Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender purely begins to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.

Summary: Building a new world is never easy. Years after the end of the war, one night between Zuko and Katara leads to the reveal of hidden truths and disrupts their plans of the peaceful lives they thought they'd have. Even when everything spins wild, they will always find each other. They could fight the entire Fire Nation together, but what are they willing to sacrifice when the other is on the line?

Zuko's steely gaze alighted on the dark home as his carriage slowed. The street lamps cast a warm glow over the empty roads, accentuating the golden tiles that adorned the homes of the city's Upper Ring. Once the carriage finally came to a full stop, he stepped down from the compartment and stood at the foot of the steps leading to the large structure that would act as his temporary home for the next few weeks. The compound mirrored the city as it was surrounded by a high stone fence that deterred thieves and kept curious eyes at bay.

The young Fire Lord ran a hand over his face, feeling the effects of his travels echo throughout his body. Servants immediately came down the steps of the ornate home in a single file line, ready to take his bags from the carriage. Zuko inclined his head at his driver in thanks before heading up the stairs to enter the home, which immediately lit up as his presence was made known.

One of the Earth Kingdom staff rushed behind him. "Fire Lord Zuko, welcome to Ba Sing Se! Before you settle in for the night, I'd like to—"

Zuko stopped short, causing the young woman to stumble on the step below him to avoid running into him. Zuko quickly reached out and grabbed her by the elbow to make sure she didn't fall down the steps, letting go as soon as he was sure she was steady.

"Forgive me for being curt, but I've traveled here directly from the Fire Nation capital— after a full day of preparing to leave it to my council of advisors— to come to the Earth Kingdom for the spring summit and it was a long trip. I'd like to retire for the night and I'll be happy to look over any itinerary the Earth King's set up in the morning."

The young woman widened her brown eyes as the Fire Lord spoke directly to her. He was not known to be unkind, but he had rightfully developed a reputation for being intimidating and she was now witnessing it firsthand as she stared into his golden eyes. Her mouth moved without making sound for a few moments before she blinked and quickly nodded her head, feeling a blush spread on her cheeks. She stammered out, "Y-y-yes, of course. That— that's not a problem, Fire Lord Zuko. I should've realized. I'm so sorry—"

"There's nothing to apologize for," Zuko cut in. His face softened slightly and he ventured, "Have a good night…" He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

The young woman stared at him before belatedly answering, "Qing Zi."

"Good night, Qing Zi." Zuko nodded and once more turned to enter the home. He froze before crossing the entrance when he heard another carriage approach. He turned over his shoulder and saw Qing Zi quickly approach it.

"Master Katara, welcome to Ba Sing Se!"

Zuko's jaw dropped and before he knew it, he found himself walking down the steps again, towards her. Zuko watched as a small hand gripped the frame of the carriage door and soon thereafter, Katara emerged from the carriage, greeting Qing Zi with a warm, albeit exhausted smile.

"Thank you for receiving me, especially at such a late hour. Really, it's very kind of the Earth King to attend to me in such a way. I apologize, but I am quite tired from traveling from the South Pole."

"Of course, I understand completely, Master Katara—"

"Just Katara is fine," she interrupted kindly. "And your name is?"

"Qing Zi, ma'a'm. The Earth King would like to ensure that your arrangements are to your liking as well as invite you to breakfast at the Royal Palace tomorrow."

"I'm certain that the arrangements will be more than sufficient. I'm never disappointed when I travel to Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom is always more than accommodating and I appreciate its gracious hospitality with every visit. And please pass along my acceptance of his invitation. If you don't mind, Qing Zi, I'd like to rest for the remainder of the night as I'm sure the summit business will begin right after breakfast tomorrow."

Qing Zi nodded quickly and waved an arm over to instruct the other servants to retrieve Katara's bags. "Absolutely. We'll have the privilege of bringing your bags in for you in order to save you some trouble. Before I let you go, I'd like to let you know— due to the amount of dignitaries arriving for the Earth King's birthday celebrations and following summit meetings, we cannot accommodate single-occupant dwellings as we are usually able to."

Katara nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. I assume I'm sharing the house with Master Bei Fong as usual then?"

Taking a deep breath, Qing Zi inclined her head slightly. "Lady Bei Fong declined the invitation as she has much to oversee at her fledgling Metalbending Academy and cannot attend the spring summit completely. She will be able to make it for his birthday celebration, however."

"That sounds like her, alright," Katara muttered under her breath. She sighed and assured Qing Zi, "No worries, I'm sure that my itinerary will be filled with activities so my housemate and I will scarcely see each other. The lodgings are so generous, I doubt we'll ever cross paths." Katara squeezed Qing Zi's shoulder before stepping past her. "I think you all should head home and get some rest. The next few weeks will be very busy for you. Good night."

