The Queen of the Night

By ChiaraBrie

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Avatar: The Last Airbender. This story is pure fiction, from a fan =]

Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day beloved readers!

I wanted to write a short story incorporating our modern day Valentine's holiday into the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I did not think the actual holiday would suffice (giving chocolates, writing in Hallmark's cards, etc) and so I created my own abstract version to fit into the ATLA realm. I hope you can see the connection.

And now, a few important points before we begin:

This story takes place between "The Southern Raiders" and "The Ember Island Players", with the group arriving on Ember Island for the first time.

This is a Zuko/Katara pairing.

The "Queen of the Night" (Selenicereus grandiflorus) truly exists, but I will be manipulating its properties to fit my story.

Enjoy,

ChiaraBrie

The Queen of the Night

"Ember Island? More like…Thorny Island!" said Sokka, who was extracting himself from a bush near the ocean. "We couldn't just fly into the palace courtyard. We needed to take the scenic route…"

"Like I told you before, people would notice a giant flying bison in the sky," sighed Aang. "We need to bring Appa in when it's dark. For now, let's enjoy the walk." With a gust of wind he brought himself up to hug his furry friend's head, and assured him they would be back later on. The large beast yawned in reply, and snuggled down for a well deserved nap; upon his tail, Momo mimicked his actions and joined him. Leaving the two behind, the group began walking forward passing a tiny dock and a large rocky cliff before coming to the island's main beach.

Suki and Toph took the lead, giggling as Sokka continued to find thorns in unwelcome places and crying out as he plucked them. Katara and Aang were discussing the tiny island's beauty, taking note of the lush plant life and breathtaking views. Bringing up the rear was Zuko, who kept his eyes down and stayed silent. Unbeknownst to his friends, he was dealing with a new internal struggle which kept him up the past few nights.

'As if I don't have enough to worry about…' he thought.

They were in the middle of a war. He was separated from his beloved uncle, whose memory still brought a sting of guilt to the Fire Nation Prince. His father was a demon on the loose, ready to destroy the entire world for his ambitious gains. Then there was his sister, a venomous snake who was sure to strike again soon; and his mother…his mother…

But that was not plaguing Zuko's mind at the moment. It was her.

About a week ago, Zuko discovered a whole new world when he took Katara on a mission to find her mother's killer. At first he was confused and hurt at Katara's dislike of him; well not entirely confused. He did deserve most of her rage. But there was something else eating at her, and Zuko was receiving the blunt end of it. After he deduced the source of her pain to be the man who killed her mother, he took her across the seas to find the peace she needed.

Little did he know, he would find something as well.

Zuko had watched as Katara demonstrated her strength and courage while searching for the man. He saw her take down well trained guards like they were children. He watched her cunning as she followed Yon Rha, the murderer, to a secluded spot where she could attack. He held his breath as he witnessed her amazing bending powers, poised to end the man who so desperately deserved to die.

And then he witnessed her goodness, her kindness, her pure soul.

She let the man live. She came so close to exacting the revenge she so ardently desired, and then let it go. It was a feat that Zuko had never seen before, or even thought possible. To know, and then witness, the limitless goodness a person could have gave him chills. Was that possibility inside him too? Even where there was so much hatred and rage?

Katara gave him hope that there was.

"Hey guys, where is… everybody?" called Suki over her shoulder, breaking Zuko's concentration. The shoreline before them was devoid of people, an unusual sight for this time of year on Ember Island.

"Well it's almost sundown," chirped Sokka, who grabbed his rumbling stomach, "Maybe they're all at dinner, like we should be!"

"For once I think the bottomless pit is right," said Toph, who was kneeling on the ground with her palm flat on the floor. "I feel them; they are all gathered in the town square. It seems like there is a lot going on."

"Then let's go check it out," said Aang as he lead the group into the town.

Zuko heard the crowd of people before he saw them.

Music was humming low in the distance over the babble of mixed voices, and every now and again he heard the sound of a child's laughter float high above the rest. Even though it was daytime, the glow from the lanterns lit up the sky. The islanders were clearly celebrating something.

"How beautiful!" gasped Katara as they entered the square. The houses were all decorated in large paper flowers, the white petals contrasting with its yellow interior. The lamps were all covered with white screens that had flower cut outs, allowing them to shed light on the people below. There were stands with vendors shouting out their wares (Blossoms! Get your Queen Blossoms before the night begins!), and others selling the most delicious smelling food.

