A/N: It's been ages, I know, but finally, the chapters up, and as you can guess, I don't own avatar

A Punishment worse than Detention

Oh, why was her family so backward? Why??

There was her father screaming at her for "selling herself out" and there was the cutest and ONLY guy she'd ever dated blushing and trying to explain what the situation was.

She knew better than to do that though. When her father turned that shade of red, she knew everything was beyond hope, until he cooled down to a milder pink.

And then there was Sokka. Hooo boy... Sokka. He was nodding at everything her father said, like a pathetic sidekick and using every opportunity to shoot dirty glances at the not-so-happy couple.

It was the usual scene of angry dad and daughter. He was screaming and she would say "but dad" at every interval, only to be interrupted.

After going on about the evils of fornication, warning them about STDs, thoroughly embarrassing them and yelling at them just to make himself feel better, he simmered down, and asked them to explain themselves.

"Well you see sir –" Zuko started.

"I WASN’T TALKING TO YOU BOY!!" Hakoda screamed.

"Dad! Calm down!! Nothing happened!" Katara said.

"Say's you!!" Sokka burst out.

"Sokka stay out of this!"

Katara was panting now, red in the face, desperate to prove her point.

"Dad our car broke down in a stream nearby. We both got soaked so we came here to dry ourselves off. And that's ALL that happened."

"How stupid do you think I am Katara? I am your father, you can't lie to me."

"But we can prove it!!" Katara protested.

"Alright, if you can prove it, you only get grounded for a month. If you can't… well, I'll think about the appropriate punishment."

---

And so, that is how, half an hour later they found themselves at the stream looking around for the car, and, as fate loved playing tricks on them, they couldn’t find it.

Hakoda was seething. When Katara turned around to swear that the car really had broken down right there, he looked down at her and said "So… we shall see about this," with such venom in his voice that he sounded so much like Snape that our scarred hero nearly jinxed him to oblivion before this author remembered which fiction story she was writing about.

Katara was trembling. She had never seen her father this angry before.

"Katara, as much as I hate to say this, but there is only one way to settle this honorably."

Katara's eyes widened. She knew what he meant. She nearly got down on her knees to beg and plead, and if Sokka and Zuko weren't there, she probably would have done so.

---

But she didn't and thus they found themselves another half hour later at Zuko's house, where Hakoda explained his version of things to Iroh and Ursa. The two looked shocked and gave disapproving looks to Zuko, but Katara noticed that Iroh winked at him when he thought nobody was looking.

And then, Iroh and Hakoda walked away into a separate room, out of earshot, although they caught the words "honorable" from Hakoda and a "surely not" from Iroh.

After what sounded like much heated debating, they came out and looked as if they had reached a verdict. Now Zuko and Katara had stopped trying to explain themselves to the adults. Katara knew that her father wouldn’t listen and Zuko seemed to have figured the same. And disappointingly enough, with his record, Zuko wasn’t going to be believed no matter what he said.

One look at the satisfied expression on her father's face, and Katara knew that he had convinced Iroh of his plans. Feeling dizzy, she listened as her father started:

"We have come to a conclusion," Hakoda said, looking like he had tasted something very bitter, "and I am afraid the only honorable way to solve this little dilemma, and to make sure the result of whatever happened today does not bring shame to both our families" (Zuko looked thoroughly confused at this stage) "is marriage".

Iroh looked stern; Ursa accepting; Hakoda looked as if he wished he had brought a hunting gun along; Katara was white, and praying that there was some way that she could explain the real situation; and Zuko and Sokka, as you can guess, fainted.

A/N: A hug to everyone who reviewed from Zuko. And yes, it is the normal Zuko, with the nice hair. commands Zuko to hug

Zuko: WHAT?!?!

Jasmine: You heard me. Now HUG!

Zuko: (Hugs all reviewers)

Ps. I know this chapter's not all that good, but I thought I was taking too long to get this up. So now that its here, tell me what you think. Oh, and I know the marriage thing is a little far fetched, but avatar is based on eastern culture, and that is how most eastern families would react… even in today's time.

So review, and tell me what you think. Ideas for jokes are always appreciated. Next chapter should be up very soon. :D