Sorry! Major plot problems. I keep getting these little ideas for the story and then an evil plot bunny comes in, grabs my storyline and runs. Then I have to chase after it and cement it down and I just went way too far with that analogy…Anyway my phone and internet have been down as well so that caused a little delay. Now I know Zuko is really OOC in this chapter but it was necessary. Let's just say that he was like this so that he would be better accepted in the group. Onwards!

Disclaimer: I think I'm done with creative ways of saying that I don't own Avatar or any of the characters.

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Every movement was precise. Not a falter or a misstep in sight as Zuko worked to flames out of his stiff body. The ground bore scars of burned earth where the tongues of fire licked. After a final jet of high intensity fire, he stopped for a break. He heard yelling from camp. It was Katara but she wasn't yelling at her brother, like usual. The shouting was directed at Aang. Katara stomped out of camp and down to the river, blood boiling and steam practically coming out of her ears. She lunged into the water near Zuko and pulled up a water whip.

"Spar with me" she commanded, eyes still filled with rage. Zuko held up his hands and backed away.

"With the mood you're in now? I'd rather not." He was usually not the one for backing down from a fight, but after see in the fire in her eyes, he realized that the safe route was the one leading away from Katara at this moment.

"What? Scared that you might lose?" she taunted.

"I won't fight with you now." Zuko said and he turned his back on her and walked away. The water whip snaked out and seized his ankle. The whip quickly disappeared in a cloud of steam. He slowly turned around.

"Katara, I understand you're mad. But please, just calm down and think this through. What good will fighting me do?" he said, as he tried to pacify her. She was a strong bender, as much as he hated to admit it. Her eyes slowly lost their burning rage and the water whip dropped in the river.

Katara waded ashore and bent the water from her clothing. She sat down on the bank, knees to her chest, and stared blankly at the river. Zuko plopped down next to her and stared at the water as well. After looking at him strangely for a second, she asked "Why haven't you asked me why I'm so mad?" He looked at her and sighed.

"I know how much it irritates me when Uncle tries to pry information out of me. I figured that you might be the same way." Katara turned her eyes back to the softly flowing river.

"Aang doesn't want me near him when he is firebending. He says that he doesn't want me to get hurt."

"You're point?"

"What if he gets hurt? What if he sets the woods on fire or any number of other things?"

"Firebenders can put out fires just as well as they can create fire. It's a technique that very few know about and luckily, Uncle is one of them. And if Aang gets hurt, then I'm sure that Uncle will bring him to you."

"But…"

"That's not the thing that's really bothering you. What is it?" After glaring at him for a moment for breaking through her lie, she sighed and told him the truth.

"Iroh said something about benders being able to learn from other forms of bending. He mentioned that he knew a move that he learned from watching other benders. If he can learn from Waterbenders, why can't I learn from Firebenders? Why can't I just watch a fire…" she trailed off, and then looked at Zuko with big eyes.

"I can watch you bending!"

"No. No way." Zuko promptly responded.

"Please? I can show you waterbending…"

Zuko's eyes briefly widened as he remembered his time with his Uncle at the deserted village, when he was trying to learn how to redirect lightning. As suddenly as a lightning bolt hitting the earth, Zuko realized the brilliance in her plan. If she could learn from him, he could maybe finally learn how to redirect lightning with her techniques! A smirk came onto his face as he turned back to Katara.

"Know what, I have reconsidered. You show me waterbending, and I'll show you firebending. Deal?" he said as he offered his hand.

"Deal" Katara shook his hand but turned back to the water after a moment.

"That wasn't the whole story you told me. Was it?" He asked after seeing her face.

"Last time he tried to learn firebending, it went very wrong. I just don't want him to get discouraged."

"You're not his mother. By worrying over him, you're just making it hard on yourself and hard on him. And once he hits teenage years, he won't appreciate your hovering as much and in the long run, you are just going to be smothering him and there is a chance that he will resent you for it."

"Since when are you an expert on child behavior?"

"It's just what will happen. Trust me on this one."

She smiled and looked up at him. A crimson blush flared across her cheeks when she realized that Zuko wasn't wearing a shirt. Katara tore her eyes away from his sculpted chest and abdomen before he noticed. She stood up, and dusted the dirt off of her. Before walking back to camp she turned.

"Thanks Zuko." Another smile lit across her face and she made her way back to camp.

Unfortunately for her, Zuko had seen her blush and where her eyes were. An almost unnoticeable grin flashed across his features before he grabbed his shirt and also went back to camp. It felt good to be admired; even it was from a water peasant.

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Gah! This is probably one of the worst chapters that I have ever written but at least it is done. Maybe now I can get this plot moving a bit. My soccer team is about to go to Oklahoma City for Regional's and so it may be about a 2-3 weeks before I post again but I swear I will post faster. I just had to work through this plot thing. Once again, really sorry about the delay.