Okay guys, sorry for the wait. First my computer wasn't working,
then I had finals and then my mom was getting ready to leave for Texas.
I've been busy. Anyway! I hope you guys like this chapter.
If you have any questions about anything please let me know!
I've gone over this like 100 times and I just wanted to make sure it was good enough.

Zuko watched her walk towards where they had slept the night before and wondered about her. She had said that she loved Aang only seconds after he had realized he was in love with her. Hearing her say that had torn his heart out. Granted she had said it while she was sleeping but when a person is asleep they can't hide their feelings.

What did Aang have that he didn't? Sure the kid was the avatar but that's all he had going for him. He was a bald 12 year old with an elevated sense of right and wrong. Nothing special there. Zuko shook his head. Tearing apart the boy that held Katara's love wasn't making him feel better.

He sighed as he looked back towards the fire. He really should help Katara clean up but he just didn't feel like it. He looked up when he heard rustling and saw that his uncle had moved to sit next to him.

Great.

"So what's wrong nephew?" He should've seen that one coming. He knew he had been acting differently towards Katara since he found out about Aang.

"Nothing." He wasn't going to tell his uncle the problems of his heart. No way.

"Really because it seems like you hate the girl and all she's ever done was care about you…" Iroh had to make sure he didn't give too much away about Katara's feelings. He didn't want to ruin the way these two built their relationship.

"Care about me? Uncle she loves Aang, the freaking Avatar. Why would she care about me? You don't know anything old man." Zuko couldn't hold those words back. The hope that his uncle had planted in his heart made him want to smile but he knew they were lies.

"How do you know she loves the Avatar? Has she told you that? You cannot make assumptions; that will be the end of you." Iroh said as he sadly shook his head. He didn't wait for Zuko to answer any of his questions because Iroh already knew the answers. He got up and walked over to Katara and helped her with the cleaning up.

"Miss Katara, how do you know where Aang is?" Iroh asked as he leaned over to help pick up the blankets.

"He came to me in a dream last night, I told you that." Katara snapped at Iroh, she stopped and looked at him, "sorry. He told me where he was after I explained to him where I was and why." She continued packing and turned around to look at Zuko.

She quickly grabbed the blanket Zuko was sitting on and yanked it out from under him. She decided to treat him the same way he had been treating her. She continued cleaning up until she was done and walked outside the cave and sat on the ground, waiting for Zuko and Iroh to join her.

Zuko was stunned. He had not expected that reaction from her at all. He'd seen the hurt in her eyes earlier when he'd walked in but had ignored it because he still felt hurt. Now her eyes were like ice daggers being hurled into body whenever she looked at him.

Iroh chuckled to himself as he walked passed Zuko, "You should have seen that one coming nephew." Iroh said as he walked out the cave and began a conversation with Katara.

Zuko's eyes widened slightly before he sighed and followed them out of the cave.

They'd been walking for hours now Zuko was certain of it. Every tree he passed looked the same as the one before it. He was certain Katara had no idea where they were going. She claimed the avatar had come to her in a dream, big shocker there, and he had told her where to go and how to get there.

He hated thinking that the young air bender could just jump into her dreams like that. It's like she wasn't truly alone. It made him wonder if the boy had ever jumped into his dreams to see what he thought. The idea made him shudder. He really needed to stop thinking about this stupid boy. Aang wasn't going to make him feel any better. No, Zuko wanted Katara's love but Aang had it.

I could always kill Aang, then there would be no Aang for Katara to love and she'd love me! Zuko smiled at the idea for a second then realized Katara would hate him if he killed the boy. I can always give him to Azula and she could kill him. Zuko stroked his chin, that actually sounds like a good idea. Then Katara will be really upset and will need someone to comfort her. Zuko grinned but then his grin faltered. I can't do that either, Katara trusts me and knowing Azula, she'll let everyone know that I was the one that gave Aang to her. Zuko mentally that idea away.

He could always try to woo her, like the people in the Fire Palace do. He just wasn't sure if Katara was into that kind of stuff. Sure she was a girl but she had kicked his butt enough times for him to know that she was more tom boy than girlie girl. He of course would never admit it out loud that she had beaten him. They'd always ended in 'ties'.

