Okay, new chapter! A long one too, :D some really good stuff in here, maybe i dunno lol. anyway, hope you like.

Disclaimer


Katara's P.O.V

Sokka was not particularly pleased that I spent the night with Zuko, but once he knew that nothing happened, he relaxed.

Another month has come and gone, and I'm starting to wonder when Aang and Toph will get here. We had sent out invitations to invite them to a christmas party, which will take place in a few weeks. We invited my father, Sakida, Aang, Toph, Mai, and Ty Lee. They'll be arriving soon, I hope.

Zuko and I have been getting a little more closer, when a storm comes, I sleep in his room. We'll joke around in the hallways when he's trying to do important Fire Lord stuff, but I keep distracting him.

I was in the garden's just adoring the turtle ducks, when a servant walked up to me, holding something in his sleeve.

"Master Katara," He addressed me. "A letter has arrived from the Southern Water Tribe."

I stood eagerly, taking the scroll from his hand, and thanking him. I sat back down, slowly opening the letter.

Dear Katara,

We miss your presence here in the Southern Tribe. Sakida and I are getting closer than ever. I'm even thinking about giving her a betrothal necklace? Would you like that? I love Sakida, and I only want whats best for our family. Your mothers time has come, and I think she'd want me to be happy. Sakida makes me happy, so I'm going to propose to her the next time we visit. Tell Sokka the news, I think he'd like that. I miss you so much my little waterbender. See you soon.

Love,

Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe.

No, this can't be happening. He can't marry her! She's all wrong for him! This is not what's best for our family! Mom does not want him to be happy with her! I would NOT like my father to marry her!

I stood, closing the scroll angrily, and running at full speed to find Sokka. He was talking to Suki in the throne room, while Zuko was talking to one of his Councilmen. I shoved the letter in Sokka's chest, trying my best not to knock him over.

"Katara, what are you doing?" He asked, frowning at me, and then the letter.

"Read. It." I growled though clenched teeth.

"Leave us." I heard Zuko order his Councilmen away.

I waited in silence as Sokka's face lit up in shock. He was still reading, but I could tell he was almost done because of his shaking hands.

The next thing I did not expect.

He roared in rage, and started ripping the scroll into pieces, letting it fall to the ground.

"How could he do that?" Sokka hissed at no one, as he started to pace back and fourth.

"Do what Sokka?" Suki asked patiently.

"He should have asked us! He should have asked if we were okay with it first!" He growled.

"What happened?" Zuko asked, walking down to stand with us. I was so upset, I ran into Zuko's arms, which he accepted at once.

"He's going to propose to her." I sobbed, burying my face into his chest.

"Shh," Zuko murmured in my ears. "everything's going to be alright."

"N-no, it won't." I shuddered.

"Come on, let's give Sokka some space." Zuko suggested, walking me out into the hall. I didn't know where we were going, but I didn't argue. I just wanted to be alone, to have time to think.

We ended up walking into Zuko's room, where he let me lay down on his bed.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to change." He whispered, brushing the hair from my face. I nodded, and he went into the bathroom to change.

A year and a half ago, if anyone asked if Zuko and I were friends, I would beat them to a pulp. But now, I'm not sure if you could even call it a friendship. I mean, sometimes it feels more than a friendship.

Zuko. He's been so nice and caring towards me. How can I repay him? I have nothing to show for, nothing worthy for the Fire Lord. Only, he doesn't even feel like the Fire Lord. He still feels like that hot headed teenage boy who chased us around the world.

The bathroom door opening shook me from my thoughts, and my eyes wandered in that direction. Zuko walked in my direction, wearing black baggy pants, and a dark red tank top.

He walked over, and laid down next to me, pulling me into his arms.

I sniffed, tears still trying to escape my eyes.

"It's going to be alright, Katara." Zuko murmured. "I'll be here for you."

"Thank you." I hugged him tighter.

It was quiet for a while before one of us spoke again.

"Your father doesn't seem like the type to just, fall for a woman like that." Zuko said.

I propped myself onto my elbows, looking down at Zuko.

"He's not, when my mother died, it was a full month before he could even glance at a single woman, or female for that matter. It doesn't make any sense." Tears fled my eyes, and fell onto Zuko's shirt. I felt Zuko's hand brush my eyes, making the tears go away, but more came after that.

"Please," Zuko pleaded. "I don't like seeing you cry."

"I can't help it." I sobbed once. "I'm sorry for making you see me this weak."

"No, no no no." Zuko denied. "You aren't weak. You're the smartest, bravest, kindest, most loving, strongest waterbending warrior I've met. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, you are the most wonderful person I've met."

I giggled softly as he spoke all of those adjectives about me.

"You really think that about me?" I asked.

"No, I know those are about you." He replied.

"Thank you." I said, brushing some of the hair out of his face. "No one has ever said anything like that about me."

"They should be, you should be treated better." Zuko smiled.

"I'm treated well enough." I smiled faintly, because I don't think that's completely true.

