Chapter 14

Katara sat comfortably in the cushions of the large drawing room on the second floor of the estate, slowly sipping her jasmine tea and idly observing the storm that was slowly brewing outside. It was an early hour still, wind whipping at the palm trees, howling as it threw itself against the estate, broken branches and tree leaves being blown into the pool in the courtyard below.

Still, inside the estate, everything felt quiet and peaceful. The only sounds that reached Katara came from the kitchen below, Suki and Ty Lee preparing breakfast and chatting among themselves, their relaxed laughter filling Katara with soothing warmth. The tea helped as well, caringly prepared by Ty Lee as an apology for mistakenly chi-blocking her the previous evening. As for Zuko, he hadn't emerged from his room yet, and for the moment Katara felt glad for it, happy to spend a little more time by herself and further internalize her own feelings and emotions.

Something had changed within her after she had impulsively kissed Zuko, and then after that confrontation with Mai that saw Zuko break off their engagement. She had tried to flee the island because she didn't trust herself not to act on her raging passion and growing desire for the young Fire Lord. Those feelings were all still present, even stronger than before, but somehow her will to fight these feelings was eroding swiftly. Her raging emotions threatened to overwhelm her in an all consuming inferno and she felt powerless to resist it. Fighting these emotions only seemed to stoke the flames higher and higher. At this admission, strange calm had overtaken her and she began to feel as if she was meant to give herself over to these feelings, to let the current of her emotions carry her wherever it may, be it through this inferno blossoming between her and Zuko.

Of course, the confrontation with Mai and her guards had played a big part into her decisions as well. Katara was not blind to her own stubborn streak, and when Mai had tried to intimidate her into leaving, Katara's first instinct was to do the exact opposite, to go back to Zuko. Even if the rational part of Katara's mind understood that it was her appearance on the scene that now threatened the political stability of the Fire Nation, something deep inside of her fought tooth and nail against feeling guilty for her actions. It didn't even matter that her future did not lay with Zuko, she had come to firmly believe that Mai was simply not a good fit for the young Fire Lord, they were a terrible match and their union would cause Zuko to be unhappy, and that thought upset Katara greatly.

Still, as much as surrendering herself to her raging passions seemed like an easy choice to make, it wasn't as if Katara was completely at peace with it, or lightheartedly tried to ignore the possible consequences. She had to think about Aang and her relationship with the Avatar. She cared greatly for Aang and they had been through thick and thin together. Her feelings for him were strong and true, even if they were unlike the emotions she was currently dealing with. Aang made her feel safe, and their relationship played well to her caring and nurturing side. Still, it seemed as if another side of her had been neglected in her relationship with Aang, and her encounters with Zuko were all the proof that was needed.

Katara knew that she would never forgive herself for hurting Aang, but she had already done that when she had kissed Zuko, hadn't she? And then again, when she had allowed Zuko to kiss her the night before. This wasn't something that Katara intended to hide from Aang. She already knew she would have to beg for his forgiveness. The trouble was… Katara wasn't certain that the two occasions on which she and Zuko had kissed would remain all that she would have to ask forgiveness for. Whenever she found some privacy with Zuko, things just spiraled out of control, and neither of them appeared capable of exerting any sort of restraint over their overflowing passions.

Maybe that was the only solution? Instead of trying to douse the flaming fires, maybe they just needed to let them burn and exhaust themselves on their own? It sounded tempting, but the raw strength of these flames still frightened Katara as much as they exhilarated her. What if instead of burning out harmlessly, the flames were to consume both her and Zuko entirely? And did these questions matter anyway, when in the end Katara simply could no longer trust herself to stop in time before things had escalated beyond control?

"This storm looks like a nasty one," she suddenly jumped at Zuko's voice behind her, the young Fire Lord having emerged from his quarters so quietly that the winds howling outside had masked the sound of his approach. "What do you think? You're more in tune with this element… should we be worried?" he sat next to her, watching the wind try to break the bending palm trees.

