I'm going through a Zutara phase. I can't get the pairing off of my mind and I guess I'll just have to keep writing about them until I get it out of my system…which may be never.

Xxxxxxoxxxxxx

She ran through the streets, the familiar feel of adrenaline running through her veins. Ember Island was nothing compared to the Fire Nation capital's streets at near midnight. People were livelier. She could see the shadows of two children enjoying a pillow fight through a covered window. She smiled softly of herself and Sokka engaged in a similar act, but instead of pillows, it was fish. They'd been young, carefree, and innocent.

The reminder of her brother made sad memories resurface to the front of her mind. She'd cried when she'd left the South Pole, almost two years ago. She'd woken him and hugged him in the dead of the night, telling him she loved him and she would never forget him. He was confused, but hugged back nonetheless. She hadn't let her tears spill; she still had to say goodbye to Gran-Gran and Pakku. She calmly kissed their foreheads, not bothering to wake them from their pleasant dreams. She almost left without bidding goodbye to her father; he was the reason she was leaving. Yet she knew herself better and kissed his cheek before rushing to sneak onto a departing Fire Nation ship that had just dropped off some supplies for the tribe.

When she was safely hidden behind an empty crate, only then did she let her tears fall.

They didn't expect her to be gone the next morning. Her father had went to check on her, and panicked when she wasn't anywhere to be found. He alerted her brother, who in turn alerted the tribe, Toph, Aang, and Zuko. He received replies to the urgent letters, stating that she was not with them. A month of searching and scouring, and they'd failed to find her. Sokka had cried at the inconclusive news, already having retired to his bedroom. He missed his sister; it was like losing his mother once again.

Their father was only disappointed in her. She had been promised to a man in the North ever since she parted ways with the Avatar. He had not even paused to consider her views on the matter, and she knew she could not stay without having every ounce of her freedom taken from her. Gran-Gran had sobbed in Pakku's arms the night after she had left. Katara was her only connection to Kya; the memory was gone now. She had yelled at Hakoda for an hour before Pakku took her back to their bedroom. Pakku had been saddened immensely; he had not known her as long as the others, but had sensed the same longing for freedom in the girl that Kanna had.

She shook her head and continued jumping from rooftop to rooftop, supervising from above to prevent any trouble. A man had a girl backed into an alley.

"P-please! I don't have any money! My father needs this medicine; he is very ill with lung sickness." The girl trembled, backed against a wall, clutching a bag to her chest.

Katara dropped from the tiled roof so suddenly, not missing a beat. She easily grabbed the man from behind, and knocked his head roughly into the nearby wall, causing him to lose consciousness. The girl gasped.

"Thank you, Painted Lady. I am grateful for your presence," the girl bowed low. A few contents slipped from the safety of her bag and she hurried to pick them up.

Katara bowed in return. "You are welcome. I suggest you return to your home. Here," Katara tossed the young girl two gold coins, "for your troubles tonight."

The girl accepted them graciously and ran from the alley. "Thank you, Painted Lady."

The girl disappeared from sight. Katara returned to the rooftops, gazing out across the city, lightly glowing with all the lit lanterns. The stars shined brightly, winking at her. Her face remained impassive.

She had been preventing crime as much as she could ever since she had docked here. That wasn't to say that there was none, but the majority of it had decreased. Zuko was grateful; she could tell by the decrease of letters on his desk the times she had snuck into the palace. It was fairly pleasant and the guards could not tell her apart from the shadows. She had once watched him in his office while he had been in there and she'd accidentally stumbled slightly on the balcony floor. His head had shot up in her direction and she jumped down from the balcony a moment before a wave of fire occupied the space where she'd stood. She hadn't been back since, instead patrolling the city.

The only time she ever took off her disguise in the evening was during the festivals. She'd relaxed and let her hair down. She'd danced around the fires like all the other teenagers, laughing and sneaking gulps of alcohol every time an adult wasn't watching. She giggled and flirted with boys, basking in her freedom and lowering her boundaries. Unfortunately, Zuko had almost caught her once. She'd been taking a long swig of rice wine when he stumbled into her, free of guards and not dressed as Fire Lord. She ducked her head before running off into the crowd, getting mixed with others of her age. She returned home to her dirty, murky apartment in a bad district, not a clean and fresh home in the noble district, but it was all she could afford. She worked during the days as a waitress, rarely getting gold coins for tips, and scrubbing dishes until they were spotless. The owner enjoyed having her trouble-less company and sometimes rewarded her with an extra copper coin.

