Avatar: The Last Airbender is not my creation, the people at the Nickelodeon Studios created it, but that will not stop me from making my own little episodes of excitement and romance.

"Illnesses can take on many forms. Those of the body are easy to treat. Much more dificult are the hidden maladies that fester in our hearts. The secret addictions that consume our souls. And the diseases we deny which affect our judgement. To survive we need to find that special someone who can heal us. But we can never predict who will have the cure for what ails us...or when they'll show up." -unknown

She leaned against the metal door, expecting and waiting for anything to leave his lips. But he just stared at her with hungry eyes, a smile on his face. "Are you busy?" she asked, a hint of impatience in her voice. He shook his head gently and she smiled.

Katara walked over to him and casually sat down on his lap, as though he was just a chair lying around. He wrapped his arm around her slim waist while he looked at the profile of her young tan face as she looked at the window. She turned tolook athim and placed her delicate hand on the scar that covered a third of his face, and smiled sweetly. Beautiful, the prince thought as he looked into her blue eyes. He kissed her neck, causing her to giggle. He placed his free hand on her shoulder and placed her gently on the bed. And just as smoothly he crawled on top of her, showering her with sweet kisses. Katara wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck and pulled him closer.

He leaned in by her ear. "I'm sorry about yesterday," he whispered and placed another kiss.

She frowned and pushed him away from her. "I know you are, but that doesn't change things." She got up from the bed and brushed imaginary filth away from her. "I hate you," she said. "You have no idea how much I do."

Prince Zuko stood there confused as she continued to yell her loathing for him and when he blinked he saw his uncle standing there, a worried expression on his face.

"Uncle!" Zuko exclaimed and ran towards him.

The general lifted his hand stopping his nephew from taking another step. "Prince Zuko, I have unpleasant news," he paused and looked at the ground, "Katara died last night...Admiral Zhao murdered her after you left her with him."

"What?" Zuko whispered. This can't be true...

"I'm sorry. I guess we'll have to find another way to catch the Avatar."

"Who cares about the Avatar!" Zuko yelled before he pushed his uncle out of his way and running out into the deck. "Katara!" he screamed at the ocean below him. "I'm sorry, Katara! I'm sorry that I did this to you! Come back! I'm sorry! Katara! Katara!" he yelled repeatedly and...

"Prince Zuko! Wake up! Zuko!" Iroh yelled as he shook his nephew, trying to wake him from the horrible nightmare that he was having. "What's wrong with you? Guards, get the girl!" Iroh placed a damp washcloth over the boy's forehead.

The strong guards walked into Katara's room and grabbed her arm, "The general needs you now! Come!"

"What's wrong?" she demanded and tried to fight the powerful arms pulling her. The guards threw her into the room and she fell on the floor. "Geez, people here don't know anything about manners." Katara got up and dusted herself off. She looked around the room and saw Iroh standing beside a body.

Katara froze.

...Zuko? She carefully walked toward the Prince and kneeled down beside him.

"I don't know what to do. I've never seen him like this," Iroh said with a sad expression on his face.

Katara placed her hand on Zuko's forehead. "He's got a fever," she whispered.

"Do you know what to do?" Iroh asked while placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I've seen people in my tribe get sick like this," she paused to think. "We need ice. Get me water. We need to cool him down."

The retiree walked to a servant and whispered some orders to him. The worker nodded and left the room after giving Katara one last glance. "What else can we do?"

"Take off his clothes and bring me some damp towels. We have to lower his body temperature," Katara told Iroh while unbuttoning Zuko's shirt.

"What would happen if we don't?"

"He'll--," she paused. "He'll die."

Iroh looked away and shut his eyes, trying to push out the image of a dead Prince Zuko.

Katara looked at Zuko's pale face and gently placed her hand on his warm cheek. "Zuko you can't die. Your uncle needs you…I need you. You have to live a long life…a happy life. I'm sorry for everything. Please Prince Zuko, think of something worth living for and hold on to it."

"…Katara…," Zuko muttered and his head jerked to the side. "…Come back…Katara…"

"He's been mumbling that all morning. I think he's having a nightmare," Iroh whispered and placed his hand on his nephew's forehead, wincing when he felt it burning hot.

