Katara hiked through the forest, trying to explore the small island they were stuck on. Zuko and Iroh seemed to constantly be discussing what they were going to do, and Katara couldn't bear to be around them when they did. Zuko would always steal guilty glances at her whenever Aang came up, keeping his voice as hushed as possible.

Her head and her heart ached. The longing to be back with Aang and Sokka, soaring across the sea on Appa had returned bit by bit, wanting to leave behind all the confusion that had invaded her mind. Now, anytime she looked out over the ocean, the thought to just take off and leave the Fire Nation prince behind would cloud her head. To try and keep those thoughts at bay, Katara had taken to trekking through the forest growing on the island, distancing herself from the ocean. If she couldn't sort out what she wanted to do, she worried about making the wrong choice, doing something she would forget for the rest of her life.

Caught up in her thoughts again about what she should be doing, Katara didn't even notice the small lake until she'd stumbled right into it, soaking her leg up to her knee.

"What the...?"

For the first time in a while, a smile lit Katara's face as she looked across the beautiful pool, a small waterfall crashing down into it one end, moss covered rocks scattered throughout the water, and fish darting around. The sunlight that broke through the branches made the pool literally sparkle, getting Katara's smile to grow even more.

"Well, I'm already wet," she decided.

Leaping to the nearest rock, Katara bent down, looking over the edge of the water, her fingertips brushing the surface before she dug her hand into the pool, a moment later yanking her arm away, a stream of water following. She did the same with her other hand, guiding the streams through the air as her fingers led them. She jumped to another rock nearby, pulling out another two streams of water that began spinning around her, Katara pushing and pulling to control their movements.

With every jump across the pool, Katara added more water to her collection, sending streams of water across the pool only to pull them back around her. She laughed as she slipped slightly after one jump, nearly sliding into the water, the water she was controlling trembling at her sudden loss of concentration.

Spinning around the lake, Katara breathed out her concerns, enjoying the feeling of bending with her element, a freedom she'd been longing for allowing her to relax once again. The only thing that would make this better, she realized, was if instead of sunlight, moonlight could be breaking through the trees, giving her strength as she stretched her limits.

Her wound had finally fully healed, giving her full mobility as she danced, water spinning around her at breathtaking speeds.

Landing on a rock in the middle of the pool, Katara let all the water she had gathered drop, slashing her ankles. Lifting her arms, Katara raised a wave that surrounded her as high as she could get it to go, before causing the entire thing to explode, shooting drops of water all across the lake, soaking the rocks, along with Katara from the rain she'd created.

"Ah great," she heard behind her, nearly falling over in surprise.

Turning around, she saw Zuko bent over, ruffling his soaked hair as he tried to dry it out.

"Zuko? What in the flaming fire lord's name are you doing here?"

Zuko paused in his movements, glancing up at her, a smirk on his face.

"Did you just use my father to curse at me?" he asked.

Katara flushed, stammering at him and taking a step back while Zuko laughed out loud, straightening as he did.

"I can't believe you said that to my face," he teased her. "Just imagine if you'd said that when I was fire lord."

"Whatever, Zuko," Katara scowled, trying to act like she didn't care when she knew the red in her cheeks proudly said otherwise. "What are you even doing here? Are you following me now?"

The grin on Zuko's face faded and he swallowed, hands suddenly looking awkward as he fidgeted.

"We need to talk," he said, softly.

With a hitch in her breath, Katara nodded. After that, Zuko looked away, refusing to meet her gaze and Katara began jumping to the different rocks to reach where Zuko was waiting.

"What is it?" she asked, her going quiet now as well.

Zuko sighed, looking down.

"It's about the Avatar," he finally admitted.

"I figured," Katara retorted, crossing her arms.

"Katara…"

"Maybe you should go back to calling me waterbender, Zuko," she snapped, getting him to look at her so that he could see the hurt in her eyes.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say," he defended himself.

"So I'm wrong to think this talk isn't going to have a happy outcome, that with all the talks you and your uncle have been having, the two have decided to completely give up on your chase of Aang, abandon your nation, give up everything you've been fighting for these last few years, maybe move to the Earth Kingdom and pledge a life of nonviolence?" she ridiculed. "I'm impressed, Zuko. I had no idea your heart had become so pure so suddenly."

Zuko's gaze darkened.

"I know you think I'm horrible, Katara," he growled, "but I thought we'd at least gotten past this."

"There are a lot of things I thought we'd gotten over, Zuko," Katara sighed. "Looks like I was wrong. So why don't you just spit it out already what your plan is."

Now Zuko's eyes shone with hurt as he gazed at her.

"I can't give up on him, Katara," he whispered.

A tear slipped down Katara's cheek.

"You said it yourself," he continued. "I've been trying for so long to find him and restore my honor. I can't give up now. I can't lose everything, Katara. I'm sorry."

"I know," Katara breathed, trying to hold herself together.

Pain in his eyes, Zuko reached up, cupping her face in his hand as he used his thumb to brush away the tear.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered again.

Katara nodded, stepping closer to him and reaching her arms around him, trying to block the wave of emotions that were building within her. Zuko's arms quickly followed, gripping her tightly.

"You're asking me to choose between them and you, Zuko. You know that, right?" she mumbled into his chest, Zuko's hand coming to rest on the back of her head as he clutched her tightly.

"I know. And I'll understand whatever choice you make."

"Really?" Katara said with a wry smile, disbelief evident in her tone.

"By wanting me to stop chasing Aang, you were asking me to choose between you or my country," he told her, his words making Katara look up at him in surprise.

"I made my choice," he continued. "And I honestly thought you would attack me or at least try to run once I told you, but you're still here. The least I can do is the same for you."

"Maybe I still have hope that you can change, Zuko," Katara admitted.

"Don't waste your time on that," Zuko replied, gruffly. "Don't let that hope be part of your decision, because it will only hurt you once you realize you were wrong."

Katara stepped away as he finished, pulling out of his hold, her body breaking out into goosebumps at the loss of heat his body had provided her with. The cold made her want to jump back into his arms, never letting go of him, but she forced herself to take another step back.

"I need time," she told him, searching his eyes for understanding, relief spreading through her when she found it, Zuko nodding to her and taking a step back as well.

"Does this make me your prisoner again?" Katara asked, voice cracking slightly from the fear of his answer.

Zuko looked at her in disbelief.

"Of course not," he insisted, voice still quiet. "And if you choose Aang and your brother, I promise, on everything I have, I won't try and stop you when you leave."

A smile grew on Katara's face, surprising Zuko.

"What?" he asked. "What are you smiling about?"

"You called him Aang."

If Zuko could've turned paler, he did.