Author's Notes:

People are reading the story! Happy face :)

Disclaimer: ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

Zuko learned that despite the cold, the North Pole was heading into summer. As a result, the sun only set for a few hours before it reappeared again. It was nearly impossible for him to sleep. "The sun is awake, so I'm awake, so I have to train!" (Er…wrong story.) He headed back to his ship early the next morning to get in some time practicing his forms.

His crew, mostly made of ranking officers and excellent benders, as well as a few diplomats and their families, had stayed on the ship. He regretted not having chosen that option himself. The room Aang and Sokka were still slumbering in was covered in frost. His ship was toasty warm, despite being docked in the icy seas. He found several members of the crew up already when he reached the ship. When they saw him approach, they lined up quickly in ranks and stood at attention.

"All hail Lord Zuko!" the highest ranking officer on deck – a captain – called.

"All hail Lord Zuko!" the others echoed.

"At ease, crew," Zuko said, dismissing them. "Anyone seen Yin?"

"In the board room," the captain told him. "Enjoying his morning tea, I believe."

"I'll join him," Zuko said. "Captain, please accompany me there."

"Yes sir," the captain replied.

Zuko didn't have what he thought of as "friends" among the soldiers and advisers who worked with him. Somehow, no matter how welcoming he tried to be, even his most loyal advisers seemed incapable of turning off their professional selves when they were with him. He had confided this to Aang about a year after he ascended to the throne, and Aang suggested that for most people, it was intimidating to become friends with anyone who carried a title like "Fire Lord."

"But you're the Avatar and you have no problem making friends," Zuko had countered.

"Zuko," Aang said. "Don't you remember? I'm known for being an 'incurable prankster'. A lot of people still see me as just a kid. Believe me. Your reputation is a little different."

"What's THAT supposed to mean!?" Zuko had yelled, and a nearby tree went up in flames.

Aang doused the tree in water, putting out the fire. "Well your Lordliness," he laughed. "It would help if you didn't randomly set stuff on fire."

"I'm a firebender!" Zuko said. He lowered his voice: "And it doesn't happen that often."

"You think?" Aang said sarcastically.

Zuko decided he needed to learn more self-control and he started visiting Azula for advice. She was kept in the equivalent of a royal house prison. Zuko employed thirty-two highly skilled firebenders to guard the locked entrances at all times, plus three professional qi-blockers who qi-blocked Azula forcibly every two hours. Inside, though, the house was lush, and Azula had everything she could possibly want at her beck-and-call, including a staff of servants who catered to her every whim. Azula had recently taken up painting. Her art was abstract, and she said it stemmed from her deep disappointment with life.

When Zuko expressed an interest in learning to lightning bend during a visit, Azula laughed. "Zuzu," she drawled. "Lightning requires far more control than you could ever possess." But Zuko was intent on gaining absolute control over his bending, and with Uncle's direct guidance and Azula's indirect, cutting tips, he eventually mastered it.

Unfortunately, the ability to bend lightning didn't fix his problem with becoming more approachable. "Well," Aang said apologetically when Zuko asked him about it a few years later, "what did you expect?"

Zuko fumed (but not literally). "I never set anything on fire accidentally anymore!"

"Sure," Aang said. "But if you snap your fingers you can purposely incinerate a whole house, and being able to take down an entire line of men with a bolt of electricity is kind of terrifying."

"But I'm good now!" Zuko said.

"Good, yes," Aang said. "Scary? Also yes."

So instead of having friends at home, Zuko had what he thought of as "close advisers." Yin was one of them. A crack bender and a strong leader, Yin had proven himself to have excellent judgment and team building skills. Although Yin was only about ten years older than Zuko, Uncle liked him very much. "His pai sho game is great, and he has excellent taste in tea," was Uncle's verdict. Yin wasn't exactly a friend, but he was Zuko's right hand man.

Zuko found Yin sipping tea and reading correspondence in the board room on the ship. Upon Zuko's entrance, Yin rose and bowed. "Fire Lord Zuko," he said.