He sighed, long and loud, not being happy with the way things were beginning to look, until he looked up. He decided to enjoy the view as he watched Katara's hips sway back and forth as she walked in front of him. He would never have guessed she could be so passionate if he hadn't experienced it for himself even though the sway of her hips hinted at a sultry, sex kitten. He chuckled a little as he continued to enjoy the view. He could always count on Katara cheering him up, whether it was intentional or not.

He looked over at his uncle and knew the old man was hurting. He could see the wincing Iroh tried to hide from everyone. They should stop so Iroh could take a break. Zuko wasn't about to ask the Katara if they could stop, she might rip his head off with her bare hands if he spoke to her. He decided to ask Iroh instead.

"Are you all right uncle? Do you need to take a break?" Zuko asked loudly, knowing Katara would hear his words and realize that she might be pushing them too hard.

"Oh my goodness, Iroh" Zuko smiled triumphantly when he heard her say that, "I am so sorry! We should rest. I was so focused on getting to Aang I forgot that you were injured! I feel terrible. Is there anything I can do?" Katara said as she ran over to Iroh and helped him to the ground.

"Now now, Katara I'm fine! We need to keep going and find Aang. We shouldn't stay here for very long…" Iroh complained as both Katara and Zuko helped him to the ground. Their hands touched and for a second Zuko saw Katara's face soften and her eyes turn light blue, the way her face had looked before they had found Iroh. Then her face hardened again and Zuko was shut out. He didn't understand. If she loved Aang why had she been all over him? Why had she kissed him? Why had she practically melted at his touch?

He was beginning to hate girls.

"Iroh where does it hurt the most, I don't have very much water." Katara said as she turned her attention back to Iroh. She knelt down next to him and looked over his body, noticing that the minor scrapes were healing nicely. She remembered thinking he had been lucky that the person who had injured him hadn't broken any of his ribs. In short, it was a miracle. They'd gone for his head, hoping to crush his brain. His legs had been severely injured though, one of his knee caps had been shattered and his foot had been broken. She was surprised to see him in the cave when she had woken up.

She'd been able to heal his knee cap but he would always limp. His foot wasn't too badly broken, just a few of the bigger bones had been split and Katara had been able to repair them without any problem. She wondered what was bothering him now though. His skull had been healing nicely and she knew he hadn't broken any ribs, but he walked as if it were hard for him to breathe, like a rib was sticking into his lung.

"Iroh, where do you hurt?" She asked forcibly, she was worried that she had missed something.

"It's my leg darling, my knee is just not what it used to be." He said, knowing she knew what he meant. They had kept the kneecap injury from Zuko because they both knew a vein would rupture in his head if he found out.

"Iroh, you're out of breath. Is there anything else you're not telling me? I can find out on my own but I would rather not be forceful with you." Katara said again, pulling out her mom voice knowing it would intimidate him enough to be honest with her. Iroh hesitated a second before he spoke.

"It's nothing Katara. No ribs are broken. I'm just not used to walking this far for this long. It is tiring." Iroh said as he tried to look as pitiful as possible, hoping Katara would take let up a bit and just give him some water.

"Iroh, you're acting weird. You know that? You're limping, how is your foot?" Katara said, unrelenting on her assault to make sure Iroh was all right. She knelt down next to his foot and without an answer began healing his injured foot.

It had been bothering him. It was swollen from walking so quickly and Katara mentally chastised herself for making them walk at such a fast pace. She should've realized he wouldn't be able to walk so fast. She began healing his foot when he yelled for Katara to duck.

She stopped what she was doing and hit the floor, knowing Iroh wouldn't yell for unless it was serious. She felt the heat of his fire just above her back, where her head had been only seconds before. She was grateful that Iroh was so aware of his surroundings. She rolled out from under his arm and turned around as she jumped up. She was curious as to who was attacking them, but she had a pretty good idea who it could be. It had to be fire nation or people after Iroh, which would make them fire nation.

