AN: Ok so here is part one of chapter 10...yes there are two parts. Also thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Well here is chapter ten part one and I hope you enjoy it just as well! So once I get back from class I will upload the next chapter! See you then and hey, leave me a comment you know I love hearing from you guys!

Few days had passed since Yue's death and it was not until Sokka and Aang, along with Toph and Suki had passed by a public announcer did they hear of her death.

A fat rolly polly of a man climbed up onto a small platform in the middle of the town square, his robes pooled at his feet, sleeves scrunched up to his wrists, obviously these robes were not made for him, and a small roll of parchment rested in his hands. He cleared his throat, unraveled the scroll and began announcing the various changes in the town's politics, the current stages of the war and so on and so forth.

The group had been shopping at the market and currently passing by when Aang noticed the announcer yelling at the top of his lungs. Every so often he would wonder over to a town's square so he could hear the current affects of the war and if there was anything on Katara or Yue.

"Hey guys, let's go," Aang pointed over to the fat man, "he's almost finished."

The others nodded, following the Avatar towards the announcer and found themselves mixed in with the crowd.

"Now what I have left to say saddens my heart and that of the world," the announcer began; the crowed hushed as they tuned their ears so that they could hear every syllable, every sigh and every quiver of his voice. Whenever something was saved for last it was never anything good.

"Three days ago at dusk, a young woman was executed in the Fire Nation under pretenses defining her as a spy. For the last few days her identity was a mystery but her nationality was not," taking a deep breath his eyes scanned over the crowd and they landed on a familiar face. Looking down at his scroll he saw the same face, etched into the parchment by ink of a long ago portrait from a wedding.

'Oh spirits preserve him,' he thought as he glanced back up, making sure it was the same young man and indeed it was.

"She was of the Joined Water Tribes," he continued, whispers now rising from the crowd, but four pairs of eyes widened in fear, "it is with great sadness that I announce the death of the Princess of the Joined Water Tribes…"

Aang, Sokka, Toph and Suki all clasped hands, each squeezing just as hard as the other, beads of sweat gathered at their brows and their hearts, though no one else could hear them, pounded wildly in their chests.

'Oh spirits!' they thought, one of their friends had died, the only question that remained was, and which one was it?

With a defeated sigh the little fat man finished, rolling the scroll back up into its original form, "Princess Yue, Wife of Prince Sokka, beloved daughter of Chief Arnook and Lady Gaia, and beloved of her people and the world," he sighed softly, seeing those four pairs of eyes, glistening with tears, "our hearts go out to her family and friends in their time of grievance."

And with that he walked off the platform, disappearing into the crowd.

"Oh how sad," someone murmured here.

"I know. She was such a lovely young girl. What a shame," another there.

"Let us pray the family is well," more voices raced inside his mind to the point that he could no longer take it.

Katara was alive, well for all he knew, but Yue, Yue his beloved wife had been slain. His body shook with rage as he stormed off into the crowd, shoving innocent bystanders out of his way to better clear his path. The others simply stood there for several moments. Yue, a spy? Now the only other person that was missing was Katara and they all secretly prayed for her safe return, for Sokka's heart, let alone theirs could not bear such loss again.

It had been relatively quiet the last few days at the palace. Katara had forced herself from the other concubines, managing several hours at a time spent in the garden practicing her bending. She would not eat, she could hardly sleep and even though she knew Yue was better off where she was, her thoughts raced to the wellbeing of her brother and the others. What would they say to her if they ever found out she was there and wasn't able to protect Yue? What if they knew that Katara had been only mere meters away, but stilled herself as Yue was beaten? What would they say to her? For these were the questions that haunted her, dreams conspired against her, haunting her with unbearable answers.

Some dreams consisted of hatred. Her brother would always end up leaving her, saying that because of her, his wife was dead. That she was a traitor to her people and to him and that if she ever showed herself to him, he would not hesitate to kill her. Others ended with her death, her brother killing her they way Yue had been killed. And since he was not a firebender, that dream did not scare her entirely.

She knew that no matter how angry her brother might be, he would never muster up the courage to kill her. He would allow her to wallow in self pity and malice before ever laying a finger on her. For that Katara was grateful and even though they were dreams, she could not help but wonder if perhaps a fraction of them were true.