"Good morning Yin," Zuko said, taking a sit at the table. "At ease."

Yin relaxed.

"Do you have a report for me this morning?" Zuko asked.

"Yes sir," Yin said. "Would you care for a cup of tea first?"

"Please," Zuko said, allowing Yin to pour him a cup of jasmine tea.

"Very good sir," Yin replied, once they both had steaming cups of fragrant tea. "Shall we start with news from the capital?"

Things were in good order. The capital was enjoying fair weather, and several construction permits had been approved by the historical committee as well as the city regulators. A drought in the east was affecting the crops, but a surplus in the north was expected to more than make up for that. A black market ring of suspicious cabbage sellers had been intercepted and were awaiting trial. The dragon breeders had reported the birth of two baby dragons. Tax season had gone well, and now that the Fire Nation had removed most of its troops from the rest of the nations, the homeland was enjoying a period of wealth.

"And how is the re-employment program going for the returning soldiers?" Zuko asked.

"Very well sir," Yin said. "The last report indicated that the Bai Sho River Project has been extremely successful, as have many of our efforts to deploy soldiers for other homeland work."

Zuko smiled, satisfied. He tried not to spend time congratulating himself – it was important to remain humble as a man in his position – but Uncle often sent him encouraging letters, telling him that so and so had stopped by the tea shop and remarked on the unprecedented period of peace and prosperity the Fire Nation was enjoying under Zuko's reign. There was still a lot of rebuilding left to do, but if it were at all in his power (and as Fire Lord, it was), Zuko would go out decades from now leaving his nation far better than he had found it.

"So what do you think of the Avatar's project?" Zuko asked. Yin had attended the banquet the night before and had heard the Avatar ask for Zuko's participation.

Yin nodded his head. "It appears to be a worthy project, sir." He blushed. "The demonstration was quite impressive, and it was a privilege to watch you and Master Katara bending. I'd only heard rumors of how stunning she was before."

Zuko let a hiss of frustration out. "Please don't tell me Uncle suggested…"

"My apologies, your highness. It's simply that your battle with Princess Azula is legendary, and I'd always wondered what Master Katara would be like."

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "And?"

"Well sir," Yin said, somewhat flustered. "As I said, she was rather stunning." Zuko had no idea why he found that so satisfying.

"And do you think it would be wise for me to join the Avatar during the inaugural three weeks of his project?" Zuko asked.

"The Fire Lord is expected to spend a certain amount of time completing diplomatic missions," Yin said. "I believe accompanying the Avatar would only increase your popularity in the homeland."

Zuko nodded.

Yin looked nervous. "Sir," he said cautiously. "Would you allow me to be so bold as to offer some unsolicited advice?"

"Of course, Yin. What is it?"

"Well," Yin hesitated. "The Fire Nation would also be rather pleased to see you find a suitable match."

Zuko scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?!" He suddenly caught a whiff of burning wood and removed his hands quickly from the heavy board table.

"Tea sir?" Yin said, hiding a smile. Zuko growled and left the room.

Katara sat at a great circular table next to Sokka and their father, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe took his seat next to Chief Hakoda, greeting Katara and Sokka warmly. Chief Arnook had no heirs, and it had recently occurred to Katara that Sokka was being primed to take over as Chief of a unified Water Tribe one day. She wasn't sure if Sokka realized it himself.

Katara was invited as the highest ranking waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, but, since she was the only waterbender above the age of five in the Southern Water Tribe, she sometimes wondered if her invitation to these kinds of things was only a token gesture. Or maybe Aang pulled some strings. Toph never joined. Just then Master Pakku came into the room. Katara stood up and bowed to him.

"Master Pakku," she acknowledged.

"Master Katara," he said, bowing back. "It is an honor to see you here again."

"Thank you," she said. "How is Gran Gran?"

"She misses you, but she asked me to tell you how proud she is of you. They refer to you as Princess Katara in the south, you know. You're a legend. No one even cares about me!"

