Katara stared out at nothing in particular without blinking until she felt movement in her arms. She looked down to see Aang fidgeting in his slumber, and sighed deeply before placing the sleeping Airbender into Appa's saddle. The fifteen year old turned back around the steer the giant bison. After a few moments of silence, there was movement coming up from behind her.
"Hey," Her brother greeted.
"Hey Sokka. Do you know when we should land?"
"Uh… I was thinking we keep flying for another twenty, thirty minutes then land wherever that would take us. We should be in the Fire Nation then." Katara visibly winced when he mentioned the Fire Nation, and unfortunately for her, her overprotective brother noticed. "I know that the Fire Nation brings up some bad memories for us, you especially, but it's going to be okay. I have a good feeling." He told her, a sympathetic expression on his face.
She gave him a reassuring half smile and wrapped her arms around his torso. In reality, it wasn't the old memories Sokka spoke about that haunted her; it was something, or someone, instead.
As Sokka stepped back in the saddle to sit next to a sleeping Toph, Katara stared out into the sunset, watching as the sun made a slow descent to meet the earth. She drew up her legs and rested her head on her knees. Closing her eyes, she saw much more recent memories through the blackness of her lids playing as if on a movie reel. They started with a first encounter, a day to themselves, a joining of hands, a passionate moment. She saw her own face, one full of happiness, fun, and love turn into one of hatred, of disgust… of betrayal. The good times turned to the bad, with a clash of fire and water creating steam in a green setting. There were images of a fight, many different fights blurred into one; the incident at the North Pole; his ultimate decision as he came towards she and Aang, ready to strike, a look of malice on his face.
Katara reopened her eyes and sighed again. She promised herself she wouldn't think of… of… of him until she had to see him again on Day of Black Sun. And even then…
Her thoughts were interrupted by Sokka taking Appa down. They found a small cave to stay in for the time being outside of a small town in the countryside. Once the gang had landed and made camp, most of them fell asleep within moments, the exception being Katara. Every time her lids began to droop, images flashed before her eyes of a smiling young man with growing black hair. The next showed her and the young man standing in a back alley in the middle of a secret meeting, fingers of both their hands intertwined as they stood face to face, her head angled up, his down before their faces came closer and his lips covered hers.
More good memories. So that meant it was just a matter of time.
Her lids dropped once more. This time, the scene was underneath Ba Sing Se. Katara stood next to the underground river, water by her side and ready to do her bidding. The same young man from her earlier dreams was coming closer to where she stood, fire licking the sides of his fists as he controlled his element.
"I thought you had changed!" Katara yelled at him as they began fighting.
There was a slight pause in which he replied "I have changed" before letting out a shout as he attacked again.
Katara fell into a fitful sleep as those words repeated themselves over and over in her subconscious.
***
Zuko stepped out onto his balcony that same night and looked at the moon. The same images Katara had been seeing earlier had been plaguing the young Firebender all evening. A small smiled graced his lips as he remembered the first time he had tried kissing the Waterbender. They were by a river and he came closer to her and pressed his lips to hers. She stiffened almost immediately out of shock then melted into the kiss before her mind caught up with her body. Needless to say, he ended up in the river with a pissed off Waterbender storming away, not bothering to keep her voice down as she cussed about him and everything involving him. Zuko had never heard such colorful language before, even coming into contact with numerous sailors through his ship- bound years. He knew, though, that it just caused him to fall a little bit more for her. Fifteen minutes later, Katara came back and kissed him with just the right amount of emotion and passion in it as he kissed her back. She broke away too soon for his liking and stormed away again muttering about "boundary over- stepping, hot, temperamental Firebenders that may or may not be good kissers." Zuko knew that would always be one of his most treasured and humorous memories. His small smile faded as Mai stepped outside. Mai was girlfriend purely for appearances; though it was obvious she always thought it was more. Thinking about it, Zuko didn't really recall telling Mai his feelings about their relationship.
"Aren't you cold?" She asked in her monotone voice as she placed a gloved hand on his shoulder blade.
"I've got a lot on my mind. I've only been home a few days. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed. I'm just thinking about that. Among other things." He told her without taking his eyes off the almost full moon, and mentally added mostly the other things.
Mai sighed. "I just asked if you were cold. I didn't ask for your whole life story." She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Stop worrying." She added before sauntering back inside and out of his room, most likely to find Ty Lee.
Zuko closed his eyes as he turned his head enough to see her walk out the door and opened them again when he turned back the watch the moon.