She earned wages like many others, the money barely enough to support herself, but she enjoyed the feeling of getting what she had genuinely worked for. She disguised her blue eyes, covering them with her hair as much as possible and dressing poorly so nobody suspected her of being richer than she let on with her other clothing. She covered her silk clothing with dirt so no one would recognize them of being better quality, and never wore jewelry. Waterbending was kept to a minimum. The nation didn't exactly favor the Water Tribes and she didn't need to bring more trouble to herself. All the precautions were worth the freedom, though. She was on her own schedule, one hundred percent of the time.

The hours remained uneventful for the rest of the evening, and she went to her apartment at two in the morning, to get some sleep. She removed her disguise, hiding the clothing in drawers and sliding her hat, covered in see-through material, under her miniature bed. She barely fit in it. She washed the paint from her face before falling into unconsciousness.

The apartment held almost no furniture, except for a bed, a small chest of drawers, and a table. A built in bathroom and falling-apart kitchen were included in the single room. The sink dripped water onto the rusty metal, a Fire Nation insignia imprinted on it. The counters were old and stained. The floor was dirt and a little bit of carpet. The bathroom had half a mirror, having been broken by a previous occupant of the room. The restroom had a too-small tub that could fit an eight year old easily, but not a seventeen year old. The pipes creaked and groaned whenever she bathed, so she kept it to a minimum.

The room was eerily silent, as if the only living life in it was the girl asleep on the bed. The air was less happy. The energy of the usually passionate city had left.

The girl writhed in bed, muttering in fear about the monsters that plagued her dreams of regretful actions in the past. She turned over once more and did not sense the presence of a man in black peeking at her from the window. He happily recognized her and brushed back his light brown hair before ducking away and into the darkness of the night.

Xxxxxxoxxxxxx

Katara started the water. The noise of its travels through the pipes was a familiar sound. She squished into the tub, her knees reaching her chin, and softly washing away all traces of dirt from the previous night. She dressed in her purposefully-dirtied clothing in a moment and brushed her hair through quickly. She grabbed an apple from the local market man and headed to work. The sun hadn't risen fully yet, but it didn't have to, as everyone was already awake and about.

She enjoyed her apple, taking big bites from it and chewing hurriedly. She threw it into the trash bin in front of the restaurant she worked at and headed to the back, setting her bag down under a counter and began gathering plates and silverware for the approaching day. Her owner scrambled around as he always did, making sure everything was in order before he opened the doors. He seemed to be talking to himself more than usual, a sign that he was nervous.

"Is everything all right, Manuz?" she asked. Everything was ready to go and she was wondering why he hadn't opened yet.

"Yes, yes, m'dear, I'm just very nervous. The Fire Lord is supposed to be visiting today with his uncle, and I want to make sure everything is I order for the special arrival. Why he'd even venture down here is mystery itself."

She froze. "Fire Lord Zuko is coming today?"

"Yes, he is. I suppose you don't know where Akno is, do you?"

Akno was the other person who worked at the restaurant. He chose that moment to barge in, his black strands of hair looking windswept.

"I am so sorry I am late, but I just heard that the Fire Lord is coming here today! Is it true? Is he really coming to a lower district just to have tea and pastries?"

"Yes, m'dear boy, he is. Why don't you help Katara set the tables with plates?"

She was momentarily distracted and smiled at his confusion. "I'm already done. We can open up now."

And the day began. Many customers entered the place and it soon became a flurry of activity. Many had heard about Fire Lord Zuko and wanted to see him as well, but if they did not buy anything, they were kicked out. Others, who wanted to buy something, were more important than admirers of the nation's leader. Around midday, a man scurried in and told the owner that the Fire Lord was spotted.

Katara caught a glimpse of his head, crown and all, nodding and speaking with General Iroh for a moment. His features were sharper and more defined; his hair had grown long enough to comfortably be put up in a topknot. Manuz led him to a clean table where Akno set a new round of dishes and turned to comply with other demands. Manuz turned to Katara across the restaurant and shouted.

