Okay, I brought this over from my oneshot collection to make it's own story. Please enjoy, not for the faint of heart.

As with most of my stories, all characters sound a little older.

Captive

It was all happening so fast that Sokka didn't know what to make of it. About a couple of days ago, during a run-in with Azula and the other dangerous ladies, Katara had been taken. Aang lost it. Sokka and Toph had never seen Aang so angry before. About an hour ago, a messenger was sent by Azula to deliver instruction on how to get Katara back. He said that there would be a trade, the Avatar for girl. Currently, the messengers' unconscious body was lying no more than 10 feet away. By reading his heart rate and other vital signs, Toph estimated that he would come to in a few hours.

-(Flashback)-

"…the Princess will meet you on the northern shore of Lake Nuo. There you are to exchange the Avatar for the peasant." The messenger spoke far too casually, considering he was faced with a very angry older brother, a sightless earthbending prodigy, and an Avatar with nothing on his mind but vengeance. Aang took it upon himself to fix the messengers unfazed tone.

"No!" His voice boomed. It was deeper and harsher than it normally was, earning its share of attention from the messenger, Sokka; even Toph turned her head towards him. Ever since he lost the use of the Avatar State, Aang found his anger easier to express. "You'll tell us where she is now!"

The messenger scoffed. "Or what? Princess Azula has informed me of your peaceful tendencies. What exactly will you do to me?"

Aang's storm grey eyes flickered with anger before he extended his arm, airbending his staff into his hand, and then pointed it threateningly at Azula's minion. "Well, did Azula inform you how much this girl means to me?" Aang raised his staff until it was just inches away from the man's throat. "Believe me when I say I'm losing nothing by doing this."

Sokka and Toph shared a significant glance (though Toph couldn't exactly 'see' it,) and slowly approached Aang. Holding his hands up, Sokka addressed the young Avatar first.

"Aang," He said warningly. "Think about what you're doing."

"They have your sister, Sokka," Aang sounded a little more patient than before, but the anger in his eyes remained the same. "They have her, and I lo-" Aang choked on his words, unwilling to reveal his true feelings for the waterbender, even though he was aware that everyone in the area must know of his infatuation by now. "I can't just let that go."

Sokka proceeded cautiously. "Of course not. I want to hurt this guy just as bad as you do. Maybe more," Aang doubted that. "But taking your anger out on this guy won't solve anything."

"He's right, Twinkle Toes." Toph now interjected and stepped closer to him than Sokka had. "We all miss her and we all want her back, but if you take it out on this guy you're no better than Azula and her flunkies."

Aang stood there, staff still pointed at Azula's messenger, at war with himself. He could take vengeance right here, right now… But what would that solve? That wouldn't bring Katara back. However, his instincts felt the need to attack; to savagely destroy the man standing mere feet away out of pure retribution.

"Give me the staff." Toph commanded from behind him, taking a few steps closer. Aang quickly glanced back at her and then eyed the messenger. Toph was right. Sokka was right. He knew it all to well. But still…

"C'mon. Hand it over." She ordered once more. He took one more glance back and eyed the messenger again.

You have no idea how lucky you are.

He lowered the staff from its position near the man's throat. Turning around, he shoved the staff into Toph's hands and walked off, trying to work away the anger.

The messenger sneered. "I guess you don't care about her nearly as much as you think."

Rage flickered in Aang's eyes once more. Before he could stop himself, he whirled around, raising his right arm and swiftly bringing it down in a diagonal path, sending a powerful gust towards the messenger, knocking him back a few feet and landing painfully against a tree. His head hit a root sticking out of the ground bringing him to unconsciousness.

Toph and Sokka turned towards Aang, who was staring at the crumpled mass that lied at the base of the tree. Instantly, Aang knew something was wrong. Closing his eyes and taking a shaky breath, he turned towards Appa and walked away, realizing a horrible truth.

I feel no remorse. I feel no shame…

-(End Flashback)-

Toph removed her hand from the ground when she informed Sokka of the messenger's condition. Standing up, she walked over and stood next to him.

"I can't believe he's going through this." She spoke of Aang, who was gathering up items and packing up camp, loading their things onto Appa. From the looks of it, he was getting ready to go to Lake Nuo and simply hand himself over to the Fire Nation.

"I can't believe what he did to that guy." Sokka responded.

"Would you have done it any differently?" She questioned.

Sokka sighed and hung his head. "No, I wouldn't have," He looked up to face her. "But that was Aang, not me. I mean, when did he get like that? Isn't he the one that's supposed to be making peace?"

"He loves Katara," Toph supplied. "And as long as he does, he'll never act the way you're expecting. Remember what he told us about the Avatar State and that Guru guy?"

"Yeah," Sokka's reply was short. "He never told Katara, did he?"

Toph shook her head. "He was afraid that she would think that it's her fault that this kind of thing would happen." She said, motioning over to the unmoving body near the tree.

They remained quiet for some time. Eventually, Sokka found something to say. "Do you think it's her fault?"

Toph nodded. "Some of it."

"Why's that?"

Toph gave kind of a sad smile. "Because she loves him, too."

----------

Azula watched, amused, as one of her soldiers came into the room, looking anxious, obviously with some kind of news to relay to her. Most of her soldiers acted nervous around her when they were alone, and with good reason. She was always sure to let her men know that she was in charge, and she had absolutely no problem losing a soldier.

The soldier quickly bowed and told her of the news, keeping his head down. "Milady, the messenger we sent to the Avatar and his companions hasn't returned. We fear the worst."

Azula smirked.

The plan is working…

Now you see why it's multi chapter? I could have made this a lot longer, but I just had too many ideas to put down at once. Like I said, future chapters will contain some descriptive violence, so if you do not enjoy such scenes, please pat your head and rub your tummy. I don't know what that has to do with anything, but it would make me laugh.

Reviews are appreciated.