Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Zuko slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times trying to clear the fog in his eyes and set his mind straight. He glanced at the clock and sat up straight as he realized that he had overslept and that he was to be made Firelord in four hours.

"Finally you're awake, I thought you would never get up," he grimaced as he heard the voice to his side.

"Hello Mai, not to sound rude but, what are you doing here?" Zuko asked turning around to face the girl he hated.

"Waiting for my future Firelord to wake up and allow me to get him ready for his big day. The servants haven't been able to return since Azula banished them but I know enough to get you ready," Mai smiled as she cupped his face and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Zuko controlled himself and didn't cringe as her lips brushed his face, even then he couldn't stop the twitch of his fingers that betrayed how much he hated the contact.

"Come on sit on the floor and I'll do your hair," Mai ordered grabbing his shoulders and guiding him to the mirror and sitting him down.

Zuko went without a fight noticing that he hadn't had time to put his shirt on having just woken up. He frowned as he felt the cold spot where Mai's hands had just been and how if it had been Katara his skin would have been burning in delight.

Mai found he brush and returned to sit behind the Prince folding her legs so that Zuko was sitting right up against her. She sighed as she felt his heat radiate off of her but couldn't help but notice where, before, he would lean into her and kiss her, now he sat stiffly and didn't look back. She dismissed it as Zuko being nervous about the coronation and set about brushing his hair.

Zuko waited patiently enough as Mai steadily and neatly brushed his hair into a bun and wrapped the silk ribbon around the knot setting it in place. He felt her pressed up against him and tried to not jump away as she brushed her thighs against his back accidentally moving into a new place to straighten his bun.

"There we are, you are now ready to be crowned Firelord Zuko," Mai said finished inspecting Zuko's bun after finding it to be one-hundred percent satisfactory.

Zuko looked into the mirror and had to admit that Mai had done a good job arranging his hair into royalty's fashion. He turned his head to the side and pinned back a stray hair that had somehow come undone.

"You did a good job Mai. If you'd be so kind as to leave me alone for a little while, I need to meditate before noon," Zuko said politely knowing that Mai needed to hear she had done a good job.

Mai nodded and kissed him lightly on the cheek before leaving the room only slightly annoyed at being told to leave, knowing that Zuko would need time alone before he was made Firelord…and her the FireQueen.

Zuko waited until Mai's footsteps could no longer be heard before pulling out the candles he used to meditate from a drawer in his desk. Each was a different color to represent something. The candle in front of him was red and represented the ferocity that needed to be present during every Firebending. The blue one to the left showed that you always had to maintain a calm head or else risk losing control of the fire you brought to life. The yellow candlestick to his right represented the sun; a Firebender's influence like the moon was to a Waterbender.

Zuko took a deep breath and quickly lighted all the candles with his Firebending smiling slightly as he felt the power growing in him with the candles flames. Slowly he felt his mind settle and his thought calm down until his mind was clear of all thoughts and needs, he began to breathe regularly closing his eyes after making sure the candles were dipping in height as he exhaled.

Then he heard a knock on the door and his concentration shattered like glass connecting with a stick. Agitated, he turned around to yell at whoever had interrupted him but his words died in his throat as he saw who was at the door.

"Sorry, if you're meditating I'll come back later," Katara whispered already stepping out of the room knowing how much Zuko hated being interrupted.

"I'll stop if it means I can be with you," Zuko sighed slipping his candles back into his desk and turning to face his love.

Katara smiled and slowly walked over to the future Firelord, she snaked her arms his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips pulling away to tease him. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap widening his legs so that she could fit comfortably without hurting him.

"How was your sleepover?" Zuko asked grinning as he felt Katara blush at the memory of him walking in on her with Kyoshi's makeup on.

Katara refused to answer but rested her head on his chest closing her eyes and matching her breathing to his not wanting anything right now but to be with Zuko. She heard him chuckle at the memory and she lightly punched his shoulder.

"Now was that completely necessary?" Zuko asked trying his best to sound offended as she resettled into his embrace.

"Mmmnn," Katara mumbled nodding her head to make sure the answer got across to him.