"Katara, can you wash the dirty dishes in the back? I'm pretty sure were going to need to reuse them again today!"

She ducked and hurried into the back, sighing in relief when she was safely hidden behind the thin door. She set to work, pushing the long sleeves of her clothing up, ready to battle the dishes.

Back in the main room, the Fire Lord had looked up at the mention of Katara's name and caught a glimpse of long brown hair and tan skin. He turned to the owner.

"Was that woman's name Katara?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Does she have blue eyes?"

"Yes, my Lord." Now, the owner seemed intrigued.

Zuko hoped it was her.

"Is she a bender?"

"No, my Lord."

Zuko nodded and turned to his uncle, who ordered something. Zuko had the exact same thing, not caring what pastry he was served. Manuz left to collect the food. Iroh turned to his nephew.

"Did you think it was Lady Katara, Zuko?"

"Yes, Uncle. I had hoped it was her, but when he told me she had no bending, I was sure it was not her. Katara wouldn't hide her bending. She believes it's a sacred art that should not be forgotten. I highly doubt that it's her."

"Do not be so sure, Zuko. You'd be amazed at what lengths some would go to, to remain hidden. I remember you cut your hair drastically as a fugitive, did you not?"

His uncle did have a point. "Yes, you may be right."

He did not see Katara again and left. Later that night, when they were finishing cleaning up, Manuz told her about Fire Lord Zuko.

"He was asking about you, you know. He seemed highly disappointed when I told him you weren't a bender."

"Hmm. He must've mistaken me for another."

"Well, how many others in the Fire Nation are named Katara? I'm pretty sure it was you he talked about."

"Yet, I am not a bender, so it cannot be me."

Katara returned home that night slightly worried. What if Zuko had her being watched to see if she could bend? It was slightly disheartening and she hurried to her home at a much faster pace. She unlocked the old door and pushed it open to study any changes in her apartment. Nothing seemed out of place. She walked deeper in, inspecting, and shut the door. What she found made her heart beat faster.

On top of her neatly made bed lay her Painted Lady hat, aged but still beautiful. She sees movement in the corner of her eye and turns that way immediately. A man was curiously gazing at her, making sure she had blue eyes. He was positive that this was his bounty and came closer, stepping inside the apartment.

"Hello, Master Waterbender Katara of the Southern Watertribe," he leered.

Katara panicked and unintentionally bended the water from the kitchen sink, forming it into daggers and sending it at the man's face. He ducked out of the way. She readied herself, coating her hands with water. He laughed and came closer.

"Come now, my Bounty, you're wanted alive…" he sneered.

He ventured even closer and she found herself throwing the wave of water at his head. He stumbled back, tripping and falling to the floor. He glared at her and she neared him, wanting to attack. He got up and reached for her, but she kicked his side, following with a punch to his face. He retreated, but then snatched at her arm. He pulled her, catching her hands in one of his own and wrapping the other hand around her neck, as a slight threat. She ignored the hand around her throat, elbowing him hard in the gut to make him release her, and grabbing, hitting his head hard against the ground. He groaned in pain and closed his eyes.

Satisfied, she changed quickly into the Painted Lady, adjusting her clothing and hat to perfection. Then she threw the man over her shoulder, carrying him out with her. Luckily there was one on the street, and she dumped him in an alley about a mile from her apartment. She took her post at the roof again, gazing out at the city.

Now that someone had found her, she'd need to leave. A week would give her enough time to wrap things up here and head to Ba Sing Se, as to not be suspicious. That city would be safe and she'd reside in the lower ring. No one would expect a bender with her talent to live there. It was big enough that it would be easy to find work, and she'd continue with how she lived here in the Fire Nation. Of course, she would miss the passionate festivals and friendly people here, but ensuring her freedom was something she valued more.

With no crime that night, the Painted Lady returned to her home, changing into Katara once more and succumbing to sleep.

Xxxxxxoxxxxxx

Manuz had been sorely disappointed when she told him she' be moving.

"What happened, m'dear?"

"My aunt is very sick. She has a child that is hard to care for and she needs my help. She asked urgently for my help, because she is no longer allowed to work because of her condition. Her child is only seven years of age and cannot work."

