Me: Here's the updated chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Some of it is slightly boring but it had to be typed because it was important to the story.

Sokka: I GIVE UP! (throws hands in air in defeat)

Toph: Three hours. Fork over the dough. (holds out hand to Katara, Zuko and Aang)

Sokka: What are you doing?

Toph: We made a bet to see how long you would last until you gave up. I bet three hours, Zuko bet ten minutes, Katara bet an hour and a half and Aang bet all day. But I won!

Sokka: Why are do guys picking on me so much?

Zuko: Blame Jessie, she's the one who wrote this.

Me: Shut up.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar or any of it's character but I do own this tasty chicken pot pie and the first three volumes of Book 1: Water.

Katara jumped backwards, a little surprised at his reaction. After he didn't say anything she pulled in closer to him. "Zuko? Can you hear me? Do you know who I am?"

His eyes seemed distant as if he were looking straight through her. They seemed dead and painful. Suddenly, they got brighter as if he just realized Katara was there and she was someone he knew very well.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked again. "Nod your head if you do."

Slowly his head moved up and down and he was gasping for breath. "Beautiful…" His voice was scratchy and painful sounding. "…angel…"

Katara was taken aback. "No, I'm the water bender. Remember?" She grasped his hand in hers and rubbed the fingers.

Great, he's delirious.

He shook his head, "Angel…it…hurts…make…stop…" He rasped as a tear made it's way down his face. He squeezed his eyes shut and Katara shook him to make him reopen them. When he did, his eyes light up with joy. "…Mother…" He said joyously, or as joyously as he could when he was barley able to speak. A small smile flickered across his face then faded and died. "It…hurts…Mother…" He paused for a long time and just stared at Katara. "…please…make…it….ssss…stop…" He gasped painfully.

Katara felt hot tears rolling down her face and she felt him grasp her hand tighter and pull her down to him. "I'm sorry…I can't do anything." She told him through tears.

He started to sob. "Mother!…please…." He cried into her hand. "…don't…don't leave me!…" He again gasped in pain.

Katara watched the sharp rise and fall of his chest as he struggled to breathe. Watching him be in so much pain was almost unbearable, she turned her head away. His hand on her face made her immediately turn back to him.

"…Stay Mother…please…don't leave…Father…he…hates me!" He wailed.

Katara held his face in her hands. "Sh, I won't leave. I'll stay with you." She whispered.

He looked unconvinced. "…It…hurts so…much…" He touched his chest. "…I…love you…Mother…" He wheezed painfully.

"I love you too." She told him. An odd sense of relief swept over her as she said this. She bent down and kissed his forehead then wiped the tears off his face. He tried as hard as he could to grin at her but his face merely twisted into a expression of pain and confusion. His eyes narrowed and he jerked his hand away from Katara.

"Azula…I…hate you!...Get away!" He hissed.

"I'm not Azula." Katara tried to tell him.

He gave her a look that shot daggers and cupped his ears. "No, you…are…" He shook his head. "Azula…always lies…Azula…lies…" He told himself. "I…don't…want you…here…I don't…care if…you…are my…sister! Leave!" The last part he said with such ferocity Katara actually pulled back away from him. She stood up and walked away but before she reached the door he called out again.

"Mother!" He rasped. "Mother…don't…go…please…stay…" He reached a shaky hand out over the side of the bed as if trying to grasp her.

Katara shook the thoughts of getting Iroh and went back to his side. "I'm here. It's all right." She again took up her hand and felt a weird feeling shoot through her body but she dismissed it.

Zuko stared at her for a while then again he looked confused. 'Wonder who I am now?' Katara thought.

He looked at her with ferocity but it died and he opened his mouth to speak then shut it. His eyes seemed to be fading and his gaze again drifted away from Katara, she shook him to get his attention focused on her again.

"Zuko? What's wrong?"

"…p…peasant…water…peasant…" He lifted a hand and touched her face. "…why…do…you….c…care…so…much?" he asked painfully.

"You recognize me? You know who I am?" She was elated that he had snapped out of his delirium so quickly. Why wasn't he trying to hurt her yet? That question would have to wait.

He nodded his head. "…why…" His eyes slowly were drifting shut and his hand was falling limp in hers.

"Zuko? Zuko?" She shook him. "Zuko!" He was unresponsive, again he had passed out. Katara checked his pulse just to make sure he was still alive. Soon after she had done that, she felt like crying and she did. She cried for the pain in his face, the pain in his heart, the pain is his chest. She cried for him because he couldn't.

She cried for him.