This made Katara smile. Of course, she and Sokka had been raised as little more than peasants in the huts of the Southern Water Tribe. But perhaps her invitation wasn't a token after all. She looked over: was Sokka waving to Suki from across the table? Embarrassing. He had just seen her at breakfast! Oh well. Neither Chief Hakoda nor Chief Arnook were especially old. Sokka still had time shape up and become a more dignified leader.

Speaking of dignified leaders: Zuko entered the room, the last of the leaders to arrive. He obviously hadn't been raised as a peasant. He walked in like he owned the whole place, flanked by his advisers and two lines of Fire Nation soldiers. He stopped just past the entrance to the room, held his head up, clasped his hands behind his back and waited patiently for the Fire Nation contingency to be acknowledged. The soldiers stood perfectly still around him, their eyes scanning the room as if they were constantly looking for threats, conveying obvious loyalty to their Lord. The room went quiet and it struck Katara that Zuko commanded power like he had been born to do it. Which he had been. Still, the Earth King hadn't received attention like this. He had just sauntered into the room with his bear and taken his seat.

It was a nice opportunity for Katara to assess her good friend without anyone noticing, since everyone else was watching Zuko too. She knew in her mind that Zuko had changed since she'd seen him last. He certainly looked more royal. His black hair had grown out and it was swept away from his face in a customary topknot that allowed most of his hair to flow down without blocking his vision. He had grown into the attire of the Fire Lord, and his armor suited him just right, accentuating his strength and his right to rule. There were other subtle things too, that took away the last bits of boyish uncertainty. Confidence and honor looked good on Zuko. But for Katara, the memory of Zuko flinging himself in front of her to save her life when he was only sixteen never faded. She knew how much he'd struggled and how often he'd been hurt, and when his eyes caught hers and his lips turned just the slightest bit up at the corners, Katara saw the same face she had always known.

"Fire Lord Zuko," Aang said, "Please join us." He ushered Zuko and his advisers to their seats. The soldiers stood behind obediently. It was amazing how the reputation of the Fire Nation had changed over the last five years. The Fire Nation wasn't feared as much, and Zuko was widely regarded as an honorable, cooperative leader, although the public eye still perceived the Fire Lord as a frightening persona.

The group began marching through a long agenda of concerns. Katara found it surprising how many problems could exist in a time of peace. The meeting dragged on and on, and they didn't reach the final agenda item until well into the afternoon.

"Finally, one of the most important things we can do as a group is ensure that the citizens of our nations feel safe regardless of where they travel and where they live," Aang said. "The Fire Nation has volunteered to send soldiers to areas in particular need of additional support."

One of the Earth King's advisers laughed. "How is that different from sending Fire Nation soldiers to colonize our lands? The people will be terrified."

Aang looked at Zuko and Zuko nodded, as though they had discussed this before. "I understand," Zuko replied. "It is critical that any support be viewed as completely peaceful. If necessary, I will restrict the soldiers the Fire Nation sends to non-benders only and require them to wear neutral-colored uniforms."

The Earth Kingdom advisers grumbled. Aang and Zuko looked worried at each other. "Why don't all of the nations recruit soldiers who would be willing to join a group of peacekeepers?" Katara spoke up. "We shouldn't have to rely entirely on the Fire Nation."

Aang looked approvingly at Katara. Chief Hakoda and Chief Arnook shared a quick side conversation, while the Earth King's advisers whispered to him.

"The Water Tribes will contribute peacekeepers," Chief Hakoda said presently.

"The Earth Kingdom will as well," the Earth King added. "But who will train and oversee them? Not the Fire Lord."

"No," Zuko agreed. "A group of peacekeepers cannot be led by any one nation's ruler."

"We'll appoint a counsel," Aang said.

"And perhaps the Avatar himself should oversee the group once it's formed," Zuko said. "The peacekeepers can train at the same location as the benders who are brought there to engage in the Alchemy Project."

"Brilliant, Lord Zuko," Aang said. "I would be happy to do that."

