Once again, I rise after months of silence. I actually wrote this some time ago (not exactly sure how long it's been) and stumbled acrossed it while searching through my writing folder. I was actually fairly impressed with what I had so far, so I figure I'll try to pick this idea up again. I actually can't quite recall where I wanted to go with this, but I have a faint idea, so I'll put this up. If I get enough positive feedback, I'll continue.

Avatar, Viacom's, not mine. Bleh.

Though she knew it wouldn't be of any real use, Katara yanked on the brace holding her arm. The chain clanked in the darkness, but other than that, the pull produced no real result. She was still a prisoner.

Sadly, her gaze traveled sideways to the occupant of the other cell. He was here only temporarily, while his cell was being repaired and reinforced after his most recent outburst and near escape. He lay motionless, his body in the same slumping, tucked in position it had been when he'd been first tossed in. Even through the darkness, she could see the deep slices in his skin, red and glistening even in the low light. His skin was riddled with reds and violets, violent shocks of color illustrating the vicious cruelty he'd been subjected to. The Fire Nation truly had no mercy.

"Aang..." she barely mouthed his name, frightened of the prospect of attracting attention of the guards nearby. He didn't respond. She didn't really know if she'd thought he would; simply saying his name brought the comfort of knowing she wasn't alone.

Knowing the world outside would remain dank and quiet, Katara searched inward for distraction. She thought of first coming here, being dragged in by ominous figures in striking blood tones, extremists who supported the old days of the Fire Nation's glory, even years after its return to peace. Memories of being drugged, groggy, and helpless, watching Sokka being beaten down in an attempt to save Aang.

She realized now that the last time she'd seen Sokka, he was headed for something horrible, being pulled from the cell the group had been sharing for the first few days of their capture. He'd looked her dead in the eyes and...smiled, wryly.

"I'll be okay, Katara. I've been through way worse than these guys could ever dish out."

She did her best to stifle the whimper that came before a bout of bitter tears. She hated this feeling, of being helpless to the Fire Nation's whims, of not knowing whether she'd live or die, if her brother and Toph were okay...and how long before Aang broke under the torture. He seemed more dead than alive most of the time, being tossed in after an absence of days or more. He hadn't spoken a word in so long, she wondered if he was still capable of speech after all he'd been through.

Slowly, she leaned over and stroked the shaggy crop of hair he'd grown. Katara silently consoled him with her touch, wanting more than anything to hold him in her arms and quietly assure him this would pass and life would be good soon, they just had to endure. These would be empty comforts, as even she herself had lost almost all hope of rescue or escape. She was kept drugged and sluggish by the food and water she was forced to eat. Her body was heavy and strange, and she passed days in a haze, no longer sure of the passage of time. Hope, as Aang had said long ago, was only a distraction. It wouldn't save her this time.

--

Something pushed her, waking her from the half sleep she'd fallen into. Lifting her head blearily, she was surprised to find Aang staring dead into them, his eyes wide.

"Katara..." he breathed, his voice husky and strange from disuse. "Awake?"

"Aang!" she blurted, shocked by the sound of his voice. She quickly covered her mouth, all too aware the guards had heard, would swarm in and pull him away from her. The rules were no talking, or they both would pay dearly...

To her intense relief, the quiet blackness remained undisturbed.

"They're gone. We're alone," Aang explained simply, noticing Katara's darting gaze.

"What's going on? Aang, your voice...I can't believe you're finally talking!" Katara rubbed her eyes, unbelievably tired but thrilled by the idea of being, finally, alone, and allowed to speak.

"Not sure. Just can't sleep...and...we're alone. I need...I..." Aang looked down a moment. "I need to talk. I'm going crazy not being allowed to speak..."

"I know the feeling..." Katara pulled her knees up to her legs, slightly constricted in movement by her chain. "I don't know how much more of this I can take...have you got any ideas on how we can escape?"

Aang shook his head grimly, sitting across from her cross-legged.

"This place is worse than any Fire Nation prison I've ever seen...and I saw some horrible ones while me and Zuko traveled the Fire Nation. The guards are elite Firebenders, the walls are thick, and...well, it's basically the best—well, worst really—they've got..."

"So there really isn't much hope, is there?" Katara frowned, looking into her lap. "I didn't think I'd die this way...trapped..."

"No!" Aang blurted suddenly, causing Katara to look up, startled. "You won't, I swear. I'll find a way...I'll save you, I promise."

Always selfless, she thought with a small glimmer of affection. The way he said 'you' instead of 'us'...it made it seem more heroic. She admired Aang for his courage...even in the face of all he'd suffered through, he had yet to break.

She found herself opening her arms in offer for an embrace, which he readily accepted, longing for the gentle human touch he'd been so deprived of in the months of harsh metal and pain. The two sat in the dark, hugging as if each were the fragile tether holding the other to the world.

Katara, without breaking the embrace, kissed Aang on his forehead. Aware of the strange moisture of her lips, he gazed up at her from his spot against her breast. Acutely aware of a thrumming in his chest, he dared to peck her lips. His lips, rather dry and slightly metallic in flavor, left a trace of him in her mouth, which she tasted briefly before pulling him back in for a more serious second kiss. Desperation for human warmth and comfort from all this pain and numbness turned the kissing into clawing and clutching, innocence quickly vanishing as the two company-starved teens nearly sucked every ounce of breath from each other.

Breaking for air, they stared at the other, almost shocked at the hunger of the other and themselves.

"We...should stop. What if we...go too far?" Katara murmured, trying to keep her head and stave off the heat of desire. She didn't want to go to extremes, not here...this was not the place for kindling passion.

"Yeah...I'm sorry..." Aang looked away, seeming almost a mix of ashamed yet...disappointed? No, no, she thought to herself harshly. He wasn't like that...

"Me too...we should sleep..." Katara feigned a yawn and leaned back against the wall.

There was a moment of silence, both feeling awkward and excited. After that moment passed, Katara found Aang crawling closer. And, to her amazement, she found herself pulling him over into another heated kiss.

--

Blackness filled her, surrounded her, and pressed against her, inside and out.

There was a thrumming her head, an unbearable pounding just behind her temple. Waking slowly from her doze, she found herself overwhelmed with stabbing aches in her head and stomach, as if she'd recently been beaten. Shaking, the dizzy waves of sickness crashing through her, she forced herself into a sitting position and looked about the compact room she'd woken into.

She wanted to speak, to cry out for aide, but rawness and pain constricted her throat. Her gaze darting around the room, her breath came in faster and faster gasps, the weight of her situation dawning on her more and more.

She was alone, in a room she did not recognize.

And as hard as she tried, she could not remember her name.