Qing Zi made to call out after her, but she stopped at the sight before her. As Katara made her way up the steps, the curt Fire Lord had come out from the entranceway of the home to meet Katara halfway with a small, rare smile on his face. Even more surprising was that he welcomed the way the master Waterbender threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. The force of her embrace caused him to stagger back, but he shifted the momentum by sweeping Katara around in a circle, settling her back down on the steps above him so that they were eye level.

"Zuko! You're here? What a surprise!" Katara cried out, a disbelieving laugh coloring her voice.

"I can say the same." Zuko pulled back and offered her a boyish smile with enough shyness to soften his angular face. "Hate to disappoint you, but it looks like I'll be your housemate for the duration of this visit."

Katara's blue eyes were bright and crinkled at the corners as she spoke with a grin. "Are you kidding me? This is much better than what I was expecting. If I wasn't rooming with Toph, I thought they'd pair me up with a stuffy Earth Kingdom noblewoman," she joked.

Approaching them timidly, Qing Zi explained, "Yes, I was hoping to give both of you a warning but it seems like it wasn't necessary… Generally, the Earth King would have set up the homes so as to ensure same-sex housemates, for propriety and comfort's sake, but in your case, he assured me that the two of you wouldn't mind due to your history together."

Katara froze and Zuko's eyebrow skyrocketed. "Excuse me?" he asked tightly.

"King Kuei mentioned that you two had often traveled together in the past and would be comfortable with the living arrangements. I'm sorry if this isn't the case. I can certainly make new ones if you'd like!"

Both war heroes relaxed and Katara shook her head. "That's not necessary, Qing Zi. King Kuei was correct. I certainly don't have any issue sharing a house with Fire Lord Zuko."

"Nor do I." Zuko reiterated his previous words, "Have a good night, Qing Zi. Master Katara and I appreciate your attention to us, but it's late and as we've all mentioned, the next few weeks will be very busy for us all."

"Of course. Good night, Fire Lord Zuko. Master Katara—I mean… just Katara," she amended at the look on Katara's face. Qing Zi bowed and at her signal, the servants who had taken in their bags followed her as they filed into Zuko and Katara's now-empty carriages and rode through the deserted streets of the Upper Ring, presumably back to the servants' quarters at the Royal Palace.

Zuko and Katara watched them disappear into the darkness before entering the house, Zuko pausing at the entranceway to allow Katara to walk in before him. Katara gave him a knowing smile at the show of chivalry and Zuko quickly used his Firebending to light the fireplace in the main room. The spring season had not officially started so the nights were still on the cooler side, even in the Earth Kingdom. The sitting room was grand and filled with numerous cushions and banquettes, comfortable enough to host a large family, let alone two young adults. It seemed Katara wasn't wrong in saying that she would be able to avoid her housemate in a home as grand as this.

Of course, knowing that Zuko was her housemate meant that she wouldn't have to make those efforts. Katara made her way into the kitchen and used her Waterbending to siphon water into the kettle she was using to prepare tea. Within seconds, the water had boiled under her control and she neatly poured the tea from the kettle into two cups with an almost lazy flick of her wrist. She held one out for Zuko with a smile and he took it from her somewhat hesitantly before joining her at the kitchen table.

"We've certainly camped out in worse conditions," she commented before taking a sip.

With an uncharacteristically un-royal snort, Zuko agreed, "Tell me about it. I'll never forget camping out next to Toph's earth tent. Especially when she was going through one of her weeks when she refused to bathe."

Katara wrinkled her nose at the memory and laughed softly. "The fights we would get into about personal hygiene, oh she would get under my skin like no one else. And she knew it and loved it. No one, except maybe Suki, will understand the horror of being the sole female in a group of teenage boys. And I'm including Toph in that."

Unsure of how to answer, Zuko let the silence linger for a beat too long before asking, "Is Aang not coming? Is that why you're traveling alone?"

The smile fell from Katara's face and Zuko immediately felt sick to his stomach, knowing he had said something wrong. "Sorry. I just assumed… that you'd be staying with him since… you know, you two are... Aang is okay, isn't he? I mean, I think I would've heard if he wasn't. You guys would have told me... right?"

Katara hugged the teacup and stared into the dark amber liquid thoughtfully, one of her slender fingers circling the rim distractedly. She looked up at Zuko from under her lashes, biting her lip nervously. "Aang and I… aren't Aang and I anymore," she revealed lowly. "That's why I'm not staying with him. I don't even know if he's coming to Ba Sing Se or if he's here already."

Zuko blinked and raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh. When did that happen? Not that you have to answer, it's none of my business!" The rest of his words tumbled out in a rush and Zuko fought to cringe. He woodenly chugged his cup of tea, resisting the urge to wince at the scalding liquid. After years of being the Fire Lord, he still hadn't quite mastered the art of handling awkward conversation. "I'm sorry," he said again after a long moment.

