AN: Hi, there. The name's PF. This is my first fanfic. I have another one being planned at the moment, but I wanted to put this one up before. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender does not belong to me and neither do its characters. However, if all goes according to plan -rubs hands and laughs evilly-... ;D

Her eyes opened to reveal a light, clear sky. As she blinked her eyes while breathing in the fresh air surrounding her, she turned her head from the balcony and faced the other side of her room. There were no sounds coming from the hallways or the neighboring rooms. Suddenly, something hit her on the head from behind and an image of Mai and Ty Lee flashed in her mind. The thought sent her flying off the bed while she turned and drew some water from the elegant vase in the corner.

Nothing. Her heart slowed down just a bit before she turned the other way, half-expecting a jab to her neck or the crook of her arm. Still nothing. Now she was just starting to get angry. That's when she saw it, the small white tail curling up from behind a few baskets she'd recently placed on top of a shelf.

Ha! I got you now, she mentally taunted as a small smile replaced her frown. Swiftly moving her wrists, she sent the floating water behind the baskets and laughed when she heard the shriek confirming her victory. Momo jumped out from behind the baskets and wrapped himself around her neck, his ears covering her eyes.

"It's alright, Momo," she consoled him as she laughed. "I was just teaching you not to mess with me, that's all." She rubbed the side of her head, "What did you throw, anyways?"

She bent down and groped around in her covers, searching for the object that had so rudely interrupted her thoughts. Her fingers collided with a solid object and she grasped her fingers around it. She examined the object while trying to find out what it was. Turning it around and around, she finally decided it was a blade cover, and a fine one at that. The strong leather was covered with intricate lined designs and had some ivory pieces here and there that told her it was very valuable, which also meant it would be missed by its owner.

"Where'd you get this, Momo?," she questioned as she turned around, but her little companion had already left the room.

Great, now I have to figure out who the owner is and explain why I have their property in my hands.

Sighing, she left her room and once again was surprised by the silence. She went outside to the courtyard and found the rope ladder she used to get to the stream. Hauling herself up, she finally noticed the loud grunts and thuds signaling an earthbending session nearby. So, that's two of them, but where are the rest?

Silently, she kept climbing until she reached the edge and flipped herself onto it. Looking around, she saw Aang and Toph battling it out with looks of fierce determination and concentration on their faces while Teo and the Duke watched.

"Hey, Katara," Teo said as he turned and waved at her, "Sokka told me to tell you he's out hunting. Haru went with him, too."

"'Kay, thanks, Teo!" Hmm, maybe we'll finally have a decent dinner tonight after all.

She kept on walking and finally entered the forest, taking out the cover from her belt and turning it over in her hands as she mused to herself.

It's obviously not Sokka's, unless he bought it last time we were at a market… Hmm, no, he would've had to ask me for money. Could it be Haru's? How about…

And so she kept wondering as she aimlessly walked around trees and bushes. Finally, she decided that it had to be Haru or Zuko's blade that belonged with the cover, and she fervently hoped that it was the former. She so was not in any hurry to have to apologize to Zuko. Then again, she probably should apologize for her threat from yesterday.

Ugh, yesterday… What the heck had driven her to give such a horrible threat to Zuko? It just wasn't like her! It seemed more like Sokka's thing to do, but even he had started accepting the traitorous Prince. Well, that was probably what had driven her to do it: thinking of him as a traitor.

He's changed, you know he's changed. Hasn't he been with us for two days now? If he wanted to, he could've attacked us while Combustion Man was here, or he could've done it while we slept. She sighed, He even put himself in an awkward position when he asked to join us. That must have been so hard for him, and here I am, threatening him and making him feel unwanted. Again, what the heck was I thinking?! It must have been my monthly cycle, yes, that's what happened. I was just being hormonal. And I felt hurt—or, I feel hurt. Why would he show me such a good, vulnerable and soft side of him just to turn around and help his sister kill Aang? It's like the whole Jet ordeal all over again.

As she walked and mentally chastised herself, Katara hadn't noticed that she was nearing the stream that fed the beautiful fountain down in the temple. Finally, she became aware of her surroundings and felt a release of tension as she decided that the stream would be perfect for her to calm herself down and sort out her mind. She stripped down to her bindings without a second thought, setting her clothes down in a bundle on a rock with the cover, and stepped in the water.

Her arms graciously moved around her as she moved through various waterbending forms. Once she got a rhythm going, her mind started to wander and she felt her body relax.

Jet… Her brow furrowed at the thought of him.

How is he? Did he survive? Were Smellerbee and Longshot able to care for him? Jet had me so confused in the past few weeks. First, he's the charming prince that steals my heart, that is, until he attempted to take out a whole village to get back at the Fire Nation. But then the next time when we saw him, he was different. I know he was different. Yet, I'm sure that any feelings I had for him had vanished long before and now he's only a friend. We've parted ways, but maybe we will meet again. Oh, spirits, please let us meet again. I need to know he's alright.

Is this how Sokka feels about Suki? He must be so worried, but he won't show it—he'd never show it. My Sokka… He's so strong. He's been through so much, and yet he always has enough of himself left to worry about me. If it weren't for him, I don't know what I would…

Trembling, Katara opened her eyes and tried to calm her breath down. "Calm down, Katara, don't think about those things. He's here and that's what matters. You'll always have each other."

When she finally calmed herself down, she began the more complicated forms and started a new rhythm.

And Aang… Will I always have him? He's such a gentle, free spirit. He's just what the world needs. He's become family to me and Sokka, along with Toph, and family protects family. I will always be there to protect him, my little brother. Yes, we'll always be there for each other.

She dropped the water and looked at her surroundings. The bent trees covered with moss and flowers, the rocks at each bank of the stream that were smoothed by the water, the sunlight dripping in through the foliage and caressing the soft, leaf-covered earth. She got lost listening to the sounds of the birds and the distant laughter of her friends. The wind caressed her skin and played with her hair…

It all made it so hard to believe that they were in the middle of a war; that in many places right now, people were suffering the loss of their homes and their dearest ones; that troops could be marching into villages and causing trouble.

Her head turned when she heard some rustling towards her left somewhere behind the trees. She could hear it was someone walking towards her. Then, Zuko stepped out and walked up to the stream. She lowered herself to the water, covering her exposed chest and gazed at him impassively, studying him.

He took off his clothing, stripping down to his underpants, and took off his shoes. She was surprised that he hadn't yet noticed her, but accepted the opportunity to watch him freely.

He had such a new air about him, he seemed so calm and… hopeful? Yes, he seemed hopeful. She wandered about his Uncle… Uncle… Uncle Iroh! That was it! Was he worried about him? What had Azula done to him once they'd taken him in, she said he was a prisoner, didn't she? But he was also a traitor to the Fire Nation. Of course Zuko must have been very worried.

As Katara thought about these things, Zuko had commenced meditating on top of a smooth rock at the stream's edge.

She chuckled to herself as she tried to think of what she would have thought yesterday if she caught herself worrying about Zuko—for spirits' sakes, she was even watching him now. Then, her chuckle turned into laughter, immediately alerting Zuko to her presence.

AN: Well, there it is. Didcha like it? This being my first fic, it would be very, very helpful if you would drop me a review, just a couple of lines. Please tell me if you liked it or not, and heck, if you have the time to tell me what you liked or didn't like, go for it!

Anyways, thanks very much for reading.