"Jackpot!" shouted Sokka as he grabbed Suki's hand and made way to the nearest one. The others just shook their heads at his comical antics.

"Zuko," asked Katara as she turned to the silent prince, "What is all this?"

Zuko had to swallow the large ball in his throat before responding. "Uh, well, I am not so sure. I sorta remember this festival, but it has been a while…" he sputtered while scratching the back of his head. What was wrong with him? It was just Katara! Yet he felt like he had a million glow flies flying around his stomach when she spoke to him.

"Hey maybe this explains something," piped up Toph, who was holding a flyer upside down and handing it to the nearest person to read. Aang, who was on her left, took the paper and scanned its contents.

"No, this is just a flyer for the theatre performance tomorrow night, it's called 'The Boy in the Iceberg'…hey! It's about me! We've gotta go see this!" he shouted.

"Yeah twinkle toes, say it louder. I don't think the Fire Lord heard you back in the capital…" snapped Toph as she grabbed the flyer from him again and crumbled it up. "But that still doesn't answer what this is all about."

Just then, Sokka returned with a large bag of fire flakes in his hand. "Look over there by the stage," he mumbled in between mouthfuls, spraying his friends with a few renegade specks, "There's dinner and a show! You fire nation people know how to do it right." Sokka playfully punched Zuko in the arm before making a path through the crowd towards the performance; the others followed suit.

"C'mon Zuko, don't get lost," said Katara when she noticed him not moving. She smiled warmly at the prince, offering her hand to him. Zuko felt a pulse in his fingertips as he moved his hand into hers, managing a small smile in return. Before he knew it, and before he could even register how much he enjoyed it, they caught up to the group and she released her hold on him.

"Over here Katara, I saved you a spot," said Aang as he indicated a vacant place beside him. Zuko just frowned and stood next to Toph, making a mental note to secure his seat placement better the next time they all went to a show. Luckily, there was not much time to brood since the stage came to life with exploding fire crackers and loud applause.

A man dressed in lavish white robes appeared before them, bowing and smiling to the joyous crowd. Once the pleasantries passed, he spread his arms wide and began his story:

"Welcome! Welcome one and all to the festival on our beloved Ember Island. Tonight, we celebrate one of our most cherished traditions as we remember the tale of… The Queen of the Night!" Again, another burst of applause and cheering followed his words; the man waited with grandeur until the noise subsided to speak.

"We begin, as we do with most legends, with the spirits— in particular, the spirit of a star. In fact you have seen some of these spirits every night of your life, if you have only taken the trouble to look up." He pointed to the sky, and every head in the crowd mimicked his movements.

"There have been many instances where we have seen stars fall from the sky, but why do they fall?"

Pause for dramatic effect.

" Love." The crowd was entranced at this point, and did not make a move as the man continued his story.

"Love, above all else, governs the forces in this world. It is something that we take for granted, almost like a right that is owed to us for living with the threat of mortality. But the spirits understand the precious nature of love, and envy us for the opportunity. They are not permitted to love as we do; their duties lie elsewhere. Yet one spirit, one shining star, decided to go against these rules."

"She shone brightly over this island for many years, hovering between our world and the spirit world, before discovering Prince Hoshi. He was a young and handsome man, who was beloved by all in his village for his kind heart and just rule. Many women wanted him, but Hoshi did not take interest. When asked what he would do for a queen, or better yet what he would do for love, he replied 'I have the love of the stars, which watch over me and guide me every day.' Little did he know how true his words were."

"This special star watched the prince through the thin barriers between our two worlds, and fell hopelessly in love with him. But what to do when you're a star, and he a man?"

The sun began setting at this point in the story, tinting the sky with an orange glow. The white lanterns contrasted beautifully, spreading a dim golden light over the crowd.

"Unable to contain her love, the star chose to leave her position in the sky, and fall to the ground to be with him. She waited until the sun had set, and offered up her immortality in exchange for the chance to go to her beloved Hoshi. But there were other spirits who did not like the path she was taking."

The speaker's voice grew darker, and he lowered his tone before continuing: "To willingly leave your place in the spirit world for the sake of a mortal was shameful. Not to mention, the spirits have a nasty way of coveting the blessings of mortality. There even is a spirit known for stealing the faces of those who betray too much emotion, as a way to cope with his own woes…Well, for whatever the reason, there was a dark spirit out to destroy the love between them."

