I stood there watching the success I had created. Everything had worked out perfectly. The decorations were in their appropriate places and it seemed that everyone was enjoying the food. There were people dancing and laughing and having a good time all around. After two months of planning for the Fire Lord's arrival in the southern water tribe I should be satisfied, or overjoyed, that everything had turned out so perfectly.

But I wasn't.

I was content, but I just was not in the mood to go out and join the party I had created.

He had arrived today. Everyone was standing at the docks to welcome him. Aang, Toph, Sokka, Suki, my dad, Gran Gran, they all ran towards him and welcomed him with a big hug. I on the other hand just stood there. I couldn't get myself to move towards him. My body screamed to run to him and give him a hug like everyone else, but I knew if I did I would probably lose all self control and never let go. I hoped that he would come to me, but he didn't, he didn't even seem to notice I wasn't there.

I hadn't seen him in two years and hardly one of the hours during that time had gone by without him being on my mind. He had been driving me insane! Now that he was here I couldn't think of how to act. I've been imagining about him for so long I wondered if who I thought he was, was entirely different from the person he really is. It wasn't that I just sat around all day dreaming about him, I kept myself very busy, but while I was busy I would find things that would remind me of him. The snow reminded me of our battle in the North Pole, the color red reminded me of his nation, and the sun that inhabited the sky for most of the day reminded me of his eyes. For crying out loud what was I supposed to do? My release from stress was waterbending and that made me think of him more than anything else.

We had written letters, but I didn't dare write of my feelings to him. He was far too busy establishing himself as the Fire Lord to worry about some southern waterbender's feelings. I buried my head in my hands, I was absolutely pathetic! Why couldn't I just tell the man I love…well…that I love him? But it didn't matter how close of friends we were, he would never see me as more than a friend.

So here I was watching the party from the balcony. I wasn't meaning to sulk but…okay I just really wanted to see if he'd ever notice that I was missing and come and search me out. How more pathetic could I get?

That's it! I was Katara; the Avatar's waterbending master, daughter of revered Hakoda, sister of tactical genius Sokka, friend of best earthbender Toph, and…well I had no idea what I was to the Firelord, but that wasn't going to stop me! I am an independent woman and was not going to let my feelings for a mere boy stand in my way of having fun!

"Katara?" a deep voice questioned behind me.

"Eeek!" I squealed, jumping three feet off the ground. Eeek? Wow, how more dignified can I get? I could hear snorts of laughter coming from my surprise guest. I summoned all of the composure I could and turned around, "Hey Zuko."

"Sorry…I didn't…mean to…scare…you," Zuko said between laughs.

"You didn't scare me," I said trying to stay cool.

"No?"

"No, you startled me. There's a big difference." I retorted.

"Oh, well then I didn't mean to startle you Lady Katara," he replied smugly.

I simply rolled my eyes and started to walk inside, "well, I have to go see if everything is running smoothly." But I didn't make it to the door.

Zuko's hand on my arm had stopped me as I was passing by him. "Katara," he said with his head down and his voice low, "why are you avoiding me?"

I took a deep breath and turned to him, "I'm not avoiding you."

At that Zuko pivoted, pulled me closer, placed his warm hands on my upper arms, and bored his eyes into mine. "You know Katara; you've always been really bad at lying."

That stare, he was really good at looking you straight in the eye and not feeling the least bit uncomfortable. That was always one thing that made me twitterpated around him, and now was no different. I looked away.

"I'm actually really good at lying; it's just that you haven't caught me lying yet. That's what makes a good liar you know." Astounding Katara! Could I sound any more pitiful?

I swear I heard him growl, I felt him pull me closer then he lifted one hand to pull my eyes back to his. "Katara please," his eyes pleading with mine, "you're my best friend. The one I can always count on. Please don't shut me out."

I was his best friend? But what did that mean? That I was the one he'd come to first when he decided he wanted to propose to Mai? Or that I would be the midwife helping to deliver his child? Or, I cringed, just like the little sister he never had?

He saw my cringe and started rub his thumb back and forth along my cheek. Did he have any idea what that simple movement wasn doing to my heart. I was going to end up in the infirmary because of a heart attack if he didn't stop soon. But I didn't want him to; I would have had us stand like this for the rest of eternity if I could.

"Katara?" he asked again and this time the tone of his voice was too much for me. I had to answer him; I couldn't just let him stand there in confusion. But then again I couldn't very well tell him the truth. So once again I lied.

"Honestly Zuko, I'm not avoiding you. I had party details to finish up when you arrived and I'm so worn out that I really don't think I have enough energy to party tonight." I hope that was good enough.

"I told you Katara," now he was speaking through clenched teeth, his hand returning to my arm almost as if he was getting ready to shake some sense into me. "You're horrible at lying. And frankly I'm insulted that you'd think I wouldn't notice. Or that I'd just let it go. That I'd just let you suffer through whatever's bothering you alone. We're friends Katara and that means we don't let the other fall even when the other wants to."

How dare he?! I was trying to make his life simpler by not telling him of my feelings for him, but no. He wants to know what's wrong so badly. Fine I'd tell him and then he'd lose his best friend forever because once he knew that I loved him he would just feel awkward around me since he wouldn't be able to reciprocate my feelings. Which would be fine with me, maybe then I would be able to move on with my life. So with that my eyes sparked and in a steely voice I said, "Fine, I am avoiding you."

It was almost like his spine left his body, he slumped and leaned back into the wall behind him. "Why?" he asked like he was in pain.

I took a deep breath, "because I missed you dang it! Every hour of every day I missed you! And I'm mad that I missed you? I shouldn't be missing you! I'm my own person I don't need you or anyone else in my life to feel complete or happy or not alone! But when you're gone I can't help but feel a part of me is missing! Because…"

I would have continued on my rant but during it Zuko had suddenly regained his spine and had come towards me with the biggest smile on his face. And when he reached me he had pulled me towards him. One arm around my waist and the other at my cheek, "I missed you too." And with that he placed his lips over mine.