He decided to go back inside some twenty minutes later to lie down on his luxurious overly large bed to try to let sleep consume him. But, as he would consider the story of his life, he couldn't be so lucky. Images and memories swarmed his mind; a chaste kiss, a brief meeting of their eyes when their groups met up, or just being alone together in his days as a fugitive, sitting under a tree in each others' silent embrace. The young man would have had no problem falling asleep to what he considered the best times of his recent life. But, of course, these good times had to be woven in with the bad as he drifted off into a restless sleep. For every tender moment, an image of Zuko chasing her group, hunting them down would surface. When he, she, the Avatar, the Earthbender, her brother and Uncle Iroh fought against Azula and Iroh was struck down, he saw in his minds' eye how he threw back his arm in anger and threw fire at her for offering to help. And, he knew the memories would eventually come, underneath Ba Sing Se. The events in the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se played out like a scene in a movie. He saw their emotional exchange of words before his sister arrived, the Avatar and Uncle bursting into the cave right at the wrong moment. Azula talking to him about what he could gain by joining her, him and Katara fighting right before the Avatar was struck by Azula's lightning. As soon as the young boy fell, Ba Sing Se fell, and the entire Earth Kingdom fell. He would never forget her face as the final step of the coup was executed, which meant one of the worst things he could have ever done to her; the most heinous of crimes- total betrayal. And all Zuko did was stand there with an expressionless face. The last minutes of the battle, when they looked upon each other for last time and Uncle stepped in front of the two to help them escape the Dai Li and the Prince and Princess, where what played in his head the rest of the night.
***
"Katara, wake up," An annoying for this hour voice insisted. "Come on Katara! Wake up!" She felt someone gently nudging her side and groaned.
"Oh go away!" She slurred, swatting her arm around sloppily after burying her head under her pillow.
"Come on, Katara! You've slept longer than Sokka has!" Toph's voice sounded from somewhere in the corner of the cave.
"Ugh, I hate you all!" Katara mumbled before sitting up to see green bug eyes staring her down. She pushed Momo off of her before noticing the sunlight streaming through the opening of the cave. "Wow, how long have I been out?" She asked, rubbing away all traces of sleepiness from her eyes.
"Well, it's about five in the afternoon right now so…" Aang answered.
"Uh, wow."
"It's okay. We let you sleep." He replied cheerfully.
"Why…?"
"Because it's your big day! Happy sixteenth birthday, Katara!" With this, the excited Airbender jumped back and opened his fists, Airbending little pieces of confetti around the cave. Katara looked around. There was a platform of rock in different levels and tables around the cave, along with candles in little decorative holders.
"Umm, Aang?"
"Yeah, Katara?"
"Why are all these things around the cave?" She asked cautiously with wide eyes.
"Oh, that." He waved off- handedly. "I'm just throwing a little party for some school friends, and today happened to be your birthday, so it worked out great!"
"School?"
He waved again. "Yeah. Long story. I'll tell you later. Well, everyone should be arriving soon, so I'm going to go help Sokka set up before he hurts himself-" Crash! "-Or maybe after he hurts himself… Anyway, you do what you need to do, 'kay?"
"Yeah, sure, Aang." He gave her his usual cheeky grin before jumping off and promptly landing on the other side of the cave, helping Sokka out from under a bunch of snack bowls. "What you don't know is that I need to scrub my brain to get these memories out." She muttered under her breath before getting up to get dressed.
***
Katara sat at a table with Toph. The two were just sitting there, talking sometimes, but mostly drinking (not anything alcoholic but knowing Toph she probably found something) and watching the crowd. The kids from Aang's Fire Nation (where he donned the pseudonym Kuzon) were shy at first and stood around awkwardly as the music played around them until Aang showed them how to have a good time. Now a majority of them were dancing and laughing and having a good time. Aang broke free of the crowd and approached where Katara sat, asking her to dance. At first she resisted, but after a reassuring smile, the two made their way to the middle of the dance floor. Katara blocked out the other kids in the room and focused solely on her young friend.
The two went through the motions as they began to gain confidence in themselves and in each other. They incorporated what they knew of their bending styles into the dance, quickly turning it into an intricate battle without using their natural elements, weaving in between and closer then further from each other was the tempo increased until, with a final dip, the dance was over. As Katara, flushed and out of breath, gazed back at her young partner, she regrettably admitted I only wish it had been Zuko.
Katara stood off to the side guiltily watching Aang as he mingled with his guests. She didn't understand the sudden rush of longing as she danced with the young boy, suddenly wishing it was another one… but not a boy, a man. And she didn't understand why she was longing for that particular man. As the other kids danced along to the beat and drank and socialized, a group of older people led by a younger teen came in that everyone immediately recognized; the headmaster of their school. The music cut off and all the students froze in their place except Aang, who kept moving across the cave.
"He's the one we want, the one with the headband!" Aang froze when the Headmaster pointed him to two guards before bolting into the crowd.
The officers fled after him and turned around a boy with a headband…but not the one they were looking for. They pushed the boy out of the way before continuing their search and turned around another one.