"And so at sundown when the star appeared before Prince Hoshi, he instantly fell in love with the lovely woman. However, he did not have anything to offer the lady, and so he bent down into a thorny flower patch and withdrew a beautiful white flower that shone with the light of the moon, and whose inner petals resembled of the rays of the sun."

Here the man held up the symbol of the flower he was describing, the same flower symbol that decorated the entire village from head to foot. "Holding the flower in his hands he ran to the woman, and kissed her with a passion that is still unmatched in our world. They spent the night in each other's embrace, loving with love that was more than love."

"And even though it was the dead of night, Prince Hoshi wished to proclaim his newfound love to the villagers. And so, hand in hand, the couple placed a white flower on each person's doorstep, with the hope that when they awoke in the morning, they would see the flower and know they had a new Queen."

"But as the night went on the dark spirit saw his opportunity, and decided to strike the lovers where they stood intertwined. When the sun began to rise and the lovers moved apart, the last blossom on the island was in the woman's hands. However, instead of the pure white petals, there was crimson red dripping from her hands." Zuko heard a little gasp to his left, and watched through the corners of his eyes as Katara was reacting to the legend. A part of him wished he was beside her, so he could reach out a hand and soothe her worry.

"She had pricked her finger on a thorn, a bewitched barb set there by the dark spirit, and slowly began to die. Prince Hoshi held her in his arms as the white glow around her began to fade, and as deep red blood stained his hands. In a fit of anguish, he cursed the spirits for giving him his one true love only to take her away in the same breath. But the woman wished him peace, and begged him to hear her words: ' I have been for an eternity, and have never known what it was to live. In one night with you, my love, I have seen paradise.'"

"And as the sun came up, the woman disappeared with the wind, leaving Prince Hoshi alone with nothing but a memory, and a wilted flower. The villagers awoke to find a shriveled blossom in place of the white flower on their doorsteps and wilted patches of the same breed all over the island; the flower did not bloom again all year. On the anniversary of her death, the prince returned to the flower fields on Ember Island to pay his respects. And as the sun began to set, just as it is right now, he began to notice something…"

"The flowers from the thorny plants began coming to life before his eyes! The white petals began unfolding in the moonlight, and the centers began to glow and release the most heavenly scent he had ever smelled. As the night went on, the blossoms grew and bloomed, illuminating the island and reminding the Prince of the magical night he and the star had shared. But when the sun came up in the morning, the flowers wilted and died in his hands once more."

"Every year afterwards the Prince celebrated this night for her, his one true 'queen' that he found, and that was stolen from him, all those years ago. He named the flower for her, 'The Queen of the Night', and created this festival to share their love with the world. Countless years later, we gather here again to honor this night of pure love!"

The crowd broke from their trance and erupted into applause. The man on stage bowed, but held up one finger to silence his audience. "Wait! There is more! Don't forget the best part—the hunt for the Queen of the Night blossoms!"Zuko perked up when he heard those words. They sounded so familiar, and he knew he heard of this tradition in his childhood but could not recall what it entailed. He waited patiently for the man to continue.

"Here are the rules: Ladies make your way down to the beach, where you will wait in the dark for your true loves," the girls in the crowd all giggled in squealing unison. "Men, you will scour Ember Island for a glowing Queen blossom to bring back to the beach. There in the dark the flower will be your light! Make sure you give it to someone special to show how you really feel. Now, the night is almost upon us. Take your places!" The crowd began to disperse as the women and men separated themselves in preparation, leaving the group in front of the stage.

"Oh boy!" said Aang excitedly. "I can't wait to play!"

"Aang it's not a game," said Katara, who deflated the air bender's joy. "It's about emotions and expressing yourself to another—"

"Blah blah blah. Aang, don't listen to her. It's about running faster and outsmarting the other guys and getting the flower first," said Sokka as he cut his sister off. Behind him, Suki raised her eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, Mr. Warrior? Well if that's all its about I guess I can wait at the beach for another guy to bring me one, seeing as how you don't care about that 'blah blah' part." Her words had an instant effect on Sokka, who immediately straightened up and cleared his throat.

