I always felt unsatisfied by the Katara/Aang ship, therefore I was very angry when the show ended and they were together. I always thought that Mai was not good enough for Zuko and that Katara should be with him instead. Here is my interpretation of the Zutara shipping. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these marvelous characters albeit I would love to have Zuko to myself. ;)

Warning: Rated M for Lemons in later Chapters.

As she watched Azula direct lightning at her, Zuko jumped in front of her and attempted to redirect the lightning. Distracted by the thought of saving Katara, he was unable to redirect the lightning and felt himself lose control of the powerful element. He was injured as he failed to redirect the lightning, and found himself getting hurt right in his chest.

Katara's eyes widened. All thoughts of Aang left her mind. All she could think of was Zuko and how he saved her. Her heart swelled at the thought of him and his action. She suddenly felt a strong urge to harm Azula. She jumped as another bolt of lightning headed her way.

I've got to help Zuko…Katara thought wildly as she dodged lightning and waterbended to counter Azula's attacks.

After tricking Azula, and trapping her, Katara rushed to Zuko's side, and used her healing abilities to help him. He smiled at her. Katara's heart sped up. Wow… He looks incredibly sexy when he smiles!

Katara is so beautiful… Too bad she's in love with Aang… Zuko thought to himself as he looked up at Katara. I've got to make her mine…

"Thank you, Katara." He whispered to her. Thank you for making me realize that I had been searching for the wrong thing the whole time; it wasn't the Avatar that I was meant to capture… It was your heart.

At the Coronation…

Zuko looked at the crowd. Finally, all nations were united, and cheering on him… the new Fire lord. Zuko promised to himself and his uncle, that he would not screw up like his predecessors, especially not like his father. He only wished he had someone to share this moment with, like perhaps Katara. All he had was Mai. Mai was pretty, but not beautiful like Katara, nor as joyful, and didn't make him smile like Katara.

He looked over at Katara, who was smiling adoringly at Aang. Zuko felt a pang of jealousy. What does she see in that kid anyways? He has got to be like 2 or more years younger than her. He thought angrily, causing the flames around him to rise. He cooled down so he would not attract negative attention. He smiled at the crowd while Aang spoke of helping to restore the peace that the nations sought for after several decades.

After the coronation and Aang's speech, he walked swiftly back into the castle, tired of the noise, but feeling slightly proud of his new title as well. He was going to be the greatest Fire Lord; he would change the reputation of the Fire Nation. But he would also find a way to get Katara to notice him the way he notices her.

He began to make a plan in his head in order to get Katara.

"Hey Zuko!" Katara stepped inside after him. Zuko looked at her curiously.

"you… uhhh… I mean… I… No… Uh… You look great with the Fire lord crown. You'll be a great leader." Katara said lamely. That wasn't what she wanted to say, but she couldn't find the words or the courage to voice what she was feeling.

"Thanks Katara. You look great, as always." Zuko said hoping she took the compliment as sincere and not simply as a reply to her comment.

"Thank you Zuko." She said simply, smiling. She looked down bashfully.

Zuko smiled faintly. He seemed to be having an effect on her. He liked that he can cause a reaction in her.

"What are you going to do now?" He asked her inquisitively.

"I'm probably going to go see if-"

"No, I mean, now that the war is over, and Aang saved the world." Zuko cut her off.

"Oh. I'm not sure… I was considering going to Ba Sing Se University, and studying Marine Biology…" She said thoughtfully. She had been wondering this herself. Before meeting Aang, she was content with helping her grandmother, but now that she had seen the world, helped Aang, and mastered Waterbending, she wasn't sure if her old life was fit for her anymore.

She knew that the rest of the group planned to go to Ba Sing Se University. Aang was going back to the Southern Air Temple, he had received word from an anonymous being that told him that some Airbenders survived and were in hiding. He planned to find them. She understood that, and she was happy for him. He deserved happiness. He wanted her to help him again, but she refused. She didn't want him to continue this feeling of love for her.

Zuko looked at her patiently. "Katara?"

Katara blinked, feeling slightly confused, while Zuko wore the expression of someone who had asked a question several times.

"Sorry?"

"I asked if you were planning on just standing there, or if you want a cup of tea or something." Zuko repeated. He discreetly crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping that she agrees.

She smiled and nodded earnestly. "Yes. That would be lovely."

Zuko flashed a genuine smile, causing Katara's heart to race rapidly, and her face to turn red.

Strong footsteps were approaching them; Zuko looked in the direction of the footsteps looking slightly annoyed.

"Lord Zuko." The messenger said approaching the Fire Lord. Zuko looked at him in disgust for interrupting his moment with Katara.

"What?" He spat angrily.

The messenger cringed momentarily almost as though afraid that Zuko would banish him for interrupting. "Sorry, my Lord. I came to deliver a message from the Fire Spirit. You are the first Fire Lord in several centuries to not have a wife when coronated. There are some complications."

"What?" Zuko asked irritated. "What do you mean complications?"

"Well… You need to get married within a year. Or else the crown passes to the next in line. In this case there is no direct heir, since Azula was banished. So it would pass to Mai, the young niece of General Iroh's late wife." The messenger informed him.