"It's going to get a lot worse, I can tell you that," Katara replied, having thought for a moment. As a waterbender, she had an easy time predicting some of the weather patterns simply by feeling rise and fall in air humidity. "Actually… there's a lot of rain heading our way. I suppose I could try and drain the storm, but… it's not an easy task."

"And I'd rather not get you struck by lightning," Zuko chuckled. "Anyhow, rain isn't my main worry. The estate is elevated and protected from flooding. I'm more concerned about winds damaging the estate."

"Looks like the winds are rising as well," Katara remarked, watching a particularly strong gust picking up some of the grilling tools abandoned by the pool and throwing them against the wall. It seemed almost fitting that the winds were raging, considering everything that was happening. I've heard people giving names to tropical storms. Maybe this one should be called the Avatar's Wrath.

"Yes, I think we definitely need to prepare," Zuko spoke, hastily getting right back up. "I'll go grab Suki and Ty Lee, and then we'll go and board up all the windows. I'd rather not waste more funds from the royal treasury to repair the recently restored family estate."

"Do you need any help?" Katara asked.

"We should be fine," Zuko smiled at her and was about to walk off, but then he seemed to reconsider. "But if you could check the estate grounds for any belongings that have been left out in the open, that would be very helpful. Although… I imagine that most things would be blown away by now."

"I'll go take a look," Katara nodded, getting up to follow him. "I've never hunkered down to ride out a storm like this. It's a little scary, but also somehow… exciting? If that makes any sense."

"There's something magnificent about a raging storm, isn't there?" Zuko smiled, turning back to her. "Well, as long as the estate holds out against this crazy wind…"

Several hours later, the group of four were lounging in the upper floor drawing room of a tightly sealed up estate. It had taken a while to secure the building and the group had worked frantically, Katara eventually coming to help the others by using her waterbending to seal some of the windows and doors with solid layers of ice. Now that they were back inside, safe from the intensifying storm, the surroundings felt weirdly surreal to Zuko, considering that it was still early in the afternoon, and yet the estate was sinking in darkness. Sparse candlelight lit up the drawing room, and with the wind howling outside and torrential downpour pelting the estate's roof, their safe haven from the storm felt almost romantic.

While there was not much else to do other than to sit tight and wait out the storm, some of them were far less amenable to waiting patiently than the others. "I'm bored!" Ty Lee announced, having walked around the room on her hands for about the seventh or eighth time. "Let's do something!"

"What do you have in mind, Ty Lee?" Katara asked, smiling. She was laying down on the cushions close to Zuko, appearing outwardly content and relaxed.

"I don't know, but we could… oh, I do know!" Ty Lee exclaimed cheerfully. "Let's play a game!"

"What sort of game?" Zuko asked guardedly. With someone like Ty Lee, one always had to ask beforehand. Some of her ideas were of the crazy sort.

"The best game, of course!" Ty Lee grinned broadly. "Truth or dare!"

"I'm up for it," Suki announced immediately, while Zuko groaned inwardly. "But I'll need a drink if I am to play. Uh, with your permission, Fire Lord?" she bowed at Zuko.

"Sure, as long as you're sharing," Zuko found himself smiling back at his bodyguard and Suki immediately bolted off towards her quarters.

"Now I'm curious about this drink of hers," Katara chuckled.

"Just think of it as a juice with a little bit of extra kick," Zuko winked at her. At least he was safe from having to actually play that potentially embarrassing game. There was no way someone as sensible as Katara would agree to it.

"Well, I think I'll need some of that drink, too, if I am to play truth or dare," Katara replied, making Zuko blink in surprise.

"You're the best, Katara!" Ty Lee cheered at the waterbender. "That means we're all in! Let's get down to some truth or dare!"

"I haven't agreed yet!" Zuko protested.

"Oh, don't tell me you're the one with cold feet!" Katara challenged him with an irresistible smile. "I never took you for someone who would back down like that."

