Katara was about to die from boredom. Some time ago, the Blue Spirit had left her here in this cave. 'running some errands' he'd claimed. She was sick of this, yet she felt no desire to return to her friends. This was ridiculous. He was ridiculous.

Katara began to pull the water from outside towards her. There was no reason to she just wanted to.

"What are you doing?"

Deja vu once more. The feeling washed over her. "Nothing." She remarked, dropping her hand. The pull of water ceased. "What were you doing?" She asked him, turning to face him. She jumped up in surprise. "Zuko?!" Unthinkingly she flung herself over hugging him. Wait...why am I hugging him? She stepped back away from him.

His eyes were wide. He had obviously not been expecting this reaction to him. "Um..." He put on hand behind him, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "So, you...uh..."

"Sorry." Katara said, shyly glancing up at him. He didn't look angry, or even disgusted, just simply surprised. Probably as surprised as Katara was about her actions.

"That's alright." He told her, taking a step closer. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you were back with your friends now." He looked at her suspiciously.

"Oh I am or well, was. I mean I'm with...another...um...friend?" Katara said this as though it was a question.

"Where is this 'friend' of yours?" Zuko asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Not sure. He well, ran some errands I guess. He's been gone for hours though." Katara remarked aware of Zuko's snail approach towards her. Inch by inch he was sneaking closer. It was actually amusing to watch.

"Ditched your friends for someone you hardly know." Zuko said sarcastically.

"How do you know I don't know him?" Katara asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Zuko's eyes flickered down to her movement then back up again.

"No reason." He told her, off-handly.

Katara blushed. His looking was simply a reaction to her movement...right? "What are you doing here?" She asked him, trying to distract herself.

He studied her before answering. "Looking for you, of course." Katara's face heated up and her heart rate sped up, much to her disapproval. How could she convince herself that she didn't like him at all if her body kept betraying her like this?

Zuko noticed the blush spreading across her cheeks. To Katara's surprise he smiled. A real smile.

"Do you want...food?" Katara asked. She was making this up as she went, but she didn't want him to go. He was better for company than some guy she had just met.

Zuko glanced around the cave. "It doesn't look as though you have any."

"Oh right..."Katara forgot about that.

"Let's go get some." Zuko said, offering her his hand. Katara stood, torn. The Blue Spirit had told her to stay put. Then again, the opportunity to unravel Zuko's many mysteries was appealing. If she came back Spirit couldn't mind too much. Katara took Zuko's hand. Her eyes widened, this...

He was walking, pulling her along. She didn't have time to dwell on it. Even after they left the cave, he didn't let go of her hand. She didn't have any will to remove it either. She was content how they were. No matter if she didn't like the fact that she was content with it.

"What are we getting?" She asked him.

"Anything we find." He responded. It sounded like his thoughts were else where. Katara let him stay in his thoughts. They walked for awhile, not seeming to be going anywhere. After passing into an orchard of sorts, Katara looked curiously at him. He was just leading her along. He wasn't even really aware of what was going on.

Katara pulled her hand free of his. That got his attention. He watched her walk off. She bent down to gather the fruit.

"Here." He said in a low voice. She looked up. He was offering her a bag.

"Thank you." Katara took it filling it with the variety of fruits. She filled it completely, then turned back to Zuko. He stood silently behind her, surveying her gatherings. She smiled, but it faded when she saw his expression.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked him. She could afford being generous, besides maybe she did like him. Even if she shouldn't. Hey, she had been with Jet, someone of the earth nation, who could be worse then him?

"I have a question for you." He said, quickly. His breath was coming rapidly, in fast gasps.

"What is it?" Katara asked. Whatever it was he needed to know, it was important. She could tell.

"Do you...can you..." He struggled with the words. Now Katara was getting confused, she cocked one eyebrow.

"Zuko..." Katara stepped forward, wrapping her hands around him. He looked so stressed, like he needed a hug. Even one from his enemy, but they weren't enemies. Not anymore. They were caught somewhere between friends and more than that. Katara shocked herself at her newfound revelation, but it was true. How could it not be? Here they were hugging, and it felt right. She burrowed her face into his shirt.

His hands were wrapped around her as well. He seemed both hesitant and sure of this, at the same time. He sighed into her hair. "Katara...I don't want to be your enemy." He told her. His voice sounded strangled, like it was hard for him to say this.

"Then don't be." Katara told him, not looking up.

"Yeah, but..." He tilted her face up. "We're supposed to be."

Katara opened her mouth to answer back, but stopped her mouth still wide open. Those eyes. His eyes. They were the same.

Aang and Sokka had spent a good part of the morning finding Katara. Toph sort of sat around, looking dejected. Aang stepped to her, ready to force out of her the reason why she was so upset.

"A boy came and she left with him." Toph told him finally, after much persuasion done on Aang's part.

"A boy what!!" Sokka asked from across the campsite.

"He more or less took her really." Toph said in Katara's defense, though she was pretty sure Katara had wanted to go.

"How do you know?" Aang asked her.

"I can feel the vibrations of the earth, even when I'm sleeping. I could feel her footsteps and then someone else's last night. I thought it was one of you guys with her."

"Yeah, but how do you know it was a boy?" Sokka asked coming over to stand next to Aang.

"Because, no girl has that big of feet." Toph said with a wide smile.

"She left..." Aang said sitting heavily on the ground.

"The guy was wearing a mask." Toph said, just remembering that that had regestered in her sleep. "It was kinda weird. It seemed to have a wide open mouth and a funny design that sorta creeped me out...even in my sleep."

"The Blue Spirit mask!!" Aang yelled, making the others jump.

"What would the Blue Spirit want with Katara?" Sokka asked.

"The Blue Spirit is Zuko."

well...um...yeah. this chapter. longest chapter i've posted does this give me exclusive rights to reviews?? i sorta choked it out actually. i didn't even plan it. i just typed mi little heart out. tell me if u like it though. hint hint... zuko and katara fluff! yay!! n.n