The Commander's Daughter (Zuko X OC)

Chapter 13 ~ Reunited

Karina stood from her seat in the hole that Tyro had blasted through the wall. Her eyes still focused on where she last saw the Bison, still searching for the remnants of the trio. Sighing she tore her eyes from the horizon and looked out towards the structure that she assumed to be the guard quarters. Her stuff was in there, glancing down at her bare scarred arms Karina clenched her fists as a familiar shame washing over her. She needed to find her things, and she needed to do it before Zuko arrived.

Focused she charged forward running towards the still open door that she saw the Warden try to enter and swiftly made her way inside. The inside is not unlike that of Zuko's ship, her heart aches slightly at the thought. She missed it, she missed Iroh and his crazy yet loving nature. The old man had been on her thoughts regularly. Karina wondered if he would be proud of her actions or whether he would give her a stern talking to for putting herself in danger. She felt a smile spread out on her lips as she tried to imagine the calm man being angry. At the thought of anger her father flashed across her mind., he had put a bounty on her head, and he was coming after her. Swallowing she shook away the thoughts that where clouding her mind, she needed to find her stuff.

The hall ways seemed endless, none of the rooms she checked had anything in them other than food supplies and weapon storage. Sighing she marched on eyes focused, acutely aware that her time was running out. Her hand hovered on the door about to push down the handle before she felt the building shake as a ship pull into the dock.

Cursing under her breath she pulled away from the door handle and moved to exit the building.

***

Zuko's eyes widened as he lifted the glistening item to his face. They had gone back to the village to try and find Karina, but she had already gone. Instead they found word that the Avatar had been seen at the prison rig. The small necklace weighed nothing in his hand, the jewel catching the sun light and making it appear to glow, it was the water tribe girls. The rumours where true, Avatar had been here. 

He hears her before he sees her, her footsteps are fast and unsteady, but definitely in his direction. He turns just in time for her to throw her arms around his shoulders, the force of her body hitting his making him stagger just a little, but he placed his arms around her waist pulling her against him firmly. 

They stayed like that, encased in each others arms until he could no longer hold her up. 

"I'm sorry," She muttered eyes not daring to look at his face. "I missed you."

He nodded not able to trust his voice, or say the words he wished to say.

As they walked back to the ship his eyes darted across to her, noting the fact that she was wearing a prisoners uniform. He felt his teeth clench and made a metal note to find her a fire nation robe when they returned to the ship.