For a long moment both of them stood as still as possible, frozen like goslings in the view of a hawk. Then Katara couldn't help but give a laughing scream, bending away all of the ice surrounding the house into one smooth pillar, swirling it around them to flag down the incoming shadow. The shadow itself hovered for a moment, doubling back towards them, and finally grew larger, closer, and larger, until it became very clear who it was - Appa, with passengers.

Appa himself was the first one to say anything: a long joyful bellow. As he landed in the now-muddy ground, away from where Katara had left the water heaped up as snow, he gave Zuko a long enough lick that Zuko wobbled a moment before toppling back, laughing. Katara herself gave a happy scream as Sokka vaulted over Appa's side down to scoop her up and swing her around in a hug. Toph peered over the edge, scrambling down to let her feet touch the ground, and as soon as she spoke she broke the laughter: "Spirits, Zuko, you look awful!"

"Don't worry, I feel better than I look," he quipped back tiredly. Sokka was already wiping away happy tears as Katara pulled away from him to go help Zuko up.

"Spirits above, we thought you were dead. We thought you were both dead," he repeated, voice cracking. "And you've been here, all this time?"

"Most of the winter, yes. Zuko bore the brunt of it." She paused to help him back to his feet, supporting him as he grabbed his crutches again in the newly-formed mud. "But we're here. And I'm so glad it's you instead of..."

"Instead of the Goshawk Queen's scouts, you mean. That's why I have Toph with me - she can tear up an airship like nobody's business these days thanks to that metalbending."

"That's the only reason you'll find me with my feet not on the ground," Toph grumbled. "But we'd better get moving. They're heading this way."

For a moment Zuko paused back to look into the house before holding up a hand. "Just a moment. I need to get one thing, then I'll be back." He limped his way into the house, leaving Toph to gently punch Katara's arm.

"Ow! Hey, what was that for?"

"For making all of us worry, that's what."

"C'mon, Toph, I'm sure she would have sent word if she could." Sokka's face sobered. "...Father has been a wreck, though. I'm sure he's going to be happy to see you. He was going to set out this week to go give you a ceremonial burial, back at the Southern Water Tribe."

"Well, I'm here now, so he won't have to. ...And so is Zuko."

"I know." Sokka looked to Toph for a moment before lowering his voice. "What... what happened to him? I mean - his eye, his leg..."

"Those were both souveniers from the Goshawk Queen." All of them startled a little as Zuko cut his way back into the conversation, limping out of the house. His voice softened as he got closer. "It's only thanks to Katara that I'm still breathing. But... enough about that." The smile he wore was bright but a little too obviously forced.

For a moment the silence threatened to drag them all down, but Katara shook it off. "Come on, let's get going, shall we?"

And as he climbed up onto Appa's back, Katara noticed the shakuhachi tucked into Zuko's back pocket.

The trip back was long enough that both Toph and Zuko curled up to sleep on opposite sides of the wide saddle, and after making sure Zuko was settled, Katara shifted closer to sit nearest to where Sokka held the reigns. He was still occasionally sniffling, which made her crack a small, sad smile.

"It's been that hard?"

He laughed tiredly. "Yeah. It... it has. Everything's been falling apart without you two. I mean, you saw how it was without Zuko... how Iroh's health keeps looking like it's about to fail him, and how every little fiefdom in the Fire Nation wants that throne. There's open fighting in some streets, now, but the Goshawk Queen's pressing us too hard to send any forces back to keep the peace. And then with you gone, well..." He gulped solidly. "It's not like I'm Ty Lee and have umpteen billion other sisters, you know?"

She leaned forward to catch him in a quick hug as he sniffed, pawing at his eyes. "But I'm here now! You don't have to keep crying. I promise."

"I know, it's just... Aang's been tearing himself apart. The whole treaty keeping us unified against the Goshawk Queen rests on his shoulders. Promise me you'll try and get him to come out and at least eat more than once a day?"

"I'll try," Katara cautioned. "But... but there's something you should know that might make it complicated. It's just that - "

"That you and Zuko are in love. I know."

Katara blinked hard, leaning back. "...What? You know? But - "

Sokka's laugh was genuine this time. "You honestly don't think that it's obvious to the rest of us? It's plain as day, Katara. Even I can see it, and you know what a dunce I am when it comes to people falling in love - just ask Suki. It was obvious even before you found him alive. You and Aang were the ones to take his death the hardest. It's only natural that this should happen if you two were reunited."

Katara glanced back behind her to make sure Zuko was still curled up asleep. "So you aren't... angry, or anything?"

"Why would I be angry?" Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Is there something I should know about Zuko, or...?"

