A/N: I know I usually don't update this quick (which I apologize for, by the way), but it's Christmas break and a reviewer told me it would be lovely if I updated today. So here I am, being the lovely person that I am. This chapter will be Katara's part of the day in Ba Sing Se.

Also, I absolutely love reviews. They make my day every single time. Reviewers seem to really like cookies so...how 'bout it?

Katara couldn't move the whole time Iroh was in the room. She kept thinking that it could've been Aang, it could've been Sokka! And now that she thought more about what had happened last night and the people under the same roof as them the more she panicked. Toph had heard them, absolutely no doubt about it. She would have to somehow talk to Toph today and convince her not to make any allusions to it to Aang. Then she remembered Toph's mood lately, and how Katara had been putting off talking to her about what was wrong. Plus, they needed a girl's day anyway.

Katara relaxed a couple minutes after Zuko had left the room. Obviously, she expected Zuko to tell her what happened with his Uncle once they had eaten breakfast. Iroh was a reasonable man, he reminded Katara of her own father. Iroh really loved Zuko as if he were his own son. She was glad Zuko had such a permanent figure like that in his life, he was going to need it if he was going to get through the beginning of his reign as Fire Lord.

This started a whole new train of thought for Katara. If she were to choose Zuko over Aang she would become Fire Lady. Was that even allowed in the Fire Nation? Sure tradition would say it was not. And what would her tribe think of her? Her father, her Gran Gran? The hundred year long war had just ended, yes, but it would take years - maybe decades - to get things back on track. The Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe would still be very wary and untrusting towards the Fire Nation after all the terrors they had put them through.

Finally Katara had to stop herself from thinking anymore into the choice she would have to make. Right now she needed to eat breakfast and talk to Zuko to make sure everything with Iroh had gone well. Then she would spend the day with Toph at the Fancy Lady Day Spa.

She took a deep, steadying breath and got up from where Zuko had been beside her only ten minutes before. She took another deep breath and set that out of her mind for now. She made the rumpled bed, and tried to smooth out her everyday blue outfit. It occured to Katara that she had worn this same outfit for the better part of a year, and that it didn't really fit her quite as well as it used to. Maybe she would drag Toph shopping today, too.

By the time Katara made it to breakfast everybody was nearly finished, with the exception of Zuko and Iroh who were a little behind the rest of the group. Sokka was stuffing himself with just about any food he could get his hands on, and Suki was sitting next to him looking a little embarrassed.

"So when's Mai gonna be here, Zuko?" Sokka said through a mouthful of jook.

"She will be here in one week," Zuko answered a little too formally. Katara knew that he had felt her presence as soon as she had entered the little kitchen.

Aang was sitting beside Toph and Zuko, with a chair inbetween him and Zuko. It was the only seat left, and Katara was happy enough to take it. She wondered if Zuko had done this purposely so that she could sit beside him while also Aang so it wouldn't look suspicious.

"Would you please pass the tea?" Katara asked Iroh, who was sitting on Zuko's right.

"Yes, here you are," Iroh said as he passed the tea to Zuko. Zuko poured the tea into her cup and passed it back to his uncle to set down on the table. Then he held out the cup to Katara, a seemingly innocent action. His fingers purpose brushed hers, and Katara barely contained her blush as she thought of what had transpired in her room only a few hours ago.

"So, Sugar Queen, sleep well?" Toph asked suddenly. Katara would've shot her a look had she not been blind, but instead she smiled.

"Yes, Toph. I haven't slept that well in a long time," she answered.

Everybody was chatting quietly with whomever they had chosent to sit by, so Aang turned to her and grabbed her hand. Zuko had seen it, and actually gave a low growl. He swiped his hand high up her thigh, and she was instantly wanting them to be alone so they could continue what he had started last night. By losing herself in these thoughts she missed what Aang had said to her.

"Kataraaaa? Hello? Did you hear me?" he waved a hand in front of her face obnoxiously, trying to snap her out of her trance. She almost missed what he said again when Zuko repeated his action. She blew out an annoyed breath, more directed at herself and the mess she was in than anything else. Katara pushed Zuko's hand away, but gave it a squeeze to signal that now really wasn't the time.

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Aang?" Katara asked.

"I asked you if you wanted to go visit the zoo I made here last time we were in Ba Sing Se. It has all sorts of animals! You want to come?" Aang asked excitedly.

"Oh, Aang, I would but I have plans with Toph already. We're going back to the Fancy Lady Day Spa, it was so much fun the last time. Right, Toph?" Katara hoped that Toph would play along.

"Yeah, you shoulda seen the look on their faces when we were in the mudbath and I earth bended a mud monster!" Toph and Katara shared a laugh at the memory.

"Oh, well I hope you have a good time. Maybe tomorrow?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure Aang, we'll go to the zoo tomorrow. I can't wait to see it," Katara confirmed, and she suddenly felt like his mother. She certainly tried to appease him as if she were his mother. Can't go to the zoo today? We'll go tomorrow, don't worry. Zuko was absolutely right, and even though they were friends now - or if she were to be honest, more than friends - she hated having him be right about her relationship with Aang. How someone else could see it and not her was completely infuriating.

Suddenly she felt a pressure on her right knee, and she shot Zuko an annoyed glare. This time her annoyance really was directed at him. He could make this whole ordeal a little less messy if he could contain himself through a single meal. Honestly, where was his self-control?

