A/N- I got a couple reviews saying that Katara was out of character. I'm sorry about that but she's frightened. Falling in love with your enemy can't really be a good thing...
Prince Zuko slowly opened his eyes and groaned. Last night was horrible. He looked at his sore hands, and winced when he saw that his knuckles were encrusted with dried blood. "Ugh," he moaned and got up from bed. He walked over to a bowl of water and washed his hands. He glanced over at the bed and saw that his pillows were stained with blood. I'll wash them later, he thought and washed his face. He put on his clothing and armor quickly, grabbed the keys adjacent to the door, and left.
He walked down the passageway that lead to Katara's room and sighed. What am I going to say to her? He shook his head angrily. Nothing. I'm not going to start another argument. I'll just unlock the door and leave. I have nothing to say to her. He placed the key within the door and took it out as soon as he heard it 'click'. But curiosity got to him before he had the chance to turn around. Was she sleeping? Was she still angry?
Zuko opened the door ever-so-slowly and peeked in. Her body laid on the bed, and the only sound in the room was her gentle breathing. He smiled to himself and was just about to close the door, when her soft voice made him stop. "Hey," she said and sat up slowly, a small smile on the corner of her lips.
"Hey," he responded loudly, destroying the mood. "I just came to unlock the door. Dress yourself quickly and report to the kitchen. You'll stay there the whole day with my uncle."
"What am I? One of your soldiers? You can't order me around!" she argued.
"I can…and I am! Do what I say, or I'll drag you out in your night clothes!" he threatened. I shouldn't have peeked in…
She crossed her arms and looked away, "Fine."
He slammed the door and she got up. What's his problem?
Aang woke up with a start and began to yell with excitement. "Katara is coming tomorrow!"
Sokka rubbed his eyes. What a night. He barely got any sleep, thinking about Katara's probable situation. "Yea, how exciting," he said with an unintentional sarcastic tone.
"Gee, you don't sound very happy about seeing your own sister."
"I am. I'm just tired," he yawned and looked out the window. "What time is it?"
"Ohh…about seven or so," Aang said while getting dressed.
"Seven?" The warrior asked incredulously. "You woke me up at seven to tell me that we're seeing Katara tomorrow?" Aang nodded happily. "Wake me up in two more hours."
The Avatar walked over to Sokka and shook his shoulder. "Come on Sokka. Get up. We've got to go over the plan."
"The plan is simple. Get into those uniforms," he lazily pointed to the Fire Nation soldier uniforms and continued. "Casually walk in and get Katara. Then, casually walk out with her." He pulled up the covers over his head and yawned again.
"No Sokka, you forgot the last part!"
"Ehh? …Oh yea, call Appa," he said and moved into a more comfortable position. "Can you leave me alone now?"
Aang growled. "FINE! Momo and I will just go out and play."
"Go ahead."
"Come on Momo." Aang grabbed his staff and began to head out of the barn. The small lemur squeaked and followed him. "Hey, for all we know, we'll find some nice person to give us food."
"Food?" Sokka asked and jumped out of his sleeping bag. "Hey guys! Wait for me!"
Katara walked through the door that led into the kitchen and found Iroh eating some noodles on a small wooden table. She gave him a soft smile and sat down across from him. "Good morning."
He swallowed his food and smiled back. "Good Morning Katara. How are you this beautiful morning?"
She gave him a small shrug and looked down at her hands. "Fine."
"Fine?" Iroh asked and set his chopsticks down. "If that's fine, I don't want to know what horrible is." He smiled, but changed his expression when she continued looked down at the ground. "OK, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she answered and forced a smile, trying to hide her discomfort.
"It's Prince Zuko, right?" the General said knowingly.
Katara nodded. "How did you know?"
"I'm old. Besides, I know him like the back of my hand," he said comically. "What did he do this time?"
Katara sighed. "He gave me an attitude this morning, that's all."
Iroh raised an eyebrow, "Probably because you were blaming him for your troubles yesterday." She gave him a questioning look. "The whole ship heard your argument last night," he stated, confirming her unasked question.
"Oh," she whispered.
The retiree nodded in understanding. "I practically raised Prince Zuko, and let me tell you, he has done many foolish things for someone his age. Like most young men, they do not realize what are the consequences to their actions. I must admit that he is stubborn and sometimes very unwise, but he has his heart in the right place. His obsession with capturing the Avatar has clouded his vision. But please don't judge him too hardly, he has been through quite a lot."
Katara just stared at Iroh and smiled. The old man had really grown on her. His wise words and kinds actions really made him…likable.
"Are you still angry at him?"
"I was getting over it, but then he walked in my room. All I said was 'hey' and then he got up all in my face about how I had to come, I'm sorry, 'report' to the kitchen. (Like I'm some sort of soldier). God, he's so…Errgh!" Katara explained, waving her hands in the air with frustration.
Iroh smiled and nodded, "When I was a young lad, there was a young lady, whom I thought, was the most beautiful woman in the whole world. She had dark hair and dark eyes, and such a wonderful personality. I was in love, but I was afraid to show her these feelings."
"Why?"
"I was afraid that she would not love me back," Iroh sighed. "She seemed too involved in her life, besides that, she was out of my rank. She was a peasant, and I, was Prince Iroh."
Katara nodded in agreement. She knew what he meant, because of that same reason, and others, she could not tell Prince Zuko, that she was…well, in love with him.
"One day though, I looked at myself in the mirror and decided that I would tell her. I walked over to her home and presented myself to her. But she seemed uninterested in me, she would avoid my gaze and would deny my smiles. As a proud boy, I would not accept rejection from anyone…especially a peasant, so I made a stupid excuse for arriving at her home."