"What I meant to say was that we should respect women, and love them, and bring them flowers and candies and other pretty things. That is all." Suki giggled and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"My hero," she said sarcastically as she grabbed Katara and Toph's hands. "C'mon ladies, let's head to the beach. Who knows what will happen."

"I think I will sit this one out," said Toph who pulled her hand away. "I think I will enjoy having some hot grub in town. Let me know how it goes."

"Are you sure? You never know who will give you one. It might be someone you least expect," said Katara, urging the earth bender to join in. Meanwhile, Zuko blushed in the background at her words. What if he gave her the flower first? Then maybe…. No. He couldn't. Someone was sure to give it to her first, and by someone he assumed the air bending Avatar to his right.

For a while now he had the inkling there was something going on between Aang and Katara, although how deep it went he wasn't sure. He never paid much mind to it, but now that his own feelings were invested it was impossible to ignore. 'And besides, I bet she would rather a noble Avatar than a disgraced Fire Prince,' he mused as he resigned himself to side lines.

"I think I'll join Toph in the square. You guys have fun," he mumbled, standing alongside the tiny girl.

"Are you sure, Zuko?" Katara repeated the same words she said to Toph, but this time her voice was lower and more serious. Her large blue eyes locked with his, begging a question different from the one she asked. If he didn't know any better, Zuko could swear she was upset he wasn't playing. Did she want him to be the one to give her the flower tonight?

'But I do know better,' he thought, and convinced himself she was just being polite.

Right?

"Yeah, don't worry about us. We can watch from up here," he said. Katara just nodded and turned away, heading down to the shore with Suki. Aang and Sokka said their goodbyes, and joined the rest of the men by a starting line near the woods.

"So Sparky, what are you in the mood for? I can go for some of my own fire flakes, Sokka isn't one to share and I have been starving ever since that sissy got on stage and spewed nonsense about stars and stuff…" Toph rambled on as she began walking towards the shops, and Zuko just remained silent and followed her, wondering what might have happened if he wasn't such a coward.

"Three…Two…and that's sundown!" said a loud voice over the speakers, sending the men off into the island to search for the Queen of the Night.

Not too far away from the starting line, Zuko and Toph sat down on a boulder to enjoy their festival snacks. Toph was shoveling her food down with a speed that almost rivaled Sokka (almost), while Zuko barely touched his plate. He wasn't very hungry, since his mind was imagining a certain water bender near the ocean who would probably have a very romantic evening with another guy…

"So what do you think, Zuko?" asked Toph, breaking him from his day dream.

"Huh? What did you ask?" he said.

"I asked if you think Sokka or Aang will find a flower first. I mean, I know the petals glow in the dark and all, but I still feel like that wouldn't help the knuckle heads," she said as she took another mouthful.

"Either one I guess," was his reply as he took a mouthful of his own to fill the silence.

"Ok that's it. I've had it with you moping around like someone stole your favorite sea shell hair comb"

Zuko looked up at her words. "Hey, how do you know about that?" He thought he hid his comb very well. Toph just laughed and punched him in the arm.

"I'm blind, not stupid Sparky. So spill it. What's been going on in that head of yours. You've seem so different after that little field trip with Katara," she ventured, trying to lure her suspicions out of him. Zuko felt his heart fall into his stomach at Toph's words. Was it that obvious that something had changed between them? Or was it just him that changed so drastically?

Zuko felt his cheeks get warm, and for once was glad about the girl's handicap. How could he convince Toph that everything was ok, that this was just a confusing situation and that he would be over it soon, when he couldn't convince himself?

"I guess I'm just tired from all the traveling," he offered. 'Good job, Zuko. If you're going to lie to someone who can detect it try and do a little better!'

"Tired huh? I didn't realize exhaustion could cause your heart to race so much whenever Katara speaks to you," Toph stated bluntly, throwing Zuko for a spin.

'Damn it!'

"Uh well, uh…" he sighed, "Is it that obvious?" He couldn't believe his own ears when he said it, yet it felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Maybe admitting his confusing feelings would get rid of them once and for all.

"You mean obvious to me? To the guys? Or to Katara?"

"Everyone," he said, nervous to hear the answer. But before Toph could speak, Zuko erupted from his seat and began pacing back and forth. "Well there really isn't anything to know, you know? I mean, I don't even know if there is anything worth knowing, so why should everyone else try and know something that might not even be something to know? No?"

