Chapter 1 ~ Hidden Feelings

A year ago...

"You're so beautiful." Aang smiled from ear to ear as he saw Katara dressed in the new outfit he had gotten her. Katara touched the arrow lightly on his head and softly smiled.

"Thanks Aang, you really shouldn't have."

"Of course I should! What else were you going to where to tonight's ball?"

Aang did a small goofy laugh and Katara would have laughed a little too, but for a different reason then Aang was laughing. She just found it so funny sometimes how he was supposed to be a wise old Avatar yet how much like a child Aang could act most of the time. The contrast was comical and cute but she didn't find it so cute today...today it was tiring.

"You know I have almost a whole room full of dresses so it's not like I didn't have options..."

"Stop worrying Katara! You'll be the most beautiful girl in the ball."

With that Aang curled his arm around her hip and swiftly kissed her. Katara didn't back away from the kiss but she didn't encourage it either. She just stood there and smiled a little so Aang wouldn't get his feelings hurt. His eyes twinkled at her before he left the room. When he was gone Katara sighed and turned back to the view in the mirror and sighed again.

She didn't want to say anything but she much would have wanted to wear one of her old dresses.

Poor Aang... She shook her head at the reflection.

"What's wrong Sugar Queen?"

Suddenly Katara turned at the voice and saw Toph leaning casually on the doorway, as if she had been there all this time. Katara blushed and was glad Toph couldn't see her. She didn't like admitting the blind Earth bender could sneak up behind her without her noticing.

"Nothings wrong Toph, why..."

"Don't lie to me Sugar Queen, you know I have a built in lie-detector. Now what did Twinkle Toes do this time?"

Katara glanced one more time at her reflection and finally decided to talk. After all, Toph was a girl, somewhere under that tough tomboy facade...

"Nothing, he just...bought me a dress to wear tonight."

"So? What's so bad about that?"

Katara cringed away from the mirror and faced the Earth bender while saying in a fast breath,

"Aang has absolutely no taste in clothes!"

Toph snorted comically as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "Then don't wear it."

Katara rolled her bright blue eyes, "It's not that easy Toph. It'll hurt his feelings...but tonight's ball is going to be so important and I don't want everyone to see me in this."

Katara held out the orange ruffle on the edge of the bright yellow and red dress. She felt and looked like a fruit bowl. Momo came through the door and jumped on her shoulder and started to try to nibble the ruffles, proving Katara's instinct.

"Is it really that bad?"

Katara's eyes tilted toward Momo...still nibbling. "Yeah."
"Well then," Toph pushed herself off the door frame, with her arms still crossed across her chest, "fix it." Katara looked at the girl as if she was insane. Toph figured the expression and continued,

"I don't know how this sort of stuff work but aren't you like an expert at fixing girly things? What do they call that...a makeover? Yeah, I remember something from the last time you did that."

Katara's frown melted and she smiled widely at the memory, "Oh Toph, you remembered!"

"Of course I do." Toph did a mocking smile, "It was the one of the worst days of my life."

Katara laughed and she was grateful Toph could make her feel better. Lately she had a hard time truly laughing. Then the memories started sinking in. Katara turned toward the window in the room and her happy gaze slowly grew distant. "Those days seem so long ago doesn't it?"

Toph frowned at Katara's tone. "What do you mean by that?"

Katara looked down and gently patted Momo's head until he leaped out of her arms and into Toph's.

She swiftly turned back to the mirror again and shrugged, "Nothing. If I'm going to wear this I have to start doing some major makeovers." She side-ways glanced at Toph back in her old Earth Nation outfit,

"What about you? What are you going to wear?"

Toph scowled at her, "Are you serious? Why does everyone want me to wear a dress?! Circus Freak is trying but she'll be lucky if I go with shoes."

Katara laughed but Toph kept frowning knowingly. No one could fool Toph. Katara noticed the reaction and immediately tried to get away. "Ok, well I'll be seeing you Toph. Bye!"

Katara rushed past her and Toph's blind gaze followed her direction but she didn't say anything. She just patted Momo sadly and shook her head.

"Well aren't we the handsome Fire Lord."

Zuko jumped slightly under Mai's gloved hands as they went over his muscular middle section in a backwards hug. Zuko tried to suppress the pain as Mai's fingers passed by his wound, she noticed though and quickly dropped her hands.

"Sorry."

"No, don't worry." Zuko turned around and faced Mai with understanding and she smiled silently, staring into his golden eyes. Finally, Zuko broke the gaze and turned back into the mirror he was looking at. The robes of silky red layered with a more fitted middle section suited him perfectly, though the tiny Fire Lord crown still lay heavy on his head. He wished he could do something about his hair, put it down like it used to be, but this was the Fire Nation tradition and he couldn't change the whole wardrobe centuries that his Nation brought up in a few short months.

"Why are you worrying?" Mai suddenly asked and Zuko looked at her again,

"How do you know I'm worrying?"

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Cause I always know when your worried Zuko. Now, tell me."

Zuko turned his head and sighed, "I don't know what I'm going to say to all the leaders." He lied.

Mai shrugged carelessly, "Is that all? Well, don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure something out. You always do."

She turned his head toward her, and softly kissed his lips. Zuko smiled but his eyes were off.

Mai held back a frustrated sigh. "So, I'll see you later then. I have to go get fitted for my dress."

Zuko nodded and Mai turned around and left. When she was gone he went to his redwood desk

and grabbed a blank scroll and pen but after sitting there staring at the page for five minutes he

threw the pen away and angrily set down the crown on his head. His hair immediately fell over the bald parts of his scull and he felt slightly better but no less agitated.

He hated having to lie to Mai but it wasn't that he couldn't talk to her as much as he knew she wouldn't understand. She may always know how he was feeling but never helped him get through it.

It's true, he wondered what he was going to say the major Nation leaders in tonight's ball but that wasn't his major concern. Not knowing where his mother was still bothered him more than he would admit.

His mother was the only person in his family, other but his uncle of course, who was actually sane.

He loved her and wanted to find out why she couldn't be with him through all these years. And there was that other small problem of his father and sister...he couldn't keep them locked up forever, could he? But there was more than that, that was truly bothering him...more than he could even explain to himself at the moment. Someone at the door saved him from further thinking.

He sighed and quickly lifted up his hair again before opening the doors. One of his servants bowed low and presented him with a rolled up scroll.

"A message for you my Lord."

Zuko grabbed the scroll and nodded at the servant. "Thank you." He bowed again before leaving.

Zuko closed the door and opened the scroll with slightly shaky hands. He didn't even bother to ask who it was from if the servant already didn't say. Anonymous letters usually didn't hold good messages.

Zuko read quickly and slowly his face turned grim. He stood staring at the distinctively formed characters before realizing he had to do something...fast.

Letting the piece of parchment fall from his hands, in a daze, he hurriedly put on his old black cloak and looked out the window before leaving into the approaching night.