"Oh goodness, that is terrible. I'll give you a few gold coins before you leave, to help with her."

"Oh no, that's quite all right, I don't need-"

"I insist. Please accept them?"

"….I couldn't. It's your money."

"Oh, all right, fine. Can you reset table seven?"

"Of course."

If she had accepted the money, she would have felt incredibly guilty for lying and deceiving him. It was bad enough that he genuinely believed she had an aunt that was ill. She wasn't going to make any more difficult on her conscience. She also broke the news to her landlady, the market man, and a few of her neighbors. They all bid her good luck and pleasant travels. Three days before her departure, she had been on the east side of the lower district, when a man she knew from long ago greeted her as the Painted Lady. She had just finished with stopping a crime at the herb shop and scared the men so surely that they had cried out and ran. She entered an alley and was about to climb back onto the roof when a familiar voice brought back a flood of memories. She turned, to gaze at the man who looked so ordinary without the Fire Lord robes.

He came closer to her, speaking. She bowed her head in acceptance.

"I would prefer if you didn't bow. I wanted to thank you for keeping the crime rate low in the past two years. It has not been an easy job as Fire Lord to juggle the duties that come with the title," he said gratefully.

She nodded. He ventured even closer.

"…Will you please reveal yourself to me? I'd like to really thank you and not feel like I'm talking to a mask."

She shook her head, backing into the wall. He neared her, raising his arms to remove her veiled hat. She pressed back into the wall, closing her eyes. He gripped the hat tightly, removing it from her head and letting it fall to the ground. She did not open her eyes, even when he began to rub off her paint. His breath caught in his throat. He'd recognize the features of Katara anywhere.

"Please open your eyes," he mumbled, caressing her face in both of his hands.

She complied, biting her lip, and looked up to meet his gaze. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks delicately and suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged him back just as strongly.

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Katara. Do you know how worried I've been for the past two years? I thought of every possible worst case scenario. I wondered if you were eating enough, or if you had shelter!"

"I'm sorry…and I missed you, too."

"Come on, we're going back to the palace. We can discuss more there and let everyone know you're here." He tugged her arm along and began to exit the alley.

She pulled out of his hold. "Zuko, I can't. If I do so, I'll be forced to go back to the South Pole."

"You don't have to. You can stay here, but please, come along so I can make sure you're safe in the palace."

She shook her head and knelt to gather her veil. "I'm sorry."

She jumped, using a nearby structure to propel her upwards onto the roof. She continued to run, ignoring his pleas to stop that soon turned into commands. She ran straight home, not bothering with checking if anyone was following her.

She entered her home, throwing the Painted Lady disguise into the drawers, and stumbling to remove the make-up. She rinsed her face harshly, tears starting to come. Throwing herself on the bed, she hugged her cushion to her chest. His presence had brought back many memories that she felt bad for and happy for simultaneously. Of all people, he was the one she regretted most leaving behind. His understanding and views was something she valued greatly before she returned to her tribe. He was always there for here when Aang was gone, before their parting of ways, and listened to her, giving her advice on what he thought she should do on many matters. She did the same for him, listening to him stress on and on about his council.

When it had been time to return to her tribe, she hadn't said goodbye, promising she'd be there to visit again soon. But when she'd returned back to her tribe, her father had already chosen a husband for her, giving her a lecture to stop being so selfish. She lashed out, water following her movement, and ran from there, to think on things and reflect. She'd sat on an icy cliff, her legs dangling off of the edge. She knew then that she was going to flee.

Shaking her head, she let the tears flow freely at the memory of Zuko's presence. She'd let him remove her hat. Yet once he told her they were going back to the palace, she panicked; she didn't want to return to the South Pole. She knew her father would force her to marry again. Running seemed like a last minute thing. She loved him too much to stay with him; she would have run off to Ba Sing Se regardless. She cried herself to sleep that night, exhaustion taking her over around three in the morning.

She woke up late in the morning, rushing through her daily routine quickly. She skipped breakfast, going straight to the restaurant. Manuz commented on her appearance, noting that her eyes were bloodshot and she seemed down. Akno took notice as well, his attempts to make her smile failing. She was heading to the back to do the dishes after they'd closed, but Manuz told her to go home early. She looked exhausted and protested immediately. She needed to work. He didn't take no for an answer, and she stood outside the closed door at six p.m., two hours earlier than she regularly got off of work. She took her time walking home, slightly worried at the multiple guards that were there. Many more than usual.