"No, what I mean is, since you've been the most mature, in the group, you have to take care of everyone else. Everyone else is put before you, and you've been there for everyone." Zuko frowned a little. "But who's going to take care of you? Who's going to be your shoulder to cry on? Who's going to be there for you when you need it most?"

"Honestly, it was my mother who has always been there for me. Now that she's gone, this necklace is all I have left of her comfort." I admitted, reaching my hand up and touching the cold stone.

I watched Zuko's expression change from worry, to a little bit of anger.

"I've heard of those necklaces before, but I can't remember what. . ." Zuko's frown deepened.

"They're used in the water tribes, it usually represents engagement. When a man wants to propose, he carves a necklace and gives it to the girl to wear. Each carving is different." I explained.

Zuko's face couldn't have shown more anger than right now.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" He shouted, getting off the bed and pacing around the room. "Why hadn't you told me before we got this close!"

"I don't understand Zuko, why are you so upset?" I asked, really confused on his intentions.

"I'm angry because you didn't tell me you were getting married!" He shouted, stopping his pacing to face me.

"Married? Who on earth told you I was getting married?!" I shouted, standing up on my knees.

"Who's the man who carved you that necklace huh? Some noblemen from the Northern Tribe?" Zuko yelled.

"Don't you ever listen to me Zuko?" I asked/screamed. "This necklace is just a simple hand me down from my grandmother!"

"What are you talking about?" He asked, less angry.

"Remember when you saved me from the pirates, and tied me to that tree?" I asked, sitting on my bottom.

"Of course, how could I forget?" He replied, walking over and sitting down next to her on the edge of the bed.

"You held up my necklace in front of me, normally that would be a proposal, and we'd be married by now, but you didn't know about our culture, so how could you have known?" I sighed, continuing my story. "When you held up my necklace, I gasped and I quote; "My mother's necklace." It was obvious from the start I was not engaged."

Zuko was quiet as all the news and embarrassment sunk in.

"I feel so stupid." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, you should." I replied, frowning in his direction.

How can he judge me so fast like that? He should have known I wasn't married or engaged, because I would be spending time with my fiancé wouldn't I? Beside's he should know I wouldn't agree to marriage at this age.

"You also forgot," I added, lying back down on the mattress. "I'm not of marrying age yet. The whole reason I'm still here?"

"Right." He laid back next to me, staring up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry I got upset."

"It's okay, your not the first." I replied. "It was way worse in the Northern Tribe."

"Really?"

"Yeah, everywhere I went, it was 'Oh congratulations,' or 'I'm so happy for you!', or 'So who's the lucky man?'" I huffed.

Zuko's P.O.V

I listened patiently as Katara went on and on about all the people being happy for her.

"One guy even asked me if I was happy with him! Can you believe that?" She asked, turning her head to look at me.

"I can't believe you're not married yet, age or no age." I chuckled, and she laughed with me. "I'm serious, you really are beautiful Katara."

She stopped laughing and turned her head to face me, her expression-shocked. Her cheeks flushed with blood, giving her face the color it needs, and I couldn't help myself anymore.

I leaned over, and slowly brushed my lips against hers. She was slow, and hesitant at first, but then she started to kiss back. I held her by the back of her neck, and a fistful of her hair was in my hand. Her hands cupped my face, and never let go.

It was as if she woke up from a nightmare, she just jumped up, (biting my lip on the way) and stood in front of the room, pacing back and forth.

"This is wrong, very wrong." She muttered to herself over and over again.

"Katara?" I asked, rubbing the blood away from my lip. She stopped pacing, and turned to face me.

"What are we doing? What were we thinking?" She asked, her eyebrows creasing together tightly.

I stood up, and walked over to her, ignoring my bloody lip.

"I don't see a problem." I said.

"But what about Aang? Or Mai? Aren't you two dating?" She asked.

"No, she broke it off a long time ago, we never got back together." I replied.

"This is still wrong! You're the Fire Lord, and I'm just a-"

"Southern Water Tribe Princess." I finished for her. She looked up at me, shocked.

"I'm no-" I cut her off again.

"Katara, if your father is Chief, just like Yue's, and your his daughter, that technically makes you a princess." I explained.

"I don't feel like one." She frowned.

"Well, I think you look like, act like, and feel, just like royalty." I smiled down at her.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" I frowned slightly.

"I don't know," She shrugged, looking down at the floor.

It was a few minutes of silence between us, then I decided to speak up first.

"Katara whenever I'm alone, I think of you. I just want to laugh with you, hug you, kiss you, just be with you! I don't know why I feel this way, but I do, and I understand if you don't feel the same way. I just want you to be safe here with me, instead of in the South Pole with that-"

Katara's lips silence me immediately. She kissed me, commanding me to shut up.

"Katara," I whispered after she pulled away. "we've been spending a lot of time together, and I think that I've grown to feel something more than a friendship."

"I'm starting to feel the same way."