When the Fire Lord smirked in reply to her glare, she had had enough. Katara huffed and stood up, her anger thinly veiled.

"I think I'll go for a walk before we go out, Toph," Katara said, effectively excusing herself from her half-finished breakfast.

As soon as she stopped her arm from throwing the door open, instead opening it gently and trying not to stomp out of the door, she heard Zuko's poor excuse from breakfast.

"I'll be back."

Katara stood waiting with her arms crossed, and tried not to roll her eyes when Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist. Instead she untangled herself and turned to yell at him. Zuko caught her in a kiss before she could get one word out. She melted for a second before her resolve hardened once more. She pushed on his chest, not that she could actually move him, but he got the message. He stopped the kiss and stepped back, but continued running his fingertips up and down her upper arms, and she couldn't stop goose bumps from appearing.

"What's wrong, Katara?" Zuko said in a low voice, and Katara couldn't help but give a slight shiver. But she thought back to breakfast and her annoyance rose to the surface again.

"Sitting inbetween you and Aang may have seemed like a fantastic idea at the time, but if you can't control yourself when he touches me, and if you can't help but feel me up under the table, then maybe you shouldn't sit next to me!" Katara yelled at him. Zuko didn't miss a beat and kissed her again. Katara slapped him, but immediately felt terrible afterwards.

Katara had sobered him, literally slapping him out of his playful mood. He didn't say anything, but he visibly straightened. The little twinkle in his eye was put out and a fierce gleam replaced it, akin to the one that used to be permanently there before he joined their group. His arms dropped to his sides, no longer carressing her arms. Zuko seemed like he was waiting for her to say something.

"Oh my...oh La. I didn't...I'm so sorry. Oh, Zuko..."

"It was my fault. I shouldn't have pressed myself on you. I was under false impressions, my apologies, Katara," Zuko said coldly. His voice was monotone and unwavering, how it must have been when speaking to his father. She was sure he had more than just the one scar. And here she was, slapping him for a well-intentioned kiss.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko. It's not your fault, I over-reacted. Please, snap out of it," she begged. Still, he stood there for a moment before responding.

"Alright," Zuko agreed.

"Damnit, Zuko! Stop agreeing with me!" Katara shouted. She didn't care if the other's heard at this point, she just needed him to be the Zuko she was falling in love with again.

"I'm not just agreeing with you to appease you. I really am agreeing because you're right," Zuko said in the same deadpan tone. Tears welled in Katara's eyes at the change she had caused in Zuko. It was her fault, and with that the tears fell down her cheeks. She threw herself into the stiff and unyielding arms of the former Fire Prince. She would ruin this shirt too if she had to. Katara clutched at his shirt, pulling him as close as she could.

Minutes in to the embrace Zuko relaxed and wrapped her in his strong arms. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "For scaring you like that. It brought me back to a...a bad time, to say the least. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, Zuko!" Katara exclaimed and kissed him hard. "I'm so sorry!"

"Will you spend the day with me?" Zuko asked, and Katara knew she was forgiven.

"Well, Toph and I were going to the spa..." she started.

"Toph won't mind, trust me," Zuko said. "So you will?"

"Well, if Toph won't mind then absolutely! What about Aang, though?" Katara asked.

"Go out with Toph and come back with Toph, but spend the time inbetween that with me. Okay?"

"Alright. I'll be back out in a couple of minutes with Toph!" Katara said excitedly. She practically ran inside through the tea shop to get back to the kitchen where everyone was just finishing their breakfasts.

"Where did Zuko go?" Iroh asked.

"I don't know, he just took off. It didn't seem like he was going anywhere particular," Katara answered off handedly. No one knew exactly what had transpired the day of the comet, they had told nobody the specifics of the Agni Kai with Azula and especially not how Katara had gotten involved. And above all else they had told nobody how they had saved each other's life that night. But everyone could see a change in their relationship, even Sokka noticed how his sister's relationship with the fire bender had changed. Everybody accepted this as normal, because who hadn't changed that day?

"So, Toph, you ready to go?" Katara asked.

"Sure, Sweetness. Let's go," Toph replied and got up and walked right past Katara out of the shop, expecting to be followed. Which she was. As soon as they were out the door Toph stopped. "Alright, go have fun you two lovebirds," she said, and gestured away from her.

"You already knew?" Katara asked.

"You think I wasn't listening to your conversation the entire time? You two obviously need to spend some quality time together and work out some issues. And maybe discuss what happened last night, am I right?" Both of their faces were shocked by the ever-eavesdropping earth bender. "Don't worry, I only heard the vibrations." Katara shook her head, because that didn't make her feel much better about the situation. "Alright, if you two aren't going to say anything then I'm off to find a suitable piece of real estate. I'll meet you back here at dusk," Toph said, and walked off, leaving the couple astounded.

"I always forget that she's almost always listening," Katara said, and laughed. Zuko joined in. "I guess she is right, too. We do need to work out some issues, and discuss what happened last night." Katara blushed when she mentioned the subject.

"Yes, we do. But first, where do you want to go?" Zuko asked

"Let's go shopping. We could both use some new clothes," Katara decided, and they set off in search of clothing stores. After a while of comfortable silence Katara gathered up the courage to ask a serious question.

"Do you have other scars?"