I cringed as soon as the soles of my feet fell upon the tatami mat. It was covered in grime and dust. With each step I took my skin stuck just a smidge to the floor. It took much of my strength to not leap back to my shoes and pull them on. If I did, I was sure I would break the tatami mat and the innkeeper would have gotten angry with us and forced us to pay the amount it cost to repair it.

I gave Zuko a wishful look. I knew that he felt the same way about the room as I did, but we didn't have enough money to get a better room and still have enough money for food the next morning. And I highly doubted the innkeeper would refund our money.

I let my backpack slip from my shoulder and fall to the ground. A puff of dust billowed as soon as it hit the floor. I stared at the backpack, watching in the dust collect on the fabric in repulsion. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stick up from the sigh. I walked to the far corner where the bed mats were kept. I unfolded one and instantly regretted it because I gagged at the sight of it.

The mat had stains all over the top; I assumed it was urine and blood and bile. The stains emitted an awful scent that caused my gag reflexes to start. There were holes in it as well, letting some of the stuffing pop out. It might as well have been a child's doll that had rolled down a hill and into a river for months.

A black spider crawled out from under the blanket and scrambled across the floor.

I jumped a little, my eyes wide. I stomped my foot a few times as I tried to squash the spider and after about the fourth try, I succeeded. I quickly rolled up the blanket, watching tediously to where my hands were. I was a little uneasy at the thought of there being more spiders lurking somewhere in the dark folds of the mat. I shoved the mat back in place, and when it started to roll away from the wall, I simply gave it a nice kick.

I turned to Zuko a little flustered, who had a look of horror and amusement mixing together. I put my hands on my hips and scanned the room for a second time. "Well," I huffed, "it looks like we're going to have to use our mats." I stalked to my backpack with my arms pumping vigorously and my fists balled tightly. I hastily unstrapped my mat and rolled it out.

He chuckled, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. He strided to me with his arms outstretched. He embraced me, holding me dearly. His chin rested neatly on top of my head, letting the rest of my body to fit in perfectly against his. "It's just for the night," he reminded.

I nodded. I closed my eyes and relished in his warmth. I was definitely going to miss being close to him in such a manner. I wondered how hard it was going to be to be kept away from this sort of comfort that resonated from him. It was definitely not going to be easy, but just how hard would it be?

Would I have trouble sleeping at night? I had quickly grown accustomed to sleeping beside his warm body and being completely engulfed in a blissful sleep. I had found comfort and solace each night wrapped tightly in his arms. It had been easy to get used to that, but… How easily would I adjust with that stripped away from me?

I sighed loudly against his chest, much louder than I thought it would be. I had meant to keep my worry and fear to myself. I didn't want Zuko to think I was clingy or desperate nor did I want him to worry about me.

He pulled me out at arm's length and looked at me concerned. "What's wrong?" Zuko asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing." I quickly decided that it was better to tell him what was troubling me than to keep it within. "I mean," I said, taking a deep breath. I could feel my shoulders rise and fall with that breath and it felt very refreshing and anew, "it's going to be really different once Aang and Sokka are with us. I mean, I miss Sokka and Aang dearly, but… I'm afraid I'm going to miss you even more. I'm afraid that it will feel like you're not even there with me." I looked down, my eyelids feeling heavy all of a sudden and the first feeling of tears pricking my eyes.

Perhaps it was silly for me to be crying or to at least even start to cry. But the thought of not being able to feel Zuko's warm arms wrapped protectively around my frame or feel his hot lips against my own or his hot breath against my ear as he was whispering something to me. I was going to miss all those things for who knows how long?

The hope had been fading from my lips over the past few days. It was slowly fading, disappearing once we had agreed to keep it a secret. And knowing that tonight could be the last time for a kiss. That when we kiss goodnight tonight, we could really be kissing goodbye. What if this was our last embrace?

"I know," he said, agreeing. He craned his neck and kissed me on the forehead. "But we'll find some way to have time for each other." A sly smile grew onto his lips. "Perhaps a stolen kiss behind a closed door or a longing gaze when no one is looking," he offered.

I couldn't help but smile at his words. And I quickly realized that he was right. Though we would have to keep our love hidden from Sokka and Aang didn't mean that it would have to be put on pause. It would be more on mute if anything.

It wouldn't be as if our love had never occurred, like we had never fallen for one another. It would just be quiet, more secretive. It wouldn't be real to anyone else besides the two of us. It would be like we had a forbidden love. When in reality, we pretty much did.

The more that I thought about it, the more I realized that that thought was real. We really did have a forbidden love. And though forbidden love was something that just about every girl thought would so romantic, it wasn't really. I mean, of course, the love part of it was romantic and all, but the forbidden part? No, it wasn't. It was just hard on the heart and that's all it would ever be. Hard to deal with. It wasn't something I would wish upon someone else.

I wrapped my arms around him, feeling the tears start to prick my eyes once again. I buried my face into his tunic, hoping to hide my watery eyes from him. "I just," I gulped, "feel like I'm losing you."

