Thank you to everyone who has stuck around with me. Enjoy!

-Zuko-

"Katara?"

Zuko's voice echoed back to him from all directions, and he spun around wildly in the darkness, lost. Hadn't she been in his arms only seconds ago? His eyes were wide-open, straining to discern details about his surroundings… but he couldn't see a thing. He'd never experienced such absolute blackness. And it was cold; so bone-achingly cold that he was convinced he'd never actually felt the warmth of Katara's skin against his at all, or the heat of flames dancing at his fingertips. Those were fabrications, something his mind had conjured up to distract him from the ice at his core.

He'd always been here, in this place, and he always would be.

Iroh couldn't save you, and the girl can't either. You're mine, Zuko.

It wasn't a voice, but the words spiked into his brain as loudly as a shout.

"Who are you?" Zuko forced his frozen lips to move as he fell to his knees, clutching his head. The cold was so hard to fight, although he knew he should. He was a fighter, wasn't he? Or was that also part of the lie he'd told himself?

"Zuko."

He looked up, and it was Aang – just not the boy he knew. This Aang was older, lanky… a young man. His face was carefully composed, but Zuko could see lines around his eyes and mouth that spoke to continuing years of laughter, and fun. There was something reassuring about that.

It wasn't cold anymore, but it wasn't warm either. Zuko found he could stand, without pain, and he stared at Aang as he came closer. The Avatar was taller than he was now.

"What's happening?"

"You're dreaming." Aang's voice was expressionless, and much deeper than his youthful self's. "I'm just dropping in."

"From where? Or…when?" Zuko gestured.

"I can't really get into the details. I just know you need help, and I've got a pretty good idea with what."

"Oh." Zuko swallowed painfully. "So… you know?"

"Of course I know." Aang said impatiently. "Look at me! You think you could keep that kind of secret this long?"

"No, I guess not." Zuko hesitated, but Aang didn't speak. He was surprised Aang was here at all, even if it was a dream. "…you must hate me."

"Shut up." Aang grumbled, folding his arms. Zuko almost smiled. Looks like the years haven't matured him too much. "What I hate is that we have to bring all this up again. It's old news, and I really don't want to get into it. But here we are!" He threw his arms up exasperatedly.

"Uh… did someone make you come here?" Zuko had a sudden thought. If this was future Aang, and he was alive, and not a Fire Nation prisoner… he shoved the hope into the back of his head, afraid to jinx it. And this is just a dream, after all. Right?

"Roku asked. Seemed stupid to say no. I know he must have had a good reason. You're flipping out, aren't you?"

His great-great-grandfather had to reach out to Aang, from the Spirit World, to intervene in his love life? How sad was that?

"I wouldn't say flipping out…" he grumbled, narrowing his eyes when Aang shot him a sarcastic look.

"Drowning in guilt? Terrified poor baby Avatar can't handle it, and we'll all die at your father's hand?" Aang's tone was light, but the bitter twist of his lips gave him away.

"Okay, that's enough!" Zuko exclaimed angrily, stepping forward. "This may be old news to you, but it's still pretty fresh for me… since, you know, it's happening right now! You have the advantage of knowing how this all turns out, if this is real."

"Why do you always think you know best?" Aang retorted, jaw clenched. "You haven't changed at all."

"I-" Zuko shook his head, speechless. "Aang, think about what you're saying."

Aang's eyebrows lifted, and he chuckled. "I don't mean you, you. I mean the you I know… you know, later."

"Really?" Zuko asked, fascinated. "So we stay friends, then?"

"C'mon, Zuko, I told you I can't get into specifics," Aang said uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his bald head. A familiar gesture he'd carried into adulthood. He's definitely hiding something.

"Then why are you here, if not to tell me what happens?"

"Well, you know how it is with spirits. They don't always tell you exactly what to do. Roku just said something about a crossroads, and unspeakable doom… the usual. And since I'm here in your dream, I'm guessing it's about your little secret." Aang wrinkled his nose.