"Yes?" Aang's school friend, On Ji asked. More kids in headbands started to surround the officers, who were starting to back up into each other. It seems all the kids in the cave had headbands on as the others escape to the back to Appa. Aang turned around once more to give Shoji a quick Fire Nation bow before turning and Earthbending the floor of the cave.
"Whew!" Sokka breathed as they got on Appa and started to ascend in the night air. "Ok, guys. Should we tell her?"
Aang looked slightly hesitant and Toph shrugged uncaringly, but Katara was confused. It quickly donned on her she was the one they were talking about.
"What about me?" She asked cautiously as she eyed her older brother.
"Well, sis, we want you to go to the capital. And by the capital I mean the Fire Nation capital."
"What? Why?!"
"Because we think it's beneficial for someone to be there before Day of Black Sun. You know, someone to let us know the layout of the city, where the palace is at, how big it is, where guards are stationed most heavily, etcetera."
"Ok, I understand that, but why me?!"
"Because Aang…I hope you don't need an explanation for, Toph would get into trouble, and I'm going to be communicating with Dad and trying to plan out the invasion since we don't have the Earth King's troops anymore, and I don't want any letters to be screened or intercepted."
Katara understood the reasons, but it didn't mean she had to like it. Especially if she had to see… Come on Katara, be strong. You can do it. Especially if she had to see Zuko. Ugh. That would just make her day. Not.
"Next stop, the capital." She muttered slightly miserably before Aang turned Appa to the northwest in the starry night.
***
Zuko didn't get much sleep the previous night. After the haunting memories finally left his mind, another nagging feeling wouldn't leave. He figured seeing his uncle would get it out, but the old man wouldn't respond that he even knew Zuko was in the same cell, let alone talk to him. After the agitated teenager left and as his temper ebbed away, he realized it wasn't what he originally thought he was feeling, but longing. Longing for a particular Waterbender that was God knew where in the world with that Airbender. He ran his fingers through his growing hair from his place on the side of his bed, legs over the side. Maybe some making out with Mai would get these thoughts out of his head. Yeah. Thank god for teenage hormones. But as he got up, he knew it wouldn't help unless it was another girl. He glanced at the portrait of his mother stationed on a nearby wall, wondering what she would tell him to do, what advice she would give. His gaze slid to the desk beside his bed to rest on the date. Well, that would explain why she wouldn't get out of his head. Today was her birthday. I should have remembered today, Zuko thought as he fingered the gift he was going to give her in his pocket. It never left the darkness and safety of his pants pocket. Releasing another breath, he got up once more to tell the guards outside his door that he was retiring for the night before lying under his sheets and trying to get some rest. Zuko had a feeling something would happen tomorrow, and he wanted to be prepared for it, whatever 'it' may be.
***
Katara arrived in the capital in the middle of the night, and was luckily able to find a nice hotel to stay in. Waking up from a nice rest, she figured she should go and look around the city. After a quick bath, she got dressed in her stolen clothes and put her hair up Fire Nation style. As she walked outside, she realized the city was already alive and bustling with traders, shops and carts all trying to sell their products to people walking through the streets. Walking along the sidewalk, she noticed Fire Nation city guards stationed at corners of the busiest intersections. She stopped occasionally in some clothing stores and bought a few accessories to compliment her outfit. Katara had been walking around for hours when she finally came across the edge of the market district. Soldiers and guards were stationed more heavily here, so she knew she must be getting close to the palace. Stopping into a café for a quick bite to eat she asked her waiter, "Can you tell me how close I am to the palace? I've always wanted to see it but I'm from the colonies so this the first opportunity I've had."
"Um, from here you're about ten minutes away. If you walk outside, you'll see the guards start getting heavier. Just go through their ranks and you'll be there. I'm Lee, by the way. What's your name?" He explained and asked.
"Thank you, Lee. And I'm Katara."
"Well, Katara, I'm going on break in a few minutes, but I can take your order and everything. What would you like?" Honestly, she hadn't even looked at the menu. Quickly glancing at it, she just took a shot in the dark.
"Um… I'll take two of whatever you like best."
"Two?"
"Mm- hmm. Care to join me?" Katara asked before thinking about what she was saying and she could feel her face quickly growing red. "It's okay if you don't, I was just wondering-" She added as an afterthought before he cut her off, laughing.
"Don't worry about it. Sure, I'll join you."
"God, that was embarrassing." She muttered into her hand, which was currently residing over her face after Lee walked to the kitchen. He came back about fifteen minutes later with two plates in his hands.
"Why is yours redder than mine is?" Katara asked as he set one of the late before her.
