Chapter One

Authors note: I am rewriting a story I wrought back in 2008/2009, which I never finished. When I wrought the story then I was going on 14 years old. I am currently 17. The old story is called Not A Dream, so if any one reads this and thinks it is very similar to a story they have previously read on here, it is probably because you've read the original; it is pretty much the same story. This version will be slightly different from the original, chapters will be longer, and it is much better written. I had 4 1/2 to better my writing skills :]

Please take note that the story is before Zuko ever joined the avatars group, Katara is not yet a water bending master, they have not yet beat the fire lord. I hope you enjoy

Hidden by the shadows of a small side alley, eyes followed every movement taken by a young girl as she curiously walked around the shops. She looked as if she was trying to find something but what it was unclear. The watchful eyes belonged to an older man, they were full of hunger, an aching desire. He licked his lips as the young lady turned around, he was able to see her features and her face now. She wore white and blue, her complexion was quite tan and her eyes were the color of the ocean. She wore a simple necklace among her neck. The man smirked as he watched her bend down to help a elderly lady who had just dropped her bag. His eyes roamed her body, she was petite but muscular, oval pretty face, maturing quite nicely he saw. His nose crinkled up in having to wait.

Katara was just finishing her shopping, now she was just roaming the stores, taking a little time for herself before she headed back to the gang. She had come to the market in hopes to find a medicine that could help heal Appa, as of yesterday he fell sick and the group had to stop because of it. Within 25 minutes she was able to find something that would be sufficient. Sokka, Toph, and Aang, along with Momo, were back in the depths of the forest, a few miles from town. Aang had wished to accompany Katara but he stayed back to watch Appa and be a comfort to his friend. Toph and Sokka were as usual, being their lazy selves and were more happy to sleep rather than walk to town with her in the heat of the forest. Katara didn't mind though, she didn't expect much from her brother or Toph, she liked the opportunity to have some time to herself and be able to roam the stores for her liking.

She was just about ready to head back and make the trip through the forest again. She started walking back the way she first came in through, walking close to the brick wall so she could trace her fingers along the ridges and cracks of the aging wall. As she started lowering her hand as she came upon an alley way, it was taken and yanked and she was pulled into the darkened backstreet. Immediate shock filled her and before she was able to scream, one hand covered her mouth and another took her by the waist. A voice just above a whisper filled came close to her ear.

"Don't you dare scream or try to run away," the voice was low and heavy, and she could almost tell that he was quite nervous, "I'll stab you with the knife, I don't care if I have to spill your blood."

She felt the knife press against her back and she squirmed as it pressed to hard into her. He nudged the knife a bit more to stop her from squirming. She stopped. She was still in shock. Her mind was swarming, her thoughts were racing too fast she couldn't even keep up with them. The growing pain in her lower back was building, as the man wasn't letting up on withdrawing the knife even the slightest. Her head turned to view were they were, in a short alley that turned to the left. Where that lead to she didn't know. She didn't know whether trying to fight him was even any use, her conclusion came to that it wasn't. Not at this moment. He had the advantage of the knife and his strength. She hadn't noticed, but she was shaking and she became disgusted as she felt his breath on her ear again.

"We're gonna take a little walk and you're going to be a good little girl and not make a fuss and follow."

He pushed her and they started walking down the alley where she had just been looking. She still had yet to see the mans face. Once they got to the turn, she saw that it was yet another small alley and at the end of it she realized there shops. She now recognized it as the other side of the market, however it was very small and only few people came to this side. She became hopeful though.

"We're going to have to go through there," he nudged his head in the direction of the shops, "Okay? This means you have to be extra good. One move, one peep outta your mouth and you're done."

Katara hadn't been able to speak or let out anything due to the fact this guys disgusting sweaty hand was still covering her mouth. He began to drop his hand.

"Shhhhh."

The pouch besides Katara that filled her water was of no use if she couldn't open it and if she went to try to open it, the man would no likely hit her for doing so. He placed his hand on her back, the knife was no longer in his hand and they started walking. He was making it so it seemed they were together, not like she was his captive. She didn't know exactly were he put the knife, but if she could play his game and then try to make a run for it where people were, she could have a chance.