"But you don't know that for sure…" Zuko mused. "What about that voice from before?"

"What voice?" Aang asked with interest.

"Before I saw you, it was dark, and I heard a voice in my head." Zuko replied, belatedly realizing just how crazy that made him sound. Oh well. What was it Uncle had said? Pride is the source of shame, not it's opposite. He cleared his throat. "It said that no one can save me."

"Um…" Aang eyed him almost pityingly. "I don't know. Maybe that's why I'm here."

"What?"

"To keep you from going off the deep end about this whole thing." Aang sighed deeply, annoyance creeping back onto his tone. "Listen, I can't risk changing anything that's about to happen. But if you care about me, if you're really my friend… try to trust me a little more."

"What do you mean? I do trust you!"

"I know that's mostly true," Aang conceded grudgingly. "But you guys treated me like a child. I can handle more than you think! Just don't worry so much, okay? I'll be fine."

"You really mean that?" Zuko searched his face, so familiar and yet alien at the same time. "We're okay?"

"We will be. And hey, I've already been through it! The hard part is over for me." Aang smirked, a little too pleased. "You still have to tell the other me."

Zuko snorted. "Any chance I'm going to remember this?"

"Dunno," Aang shrugged. "I hope so, after all this work! See ya, Zuko."

Zuko blinked, and Aang was gone. The darkness closed around him again, but this time it was warm, almost cozy…

With a jolt of surprise, he realized he was laying down, in bed, and a cool breeze was playing against his skin. He could feel sun on his face, and opened his eyes to beams of light streaming in through the window. Zuko lifted his head, disoriented, distantly aware that something important had happened… he'd been dreaming about talking to Aang… though about what, he wasn't sure. The details were trickling away faster than he could remember, like water draining through the seams of his cupped hands.

But strangely, he felt content. Comforted. Zuko rolled over, stretching, more relaxed than he could remember being in a long time.

His peaceful state abruptly ended when his door crashed open with a loud BANG!

Zuko flew out of bed with just enough presence of mind to pull the blanket along with him. Aang popped his head in the room and beamed, looking maddeningly awake. Zuko blinked, disconcerted. For some reason, the sight of Aang had sent a shock through him, as if subconsciously he'd been expecting something else. But Aang looked like he always did…

"Good morning! I thought you said you'd see me at sunrise, oh wise and powerful teacher?" Aang asked teasingly.

"Okay, I'm late! That doesn't mean you can just come barging in here!" Zuko held the blanket tight around himself, flustered and annoyed. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Sorry!" Aang laughed as he withdrew, leaving the door open. Muttering to himself, Zuko walked over and firmly closed it, turning the lock. We're gonna have to have a talk about that.

He walked into the kitchen ten minutes later, fully dressed but still yawning. He hadn't been getting much sleep lately… and the reason why was leaning against the kitchen counter, staring out the window with her chin propped up on one fist.

Zuko paused to appreciate the view, smirking as images from the night before hovered in his mind's eye. It had been slower, less frenzied than the first time… he must have skimmed his hands over every inch of her skin, obsessed with the way she'd reacted when he'd leisurely sank into her and rolled his hips, over and over again. She'd panted, moaned, trying to raise her own hips to pick up the pace, but he'd had other plans… and there was still so much left to explore.

"Morning, Katara." Zuko shoved his hands in his pockets, aching to touch her and knowing he shouldn't.

She turned, a distant expression on her face that cleared when she saw him.

"It's almost lunchtime!" Katara raised her eyebrows, smiling cheekily. "Didn't you once tell me that you rise with the sun? Or is that just the fire-bender party line?"

"You of all people should not be teasing me about this," Zuko complained, walking over and reaching around her to grab the least brown banana of the bunch. "Where is everybody?"

"Sokka and Suki went into town to replenish our supplies, Aang headed out the back just a little while ago, and Toph…" Katara's eyes slid away from his. "I haven't seen her yet, actually. I think she's still in bed."