Screaming her frustrations into a pillow seemed to help but then she just wanted to cry again as the immense guilt and sadness at Zuko's hurt passed through her mind. She wanted to take it all away, and make him healthy again and be with him. Her heart was content while she was with him, and she didn't know why. Being with him has made her realize that she does feel something for him, something deep down. Something that shouldn't be there, they were as opposite as black and white, sky and earth, fire and water. What about the saying, 'Opposites attract.'? Her hand found it's way to his face and she again caressed the wild roughened, tanning skin of the enemy. Not that he was much of a threat now. The thought that he was becoming very handsome kept swimming through her head and she couldn't shake it.

I knock on the door signaled someone at the door and Katara quickly snapped out of her reverie and wiped her eyes. Then she stood and walked over to the door and opened it, letting Iroh in. One look at Katara's face and he immediately seemed horrified.

"Is he okay?" He asked nervously.

Katara sniffled. "Yeah, he's fine."

Iroh was relieved. "Oh. Well, what is wrong with you?" He set down the bowl of Moon Peaches he was carrying, on the nightstand.

"Well, while you were gone, Zuko sort of woke up. He was delirious and thought I was an angel at first…" She blushed.

Iroh smiled, "Continue."

"And he said something about how badly he was hurting. I tried to see if he could understand who I was but he just looked at me funny then he thought I was his mother. He said something about how he didn't want me- uh, his mother- to leave him with his father because his father hates him or something. What happened with his mother and father?" She asked him.

Iroh rubbed his chin, "Finish telling me what happened first."

"Okay. Next he thought I was some girl named Azula and said how he hated her then mumbled something about her lying."

"That all?"

For a moment she almost said yes but didn't. "No. He finally realized who I was and asked why I cared and helped him. Before I could answer he passed out again."

"Hmmm, I see." Iroh folded his arms across his chest. Katara looked at Zuko and could feel the tears forming in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She wiped her eyes and hid her face. "I just feel bad that I couldn't help him. That's all." She turned away from Zuko and focused again on Iroh.

"Oh, you wanted to know about his mother and father right?" he said, changing the subject.

Katara nodded.

"See, years ago, when Zuko was only twelve or so, my only son died and I came back from battle to mourn his death. The Fire Lord at the time was very old and my brother, Ozai went to him to ask to be the next in line for the throne because I did not wan it any longer. The Fire Lord was angered and told Ozai that he too must feel the pain of losing a first-born son. When Zuko's mother found out Ozai, his father, was going to kill him she took his place instead and was killed. Zuko did not know this until later but refuses to believe his father would do something even though he knows it deep down."

Iroh finished.

"That's terrible! I knew he was a ruthless man but I didn't think he would go that far!" Katara said. "What about Zuko's scar? How'd he get that"

"I really don't think he would appreciate me telling you this." Katara gazed at him with big blue eyes and he changed his mind. "But what he doesn't know won't hurt." He winked. When Zuko was about thirteen he went to a conference with orders from me to say nothing. Being the way he is he spoke out against one of the men and was forced to a duel. But Zuko didn't know that he would have to duel his own father and when the time came to battle, he refused to fight his own father and kneeled down, begging for forgiveness for speaking out. Ozai refused to stop the battle and screamed how Zuko was a disgrace and then gave him that scar he has now." Iroh looked over at his nephew who was laying still on the bed.

"He really has had a hard past. I thought I had it bad, but Zuko's had had it ten times over. I guess though, we have something in common. Both our mothers were killed by Fire Nation." Her eyes came glassy and distant.

Iroh put an arm around her. "I'm sorry." He told her. They sat in silence for a while. "Your friends should be back soon."

"Back? What do you mean?"

"Oh, they went a head and left while you were asleep."

She jumped up. "Oh! I forgot I was supposed to help Aang get Appa back! I can't believe I forgot!"

"Calm down. They will be back soon enough." There was a mad scramble in the hall with shouting and stomping. A breathless Genia burst into the room holding a broom.

"Those hoodlums are back and tracking mud everywhere!"

Katara grinned. "Those are my hoodlums!" She jumped up and ran out the door and slid down the banister. Iroh laughed and stood to help Genia with cleaning the mud off the floor.

Katara slid right off the banister and into Aang's arms. "Hey! I'm sorry I couldn't go with you…"

He gave her a steely, slightly surprised look. "We didn't get him."

"What?"

"We couldn't get Appa back!" He yelled.

"You don't have to yell at her Aang." Sokka cut in.

"Well, why?"

"The guards let us through but when we got to the King he wouldn't give us Appa and told us to get lost. Aang told him he was the Avatar but the King just had us 'escorted' out. He fought through them but in the end we were back out in the street." Toph told her.

"We'll try again tomorrow." Katara said cheerfully.

"We? Or us?" He gestured around to all the others. "While you stay here and play nurse to an unconscious teenager, we'll, " again he gestured to the others. "Go and get Appa." Aang spat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you would get so upset." Katara apologized.

"Yeah well think about that the next time you break a promise." He growled.

"Aang, that's enough." Sokka said.