"Mai? Mai would be next in line?" Zuko's eyes widened. He never foresaw this predicament. The messenger's eyebrows rose. It was well-known around the kingdom that Zuko was dating Mai and was deeply in love with her. His reaction to this news seemed to say otherwise.

The messenger nodded. Zuko scrowled. "You may leave." He waved the messenger away and his mind began to wander.

What if he asked Katara to marry him? No. It's too soon. He has a year to get her to say yes to him…

Oh! Katara! He had forgotten about her.

"Katara." He said softly. She looked at him with an expression he couldn't read. "Would you still like to have a cup of tea with me?" He asked hopefully.

Her face fell slightly, but Zuko did not notice. "Of course." She replied. She had been hoping for him to ask her to marry him. But there was no use for such thinking. He loved Mai. Or so she thought.

They walked in silence to the Royal Tea Room (a room requested by General Iroh because of his love for tea.)

Katara was quietly thinking of a way to bring up Mai and whether he loved his girlfriend to Zuko, while Zuko was trying to come up with a plan on dumping Mai and courting Katara.

"Katara, I-"

"Zuko, I-"

Both Katara and Zuko spoke at the same time.

"Ladies first." Zuko said politely. Katara composed her thoughts.

"Zuko, I… wanted to ask you about…" Mai. "Your plans for the future. What are you going to do about that Fire Lord Marriage rule?"

Zuko was glad that she was asking that. That was what he wanted to talk to her about. "Well… I'm not sure yet." He replied carefully. He didn't want to seem too upfront about the topic as of yet.

"Are you going to… Marry Mai?" Katara asked daringly. Zuko's lip twitched involuntarily.

"No. I don't believe so." He said thoughtfully. Katara smiled slightly. Good… I may have a chance. She thought happily.

"I'd rather marry someone with feelings, someone with a heart." He explained, describing Katara. "Someone beautiful and courageous. Daring and kind hearted. With an ability to love."

Katara's heart raced as she wondered if she was possibly the girl he was describing.

He opened the door to the tea room and allowed Katara to enter first. A servant ran to Zuko, pouring them each a cup of hot water and placing tea leaves next to their cups. He bowed and left the room.

"So… How's Aang? What is he planning to do now that he is done saving the world?" Zuko asked without revealing his true intentions behind that question.

"He's going to look for the Air Nomads that survived." Katara replied. Zuko nodded, pretending to be interested. He took a sip of tea, and decided that there wasn't enough sugar in it. He took several spoons of sugar and found that afterwards it tasted better.

"I'm going to try to get him to date Toph; he deserves to be happy with someone. They would be perfect together." Katara said mostly to herself, smiling faintly.

"Toph? I thought you had feelings for him?" Zuko asked forgetting to hide his true emotions.

Katara looked at him in surprise. "I do. Just not in the way one may think. I love him like I love Sokka. Nothing more."

"Oh. I thought you were dating him." Zuko further explained.

"No. I have feelings for someone else." Katara said looking down at her cup. Zuko studied her expression. Who does she like? Me? Perhaps? He thought hopefully.

"Hmm…" Zuko replied. "Well, Katara, I have something to tell you." Zuko said deciding to tell her of his feelings for her.

Katara looked up expectantly. "Yes?" She asked not daring to hope he was about to ask her what she thought he will.

"Well… Ireallylikeyoualot." He said in a rush. He looked down bashfully. He has never acted in this manner before, but Katara intimidated him. She was beautiful, and matched him in intelligence and skill at fighting.

"Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that." Katara said, hearing clearly what he had said, but she wanted to hear it again.

"I really like you. I want you to rule with me. We can take this slowly, and do this the right way; I just can't see myself with anyone but you." Zuko said tenderly, taking her hand from across the table.

Katara's eyes softened. "Zuko, I have been dreaming of you saying that ever since… you helped me to find the man who killed my mother. I knew then that you changed, and that you were the guy I had been looking for." She told him softly.

"I need to break up with Mai. And we need to take this slow. I don't want to rush you." Zuko replied, feeling slightly happier.

The prospect of breaking up with Mai was slightly unnerving though. He was sure that she was not going to take it gently, especially since she is so close to ruling the Fire Nation. She will do everything to try to keep Katara and Zuko apart. But Zuko was already preparing himself mentally.

"I don't feel rushed. Don't worry about that. I just don't know how to break it to Aang. I'm sure Sokka won't overreact. He considers you his friend now." Katara said thoughtfully. Zuko nodded. He and Sokka had bonded when he helped the Water Tribe boy rescue his father and girlfriend.

Zuko knew he had fallen for Katara when he saw how merciful she had been with the man who killed her mother. Had it been him, Zuko would have killed the man without a second thought. Katara was too strong to give in to her emotions. He loved her for that. This was something that Mai would never accomplish, forgiving someone.

Katara smiled at him and walked towards him, both of them abandoning their cups of tea. He took her hand and they walked out of the Royal Tea Room, both feeling fortunate to be in the hands of the person next to them, and both thinking about their possible future together.

Please leave reviews! I want to know what you think.

-Cadi