Yue that this was all just a dream, just an imaginative nightmare, but he didn't want to fool himself any longer.

No more illusions.

The boy stirred. His hair moved just a tiny bit as the neck attached to the scarred boy's body craned. Sokka watched this all with a keen eye, waiting, just waiting.

A gasp came next. Then it happened again, louder this time. His eyelashes fluttered again, again, again, again –

Sokka wondered if it was paining him to even open his eyes.

Then, in one quick second, they bolted open. Wide like a saucer with pupils that seemed too small, seeming to shrink as the eyes grew wider and wider. Zuko looked at that moment, so . . . vulnerable, innocent, hurt, wary, and confused. Sokka was never good at reading people, but at that moment it was all he could do to understand his savior.

Finally, as Zuko began to move his eyes in directions, he spotted Sokka and froze. Gold irises still too wide met with sea blue, neither broke contact.

Sokka, still looking at Zuko opened his mouth to speak. It was not his voice that filled the silence but a rough, hoarse voice filled in the void, instead.

"I – I really . . ." Zuko sighed, letting his words trail off into nothing. He didn't know what to say, didn't know what would please. His head was now in his hands as a backbone or strength to keep his head above. He broke eye contact first.

"Zuko." Not angry, not upset, not sad, not happy, not anything really. It was devoid of all emotion, and even though it partly scared Zuko that one could be just like him in so many ways, he was thankful for it. Azula would have mock in her tone, the Firelord would have wrath in his, and Mother would have kindness. But right now he just couldn't deal with it, couldn't deal with failure.

"Thank you." Zuko looked up in surprise, his eyes deciding to go wider even more. Sokka was putting more into his words as he continued, in a gentle tone he started again, "I – I really need to clear some things up with you. I know . . . that you were gone when the Waru came." It seemed that Sokka had begun the habit as all others had, of calling the slave holders Waru.

The Water Tribe warrior looked at the Firebender blood on his palm, sighed and continued, but his view never left his hand. "Um . . . well I think you deserve thanks again for . . . uh . . . you know, saving my life and all, ," Sokka took a deep breath. "And I would like to know your side of the story."

Silence.

Then, "Well I –"

Sokka cut in, not even bothering to be polite. "Yes, this is going to be as hell as awkward as the day you asked to join us, but we don't have time for that." His voice softened and lowered simultaneously. "They could come at any moment." Both knew who they were. Sokka began again, "I won't do anything, won't call names, rude remarks, anything. I – no more illusions."

"No more illusions," Zuko agreed, nodding his head once. Sokka guessed to make sure he got the message, but it was really that his head was hurting . . . again.

Damn. Why did he have to be so weak?

An idea popped in his head just as fast as he thought that statement. But first, "Okay, Sokka. Here is how it started . . ."

As Zuko finished his story, Sokka nodded toward his friend. "Sorry, again."

"I have a question."

Sokka hesitated for the briefest of moments but immediately made up for it, "Ask away." The warrior smiled as a way of confirmation.

"Okay, well I have a couple, actually." Zuko admitted but he made it to Sokka's eyes and kept it this time.

Sokka nodded once more. Go ahead . . .

"One, do you know where your sister is? Two, I need a favor from her."

Despite their truce, Sokka still narrowed his eyes. "Why?" It held anger, not just a curious tone.

Zuko looked up at him, is eyes answering do really not know? What do you think I did back there? Asked the Waru for tea?

"Right. Stupid question." Sokka shyly smiled and looked toward his ally again. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Sokka gave a confused stare toward the scarred boy, but let it go. "That it?" Sokka asked, just curious not sarcastic.

"Yep." Zuko looked out the sealed door, and cursed to the spirits, half of the words spoken Sokka had never even heard of.

"Damn, that little –"

"Shut it!" A harsh whisper cut him off.

A sealed bolt creaked in strain beside their cell. A voice called out, loud and obnoxious, but . . . female and young. Damn her.

"Ha-ha! You are such fail Warus. I am only ten but I could beat you with two hands tied behind me and my feet on fire! Wahoo! You fail so badly! Ha-ha!"

"Shut it little girl!" A male voice snarled out, menacing and threatening.

The ten year old girl either missed the tone or just ignored it. "Ha-ha!" Then, the voice disappeared just like that. Zuko's eyes widened, again. This was so not his day.

He made to get up but the pain that followed after hit him like bricks and he slumped back to the ground in pain. Sokka looked toward the injured on his party. Zuko was now part of his tribe, and tribe members were not abandoned.

"Zuko, stay."

Zuko looked up at him his eyes talking for him. I am not an animal, but okay.

Sokka nodded and subtly opened the cell door. He thanked Tui and La that the door chose to not squeak in displeasure.

His eyes took in all that they could in a matter of seconds. And he could help but laugh at the scene before him.

A young girl – most likely the one yelling at the Waru before – was sitting on top of an unconscious Waru. Under the Waru's massive helmet was a boy. A boy that Sokka was immensely happy to see, but what Sokka didn't see was that each of the two children had their hands intertwined as one, as one in all.

The Duke looked up, sensing a pair of eyes on him, and immediately broke out in a grin that reached cheek to cheek. "Hey Sokka! I never thought I would see your face again, though, why do you look so funny?"

The Duke's smile broke in two, "What happened?" He had noticed the blood that trailed Sokka's palm.

Sokka smiled softly and sadly. "It's not mine." He took quick peek around the corner. Then, "Duke, and um you um girl, we need to get inside before you-know-who comes back." Sokka smiled once more. "And I know someone there needs to see you."

Sokka led them to his cell room.

Both children gasped and back away.

"Shit!" The Duke.

"Damn!" The girl.

A/N: Yes, I know that Keiko and The Duke are cursing in this chapter. And if I was their age and in the middle of a Goram* 100 year war, while fighting soldiers half my size and age, I would pick up some . . . older words.

Also, just as a little tidbit if you even care: Left is supposedly the side of evil and right good. :/ I learned that in Film Studies and it really struck me as interesting. Now, I can't stop thinking about which side this, which side that. Did you know Zuko's scar is on his Left side? :/ Just thought I would tell you. :D

*From Firefly. If you have not seen it, go now now now now! It is not an 'Oh maybe next week.' No! Go watch it now! Joss Whedon's Firefly. Have a good life and Happy Holidays.