"Oh, I didn't think you'd like the amount of spices I put in mine. I like my stuff hot." He added with a wink. Katara laughed. Over the course of lunch, Katara and Lee learned more about each other and talked about their views on the war and world in general. She learned Lee had a fiancée and that they were expecting. Their family lived in residential side of the city and he was working at the restaurant until they could afford tuition money and a house of their own. He was in the middle of telling her about his soon to be wife when an older man wearing managerial robes came out from the back.
"Lee! I've given you an extra half- hour for your break since you're talking to that young lady over there, but it's time to get back to work." He nodded at the older man before turning back to Katara.
"Well, I guess that's our goodbye. Has it been an hour already? Wow. Don't worry about the tab, I've got it." Katara started to protest but he put up a hand to silence her. "Don't worry. Really. I'll see you soon?"
She nodded. "I'll probably be back here tomorrow and I'll be sure to ask for my new favorite waiter."
Lee bent over conspiratorially before whispering, "Don't worry, I won't tell your Water Tribe." He flashed her a smile before walking in the back. Feeling guilty, Katara took out her purse and put some coins on the table for a large tip. Walking out, she asked the maitre d what time it was. He told her it was about five.
She walked back outside into the sweltering heat, following Lee's instructions. The guards stood at attention, carefully eyeing who went past them. Like Lee said, about fifteen minutes later she was met with the palace wall. Walking around the periphery Katara saw some more guards and a group of shouting teenage girls. Walking up curiously, she saw a gate in the wall open and a red clad Zuko walk out, hands behind his back, hair in a top knot, dressed in his regal robes. The noise from the girls only increased when he walked out of the wall and inside the small crowd. As soon as he held up a hand the crowd silenced. Katara looked away, eyebrows mashed together and biting her lip almost to the point where it was bleeding. No. Be strong. Don't let him see you this way. She willed herself to look back up at his royal pain in the ass when one girl suddenly shouted out, "Where are you going, Prince Zuko?" He let out a small smile and looked around the girls.
"I'm going to see my girlfrien…" He let his sentence hang and his smile dropped when he saw a familiar shade of blue looking up at him. Katara was looking back at Zuko, her lip quivering slightly, her wide, innocent eyes filling with tears, eyebrows in L's when she realized what he had been in the middle of saying. Girlfriend. Zuko's eyes widened as he took in her state and his mind immediately caught up with him. Oh no… Katara suddenly whipped around and ran back into the marketplace. Zuko pushed through the small crowd, getting irritated with the girls that sighed when he pushed them.
His guards tried following but he told them to stay and they hesitantly complied. Katara ran through the bustling city, not caring who she ran into, only caring about finding a safe place to curl up alone.
"Katara! Wait up!" Zuko yelled after her, but she was hearing none of it. She willed herself to push forward and not stop or look behind her. "'Tara, please." He begged, but Katara just shook her head, closed her eyes briefly and bit her lip again to prevent her tears from flowing.
She saw her chance to lose him; there was a large group of people occupying the sidewalk that she ran around and into an empty alleyway. There were a stack of crates she hid behind before curling her legs to her body and breaking down in sobs.
Zuko ran around the group but stopped and looked around when he didn't see Katara ahead of him. Feeling defeated, he turned to trudge back to the palace when he heard a distinctive noise coming from the alley to the right. He followed the sound to some crates stacked up behind a door.
"Oh, god, why? Why him? There couldn't have been any other guy in this world?!" He could hear her break down again. A snap decision was made in Zuko's mind and he went around the crates.
Katara felt two strong, warm arms wrap around her silently shaking form and knew who it was immediately. She would recognize those arms no matter what time period she was in, no matter where in the world she was. Without thinking, she leaned into her usual source of comfort before her mind caught up with her body.
"Let go of me, Zuko!" She shouted into her lap.
"No, never again," he whispered in her ear before placing his forehead on top of her head.
"Go!"
"I won't." Katara's hurt mixed with anger and irritation quickly and she began pushing against his body.
"Get off of me, now!" She shouted up at his form, she couldn't really tell where he was aside from a black and red blob through her tears, and pushed him once more hard enough for him to break his hold. Zuko spread his arms behind him, a look of shock, confusion and pain crossing his features as his hands hit the concrete. There was a moment of silence. Katara gave Zuko a sidelong glance as he sat there watching her. He got back up and wrapped his arms around her again slowly, this time slightly erring on the side of caution.
"Get away from me, please!"
"I can't do that." He spoke with passion and started rocking them side to side.
After a moment of silence, Katara whispered to herself, "Why? Haven't you hurt us enough?" He knew what she meant when she had said us. Not himself, not herself, not her group, not the little boy Katara protected with her life, not her and her brother. 'Us.' Them. What they were who they were supposed to still be, who they should have been after this war ended. Katara and Zuko, together as they should be in their respective roles. But obviously it came down to the war. The Great War could easily bring two people together, and tear them apart just as easily, as it had done.
Zuko only held her tighter.