"Something wrong?" Zuko asked casually, peeling his banana. She glanced out the window again, and he followed her gaze to see Aang lounging in the courtyard out back with his hands behind his head, Momo curled up in his lap.

"Why didn't you tell me Toph knew about us?"

Zuko swallowed his mouthful of banana. I almost forgot. "Honestly, I was too tired to get into it last night. She talked to you?"

"Oh, yeah." Katara sighed. "I can't believe I forgot about her abilities. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Zuko took another bite, shrugging. "They'll all have to find out eventually."

"You're not worried?" Katara stared at him.

"No point. It won't change anything." He tossed his peel, internally scrutinizing the continued sense of wellbeing he'd felt since waking up. It wasn't normal. Guilt had been burning a hole through his stomach for the last few days, and now it was gone, just like that?

"You always manage to surprise me," Katara murmured, sliding closer to him then was strictly customary between friends.

"Do I?" Zuko immediately caught on to her change in mood, drawn in by the enticing gleam in her azure eyes. Their bodies were almost touching.

There was a soft gasp at the doorway. They instantly jerked apart, and Zuko was chagrined to see Suki standing there, arms full of groceries and a look of utter shock on her face.

"Are you…?" Suki trailed off, her eyes darting between the two of them. Katara shook her head frantically.

"We were just waiting for you to get back!" Katara blurted out, and Zuko suppressed an embarrassed groan, folding his arms. There was no getting around it. They'd been caught.

"I don't think so!" Suki leaned back to check the hallway, then pierced them with her trademark steely, gray-eyed Kyoshi Warrior look. "What's going on, guys?"

"Pretty obvious, isn't it?" Zuko grumbled, wishing she'd stop acting like they were a couple of misbehaving children.

"Zuko!" Katara whacked him in the arm, incensed.

"Hey!" He narrowed his eyes at her. "She saw us. What was I supposed to say?"

"We weren't doing anything!" Katara insisted, but her red cheeks told a different story.

"Oh, come on," Suki said, rolling her eyes. "You think I don't know what that was?" She paused, and Zuko could practically see the questions piling up in her mind as she set her bags down. He searched her face for any sign of anger, and was stunned to find none. "We need to talk, but not now, and not here. Sokka should be coming any-"

"SUKI!" They heard the front door slam, and Sokka appeared seconds later, struggling with three times the amount of groceries Suki had brought. "Help!"

Katara and Suki jumped forward to grab some of his load, while Zuko attempted to make his escape – but Aang met him at the doorway with Momo perched on his head.

"Are we eating?" His eyes lit up at the sight of the mountain of food.

"Guys!" Free of his burden, Sokka reached into his shirt and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. "You're not gonna believe this. There's a play about us!"

"What?!" Katara straightened in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"Listen to this! 'The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Puon Tim, who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar, from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.' Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players."

"Ugh!" Zuko wrinkled his nose. "My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year!" He shuddered. Their enthusiasm didn't make up for the terrible acting, or writing.

"Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea to go to a play about ourselves?" Katara cautioned.

"Come on!" Sokka begged, looking around at them. "This is exactly the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!"

"I'm in!" Suki pecked him on the cheek. "We could use some fun."

"No argument here," Aang mumbled around a mouthful of raspberry pastry.

"Yeah, why not?" Zuko shrugged, thinking almost wistfully of the highly disciplined soldiers he used to work with. "But seriously, Aang, we have to train tomorrow."

Aang gave him a jaunty thumbs up, cheeks bulging, as Sokka began pulling together enough ingredients to feed a horse. With a last look at Katara, who was busy communicating with Suki using facial expressions alone, Zuko left the room and headed outside. He could use a breather.

Slipping off his shirt, he began running through the basics of fire-bending, trying to focus. All this drama had distracted him from the looming date of the comet, but he had to get them back on track. The dynamics of this rag-tag group was unlike anything he'd ever been a part of, and though he found himself enjoying their light-heartedness, he wondered if he shouldn't be pushing them harder. Somebody obviously needed to.

An hour later, he stopped to rest, covered in a sheen of sweat. Zuko exhaled long, slow, and deep, feeling his heart rate gradually settle.