Paperwork piled at the foot of his bed, letters of royal visits, the upcoming ball and many other unimportant things cluttered around him. Zuko found himself barricaded in his room more often than not these past few days and knew the reasons why.

Every time he had gone to visit Katara she was always isolated in a corner, sulking in pity and despair, or she was out in the gardens practicing her bending like a damned fool, not wishing to be bothered. Every day he would visit her it was the same. She did not wish to talk with him, she did not wish to see him, she didn't want anything to do with him and for the life of him he could not understand why. Only a few days ago did she relish in his touch, welcome his loving embrace and hold on as if he too were to disappear, which at that moment in time scared him half to death. And now, now she turned from him as if in disgust and it truly flustered him.

Before when he had thought of Katara, he saw her as a servant and a sparring partner. Nothing more, nothing less. But as the time passed their relationship grew to where he could call her friend. And now, now this new emotion, he wouldn't call it love just yet, consumed him. He wanted to hold her, tell her everything would be alright, and make her see that no matter how hard she or he or even his father had tried, nothing could have been done to save Yue from her demise. But bringing up the past in such ways was never a good idea, let alone when such past memories only became a memory but a few days ago.

'It doesn't even seem long enough to be a memory,' Zuko thought, that day was still freshly implanted in his mind, he sighed, 'how she suffered,' he thought, 'if I ever do anything to anger my father, I will be sure to ask for the honors of killing myself instead of allowing Azula such satisfaction.'

Shaking his head Zuko mentally slapped himself. Why would he be thinking about angering his father? What could he possibly do to anger him enough to sentence Zuko to death and why would Zuko even be thinking of such a topic in the first place?

A knock came to his ears. His eyes traveled up from the papers scattered about to see his door push open slowly, revealing his uncle's face, which seemed somewhat saddened.

"Nephew, if I might have a word with you?" he asked, after seeing Zuko on the bed, managing documents, he pushed open the door a bit further.

Zuko nodded, extending his arm towards the side of the bed, "Of course Uncle," he said softly.

After the death of Princess Yue, Zuko noticed a drastic change in his uncle's behavior. Only when Iroh was around his father did he seemed to be his normal perky tea loving self and this concerned him. Iroh had never been one to hide his true emotions and Zuko wondered, 'Why now, of all times, why does he choose now to be difficult?'

"What troubles you uncle?" Zuko asked slowly, shuffling the documents into a pile before tossing them to the ground at his bedside.

For a brief moment Iroh was silent, his eyes glaring relentlessly at the edge of the bed before answering, "I'm leaving Zuko," his voice was harsh, but soft.

Eyes widened as his body turned to face Iroh, Zuko blurted out dumbfounded, "L-leaving? But why? Where to uncle?"

"Zuko please," holding up a hand to silence his nephew, "there are reasons in which I cannot yet reveal to you, but when the time is right, you shall learn in your own way," Zuko nodded, letting Iroh know that at least he understood him, "my time here has come to its end, I am an old man," he started laughing, trying to lighten up the mood and his nephew, "and I haven't even tasted all the different kinds of tea there is! Now that is truly as shame!" he laughed, Zuko at first gave him a weary look, but soon after joined in.

If only he could tell Zuko everything, if only he could allow his nephew the same peace and happiness once this war was over, but he could not. Zuko would have to do that on his own, he was the only one who could choose his own pathway and when that time came, Iroh knew deep within his ancient heart that Zuko would choose good and when he did, he would be there waiting for him.

After a few hours of talking, revisiting precious memories Zuko and Iroh parted with a hug and whispered goodbyes, each praying silently that it wouldn't be for the last time.