Zuko laid his head upon mine and whispered, "But you aren't. You never will," he promised.

I nodded my head and squeezed my eyes shut. The tears finally went away and I felt strong and brave enough to look up at him. "Ok." I smiled a little.

He gazed into my eyes. He hooked his finger beneath my chin and raised my head up so that I was looking directly into his eyes as well. He leaned down slowly, savoring the moment between the two of us for it may have been the last. His lips came in contact with mine as soon as his eyes closed.

I closed my eyes and felt my body being consumed with fire. I moaned and deepened the kiss, hoping to have more of this liquid fire flood through my body. I raised myself up onto my toes. I wanted to release some of the strain from his neck; he being at least a foot taller than me must have been hard on his neck and back. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

The Prince pulled me tighter to his chest and began to kiss the corner of my lips.

I breathed in air, trying to keep myself from letting out a louder moan. I was afraid that if I got too loud that the people rooming beside us would think we were doing other things.

He stopped placing butterfly kisses on the corner of my lips.

I closed my eyes. I breathed in deeply. "Will you love me, Zuko? Until the day I die?" I asked just barely above a whisper.

He shook his head. "No. Much longer than that, Katara," he promised. "Much longer because now," he paused, kissing me lightly again, "now, you're my beloved."

I felt my heart swell with love for him even more than it had before. I looked lovingly into his eyes, urging him to kiss me. To just kiss me once more upon my lips.

"Lover," he called to me, and I lifted myself up on my toes. I delicately kissed his cheek.

"Yes?" I whispered.

"I'm yours," he whispered in my ear.

And then we both kissed each other again, full of more passion and love for each other, and just as the first kiss, I was filled with electricity and liquid fire all over again. I felt yet again as if I had been struck by lightning.

"Bleh," I panted as I stood next to Zuko, hunched over, my shoulders drooping. The scorching sun was shining high above our heads as it usually was during mid-day. I, being born and raised in the bitter cold of the South Pole, found the heat unbearable. And wearing sleeves to my elbows, a dress to my ankles, and baggy pants didn't help at all.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked casually.

"It's too hot," I complained, and he chuckled. I reached up and wiped the beads of sweat off my forehead that had accumulated.

He smirked a little and then half-smiled at me. "You know, you will have to get used to it; Fire Nation summers get up to forty-three degrees."

I grimaced at his statement. But a part of me on the inside perked up a little. He had said I'd have to get used to the heat. Was he implying what I thought he was implying…?

"In the shade," he added just a beat after I had grimaced.

I groaned out loud. It was going to be a long day; I just knew it.

"So this," he said, gazing up into the sky, "is like a Fire Nation autumn. Or spring." He shrugged.

"And I need to get use to this why?" I asked coyly, a smile creeping up onto my face. I pretty much knew why, but I wanted him to say it. I wanted him to say what he was implying, and for me to hear him say it without having to infer. Say it, Zuko, I pleaded silently.

He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. Heat radiated off him. He gazed down at me, staring straight into my cerulean eyes. He laced my fingers around his other hand, intertwining them with his own. "I think you know," he answered quietly, barely above a whisper.

I leaned into him, placing my hand on his chest. "Say it anyways," I replied.

He craned his neck even closer to me, getting merely an inch or two away from me. He opened his mouth. His hot breath on my skin sent goosebumps running up and down my spine. "I love you," he breathed and then kissed me gingerly.

We broke apart quicker than we usually did and quicker than I wanted to, but we both knew we had a mission to accomplish and we were out in public. It would have been embarrassing to have been kissing excessively out in the market of Omashu.

"Do you think King Bumi will remember you?" Zuko asked once we started to walk again.

I thought for a moment. I hoped he would, but he was pretty out of it at times, so I wasn't sure if he actually would remember me. Things would go a lot smoother if he did. Our mission would be so much easier if things went our way.

"I'm not sure, in all honesty. It's been awhile since I've seen him." I shrugged. "But whether he remembers isn't what we should be concerned about. All we need to focus on is getting past the guards and into the palace. That's step one," I said with determination setting into me. Things were finally falling into place. They were falling into place quickly; I hoped we could keep up.

Zuko nodded once. "Yes."

I looked over at him and I could clearly see the determination spreading throughout him as well. He was set on something, and I knew he wouldn't give up. He would have to have a total change of heart to give up on this; that I knew from experience. I hoped he wouldn't have a change of heart and I figured he wouldn't. He had plenty of things to keep him on this path, but still… I couldn't help but worry.

It wasn't that I didn't trust him. No, I trusted him with my life. But that didn't mean I trusted other people. I was worried that something would happen that would change his mind. I was worried that someone would come along and try to sway him from the path he was on now. Make him swerve off just a few degrees just as long as he missed the mark. Someone like Zu-Long.

