Katara found that she enjoyed working at the tea shop. Yes, she missed spending time with her friends. But at the same time, Iroh and Zuko interested her.

She never thought she would ever be interested in the Fire Prince and his uncle. But when she saw them working in the tea shop, being normal, it was so strange that she couldn't help but be intrigued.

One week into her time at the shop, she found herself growing more comfortable being alone with Zuko. It frightened her, but she had made it a point not to think too much about it. In fact, whenever she thought about how strange it was, she immediately distracted herself with another thought.

"So, what happened to change your mind? You know, about kidnapping the Avatar?" Katara asked Zuko one day during their lunch break. She had brought in ingredients for a quick water tribe meal. It was more of a snack really. She hadn't been able to find any dried seaweed, so she substituted it with a leafy vegetable.

Zuko was currently munching on it, his eyes always roaming the shop and rarely ever settling on her. Katara didn't mind. They were still cautious with each other.

"I don't know exactly." Zuko mumbled. "Something changed. My uncle talked some sense into me."

He hesitated, "I can't explain it, Katara."

She started, eyes wide. He had never said her name before. In fact, she had never introduced herself to him. Their introduction had been through fights and the push and pull of enemies.

She shrugged, "Alright." It was her turn to hesitate. "You do seem like you've changed." She admitted.

Zuko offered her a small smile, only a quirk of his lips, but it was enough to impart to her how he felt.

The rest of the day passed as they each went back to their own work. They shared a nod between them whenever they passed each other by, or locked eyes. It was a strange and tentative relationship they had set out upon.

Katara found that she did believe Zuko to be changed. Did that mean she had to leave the tea shop? Did that mean they could stop being enemies?

She didn't think either one of them were prepared for that yet.

Towards the end of the day, Zuko came to her.

"My uncle wants us to go out to the market to get some ingredients." He said, offering her a cloth bag to carry the produce they would buy.

She nodded and took the bag from him, letting out a snort of laughter when Zuko swung the cloth straps of his bag over his shoulder.

He raised a brow, "What?"

"I never thought I would see you carrying a cloth bag like that."

Zuko smirked, "I'm still a person, Katara."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Your name?"

His quick response indicated how aware of it he was as well. Katara nodded, following him out of the tea shop and into the streets of Ba Sing Se.

"Because it's your name." Zuko frowned. "You don't want me to say it?"

Katara felt foolish for mentioning it, so she waved a hand dismissively.

Zuko shrugged, "I get it. It's weird coming from me. Usually it's peasant." Zuko looked sheepish.

Katara chuckled, "Yeah, I guess you're sorry for that, too?"

He nodded, managing another of his tentative smiles.

They walked to the marketplace together.

"Did Iroh give you a list?" Katara asked, looking over the stalls they passed by.

Zuko nodded and handed it to her. "Yeah. You can get the fruits. I'll get the rest." He said.

Katara nodded and headed to the colourful fruit stall, smiling to the vendor as she picked out the ingredients Iroh needed. She rubbed the skin of the oranges and lemons, feeling the roughness of the peel. She squeezed the apples, testing the firmness. If she were honest, she didn't really know what to look for when buying fruit. Her tribe hadn't really had fruit much, so she's never grown up eating it.

"Katara!"

She spun around to see Aang coming towards her, waving. A jolt of panic ran through her, and instantly she was scanning the crowds for that familiar pale face with the red scar across one golden eye. She didn't see it, and by then Aang was upon her.

"Hey! I've been looking everywhere for you! Sokka said you would be here." He grinned and he held open a bag of things he had bought to show her. "I bought some supplies."

At Katara's puzzled expression, he explained further. "I was going to tell you later when we were back at home, but I have to go now. I got a letter. There's a guru who lives at the Eastern Air Temple. He says he can teach me to control the Avatar State!"

Katara smiled, but her blue eyes surveyed the surrounding crowd. Zuko would be on his way back to find her soon.

"That's great, Aang! So, you're leaving now?"

Aang nodded, looping his bag over his shoulder. "Yep! And Sokka told you about going to see your father, right?"

Katara nodded. Her brother had informed her of the intelligence report that had said their father was at Chameleon Bay. He had offered to stay behind with the Earth King, but she had insisted he go. Katara knew how much her brother missed their father.

"So, it's just Toph and I?"

Aang's smile faltered, a sure sign that he would be imparting bad news. "Actually, she's going to see her mother in the city. I don't know what that means. She might spend lots of time with her."

Katara waved a hand in dismissal. "That's fine. I don't mind. It's important for her to see her mom."

Aang grinned and hugged Katara tight. She returned the hug, but still she searched the crowd for Zuko.

"You're the best, Katara. See you when I get back!" Aang grinned and left with a wave.

Katara waved back with a sigh.

"Where is he going?"

Katara spun around to see Zuko in front of her, watching Aang's retreating form. She remained silent, not wanting to tell him where Aang was going, but also feeling awkward about withholding the information. It meant she was still suspicious of him. Why was she embarrassed about it? She had good reason.

Katara shook her head, ridding herself of the confusing thoughts. "He needs to attend to something important."

Zuko nodded and glanced to the fruit stall. "Did you get what we need?"

"Yeah. I think so. I'm not sure what the best fruits are?"

He frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Well," She held up a lemon. "How do you know this lemon is better from the other lemons?"

Zuko nodded his understanding. "The smoothest lemons are the best."

"Why?" Katara frowned, watching as his pale hand tested each lemon until he found one smooth enough for his standards.

"Because that means there is less peel and more fruit."

"Really?" She watched him pack five lemons into the paper bag provided by the stall. "How do you know that?"

Zuko shrugged, moving onto the oranges. "My mother taught me." His eyes were focused on the fruit, but there was a slight tremor in his fingers as he picked up the oranges. Katara noticed how his jaw tightened as well.

She was unsure how to proceed from there. Zuko had never spoken of his mother before. And from the way he looked now, she had a feeling it was a subject he didn't often breach.

She decided to leave it for another day, but her curiosity almost overwhelmed her right there and then. But already the sun was dimming, and she knew she needed to be back home before sundown at least.

Zuko seemed to notice the time as well, because he hurriedly picked out the best fruit and paid the vendor.

"Come on. Before uncle thinks we've gone missing." He nodded in the vague direction of the tea shop and Katara followed him.

Iroh was waiting for them by the door, a steaming cup of tea in his hands. "Ah! You both have finally returned. I thought perhaps you had gotten lost in conversation."

Katara and Zuko shared a look. And he turned back to Iroh, "Not all of us are as talkative as you, uncle."

Iroh burst into laughter, his golden eyes lit up with mirth. He beckoned both of them in, and a half hour later Katara left the shop for the day, waving goodbye to Zuko as she did.

"See you tomorrow!" She called, refusing to pay attention to the nagging voice in her head that told her this was wrong. That she should be distant and cold towards him.

The voice was silenced when Zuko raised a hand. "See you, Katara."