Zuko smiled slightly and tilted her head up kissing her passionately on the lips closing his eyes to his other senses, the taste of Katara's lips, the feel of her soft skin against his own, the sound of their lips and kisses, and the smell of Katara's raven black hair in his face.

"So it is true," they both jumped as they heard a small defeated voice in their doorway.

They leapt off each other as they found Aang leaning against the doorframe his head in his hands desperately trying to hide the tears coming down his face. Both of the lovers could easily see he was trying not to lose control and revert into the Avatar State, possibly hurting them.

"Aang…I'm," Katara stumbled walking over to Aang but not reaching out for him not knowing if it would hurt him more then it would comfort him.

"No Katara, if you truly want to be with Zuko then I won't stop it. I've suspected for a while you didn't love me, now I see why," Aang said stopping her before she could begin to apologize.

Zuko slowly got to his feet but stayed back unsure if he were a welcome member in the confrontation in front of him. He watched as Katara tried to comfort Aang and how the Avatar backed away not allowing her to be near him. Zuko understood Aang was trying to accept what was happening but was just finding it to overpowering to deal with.

"How long?" Aang suddenly asked his eyes clear of the tears and his face very, very serious.

Katara's thoughts immediately went to Zuko's almost fatal Agni Kai with Azula, but she knew the feelings had begun back when he had helped her go after the monster that had killed her mother. Although, back then, she hadn't been able to clearly realize it.

"The day of Sozin's comet, when Katara and I went after Azula," Zuko admitted not willing to stay quiet any longer.

Aang slowly nodded his head and remembered how, when the two had told the tale, it had gotten very etchy after Katara had chained Azula and healed Zuko. He no longer felt anger at having been betrayed, he knew where Katara's heart lay and he wanted her to be her happiest even if it was without her.

"Katara, can I talk to Zuko alone?" Aang asked with a soft smile on his lips, only his eyes betraying what he planned to say as soon as the Waterbender left the room.

Katara didn't miss the look on Aang's face but she nodded when Zuko motioned for her to leave and let the two men talk together. She grabbed her water bottle ready to heal anyone when she returned.

"We were going to tell you after the coronation," Zuko suddenly admitted feeling like he had to explain himself to the all powerful being in front of him.

Aang's foul mood didn't shift in the least and he let his eyes tell that to Zuko and he raised an eyebrow obviously not thinking Zuko's explanation justified his actions. He could never remain angry with Katara, especially since he knew she had tried to tell him, but he was going to refocus all that anger and pain on Zuko as a side-effect.

"You think you can just wait to tell me that the girl I've loved since I met her, is no longer going to return those feelings," Aang replied coolly slowly letting his anger build up, but not yet ready to unleash it.

Zuko knew he was walking on thin ice but he felt insulted to have to explain himself to a boy not even thirteen years old yet, "And how do you think I felt all the time knowing that one day she would have to choose the all powerful Avatar who had always loved her, to the exiled Prince who had tried to kill her."

"And look who she did choose!" Aang said his breathing getting shallower as his anger got to an extreme.

Finally Aang's control broke and he felt his anger well up inside him until he knew that he either had to leave the room or initiate the Avatar State, he chose the latter. The last thing he saw before the Avatar State clouded his eyes was Zuko his face drawn and pale as he realized what he had done, and strangely Aang was happy to see so much fear in his eyes.

Zuko watched horrified as Aang's eyes and tattoos began to glow and a bright light filled the room. His arms lit into flames as he prepared to ward off any attack Aang might try to start. He would not dare offensively fight the Avatar until it became the only way to stay alive, nor would he call for aid knowing that it would be bad to the already fragile Firenation if he fought the Avatar.

"You had better not EVER hurt Katara or your life will be forfeited in my eyes. The only thing preventing me from blowing you across the Firenation is the fact that you make Katara happy, make sure it stays that way," Aang shouted as his Airbending caused an almost tornado in Zuko's bedroom causing his pens and his other things to become deadly projectiles.