She did become the Painted Lady, however, and the guards seemed to watch her closely. They barely noticed any crimes taking place, which meant she took care off most of it. She guessed that the Fire Lord wanted her found and taken to the palace for questioning. She avoided the guards on her way home, but one managed to catch the end of the material on her hat, and she turned to get it back. Taking a risk, she bent at him, so that he released her hat and she snatched it back, adjusting it back on.

But many more soldiers had gathered around her and she bent at them as well, not pausing to notice where her water came from, just glad that there was some nearby. A water whip managed to knock one out, but the rest had had a chance to come closer and two of them grabbed each of her arms to prevent her from bending. She kicked at them, but it was useless; they were already on the way back to the palace.

She struggled as much as possible. They had to stop to reassure their grip on her multiple times. She was relentless. Her hat had been picked up by a soldier when she struggled so much that she dropped it. The palace seemed so much grander than she remembered, and she stopped struggling for a moment to admire it. When they reached the halls inside that led to Zuko's office, she doubled her efforts to get them to let go. The guards outside the door of the office glanced at each other as they neared.

Plants were scattered inside the halls and she grabbed a hold of that water to bend at the guards, yet without free movement, it was much harder. She would have bloodbent them if it wasn't a new moon.

The Fire Lord heard the commotion outside his office and went out to stop the reckless noise. He was slightly shocked at the amount that Katara struggled.

"Stop," his strong commanding voice rang out.

The guards holding her immediately straightened, taking a more firm grip with the prisoner. Katara was unyielding, and didn't stop struggling to bend, instead gathering all the water together and throwing the wave down on all the guards that were holding her. Unfortunately, she got wet as well, but it did cause them to release their hold and she ran towards the exit. The wave of water had another drawback though, and she slipped on the ground, hitting her head and causing for her to become disorientated for a few moments.

The men took advantage of this and grabbed her again, holding her out to the Fire Lord, waiting for what to do with her.

The paint had come off with the wave of water and Katara now stood there, looking soaked and slightly frightened. He told the guards to sit her down on the cushioned chair in the office, and then told them to go get changed. He shut the door to his office with a slight snap and went to tend to Katara. She was looking down at her lap, hands covering her face, tears in her eyes.

Kneeling down in front of her, he gently put a hand to her cheek, coaxing her to look at him. She did and dropped her hands. He saw exhaustion, fright, tension, and sadness written all over her face.

"Katara, please don't be afraid of me…" he pleaded. He hated seeing her so frightened of him.

"I'm not scared of you…" she said, and suddenly seemed to collect herself, straightening her back and narrowing her eyes, "I'm leaving for Ba Sing Se in two days. What was it that you needed to speak to me about?"

"I- What do you mean? You're not leaving for Ba Sing Se. Do you know how thoroughly everyone searched for you?"

"I can't stay. I've already said I'm leaving. Now, what was it you needed me for?"

"I wanted to talk you. You've been missing for two years. And you are not, under any circumstances, leaving to Ba Sing Se or even leaving the capital, for that matter."

"And how exactly do you plan to stop me?"

"I'll have you watched. There are some female guards that will stay in your quarters if I have to command them to do so."

She sighed. "Do you know why I left in the first place?"

"Not exactly, but I was told that you and your father were mad at each other. You didn't have to hide because of that. You could have just worked it out. Or you could have come here. I would have helped you."

"I left because I was being forced to marry! My father had already planned it out and I was engaged! I had no other option! He would have found me and took me back with him. And how would you have helped? By marrying me? You're with Mai, for La's sake!"

"I would have helped you out regardless. And Mai and I are no longer together. She broke up with me the day I received the letter that you were missing. Do you know how sad it is to lose two people you lov- care for in the same day?"

She stopped shouting. "I'm sorry. I panicked and by the time I was here, I'd already made up my mind. When I got used to living with people in the lower ring, I didn't want to leave. I had my freedom! My mother gave her life so I could enjoy mine, and I wasn't going to waste that on marriage. I was too young."

"I'm sorry. I wish I'd done something. I never realized that you'd been here all along. I had posters put up, and no one turned you in."