"WHERE'S THE WATER?" Katara yelled across the room. Immediately the slave from earlier walked in carrying a giant bowl of water and set it beside the febrile prince. Katara nodded a 'thanks' and finished taking off Zuko's shirt. She placed her hand in the water and sighed. Water, she thought, such a wonderful element. She lifted her hands and the liquid followed them obediently. The water danced in the air and very gently set itself over Zuko's chest. Katara exhaled deeply over the water, transforming it into ice. He shivered and she smiled in relief. "It's working," she said out loud.

"How do you know?" Iroh asked and stepped back.

"If he shivers, it's because he's cold. And if he's cold--"

"His fever is going away," Iroh said, finishing her sentence.

"Exactly," she smiled and sat down on a nearby chair. "How did he get sick?"

Iroh sighed deeply and looked at his ill nephew. To him, Prince Zuko was more than just his nephew…he was like his son. His beloved son, and he was so proud of him. In his eyes, Zuko will always be honorable and loyal.

The old man snapped back into reality and looked over at the worried girl sitting down. He grabbed a chair and sat down beside her. "People don't understand what it's like to be a Fire Bender. All of our emotions are fueled by the intensity of fire and let out by bending. But, ever since the war, people only see the angry part of Fire Benders…they don't see the happiness or love inside of us.

"Every emotion that we hold within us, needs to be let out, either by fighting with an enemy or a wonderful night with your lover. If the emotion is contained in our bodies for too long…there are consequences. If we don't release our feelings through bending…we release it inside of us. Burning our souls and bodies," Iroh paused and looked back at Zuko. "I didn't think that this would happen to Zuko so soon. So young. But it's happened, and I'm so unprepared."

Katara looked at Iroh in awe. She's never looked at it that way. Fire Bending was so much different than Water Bending. Water such a peaceful and soothing element. The gentle sound of it could rock you to sleep. But don't get me wrong, water could also destroy, it could cause a terrifying storm or it could easily suffocate you and cause a slow and painful death. Like Fire, Water was double faced. "So…this is happening to Zuko because he couldn't control his emotions?" Katara asked confused.

"Yes."

"I know this is not the moment to say this, but it's so interesting how this happens." She coughed quietly and looked over at Zuko. "What feeling do you think he wants to let out?"

"…Katara…I'm sorry…" Zuko whispered in his sleep and turned his head slightly.

"…Love…"

"Love? What makes you say that?"

"I know that this angered you last time, but I think that Prince Zuko holds something in his heart for you."

Katara laughed. "Prince Zuko would never love me. I'm a water bending peasant. He is royalty. Destined to marry a princess…he is predestined to be King. I'm destined to get married a man with a humble job. Raising children. Prince Zuko would never consider looking at me like a woman."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"Would you ever consider Prince Zuko," Iroh said with a smirk on his face.

Katara looked away, and shook her head, "I'd catch myself before I fall for him."

"You can close your eyes to things you don't want to see, but you can't close your heart to things you don't want to feel," Iroh said simply and folded his handson his lap.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"I think you know what it means."

"…Uncle…" Zuko whispered, while gradually opening his eyes.

Iroh stood up quickly for a man his age, and practically jogged to his nephew's side, "Prince Zuko. You've finally awaken. We have been so worried about you."

"We?" Zuko asked confused. Who else was going to care about him. As far as he knew, everybody hated him, even his own father.

Katara smiled and walked up next to the General and smiled at his nephew. "Hey."

Zuko smiled in relief. Katara wasn't dead, it was all just a horrible dream. She was right here with him, worrying about him. "Hey," he responded back.

"How are you feeling?" she asked shyly.

"I'm cold and very confused."

Iroh looked at the chunk of ice that was still resting on top of his nephew, and gave a worried look to Katara. She couldn't help but giggle, she had forgotten that the ice was still on top of Zuko. She raised her limbs and smoothly lifted the large chunk off his body and let it levitate over the bowl that was still sitting beside the bed. "Could you melt the ice for me?" she asked Iroh.