"Good morning!"

Zuko looked over his shoulder. Toph was reclining on the stairs leading up to the back door, ankles crossed.

"Hey," he walked over and sat down next to her, using his shirt to towel-dry his hair. "About time you got up."

"I've been awake," Toph replied, yawning. "Just not up."

"So you heard all the racket?"

"Of course," she said with a smug grin. No wonder Toph seemed wise beyond her years. She must have been overhearing things she shouldn't her whole life. "Suki didn't react badly. Maybe you and Katara are just being dramatic about this whole thing."

"Or maybe you and Suki have the least to be upset about in the first place. Sokka is Katara's brother – I'm sure he won't like the idea of anyone with his sister, let alone me. And Aang…" Zuko trailed off.

"Yeah. I know." Toph leaned back, blowing a chunk of hair off her face. "But still, I don't think it'd be so terrible to just hope for the best."

"You're actually an optimist, aren't you?"

"Don't tell anyone," she rolled her eyes. "Honestly, we all have to be optimists to make it to this point in the war and decide to keep trying."

"True," Zuko muttered. The door clattered open behind them, and he glanced around to see Katara and Suki coming out.

"Well, well, if it isn't all of us in the know!" Toph cackled as the girls sat down. "How does it feel?"

Suki shrugged, and Katara raised her eyes to heavens before sending Zuko a slow blink of affection. Dressed in her ruby-red Fire Nation disguise, with so much of that gorgeous skin bared, she positively glowed.

Beautiful.

"How can you be so cavalier about this?" Katara asked Toph, turning away, and Zuko noticed Suki studying him with a slight smirk. He grimaced back, realizing his thoughts must have been plain on his face.

"Easy. I just open my mouth, and-"

"We don't have much time, Toph." Suki interjected. "Sokka will be sniffing around any moment. Can we talk about what I saw in there?"

Katara and Zuko looked at each other, hesitating. What could they say?

"They're in love." Toph said baldly.

"Oh, my – Toph!" Katara buried her face in her hands, and Zuko coughed, his throat suddenly bone-dry. They hadn't had that discussion quite yet, and he didn't think they were ready for it now. They'd barely had any time alone together at all!

Katara peeked through her fingers at him, mortification in her eyes, and he tried to conceal the vague sense of hurt he felt that she was so embarrassed to talk about this. He could understand being nervous, sure. But embarrassed? It wasn't like her.

"Toph, I know you're weirdly invested in this, but can you respect our privacy just a little bit?" Zuko asked pointedly. "And honestly, Suki, I don't know what to tell you. We're still figuring it out, too."

"I guess I just want to know when this happened, and how, because I've sort of had suspicions for a while…" Suki smiled sheepishly.

"What? You did?" Katara stared at Suki, blush fading. He was reassured to see a slight smile tug at her lips. He didn't want to believe that she was ashamed of him, but it was one of those niggling doubts that often came back to haunt him.

"Yeah. It was kind of… obvious."

"Ha! I told you!" Toph crowed, clasping her hands together and raising them above her head in a victorious salute.

"Do you think Sokka or Aang suspect anything?" Zuko wondered. Suki pursed her lips.

"I doubt it," she said reflectively. "Most guys don't pick up on things like that unless it's really noticeable."

"Hey!" Zuko protested. "What am I?"

"Definitely a guy," Katara asserted with an impish grin. "You would never guess some of the things that have gone through my head."

"Really?" Zuko raised an eyebrow at her, and all three girls started giggling. "Okay, this isn't fair!" He'd have to bring this up again, later, when they were alone… excitement tingled up and down his spine at the thought.

"Sorry, Zuko," Toph grinned. "You're one of the good ones, though."

"Wow, thanks so much," he grumbled, but ruined the act by smiling. It touched him that Suki and Toph had accepted this so easily, like it really wasn't a big deal. Gave him hope.

He glanced at Katara, and she was already looking at him, a soft expression on her face.

It gave them both hope.