Previously…

Asteroids began to rain across the dark sky, little shooting stars twinkling as they broke up in the atmosphere.

A light twinkled higher up, growing larger and larger as it barreled above them.

The fiery blue meteorite whizzed high over the ship, now easily the size of four Appas.

Katara's head craned up and over, following the path from her spot on the helm's balcony.

"It's headed straight for the island!" Gin exclaimed from inside.

The girl strode through the door and to the side windows, squinting to see it disappear right on the island's mass.

A few moments later, a plume of smoke barreled up.

"Do you think the town is okay?" She asked, eyes wide.

Zuko stared towards the smoke rising from behind the mountain.

"I don't know."

In the distance, from the far side of the island, a small speck of white flew through the sky.

Appa bellowed as Aang, Sokka and Toph charged towards the fire, unaware of how frustratingly close they were to their lost friend.

From the ship, Katara frowned, the smoke billowing high in the sky.

Katara woke the next morning, anxious thoughts invading nearly every corner of her mind. She found she had more questions than answers and the neurotic side of her did not bode well with that fact.

Between Blue's strange similarity to Zuko/Piandao and her missing friends, she could hardly keep up with herself.

"Katara," Zuko said for the third time, waving his hand in front of her face.

The motion pulled her back into her body, eyes focusing on his unsure expression.

"What?"

"I said your name like three times."

"Okay?" She deadpanned dryly.

He furrowed his brow. "What's going on with you?"

She huffed out a long breath, strands of hair flitting into the air.

"Nothing." A beat. "I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Why don't you go practice your bending?" He suggested, getting up from the mess hall table. "Helps me," Zuko added, scooping up his plate and heading towards the kitchen.

She gnawed on her lip, squinting after his departing figure.

Her mind conjured the last memory of Blue, trying to recall his stature and gait to compare to Zuko's. A mental image of Blue materialized beside Zuko's departing body, like a shadowy twin. Zuko vaulting over Piandao's head, the epitome of acrobatic grace had been eerily familiar.

And who else would be able to follow her city to city without her noticing?

He disappeared through the doorway and into the kitchen.

Zuko came back into the room moments later, immediately scowling at Katara, who had that same squinty look on her face.

"What are you staring at?"

She blinked pointedly, as if to make something go away.

"I'm going outside." She said, dodging the question.

An hour later, Katara managed to thoroughly drench herself in water, having spent the time absentmindedly bending water whips or full waves to ride about. She'd even practiced her tentacle arms and legs a time or two, desperate to stop her incessant want for answers.

Practicing no longer helped to distract her thoughts, so the girl bent the water out of her clothes and hair.

It dropped unceremoniously to the floor before she trudged up the stairs.

"Zuko?" She knocked on the door to her room - their room - figuring he had to be inside.

He'd kept his residence on the couch, much to her surprise. She half expected him to move into one of the rooms on the barracks level below.

Perhaps the prince was used to these quarters…

Katara had yet to hear a response, so she hesitantly pushed the door open. The living room lay empty, no sign of the fire bender. His bags leaned against one end of the couch, calling to her enticingly.

Did she dare peek inside?

The dirty black fabric peeking out of the bag taunted her in her mind.

The black fabric could easily be the cloak or suit the Blue Spirit wore…

Why else wouldn't he want her to wash it? What else could be in that bag?

Katara shot a wary glance at the closed bathroom door and quietly padded her way over to the bags.

One sat wide open, the freshly washed clothes right on top. The other, still folded shut, the contents hidden from view.

Just peek inside, Katara. All your questions would be answered…her brain whispered.

A door opened with a loud creak and she leapt out of her skin, awkwardly trying to find something to do with her hands.

Curse words slipped out of her mouth.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, standing awkwardly beside his belongings. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting on you to get done to see if you'll come spar," she explained innocently, ignoring the question.

"You nearly jumped out of your skin."

She shrugged. "You startled me."

"So, you're not going to tell me what you were doing?" He deadpanned.

"Beat me and maybe I will." She said, a mischievous smile on her face.

Zuko walked over to where she was beside the couch, deliberately brushing past her to sit down.

"No."

