By the time Katalina officially returned to the apartment, Jet was also back. He didn't say a word to her, though. So she just retired to her room for another sleepless night. And when dawn broke, she could hear Jet shuffling about. She remained in bed until she heard him leave. Then she got up to prepare herself for the day ahead of her. Before she could head out, though, there was a knock on the door. And she knew it would only be one of two people.

"I had a feeling you'd be here," she said to Iroh as she let him in. "And if it wasn't you, it would've been your nephew."

"Speaking of my nephew," he replied without a proper greeting, "I would like to speak with you about what happened between you two yesterday."

"Of course he told you."

"Why wouldn't he?" He sighed. "He's concerned about you, Katalina."

"He has no need to be."

"He said that things started off fine, and then all of a sudden you become very upset over something."

"Well, I'm fine. It's just the fact that we really are two completely different people now."

"How so? Because you both have scars now? Because he's friends with the Avatar now? Because you've both made other friends? Because the war is over?"

"Stop!" she shouted.

"I'm just trying to figure out what's so different about the two of you. Because if you ask me—"

"No one did ask you."

Iroh gawked at her, a bit taken aback. "What is bothering you so much?"

"Nothing."

"Clearly something is."

"You know what, let's go with the friends thing," she then decided. "We've both made new friends. His friends are better for him as mine are better for me."

"Are you trying to say that you and Zuko aren't good for each other?" he clarified. "Good friends, I mean," he quickly added.

"That is what I'm saying."

"Why do you think that, then?"

She sighed. "You never mentioned Mai to me," she replied.

"Pardon?"

"You never mentioned that Mai would be coming here with Zuko and that they're dating."

"I-I didn't know," he said. "Otherwise I would have told you. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"It caught me off guard."

"What did?"

"Mai in general. That she's a part of his life now."

"Technically she's always been a part of his life."

"You know what I mean."

"Katalina, why did that catch you off guard?

She closed her eyes tight, taking a deep breath. "Because I thought that when Zuko returned here we'd actually have a chance to be together," she finally admitted.

"I thought you said—"

"I know what I said. I also know that I don't always say what I feel."

"Oh, Katalina—"

"I don't even know for sure if I definitely like him like that. It may just be jealousy due to the fact that Mai's dating him, but not the kind of jealousy that I can't have him because she has him. And I'm not even sure if I'm making any sense right now."

"Calm down," he told her. "Zuko and Mai breaking up may be the only way for you to figure out your true feelings for him."

"I'm not gonna break them up, Iroh. I'm not gonna mess with their relationship just so I can see if I maybe like him as more than a friend. That'd be selfish. Besides, Mai's been through enough while growing up."

"That's what I admire about you, Katalina; you're bigger than you seem. You put others before yourself."

"Why should I put myself first? I mean, my friends mean everything to me after all. They're literally all I have."

"And that's very respectable and endearing. But sometimes you still have to put yourself first."

"Wait, are you actually telling me to break up Zuko and Mai?" An offended look popped onto her face. "I will do no such thing! How could you even recommend I do such an awful thing?"

"Katalina, I didn't recommend you break them up," he reminded her. "You stole false words from my mouth."

She paused. "Sorry." She cleared her throat. "So what were you saying?"

"I was saying that sometimes you should put yourself first. Just because you do, doesn't mean you'll care for your friends any less than you do when you put them first. It's just that sometimes you need to provide for your own needs, no matter how selfish it may sound."

"I still don't understand where you're going with this."

He laughed a little. "I'm only saying that it's okay to think of yourself every once in a while." She still looked puzzled. "When was the last time you did something for yourself, Katalina?" he then questioned.

She opened her mouth to respond, but only closed it again. She started to think about the question, but couldn't must up a good answer. So she ended up just shrugging her shoulders.

"Exactly. It's all right to put yourself first sometimes. I know you want to help everyone out there, but you can still help yourself at the same time."

"Okay, I get it now. I'm still not gonna try to break them up, though."

"I'm still not telling you to. You just keep telling yourself that."

She leaned against the wall, her arms folded across her chest. "Well, I don't know what to do. How am I supposed to figure out how I definitely feel about him?"

"By spending time with him."

"Simple enough. So say my feelings for him are deeper than friendship, then. How could I be friends with him when he has a girlfriend?"