Toph just froze in silence for a moment, letting the Fire Prince's rant end before she tried to speak. "Well I think—"

"And besides, there is a war going on. We should be training day in and day out. And my focus should be on Aang and fire bending, not wondering about Katara! Not thinking about her movements and seeing her eyes in everything and…ugh!" Zuko threw his plate on the floor in frustration, and buried his head in his hands as he lowered himself back on the boulder. The entire time, Toph just sat silent.

"You must think I'm crazy, right?" asked Zuko, utter defeat laced in his words.

"Crazy and confused are two very different things," said the tiny girl. "I think that you need to just relax and try to see what's important in all this."

"Well, what is important? There are so many things like I just told you—"

"No, I mean what's really important. Like having people in your life you care for and who care about you. I understand how you're feeling right now. Maybe not about the love and all, but about feeling lost," said Toph. "One day, a long time ago, I was just as confused and scared about my future too. Then I met this old man in the woods with warm tea and some good advice. He told me about trusting in myself, and learning to trust other people, which have never been easy for me."

Zuko brought his head up and locked his amber eyes on her, letting her words sink in.

"Listen Zuko, I don't know much about the outside of a person. Facial expressions, gestures – they're all a mystery to me. What I do know is what's inside. I can feel their happiness, their fears, their heart beats…" she lowered her voice to a whisper, and finally said what she had been trying to tell him from the start. "…and I know that her heart beats loudest for you."

Zuko felt his breath hitch in his throat, hoping beyond hope that her words were true. Surely she was lying, trying to make him feel better. Or maybe she was tricking him, playing one of her usual jokes. But Zuko raised a hand to his chest, and felt his own heart beat there, and realized something.

So what.

So what if it was a lie or a trick. Even if Katara didn't return his feelings, even if this wasn't true love like it was in the legend, it was the most amazing feeling he ever had. Wasn't that reason enough to chase it?

"But I don't know , there's so much that could go wrong, and we all have so much to figure out," said Zuko, who felt his own resilience sliding. He knew now that he wanted to feel this way, and he wanted to explore it.

"Yeah there is a lot that could go wrong. What if she doesn't feel the same? What if you get there tonight and she has a flower already?" said Toph, her harsh tone returning. "But this doesn't have to be the night that everything is figured out. Maybe it's about just letting someone know that they light up the darkness for you. And maybe, that's enough."

Zuko, for the first time in a long time, truly smiled.

"Maybe you're right Toph," he said, but then again his smile fell. "But it's already late into the night. Sunrise is only a little while away. I missed my chance."

Toph took her heel and jammed it hard into the ground, sending Zuko flying out of his seat on the boulder. "Ouch! Watch where you aim that stuff!" he said.

Toph just crossed her arms and smirked. "There has to be at least one stinking flower left on this whole island. Get up and stop being so goddamn lazy."

Zuko, backside still burning, gave a low "Ok" before running off into the woods.

Toph grinned as Zuko ran away into the dark, remembering a time when she felt just as lost in a dark forest. Thankfully someone was there for her that day, just like she was there for Zuko tonight. She stood up, and began making her way to the beach with the rest of the women, thinking that she might have finally repaid that kindness.

Heart and mind racing, Zuko scoured the island for any sign of a white blossom.

He followed the tracks of the men before him, hoping that one flower might have been over looked. But search as he might, all the thorny bushes which held the Queen were picked bare. He even went off the beaten track and looked, but the night was dark and the woods were dense.

Zuko ran over fields and through farms, passing homes lit up with the white decorations from the festival. He even passed a few worn out village men, who were returning to the beach empty handed.

"No use going up that way sonny," and older man told him, " The Queen is not on that side of the island any longer!"

'But there has to be one. There just has to be,' he thought as he changed course and kept searching. Dawn was approaching, and he needed to find this flower before it did. Even if he got there and Katara had one, Zuko made a promise to himself to give it to her anyway.

His talk with Toph helped put a few things in perspective for him. Yes, the war was coming to a turning point, and yes he might not live to the end of it, but wasn't that even more of a reason to chase what made him feel alive, even if he didn't fully understand it himself?

These thoughts fueled the fire in his stomach as he moved forward. He looked high and low for the flower, since it was his one chance to put into words everything he couldn't seem to say. But the night went on, and his search yielded nothing. Before he knew it, he found himself on the beach again, on the opposite end of where the festival was being held. He searched along the cliff sides by the sea, hoping to see a white glowing blossom before he reached the end.

