Ok here it is, my first proper story – by that I mean not one-shot. I would love for you to review and be nice and things because I'm feeling extremely nervous about doing this. Urmmm – yea basically there are many reasons why I should not get myself into a big long story right now but this stupid thing WOULD NOT LEAVE ME ALONE! Seriously I started dreaming about it – and I got really scared. So hopefully when I've finished it it'll be out of my system.

Something In The Way That She Held Me

Chapter 1

Aang was bad, but he was over the worst. Katara had insisted that he rest after the episode in the cave when Azula almost killed him; not that they mentioned it much. That black day had become an almost 'taboo' subject among the members of the group, a trend that Katara, at least, was thankful for.

She had never really talked about her experiences that day, partly because she was busy with Aang and partly because of a sub-conscious wish to keep the details of that day secret. She didn't know why but she somehow felt it would be better if she were to keep what happened between her and Zuko in the cave to herself. So, by and by, no-one really had a clear idea of what had happened beneath the city of Ba Sing Se, what with Aang's sickness and Katara's secrecy. Most of the time people let it slide, but tonight was different.

"I thought Zuko hated that fire chick, I mean there was that time when he helped us, you know after she flamed his Uncle."

They were all lying around the campfire, extremely subdued. They had all eaten the rather meagre meal that Katara had managed to make between the low supplies and the time she spent nursing Aang, and were now at a loss as to what to do next. Sokka, being Sokka, thought that talking would be the best thing to do next and had broached the 'taboo' subject without even realising it was a 'taboo' subject, such was his social decorum. The relief of the group at being able to talk about the 'forbidden subject' was such that they were now in the midst of a heated discussion concerning the person who Katara most didn't want to think about: Zuko.

"Hmmm, well maybe he decided he hated us more than he hated her in the end, what did you say to him Katara?" Asked Toph in her usual 'is she sarcastic or not?' way. Even so, Katara's heart skipped a beat.

"Wh-what do you mean? Why would I say anything to him?"

"Well you were stuck in a cave with him for a rather long time weren't you? I was only suggesting that our favourite Princey's change of heart was something to do with something you may have said to him to offend him – it was a JOKE!" Toph explained tiredly.

"Oh right, well we didn't say much, well that is to say we did, but urmm , nothing important," Katara murmured disjointedly, avoiding the piercing gaze from Toph's dead eyes – so what if she couldn't see? She could still stare.

The conversation moved on, oblivious to her discomfort. She answered their questions as best she could, without giving anyone an indication of what had really passed between the two of them, without giving them the whole truth.

Later on the group had dispersed: it was Sokka's turn on the 'watch tree' (It was necessary to have a look out as, since it was inadvisable to move Aang, they were likely to be there for quite some time); the Earth King, and Bosco, took up their post beside the sleeping Aang, they were there to check on the avatar's health and make sure he got medicine as soon as he needed it; Katara and Toph were the only ones left to sleep, they had taken the posts the previous night.

Katara was lying on her sleeping bag, waiting for sleep to take her after the busy day and the sleepless night before. She was just dozing off when she heard Toph speak to her.

"You sure get through them, don't you?"

"I'm sorry?" questioned the now awake Katara.

"How many have there been now? Let's see," she sat up and began counting off her fingers, "there's that Jet boy who you said wasn't your boyfriend, whatever. Then there's this Haru boy your brother was telling me about, Little Miss Heroic quite caught his fancy I hear, then there's Aang of course…"

"What?!" Katara exclaimed, "seriously Toph what are you suggesting? You're just listing every guy I've ever met! I mean you may have something going with Jet, maybe even Haru – but Aang!"

"Come on, Katara, I think you're blinder than I am sometimes. Aang is quite blatantly in love with you, everyone knows it, except you it seems," Toph said, almost bitterly, "and now it seems you've got another one."

"Oh yes? And who might that be? My brother perhaps or maybe the Earth King – oh no of course, it's Bosco!" Katara would have shouted if she hadn't of been worried about alerting the others, instead she satisfied herself with getting up and walking around the camp fire.

"No, not one of them, someone quite different and you know very well who it is Katara."

"Pray, do enlighten me," Katara bent over in a mock bow but froze when she heard Toph speak next.

"Zuko"

The first thing Katara was aware of was the very fast and very painful beating of her heart inside her chest. Slowly, agonisingly slowly, she straightened herself and looked straight at her companion.

"What?" she whispered, it was barely audible but Toph caught it.

"Katara, I know when you're lying. Every time someone mentioned him your heart started jumping about worse than Sokka on cactus juice, it's almost deafening me right now," said Toph calmly, emotionlessly, waiting for the storm to break over the top of her.

"You think you're so damn smart don't you Toph? Well you've got it wrong – WRONG! You have no idea what happened in that cave or how much I regret…look I don't have to tell you anything!" With that Katara started stalking away out of the campsite.

"Oh yea, because it really sounds like I've got it wrong! Yea that's right Katara leave – leave and wait for all the boys to run after you to check little Miss Sugar Queen is ok. You are just so precious aren't you…" Her voice drifted into nothingness as Katara moved further away.

She was moving in the same direction she always did when she was angry, tense or just wanted to be alone. As she was now a mixture of all three she hurried with all possible speed towards her element. She had walked this way so many times the route had become second nature to her and, in as little time as she could have hoped for, she finally caught side of the small stream that wound its way through the woods.

She stepped into the water until it was level with her knees. Slowly she raised her arms and began to prepare herself to practice her bending; this, she had found, was the best way to release her anger. She was about to start with one of the simpler moves when she heard a loud distinct cough and a 'psssst'.

Yes please, please review! I'm not sure whether to make this funny or not (if I try it'll probably turn out very un-funny) so, yea, any ideas, contributions, thoughts would be very much appreciated by moi!