The group voted on a resolution to create a multi-national group of peacekeepers, trained by the Avatar along with the Alchemy Project Benders. Then, finally, the meeting was adjourned, and Zuko shook Aang's hand, as though diplomatically congratulating him on the successful work. They started to talk, and Katara got up to leave, but Aang saw her and gestured for her and Sokka to stay.

"Wait," he said. "There's one more thing. Do you guys mind sticking around for a few more minutes?"

Zuko dismissed his advisers and soldiers and waited curiously in the meeting room, while Aang delayed so that Sokka could take a "bio break" and Toph could join them. Aang took the seat next to him, while Suki got up to sit by Katara. Zuko caught Katara's eye and she held his gaze, making him wonder what she was thinking about. She had been mostly quiet during the day's meetings, and he would have liked to have known her thoughts on a lot of the issues the group had discussed. He wasn't sure why she hadn't spoken up more.

"Okay!" Sokka said, coming back in with Toph and shutting the doors behind them. "We're all here. Hit us Aang, what's up with the secret meeting? Team Avatar is here to serve!" Zuko rolled his eyes and groaned audibly, a luxury he realized he only had here because of how comfortable he was with this small group.

"Thanks Sokka," Aang said seriously, and it occurred to Zuko for the first time that Aang, who had been hosting this event with a great deal of energy, looked tired.

"Aang, is everything okay?" Katara said with concern. She had obviously just noticed it too.

Aang looked grimly at all of them. "There is something I need you all to know that I can't let anyone else in on," he said. "And I couldn't tell you last night because I was afraid someone would overhear."

Eyebrows knit together across the room while everyone waited. Aang sighed. "The thing is," he continued, "I didn't call you all here to the North Pole because I want you to help me work on the Alchemy Benders Project." Aang gestured to Toph, Katara and Zuko. "It's not that you aren't all great benders, but I know you're busy. I could easily have found other benders to work with on figuring out how to combine the elements, and I'm sure we'll have no trouble recruiting benders who are interested over the next few weeks. The Alchemy Project is sort of a public cover on what I really need your help for."

"So if the Alchemy Project is just a cover, what's going on?" Sokka asked, all evidence of humor gone from his face.

Aang sighed and looked troubled. "Actually Sokka," he said, "I don't exactly know. I only know there's something out-of-whack in the balance of nature. I started noticing a few months ago. There are some places where I can't bend as easily as I can in others, and I've been noticing that when I meditate in the spirit world, there are places there too where spirits just aren't going anymore. I think something is happening."

"Maybe you just aren't as practiced anymore," Toph said. "You need more opportunities to use your bending." She bent a chunk of rock at the Avatar.

"No," Aang said, holding his wrist up and batting away the rock like he was shooing away a bug. "I have plenty of opportunities, and I train in all four elements every day. It's something else, and I'm worried that the areas where bending is fading are spreading."

"Then we have to figure out what's going on," Katara said.

"I know," Aang said. "That's why I need all of you. You're the strongest benders I know and the smartest advisers I have. If anyone can help me figure out what's going on, it's you guys."

Zuko frowned. It bothered him that Aang hadn't told him anything about this problem before now. Was this something the kid had sprung on everyone? He looked around. Even Katara looked surprised. Why hadn't Aang confided in Katara? "So you have a plan?" he asked. "How will we know when we're in a place where bending is affected?"

"I think you'll know," Aang said. "I can usually feel it. And I do have a plan. I want to go to the places where I felt the problems first, then we can start looking for a pattern. It will look to everyone else like we're working on the Alchemy Project. But actually, we'll be trying to figure out what's going on with the bending problems."

"Well you have the right team," Sokka said. "If anyone can do this, it's us."

"Water, Earth, Fire, Air, Sword and Fan?" Toph asked sarcastically.

"Exactly," Sokka said. "Team Avatar is back in action."

"I hoped you would say that," Aang said. "The peace summit closes tomorrow morning, and I don't want to waste any time. We should leave as soon as possible."

