Zuko had fought so hard to keep the smile off of his face when Katara had worked so hard to keep him from waking up. He hadn't been able to totally fall asleep, although he'd been close. He vaguely remembered his uncle coming up to them, but his mind had been too fuzzy by then to understand what he had spoken about with Katara.

It hadn't been until Katara had wrapped her hand around the back of his head to help him lean down that he'd fully come back to his senses, although luckily, he'd managed to keep his eyes closed and expression neutral. She'd moved so slowly to try and make sure he stayed asleep, Zuko had wondered if his head would ever hit the sand. When it did, he'd listened as Katara took a few steps back and watched for a reaction from him until she was satisfied, she'd been successful.

Figuring Katara had simply gotten tired of the position he'd put her in, Zuko's eyes opened with a start when he heard her running off, moving fast for someone who'd simply needed to switch how they were sitting. He lifted his head slightly off the sand to see her disappearing through the trees, heading to the west of them, away from their camp and the parts of the island Zuko knew she liked to explore. Worry had filled his mind as he got to his feet, hesitating a moment before racing after her, careful to move as quietly as possible while still keeping his distance.

Maybe she just really needed to use the bathroom, he tried to think logically. She didn't stop, however, making Zuko's concern only grow until he saw her stop at the edge of a cliff, blue eyes gazing intently on whatever was below her. Eyes furrowed, Zuko made his way carefully down through the trees until he found a place where he could see into the small inlet she'd found with enough tree cover that Katara would have a hard time seeing him unless he moved.

Edging forward, Zuko saw Katara drop to her hands and knees, focused solely on what she'd found. Anticipation built in Zuko as he stepped towards the edge. A gasp built in his throat that he managed to choke down when he saw the ship with blue sails.

Southern watertribe. Katara's people.

A yell sounded below him, and Zuko saw as Katara's head snapped towards the voice then trailed back to the ship. Her eyes grew wet and a smile broke out across her face as she whispered something.

"He invaded my ship, of course I'm going to attack him! Why are you defending him?"

"That man was my dad, Zuko."

Katara's words came back all at once to Zuko and he felt his heart drop so quickly that if he hadn't already been crouched down, he would have toppled over. Her family was down there. Her people, her father. She was finally free.

Something inside him was screaming. She was going to leave him. She was going to go to her father, and Zuko would never see her again. She was right, their moment on the beach could never last and here was the proof.

He wanted to stop her. Desperately, he wanted to run to her and beg her to stay with him, swear he would give up on his chase. She was so strong and good, someone he wanted to hang onto no matter what the cost was. He couldn't lose her, not now. He'd known it would happen but this was too soon, too unexpected.

Zuko flinched forward and stopped himself.

"Idiot," he said to himself, gazing at Katara. "She isn't yours to have, and she never will be."

Fists clenched tightly, Zuko forced himself not to react as he watched Katara stand, his heart pounding painfully against his chest as he saw he raise her arms and breathe in.

Then the sun hit her and Katara hesitated.

Zuko's eyes widened as she looked at the backs of her hands, lowering them slowly. She seemed confused as she turned her head towards the sky, one hand blocking the sun as she looked up towards the sky and then down towards the horizon where the water and sky met. And then she took a step backwards. And then another one. One last look down at the ship below her and then she turned away completely, walking back into the trees.

Shocked enough to keep from moving for a few minutes, Zuko eventually managed to shake himself into alertness. He didn't understand, what had just happened? Following her was the only thing he could think to do and luckily Katara made enough noise he was able to find the direction she was headed in. He found he at the small lake he'd watched her dance in days ago, curled up at the base of a tear as she sobbed.

Once again, Zuko found himself frozen, unable to go to her. He watched her cry, heart aching for her as he tried to make sense of what had happened.

She didn't stop crying for a long time, and Zuko stayed where he was long after Katara had dried her eyes and walked away, heading in the direction of the camp Iroh, Zuko, and her had set up, not even looking back towards where her father's ship had been.