It wasn't too long before he came upon Appa and Momo, still dead asleep in their hiding spot off the coast. A little further down he could see the faint white glow of the flowers on the beach, which looked like they were floating as they passed from hand to hand. 'I'm sure she has one by now,' he thought as he plopped down by the giant bison.

"I guess it wasn't meant to be," he whispered to them. Appa and Momo snored in reply.

But wait. What was that, floating a little bit off the shore?

"It must be the moonlight," said Zuko, trying to rub his eyes clear. But no, no matter which way he moved he saw it. A perfect open blossom, glowing brightly in the dark.

Zuko ran over to the bush, recognizing it as the one Sokka fell into when they landed earlier that day. The plant was basically destroyed from his fall, but one lone flower survived. And one flower was all he needed. He picked up the blossom, and held it high against the moon as he compared the two.

And as he watched the night sky, he felt his stomach drop.

Coming over the horizon was a faint orange glow which was slowly eating away at the black sky; his night was over. His time was up.

He watched as the flower began to dim, and with it all his hopes. 'Stupid of me to think this would work!' He began shuffling towards the thin boat dock near him, trying to get as far away from land, and from Katara, as he could.

He held the blossom in front of him, using its fading glow to make sure he didn't step over the edge. When he finally came to it, he sat down and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Well, he gave it a try, right? Wasn't that the most important thing? But then he thought of Katara, and his resolve sank. Maybe it was a silly tradition, and maybe nothing would have come from it, but it gave him hope, and hope was something he was missing in his life. Resigned, he took to watching the Queen of the Night dim in his hands, and with it all his foolish dreams.

"I guess it's just me and you till the morning," he told the flower, playing with its dying petals.

"Is there room for one more?"

That voice—that sweet, melodic voice which only belonged to her. Was this real, or was he imagining it? He didn't dare to peek over his shoulder. But there was no need, because a few footsteps later she was there, right next to him on the dock's end.

"Zuko?" she asked again, waiting to be offered a seat. Zuko finally found his voice when he realized it wasn't a dream.

"Ofcourse," he said, indicating to the spot on his right. "What are you doing here?" He blurted it out nastier than he meant.

"Well, I saw this little light in the distance all by itself. I wanted to see who it was," Katara said simply, kicking the waves with the tip of her shoes. Something about this whole scene was very familiar to Zuko.

"Why? Didn't you have your own flowers on the beach to see?" It was more of an accusation than a question, and he didn't know what he wanted to hear from her.

"Well I guess I got a few offers…"

'Ofcourse,' he thought bitterly, jealousy rising up like a dragon.

"But I didn't see the face I wanted to in the light."

Zuko finally looked up as he heard the subtle change in her voice. Did she sound just as nervous as he did?

"Oh," was all he said.

"I was wondering if you and Toph were going to join in. And then I saw Toph come and not you…" Katara began pulling on the ends of her hair and biting her lip, looking as if she was fighting for the right words.

"The sun's coming up," offered Zuko, trying to fill in the silence with anything.

"Yeah," she said.

Zuko watched the flower in his hands shrivel more and more with each passing second, its petals screaming at him to do something. She was here, there was still time, the flower still had life. He could change everything, if only he would act.

"Katara."

He whispered her name which fell like a waterfall over his lips. He turned his amber eyes to her, and stared deeply into her blue irises which would make the ocean envious of their hues. He wasn't sure he would find the right words to explain to her his longing, his confusion, and his fast beating heart. He wasn't sure she would want to hear it. But he was here, in the moment he had been chasing the entire night.

If he really thought about it, he has been chasing this moment for a lot longer. He's been chasing it since that night in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se, where they first opened up their souls to one another. When Katara reached forward and touched his scar and didn't flinch; when she told him her deepest sorrows about her mother; when he told her about his, and she listened. He realized it was that night that he fell for her, but he was too blinded by his own ambition to see it. Then there was everything else in the middle…but the point was, it brought them to here. To now. To each other.

He grabbed her hand and opened it up, trying to ignore the fire that her skin sent through him.

He placed the withering Queen of the Night into her hand, and folded her fingers over it.

"You're my fallen star."

