DISCLAIMER: don't own AVATAR.

-nods off- huh? Oo, sry. I hate my allergies. They make me sleepy.

I mite do like behind the scenes, deleted scenes, and sneak peeks at future chapters l8r. but 4 now, just live with the story.

Chapter 5: Explanations

After lunch, Kellie and Zuko started to walk home. But Zuko was entranced to walk into one store called 'Van Den Boss'. Kellie followed.

Zuko looked at the candles, jewelry, and various other frilly things the store sold. Kellie just stood back, grinned, and watched the show.

Zuko turned around from the jewelry and looked at Kellie. She had the world's biggest grin on her face. Bigger than his uncle's. And that was saying something.

"What?" Zuko swore that Kellie's cheeks were gonna tear, her grin was so big.

"Nothing. It's just, you're the first teenage boy I've ever met that enjoys shopping." Zuko's eyes got wide in realization, he was acting just like his uncle.

"I don't!" Kellie raised an eyebrow. And shrugged.

"Whatever." Kellie began to leave.

"Where are you going?" Kellie stopped and looked at Zuko.

"Home. And unless you can find a motel to stay at, you better come with me." Zuko didn't know what a motel was, and quite frankly, didn't want to know. He ran after the teenage girl.

When they got to Kellie's house, she gave Zuko a grand tour. Which isn't much.

"Here, is the entrance hall and the hall closet." She pointed to a door next to stairs that led downstairs and across from the stairs that led upstairs.

"Here's the computer room and kitchen. This is the fridge. It's where we keep most of our food." Kellie pointed things out. Then Zuko spied the stove.

"What's that?" And he pointed to the stove. Kellie got nervous.

"That's the stove. If you want to cook something, that's what you use. NOT firebending. But if you want to use the stove, I suggest you talk to my mom or dad first." Then Kellie led him to the living room. Zuko asked about the box that was the tv.

"That? That's the tv. I'll tell you what it does, later." She said with a devilish grin. Kellie pointed to the basement, then led Zuko back upstairs. She explained how the stuff in the bathroom worked and what it did.

"Tonight when my parents get home, I'm going to have some explaining to do." Kellie said and looked away. Zuko didn't ask why. He already knew.

For the rest of the afternoon, the two spent their time in Kellie's room. In silence. Kellie surfed the internet while Zuko went through her small library of books. He sat down against her bunk and started to read a book called Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul IV. He was reading time and time again the Relationships section. He was determined to make Kellie happy again. Nothing would stop him.

Then, Kellie's cd stopped. She stared at her stereo for a second, then grabbed the remote for it and pressed the 1 button. Zuko looked up from his book.

"I've got a surprise." Kellie said and began to grin. How often does she grin? And don't her cheeks hurt? Zuko pondered.

The cd started into a song, but Kellie sent it forward two. It started out with a guitar solo, then went into lyrics Kellie had sang for Zuko, years ago.

You think you're gonna take her way

With your money and your cocaine

Keep thinking that her mind is gonna change

But I know everything is OK

She's gonna listen to her heart

It's gonna tell her what to do

She might need a lot of lovin

But she don't need you

"Haven't you" Zuko started. Kellie continued to grin.

"Yup. These are the real performers. The guys who actually sound good singing and playing it." Zuko shook his head. He didn't like the man,( who's Tom Petty) singing the song. He'd rather listen to Kellie sing it.

"You sound even better." Kellie stared at him.

"I suck. I suck all the way to hell." Zuko shook his head. Kellie stood up, and stomped her foot. Her green eyes sparked with anger and the intensity of a firebender. Intensity of someone like Zuko.

"Yes I do. END OF DISCUSSION!" Kellie yelled. Zuko shrank back a little.

Note to self: Don't get Kellie mad.

Kellie sat back in her chair and listened to the songs. Eventually, it reached song number 15, and went into lyrics Kellie had also sang once, not knowing Zuko had been listening.

Well it started out

Down a dirty road.

Started out,

All alone.

And the sun went down,

As I crossed the hill.

The town lit up,

And the world got still.

I'm learnin' to fly,

But I ain't got wings.

Coming down,

Is the hardest thing.

Zuko sighed as he listened to the song. Kellie ignored him. Just then, they heard the door open.

"Hi dad!" Kellie said, then bounded from her chair, out of her room, and down the stairs. Zuko followed quietly.

"Hey, KB!" Her father replied. The fifty-two year old man gave his 14-year-old daughter a hug. Her father noticed Zuko, at the top of the stairs.

"Kellie, who's that?" Kellie remembered Zuko, and sighed.

"Time to start explaining." She sighed again. Kellie sat her father down, brought Zuko down, and started her story from when she had woken up on the beach of the Avatar world, two years ago.

Kellie's father stared at her in disbelief.

"You, you were,"

"Yes, father, I was in a tv show, for three months." Kellie rolled her eyes. Kellie had left out the part of how Zuko had been drunk on the second Music Night. Quite frankly, she left out the part of that Music Night completely.

"So, what's he doing here?" Kellie's father asked. Kellie looked Zuko, then back at her dad.

"Well, he got sent here. Don't know why, don't know how." Zuko stood up from the couch and was about to retort, when Kellie's hand slapped over his mouth. Silencing his almost spoken words.

"So, can he stay dad? He has nowhere else to go! Noone's going to believe he's a Prince from a Nation that doesn't even exist!" Kellie pleaded. She was down on her knees, begging. Zuko didn't know why, and neither did Kellie.

"Well, alright. He can stay. But he's staying in your brother's room until Aaron gets back, then he's sleeping on the couch." Kellie nodded, and thanked her dad. She started to take Zuko up to her brother's old room, when her father's voice sounded.

"But when your mom gets home, you'll have to explain this to her. And when Aaron comes home for Thanksgiving, you'll have to explain it to him then too. Not to mention the rest of the family." Kellie slapped her forehead. Why was her life so difficult?

Ha! Now things will begin 2 get interesting! And where the romance begins to come into play!

Zukoscute2