The sun stirred the fire within Zuko and he stretched as his bending grew stronger. His fingers only found empty sheets and he cracked an eye to find the bed empty. He knew she had been here earlier, he wouldn't have slept otherwise. The fact that she was gone now was a bit alarming. She never woke before he did unless it was from a nightmare… At which point, she would curl closer into him and he would hold her close, stroking her hair and occasionally having hushed conversations in the dark. He looked towards the bathroom, but the door was wide open, so obviously she wasn't there. He sat up, running a hand through his hair when something horrible occurred to him. Today was the day Aang was leaving and he never got a clear answer on whether or not Katara was going with him.

Panic made him bolt from his bed and he dashed to the panel in the door, not bothering to grab anything to cover his bare chest, he ran into Katara's room, but she wasn't there. He checked the balcony where she so often went, but it too was empty. Nervously, he opened the wardrobe and found it bare. With a curse, he spun on his heel and dashed barefoot out of the room and towards the stable, praying it wasn't too late.

He took a side stair that led to the gardens below his balcony and he began to run around the outside of the palace to the far side where Appa had been residing. He heard a loud growl and the huge shadow of Appa as he flew over and away.

His frantic pace slowed to a halt as he stopped to stare at the retreating shape. "I'm too late." He murmured and felt his stomach drop; there was nothing left for him to do, so he sedately continued on his way towards the stables. He had walked for a few minutes when someone up ahead rounded the corner. The lithe yet demur figure made his heart and his stomach lurch simultaneously and he found himself sprinting forward yet again.

"Katara!" He called, and her head shot up.

She had stumbled to a halt and before she could do anything else, she was already being swept up in his embrace as he held her high and spun her a bit before letting her feet once again touch the ground and holding her closely to himself. "Zuko…" She mumbled into his shoulder as her arms snaked around his waist and she relaxed against him.

He rested his face against the top of her head and murmured to her. "I thought you had left without saying goodbye."

Katara pulled back a bit so she could look at his face. "I thought about what you said, and you were right. I am happy here working at the hospital where I'm genuinely needed. With Aang… He just doesn't need me, not like the people here do."

"You're staying?"

"Yes."

Zuko tried to hide his pleasure at this announcement, he was the Fire Lord after all and needed to show some decorum. Speaking of… He glanced down, finally noticing his state of undress and lack of shoes.

"Perhaps we should get you dressed before you scandalize your staff by running around half naked." Katara said with a teasing smirk.

He rubbed the back of his head shyly and turned away for a moment. "Come on." He said a little gruffly and clasped her hand, turning to march her back into the palace, dragging her along behind him, not looking at the startled expression that turned pleased as his back was turned.

The hospital hadn't been expecting Katara, they, much like herself, had expected her to be flying off around the world on her next ambassador mission with Aang. Instead, she and Zuko, once he was clothed, headed towards his office to work. Once they got settled, Zuko began to leaf through different stacks, but unable to focus. There was a question nagging him. One he just had to know.

"So… Katara…?"

"Hmm?" She didn't look up from the paper in her hands as she sat in the plush chair across from his desk.

"This morning… about Aang…"

Katara sighed and set down her papers. "What do you want to know?" She sounded tired and couldn't quite meet his gaze.

Zuko wasn't sure he should pursue the answer but couldn't help himself. "What happened?"

"I told him that the people in that hospital needed me more than he did. That… that I haven't felt really useful or needed in a long time." She winced a little and looked down, rubbing her arm and knowing that had sounded a little callous. "He didn't really agree, but…" she shrugged. "He was most upset about the break up." Her voice broke a little on the last word.

Zuko wanted to go to her, to hold her, but he sat frozen in his seat, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"It just didn't…" she choked for a moment before clearing her throat. "Make sense for us to be together while I was here, and he was all over the world. It will be better this way." She took a deep breath, looking up at Zuko finally with shining eyes. "He was upset, but I think in time, he'll see it as a good thing."

"You did the right thing." Zuko reassured her around the lump in his throat.

"Did I?" She asked quietly, looking so vulnerable.

Zuko was at her side before he realized he had moved. He grasped her hands and peered into her face. "It's difficult to be in a long-distance relationship." Mai's softly scowling face came to mind. "Trust me."

Katara nodded and sniffled just a little bit. "Let's get back to work, shall we?" She asked, giving him a small smile.

That evening as Katara slipped into her night gown, this one of red satin, and brushed out her hair, she wondered at the appropriateness of her and Zuko's nightly ritual. She was no longer with Aang, but Zuko was still with Mai and he had even gone so far as to remind her earlier. She knew it was just sleeping next to her friend to keep the nightmares at bay, but maybe that was too much of a betrayal? Maybe things had changed. She recalled the early days of returning from the caves… How her pride and sense of propriety had insisted she try to sleep apart from Zuko and how it had resulted in horrifically vivid nightmares. She fretted and absentmindedly fiddled with her hair until the secret panel in the door opened quietly and she heard Zuko's soft footsteps approaching her.

"Are you alright? Would you rather sleep in here tonight?" Zuko asked, sounding completely normal. Clearly this was all in her head. She composed herself quickly, hands dropping away as she turned to face him. He was sans shirt as usual and wore the soft trousers he typically did to sleep, but she seemed hyper-aware of the bare skin, the starburst of shiny scar tissue on his front, so much like the round, iridescent scar of her own.

"We can go back to your room, I just got distracted is all." He held out a hand and suddenly she was worried her palms were sweaty. This was dumb. She scolded herself. It's just Zuko, you're friend. Who has a girlfriend. She reminded herself firmly. She placed her hand woodenly in his and allowed him to lead her to the large, plush bed meant for the Fire Lord. They both crawled beneath the blankets and got comfortable, Katara holding herself apart in her new-found self-consciousness.

A warm hand slid across her hip and she could feel her cheeks heat as a warm body languorously slid in behind hers, molding to her form so completely it was like they were one. His other arm was sliding beneath her head, so she was pillowed on the muscles of his arm.

"Zuko- "she gasped softly.

"Why are you way over there?" he murmured sleepily, voice already heavy with exhaustion. He nuzzled into her hair and sighed contentedly as he quickly dropped off to sleep.

Guess things hadn't changed perspectives for Zuko at least. Katara tried to ease her mind and slow the racing of her heart. She was overreacting anyway, she chastised herself as she snuggled in and closed her eyes, slowly drifting into sweet dreams.

Sarahplainntall here guys! I know, I'm TERRIBLE with updates and I am so so sorry. I just finished another semester of med school, so thank you for being patient. I know this chapter is short, but I'm going for slightly shorter, hopefully quicker updates. If you enjoyed the chapter, please review. I have been known to incorporate things in my stories.