Iroh nodded and raised his hands, making small but significant flames emit form his palms. And as Katara kept the ice in the air with one hand, she led the water into the basin with the other. "There. You shouldn't be as cold anymore. We just needed it to cool you down. You had an awful fever."

"Katara…," Zuko began, "I'm really sorry about everything."

"I'll leave you kids alone. I'll come back later. Take good care of him while I'm gone, we don't want him to get the 'fever' again," and he winked. She realized what he had meant and nodded telling him that she'll try to get Zuko to let his feelings out…whatever they may be.

Iroh walked slowly to the door. He knew that they both needed to talk about many things. He opened the door gently and smiled before he left the room.

Katara pulled the chair that she had been sitting on, over by Zuko and sat down. "I know," she sighed. "I know you're sorry."

"But you still hate me," he said softly.

Katara chuckled and grabbed his hand, "Still? I didn't hate you in the first place. How can I still hate you?"

"Yesterday you said…"

"Oh," Katara looked down. "I didn't mean it when I said that. I'm sorry. I was angry and scared, and when I get like that I say things I don't mean."

"But before…when you were talking to my uncle inside the meditating room, you said--"

"I never said anything about hating you, all I said…," Katara stopped herself. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

"No, but you might as well have. You said that you would never love me," he pulled his hand away from her grasp and turned his head so he was facing the wall.

She smiled. It really did hurt him, she thought. "And why do you care so much about me loving you or not? Do you want me to love you," she winced, she had made a mistake in asking such questions.

"NO! Why would you think such a thing," he sat up on the bed and looked into her eyes angrily.

Katara stood her ground. There's was no way she was going to let him intimidate her, "Well, you really seemed upset when I said it. I was just making an observation."

Zuko looked away. She was right, he was upset…even hurt. But he wasn't going to admit that. "I don't need you," he said arrogantly.

"Yes you do," she responded smugly.

The prince fumed. He threw a ball of fire at the wall. "No I don't! I don't need you! I don't need anybody!"

"Just admit it. You really do need me. Why are you so afraid to admit it?" Katara crossed her arms and leaned back on the chair.

"You think you're very important. Well, let me tell you something…Ka-ta-ra. I don't! I could kill you and I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep." LIAR!, a voice in his head screamed. "I could kill you right now and it would save me the trouble of hearing your nagging every day. In fact, that's a very good idea," Zuko stood up and grabbed Katara by the arm.

"You wouldn't," she replied, a hint of worry in her voice. Would he?

"And why not," he raised his other hand, ready to let go off of flames.

"Because you love me," Katara whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

He let go her and she fell to the ground. "I don't love you," he yelled. "I don't! I don't!" Why don't you just tell her that you do, she already knows…why continue to deny it? "I don't love her! I don't love her!" Zuko yelled while punching the wall.

Iroh opened the door and ran in. "What is all the yelling about? It feels like the ship is about to capsize."

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Zuko yelled and giant flames emanated from his hands.

"But why?" Iroh asked stepping closer to the boy.

"BECAUSE I SAID SO! GET OUT!"

Iroh grabbed Katara and ran out of the room as quickly as he could. And even after they were out of his quarters...she continued running, until she reached the deck. After taking a few deep breaths, she started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" Iroh asked walking up behind her.

She crossed her arms and showed him a satisfied face. "How's that for emotional release?"

Iroh stopped and stared at her in amazement before letting out a few chuckles. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that he needed me."

And suddenly, Iroh stopped laughing. "What?"

"I told him that he needed me. That he loved me," she repeated and looked out into the ocean.

"Katara that wasn't very wise. He could've accidentally hurt you."

"I know, but I wanted him to let go of all of that. I didn't want him to fall back into that fever."

There was a moment of silence.

"Wow, too much excitement before breakfast."

Iroh raised an eyebrow at the girl before him. "Katara, are you sure that you don't love him?"

Katara hesitated in answeringsuch aquestion. She had to be careful with what she said from now on. "Even if I did love him, I can't do anything about it. I can't betray Aang and my brother. Even if I did love him, we wouldn't get anywhere," she stated before taking in a deep breath.

"You say that like if you really do love him," Iroh said while walking up beside her.

She didn't answer. Maybe because I do…