"I changed my clothing and let down my hair. I also covered my eyes with my hair so no one could recognize me. Besides, no one would expect me in the lower district. I thought I was safe."

"You were. I never even heard a rumor that you were here…I really missed you, Katara."

She looked into his eyes. "I missed you, too. Spirits, don't I sound pathetic. I deserve missing you; I put myself in the situation in the first place!" She rubbed her face, willing herself not to cry.

"At the time, you thought it was best; it's all right now. I'll contact everyone and let them know I've found you and that you're unharmed and safe."

"No! Please, don't do that. I don't want to go back South! I enjoyed it here. Why can't I stay?"

He pulled her into a hug, comforting her. She buried her face in his neck, squeezing her eyes shut, and hugging him back, needing to be comforted. Besides last night, it'd been so long since someone hugged her genuinely.

"Of course you can stay. Yet, I think your brother, Toph, Aang, and everyone else that cares about you would like to know that you're found. It would end their worry about your whereabouts."

"Can't I do it instead?"

"Sure. Now, I think it's time for you to rest."

"Can I return to my apartment?"

"No. Come on, let's get you to bed."

She sighed and didn't argue. "All right."

He pulled back and stood, holding his hand out for her to take. She grabbed onto it and pulled herself almost all the way up. She stopped when she felt a tug near her ankle and winced, plopping back down on the chair.

"I can't walk. I think I sprained my ankle," she said, after trying to stand and failing again.

"Here," Zuko bent down, one arm going behind her back, and the other underneath her knees, "hold onto me."

She did what she was told, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself close. He smiled, gripping her tighter and moving out of the office out to the hall. He ignored the guards' looks when he headed in the direction of his room. He didn't care if rumors spread; they didn't know it was Katara. His chambers were a ways away and Katara attempted to make conversation on the way.

"I really thought about visiting you sometimes when I couldn't pay rent on time, or after festivals. I wanted to talk to someone who knew what I'd been through and that I trusted."

"It's ridiculous that you had to pay rent; you helped end the war! You're a hero, not a waitress in the lower district. I hate that you went through all that trouble," he said.

"Zuko, I deserved it. I made the decision to go into hiding and I deeply regret it sometimes. It cost me two years that I could have seen the world become at peace, but it also gave me two years of freedom. The only thing wrong was that I couldn't become close to someone because they'd find out who I was. I promise I won't go to Ba Sing Se; it would be like starting over with the lies."

"Good, now that that's settled, I'll take you to see a healer tomorrow so we can see about your ankle."

"I don't need to see a healer. I'd heal it myself, but I don't have much strength at the moment. Your guards are well-trained. Even I couldn't make them let go of me."

"If you hadn't struggled so much, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. And yes, I trained them myself."

"Impressive," she paused, "Zuko?"

"Hmm?"

"Where are we going?"

"To my chambers. I don't have a guest bedroom prepared yet, so you're bunking with me tonight."

"Oh." Her tone was slightly higher, a bit nervous.

"Is that all right with you?"

"Yes, yes, of course, I'm just a bit drowsy is all."

He didn't believe her. His bedroom appeared in sight and he hurried; exhaustion was beginning to settle into his bones. He put her down for a moment to unlock the door and set her on the bed. Shuffling through his drawers, he tossed her a pair of pants and long shirt that she would sleep in, taking a pair of similar clothing into the restroom to change himself. He rolled the formal robes into a ball and threw them in the corner, going back out into his room to find a nearly unconscious Katara bundled up under the quilt on his bed. He grinned at the sight and climbed in next to her.

"Zuko…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for taking care of me.." she trailed off into unconsciousness.

He rolled onto his side to stare at her. He closed his when it began to take actual effort to keep them open. He joined her in unconsciousness soon thereafter.

Xxxxxxoxxxxxx

Two-shot, maybe more if I can think of a plot fast enough. I'll ask for ideas after the next chapter, when the rest of her family finds her, and she and Zuko become more aware of how they feel to each other. PLEASE REVIEW! I still have all that excitement when I open my e-mail just to find nine reviews, waiting to be read. Tell me what you liked, didn't like, or even had no opinion about! Tell me what you'd like to see more of!

Thanks, Sam