Zuko was only just able to stop the worst of the fire-whip that sprung from Aang's fingers. He wasn't able to stop the tips of the thong from brushing against his side burning a hole through his clothes and lightly burning his chest stopping right before overlapping Azula's scar.

Zuko knew, although he hated it, that he would have to calm Aang down before he got seriously hurt. Slowly he got down onto his knees and bowed his head putting his arms out in front of him in a signal of defeat stifling a cry as a pen ripped through his upper arm. "I apologize for not telling you Aang, but you should know that I love Katara dearly and that I will never hurt her," Zuko shouted trying to make himself be heard over the wind.

Aang's head cocked to the side and slowly the Avatar State left him, his emotions quelled for the moment and his thoughts back in order. He winced as he saw what he had done to Zuko's arm and immediately felt guilty for causing him harm.

"You had better make sure of it, now let me heal you before it stains your cloth," Aang said starting threateningly and then just sounding defeated bending water over from a bowl and closing his eyes as the blue light shone out from the healing.

Zuko experimentally rotated his arm nodding approvingly as he no longer felt the pain, but he couldn't help but wince from the burn on his side. He decided not to tell Aang or Katara about it since it would cause more pain and ill feelings then there already were. He bowed to Aang being formal to show how sorry he was for ever hurting his friend's feelings.

"It's me you should forgive, I was wrong to lose control of myself like that. I'm the Avatar and need to remember self-control," Aang apologized dipping his head as Zuko bent back up.

"No, we should have told you what was going on, even if you are the Avatar you have the right to get upset," Zuko responded placing his hand lightly onto Aang's shoulder trying to bridge the gap that had formed.

Aang smiled not wanting to drag the blaming on, and placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder, "We're still friends right?" Aang asked softly watching his toes as the question came out.

Zuko raised an eyebrow, amused that the question had to be asked, and pulled Aang into a hug for a second or two. They both watched each other evenly before they heard the door slam open and a blue figure run into the room.

"Who's hurt? What happened?" Katara shouted racing into the room her hands already covered in water to heal whoever had been injured.

Zuko and Aang grinned and realized that the shouting and then relative silence must have scared Katara into believing someone had been seriously injured. They both stepped towards her and explained what had happened, leaving out the fact that Aang had gone into the Avatar State and hurt Zuko.

"Well then I was also sent by a servant to inform you both that the ceremony has been moved an hour ahead of schedule since there are reports of a storm coming," Katara said blushing at having stormed into Zuko's room.

Aang and Zuko both instinctively glanced at the clock and jumped when they saw that they had twenty minutes to get prepared before Zuko was crowned Firelord. Aang raced out of the room, using his Airbending to speed him up, searching for the outfit he would wear for the first time to be presented as Avatar.

Zuko ran around the room and finally snatched his outfit for the coronation, a plain looking outfitted covered and hidden by a gorgeous red cloak adorned with a shoulder piece. He forgot all about Katara as he stripped out of his shirt and pants, standing in his boxers, until he heard a whistle form behind him.

Katara grinned as Zuko flung around and blushed terribly at her seeing him nearly naked for the first time. He quickly smothered the blush and tried to grab his pants and slip them on before Katara could make a comment.

"Wait, you look better this way," Katara teased walking up to stand beside him as he snatched his pants.

Zuko grinned and slid the shorts on knowing that Katara was kneading him for a kiss. With his shirt still off, Zuko grabbed the Waterbender around the waist and pressed her against him sighing as he felt her right leg slide in between his allowing him to pull her even closer. Watching her eyes close expectantly, Zuko found himself thinking about how lucky he was that she had chosen him. Lovingly Zuko kissed her on the lips and slid his tongue in smirking as he felt her open her mouth in welcome. He traced the inside of her mouth searching and exploring everything there was stroking the teeth and playing with the tongue that was in there.

"Come on, you better get going," Katara said as they parted, both panting heavily from their kissing.

Zuko sighed and allowed her to help him pull the shirt over his head and then slide the robe around his shoulders. He gave her a quick kiss before allowing her to lightly shove him out of the room down the way he needed to go.

Prince Zuko was about to become Firelord Zuko…

Please leave a review!! I hope you guys liked it!