The moon was full that night, and Katara could see it rising in the sky as the sun set for a brief summer nap. She had decided to take a walk to clear her head. She was concerned by what Aang had told them. She couldn't imagine not being able to bend. The moon's strength energized her, and she wondered if Yue was watching her from above. Did she sense that something was wrong? Why hadn't Aang told her about the problem before? She had just seen him a few weeks ago.

"Katara!" Keiro's voice called down to her. She turned around but couldn't see him. "I was just looking for you."

"Really?" Katara asked. Keiro bounded down to her from the top of a nearby set of stairs.

"Yes. It's a perfect night for a stroll under the moon, isn't it?" Keiro said. Katara nodded in agreement and they began to walk together. She hadn't been thinking of Keiro much, and she was still a little irritated with him, but she found herself telling him about the earlier meeting anyway, detailing the peacekeeping group in particular.

"You'd be perfect for it," Katara said. "You should think of joining."

"And leaving the North Pole?" Keiro said. "But I want to be here when you come back."

Katara frowned. "I don't think you should wait for me," she said, reluctant to put any pressure on her relationship with Keiro. "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone."

Keiro looked upset. "Why?" he asked. "What, do you anticipate some kind of extra trip?" He scowled. "What went on this afternoon after everyone else left that meeting?"

"You saw that?" Katara asked. She hadn't realized Keiro had been anywhere nearby. She had barely thought of him all day.

"Everyone knows," Keiro said. "The Avatar's super-secret meetings with his favorites are always food for the gossip chains. So, what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on," Katara answered defensively, not sure she should share anything Aang had told them and resenting the tone of Keiro's voice.

"I knew it!" Keiro exclaimed. "I knew there was something going on with you and that pompous jerk!"

Katara spun around so that she was blocking Keiro's path. Even in the moonlight, Keiro looked angry, and she was taken aback by it.

"What are you talking about, Keiro?" Katara said, trying to keep her cool despite the fiery heat rising inside her. "Are you saying there's something going on between me and Zuko?"

"Between you and Fire Lord Scary-Scar?" Keiro looked terrified. "No! I mean, it was awesome to meet him and all, but he looks like he could twitch and burn an entire village to the ground. You would never be with a guy like that."

"That's not how he is," Katara muttered.

"Whatever. I know there isn't anything between you and the Fire Lord, Katara," Keiro said. He stopped and stared her down with a heavily scrutinizing look. "But be honest with me: what's going on with you and the Avatar? Have you been seeing him too? You go on those trips with him sometimes, and now you don't want me to wait for you? Something has to be going on."

"With Aang?" Katara said, stunned. "What would make you think there's something going on with me and Aang?"

"Seriously?" Keiro asked. "I've seen you with him! That guy can't keep his hands off you!"

"Whoa, you are way out of line," Katara said, tensing up and backing away.

"I am?" Keiro asked. "Because you're the one with all the secrets. You're with him, aren't you?"

"Keiro," Katara said, her eyes narrowing and her temper flaring beyond control. "I think you better stop now."

Keiro shook his head. "You're lying, and I can't trust you, Katara. I didn't expect you to lie. I don't think I can ever trust you after this."

"I don't think you're going to have to worry about that after tonight," Katara said frostily. Her whole body hummed with anger and Keiro looked confused as tentacles of ice came up around him, freezing him where he stood. He struggled against the ice, but her bending was clearly stronger than his.

"I'm not with Aang," she said.

He huffed like he didn't believe her.

The nerve of this guy! Katara felt almost disgusted with herself while she watched Keiro flail and sputter. His hair was hanging in his face and he had a furious look in his eyes. She had kissed him.

"You better let me out now," he said dangerously. "If you know what's good for you. Or so help me, when I get out of here…"

Katara's heart hardened and she squeezed the ice around Keiro's shoulders. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stop talking now."

"I'm the stronger bender, and you know it," he spat.

She looked disdainfully at him.

"Keiro?" She iced his hair into ugly spikes. "You only ever won because I let you."

With that, Katara turned and left. She didn't care if he was stuck there in the cold. The sun would be up in a few hours. He'd survive.