"I have, enough for the rest of our lives, and I will never do it again. I will do whatever it takes for you to believe me." He whispered harshly with conviction in his voice.
"How can I? Do you understand what you did? Can you comprehend it at all?!"
"I know exactly what I did. I helped bring down the last remaining stronghold of an entire civilization, betrayed the only real father figure I'd ever had in my life, and singlehandedly destroyed the one thing, one person, I hold closest to me." It took a minute to process his words.
"Just leave me alone Zuko." Katara told him quietly, trying to not let her emotions leak into her voice.
"No, I can't."
"Please, just go."
"I can't Katara. I don't think you understand. I can't."
"And why not?"
"You're… you're the only thing that's keeping me here." Katara slowly let her eyes close.
"Don't say things like that, Zuko!"
"Just don't go."
"Why shouldn't I? Do you not remember Ba Sing Se?"
"I do but-"
"You hurt me Zuko!" Katara almost yelled as her emotions finally took over and new tears flowed down her cheeks and onto her arms where her head was currently residing.
"I know! I know and I'm so sorry." She just barely resisted lifting her head when hot tears fell on her arm that weren't her own. She settled with looking out of the corner of her eye to see Zuko's own fresh tears falling from his eyes. "Let me beg, let me grovel, just let me do something. I'll do anything as long as you give me another chance." She looked into his sincere eyes and knew he was telling the truth. And she wanted him to be. Deep down Katara couldn't stay upset and distrustful towards him. But that didn't mean she couldn't still be wary.
"I want to; I want to forgive you, I just… I don't want to get hurt again." She looked away from his golden eyes, finding an interest in the paved ground. Zuko carefully and gently placed a warm hand on her cheek and rubbed it with his thumb so she would look back at his tear stained face.
"You won't. Not by me."
"Ok… But remember, screw up again and this is it. For good. I mean it." He nodded.
"Will… will you meet me tonight?" Katara cocked her head.
"Meet you? How?"
"Just go over by the gate I came out of at sundown. I, uh, wanted to show you around the city." He told her, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. To Katara, at that moment, even with his top quality robes marking his royal status, he had never seemed more his age.
"Prince Zuko, are asking me to go on date with you?"
He flashed her his signature half smile and Katara half laughed while wiping her face.
"Just remember, Katara, sundown."
"Just remember, Zuko, just because I'm going doesn't mean you're fully forgiven."
"I wouldn't expect anything more." He came closer to her, hand in his pocket and grabbed her hand with his other. "Close your eyes." She complied. Next thing Katara knew he had dropped her hand, kissed her forehead and was around the corner and she had a bracelet on her wrist.
***
Zuko was outside the gate in clothes he wore under his robes and armor, and a robe he used as a light jacket pacing. 'Is Katara really going to come? Should I have waited to give her that? What if she doesn't show? What if I'm getting my hopes up for nothing? What if-?' He was interrupted from his thoughts and jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Zuko immediately jumped around and got into a defensive position before relaxing upon seeing Katara. His harsh expression softened into a small smile.
"I think… I should thank you." She started. He was confused until looking at her left wrist and seeing his gift. "No one's ever gotten me something like that and I-" She was silenced by a warm finger on her lips.
"Happy day- late birthday. Come on, let's go." Zuko held out his arm and Katara looped her own through his. They started moving in the direction she had come from. "As you can probably tell, this is our main shopping district, like a… a mall almost. It takes up a good third of the city, I'd say." The two turned a quick corner.
"What are the other thirds?" Katara asked, genuinely curious.
"The palace and the palace grounds take up a good amount of land and then there are the residential districts and then there's the district where all the schools are, like the public and private schools and the University. Not quite thirds but I'm no good at math."
"It's ok, you're forgiven," Katara joked. Zuko rubbed the top of her head to mess up her hair. "Hey!"
"Ugh these robes are annoying as hell. Hold on I'll be right back." Katara was curious when he walked around the corner but decided it would be better not to check. As promised Zuko came back a moment later, regal outer robes shed. He wore a long V- neck shirt held together by a sash and baggy pants under it with the traditional Fire Nation boots and his hair draping around his face. Katara knew she was wide- eyed and most likely gaping like an idiot.
"Uh…, um… uh……. Wow." She hadn't seen him after Ba Sing Se. His hair had grown out to a shaggy but attractive length and he looked especially good in the reds, gold's and browns of his country contrasting his alabaster skin. He smirked.
"Well, thank you. I know it's hard not to look at me, but, please refrain. You have to share with everyone." Katara rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his arm.
The two kept bantering back and forth with each other and Zuko would occasionally point out a monument or statue or building with some historical significance. They walked around for what seemed like hours, fake bickering and flirting and having soft gentle moments alone, all the while growing emotionally reattached to each other.