"This could just be a way to pry state secrets from me," Zuko tried helplessly.

"Well, if you're worried about that, then just choose dare all the time," Katara didn't relent, making Zuko finally sigh and shrug his shoulders in defeat.

"Fine, I'll play," he grumbled. "But I want everyone to know that you are all completely crazy."

"That we are!" Ty Lee grinned broadly. "Let's play! Oh wait, we'll need something to spin… let me check the kitchen!" and with that she was off again, nearly colliding with Suki who was returning with a pitcher containing a slightly cloudy looking liquid, and a tray with four glasses. Suki was still busy pouring everyone's drinks when Ty Lee returned, proudly holding up a large cabbage. "Ta-da! We are ready to play!"

"I didn't know you needed a cabbage to play truth or dare," Katara remarked, sounding puzzled.

"It'll do in a pinch," Ty Lee grinned, taking the proffered drink from her girlfriend, but as she did so, Suki nimbly reached out and stole the cabbage from her. "Hey, what's the big idea, Suki!" Ty Lee complained.

"I get to start, because I brought the drinks," Suki stuck out tongue at her girlfriend. They all sat on the floor forming a circle, glasses in hand, Suki possessively holding on to the cabbage. "I feel like we need a toast before we begin. Zuko, you are our best bet for a proper royal toast."

"Hmm, if you wish," Zuko nodded, raising his glass, the three girls following suit. "Let's drink for an amazing holiday, which isn't even over yet... we still have one last evening left, so let's make it count. And I want to thank all of you for making our stay here on Ember Island so amazing," he finished, stealing a quick glance at Katara, the beautiful waterbender smiling at him and nodding in agreement as everyone took a swig.

"Oh," Katara blinked, looking surprised. "That is... some juice. Really tickles the back of my throat in a funny way. And... ooh, I feel so warm all of a sudden!"

"Yes, it has a bit of a kick, so be careful with it," Zuko warned her. "Don't drink too much at once, and maybe get some water in-between."

"Anyway! Here we go!" Suki announced the start of the game, spinning the cabbage and then laughing gleefully when the tip pointed at Ty Lee. "Oh, you're going to suffer now... so what'll it be, truth or dare?"

"Truth is boring," Ty Lee snorted. "Give me a dare."

"Alright," Suki pondered for a bit, but then an evil grin spread across her lips. "Okay, Ty Lee, I dare you to slow dance for us." Ty Lee shrugged and got up to her feet, about to spin into a dance, but then Suki added something that made her girlfriend freeze. "Topless."

"W-what?" Ty Lee's eyes went comically wide. Zuko choked on his drink and was sent into a nasty coughing fit, while Katara just looked incredibly amused.

"You heard it," Suki winked. "Or do you want to lose the game on the first spin?"

"Ugh, never!" Ty Lee frowned, recomposing herself, and then began to move slowly, her eyes closed as she moved with the fluid steps of a trained acrobat. As she was slowly gyrating her hips, Ty Lee removed her top with sensual slowness, continuing the rest of the dance naked down to her waist. Zuko felt like he should look away from the spectacle, but seeing that Suki and Katara didn't stop following Ty Lee's dance, he continued to watch as well. Out of his current company it may not have been Ty Lee who had captured his heart, but she was still exceptionally beautiful and seeing her move like that, displaying her near perfect body, had an understandable effect on Zuko. He felt his cheeks burning like a furnace as he subtly shifted his position to better hide the way the sensual dance was affecting him.

"Okay, that's enough, Ty Lee, I'm completely satisfied," Suki managed, sounding like she was having trouble speaking. "And, uh, completely aroused," she added with a shy giggle, swallowing the rest of her drink and then refilling her glass.

Ty Lee swiftly grabbed her top and put it back on, rejoining the others, red in the face. "I'll remember that one, Suki," she warned her girlfriend, grabbing the cabbage to spin it. Of course, it landed on Suki. "Ha! Turnabout is fair play!" Ty Lee exclaimed.