Katara brought the flower close to her heart at his words, and smiled the most dazzling smile he had ever seen in his life. She heard his meaning beneath the words; she saw his intentions in his eyes. She threw her arms around his shoulders and brought him into a warm embrace. Zuko squeeze his eyes shut, remembering the last time she hugged him this way and how this moment surpassed any other he could recall between them.

He slowly pulled back from her arms, the sunlight now casting blinding diamonds upon the ocean around them. He watched as it raised into her eyes, highlighting her cheeks, her nose, her lips…

And then Zuko stopped thinking. He stopped worrying about the world and the war and everyone else. There was only Katara, in his arms.

He hovered low over her face, and huskily passed her name through his lips as he planted a light kiss on her soft cheek. "Katara," he whispered again as he switched sides, feeling the sparks ignite as his lips made contact with her skin.

And then he moved to her lips, her plump pink lips, which were poised to receive his own. He lowered his mouth onto hers, and poured himself into her. He deepened the kiss with his entire being, putting everything he knew and everything he was unsure about into his lips. He ran his fingers through her hair, bringing her head as close as he could, unable to stand being a breaths distance away. He gripped her lower back tightly, raising her up into his arms and pouring everything that she was back into him. Zuko couldn't get enough of the essence and being that was Katara.

The two parted slowly, allowing a few stolen pecks between them before they separated.

The sun was higher in the sky now, the darkness completely gone until the next night. "We should get back," he whispered regrettably. If he had his way, he could stay on this dock forever. But Katara nodded, speechless for the first time, and rose with him. Both she and Zuko walked slowly towards the beach, both not wanting the shore to come. Out on the water they were safe; they were alone, with each other. But back on land, everything would go back to normal. There would still be a war, and there would still be obstacles to overcome.

"It's a shame it had only one night to live," said Katara as she looked down at the wilted blossom in her hand. "It was so bright, so alive."

Zuko then grabbed her hand, and laced his fingers into her own. "Maybe it doesn't have to die, not just yet." Katara smiled at him, and knew he wasn't talking about the flower.

"There they are! Hey guys, I found them!" came the loud voice of Toph from their right. She was waving to the rest of the group behind her. Zuko immediately let go of Katara, his heart breaking a little at the loss of contact. Internally, he thanked Toph for the heads up she gave him.

Around the corner appeared the rest of them, all laughing from the night's activities. "Katara, I'm so sorry," said Aang as they met. "I tried bringing you a bunch of the Queen blossoms, but I guess there's a one per customer rule…"

"You could say that again. The villagers almost ran Aang down with pitch forks and torches. It made for a very interesting sight," said Sokka through bouts of laughter until Suki nudged him in his side.

"At least he found the right ones." Suki then held up a gigantic white flower (which looked more like a weed) with the root and dirt clod still attached.

"I was trying to be original!" said Sokka as the rest of the group laughed.

"And how about you guys? What are you doing over here?" asked Aang, slight suspicion in his voice.

"Sparky went back to sleep with Appa last night, didn't you? Seemed stupid to me but he wanted to rest somewhere quiet or something," piped up Toph. Zuko was relieved at the lie, and made a mental note to buy Toph a hundred bags of fire flakes for lunch.

"Yeah, and I came back here when I saw the sun coming up to meet you guys," added on Katara as she looked away sheepishly.

"Well you're there, I'm here, and the next hot meal is somewhere in that general area," said Sokka as he pointed back the way they came. " I say we all get some breakfast and have a nice, long nap."

"I agree with Sokka, I'm starved," said Aang, and the group once again made their way towards the town square.

Katara took the petals, which she hid in her hand, and placed them in her pocket as Zuko watched. She didn't say anything, but gave him a warm look before turning to follow the rest.

Zuko hung behind a second longer, absorbing the enormity of what happened as the sun rose that morning. He recalled everything—the warmth of her body pressed to his, the tenderness of her kiss, the scent of rain in her hair. And more importantly, he had felt something else. A pounding, aching heartbeat which tore through his chest with rhythmic sounds and painful certainty.

Her heart beats loudest for you, Toph had told him.

As he placed his hand over his own beating heart, he knew she was right.

He knew the flower still lived.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this tiny Zutara Valentine's Day. If you liked this story, please check out my other Zutara fic called "Kindred Souls". It's an epic that takes place after the ATLA series, filled with lots of adventure and romance!

And please, any reviews would be the best thing ever 3

Peace&Love,

ChiaraBrie