Katara shook her head and raised her head to meet his eyes fully. "You couldn't have known." She lifted one shoulder in a mini-shrug. "I'd assume he's coming or at the very least, he was invited. He is the Avatar, after all."

Zuko picked up on the slight bitterness in her tone. "Do… you want to talk about it?"

"I couldn't put you through that, Zuko."

It was Zuko's turn to shrug. "I'm here to listen if you need."

Katara held his gaze, her brow furrowed in thoughtfulness as she acknowledged the sincerity in his tone. "You always were a good listener, huh?"

Nervously scratching the back of his neck, Zuko felt his cheeks warm. "Not exactly a big talker, myself."

"I remember," Katara replied wryly. "You were more of a yeller or barker of orders," she teased.

With a small smile, Katara looked back down at her tea and back at him again. "There's a lot to catch up on. It's been nearly a year since we last saw you at Sokka and Suki's engagement celebration. And even then, you didn't stay for the whole thing." She spoke with light censure, like a mother scolding her children for not coming home to visit more often.

"Or I should say, it's been at least a year since I've last seen you. When I last saw Aang during his visit to the South Pole for the wedding, he mentioned that he's seen you more regularly the last few months while you two hammered out the details of the food supply shipments to the repopulated Air Temples."

Zuko began to open his mouth to retort, but Katara held up a hand to stop him. "I know, I know. Being the ruler of a nation keeps you from making social calls. Trust me, we were all happy that you were able to make an appearance at all. But it wouldn't hurt you to write more often."

"I always respond," Zuko insisted.

"Then it's a good thing I always write first, isn't it?" she pointed out.

"I imagine you would understand how busy it can get… being the Avatar's Waterbending teacher."

Katara shook her head. "Not really. I stopped being Aang's teacher years ago… but being his girlfriend? Yeah… I was more busy helping Aang chase his dreams around the world. Though I still made sure to write to everyone," she pointed out. "It was a lot of nights spent sleeping on Appa's back. Which is fine… when you're fourteen and the fate of the world is resting on your shoulders. But at twenty with the world at relative peace? Not so much."

"I'm sorry," Zuko said eventually.

"You're apologizing an awful lot for something you have nothing to be sorry for."

Zuko smirked. "Consider it me making up for chasing you guys around for a year."

"Zuko, we cleared that debt a long time ago."

Her oceanic eyes held his purposefully and Zuko found himself marveling at them. He often heard that the eyes were the windows to a person's soul, but he knew it to be undoubtedly true with Katara. When she was angry, her eyes were dual storms and when she smiled, they were the bright blue of a clear day. And when she looked at him the way she did now, with an intensity as deep as the seas, he often found himself swallowed up in their mystery. His gaze fell to her full lips, but he quickly caught himself and met her eyes again.

"Still feels like I've got payments to make," he murmured.

Katara stared directly into his eyes, the golden orbs meeting hers intently. She reached out and gently placed her hand over his and she smiled at him, "Not with me." She slowly pulled her hand back and Zuko fought to hold back a sigh as her warmth disappeared from his skin.

His impulsive nature getting the best of him, he asked, "Alright, I do have a bone to pick with you. Why didn't you mention you and Aang in your letters?"

"It's not exactly something I wanted to announce, is it?" Katara muttered sourly. "Besides, Aang didn't mention anything to you when he saw you, did he?" Katara crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, "We broke up months ago, in the time after his birthday and before Sokka and Suki's wedding." Katara pursed her lips and looked back down at her tea. "I didn't have the heart to do it before his birthday. How lousy of me would that have been?"

Zuuko twisted his face. "Not as lousy as dumping him through a letter. Take it from me."

"A letter? You mean, you broke up with Mai through a—"

"A few months?" Zuko countered, raising an eyebrow at her. "So that's why you've been hiding out at the South Pole. I thought you were just helping Sokka and Suki with wedding preparations and got stuck there," he mused, recalling the latest update from her letters.

Katara scoffed, "I was not 'hiding out'. I was…I hadn't been home in a while! My Gran-Gran isn't getting any younger. Neither is Pakku, and there are so many young Waterbenders now and they needed a teacher and I…" Her shoulders sagged and she rolled her eyes. "Okay, I was hiding out a little," she grumbled under her breath.

"You forget I have excellent hearing," Zuko reminded her. "And I'm sure you were needed at the South Pole and still are. It's also your home and there's nothing wrong with wanting to be home. Agni knows that I understand that better than anyone. But Katara, you've seen the world and done so much, do you really want to stay at the South Pole forever?"

"I've seen the world and done so much… but I haven't seen enough of my own home. Helped enough of my own people." Katara sighed. "Maybe that's the Water Tribe in me talking. Maybe it's just me making excuses."

