**2012 Revisions and Edits have been applied**

Chapter 11 – Two Hearts Mended, Another Broken

In the short time that had passed, Zuko and Iroh had been hired at a teashop, and Iroh was quickly renowned as the best tea maker in the business. Business was, in a word, booming. Iroh was especially happy, but he often worried about his nephew. As time continued to pass, Zuko continued to mope.

"Nephew…you cannot continue to mope around like this. It is not good for you, or the tea." Zuko sighed, clenching his fist around the handle of the teapot he held. Iroh had always argued that moods affected how well a brew came out.

"Some things are more important than tea uncle." Came the reply. Before Iroh had a chance to say something back, Zuko turned and walked away to a table to pour a couple men their tea. Clearly, the conversation was over. Iroh chuckled as he shook his head and turned back to brew a new batch of tea. Zuko ignored the flirtatious ways of the girls who came into the shop, buying tea to not drink it, but to hopefully get a chance with the handsome boy who worked there. He often would stop in the middle of whatever he was doing, and stare out hopefully into the sky, just as he did many nights before falling asleep. Just as Katara did before she slept. She often found comfort in the fact that the two of them were somewhere, sleeping under the same moon.

Katara made her way along the streets, a basket of fruits in her hands. It was nearly noon and she was starting to feel hungry. Rather than taking a fruit she had purchased, she decided to check out the newest teashop she had heard rumors about.

"I can spare a little extra money." She thought to herself as she walked into the teashop. It was quite crowded, and there were no tables left. Just as she was turning to walk out, a body collided with hers, causing both of them to fall. The owner of the body gasped,

"K-Katara?" She turned her head to look at them and gasped in return.

"Zuko?-" Just as she went to say something else but was cut off by a man from the back of the room calling out for more tea. Zuko stood up, offering a hand to help her and returned her basket to her.

"Meet me at the beach this evening." He turned and hurried off, leaving Katara standing alone, dumbfounded. Later that day, Katara had told her friends she was just going for a walk and to not wait up for her. She made her way through the maze of a city to the beach she'd gotten directions to from a kindly melon seller. She looked around to find it empty and sat down to watch the waves; the quiet was broken as a voice behind her spoke.

"Katara?"

The girl in question whipped around, and felt her heart beat quicken as she saw the boy she'd missed so.

"Zuko!" Her voice came as a breathy gasp. She ran up to him and he wrapped her into a hug, spinning her around before placing her feet back onto the ground.

"I've missed you Katara. Ever since we got off that island and split up here…I-I've thought about you…a lot." He admitted quietly. Katara smiled and blushed

"I've missed you too." She hugged him again, "I never thought I'd see you again."

Zuko pulled back from the hug, his hands on her upper arms as he looked into her eyes. He wasn't sure where this new bold honesty was coming from, but he was going to ride this wave while he still had the guts to do it.

"I'd never let that happen. I would have searched for you until I found you." He smiled to her, getting a smile in return. Katara blushed as she looked down from Zuko's gaze shyly.

"Come on…let's sit down." Zuko smiled to Katara as he took her hand and led her near the shore. She hadn't noticed until then the blanket he held in his arms and she watched as he tossed it out to unfold it, offering her a hand to help her sit down.

"So how did you end up in that teashop?" she asked him.

"It's my uncles. After everyone pretty much fell in love with my uncle's tea, the city offered him his own teashop and an apartment in the upper ring."

"That's wonderful. I'm glad everything's going so well for you." Katara smiled to him,

"Well what about you? Did you and the ava-Aang ever get to meet the Earth King?"he asked. Katara sighed as she looked down and shook her head,

"No…we won't be able to see him for a month, and that's if we're lucky."

"A month? Katara…that's too long."

She sighed and nodded,

"I know. But what can we do?" Katara said hopelessly. Zuko put a hand on her chin and gently tugged to get her to turn her gaze to him. He smiled to her warmly.

"Well maybe you could persuade him. You're very good at that. You persuaded me to be good didn't you?" They both chuckled at that. Zuko sighed, almost unsure, causing Katara to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" her eyes searched over his face in confusion. His eyes met her's once more and he made his decision.

"Katara…" Zuko leaned in and kissed her softly. Katara felt a jolt go through her, and she closed her eyes as she returned the kiss.

"She's taking an awfully long walk."

"Well it's a big city. I'm sure she's fine. Just watch. Any minute now she'll come walking through that door. Ooh! Maybe she'll bring snacks!" Aang shook his head, annoyed with Sokka's lack of concern.

"No…I'm going out to look for her." He picked up his staff and walked out the door. Sokka merely shrugged.

"Suit yourself." He popped another rice cake into his mouth, chewing noisily.

"Hmm…where could she have gone? I know! She must be near the water!" Aang smiled and opened his glider; it'd be much easier to find the beach he'd heard about from the air. Ba Sing Se was a large city, but there was one edge, completely secluded from the rest, that was quite beautiful. Aang was about to land down on the shore when he stopped, seeing two figures locked in a kiss. The girl's arms were wrapped around the guy's neck, his own arms around her waist, a hand resting on her back. Aang squinted through the dim light of the setting sun and gasped, "Katara…" He blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. It felt like a brick had landed in his stomach. "She really does love him…" He turned, glancing back "good for you Katara…." Aang sighed, feeling his heart breaking even more as he said the words. He turned back toward the town, glancing back only once before making his way back toward their house.

This one's a bit shorter than the others yes, but it doesn't mean it's not as good :)

RxR