They were just reaching the end of the alley, and she could see there were a fair enough of people out on this side, not many but enough. She was beginning to become even more hopeful. Before they left the alley however he stopped her again. He roughly made her face him, she slightly coward by the sudden move. She finally was able to see his face.

He was old enough to be her father, he had long strangely brown hair with wisps of greys coming out that dangled in front of his face and his eyes were dark and crazy. He had a very thin mouth, almost in a smirk. His eyebrows were furrowed down. He was staring directly into her eyes.

"You have gorgeous eyes," he drew the sentence out and it made Katara recoil and grimace at him.

"Who are you?," she uttered the first words in barely a whisper. She had been trying to think why this man had taken her. Her first thought was that he wanted to kidnap her to get to Aang, but the longer she thought about it, a realization came into her mind.

He smiled at her, "Baby, I'm your man," he growled, "And you're my girl."

He wants me. He wants me not because of Aang but because he want's to use me. Her stomach dropped and she felt the need to throw up.

"You're disgusting. You're not my man, and I'm definitely not your girl," she spat at him.

Within a second, his knife was back out and he put it up to her throat. "You'll be anything I want you to be."

He stared right at her, and cocked his head as if to ask if she had anything else to say. She stayed silent as she felt the knife on her neck. She has to stay cool, when she gets into view of people that's when she can risk it, not now.

"You got it? You gonna be good?"

She gave a weak nod. His head was slightly twitching back and forth and his eyes were in a craze. The knife was gone once again, and he put his hand back on her back and they started walking again.

Once they stepped out of the alley, no one really paid any attention to them. The people who were on this side were far to busy in what they were doing, that they didn't care to look up.

He was staying the farthest distance he could from everyone, she felt the hand on her waist give her a little pinch and her mouth formed into a snarl. She felt his back bending as he was going to whisper something else into her ear. Before he uttered a word, Katara's fist slammed into his face and he roared with anger and pain. She quickly missed him trying to grab a hold of her as she made her getaway and started running.

"HELPP!" She started screaming and trying to run towards a small cart .

She opened her mouth again to scream but her hair was taken and yanked back words and then punched in the face. She was so taken back by it, she was unable to keep her footing and the force of the punch pushed her back and made her land on her back, falling onto a rock jutting out of the ground.

Her eyes flew open and every thing in her vision became white, from the amount of pain she was in. She could barely breath, and was taking gasp after gasp to try to fill her lungs with air. She thought she heard a woman call out but the pain hurt so bad that's all she focused on. She tried getting onto her knees and crawling, the pain still throbbing in her back.

As her vision was just becoming clear again, she was yanked up backwards and spun around. The man was sneering with such unbelievable rage, was shaking so hard, Katara believed that she was going to die right here.

"Hey let her go! Put your hands off her!" She heard an assortment of people now yelling.

"You made a big fucking mistake." he snarled, she saw his arm move and she saw the knife.

"STOP!" a voice rang out above anything, deep and urgent, it was an order, "I command you to STOP!"

Katara recognized that voice. I've heard that before

Before she ever found out who it was, a searing pain went through her stomach, her body froze and she gasped. She looked down to see the knife being pulled out of her side and realized the deep crimson red that had begun to grow was her blood. She looked up and the man was simply just staring at her, and then he brought up his hand and gave another blow to her head. She stumbled backwards, everything in her body seemed to grow so heavy and she fell to the ground.

Feet pounded towards her. She felt a sudden blast of heat swarm past her body, only to be met seconds later with horrible screaming. She almost vomited when the smell of burnt flesh reached her nose. Her vision started going black, her ears pounded.

She barely saw the person bend down at her side. She could only make out that whoever was at her side was wearing the colors of the fire nation. Everything screamed in pain and she couldn't stop her vision from blacking out. Before all senses put her into a world of dark silence, she was able to just her name be said.

"Katara?" It was the same familiar voice she heard before she was stabbed.

I know you. Who are you?

She fell unconscious.