"There's one more place that I want to show you," Zuko started seriously after a few moments laughing like he's never done before after sneaking up behind Katara and making a noise like a cat- gator. She seemed to notice his change in tone and nodded. Zuko out his arm around her waist and they walked back to the general vicinity of the palace.
"Well, two really. The second I am going to show you at a later time." Katara nodded silently again before leaning into his touch. The older teen led the younger around the palace wall to a railing. On the other side of the railing was an expansive black lake. The moon reflected of the surface of the still lake, and its light revealed rolling hills and a countryside setting. Katara, mesmerized, walked out of Zuko's embrace and up to the rail to stare out at the scene. A hushed, whispered wow fell from her lips.
"Yeah, wow." Zuko assented. He had walked up behind her and rested his forearms on her left side on the rail. "I come out here to think a lot at night. Sometimes I just stay in my room, though. There's a pretty good view of the countryside from there, too."
Katara looked down at him. "Who said I was saying wow just about this?" Zuko looked up at her and found a familiar teasing expression he had longed to see for weeks. He smiled a little, before dropping his head and letting it rise to look outward at the lake again. "It really is beautiful, though." Zuko looked up again and paused for a moment. The moonlight gently caressed Katara's features as she looked around, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Yeah, you are." He muttered. 'Did I really just say that?! Ugh.' He was mentally kicking himself when he finally looked back at Katara, male ego boosting when he realized she was looking away and blushing. They stood in companionable silence, watching the glassy surface of the black lake when an occasional boat went through it. Katara took a deep breath in and out. Zuko straightened up to full height so he was looming over her again. After a few moments of enjoying each others' presence, he lifted his right arm off its resting place on his left. He slid it slowly over to Katara's, stretching out his fingers and placing them one at a time in her arched hand, resting on her palm. He could hear his heart beat in his ears, not knowing whether or not she would accept or reject his small gesture. A long moment later he felt Katara shift her hand slightly and intertwine her fingers with his. He exhaled sharply in joy, surprised at how good it felt to have her small, cool hand in his larger, warm one again. Katara gave an inward smile. She loved the feeling of their skin touching again. Having her hand in his made her feel… safe. Like there wasn't a war an ocean away, like the young man she was holding hands with wasn't going to be the next Fire Lord, like she wasn't undercover in the most dangerous country for a Water Tribe Waterbender that shouldn't even be alive after her tribes' last raid…
The two stood hand in hand, all disconcerting thoughts about their surrounding world and near future that constantly plagued their mind leaving. It was just two teens in their own little world. After a few moments Zuko shifted his body and brought his left hand to the side of Katara's face and stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. She turned her body and gently placed her hand on his scar after he let his fall. He closed his eyes for a moment and placed his free hand on top of hers before reopening them slowly. The emotion in his eyes was hard to resist looking away from and Katara found herself inching her head upwards. Zuko didn't fail to notice and started angling his head downwards. He slowly closed the gap between their faces and brushed his lips against hers and kept them there. She responded quickly, placing her hand at the nape of his neck. Katara slowly pulled her mouth away when breathing became necessary.
Zuko's eyes were still closed and he placed his chin on top of Katara's head and wrapping her in his arms before muttering the words he knew were never truer than that night. "I love you." He felt her slightly freeze and push on his chest. He let his arms loosen enough for her to look at his face with a shocked expression.
"What?" Zuko didn't like her expression; it made him feel like backtracking two minutes and taking back his words. But the Prince knew he couldn't- and knew he meant them with his everything. He felt like Katara needed to know, so he looked into her eyes and repeated himself.
"I love you. I really do and I was planning on telling you after we got out of those damn catacombs but-" He was cut off by Katara pressing her lips softly against his. It didn't last long, but it was enough. Her small arms wrapped around his torso and her head rested over his heart.
"Love you, too, Zuko. That's why I couldn't let you go these past few weeks and you were always on my mind." She felt his chest rumble.
"And is that a bad thing?"
"Well, you know…" He chuckled again.
"Same here, 'Tara. You never left my thoughts. Now come on- it's late, I'll take you back to the palace so you don't have to walk all night."
'Uh oh.' Katara didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she was really not looking forward to going there before the day of the invasion… or preferably never. Biting her lip, she let Zuko take her hand and guide her toward the direction of the palace's surrounding wall. Trying to buy time, she, slightly shakily, asked, "Shouldn't you go back and get your robes?"
He shrugged noncommittally. "It's not like I don't have the funds to buy more. I'll probably just have the guards pick them in the early morning before one of those psychos you saw earlier associates them with me."
"Oh…ok…"
They continued to walk closer. Reflecting in the moonlight, Katara saw the highest parts of the Fire Nation Royal Palace looming in the near distance. She just stared as they continued before coming back to her senses. When had they gotten so close? Zuko realized their closeness as well because his slightly smiling face turned to the stoic face of royalty and his slack posture quickly straightened out. Katara noticed the guards standing attention not twenty feet away.
