Chapter Seven- Surprises All Around
The next morning Zuko's eyes opened to the sun, and Katara. He smiled to himself, and Katara's eyes slowly opened.
"Good morning…" she mumbled, blushing as she pulled the covers up over her exposed chest. Zuko smiled.
"I ought to be at the training room by now…" he said.
"I ought to be cooking breakfast…" she said, grinning. Zuko stood up and put his shirt on, but as he was buttoning it, he heard Aang's voice,
"Katara? Are you here? Sokka says it's time to-" Katara dove down to the floor on the far side of the bed. "Hey Zuko? Have you seen Katara?"
"No but you could try the bathroom, if she's not in the kitchen." Zuko replied, seemingly nonchallant. Ang thankked him and headed out.
"Wow, nice one." He said, sitting on the bed. Katara blushed, standing up as he held out her wrap. She was painfully aware of her state of undress, and she gabbed it from him quickly.
"Help me get this back on, will you?" she commanded. He helped her wrap the white cloth around her chest, standing behind her. Katara sighed. "I'm gonna have to apologize to Aang before we leave today…" she murmured to herself.
"Where are you going?" Zuko asked as they finished up and she walked over to get her regular clothes.
"We are going to the market- everyone needs a half day off, and I have a surprise set up for Sokka." Katara said, grinning as she pulled on her clothes.
"What-" Zuko began to ask, but Katara cut him off.
"You'll see when we get there, and no sooner." She said, a sly smile on her face. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and headed for the kitchen, leaving him puzzling all the way to training, where Aang waited.
Later, that afternoon, Zuko and Aang, sweating and shirtless, walked from the training room to find everyone waiting for them.
"Get cleaned up, people. We're going on a field trip!" Toph called, grinning as Katara water bended cool water onto both of them, cleaning and refreshing them. She handed them their shirts and everyone loaded onto Appa, and they flew down to town.
"Sokka, I've got a surprise for you, so close your eyes." Katara commanded, and Sokka did, letting Katara guide him through the crowd. Finally they reached the tea shop and Katara said, "Okay, Sokka! Open your eyes!" Sokka opened his eyes, and found Suki standing in front of him, grinning. They embraced immediately.
"I missed you so much!" She said joyfully, and Sokka replied with a kiss. He looked around.
"Where's dad?" he asked.
"Your father went to free some of the other prisoners across the fire nation- I planned on helping, but I figured you guys are my priority." She replied, smiling.
"I hope he'll be okay…" Sokka murmured, and Suki put her hand on his shoulder.
"Come on. After our jail break with Zuko, I think he can handle anything!" she said, grinning. Sokka's eyes brightened, and he grinned again.
They spent the whole day at the market. The sun went down, and the small town lit up, with lanterns and lights placed every where, and some how they all got separated.
Sokka sat with Suki under a tree just outside of town.
"What have you been up to, Sokka?" she asked as he stroked her hair.
"Missing you every day." He replied, grinning. Suki giggled.
"Seriously, Sokka." She said, smiling.
"I'm serious!" he replied. She laughed, and he smiled and kissed her.
Aang and Toph held hands as they walked down the street, and Aang described the things that the vendors were selling. Toph asked a few questions, but was mostly understanding of what was going on around them.
"Aang?" she asked.
"Yeah?" he replied, looking at her. She looked down at her feet with sightless eyes.
"I'll probably tell them tonight- when are you gonna tell the guys?" she said, blushing.
Aang was silent for a moment.
"The time will come, and present itself to me. Soon, I am sure." He replied, looking at the sky. Toph smiled as he kissed her cheek. "Come on, let's go eat something. I think Iroh's at the tea house- let's go there." He squeezed her hand and they headed toward Iroh.
Zuko held hands with Katara as they sat on a bench in a small park. They were both quiet as children ran by, laughing and shrieking happily. As the sun went down, the people left to go home for dinner, and the lanterns were lit by an old woman, who smiled at them and left.
"The fountain looks beautiful…" Katara murmured to herself.
"So do you." Zuko said quietly, looking at her. She blushed and smiled. He kissed her forehead.
"Zuko…when are we gonna tell the others? I don't want to slink around behind everyone's back for much longer, really." She said, looking down. "And I know Sokka will probably be mad about it, but I'm willing to take it for you, Zuko…" Zuko smiled gently, and blushed.
"It'll happen in due time, Katara. I promise you I'll tell soon…what if you tell the girls and I tell the guys? I'm sure you three will get together tonight to chat, and that'll leave the guys together…" Zuko suggested.
"I guess that'll work, but Sokka's gonna be roaring mad…" Katara thought aloud. Zuko put his hand on under her chin and gently lifted her face so their eyes met.
"I'll deal with him for you, that way you don't have to, okay?" He said, smiling in the light of the lanterns. Katara smiled and put her arms around him, and they kissed for a while. After they pulled away from each other, Zuko said, "Come on, let's go eat- I'll bet you anything Uncle's at the tea house."
That night, after every one had eaten, and they'd returned to the Temple, The girls met in Katara's room.
"Oh goodness, I've missed you guys so much!" Suki exclaimed, and the three embraced, then sat in a circle on her bed. "So? What's the latest dirt?" Suki asked, grinning.
Unknown to the trio, Aang, Sokka and Zuko, having nothing better to talk about, had decided to snoop. They crouched silently outside the door, in the shadows so they wouldn't be seen.
"Well, I'd like to ask a similar question." Toph said, grinning. Suki smiled.
