Okay, so I was watching the last few episodes on Nick because they've got that pop up video thing going on right now, and as I was watching I just kept think "What the heck?" And while this could just be my inner Zatara speaking, It seemed like Katara was rushing her feelings for Aang. She just walks up and kisses him after not seeing or talking to him in days, when only an episode before (I'm counting Sozin's Comet as a whole rather than four episodes) she was, "… confused about her feelings…" And you Kataang shippers will probably be saying, "Yeah, but Aang been in love with her since the beginning of the show!" But what I would like to know is where were Katara's feeling up until now? 'Cause it just seemed very "I'm confused… Kiss me!" but whatever. That's kind of what inspired me to write this, a reason for Katara to feel like she needed to rush her feelings. Sorry for the rambling and I don't own Avatar. Otherwise Kataang would be non-existent. J

Zuko was wincing in front of the mirror, examining the fresh wound on his chest. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a movement behind him, and he spun around to confront his intruder. She was leaning against the doorframe; her blue dress standing out against the deep burgundy walls of his room. He relaxed when he recognized her and went back to what he was doing.

"Did I scare you?" she asked as she walked towards him smirking. He just grinned. "How's it looking?" she asked obviously concerned.

"Better." he replied grimly.

"I was just stopping to look over it again. Make sure everything is healed up nicely."

He walked over to the bench in front of his bed and took a seat. Katara placed herself on his right and began examining the angry scar on his chest. As her finger's touched him, he flinched, and she couldn't help flinching with him. She hated seeing her friend in pain, and she felt guilty. This should have been her.

"So how is it?" He asked. He was acting brave, but she could see that every move was strained. His golden eyes reflected the hidden pain.

"It could use another session." She told him, determined not to look into his face for the fear of breaking down again. She stood and walked quickly to the bathroom filling a basin with water and carrying it back to where they sat.

Zuko could see something was bothering her. As soon as she started examining his sister's parting gift, something seemed to change in her demeanor. He wanted nothing more than to comfort his friend. She had saved his life, but he was never good with words, or people, or emotions. He had no clue how to help her.

She silently bent the water into a glove over her hand and began her work. After a few minutes of this he decides to try and spark up a conversation with her, "How do you think the rest of the gang are doing?"

She turned up towards him, slightly surprised at his attempt at small talk. "I suppose they're fine." she said after a moment. "I'm sure Aang has shown up by now and we'll be hearing from them at any moment." she. As much as I wanted to believe it, there was no way of knowing the outcome until it was too late and if Aang never showed back up… well, it wouldn't be good.

"How can you be so confident in him?"

"He's the Avatar." she stated simply as if that explained everything.

"But he's just a boy. Only thirteen. What if he ran away again?"

"Aang wouldn't just leave. He didn't know better before. He matured a lot since we first found him. He's really grown up." she insisted. "Apparently more than a certain Firelord I know." she muttered under her breath.

Zuko could see he had offended her. Rather than be rational though he suddenly felt agitated by her. Though he didn't know if it was her defensiveness or her slight jab. "I haven't exactly had it easy either. You don't see me running from my problems."

"Oh no, you where too busy chasing us for that." her job completely forgotten in her own anger.

"At least I did something about my problems. I see now that it wasn't the right choice, but I thought, at the time, it was my only option. If I had known any other way I would have taken it!"

"I gave you another way!" she shouted. "And then… you betrayed me." she added quietly. They were standing now. Only inches apart. She turned away from him as the memories came flooding back and her eyes began to blur.

A sudden pain in his chest brought him back to where he was. It wasn't from his injury though. She walked out the room, to proud to show how much he had hurt her. But she soon as the doors to his room shut the tears began to fall and she ran towards her chamber.

As soon as she left it was as if someone had set him into overdrive. He began pacing back and forth in his room. Should he go to her room and apologize? Should he give her space? Mai was never this difficult to understand. She never got worked up or emotional. And Azula! He would never risk doing anything to her to upset her in the first place. He turned towards his doors and stepped out into the hallway. Determined not to prove her point and run away now. As he got closer to the entrance to her bedroom though he began losing steam. He raised his hand to knock then second guessed himself and froze. He turned back down the hallway the way he had come, but again changed his mind and turned back. He sighed and knocked. There was no answer, "Katara?" he called, but again he was only met with silence. He almost gave up. Instead he grabbed the door handle and walked in.

She was sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and her back him. Hesitantly he stepped forward.

"Go away, Zuko." She said. Though trying to cover it up, he could hear the tears in her voice.

"Katara… I never meant to hurt you." He said reaching towards her. "I-" she cut him off.

"Please, just leave me alone!" she said with a fresh wave of tears streaming down her cheeks. His hand faltered and dropped back to his side, "Please." she pleaded quietly.

He turned away and began walking out, but again something made him stop. He walked around to the other the side of the bed and sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her. At first she wasn't sure how to react. She just sat there while he held her, but as if some plug had been unstopped she wrapped her arms around him too and sobbed into his shoulder.

"I really am sorry you know. For everything" He whispered.

"No, it's not that. I'm sorry for even bringing it up." She said while sitting up to look at him. "It's just, that day in the cave I thought I found one person… just one other person, who could understand what I felt when my mom died, what I felt everyday since. Today, when I saw you get hit by the lightning, I thought I was losing someone else I… care about. It brought back all those feelings."

He put his hand on the side of her face and she closed her eyes. And for a moment everything felt… right to him. Her eyes flew open, and she pulled herself back.

"Zuko, stop. This can't happen."

"What?"

"This!"

"Why? Why not?"

"Because, you're the Firelord. You're supposed to marry Fire Nation nobility. And I- I'm-" she struggled with the words, "I'm… in love with Aang." she said quickly, her eyes strained on the floor. It surprised him to find that hearing the words hurt. Almost as much as it surprised her to find saying the words did, too, even though she knew they were a lie. No not a lie, but they were not quite the truth either, as much as she wanted them to be. She wanted to love Aang. She tried to love Aang, but it was never enough. Never in the way he wanted her to.

"You really do?" he asked.

She hesitated, "Yes. And you need to find someone who is right for you, too."

He stood up a bit shocked and walked towards the door. She remained frozen. He paused before exiting and turned back towards her. "Goodbye Katara." he whispered.

She spun around towards him, but the door was already shut. And he was already gone.