Zuko shook his head. "You shouldn't have to apologize for wanting to be home," he repeated. "My Uncle Iroh once told me that the Water Tribes' greatest strength comes from their never ending sense of community and love, especially in the midst of adversity and change. I understand if you're feeling homesick or guilty that you haven't done enough for the people who raised you. It's who you are. You care deeply. And again, who am I to cast judgment? I went on a wild goose chase for years for the slimmest of chances to return home."

"Oh Zuko…" Katara grinned. "When did you get so wise? Then again... a letter?"

Rolling his golden eyes at her, he ignored her not-so-subtle attempt to learn more about his romantic failing and retorted, "Maybe I've spent too much time with my uncle."

"Impossible!" Katara laughed. "Is he still here in Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko couldn't help but smile a little at the thought of the most important male figure in his life. "Couldn't take him away from that tea shop of his if you tried."

Katara lifted her teacup at him. "Challenge accepted. I'll make sure to invite him out to lunch while I'm here," she said, before finishing off her tea. She took the empty cup and placed it in the water basin to wash in the morning before turning back and leaning back down, resting her elbows on the table. Zuko smiled wistfully as he remembered Katara's strict cleaning habits from when they traveled together.

"What about you, Zuko? It's been a long time since you and Mai split up. Please don't tell me that in the last three years, you've done nothing but sit behind a desk or on that grand throne of yours. I know that the women at court have to be throwing themselves at the most eligible bachelor in the nation."

He averted her gaze. He felt the familiar heat of a blush reaching his cheeks for the second time that night, when before tonight, he couldn't recall blushing in the last year alone. Zuko cleared his throat and turned his attention to tracing a particularly interesting vein on the marble table with a long finger. "You try being the leader of the most hated nation in the world. And on top of that, being hated by half of your own people."

"I'm sure that's not true. And it's been five years since the war's end. There are still wounds, but the progress you've made since then has been incredible. Take it from the girl who's flown all over the world and has seen it firsthand. You're making a true difference, Zuko." Katara stood tall and crossed her arms over her chest, lifting an eyebrow at him suspiciously. "And what do you mean? Have you had trouble with some of your father's old supporters?"

"Nothing to worry about," Zuko brushed off.

"I should hope not, since this is the first time I'm hearing of it. You know you can always ask me for help," she prodded.

Zuko looked her in the eye purposefully. "You know I can't ask that of you."

"You know that you can and you should." Katara kept his gaze. "Besides, now I'm a free agent with no concrete plans."

"Sounds nice," he said flippantly.

Katara scoffed. "When was the last time you took a vacation?"

"I can't just take a vacation from being the Fire Lord, Katara," Zuko insisted.

"I think you can, you just haven't tried." Katara's eyes softened. "You're a great leader, Zuko. And the best that the Fire Nation's had in a long time. In order to sustain and continue the work you've done, you need to make sure that you don't get burnt out." Zuko's lip twitched and Katara bit down on her lower lip before allowing herself to smile.

"Pun intended?" he drawled.

"Pun intended," she answered.

They held their eye contact until Katara broke away to yawn loudly. Zuko smiled and nodded at her. "You've had a long travel day," he hinted.

Still yawning, Katara waved him off, "So have you."

"You need rest."

"You're one to talk."

"Do you always have to make everything an argument?" he sighed.

"You make it so easy," she smirked. "But you're right; we have an early day in the morning and should probably call it a night."

Zuko stood from his seat and awkwardly stood across the table from her. "Right…"

Katara laughed softly under her breath before walking around the table to hug him briefly. Almost immediately, Zuko was taken back to when he was sixteen and he had finally earned her forgiveness after helping her confront her mother's murderer. He was always surprised whenever Katara graced him with a hug and could never respond in time. This time, he was quicker to react and returned the embrace before she could walk away from him. Katara stiffened at first, moreso due to the shock as Zuko rarely returned the gesture, but easily leaned into him before pulling back and looking up at him with the slightest curve to her lips.

"Good night, Zuko," she said softly.

"Good night, Katara."

Katara averted her eyes as she felt a small blush warm her cheeks unexpectedly. Zuko stepped back and let her go so she could go to her room. He leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling and let out a long breath.

"Zuko?"

The young Fire Lord whipped around to see her standing at the corridor, nearly hidden from view as she was about to turn into the hallway that led to her room. "I'm really glad we have the chance to see other again and just talk. It's been too long." Her eyes turned away for a moment before meeting his again. Zuko noticed a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she added quietly, "I missed you."

"Katara…" A gentle smile appeared on Zuko's lips and the sight of it warmed Katara. "I… yeah. Me, too."

His response was enough for Katara to beam at him before disappearing around the corner.