"Zuko, won't they be suspicious when I walk in with you?"
"No. They know better." The gate was getting closer and closer and Katara couldn't help her heart beating as hard as it was. But wait….wasn't the whole point of her being in the capital to know more about its layout, the palace especially? True as it was, she couldn't help feel guilty she was going to use her visit for information to an invasion force to try to overthrow the most important occupant of the place, the young man she was currently holding hands with who recently switched back to regal mode.
The guards nodded respectfully and mumbled a low "Prince Zuko" before parting and letting the two pass. As she cleared the gate Katara let out a small gasp and heard Zuko chuckle slightly from behind her. To say the grounds were huge was a serious understatement. And the palace… there were no words to describe its size, beauty, and formidability.
"Welcome to the Fire Nation Royal Palace." Despite her wariness of the palace, the way the prince said this simple line, with his arms out and waiting for Katara, sounded like more of a 'welcome home.'
***
Zuko led Katara through the expansive palace. Unfortunately for Sokka and his wanted information, it was too large for her to make any sense of its layout.
"Alright, 'Tara, just one more turn." The two turned down a corridor filled with tapestries and one large door at the end. Zuko's room was large (no surprise) with a portrait of his mother on the wall, a desk on one side, his Dao blades hanging above his headboard, and a large bed in the middle.
Katara didn't get to look around much before Zuko had her back against a wall, lips hungrily seeking hers. His arms wrapped around her waist as she responded and they made their way slowly to the only place in the room to rest their bodies. After a few minutes Zuko rested on top of Katara, supporting his own weight with his arms. A few more and he felt his shirt's sash loosen and pulled away instantly.
Katara's lips were red and swollen, she was breathing hard, (as was he), and her hair was falling out in a mess behind her, but her eyes had the determined glint Zuko knew and usually loved. Tonight though, considering what she just tried doing, he didn't know what to think.
"Katara…"
"I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not." He sighed and hung his head, letting his long bangs tickle her face.
"And I should feel sorry that you're not sorry."
"Then what's the problem?"
"'Tara, we just… I don't know what to call it- got back together? Made up? I don't know- but I… don't want to rush things and screw up, you know?"
She exhaled sharply. "Zuko I know. I also I know that I love you-"
"And I you."
"- and I don't see the big deal! I understand what you mean, but I… want to be with you…and… I want this."
"I do too, really, but is now the best time?" He didn't want to screw it up, but hell the young man was seventeen years old with a beautiful girl under him. He knew he wouldn't be able to resist for long.
"Ugh! Zuko, think about it- when else could we?"
"That's true, but-" Katara grabbed his face and made him look in her eyes.
"Zuko. I am sixteen years old, with a boyfriend that loves to drive me near the edge of spontaneous combustion. Being that I am sixteen years old I think I would know whether or not I can make my own decisions and I want this to happen!"
His resolve was wavering "I know. And you can. I just…" He sighed again.
"Please, Zuko?" Her eyes were wide and innocent and that one short, two word sentence pulled him under. His lips reattached themselves to hers for a slow kiss before moving away.
"Is this what you want? Really, Katara? Right here, right now, with me of all people?"
"Yes."
He gave Katara a quick kiss before skimming his lips down her chin to rest on her neck. He knew there would be a hickey there tomorrow, but right now he couldn't bring himself to care. Zuko continued his ministrations as Katara slipped his shirt all the way off his muscular chest…
***
Zuko woke up the next morning at dawn, as usual. Katara was still sleeping, curled up into his chest. His fingers were tracing shapes on her hip, and content as he was, he knew he had to get ready for an important war meeting. After a quick bath, he put his hair into a top knot, securing it with the royal prince's hair piece before dressing in under clothes and royal armor. Katara was still sleeping, so he wrote a quick note and started towards his father's throne room.
Katara woke a few hours later to an otherwise empty bed. She looked around for some hint Zuko was somewhere in the room. Finding no trace, she groaned and rolled over to bury her face in his pillow, but instead of hitting the soft fabric she hit a piece of paper. It read;
Morning, love. Sorry I wasn't here when you woke up, but duty calls. I should be back around nine, but in the meantime, go ahead and explore my rooms. If you want to take a bath the bathroom is the door on the left. I have some things to talk to you about later so if you want we can go out?
She smiled slightly at the note. Katara knew it was hard for Zuko to express his emotions, but she could tell he was trying to not just be the strong silent type.
But that's just how he is. His past hardened him but he was putting a strong effort forward to let go occasionally.