"No?" She repeated. "Don't want to lose again?"

The taunt served its' purpose, the prince's face squinting in annoyance.

"Lose?" He rasped, eyeing the brunette. "If I remember right, I beat you last time."

"Bring your swords."

With that, she turned and exited the room, hoping he would take the bait.

~0~

Katara erected the last massive ice wall when Zuko stepped out onto the transformed deck. Icy walls jutted up and over the railings, protecting them from potentially being blasted off the sides.

She'd pulled inspiration from her childhood snowball fights, the arena dotted with "L" shaped walls, square posts and round pillars to crouch behind.

"You've been busy." He commented, scabbard clutched in one hand.

"I was bored," she called, brushing snowflakes off her hands with a smirk. "Good, you brought your swords."

"What did you want with them?" He asked, placing them down before walking further into the arena, looking around.

"I don't have much experience fighting an opponent with swords." She shrugged. "You're good with them. Figured you could teach me."

Zuko peered around one of the walls, a slush-ball suddenly slamming into this cheek.

"Hey!"

Girlish laughter bubbled out of Katara, who promptly darted away.

"I'm gonna get you for that," he rasped.

She grinned devilishly, quickly darting behind another column, eager to put space between them.

The next partially frozen snowball she'd thrown managed to smack him upside the head, soaking the left side.

Fire blasted on her right, obliterating the side of the column.

Rude! She whined mentally. I worked hard on that.

Katara froze in place, ears listening intensely for any sort of movement. The sound of the sea carried away any chance of hearing his footsteps.

Katara slipped out from behind the column, making her way towards the next wall.

Zuko's dark figure appeared to her right, swinging his sheathed blade at her.

Grunting, Katara dropped and slid at the last second, feeling the air move as he swung above her.

He was quick, but she was quicker.

Or, so she thought.

Another slash had her pushing herself to scramble around the next wall, desperately attempting to circle back and flank him.

Zuko had followed her for two strides before realizing her plans, stopping to vault over the wall.

She caught him coming down, sword at the ready. Ice crept up and over her arms and hands, the element her own sort of armor and weapon.

The scabbard smacked into her icy forearm with more force than she expected.

The two froze, sword still pressed against her icy arms. Sunlight peaked from behind a stray cloud, shining into his face.

Amber eyes shimmered gold in the light, looking into deep pools of blue.

Those eyes…she'd seen them a thousand times before, but had she actually paid attention? Actually looked?

Ice crept up his feet and he breathed steam downwards, melting it.

Katara's doe-eyed look vanished and they were at it again.

The dance continued, Katara continuing to wield her ice-arms against him. Eventually, a detail on the sword's handle caught her eye, a small diamond emblem, an upward pointed crescent moon in the center…

She'd noticed the same symbol on her own smaller knife. The one she'd purchased in Akira's village.

It was the logo of the only blade smith in town.

Hard metal swatted Katara's side.

Blue hadn't been seen around until then, according to the wanted posters.

"You didn't block." Zuko noted, hesitating.

Could it just be a coincidence?

"Uh-" she started, heart pounding nervously.

She'd not seen Blue's blade in bright enough conditions, or paid enough attention, to notice if it shared that same mark with Zuko's weapon.

It is you? She wondered, eyes searching his face.

He continued the onslaught, not allowing her to stop.

The sword struck her other side now, poking her in the ribs.

With a wince, she scrambled to gather her bearings, sending a massive wave his way.

The wave slammed into his body, knocking him aside into a slowly melting wall.

She turned and ran, the diamond emblem embedded in her mind.

Thus began their game of cat and mouse; Zuko following Katara back and forth across the deck of the ship.

He seemed to be more determined to pursue her, the sword swatting her again and again, only for him to leap or tumble out of the way from her water.

After trying to hit him with a water whip twice and failing, she stood her ground, glaring hard at the boy.

"Would you please stop hitting me with your sword!" Tanned legs, red with welts, slid into a wide lunge, arms flinging above her head.

He'd managed to swat her one more time with his sword before the entire arena melted, water flying up to gather in an orb above her.

Katara wasn't just mad…

She was pissed.

