::~ HI! PermanentlyFrozen here. So after reading so many awesome A:TLA Zutara stories, I decided to make my own! I swore not to, but still, here I am. This is Zutara, so all Kataangers beware, but if you still want to read this story for fun, then go ahead! You have been warned. By the way, in this story, time as fast forwarded to 6 years, so Katara's 22, Zuko's 25, Aang's 20, Toph's 20, Sokka's 23. It's a one-shot, and very fluffaaay!

::~ ATLA Is not owned by PermanentlyFrozen. This goes for the entire story.

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Christmas. It was the holiday that no matter what age you were, you felt the Christmas cheer. Katara was no exception. She loved Christmas. It was her favorite holiday, because she remembered when her mother and her would decorate the tent with decorations, and it wasn't much, but it brought her family together. Ever since then, Christmas was a big thing for her, because it reminded her of that little piece of her that was her mother. She was in her favorite blue swearter, with black jeans and white boots. She was on a ladder, struggling to put the star on the 9 foot tall Christmas tree Sokka had cut down a week ago. She was a bit unstable, because she was on her tip toes, but she was sure she could handle it. " Just, a bit more!" She stretched, one foor on the ladder.

Sokka walked in just then, and saw his sister. Zuko walked in from the opposite hall, and saw what happened just as Sokka did. " KATARA!" Sokka yelled. " WHAT?" She yelled, just as she lunged, trying to get the star on. She toppled, falling backwards.

Time seemed to stop.

Katara fell, so shocked she was unable to scream.

Zuko ran.

He caught her just before she reached the ground, and she gasped, surprised she was still alive. Sokka ran towards them, a horrified expression on his face. Zuko was poised above her, his eyes scanning her for any injuries. " Katara, are you okay?" he asked. She knew what she needed to say, but she was out of air. Finally, after a few minutes, she recovered enough to say the three simple words. " Get off me." She said, in a low voice. A ghost of a smile flashed through his expression. but then it was gone so fast, that if you blinked, you missed it. Zuko rolled aside as Sokka extended a hand to help her up. As soon as she was on her feet, he started chastising her. " What the hell were you thinking, doing something so stupid? You knew it was dangerous!" Zuko sighed as he dusted himself. " Sokka, give her a rest, she just fell for the love of god." Sokka made a face at him, but left Katara alone. She bended water from the sink, and drank it.

Toph and Aang came down from the villa's roof, and simply stared at everyone. Toph was the one who spoke. " What happened?" Aang was clearly worried for Katara, but he knew better, and stayed silent.

She was finally well enough to yell at Sokka properly. But just then, she saw the Christmas tree topple, and it fell over, right on to the desserts table that she took hours baking.

Her mouth formed a perfect " O". Zuko looked at the tree, then back at her. Sokka feared for his life. Katara stood, refusing to show any expression. She simply stood, watched the disaster for a second, and simply went down the hall, into her room. Zuko looked at Sokka for an explanation. Sokka's voice was grave. " She loves Christmas. It was the one holiday that our entire family was together, and it means alot." Sokka solemnly went down the hall, to try and comfort his sister.

::~

" Are you thinking what my feet think you're thinking Sparky?" Toph said, amusement in her voice. " What, What it Zuko thinking?" Aang asked, completely clueless. Zuko sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. " Shaddup Toph, and start earth bending."

' I can't believe it! All that hard work, for nothing! Mom would be so disappointed..." At that thought, she sobered, and sat down on her bed. " No she wouldn't Katara, you know that. She'd be proud that you tried so hard. Look at this! Your room is decked out! Heck, the house is decked out! It's put everyone in a good mood, and it's just because of you!" Katara wiped away some reluctant tears. " You always know what to say to make me feel better." Sokka smiled and hugged her. " Even though your stupidity could cost me my life sometimes." She added. Sokka ruffled her hair.

::~

Okay, Okay. He thought. She's coming out of her room now, I hope she doesn't kill me. Katara walked out, and saw the tree in the same condition it had been in when she first decorated it: Perfect. The lights were brighter, and the decorations were repaired. " What- What is this?" She asked, looking at Toph, Aang, and Zuko. " Did you guys do this? But I was just-" Toph held out a hand. " It was all Zuko's idea. I earth-bended the tree back up, Aang put the decorations up by air-bending, and Zuko used firebending to repair the broken bulbs, and light them up." Zuko stepped forward. " We left the star to you, however." He held it out. She slowly took it, but not without smiling. Her smile made him smile as well. She walked up to the tree, and with the help of the ladder, she put it on. It was only after she was safely back on the ground that Zuko let out the air that he didn't know he was holding. They all gathered around the tree, singing everyone's favorite Christmas song, Deck the Halls.

