Hello guys! And so the cliffhanger brought 3 reviews! I'm not complaining! I love you guys!

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Secret Music

Chapter 10

Oh no.

The two stared out the window long after the car passed the store. They were dazed. What could they do now? The world has a clue on where they are. They were bound to know sooner or later, right? But why, for Hei Bai's sake, can't it be later?

Finally, they slumped down on their chairs. Each murmured a word.

Zuko said "Tui" while Katara said "La."

An exhale was heard in the silent cab.

"What do we do now?" Katara said hopelessly. It was like the fight was knocked out of her.

Zuko shrugged but kept a stern face. He was glaring at the front seat like he wanted to burn it.

"The paparazzi is on to us." Katara spoke again. "Who knows what they'll do next. We might never get to go back home without a pack of rabid fan girls after us. They know where we live."

"They don't know that for sure." The driver spoke, which made the two jump.

Katara winced. She talked too much.

"Why do you care?" Zuko spat at the driver. His cap was blocking the prince's view on his face.

Katara glared at him. "I'm sorry. He woke up on the wrong side of the closet today." She said softly, but still mock in her voice directed at Zuko.

The driver chuckled. "Quite a lover's quarrel last night?"

Katara blushed. "No! He was being… air headed!"

Zuko glared at her. "Stop explaining to a stranger you peasant. Look what you got us in to."

Katara pursed her lips but glared at him.

The driver chuckled. "I see you forgot your uncle already, along with your manners."

Zuko sat up, shocked. Katara's eyes widened with the equal amount of surprise.

"Uncle?" Zuko murmured, a smile creeping on his face.

COMMERCIAL

-- Okay, so at this point I would like you all to know: --

Z26

While

K11

-- Just wanted to point that out… you'll see why later –

Thanks for the time!

END COMMERCIAL

"Uncle?"

The driver bowed. "Yes, nephew?"

"Iroh!" Katara jumped. "I'm so glad you're here! Wait, weren't you supposed to call me?" she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

As soon as they approached a red light, he looked back at the two teens. A sheepish smile glowing.

"Uh… you see, halfway down the wall it came to me. I didn't have your number."

Katara slapped her forehead. Zuko smirked.

"Can I burn your cell phone now?"

Katara glared. "Not. A. Word." Wait, did he just… ask permission to do something? Who is he and what did he do to Zuko?

The light changed to green and he looked back at the road. "We mustn't talk here. I hope you don't mind a little detour, Miss Katara."

Katara shook her head. "It's fine. As long as that detour is throwing Zuko in a ditch."

Zuko glared. "Right after we feed you to rabid hog monkeys." He mumbled.

That was… childish? But closer to the snotty stuck up prince I know and… hate. Yeah, hate.

"Where are we going, uncle?" he asked.

"We are headed to our new apartment, junior." He failed to muzzle a snicker.

Katara chuckled. "Junior?"

"I finished our documents. From now on, you will be called Li or in our family, Junior."

Katara and Zuko nodded.

"And what's your name, Iroh?" Katara asked gamingly.

"I hope it's something embarrassing, like Mushi." Zuko mumbled as he crossed his arms.

Iroh smiled sheepishly. "Precisely."

Katara and Zuko chuckled. After 5 minutes…

"Wait, why Mushi?" Katara said suddenly.

"It's what little Zuko called me when he was 4."

Katara's eyes widened as she shifted her gaze to Zuko. "Mushy? Seriously?"

Zuko glared. "I was 4. Get over it, peasant."

Katara smirked. "I'm just glad I don't have any 'codename' or whatever."

"Actually…"

"No. Way." Katara warned, her voice dangerously low.

Iroh chuckled. "I was just kidding, my dear."

"Yeah, why bother, you're just a peasant." Zuko muttered.

Katara glared. "I hate you with every cell in my body, you know that?"

Zuko shrugged. "The feeling is mutual."

The cab pulled over. Zuko and Katara looked out the window.

They stopped in front of a gorgeous 7 storey building. The walls were painted light green and the windows were clear luminescent glass that reflected the beautiful afternoon sky above the calm serene sea.

"Wow" was all Katara murmured.

Iroh stepped out of the car and opened the door. "Come. We have no time to lose. We have a lot of things to talk about."

Zuko nodded and stepped out of the car, leaving Katara to stare at the building.

"Hey peasant." He called.

Katara shifted out of her daze and glared at him. "I'm coming, you dodo bird."

She stepped on his foot as she exited the cab, which made Zuko glare at her.

"Oops." She said coyly.

Zuko clenched his fists.

They stepped in front of the doors. They slid open, revealing a very classy hotel. But it wasn't a hotel, it was a condominium.

Would Katara love to live here.

"So, uncle, when did you get your driver's license back?" Zuko asked, remembering the cab trip that happened moments ago.

Iroh blinked suddenly. "Uh… well…" he glanced around for a change of subject. "That's a very nice logo on your shirt, nephew."

Zuko remembered the "Never underestimate the power of a smile" logo on the shirt. He crossed his arms to hide it. "Don't remind me."

Katara smiled as she was temporarily brought back to reality. Earlier she was, and still is, awestruck by how beautiful the building is. "He never followed it, though, I bet he can't read it."

"I can." Zuko defensively added. "But I refuse to follow an inanimate object."

Katara nodded. "U-huh. Yeah. You have the right to your opinion and I have the right to think you're stupid."

Zuko glared.

They stopped in front of the elevator, whose doors bear the logo of a winged boar. The symbol looked familiar to Katara, but she can't quite put her finger on it.