"No way I'm taking a dare now," Suki shook her head. "Give me truth."

"Lame," Ty Lee sighed, rubbing her brow as she thought. "Ooh, this should be a good one. Alright, Suki... have you had any steamy fantasies involving a certain Fire Lord, give us the truth."

"Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have agreed to this game with you," Suki shook her head. What sort of a silly question is that, of course she hasn't, she's the leader of my bodyguards, Ty Lee completely wasted her question, Zuko thought to himself. "Of course I have, at least a couple of times," Suki admitted with a blush, sending Zuko into another coughing fit. "Oh, come on, like that's a big surprise!" Suki exclaimed resentfully. "At least half of the Kyoshi girls have a bit of a crush on Zuko. I mean... no offense, Fire Lord, but you are kind of hot, no pun intended."

"I... had no idea," Zuko stuttered, feeling utterly and completely confused.

"Yes, Zuko, you're pretty awesome," now Katara got into the act, smiling warmly at him.

"Ugh, now you're just conspiring to further confuse me." And it's working incredibly well, Zuko admitted to himself.

"Anyway, here we go again!" Suki spun the cabbage. This time it landed on Zuko. The Fire Lord groaned, expecting the worst. "So, you'll be taking a dare, as I understand?" Zuko nodded at her. "Alright then..." Suki looked around the room, her eyes eventually landing on Katara. "Okay, I dare you to kiss Katara."

Zuko blinked again. What was he getting into with these crazy girls? He stole a quick glance at Katara, who was eyeing him curiously. Zuko took another sip of his drink and then leaned over to where Katara sat, quickly pressing his lips against her cheek and then pulling back again.

"I'm sorry, but what was that?" Suki glared at him.

"That was pathetic!" Ty Lee complained.

"It was a kiss!" Zuko protested, glancing at Katara. Much to his surprise, even she looked disappointed.

"I didn't tell you to give her a peck, I told you to give her a kiss!" Suki cried. "Now do it properly or you're out of the game!"

Spirits, they really are crazy, aren't they? Zuko sighed inwardly, turning towards Katara again. She shifted slightly towards him, almost like an encouragement, and it removed all doubt from Zuko. He slid close to her and cupped her cheek with his palm before pressing his lips against hers. Katara responded by putting her hand on his shoulder, and when he began to pull back, at first she actually stopped him from doing so, prolonging their kiss. As they eventually parted, Zuko's heart skipped a few beats from the mischievous little smirk on Katara's lips.

"Whoa... just whoa," Suki gasped, tugging at the collar of her shirt. "Is it just me or did it get really hot in here just now?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I'm in danger of burning up," Ty Lee managed, passing her empty glass over to Suki. "Refill time! This game is making me really thirsty. Oh, and Zuko, it's your time to spin the cabbage!"

"Right," Zuko blinked himself backed to reality, the one where he was no longer kissing Katara and could function normally again. Trying to steady his slightly shaking hands, Zuko grabbed the cabbage and gave it a good spin. It landed on Katara. Without speaking, he looked at her, finding Katara thoughtfully chewing on her lower lip.

"I'll go with truth," she said eventually.

"Alright, give me a moment," Zuko nodded, trying to think of something. He didn't want to embarrass Katara in front of the other girls, but he also knew that he had to come up with something they would find interesting, or else he'd be subject to more complaints about being a stick in the mud. "Very well... tell us your deepest fear, Katara."

"That's... an easy one, actually," she admitted with barely a pause. "My deepest fear is to be placed in a position where I would have to use bloodbending to save a loved one."

"Wait... you can bloodbend?" Suki gasped, looking horrified. Katara nodded with sadness in her eyes. "Damn... remind me to never get on your bad side, Katara."

"I can't imagine that ever happening, Suki," Katara smiled at her friend. "Anyway, let's see where the cabbage lands," she said, giving the much abused vegetable another spin. This time it landed on Ty Lee.