::~

Hours later, everyone arrived. Ty Lee came with a santa hat for everyone, and with tons of presents. Mai arrived, and didn't say a word to anyone, but " Where are my presents. I hate you Zuko." and everyone knew things were going to be okay. Suki arrived, and Sokka hasn't been further than a centimeter from her. Zuko was busy trying to avoid hugs, but he wasn't doing so well. Katara had a large grin, and was being the perfect host, albeit a bit bossy. " Zuko, quit running from Ty lee and help me with the sweets, they're done!" Katara said. Zuko readily helped, noticing the way she leaned down to get the muffins from the oven. Snapping out of his reverie, he grabbed the muffin tray without gloves and set them on the table.

" Well, nephew, it looks like Miss Katara has taught you well." Zuko spun around quickly, a rush of happiness overwhelming him." Uncle!" Zuko hugged his uncle, not thinking about he tried to run away from hugs that came from everyone else. Iroh cackled, when he saw Katara smiling happily behind Zuko. Iroh stopped hugging his uncle and hugged Katara. " Iroh." She said, wistful. Iroh laughed. " How many times do I have to tell you, it's Uncle?" Katara laughed. Iroh moved aside, to reveal a flabbergasted Zuko being sqeezed by her grandmother. " Gran-Gran!" Katara joined in the hug.

" No way, Gran-Gran and Iroh are here!" Sokka yelled. There was an immediate rush of noise and pushing. Katara had somehow escaped from the huddled mass of arms and legs and sat a bit far off, watching the scene. This is my family. She thought. " Katara."

She froze.

Only one person had that voice.

She slowly turned around.

She hasn't seen him in a year.

" DAD!" She screamed. Hakoda had snuck in from the back door to surprise everyone. Sokka somehow pulled away and joined the hug that Katara was already giving her dad. " We missed you!" They both said. " I've missed you two. Look at how much you've grown!" He said. Sokka rolled his eyes, but didn't pull away from the hug. " Here it comes." he said. Katara chuckled and lightly hit her brother on the arm. " Shut up." They continued to hug. After a few minutes, Hakoda spoke again. " I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Zuko." Katara pulled away. " What?" Hakoda nodded. " He paid the necessary arragements from me to come here from the Arctic Cirlce. I never would have made it here." Sokka had no problem with that. Katara, however, did. " Why would he do that?" She asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. " Who cares, 'Tara? Dad's here, and that's all that matters, right?" Katara nodded.

::~

" I just can't believe it Uncle. It happened in a matter of two days." said Zuko. Iroh " It happens. Didn't I tell you long ago?" Zuko nodded in agreement. " You did, Uncle. You did. I knew it happened, because it happened with Mother, and Father, no matter how briefly. But I thought, I would never fall in love. I never saw it coming." Iroh laughed. " One never does."

" Iroh?" Katara said, from the balcony door behind them. Zuko stood erect, and spun around to face her quickly, with a worried expression. " Katara? How much did you hear?" he said. Katara raised an eyebrow. She had only come a few seconds ago. " Not much. Uncle Iroh, can I talk to Zuko alone for a moment?" Zuko looked at his uncle indecisively. Iroh nodded, and walked out of the balcony. On his way out, he held Katara's hand, squeezed it, and gently let go. Katara walked towards Zuko, who was still watching every moved she made with his amber eyes. " Um... Did you like your present?" He asked. " The one under the tree or my Father?" She asked sarcastically. Zuko swallowed deeply. " Both?" Katara rolled her eyes. " Why did you do it?" She asked. Zuko sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. " I thought it would make you happy." " Oh, it did." Katara said. " Then why do you have a problem with it?" He asked. He was getting annoyed. Can't she be happy for once without looking for a hidden meaning in everything? " It's because you did it!" She said. She could sense that he was getting angry and there was no way his anger was going to go unmatched. " Your telling me that if Aang brought your father over from the Arctic Circle you wouldn't have a problem with it, but because it was me something's wrong?" Katara shook her head, and stood beside him, overlooking the Sea and the forest below them. " No, that's not what I'm saying." She said. " Then what?" He asked. It was Katara's turn to sigh. " I didn't get you anything good for Christmas."

Zuko stared at her for a few seconds. Then, he simply laughed, and took her into his arms with a big hug. " I know what you can give me." He said huskily. " What?" She asked, wondering if she'd ever know how his mind worked.

" You."

::~

Super fluffy, but I just had to get it out there. :D NO FLAMES.