They entered it and Iroh pressed the top floor. Katara raised her eyebrow.

"You took a unit on the top floor?"

Iroh nodded. "It has a splendid view on the sunset. Zuko will show you what I mean later."

Zuko looked at him with the same reaction as Katara. "I will?"

"He will?"

Iroh chuckled to himself.

The doors slid open and Iroh exited, followed by the two teens who were glaring at each other.

"Ah, young love." He sighed to himself.

Zuko and Katara shifted their glares at him.

Iroh backed down with a sheepish grin. He led them to room 2611-A. He opened the door to reveal a wonderfully decorated living room. The furniture was a dark shade of red, surrounding a glass coffee table. Or in Iroh's case, a tea table.

Zuko stalked towards the sofa and dropped his weight.

Katara looked around, still amazed. "Nice place you've got here, Iroh."

"Please…" Iroh bowed. "You can call me Uncle."

Zuko's head shot up. "She can?"

Katara gave him a weird look. "I can?"

Iroh nodded. "But only if you want to."

Katara nodded. "Thanks, I'll think about it."

"No you won't." Zuko warned. "Only I can call him uncle."

Katara glared. "Aren't you gonna even acknowledge your uncle on how great this place is?"

Zuko looked around with lazed eyes and shrugged. "It's better than your hut."

Katara gaped. "Excuse me? The only thing you saw there was the living room closet!"

"And it was small."

"Yeah!" Katara snorted. "It's a mystery how your large ego fit."

Zuko glared. "How did your big mouth get through the door again?"

Katara sighed in frustration. She looked around for water. She was gonna freeze this jerk to a wall.

"Enough." Iroh said calmly, yet demanding. That made the two teens jump and look at him.

"Now will you two please sit down and wait for me as I fetch us some tea? Afterwards, we can talk about the matter at hand."

"I'll help." Katara offered.

"No thank you." Iroh smiled. "You have helped far too much already. You don't know how grateful we are to have found such a kind person as you."

Zuko snorted. "Speak for yourself."

Iroh shot him a look. "Nephew, mind your manners. Thank Miss Katara for helping you."

Katara beamed with pride as she put her hands on her hips. "Well?"

Zuko's eye twitched. He hated her pose. Blame it on hormones. "Thank you." He spat.

Katara smiled widely. That'll do. "You're welcome."

Iroh chuckled. "Well, I better head to the kitchen. Let's brew some tea!" he exclaimed as he ran to the kitchen.

Katara blinked. Zuko sighed.

"He gets like that when it comes to tea." Zuko supplied as if he knew what Katara was thinking.

Katara nodded slowly and sat down on the couch, a few cushions away from Zuko.

Awkward silence…

Katara looked at her watch. It read 5:14. She better get back home before 6. So what? It's not like anybody's home to ground her. The feeling made her stomach churn.

Zuko made a quick glance at her. She looked uncomfortable. She lifted her head to look at him and he instantly turned away.

What was taking Iroh so long?

Katara sighed. Zuko looked at her. She parted her lips to say something, and closed them again. Then she sighed. This happened for 3 minutes…

"Will you stop that?" Zuko finally exclaimed, annoyed.

Katara looked at him. "Stop what?" she asked innocently.

Just then, Iroh came out, holding a tray containing a green tea pot and 3 tea cups with the same design.

"What took you so long, uncle?" Zuko said, failing to hide his irritation.

Iroh shot him a blink. "You can't rush perfection, Zuko."

Katara giggled. "I'm guessing this is very fine tea."

"The finest in the land!" Iroh boasted joyfully. He set down the tray on the table and sat on the easy chair.

"Now, let's talk about this issue we have." He said pouring tea in the three cups.

Katara took one and smelled the steam. A "Mmh…" escaped her lips as she sighed. She blew the steam away. "Well, we have the paparazzi on our tail from now on, so it's not that easy to hide."

Zuko nodded. "But first we have to find out who 'anonymous' is. He has a clue on or whereabouts and he told the media."

Katara looked up. "But who is it?"

Iroh sipped his tea and readied to talk when Zuko spoke.

"It could be that jerk, Jet." He shrugged.

Katara glared at him. Way to bring up a painful subject. "He could've done it, but he's not that smart."

Zuko nodded. "What about you're loud mouth friend?"

Once again, Iroh tried to speak when…

"What?!" Okay, why is he blaming people on Katara's side? It could have been anyone, but he chose to suspect the people who have a relation to Katara.

"Toph won't do that."

"How do you know for sure?"

"Because, you jerk of a prince, she knows how to blackmail. She knows how to hold something against someone to get what she wants. Besides…"

Zuko leaned in.

"SHE'S BLIND FOR AGNI'S SAKE!" Katara yelled in his ear.

Zuko threw back in surprise and rubbed his ear. "You don't need to shout, peasant!"

"And you don't need to suspect every single person I know!" she shouted.

"ENOUGH!" Iroh shouted. Katara and Zuko sat back quickly to their seats.

Iroh switched his glance from his nephew to the confused teen.

"Do you two argue like this every time to fail seeing that the answer is right in front of you?!"

Katara gulped. Zuko sighed. "Sorry." They both muttered.

A few moments of silence… then the words sunk in…

Katara and Zuko swiftly looked at Iroh with shocked expressions. "What?!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Oh, cliffhanger again! Not the person you expected, huh?

Review please? Thanks for reading!

Iroh, you've got some explaining to do!

kalyn19