AN: Ok so here is the next installment...and now, things will begin to slow down, I promise. Also I wanted to thank each and everyone of you for reviewing! Almost 200 reviews??? Thats amazing! Thanks you guys! Enjoy the chapter!

After they had talked, Zuko wondered around the ruins in search of Katara. Going to her room he saw that she had left. Sighing he walked down the hall, bumping into a not so welcoming presence.

"Watch where you're going!" Hissed the watertribe prince. Zuko backed away slightly to give him some space and continued walking around him.

A hand shot out, snatching him by his shoulder, pulling him back around, "I wasn't done talking to you," Sokka said through clenched teeth, slamming Zuko up against the wall, "you may have everyone here fooled, but I know your kind and I have seen the kind of monster you are. Do not mistake yourself into thinking that you are the only one who served out on a battlefield during this war."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, but still allowed Sokka to keep his hold firm, "If you slip up, give me one reason to think that you might hurt anyone in this group, I will end you, permanently," his voice was low, almost a growl when he let go of Zuko allowing him to slump against the wall.

Growling at the watertribe boy, Zuko regained his composure and continued walking out of the hall and into the courtyard where he saw Katara, playing with the water in the massive fountain. As he approached, someone ran smack into him, apparently not paying any attention.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" it was a girl, about Katara's age, her hair was short and brow, half was pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head as the rest gathered round her neck. Her eyes were a bluish green and her skin was pale, like his. She was wearing a top much like Katara's but instead of wearing a skirt or shorts, she was wearing loose red baggy pants, her feet bare and her body was glistening with sweat. In her hands she held two fans.

'Kyoshi Warrior,' Zuko thought. He had heard of the legendary warriors who had begun to rise after the death of Kyoshi, the Avatar. According to legend, they were some of the fiercest warriors in the entire world. They practiced their fighting as if they were benders, but only used the techniques with their own to make them practically unstoppable.

"It's fine," he said. There was an awkward silence between them for a moment or two before the girl spoke up.

Sticking her hand out for him to shake it, she introduced herself, "My name is Suki, I'm Katara's friend," she said softly, feeling the hand of the man before her as he grabbed hold of her hand and began shaking it.

"I'm Zuko, Katara's—"

Suki nodded, smacking a fan against his lips before he continued his sentence, "I know, but," she looked around, inching closer to the prince, "if I were you, I wouldn't go around telling everyone that news just yet. Her brother already hates you, thinking that you have deflowered her, don't give him anymore reason to want to kill you in your sleep," she whispered.

Zuko's hand went up to the fan, moving it off his lips and out of his face, a small grin plastered on his lips, "I'm a light sleeper," he said.

Suki sighed, a small smile etched into her very own lips as she eyed him, "Ok, it's your funeral," she said as she brushed past him.

Zuko watched her leave, perhaps he and the Kyoshi Warrior could be friends, besides he would love to spar against her sometime.

Turning back he saw that Katara had exited the fountain and was currently drying out her hair with a towel. Slowly approaching her, Zuko saw that she wasn't alone. Getting out of the fountain across from her was Jet.

Zuko's eyes narrowed as he watched the two for a moment, but soon decided that if Katara was with him, she would not think of cheating on him with someone else. She would be bold enough to tell him that she wanted to be with another guy and be done with it. And now that he thought of it, it scared the crap out of him. To think that she might leave him one day.

Pushing all thoughts aside he approached the two.

"You really think so?" he heard Jet asking Katara.

She merely shrugged, "Hey girls know what they want," Katara laughed lightly, "I defiantly know what I want," she winked at him, this Zuko caught and a chill ran through his body.

The way she looked at him made Zuko want to rip apart the boy in questioning, but he couldn't do that. Jet and Katara truly seemed to be the only two that he could talk to comfortably without feeling like an outcast…and he had only met everyone this morning. But he knew things wouldn't get any better before someone started trusting someone.

Jet noticed Zuko approaching and quickly straightened up slightly, Katara seeing this and turned her gaze to see Zuko approaching, "Zuko," Jet waved cautiously.