The water bender tilted her head to the side and gave him a sad face.
Iroh smiled and continued his story. "One day, I found out from a friend, that that girl was in love with me too, but was afraid to show it because of the same reason I had. I was devastated. I had showed her a disgraceful spoiled brat, when I should have shown her my love and friendship."
"Wow," Katara said and then furrowed her brow. "But what does that have to do with Prince Zuko's attitude?" There was a brief moment of silence, and then it dawned on her. "But I was nice to him this morning!" She said trying to prove the man wrong.
"Yes, but you weren't last night. He was rude this morning to prove to you that what happened last night didn't affect him in any way. But I know that that's not true. It hurt him…just like it hurt me, when that girl made me believe she wanted nothing to do with me."
"Men are so complicated."
Iroh laughed. "No Katara, love is complicated," he corrected.
"Zuko and I have to keep our distance. Whether we're in love or not--," she caught herself. No! I did not just say that!
Iroh raised his eyebrow and smiled. "Oh, is that so?"
"Y--yes. I am friends with the Avatar. I won't betray Aang! I won't betray my brother! I'm not going to join Zuko and his obsession with capturing Aang. You can just forget it."
"So what are you going to do?" Iroh asked, a little intrigued by her plan.
"I'm not going to speak with him, at all."
The general frowned. "At all?"
She nodded. "Of course, I will have to communicate with him. But there will be no more conversations. Laughs. Arguments. Just a 'yes' or a 'no', maybe even a couple words, but that's it."
"But--"
"Nope, I've made up my mind," she said stonily.
"You are impossible," Iroh laughed. "It won't last."
"What makes you say that?"
"I know you're in love with my nephew." Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Iroh's raised hand prevented her from doing so. "Don't even try to deny. Like I said earlier, I'm old, and that makes me wise. Why would you try to let something so wonderful go? I just don't understand it. You and Prince Zuko are so, I'm sorry for using this term, stupid. You two can be so happy together, but somehow you find that your pride is far more import--"
"It has nothing to do with pride. It has to do with betrayal. I won't do it. I won't stab Aang and my brother in the back for Prince Zuko. I'm sorry."
Iroh sighed in frustration. "At least admit that you love him."
Katara looked away. "Will you give me peace afterwards?" He nodded softly. "Sure," she said, thinking it was enough to shut him up.
"Say it," the General insisted and sipped his tea.
"I love your nephew," Katara whispered and began to wring her hands.
The old man laughed. My nephew? How…formal. "See? Not so hard. The world hasn't come to an end, has it?"
"No" she whispered. "But if I abandon the Avatar and Sokka for him, it will."
"If love is suppose to be bliss then why, when I look at you, all I feel is pain?"
Zuko stood out on the deck and leaned against the railing, taking in the salty smell of the ocean. I shouldn't have opened the door to her bedroom. But no…I had to peek in to check on her. He turned around and looked at the window that led into the kitchen. I'll go over there and talk to her. He began pacing back and forth, practicing what to say. "Katara, I'm sorry about everything. You're right, I am the--," he shook his head. "No, no. I'm not going to admit weakness. I've apologized enough, already. I won't do it again. If she really wants to talk to me, she will." He took a couple steps towards the kitchen. "I'll walk in to say hello to my uncle, and check up on our course. Maybe she'll say something."
He walked across the deck and opened the iron door, entering the kitchen. His uncle gave him a bright smile and a 'Good morning Prince Zuko', but Katara didn't even turn around. "Hello uncle," he said and walked past him, grabbing a cup of tea. "Do you mind if I have some tea before I go out and train?"
Iroh and Katara exchanged surprised expressions. "Yes, of course."
Zuko sat down beside his uncle and looked at Katara. "Good morning Katara."
She gave him a blank expression and responded with an indifferent nod. Iroh frowned with disapproval. "Katara, why don't you tell Zuko what you just finished telling me."
Katara looked at the old man. Oh no… Please, Iroh. Don't. "It's not necessary. I already explained to you, why it wouldn't work," she said, saying the last four words through clenched teeth.
"Of course it will. Go ahead, don't be shy," Iroh insisted. Say it…
"No," she answered, forcing a smile.
"What's this about?" Zuko asked, interested.
"Nothing!" she yelled, slamming her hand down on the table. Her tea cup turned over and spilled on the floor.
"Katara I wasn't going to say anything," Iroh declared.
"You said you'd stop!" she yelled, anger flowing throughout her body.
"Don't yell at my uncle!" Zuko interfered.
Katara stood up and shot Zuko an angry glare. I don't need this right now. "I'm not going to argue with you, Prince Zuko! And tell your uncle to stay out of my life, because he doesn't understand! He doesn't!" She turned around and stormed out of the kitchen, onto the deck.
Before giving his uncle a puzzled expression, Prince Zuko ran after Katara. Finding her on the edge of the deck, he walked behind her. "What is going on with you?"
"I want to die right now," she said calmly. "Kill me, please."
"What?" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "Katara?"
"I want to go home," she whispered and stepped back against the railing. Keep your distance…
"I--," Zuko began, taking a small step towards her. No more apologies. Stop apologizing. Just leave her alone. "I understand how you're feeling." He swallowed a small lump in his throat and turned around. Walk away and don't look back…
Katara bit her lip. As she turned to face the horizon, she noticed a small black spot in the distance and smiled to herself. "Tomorrow, this will be over. Tomorrow afternoon, this will all be a memory."
Hope you liked this chapter! I'll update soon...
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