"Seriously, how have you been?" Katara asked Suki, smiling.
"Really bored. I truly do miss Sokka, although you can't tell him that. It'll go to his head!" Suki replied, and the girls giggled.
Zuko and Aang silently snickered as Sokka tried his best to ignore them.
"What about you, Toph? How're things with Aang?" Suki asked, and Katara turned.
"He's grown up a lot, to tell you guys the truth. His training is really effective, and he's gotten stronger, but I think what's really causing him to mature is being back at the air temple. 'Ol twinkle toes is becoming very, very wise, which leads me to believe he's been talking to the dead." The girls laughed, and Aang grinned, blushing. "But while we're still on the subject of maturity, I have an announcement." Toph said, and both girls fell silent immediately. "Well, since you two are my best friends, I felt that I should be the one to announce that…" Toph paused.
"Come on, Toph! Spill!" Suki said, grinning excitedly.
"I'm pregnant!" Toph announced, and the girls squealed with excitement, tackling Toph with hugs. Aang received grins and a punch on the arm from Sokka, as well as a pat on the back from a smiling Zuko.
"Oh my gosh Toph! That is so great!!" Katara exclaimed.
"Really! Congratulations, Toph! Tell Aang I said so!" Suki said grinning. Toph grinned, blushing.
"So you guys finally did the dirty, huh?" Katara said, a sly smile on her face, and they all laughed.
"Speaking of that, how are you and Zuko?" Toph asked, turning on Katara.
"What??" Suki turned to her.
"Haven't you heard? They're our undercover lovers!" Toph said, grinning.
"Seriously? That's awesome! How far have you guys gone?" Suki asked, excited.
"Not much, stealing kisses, and I guess I've spent the night with him a few times, but not much has happened…" Katara said, smiling and blushing.
Outside, Aang grinned, but Sokka's smile had melted. Sokka slowly turned to face Zuko, who was slightly nervous, and trying not to show it by smiling at Aang, who obviously was happy for them.
"You will meet me after we're done here. We need to talk." Sokka whispered in a surprisingly uncharacteristic serious voice. Zuko just nodded.
"That's great!" Suki exclaimed happily. Katara sighed.
"I wish my brother was more like you two- I just know he's gonna explode when we tell him… Zuko said he'd do it, but I'm truly afraid that Sokka's gonna attack him or something…" Katara faded off, and suddenly Sokka lost it.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M GONNA LOSE IT? I'M PREFECTLY CALM, I JUST DO NOT APPROVE!" Sokka yelled, bursting in. Suki stood up.
"Sokka-" she started, but he cut her off.
"Listen, Suki, I really don't think you guys understand. She was put under my protection a long time ago, and I really don't want her to get hurt!"
"And you think I'mgonna hurt her?!" Zuko said angrily, walking in, anger seething from him. Aang walked in.
"Guys, let's calm down…"
"I AM CALM!" Both Zuko and Sokka yelled, then they looked at each other. Suddenly Sokka turned to Katara.
"Katara! You need to decide, right now. Who is more important to you- Zuko or me? Because I don't think you can have any kind of healthy relationship with himwhile I'm still alive! I will not allow it!" Sokka asked, and Katara stopped. She loved Zuko but if she chose him, Sokka would hold a grudge against her, and if she didn't she'd risk losing Zuko, which she definitely didn't want. "Well, Katara?" Sokka urged angrily. Tears welled up in her eyes and She ran out of the room, and Zuko ran after her. Sokka made a move to follow, but Suki grabbed his arm.
"Let them talk it out, Sokka. It's not your decision anymore." She said, her eyes glinting.
"What are you talking about?! She's my little sister- I'm in charge of her!"
"You were in charge of her! But she's not a little girl anymore, Sokka! She's seventeen! Everyone needs to grow up and accept the changes sometime, and I think it's about time for you to do that!" Suki yelled. Sokka was stunned by her harshness. He sat on the bed, his head in his hands. She sat next to him, and Toph and Aang slipped back to their room.
"I never thought she'd move on…" Sokka said, his voice quivering slightly.
"She hasn't moved on, Sokka. She'll always be your sister. But every girl needs to be loved in a way that brothers can't love them. Like the love you and I share- it's different than the love of families…" Sokka sighed.
"Come on. We need to get some sleep- we'll discuss this in the morning." she said, and they headed off to his room.
Zuko found Katara sitting by the fountain, holding her mother's necklace. She sighed.
"Mom always knew how to solve an argument between us…" Zuko sat by her, looking at the familiar necklace. He remembered how he'd used it to get to her, how he'd not understood his strange, unique feelings for her, so he'd taken her captive. It had been foolish and reckless, and had ended in disaster. She leaned on him as he put his arm around her. " I wish Sokka would understand how I feel…" A tear trickled down her cheek, and he wiped it away.
"It'll be okay, alright, Katara? I promise you, no matter what it takes, it'll be okay. I love you , Katara, and I swear to the gods, that whether it be brothers or fire lords, I will protect you. " he said, and hugged her. She cried freely then, tears streaming down her face, sobs escaping her lips. Zuko held her, knowing, somehow, that even though she was crying, it was a good thing.
"I love you too." she bawled into him, and he held her tightly. After a while she'd cried herself to sleep in his arms, so he carried her to her room, which, to his surprise, was empty. He put her in the bed, gently arranging the pillows and pulling up the covers over her. He slipped into bed beside her, and fell asleep with a small smile on his lips.