"No, no! Not anything like that. I mean, just... I never really grew up expecting to fall in love with the Fire Lord, that's all." She laughed a little nervously. "I guess it's Father I'll have to worry about."

"He'll be so happy you're back that I doubt you could do any wrong. Don't worry about it, Katara." Sokka grew a little more quiet even as he beamed at her: "I'm pretty happy for you. It's about time you found somebody."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Katara pulled a face even as she lapsed into laughter. "Come here, you...!"

The entire camp was already buzzing with activity as they approached, and as soon as they touched down and Katara helped Zuko off, she could see runners darting off into the crowd to bring news to all points of the camp. The ornately decorated tents of the inner circle were set well away from the burlap tents of the masses, but were at the center where every disparate force congregated.

The blood-red tent opened behind them. Iroh shuffled out, leaning hard on his walking stick. The last ten years had been hard on him - especially the last few months - and now he squinted through cataracts and shuffled along with a walking stick. As soon as Zuko saw him, he drew in a quick breath through his teeth.

For a moment there was perfect stillness. Iroh trembled against his walking stick, and squinted. When he spoke his voice shook. "...Zuko?"

Zuko gulped, despite knowing there was nothing to be afraid of, and finally managed a crooked smile. "Hello, Uncle."

Iroh left his walking staff behind as he staggered forward, arms out, grabbing for Zuko and pulling his nephew into a tight embrace. The tears came, as both of them knew it would: relieved and happy weeping. Katara watched, beaming, as Iroh gently pulled Zuko into his tent for a cup of tea, still softly crying out of pure and unadulterated joy.

"Where's Aang?" Katara finally asked, and Sokka shook his head.

"Probably out among the troops. He likes to go see how everyone's doing instead of relying on reports, and it's... well, it's good for morale, so nobody stops him. But I think Father should be in that tent," Sokka said, motioning to one of royal blue. "Go see him, Katara. Please?"

"You don't need to convince me, Sokka. I'm going." She gave him a bright smile and another half-hug before walking over to the blue tent. Every footstep closer seemed to be a little harder to make. What if he was angry with her? What if he rejected her relationship with Zuko wholesale? It would be his right to do so - his only daughter with the very head of what had been his longstanding enemy, responsible for the death of his wife and most of his tribe - well, she could see how it was a bitter pill to swallow. But she wouldn't know until she told him, after all. So after taking in a deep breath, she swept aside the door of the tent and stepped in.

A single lamp lit a map at the center of the tent, full of little wooden tokens for armies and cavalries. Hakoda stood at the head of it, back turned to Katara, stroking his greying beard. "...I just want to be sure we're following the right strategy. I know General Iroh is confident, but we should consider all our options..."

Katara interrupted him with a gentle tap to the shoulder. Immediately he startled, and the aide helping him did as well. But as he turned around his eyes widened, and he sunk to the floor, going pale.

"Dad?" Katara blinked as her father put a hand over his face, cowering away from her.

"Spirits, I knew this was going to happen!" He all but wailed, moving his hands up to plead with her. "Please, vengeful spirit, have mercy - I meant no disrespect - I promise, your proper funeral will be soon -"

It took a moment for Katara to realize what had happened, and when she did, she reached out for him, catching his hands in her own. "Dad! Dad, it's me. I'm not - I'm not a spirit. I'm here. I'm real. See?" She pressed her warm hands into his, and helped to pull him up. After a few moments of looking dazed, he pulled her in to a close embrace.

"I... I thought you were gone," he finally stuttered out. "I thought my baby daughter was gone..." A sob ripped through him, and he hugged her a little more tightly. She leaned into the hug, tearing up as well, and rubbed her back.

"I'm here. And I promise, I'm not going anywhere."

"Like hell you are," he said, pulling back, even as his voice still shook. "We're on the front lines. I'm not sending you out into the battlefield, not as soon as I've gotten you back." He placed his hands on her upper arms, pulling away from the hug. "But what I could use is someone to lead the secondary force through the sacred forest. But... no, no that's too much to ask of you right now, not when you've just - "

"I can do it," Katara said quickly, smiling. "I know Zuko needs to stay out of the front lines, too."

"Zuko?" Hakoda's eyes widened. "He's... he's alive as well?"

"Yes." Katara hated that she blushed, but couldn't help it. "...Listen, Father, I need to tell you -"

"That you're in love with him. I know, dear."

"You mean I'm the last to know?!"

Hakoda leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead and give her another hug. "Just like your mother," he said with a somewhat tearful laugh. "Everyone was already asking when we were getting married before she worked up the gumption to kiss me."

Katara couldn't help leaning into the hug again, even as she blushed. "So you're... you're not mad?"