This was not what she had in mind when she'd asked him to teach her how to fight a sword-wielding opponent.

The massive ball of water hung above them, anger and frustration fueling her powers. Her body trembled, partially from rage, partially from the exertion.

"Spirits! Go easy on me, I can't learn with you smacking me every ten seconds!" She growled.

Zuko snickered, her hair sticking out everywhere, random bits drenched, the rest mussed from their match.

She frowned deeper, dropping her arms and subsequently the water.

The water smacked into them like a ton of bricks, their bodies forced flat on the deck.

Neither realized how much she'd actually held up, the water carrying the two across the ship, slamming their bodies against the railing.

Water drained off the ship with a gush.

Oh spirits, she groaned. She let her attitude get the best of her.

She pressed herself up off the ground, nervously looking to see Zuko doing the same.

Folding her arms across her chest, she jerked her chin away to stare out over the open ocean.

~0~

"You're mad at me?" Zuko accused incredulously. "You're the one who asked to spar!"

He sat up, pushing his soaked hair off his face.

She frowned deeper, not looking at him. "I wanted to spar, not for you to torment me."

"You wanted a challenge, Katara, don't be mad at me for giving you exactly what you asked for!"

They both stood up, clothes and hair dripping.

"That's not what I asked for and you know it." She snipped in return, bending water from her clothes.

Zuko stalked closer to her. "You asked for me to go easy on you." His eyes narrowed, staring down at the shorter girl. "If you think, even for a second, that someone in the real world will go easy on you, then you're stupider than I think."

That grabbed her attention, head whipping around to glare at him.

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, and hated them when he saw her hurt expression.

"You think I wanted you to go easy on me?" Her nostrils flared. "I don't expect anyone to go easy on me, Zuko. Don't you know that by now?" Tears stung her eyes and she fought to keep them at bay. "I told you, Mung had me on his ship. I was in a cage with no bending and no way out."

The terror seemed to rise back up inside her.

She'd felt so completely and utterly alone. Even with Augustine.

The fire bender stared hard at her, scarred eye no more then a slit.

"And the only friend that knew what I was doing - the one I just started to trust - told me that he wouldn't come to my rescue if something happened." Katara was yelling now, hands squeezed into fists at her sides. "So yes, Zuko. I know. I know I'm all alone in this great big world without my father or brother to protect me."

She stepped closer, letting tears spill down, big blue eyes staring hard into his gold.

"But you know what I've learned?" She held his gaze stubbornly, searching his eyes. "I don't need them to protect me anymore."

Zuko opened his mouth to start to say more, when Katara cut him off.

"And if you think for one second that I'm stupid enough not to know how cruel the world is…"

She set her mouth in a straight line, anger simmering beneath the surface. Katara shook her head. "Then you don't know me at all. And maybe, maybe I don't know you."

The girl marched towards the door, stopping midway to scoop up the sword.

She stormed back over to him, shoving the scabbard into his arms. "Thank goodness for the Blue Spirit," she spat, venom in her words. "He's there for me when you won't be. It's a shame I'm not traveling with him. At least then I'd have a real friend."

With that, she turned and strode into the tower, slamming the door behind her.

~0~

There's absolutely no way he's Blue, she curled her lip, stomping up the stairs. Calling me stupid! I can't believe him!

She growled in frustration, continuing up the stairs until she reached the balcony.

Considerable time passed before she went in to talk to Gin, the sun now high in the sky.

The elder man likely had heard their fight earlier that morning, but didn't bring it up, much to her relief. Instead, they talked about his family, the elder man chattering happily about his daughter.

His daughter married a fairly wealthy nobleman and moved away to live in Harbor City and Caldera. His son-in-law was over the logistics of one of the largest factories inside the city, supplying the nation with weapons and warship supplies.

"When's the last time you've seen her?" Katara asked, noticing Gin's faraway look at the question.

"I saw her when she turned nineteen," he stared off into the distance. "She's twenty-five now. I hear from her now and again with updates on my grandson - he's four - but a visit has been long overdue."

She smiled politely. "Sounds like you'll be meeting your grandson for the first time then, are you excited?"