"Hmm, I figure Katara is actually really wicked under that nice-nice act," Ty Lee giggled, sounding like the drink was starting to get to her a little. "She'd probably give me a really terrible dare, so I'll go with truth."

"Hmm, let me see..." Katara mused for a while, then snapped her fingers. "Oh, I know! When you got together with Suki, who made the first move?"

"Ha-ha, oh that's an easy one!" Ty Lee laughed. "It was Suki, actually! We were the last ones in the shower and she came over and-..."

"Ty Lee! They don't need the explicit details!" Suki exclaimed, red in the face.

"And I bet that happened while you were still dating my brother," Katara faked a glare at Suki, making the other girl cringe with guilt. "Bad, bad Suki!"

"I'm sorry, really, I am!" Suki pleaded, then pointing at the broadly grinning Ty Lee. "But just look at that adorable goofball! How can I spend days upon days by her side and not fall for her, she's just too cute and sexy."

"Aww, I love you too Suki," Ty Lee threw her arms around her girlfriend and gave her an affectionate kiss. "Anyway, my turn!" She instantly bolted back to the game and gave the cabbage another spin. Zuko winced when it ended up pointing at him. Ty Lee was not exactly the most tactful, and right now she was also a little tipsy, which made any orders coming from her especially dangerous.

"Alright, I'll actually take truth this time," Zuko decided. He didn't want to even imagine what sort of dare Ty Lee would come up with, but he was sure it would be extremely embarrassing.

"Right, right... let me think of something tricky," Ty Lee chuckled. She spent a good while pondering her question, but then her eyes lit up with a mischievous spark. "I've got it! Alright, Zuko, we want the truth... would you cross off a year from your reign as the Fire Lord for a night with Katara?"

Deafening silence fell upon the drawing room following the question. Suki and Katara both sat there with their mouths wide open in disbelief. Zuko felt completely numb, as if his mind had tried to actually determine an answer to this question only to experience a severe crash. He felt frozen to the point that he wasn't able to even speak.

"Ty Lee!" Suki shouted in disbelief. "What kind of a question is that!"

"Hey, it's a perfectly good question!" Ty Lee exclaimed. "And look at Zuko, he's struggling to answer! What do you think about that, Katara?"

"Uh... I think you just gave poor Zuko a complete shock," Katara managed, looking at him wide-eyed, pleading for him to speak. "Come on, Zuko, this should be an easy answer for anyone."

"Ty Lee, that's a... completely crazy question!" Zuko recovered to glare at the defiant looking girl. "And yes, I was just shocked by it, that's all," he added, turning back to Katara. "It's, uh... not quite as easy as you make it seem," he managed, feeling his face burn with heat, Katara looking similarly affected. "But of course... my destiny is to serve my people as their Fire Lord." Katara still appeared overwhelmed, but it seemed as if his answer had provided at least some relief for them both.

"Eh, I think Zuko dodged that question," Ty Lee complained.

"It was a completely inappropriate question, Ty Lee," Suki scolded her girlfriend. "In fact, I think I should take you back to our quarters and give you a piece of my mind. With your permission, Fire Lord," Zuko nodded idly, his thoughts still clinging to Katara. Ty Lee looked upset from all the scolding, but Suki leaned close to her girlfriend and whispered something into her ear, after which Ty Lee perked up instantly, starting to impatiently tug on Suki's arm. "Oh, and we'll be needing this... for better scolding," Suki grinned wickedly as she grabbed the pitcher with the remaining drink and the pair ran off, the doors to their shared bedroom slamming shut behind them.

"I think we have lost them for the rest of the evening," Katara looked at Zuko with amusement in her eyes. "That means it will be up to you to entertain me."

"I'm sure I can think of something for us to do," Zuko said, smiling back at her. "It's our last evening on Ember Island, and I did promise to make it a memorable one." The wind howled outside, as if to echo his words. Storm is raging outside, Zuko thought to himself. But there are also storms raging inside both of us...