She was right, fire nation, and from their clothing, they were from the palace which meant one thing. Azula.

"Zuko, watch Iroh!" Katara yelled as she ran towards the fire nation soldiers. She had no idea what she was going to do but she needed to make sure Iroh was safe. He wasn't able to stand up and fight so she felt that he depended on her and Zuko more. She wanted to protect him. In the short time he'd been with her and Zuko she'd already come to love the man as her own uncle. He reminded her of her father.

With that thought she created a water whip from the air and sliced through the fire nation armor, knowing she'd leave a welt on the man's arm. She grinned at the man before her and found the strength to do something she'd never done before, she bent the water out of the trees and grass around her and froze the man to the ground. When she was done, he looked just as stunned as she was.

She didn't have time to think about it though because more soldiers were coming. She looked back to where Iroh and Zuko were and saw Zuko fighting off one soldier while two others came up behind him. Iroh was sending fire balls towards them but they weren't strong enough to keep the soldiers at bay.

She started to run back when she saw lightning out of the corner of her eye. She flung herself to the ground and could feel the electricity crackling above her. She looked in the direction that it had come and saw Azula. Oh how she hated that woman.

Katara bolted towards Zuko and Iroh and once again bent the water out of her surroundings, only to use the water she collected as a wave that sent all of the soldiers flying backwards. She was fading quickly, she had no idea what she was doing but bending water out of plants was consuming a lot of her energy. She could feel the darkness creeping in but she couldn't give in just yet. Azula was still here, they weren't safe.

She looked around and noticed the soldiers were running from her and Azula was watching her. Katara saw a look of surprise on her face which was quickly concealed by her usual cold demeanor before she turned to leave. Whatever Azula had come for she didn't get. Katara was thankful that she'd driven them back. She wouldn't rest though until they were away from this place.

She turned to look at Zuko and saw him eyeing her, his mouth open a little and his eyes wide.

"Yes?" She asked as she walked towards him, forgetting her anger for a moment to check him for injuries.

"You just….sent Azula's personal guard flying and all you have to say is 'yes?'?" He was stunned. She acted like what she'd just done was normal.

"Honestly Zuko, I have no idea what I just did. But I'm glad that I sent them flying, it gives us time to find Aang and heal Iroh properly." She was close now, closer than she'd been all morning. Zuko could smell her sweet scent and he could feel his body stirring at her being so close. He looked down at her face and saw her blue eyes wide and lips parted slightly as she looked up into his face. He knew then that she felt the same thing he felt.

"Katara…" He wanted her and if his uncle wasn't there...

"Iroh!" He looked down at the old man and he was silent. Zuko wasn't sure if Iroh was breathing or if he was dead. Katara seemed jolted out of her trance as well as she turned to Iroh. He was lying on the ground, a hand over his chest. She ran to his side and leaned over his face. She let out a sigh of relief when she felt the faint exhale.

"He's alive Zuko, but I need your help in sitting him up right." She said as she turned to him. Zuko bent down and helped her position Iroh so he was sitting up right.

"Katara, I-" Zuko began

"Zuko, we need to move him to somewhere dry and concealed, I think there is a village half a day's walk ahead of us. Maybe you should go see if there are some people who will help us." She had cut him off, afraid of what he was going to say. She had experienced what he had, the feeling of desire that had suddenly coursed through her body at being so close to him. She'd seen in his eyes that he had felt it too.

"I'm not going to leave you here Katara." Zuko said.

"Then you stay here with him and I'll go." She had wanted to rest because of the darkness that was creeping in on her from bending as much as she had, but she would go to the village in search of help if she needed to.

"No Katara." He placed his hand on hers, he didn't want her alone. Azula never gave up on a fight and when she had today Zuko became very suspicious. "We're going to stick together." He wanted to kiss her and tell her how he felt. He knew he was stepping over some boundary with her loving Aang and Zuko loving her but he didn't care. Right now he just wanted her safe.

"Zuko…"She whispered his name and leaned closer to him, "Someone needs to find Aang."

Questions? Comments?