This brought a huge grin to the man's face. "I'm over the moon. I'll have to send word to her soon that I'll be arriving." He paused. "That way we don't run into trouble at the blockade or gates."

Nervousness crept up Katara's spine thinking about them journeying even deeper into Fire Nation territory. Her and her friend's first attempt to cross the blockade, many months before, had been eventful to say the least.

They'd been headed to Avatar Roku's temple, Zuko hot in pursuit, when they happened across the blockade.

And if Zuko's flaming sewage fireballs hadn't been enough, the naval blockade discovered them at their point of no return. It was a miracle in and of itself that they'd managed to make it across on Appa. Even more fireballs had whizzed by, the last one only missing them because Aang air bended it into oblivion.

She didn't think she could be so lucky twice.

"Oh yes," she said cooly, making a mental note to talk to Zuko about their impending interaction with the navy. "That would be terrible."

Gin nodded in agreement.

~0~

Meanwhile, Zuko paced back and forth in the suite's living room.

Their last conversation replayed in his mind and he groaned, throwing his hands up.

"I can't believe I told her I thought she was stupid! I mean, what was I thinking?"

He reached the end of the room and turned around, grumbling and striding back towards the other end. "It's so easy to show that I care about her when I'm the Blue Spirit, why can't I be that way when I'm me?"

His hands ran down his face before the boy turned around again, shaking his head.

She called you her friend, a little voice whispered. You just had to go and ruin it. Way to go, Zuko.

Iroh would be so disappointed in him, he realized, and that thought alone sent him further into the abyss. He plopped down on the couch, burying his face in his hands.

Would she be upset with him still, if she knew his identity?

They got along great when he was the Blue Spirit, and he'd technically already apologized for not being able to help her. Katara knew that the spirit at least tried to help her…

But how would she react, knowing it was him behind the mask? How else could he convince her that he was worthy of being her friend?

She'd probably just see it as more lies and another reason to not trust me… he thought forlornly and then he was up again, pacing back and forth.

The pacing did little to keep his thoughts at bay.

He'd do anything to get even a snippet of his uncle's ambiguous wisdom.

Once before, when he'd broken in to free Appa, his uncle had followed him. He'd demanded to know of his plans, of what he was to do with the great beast.

When Zuko couldn't answer him, Iroh grew angry. He told him he never thought things through. At the time, he'd thought he was only being difficult, but now…

Now maybe Iroh was right.

Bringing the Blue Spirit back had been on impulse. Zuko itched to fight someone - anyone - and then General Mung reared his ugly face.

It only had been later, after he realized why he was fighting, why he wanted to help others, that he'd felt a sense of purpose.

Thanks to the twisted way of thinking instilled on him by his father, it took him time to realize he spent so much time burning actual and metaphorical bridges…when he could have been rebuilding them.

He saw the way Mung treated the villagers and it disgusted him.

Returning as the Blue Spirit seemed all too easy, the factory ripe for the taking.

And then he'd learned that Katara was the Painted Lady…

Tanned skin and ocean eyes filled the forefront of his mind, her hurt expression pulling at his heartstrings.

He owed Katara another apology, and not just for ticking her off and calling her stupid - but for purposely making her feel even more alone.

She was completely right. He'd been an arse.

All to protect himself.

She wasn't on her own, not really.

Ever since he'd decided to help librate the first village, he had been in her corner, as the Blue Spirit - and that hadn't changed once he learned her true identity.

Katara deserved to know that he was there for her as Zuko, too. He knew all too well how it felt to be completely alone in a foreign environment.

He'd been such a pompous, self-absorbed jerk.

Again.

At least you're realizing it without Uncle, he mused.

He forced himself to stop the pacing, stop indulging on the wallowing thoughts. Instead, the fire bender took a seat in front of the large tapestry along the back wall, tucking his legs beneath him.

Closing his eyes, he began to slip into mediation, the candles on the small side table flickering to life.

~0~

Katara basked in the sunlight, the ocean breeze ruffling her hair. She had brought a table and chair out onto the deck to sit at while she prepared dinner early.

The trap door creaked open from the bowels of the ship and Zuko emerged.