"I'll only be mad if it turns out you're dating a corpse. But I'm going to assume that's not the case..."

A long talk with her father later, Katara stretched as she exited the tent, going over to Iroh's to check in on Zuko. Before she could get five steps towards it, though, Aang popped out of the red tent, immediately going to catch her in a close hug that she returned. His eyes were red from crying and as she pulled away it was obvious that he was starting up into a gentle weeping once more. "You're really here. Spirits, I knew that you two could make it. I've been saying that you two were alive ever since I saw both of you in the spirit world - but I've never given up hope," he said, voice breaking anew. "I've never given up hope."

She gave him another hug in return. "How have you been? ...No really, you look awful," she chided gently. "When was the last time you slept, Aang?"

"It doesn't matter. The Goshawk Queen's at our tail, and -"

"Aang." She shook him gently by the shoulders. "Go get some rest. Let Toph take care of the military planning - between her and Iroh and my father, we have some of the greatest military minds. But you can't help anyone if you collapse in the middle of something." Katara patted him on the upper arm. "Come on, let's get you a cup of tea or something."

"Just had three," Aang admitted with a pale smile. "I've been spending all this time talking to Zuko. And Katara... it's... it's amazing he's still standing." Aang's voice lowered to a terrified whisper. "What I saw... with his eye, and everything... that was only the start of it, wasn't it?"

Katara said nothing for a long moment before giving a quick nod. Aang went pale, hanging his head, as he stepped aside to let her through to the red tent. "...I was guessing that. Step lightly, Zuko's fallen asleep..."

He led her in, and it was true - Zuko had fallen asleep sitting up, his chin tucked to his chest and his hair fallen in his face. His shoulders rose and fell in even breaths, and he snored softly as he slept. His cup of tea was still steaming set in front of him, and as Katara entered, Iroh gently motioned to keep quiet. Katara kneeled down beside Zuko, gently reaching out to pet his shoulder. He flinched, but didn't wake, relaxing as she continued to stroke his back.

"We should get him to bed," Katara whispered. "Is there a tent set up yet...?"

"Yes, the khaki one outside," Aang nodded. "You'll have to share it, but..."

"We thought you wouldn't mind," Iroh said with a small smile.

Katara couldn't help the blush that rose on her cheeks. Instead she settled for lightly bowing to Iroh, murmuring her thanks. Gingerly, she picked up Zuko - even after all of the care and recovery, he was still incredibly light, and Aang's eyes widened at how easily she was able to sweep him into her arms. Zuko said nothing besides a long sigh, leaning against her chest, and Aang hurried ahead to help lift the tentflap so that they could easily exit. Zuko dangled limp in her arms as she walked, and she couldn't help but hug him a little more closely. The newest tent in the circle was less ornate than the others, but it would certainly do; Aang helped lift back the tentflap once more as they ducked into the new tent. Two cots had been set up, of unequal size, one with a red carpet underneath and one with blue. They had obviously tried to fit the size of the cots to the size of the people, and the one meant to be Katara's was larger than the other, but Katara ignored the cues and went to put Zuko on the larger bed. As soon as he hit the cot he settled down into it with a sigh.

Aang watched for a long moment, rubbing at his eyes and letting one more sniff slip out. Katara gently sighed, rolling her shoulders and stretching her neck. "I'm going to go see if Suki or Toph has anything I can borrow to sleep in. Would you keep an eye on Zuko for me? Just in case he wakes up - I don't want him to be alone."

"Of course." Aang's smile was genuinely bright this time.

She was fifteen minutes into a conversation with Toph, standing outside Toph's emerald-green tent, when Aang ran out into the small courtyard between the tents. "Katara! Katara, something's gone wrong -"

She nearly dropped the clothing in her arms as she dashed forward, ducking into the scarlet tent. Zuko was curled up on the bed, trembling hard in his sleep, cowering against unseen fears.

"I don't know what's happening - if he's having some sort of fit, or - " Aang's voice trailed off in worry, but Katara simply shook her head. Instead she leaned down beside Zuko. At the first touch of her hand on his forehead he flinched away, wincing in his sleep, but then relaxed by inches with every gentle stroke. With a long sigh he finally went limp once more.

"He's just remembering," Katara answered softly. Looking up she saw Aang's face go ashen, as if the magnitude of what they had done to Zuko was finally hitting him.

Gingerly, she tossed the extra clothes on the bed and went to give Aang another loose hug. "Don't worry about it. I've got him for the night; I'm used to this." She smiled tiredly at him, and after a long pause, Aang nodded in quiet acceptance before turning to leave them alone.

Katara pushed the cot a little closer before laying down, and they slept that night holding hands.