At the thought of Zu-Long, I shivered. That man gave me the creeps. I couldn't quite tell what it was, but something about him really made me uneasy. I became very grateful I was never in a situation where I was alone with him. I was very glad that I had been beside Zuko at all times. Who knows what would have happened had Zuko not been there?

I gazed at the man beside me lovingly. I smiled at the thought of him being mine. The more I gave thought to him being mine, the more butterflies gathered up in my stomach.

It was an odd and exciting feeling, knowing that you loved someone and they loved you in return. It was almost surreal to think 'Oh, my goodness, he loves me too'. And it was hard to really believe it. It made me smile a little and take a deep breath in happiness that I had found the man I loved and could live "happily ever after" with.

I giggled a little at that thought, but quickly cleared my throat when Zuko passed a glance at me. "I just, uh, had something caught in my throat," I lamely explained. I didn't really want to tell him I had giggled at the thought of him loving me. That would have sounded silly to him, making me sound silly and childish.

But no matter. I knew he loved me anyways.

"But you must let us in!" I pleaded with a guard standing menacingly at the gates to the palace, feeling frustration starting to bubble over.

Zuko groaned and swiftly turned away from the edge of the cliff that held the palace up high he had been staring down. He unfolded his arms and looked harshly at the guards. "Listen, you had better let us in or else-"

The guard peered down on him, eyeing him as if he was an impudent bug. "Or you'll what?"

I touched Zuko's arm, warning him. I knew he was agitated and that he wanted nothing more than to fry the man to crisp, but he knew he couldn't unless he wanted to blow our cover.

We had arrived at the palace, taking a gruesome climb up the hill that held the palace up high in the sky, boldly contrasting with the clouds. And after climbing up a giant hill, it would have been nice if the guard had simply let us in. But nooo…

"Please," I said, not knowing what else to say to persuade him to allow us to enter. I bit my lip and scrunched my nose in frustration. I snapped my head to the left and then back to the guard. I licked my lips and said, "I know King Bumi. He's a friend of mine."

The guard eyed me suspiciously. "How?" he questioned gruffly.

"My father is the chief of the Southern Water Tribe," I explained. "He and King Bumi have done negotiating together and he sent me to discuss matters with him this time instead of going himself since I'm to be the next chief," I lied. I hoped it was a believable lie. I mean, I was the daughter of the chief, but I wasn't to be the next chief. I was sure though that he would believe me due to my Water Tribe clothing.

He looked at me for a little bit longer, trying to catch any hint of falsity. He grunted and opened the gate. "Fine," he said.

I smiled triumphantly and nodded my head once at the guard. "Thank you," is said. I stepped through the gate with Zuko beside me. I turned my head to see the gate close with a clank. I let out a breath of air I hadn't realized I was holding. I whispered to Zuko, "I thought he'd never let us pass."

"Just play it cool until we're actually in the palace," he warned through gritted teeth.

I felt a wave of embarrassment flood my cheeks. "Oh," I breathed. How could I have been so stupid? I could have blown our cover if I wasn't careful. I had to be more careful from then on for if I wasn't things could take an awful turn.

"Sorry," I meekly said.

A/N: Hey! I'm really sorry this took awhile to get this out! I really am! I feel bad! I had a writers block :( and plus school started :'(. Sooo I may not have enough to get the next chapter out for awhile. I know, I suck. I will try as best as I can do get it out as soon as possible. I'm not sure how long it will take since I'm not in high school, so please be patient!

Ok, for our first order of business, I have only gotten like three requests for Toph, and that's not enough! I really need your guy's opinion on this! I really am lost about which to do! Please help!

Second, I put a Swan Princess reference in there! Anyone pick up on it? The line "Will you love me? Until the day I die? Oh, no much longer than that. Much longer." is from it. Derek and Odette say it at the end of the movie. Teehee! I just love that movie! XD

Third, when I said "forty- three degrees" I'm talking about Celcius. I'm not british or whatever lol. I just wanted to be as cutural as possible because America is the only country that uses Farenheit soooo I wanted to try to use Celcuis and meters and all that good stuff. Make sense? Oh, and forty- three degrees is like... 110 degrees Farenheit. Yeah, hot.

I don't really have a lot to say about this chapter other than what I have already. I really wanted to go in depth with Zuko and Katara's relationship, and I hope I did that without it being too cheesy. Was it cheesy? I'm asking because I have a problem with being cheesy lol.

I would so desperately like to tell you when Aang and Sokka arrive, buuuuut I'm not sure. Yeah, some writer i am! Anyways, I'm trying to take my time and write some fillers. Just some little things that make the story a bit longer and keep you guys reading ;). I don't really want to rush this at all because I feel like I have a little in this story and in my other one Silence Before the Storm. In that one, I really just got straight to the point. And I feel like in this one, I skipped a lot of stuff. There wasn't really a lot of time shown between Katara being captured. I like had all those months in three or four chapters, right? Soooo I'm going to take my time on these next few chapters!

Well, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! I enjoyed writing it! Thanks so much for reading it and please review!

-Neon