Firefly (Zuko's daughter)

Chapter Four: Zuko

Trigger warning. Be careful

Zuko cried as Iroh held him. His daughter was gone. He couldn't find her anywhere. What kind of father loses their daughter? They checked up and down the port. The riger and near by towns but his little Firefly was now where. He had failed Amelia. He promised her he'd take of their child. He'd lost his wife and now his toddler was gone too.

"She's gone Uncle. What kind of father am I? I'm no better than Oazi..." His voice is low. Not more than a whisper. It'd been two weeks of constant searching. She was no where. They continued to follow the Avatar. Maybe they'd seen her. They had been at the market too. It was his only hope. He didn't know what else to do. So he did the one thing he'd been doing for the last six years, looking for the Avatar.

They stopped at every town asking about his little girl and the Avatar but he couldn't find any information on either. He felt helpless. He cursed fate. This was their fucking faults. They hated him. It was his only explanation. He wakes up in the middle of the night alone. No daughter, no wife, and no Uncle, he was truly alone. He spots a glimmer of metal in the night.

It's the knife his Uncle had given to him as a child. The same one he's used to cut his skin. He started after he was banished. It was a bad habit. Amelia helped him stop. She showed him love. Told him how amazingly kind and great he was. Than she died and left him with a baby girl. He picked up the knife again.

Than his little girl saved him. She was his light in the darkness. His firefly. Now she was gone. The blade was his only friend. The blade was his punishment for losing her. For losing them both.
The cuts were deep and they felt amazing. Blood trickled down his wrists and he felt at peace. He deserved every bit of pain he inflicted upon himself. He falls asleep with hopes of not waking up.

He finds the boat rocking back and forth that wakes him. He sees the blood has dried but as he stands he feels light headed. He throws a long sleeve shirt over his head and stumbles through the door. He makes his day up the stairs slowly. The boat is rocking harshly and he struggles to keep his footing. Lightning strikes the ship and he falls back out into the sea. He tries to swim but his arms hurt. And his head is pounding. There's so much water. He can't see anything but waves and darkness.

Than there's light.
He's coughing and he's coughing. Liquid spills from his lungs and he slowly opens his eyes searching for where he is. He sees a girl. No, the water tribe girl. She coughing too along with her brother and the Avatar. "You-you saved me?" Zuko's voice comes out quivering.

"Z-Zuko?" The water tribe girl breaths out. Another older man is with them also. Zuko looks around at everyone afraid and unsure. What were they going to do with him when they made it to shore?
Suddenly there's light from the moon and no more dark clouds.

"You saved me? Why?" Zuko whispers.

"I uh didn't do it on purpose." Aang answers rubbing the back of his neck. "Do anything and I airbend you back into the sea?"

"I don't have enough strength for that." Zuko responds. They arrive in a cave and Zuko hesitates to get out. An old woman greets them as they all climb off of the beast. "You idiot! I told you it was going to rain! You owe the Avatar an apology!"

"Thank you for saving my life, avatar." The man says, him and his wife leave as the rain stops. They turn to a soaking wet Zuko who runs steaming hands into his hair to dry it.

"Why were you in the sea?"

"My ship was caught in the storm, I fell over. Thank you for saving me..."

"Why aren't you trying to capture me?" Aang asks as Zuko just stands there dripping wet. He looked so defeated to the three of them.

"Because I need you help."

Aang's eyes widen and he turns to Katara and Sokka. "Our help? With what?" Aang exclaims.

"My-my..." Zuko starts to cry and he slowly drops to the ground with his head in his hands. Katara shares a confused look with Sokka. Aang steps forward but Sokka pulls him back.

"Guys I think he's serious." Aang states yanking away from Sokka to bend down in front of Zuko, "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm such a fucking screw up." Zuko exclaims meeting the eyes of Katara. He quickly turns his head to the outside of the cave. His voice becomes a whisper, "What kind of father loses their daughter?"

"Daughter? Ayanna, is yours?"

Zuko jumps up practically knocking Aang over, "You have Ayanna!? You kidnapped my daughter." His voice is a growl and he struggles to create a spark in his hands.

Katara waves her hands frantically in the air, "No! She was in the pirates ship we were on! She couldn't tell us who her father was. She didn't know your name."

Zuko's breath is heavy and he stumble back into the Appa. He puts a hand on his forehead as tears run down. "I-where is she?"

"I think you should sit down." Katara whispers helping him to the ground near the fire. "Look, she's right there." Katara points to a bundle in a sleeping bag. Zuko snaps his eyes in the direction she's pointing. He relaxes and quickly wipes his tears.

"She's okay?"

"Yeah, she's okay." Katara answers as Aang and Sokka stand awkwardly. Katara glares at them and they take a seat beside the fire.

"Thank you for keeping her safe. I'm sure you hate her since she's a fire bender. I'm sure you definitely hate her now that you know she's mine." Zuko rambles holding a fist of hair.

"Zuko, I can't believe I'm saying this but we don't hate her. And at the moment I don't even hate you." Sokka voice is rough and straightforward.

Zuko chuckles, "I'm...I don't even know what to do with myself. I want to finish my mission but..." He pauses thinking his words carefully. Slowly he pushes himself up whimpering at the pressure on his which are covered in cuts. He walks over to her and brushes his hand over her cheek. He smiles at her and sits down beside her.

"What are you going to do now, Zuko? Kill us and take her away? Capture Aang in the night?" Sokka crosses his arms looking over him, "Or will you leave us alone and just take her?"

"I'm stranded at the moment. I fell over my ship. There's no telling where they are now." He meets their eyes, all of them. He sees how exhausted they are and he's tired too. He's so fucking tired.
"I can't-I won't hurt any of you."
There's empty silence and soon he passes out from exhaustion.