He must have fed Yujo, she thought to herself, though she didn't look to see if her theory was correct.

Katara felt more hurt then she'd care to admit, as Zuko had grown to be her friend, albeit a moody one, in the past days.

She'd meant what she said to him, though she wasn't sure if the sentiment had been reflected in his words.

The knife clicked against the wooden cutting board rhythmically, allowing the familiar motion to busy her brain.

A figure strode by her table, barely visible in her peripheral.

The water bender glanced up from her work, noticing him walk out to the bow.

He left her alone and she continued her work.

Two peppers done, two onions to go - and the meat.

Time had slipped by with ease with the first two peppers, brain blissfully distracted. It was enough she almost forgot where she was, who she was with - and who she was missing.

Sokka.

Slicing into the onions next, she blinked repeatedly, the fumes making her eyes tear up. Katara let the liquid drip down her cheeks, absentmindedly wiping them away with the back of her hand. It was easier than fighting it.

Zuko stood at the bow of the ship, wind whipping his hair around him.

I wonder what his home life was like, she mused to herself, for him to turn out the way he did…

She scraped the squared vegetables into a pot, methodically clearing space for her to cut the meat next.

Once the ingredients were prepped and seasoned, she fished out long metal skewers and began to methodically impale the food.

"Do you need help?" Zuko rasped from in front of her table.

"Hm?" She mumbled, forgetting she was upset with him. Her gaze flicked up, seeing him stand awkwardly a few paces away, hands in his robe pockets.

Steely indifference drifted over her face.

"No thank you," She said cooly.

He frowned in response, but didn't press the matter, instead saying, "Looks like it could storm tonight."

Katara flicked her eyes to the afternoon sky, not a cloud in the sky.

Awkward small talk about the weather?

"It's gonna storm?" She deadpanned.

Zuko shrugged, following her gaze. "Uncle always said, 'red skies at morning, sailors take warning'."

"It was a red sunset last night," she stated. "That same saying also goes, 'red skies at night, sailors' delight'."

Golden eyes flicked back to her, the picture of indifference.

~0~

The trio ate dinner in different places; Gin at the helm, Katara at a small table in the kitchen, and Zuko in the mess hall, casting glances towards Katara every so often.

Sunset was upon them by the time everyone finished eating and Zuko found Katara in front of the small sink, water bending the dishes clean with the help from a rag.

"Katara," he rasped, partially in greeting, partially to get her attention.

Wet hands pushed a strand of hair out of her face. Her blue eyes met his golden ones solemnly, the dishes forgotten about for a moment.

"Uh," he started awkwardly. "I…" he chewed his lip.

Spirits, was he bad at this.

"I owe you an apology."

She snorted.

"It was wrong of me to tell you I wouldn't help you if you needed me." He continued. "Uncle says I'm not good at…well, a lot of things. I'm sorry."

Teeth gnawed the corner of her mouth and her forehead creased.

"Can we try again?" He asked gently.

She noticed the sword on his back and sighed.

Wiping her hands on her skirt, she cast one look at the remaining few dishes.

They'll be there later. She thought.

The girl followed Zuko outside, fading rays of sunlight illuminating the deck.

He left her briefly, returning with his sword.

"Did you listen to any of what Master Piandao said?" He asked, voice low.

Katara bobbed her head to confirm and Zuko withdrew his sword, splitting it into the twin swords and handing her one of them.

The steel weighed more than she anticipated and she nervously held the blade ahead of her.

"To be able to properly defend yourself against different fighting styles, it helps to have some sort of understanding of them."

Zuko took a few paces backwards and began his katas, this time with sword in hand.

The moves were completely the same from what she'd seen him practice before, the sword only serving to mesmerize her further. It really did act as an extension of his body.

And what a nice body, a tiny voice noted and she shushed it in response.

"These are broadswords," he explained. "They're a single-edged blade."

His body spun, lashing out to strike an imaginary adversary. "The dull side will still hurt, so aim for not getting hit by them at all."

The sword-master continued his lesson, touching on all the points Zuko could recall from learning years prior.

"Position your grip higher up," he instructed, warm fingers hovering over her hand to indicate where.