Stretching out, Katara flushed when she remembered her state of undress. She made her way to the bathroom, drew a bath and stayed in it until the water cooled. She hadn't had a good, decent bath like this in forever. And never in place this fancy. The palace made the one in Ba Sing Se look like her and Sokka's hut in the South Pole compared to the entire North Pole. She dressed in her clothes from the previous night and did her hair and finally left the large bathroom.
When she returned to Zuko's room, she was shocked to find him lying on his bed on top of the covers. He looked over briefly before looking back toward the ceiling and motioning for Katara to join him.
"Morning."
"Hey. How was the meeting?" he looked over with a confused look. "I figured it was something along those lines." He nodded in understanding.
"I see you found my bathroom easily?"
"I did." The two sat in silence for a few moments before Katara broke it.
"What did you… want to talk about?" Zuko sighed deeply with closed eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before rolling over and placing a tentative hand on Katara's hip.
"…How are you feeling?" Her eyebrows mashed together; she knew this wasn't what he was going to say.
"I'm fine…" She told him suspiciously. "…But I know you well enough to say your initial reaction wasn't just over asking me how I am. What's going on?"
"I could ask you the same."
"…" He gave her his piercing stare. "…What do mean?"
"In, say, about three days?"
"Three days?! The eclipse is in three days?! How long have I been out? …Oops." Katara gave him a sheepish smile realizing her mistake while Zuko just glared.
"Alright, that answers my question. How long has this been planned?"
"Since my group was in the Si Wong desert a few days before you were there. Sokka found one remaining piece of paper talking about the darkest day in Fire Nation history. There was a planetarium in the library and he and Aang punched in the date on the paper. The moon blocked out the sun and I thought he broke it but a professor we were with said it was an eclipse. Sokka figured out that when it happened Firebenders lose their bending and found when the next one was occurring. We took the information to Ba Sing Se to give to the Earth King. It was planned then but our invasion force has considerably gone down after…" She didn't need to finish. Zuko knew what was next. "I'm sorry."
"No, no, 'Tara, it's not your fault."
"I know, but still."
"Hey, look at me. I wanted to say that we were planning what to do during it." He took another deep breath. "I know what I want you to do. And I know what I'm going to do."
"Which would be…?"
"You'll find out later about me, but you, I want you to go find your brother and your friends-" Zuko didn't need to finish before she began interrupting.
"What?! No, Zuko, I'm staying with you, what the hell are you thinking?!" He calmly held up a hand before continuing where he left off.
"-because you'll be seeing me a few days after."
"Oh. Why?"
"You'll find out soon enough. For now… lets just enjoy our time together."
And so they did.
***
Zuko was no liar; she did see him about two days after they arrived at the Western Air Temple after the failed invasion. This time, though, he was trying to join the right side and end the war. It wasn't easy, but the group eventually let him join. (And Toph never failed to tease her about her heart fluttering whenever the moody young man was near.)
Zuko was more clamped up and didn't talk all that much except when necessary for a while after joining them until he got more comfortable around all his former enemies. Though he thought sneaking around to see Katara was fun.
In the end, he taught the fourteen year old Avatar Firebending and did many deeds for the group that were too hard to face on their own. He and Katara faced his sister on the day of the comet and he has the scar to prove it. Katara still feels guilty she was the cause of it whenever she sees it. He was crowned as Fire Lord on his eighteenth birthday/
***
Katara woke on an otherwise empty bed. She felt like everything she was just dreaming about was just that; a dream. Zuko hadn't come and talked to her yet, and it was still a month or two before the comet arrived. She felt around on the pillow next to her. What do you know, a note. Instead of reading it she threw her arm over her eyes in an attempt not to groan about her overactive imagination. But when her fingers brushed her throat and felt a different type of fabric then she was used to. She glanced around once, doing a double take and almost screaming when she looked at her stomach. All the memories of the past five years returned quickly to Katara's mind; She and Zuko married about eight months ago, one month pregnant with their first child. She was now twenty years old, he twenty two, and the first ever Water Tribe Fire Lady.
Katara got up slowly to bathe and freshen up. After a long bath, she reentered her and Zuko's room (which was his of his childhood) to see a familiar red clad man laying on their bed and staring up at the ceiling before turning and flashing her a large grin. Katara returned the smile before moving over to the bed to kiss her husband.
If it weren't for that one summer night in the Fire Nation, who knows where they would be?
Katara might be at the South Pole, trying to fend off men she had n interest in, and Zuko…who knows. But she knew one thing.
Oh yeah. Things were definitely good.
A/N Alright….the second half sucked. Grr. And yeah IDK bout this, t was a dream one night.
I AM working on te next chaper of LT, I just keep rewriting it cuz I hate how its sounding right now so don't worry…oh yeah and if you review this story or a chapter of LT I'll send a sneak peak of the next chapter of LT!
Oh yeah, follow me on twitter for updates, ill put the link up after school!
Muah, loves!