Hello, everyone. I am so glad to be back after two years (Long time, I know. I feel like I have dishonored you all by not updating. Maybe I'll commit seppuku when I'm done with this story). But until then, I will keep feeding you some stories.

I just want to say thanks to ML7 who has always been there for me (well, at least through the web) and has always supported me. She always thinks she's bugging me, but she has really kept me on my feet. She said this is her favorite story and she has always given nothing but great reviews and encouragement. So ML7 and all of the people that have supported me like her, this story is for you.

And now I give you the final saga of Zuko and Katara's love, Love Remains. Enjoy.

Summary: Katara fears she has lost Zuko forever. On top of that, she has found a new secret that could destroy the world as she knows it, even if the Avatar defeats Ozai and stops Sozen's comet. Can Katara find the Spring of Fire, help defeat the Fire Nation and stop the end of the world, and get her love back before her life fades away? Zuko has no intention of letting her slip away a second time.

Disclaimer: Everyone knows the drill. I don't own anything from Avatar or Nickelodeon except some copies of the series. That is all.

Dreams of Hope

Katara was standing next to a small pool of water. Flames were shooting up around her but didn't seem to harm her or come close to her. It was like there was an invisible shield. The flames didn't bother her at all.

She was focused on the miniature lake. It looked almost identical to the pool in the Northern Water Tribe where the Koi fish swam. The only difference was the fire in place of the ice. She walked over to look at her reflection. Suddenly, the water pulsed like it had sensed her.

What this pool was, she didn't know. However, she felt a comforting presence about it. She forgot her worries and even her illness. She forgot that the world was at war. She forgot that she not seen Aang or Sokka in such a long time. She forgot the pain of Zuko's betrayal.

Then it hit her. She could never forget Zuko. Was it that she couldn't forget Zuko's actions of treachery or Zuko's love? That was when she fell to her knees sobbing.

"Zuko, why did it have to end like this?" she whispered. She felt the water pulse again. Only this time another presence appeared. She looked at the reflection that appeared beside her.

A boy, no, a young man in crimson slacks and a red shirt with golden trim stood behind her. Shaggy black hair played against his pale skin. Golden eyes flashed like the sun in the pool's reflection. It wasn't the scar that made Katara turn around but that soft smile she had seen so long ago.

"Zuko?" she muttered as her blue eyes met his. The prince in front of her wasn't the one that kidnapped her. He wasn't the one that had ordered her around. It definitely wasn't the one that fought against her in Ba Sing Se, nor was it the man that had met her in her prison.

It was the boy that had chased her around on the beach. The boy that kissed her to save her life from the poison. The boy that saved her from death at Zhao's hands. It was the Zuko that made her that promise that day at the Southern Water Tribe.

"Zuko, where are we?" she asked. Zuko smiled

"We are at the lost Spring of Fire," he answered. "It is somewhere near the palace of the capitol."

"But why are we here? What could this possibly do for us?" Zuko knelt down in front of her and hushed her.

"Listen carefully," he explained. "This spring has special powers. It can make anyone immortal that finds it. My father is looking for it, just as Sozen did one hundred years ago. Once it is used, it can't be used for another hundred years. We have to find it before he does. If we don't, Ozai's power will be unstoppable."

"But Ozai has to rely on Sozen's comet," she answered. "If Aang stops him, won't we be safe?"

"Unfortunately, no. If Aang defeats him, he will just have delayed the inevitable. Ozai will find the spring and use it. We must find it first and seal it away." Katara just stared until she couldn't take it any longer. She threw herself at Zuko and started to cry even louder.

"Please tell me this isn't a dream," she said. "I can't stand to be deceived anymore. I sick of being lied to and having my heart broken. Have you truly come back to me?" She felt her chin being lifted up. When her gaze met his face, his smile sent warmth into her body that she hadn't felt for so long.

"I'm sorry, but we must wait a little longer. I will come back to you soon. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you will." He bent down and pressed his lips against hers. She didn't fight back. In fact, she longed for his passionate kiss, something that showed her he still cared. She wanted it to last forever, but he let go and smiled one last time. "Please wait for me." His body started to glow and started to disappear. She didn't want him to leave, not now that he had come back to her.

"Zuko, stop! Don't go!" But it was already too late. Her hands landed on the spot he once was. He was gone.

Katara.

"Please, Zuko. Come back."

Katara.

The spring around her started to fade to black as she heard the voice. Who was calling her?

Katara.

She finally opened her eyes, tears rolling down her face. Leaning over her was the Dragon of the West, the formally great General Iroh. He had a worried look on his face but smiled when she looked at him. "It really was a dream," she thought.

"I was getting worried, Katara," Iroh said. "You were talking in your sleep. Is everything alright?" Katara sat up and rubbed the tears from her eyes.

"I just had a dream…a really weird dream."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"I'm not exactly sure what it all means. There was a spring and fire. It felt so soothing. Then Zuko said we needed to find the spring before Lord Ozai did. Then he told me to wait for him. What does it mean?" Iroh grabbed Katara a glass of water and sat down. As she sipped on it, he tried to make sense of it.

"If he was talking about the Spring of Fire, then we probably don't have to worry too much," Iroh stated. The name rang a bell in Katara's head.

"That's what Zuko called it. What is it?"

"As you know, all nations have special places of spirituality. The Water Tribe has the Koi Pond in the North. The Spring of Fire is a legendary place that was lost before Sozen could find it. They say the gods took it away because they feared it would be abused. Whoever uses it will gain immortality or have themselves healed. However, only the pure can find it, and it is only available every hundred years."

"Do you think Ozai could find it?" Katara asked.

"It is possible, I suppose, but very unlikely. We don't need to worry about that now. We have arrived at our destination." Katara felt the air balloon land. She looked around and found mountains and tents. People wearing robes came out of the tents. Some of the people she recognized. King Bumi was there along with General How. She gave them both smiles as she walked toward them. Then she heard a familiar voice that made her even happier.

"My friend, Iroh, and my granddaughter Katara," Pakku said. "Welcome to the Order of the White Lotus."

Patience: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been really busy and I apologize for any inconvenience.

Zuko: Why don't you give it a rest? You forgot about us and you know it!

Patience: I did not! I'm just a busy girl. I had school plus RA, the radio station, college newspaper, and my regular job.

Zuko: So you take care of a bunch of brats, you blab all day long, you make pizza, and you write about more important things than us. Don't you care about your fans or us?

Patience: I do. It's just…Katara, help.

Katara: I'm afraid I have to agree with Zuko. You kind of ditched us. (Patience's mouth drops to the ground.) Maybe if you didn't exhaust yourself you could concentrate on what you truly enjoy; writing.

Patience: I…I…

Zuko: Look, the mistress of words has nothing to say. But then again, she hasn't said anything for two years.

Patience: Please forgive me. (Draws her sword and points it at her stomach.) I have dishonored you all and myself. I shall repent by taking my life.

Zuko: And we care because…

Patience: You bastard! Fine! (Katara freezes Patience to stop the seppuku.)

Katara: Oops. I got a little carried away.

Zuko: That's alright. Maybe it will help her cool down. Hahahahaha.

Katara: Patience will be back with more stories soon. Please review and she will update to turn up the heat. I made a funny, Zuko.

Zuko: Nobody's laughing. (Zuko freezes).

Katara: Now we have two frozen hotheads. Hahaha! Cya next time.