"Oh sure! Take her side! She is your sister after all." He threw his arms up in the air.

"What is your problem? You have been acting hateful like this for a long time it needs to stop!" Sokka stepped in between Aang and Katara.

"What ever." And he stalked up the stairs and slammed his door.

"I'll talk to him. " Sokka started up the stairs but Toph stopped him.

"Maybe I should talk to him. You'd just make him angrier." She reasoned.

"Good point." Katara agreed and Toph walked up the stairs.

Sokka looked sadly at his sister. "Why'd you stay behind?"

"I fell asleep." She told him.

He shook his head. "I mean, why did you agree to care for Zuko?"

Katara shrugged. "I don't know. He just seemed so helpless."

"Let's take a walk and you can tell me about it." He said.

Katara agreed and they walked down the street as she told him about Zuko waking up and him being delirious and what Iroh had told her.

000000

Toph knocked on the door of Aang's room and it was answered with silence. "Aang, I know you're in there. I can see you." She knocked again. "Twinkle Toes let me in!" She was about to bang her fist against the door when it opened.

"What do you want?" He asked dully as he walked over and sat down on his bed again.

"Just wanted to see how it was goin' and if you were alright." She said nonchalantly.

"Well I'm fine." He snapped and laid down his with back to her.

"Then why are you always yelling at Katara?" She sat down across from him. "She probably thinks you hate her now."

"That's why you're here isn't it?" He spun around.

"Keep your arrow on. I'm not here because of her. I'm here for me, because I wanted to know why you are always yelling at her."

He eyed her suspiciously then turned away again. "I don't know."

"I think you do know."

"Why do you care all the sudden anyway?" He spat.

"I just wanted to know." She said coolly. "And I'm the only you can tell with out getting the stuffing beat out of you."

"I'm not telling you."

"Fine then." She got up to leave.

"Come back." He sat up and looked after her.

Toph grinned and turned around. "Yes?"

"I want to tell you." He lowered his head.

Toph sat beside him. Alright."

"I just can't stand that…" he sighed. "She is…so pretty…and I …don't like that she doesn't like me back.. In the way I want her to." He looked out the window.

"Well, that's no reason to scream at her." She told him.

"I KNOW! I know." He put his head in his hands. "Every time I look at her eyes… I feel frustrated because I can't have her." He started to get more and more comfortable with her.

"I wouldn't know what it's like to look into someone eye's and see the color of them." She said a little crestfallen.

"I'm sorry."

"No it's nothing." She paused. "you know, I have my share of frustrations and I don't take it out on everybody."

"Like what?"

"Like not being able to see, and the task of dressing and finding things that match and wanting to see the colors of the world."

"I didn't know you felt that way." He said.

"Yeah well you were too busy with following Katara around like a love sick puppy to care about what the rest of us thought."

"us?"

"Me and Sokka."

"I didn't realize I was ignoring you guys. I always feel that Katara is ignoring me when she wants to talk to someone else. That's why I would get angry when she did notice me because I felt like she only did it because she wanted something." He lowered his head in shame.

"You shouldn't feel that way. Katara loves you just not in the way you want her to." Toph smiled. "Besides there are other people you love you, you just haven't figured it out yet." She hinted.

"Who do you mean? I know Coco liked me but-"

Toph became angry. "You are so clueless!" And she stalked off leaving Aang to wonder what she had just meant.

You guys remember how I said that this story wasn't going to be more than 20 chapters? Well, I looked over my notes and it isn't going the way I want it to my chapter are longer than I expected and I keep adding new stuff in there so the chapters are falling behind schedule. I could make my chapters even longer I suppose but I don't want to guys have to read a novel for each chapter. I don't really care for longer chapters but it's up to you guys. More chapters that are all that same length (or close to the same length) Or less, longer chapters that may be different lengths?

Let me know what you think in your review!

Also, I would like to thank all my reviewers. You know who ya are! Love ya!

Also, to one of my anonymous reviewers, thanks for the ideas but GET OUT OF MY HEAD! That is almost exactly what I was going to have happen! AAH! You're psychic!

Oh and I won't be able to update for a while! I have school the next couple of days so I'll soon be swamped with homework beyond comprehension…bleh…Keep readin' and givin' me the reviews that I and this story thrive on! Maybe by Saturday we can up it too 90 reviews or even 100! When I get 100 reviews, I'll give you guys a super sneak preview of what's to come! I can tell you, it will be fluffy and romantic! So give meh some reviews and I love ya'll!

Thanks to Keke Koorime, Katara24, blackrose305, InuLvr7, zoorhlm13, Jen, Firebending Wryo, miss-katara, cayavatar, Zukoscute2, Anonymous, sparkiling silver angel wings, katara-water25, Inu-chan4, vegetasprincess and all the other reviewers who are so good to me! LOVE YOU!