Katara obliged, hiding the blush on her face.

He led her through a few very basic stabs and slashes before demonstrating how to parry and block a blade.

"Good," he murmured, extending his hand to the girl.

She stared in confusion at it, not following.

"Can I have my sword back?" A shadow of a smile breezed across his lips and she blushed.

"O-Oh! Right!"

Carefully gripping the blade, she extended the handle back to her teacher.

He combined the swords and sheathed them, then dug out some torches from the storage level.

Once the deck had ample firelight, he returned from across from the girl.

He drew the sword back out, giving her one of the twin swords and instructing her to hold it so the sharp blade wouldn't potentially nick them.

"Alright," he said. "Let's see what you learned."

Zuko and Katara began their mock-fight, his moves slow and pointed. She was thankful for the obvious signs he allowed her to see, giving her time to anticipate his moves.

"Good," he praised again.

With each clang of the steel, her frustration and anger lessened. For the first time that day, she felt seen and heard. Like he understood, even without saying anything.

The blade was heavy and clumsy in her hand, but she displayed enough rudimentary understanding where she at least felt somewhat comfortable with it.

"Okay," she panted some time later, letting the sword tip rest gently on the ground. "This is too heavy. I don't think I can swing this thing around anymore."

He nodded, brushing his long hair out of his face. "Well, I don't think you'd last long against a soldier wielding a sword," one side of his mouth quirked up. "But, I think you could last long enough to get away. That was a nice move you did earlier, covering your arms in the ice."

A small blush at the compliment blanketed her cheeks and her eyes crinkled. "Thank you. And thank you for taking the time to teach me."

She moved the sword to her other hand and began shaking her arm out, muscles protesting.

Looking down, the small insignia she'd noticed earlier drew her attention, and she squatted down to get a closer look.

"Where did you get these?" She asked innocently, fingers brushing against the protruding moon.

Zuko didn't say anything, the question catching him off guard. Another fleeting second passed before he said, "I bought them in the village we met in. Uncle and I lost my old ones in Ba Sing Se."

His hand wrapped around the hilt, inches from where she was looking.

"Here, let me put these up. It's not good for them to rest on the blade like that."

The broadsword swiftly pulled up and away from Katara, going back to its mate before returning to the scabbard.

Katara got to her feet, eyes lingering on the scabbard and hilts sticking out. If she ever saw her friend Blue again, she'd have to look and see what his sword looked like.

If he was Blue, maybe he had good reason to keep it a secret.

"Zuko," she mumbled suddenly. "I'm sorry I blew up on you."

He stared uncertainly at her through his hair before turning to look out over the water.

"Like you said," his words almost got lost in the breeze. "You asked me to teach you how to defend yourself and I didn't even try."

His face turned to look back at her and he found the girl frowning, soulful eyes staring at him.

"I shouldn't have told you that you weren't my friend," she insisted. "I know we don't always get along…but…"

She toyed with the outer layer of her skirt. "I do consider you my friend." She said shyly, words spilling out her.

He smiled softly, the expression making him look years younger. She often forgot he wasn't much older than she was.

"I wish you could meet my friend Blue," she mused, mirroring his smile. "I think you guys would get along. He doesn't say much like you…" she babbled. "But he's nice…and cool and… a really good fighter." Zuko's brows furrowed for a fraction of a second, and she wondered if she said something to offend him.

"I think you guys could learn a lot from each other." She continued.

"Blue?" He asked, the previous frown gone.

She nodded, chuckling lightly. "Oh, sorry. The Blue Spirit. I just call him Blue, it's easier then his whole…title?"

He hummed in agreement, "I see."

Thunder rumbled from above them and raindrops spattered from the clouds.

"Rain," she said in awe, staring at the sky before turning to smile brightly at Zuko. "Hey, you were right!"

Zuko stared up at the dark clouds that blanketed the night sky.

The rain increased, the patter of water growing louder on the steel deck.

Katara turned her face back up to the sky, closing her eyes and allowing the cool rain to kiss her cheeks.

The boy drank in her beautiful profile; the rosy cheeks, long eyelashes and warm smile, all upturned to let the rain speckle her face.