"By being his best friend like you always have been."

She sighed. "Admit it, that part isn't as simple."

"Only if you admit to overly complicating everything."

She shook her head. "I don't know why I bother with you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You just don't understand, Iroh. If I do like Zuko as more than a friend then I'm not gonna be able to just continue being only a friend to him. That'll hurt way too much."

"No need to psyche yourself out."

"I'm not," she denied. "I'm just trying to prepare myself for being realistic."

"Well, your realism is too pessimistic. And I'm gonna tell you again now to not think about what's changed."

"What the hell am I supposed to think about, then? How things were before we were separated? Zuko and I nowadays wouldn't even recognise one another from three years ago, or four or five years ago. We're just…" she sighed, trailing off. "We're just too different."

"I'm not telling you to dwell in the past. Stop putting words in my mouth."

"Then what are you telling me?"

"I'm only saying to bring the past into the future."

She paused. "You lost me again."

He chuckled a bit. "Bring that same friendship from the past into the present day and apply it to this situation."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"You can figure that part out on your own. You need to. I can't give you all the answers."

"And I would have to disagree with you on that."

He laughed. "Listen Katalina, the hard things in life are the things that carry the most value; they're the things that are always worth the pain and trouble in the end. So stay friends with Zuko may prove to be difficult, but it'll also be another one of those rewarding ordeals."

"Do I want to put myself through the sort of pain, though?" she wondered.

"What pain are you talking about?"

"The pain of possibly losing something I never even had."

"But you do have Zuko," he corrected her. "Having him as a best friend should be just as good as anything else."

Now she shook her head. "This is all so ridiculous."

"Your stubbornness is what's ridiculous," he stated. "Are you afraid?"

"Of course I am," she easily admitted. "He's the single person who knows how to handle me and I can't lose that because I can't even handle myself."

"Fear is what keeps us caged in," he then began. "But it also motivates us to break free. At this moment, your fear is motivating you to break out of your shell and put things right. And if you ask me, I'd listen to your fear."

"If you ask me, that isn't even close to what my fear is having me do," she denied. "And fear isn't a motivator. Fear is the emotion that keeps us from trying new things. It keeps us from doing what we want to do."

"That doesn't have to be true." He paused, thinking. "I'm sure Zuko was terrified when he stood up to Ozai to tell him that he had made the decision to join and train the Avatar. But Zuko went through with it and told him anyway because he didn't let his fear get in his way. Now imagine if he had."

"Controlling your fears is different than your fears motivating you," she declared. "When you control your fears, you let them decide what you do and don't do. When they motivate you, they let you do whatever you want to do, no questions asked." She spoke slower and slower as she finished that last sentence.

Iroh nodded, smiling. "And you just helped me prove my point."

"You tricked me!"

"But I didn't. I only told you what fear is and what it does. Then you practically confirmed it."

"Well, my fear is motivating me right now."

"Don't let it hold you back, then. Don't let fear control your life. I mean, don't you want Zuko back in your life? Don't you want to remain friends with him?"

"Of course I do. What kind of a question is that?"

"A good one. One that you'll need proof to show to me before I can believe that answer."

"What are you talking about?"

"Prove to me that you really do want Zuko to stay in your life. And you can prove this by talking to him and fixing the things that are broken."

"I don't need to prove anything."

"Then how do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Because this is Zuko we're talking about! Why the hell wouldn't I want him in my life?"

"Because he's with Mai."

Her gaze fell to the floor. "Fine," she gave in. "I'll talk to him." She looked back up and met his eyes. "But I'll talk to him on my own time and without you or anyone else around."

"So long as you do talk to him. Then we'll all be happy."

"I doubt Mai will be happy."

"Don't say that. Just say that you promise to speak with him."

She nodded her head once. "I promise," she confirmed.

"Thank you." Iroh let out a heavy sigh. "I should get going."

"Yeah, me too."

"Feel free to stop by the teashop later on today," he told her. And he left.

Katalina closed the door behind him. She then turned and leaned against it before sliding down to the floor. "I could very well be in love with my best friend," she told herself. "My best friend who has a girlfriend," she added. She sighed, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly. "This is going to be more difficult than I could have ever imagined."