Zuko nodded, as Katara walked to him, embracing him for a few moments, "I saw you with Aang today," she sighed, pulling away, "how did it go?" she asked.

Looking down for a moment, he met her gaze, "It went well but, I don't know, perhaps I am not the one to teach him," he began.

Katara placed a finger on his lips, silencing him.

Really, what was with women and silencing him today?

"Listen, I know you're the one to teach Aang firebending, you just have to be patient and understanding. He is still just a kid," she said, hooking her arm into his and leading him away from Jet, down towards her room, "and sometimes he doubts himself. As his teacher you need to let him know that you believe in him and that you will be there for him every step of the way," she kissed his cheek, as she leaned against her door.

Zuko smiled into their kiss as his hand found the knob, slowly unlatching it, feeling the door sway backwards due to their weight.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Katara practically drug him into her room.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked her as she began to lead him to her bed, "I mean, your brother hates me," he whispered into her hair.

Katara sighed, knowing that the Sokka factor would take a toll on things and knew that she had to have some words with him later, "You're probably right," she smiled as she had another idea, "come take a bath with me," pulling his hand behind her as she walked.

Zuko smiled allowing the waterbender to lead him into the security of the bathing quarters.

Fire Nation:

Fire Lord Ozai sat in his study, his head in his hands as he tried to think of another way to persuade the council that this was going at things all wrong. But it seemed like no matter what he did, they refused to listen unless it was the only conversation they wished to have and that was Ozai accepting Zhao's plan.

He was frustrated, tired and needed to think of a way to keep these old bastards at bay. If he was overthrown, then he would leave it up to his son to take care of Zhao and take his place on the throne. And once this war was over, he would search for Ursa and try to make their family whole again…and he would talk to his son about replacing the council with new members.

'Damn bastards,' he snorted under his breath.

The door to the Fire Lord's study creaked open, light poured into the dimmed darkness and Azula entered quietly. She walked towards her father's desk, seeing that he was in deep thought and sighed heavily. Zuko had only been gone a couple of days and already she began to feel something, it was the same feeling she had when she left the palace on her voyage to the Earth Kingdom.

Sadness?

Placing her hands on her father's shoulders, she felt his body tense as he jerked upward, frightened slightly by the sudden presence in his private study.

He was going to demand that whoever it was that had entered leave, but when he saw that it was Azula he merely sighed, smacking his head against one hand as the other reached up for hers, tapping it softly.

"Father," she began, "what are we going to do?"

Well there was no, 'Hey how are you? Have you been having a nice time?' Ozai smiled, it was always straight to the point with Azula.

Running his hands down his worn out face he leaned forward, slumping his head against the wooden surface of his desk, "I don't know," he mumbled, "I don't know, Azula."

For the first time in years Azula was witnessing her father slipping into depression. There had to be something they could do, something they could say that would make these men realize that genocide was not the way to go. No matter how much you want to win at something.

"We'll figure something out father," she whispered, "we have to."

Zuko and Katara sat in the hot steaming waters of the tub, relaxing for a little while. Zuko leaned against the rim, his legs tracing the outside rims as Katara managed to snuggle her way in between his legs.

At first it made him uncomfortable, but he grew accustomed to it. After all it was only Katara, the woman he wanted to perhaps spend the rest of his life with and they would probably find themselves in more awkward positions then this.

At the moment his fingers were twirling a few stray strands of hair gently as his she leaned her back into his chest, her hands resting on his knees.

She could get use to this. These moments they shared that were peaceful and gentle…she enjoyed these and hoped that there would be more to come.

"The Fire Lord still refuses to follow through with our desired orders. We have warned him of replacing him, but that does not seem to faze him in the least," an old man whispered to another as they walked down the long corridors of the palace.

The other nodded, a young man walked behind them, "Then we will have to show him how much it will faze him once his position and title have been stripped from him and his children."

The man who walked behind the two elders, his face was hidden by his cloak, but what you could see was his wicked grin that revealed itself after hearing the conversation between the two council members before him.

"It is time the Fire Nation had a stable and worthy ruler."

"Agreed," the three declared and with that they were off to set their plan into motion.

So what do you think?