Torches hissed out around them, sending the deck into darkness.

When the storm above thundered again, lighting shot out from one cloud to the next, crackling loudly. The ruckus jerked her out of her reverie.

Katara grabbed Zuko's sleeve, dragging him towards the tower without second thought.

"C'mon!" She said over the pouring rain. "We're gonna get struck by lighting!"

Right as the duo reached the door, Yujo squawked unhappily from below.

They went inside the storage room, Katara pausing at the open door, eyes on the trap door below.

"Awww," she cooed. "Yujo."

"He'll be fine," Zuko said, shaking the water out of his hair.

"It's a he?" She echoed confusedly.

Zuko shrugged, peeling his robe off to reveal his dry tank and pants beneath.

Pale arms revealed a few new dark blue bruises, contrasting the lighter green ones she'd noticed before.

"Sheesh," she commented, pointing at a particularly nasty one on his right shoulder. "Is that from earlier?"

Arm jutting out, he peered down at the welt. "Guess so."

"Zuko!" She exclaimed, hands on her hips. "You should have said something."

He poked it with his opposite hand. "We weren't exactly talking."

She sighed at him, striding over and taking his bicep in her hand. Her cool fingers curved around him, lifting the injured arm up.

Butterflies flitted in her stomach at the touch.

Zuko seemed to stop breathing, growing very still.

Water streamlined in from the outside, coating her hand. If she looked up, she would have seen the blush and awe coating the boy's face.

She pressed her glowing hands to his shoulder. The skin beneath it, illuminated by her healing, slowly lightened and lightened, before turning back to it's normal light color.

Katara released his warm arm, stepping back with a victorious smile.

She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

"There."

He stared wide eyed at the smooth skin for a few seconds.

"I wondered how you did that." Fingertips brushed the freshly healed skin.

"Do you have anymore?" She asked in a motherly tone, staring expectantly, allowing her eyes to rake down his toned body.

He shook his head.

"Are you lying?"

He didn't meet her eyes and Katara stepped back into his space, fingers prodding his ribs beneath his shoulder.

Breath hissed between his teeth and she scowled, glaring up at him.

He was as stubborn as her brother could be.

"Really?" She grumbled. "Let me see."

Zuko mumbled under his breath, but the girl didn't let up, still staring expectantly.

He rolled his eyes, slowly hiking up his tank to expose another dark bruise, assumedly from the water slamming them into the railing.

"Spirits," she muttered, looking around the storeroom.

Katara cleared off a large shelf beneath a light and window. "Lay here."

He obliged, feet hanging off the edge. His right side was towards her.

Katara's fingertips brushed his stomach, gingerly peeling his shirt up. Electricity shot between them, though she didn't know if it was just her teenage hormones.

Same as last time, she summoned water in from the deck, coating her hands. Her palms hovered over his side and she let her eyes slide shut, focusing on her healing.

The rib beneath the skin felt bruised, the energy coiling up around the injury.

Scrunching her brows, she moved her right hand towards the middle of his sternum, slowly.

Zuko stared at her face, observing her concentrating so intently on healing his injury.

Something unfurled from inside him, sending chills up his back.

The pain lessened and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

Katara barely noted the whoosh of air from Zuko, still focused on the bruised rib. She'd accidentally brushed against his chi in his abdomen, the unhappy bundled energy calling to her natural healing abilities.

The healer gently prodded the blockage, feeling it unfurl little by little, like flower petals.

Zuko felt a strange sensation, flashes of memories flickering in his head. The chills traveling up his spine again.

Was that…Katara's doing?

His hand wrapped around her wrist and tugged, gently.

The bruises were healed. His ribs were healed. And…whatever else she did, had healed something, too.

Her eyes fluttered open and found Zuko staring at her, a calm look on his face.

The deep pools of blue met the molten gold, feeling the electricity again, like magnetism.

His fingers were still curled around her wrist, not that either of them noticed. Her bare hands were pressed to his chest now, feeling it rise and fall with every breath.

Her heart thrummed in her chest, feeling a strange mix of feelings pass between them.

"Thank you, Katara." He rasped.