Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or any of its characters.

Katara watched Zuko training from a distance. She looked on in awe as she saw the fire easily move beside him with fluid motions and follow his graceful movements. Taking a deep breath, she approached him.

Zuko saw Katara walking towards her from her hiding place in the corner. He had known she was there the entire time and frankly, he was getting tired of showing off for the waterbender. Zuko gulped as he stopped his bending and he nervously watched her approach.

"Why am I acting this way?" he thought to himself as his heart raced and his stomach churned nervously with every step she took. "I never acted like this before."

"Zuko I'd like to thank you again for helping me bring my mother's killer to justice, I really appreciated it." she said with smile on her face.

"It's no problem Katara." he responded with a bashful smirk.

"I know but I'm just shocked that you would help me instead of Aang. I guess you really have changed." said Katara shyly.

"Thanks a lot, that means a lot coming for you." said Zuko with a smile on his face.

"Yeah…we should head back to the camp now." said Katara as she turned to walk away.

Zuko gazed longingly at her as she turned and saw her slender body take a few steps further. Even though he had known her for years, he just realized how truly beautiful the waterbender really was.

"Well are you coming?" she called back to him.

Zuko was jolted out of his thought as he heard Katara call out to him.

"Yeah I'm coming." he said as he sprinted to her side.

"Why are you running? You know I would have waited for you if you would've walked." she said with a small giggle.

Zuko turned bright red and looked down while he scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well I just thought that you maybe…umm…never mind." he said as the two walked side by side back to the campsite.

Toph looked up as she felt the two benders approach, she had begun to worry about them because of their long absence but she knew that they would be fine together. Ever since they had gotten back from their mission they had been behaving strangely towards each other. Zuko was always nervous and blushing around her while Katara would always gaze longingly at him from a distance.

Sokka watched his sister and Zuko sit down beside Toph and a frown appeared on his face. Since they had gotten back from their mission to capture his mother's killer, Zuko and Katara had been flirting with each other constantly. Only just a few days ago he had to constantly keep an eye on his sister to make sure she didn't kill the firebender in his sleep. Now they were inseparable, like they couldn't stand to be away from each other.

"Where have you two been?" asked Suki with a hidden smirk on her face. Just because she was preoccupied with Sokka didn't mean that she hadn't noticed the difference in their relationship.

"I was training and Katara started talking to me so we decided to go for a little walk." said Zuko with a blush.

"Why do you ask?" said Katara with a curious frown on her face.

"No reason." said Suki.

Suki watched the two squirm in their seats and it took all of her willpower to keep her from laughing. Frankly she was tired of the constant hostilities that the two benders shared so this was a nice change. Ever since she had arrived from the Boiling Rock she had noticed that there was something about the two teens. Katara was always picking on Zuko and he just took it all in. Suki would often fall asleep to the sound of Katara yelling at him or mocking his firebending prowess. In her opinion, she found it funny that Katara ignored the others completely and her main focus was always on Zuko. Even when the two sparred together the fight had always seemed very passionate. It was only a matter of time now.

"Katara can you go get us some water from the river on the other side of the canyon? It's your turn and we're completely out." said Aang with an angry look on his face.

Aang also noticed the change in Katara and Zuko's relationship and he didn't like it. They were sitting way to close to each other for just friends. Only a few days ago Katara hated Zuko and now it seemed that she couldn't be without him for a second. He guessed Katara was angry at whatever transpired in the crystal cave in Ba Sing Se because she had mentioned it three times to them already. Aang's big concern was that Katara cared way to much about the fire prince even though she didn't show it.

"Alright I'll be back in a second." she said as she stood to leave.

"Do you want me to come with you?" said Zuko quickly before blushing at Suki's knowing smirk.

"Ummm….I mean the water could be heavy and you'll need me to help you." he said awkwardly.

"Idiot." said Suki as she placed her face in her hands.

"She doesn't need any help!" said Aang angrily.

"He's right Zuko, I'll be right back guys." said Katara as she turned and walked away.

Sokka closed his eyes and shook his head. He could have sworn he saw Katara give Zuko one last look before she left.

"What's the matter Sokka?" asked Suki.

"I think I just threw up in my mouth."

Katara walked down the pathway to the river with a smile on her face.

"What's wrong with me? He's a friend and that's it." she said to herself as the image of Zuko flooded her mind.

Katara's stomach gave a strange lurch as she imagined Zuko walking beside her and taking hold of her hand.

"Whoa there! Zuko's a friend…he's a friend." she said again as she approached the river bank.

Katara removed the water jugs from her side and placed them on the floor. She moved her arms towards the river and pointed them at the jugs as four streams of water rose from the surface and filled the jugs.

"That should be enough." she said as she picked up one of the jugs.

"Now what is a waterbender doing all by herself at night?" said a voice behind her.

Katara turned slowly around and moved her wrist in a bending stance as she gazed at the forms of twenty firebenders.

"What do you want?" she asked hesitantly.

"I know who you are, you're the avatar's friend. Princess Azula will be pleased." said one of them. "You're coming with us."

"I'm not going anywhere." said Katara as her body prepared for the oncoming attack.

Katara was about to unleash a powerful wave of water at the firebenders but she instead dropped to the floor with a groan of pain as something collided with her head and knocked her out.

This is the first of ten chaptrers of this story I hope you liked it. REVIEW!!