Katara had been sitting out in the garden, her legs draped along the small pond's edge, her fingers grazing the water's surface, causing small ripples to move the floating flowers here and there. Her eyes fixed on the moon's shimmering reflection; she could not help the small tears that trickled down her face. Yue was her friend, her family and the only other person she had felt so comfortable around. When she and Yue had turned 16, Yue had always told her that she had many faces. At first Katara did not understand but now she did. When she was out in public, she wore a face, when she was with her friends, another face, when she was engaged in battle, yet another face but when she was with family, she had shown her true face, and she had shown herself. Yue, other than her brother and father was the only other person to fully understand her, understand her past and had always been there for her and now, now she had her father and brother, her friends never understood her the way her family did. And now she felt alone. But she could not help but remember that Yue would always be with her, always watching over her, always protecting her when she was needed, and that did comfort Katara. So why was it, even though she knew Yue was never really gone, did she feel so miserable?

As these thoughts muddled around in her mind, the shuffling of feet caught her attention and she turned to see General Iroh standing there, cloaked in the night with a remorseful look on his face.

Remembering her formalities, she rose, bowing to him before addressing him, "General Iroh," her voice was soft and dull, monotone almost and it reminded him of Mai.

A chill ran up his spine, no he would allow her to fall into the depths of despair.

"Katara," he approached her, placing an arm around her shoulder and guiding her to a small stone bench that sat across from the pond.

For a few moments they sat there in silence, his hands running fondly over a small trinket in his hands as Katara's eyes traveled back over to the pond, watching the stilled reflection of the moon silently.

Then Iroh spoke as his eyes too rested on the reflection, "She was a brave young woman," he began; his voice barely a whisper, her eyes did not tear from the pond.

"Yes," she bowed her head, "she was."

"I had the opportunity to enjoy her company while she was here," he continued, "though it was only for a short time and I could tell that she was very," he paused trying to find the right words, "courageous and honorable, much like you Lady Katara," his hand traveled over to hers, the trinket locked firmly under his palm.

Katara watched his hands reach for hers and she did not move them. General Iroh had been a loving and gentle soul while she had been here and he was nothing but good to her, in a way she had seen him much like a grandfather.

"Thank you general but I do not think I could have been as brave," she muttered, finally realizing that even though she had said it a million times before, she did not know if she could die for any cause.

"Oh but my dear, you are just as brave, if not braver," he turned, fully encompassing Katara's hands in his, "Katara you have the determination and the will to stay alive here, in this place, that is far more than what Yue would have done," he whispered, "she said that dying here was probably the easiest decision she could have made, for enduring it as long as you did would have been the death of her," he finished off, "so you see Lady Katara, you are far braver than you give yourself credit for," his hands slid away from hers, leaving a small trinket in Katara's hands.

Unfolding them she had seen the small betrothal necklace that her brother had given to Yue when they were engaged, her fingers trailed over the small pendent before wrapping around it tightly.

"She said it was very dear to her," he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as he saw her tears fall once more, "I think it is wise that once you have left this place behind you, that it falls back into your brother's hands," he whispered.

Without even thinking she embraced him, throwing her arms around him, "Thank you General Iroh," she breathed out, "thank you very much," pulling away she wiped the tears from her face, keeping her one hand clenched fiercely around the pendent, "you have made my time here bearable, without you I think I would go insane," she laughed lightly.

Iroh beamed at her words but soon turned grave when he remembered the other reason for visiting her, "Katara I have some news," he sighed, "I am leaving the Fire Nation," he stated, seeing her expression change, "there are so many things I wish to tell you now but time will simply not allow it, but know this, we shall each other again," he said, pulling her into an embrace, "and do not forget that you are not alone here, you still have Zuko," he whispered, feeling her stiffen he continued, "he is just as lost and confused as you are right now, it is not best to shut him out when you and I both know that in the near future you shall be seeking him for strength," he finished before pulling away.

Both rose from the bench, Katara's face etched in worry and confusion but also sadness, "I have always loved returning to the Fire Nation," he winked, "especially on its darkest day," he paused as he saw her face light up in fear and then confusion once more, "festivals are held on that day, and you know how I love festivals! I'm thinking about bringing some friends," with that he winked before bowing, leaving Katara standing in his wake utterly confused.

Had he just tried to give her a sign?

Her eyes wondered back to the necklace in her hand before they traveled upward to see someone standing in the archway of the garden entrance, his golden eyes fixed intently on her. A small smile crossed her lips; she had missed those golden eyes so much.

"Zuko."