Yes, there will be Zutara (I'm guessing Azula and gang will be responsible for hauling them in a cave while they manipulate the earth king - Long Feng style!) .

And yes Aang leaving to see the Guru will probably open up a window of opportunity for Zuko and Katara to gain more than mutal respect.

But let's see how it pans out, huh?

Oh. And Charleegirl and Liselle my fellow boomeraang squadron - DON'T HURT ME!!!

--------------

"Aang was gone."

"Sokka says they were only gone two weeks."

"Well a lot can happen in two weeks."

Katara had sat beside Smellerbee again while they ate. Smellerbee knowingly shuffled a little away from Longshot as Katara engaged her in hushed conversation.

"I'm sorry about what I said before." Katara said meaningfully. "It's great to have another girl around. I miss Toph sometimes... although she used to make me so angry..." Katara cracked a smile.

Smellerbee nodded and bit into a chunk of meat, thinking to herself, Did this girl ever shut up?

"So you feel justified for picking Lee over Aang?" Smellerbee said finally, reading her meaning and feeling quite glad she didn't have the same dilemmas.

"Zuko was there... to help me fight Azula and her... cronies... when Aang wasn't."

Katara didn't answer the question, instead she got her usual self-righteous huff, like what she did when anyone used to confront her about her feelings for Jet that she always denied.

"Anyway. I gave Aang hints about how I felt with him" she said, furthering her attempt at self-justification "but he never acted on it. If you ask me, he's missed his chance."

She was right. She'd kissed Aang twice on the cheek. Hugged him more times than she could count. And kissed him on the lips that he actually seemed reluctant about at first. He'd have to have been blind not to make a move. But she was tired of waiting. Who knew what the outcome of the fire nation raid was going to be? Who knew if she could wait forever?

Smellerbee looked at her like she had grown an extra head. "He was trying to fight a war" she hissed at her, gaining attention from the rest of the table and a concerned look from Longshot next to them. "Doesn't that mean anything?" She continued dropping her voice lower, as Zuko gave a long look to Katara and then dropped his eyes back to a barely touched piece of meat in front of him.

Smellerbee noticed and thought that Pipsqueak would have had a field day picking on Zuko for his lack of appetite, when Pipsqueak could usually pretty much swallow a horse whole.

"No" Katara almost steamed. "No it doesn't."

Smellerbee groaned inwardly. She was sure part of Katara wanted to have someone like Zuko care about her, but she was sure a bigger part of it was trying to get back at Aang for never saying anything to her about it first.

She would never understand why girls would act this way. Maybe she would talk to Longshot about it later. But as she watched Sokka trying to joke with him from across the table, she knew she wouldn't say a word.

Perhaps she was more like Katara than she ever thought possible. But if she had to wait forever with Longshot, she didn't know if she wouldn't resort to the same drastic measures to get him back.

Sometimes guys were just clueless.

--------------------------

Squeal. Favorite ships. One story.

Please Avatar writers!!!

Bring Smellerbee and Longshot back!!!