I think I've tortured you guys enough now. Okay, here it is, Chapter Eleven like you people have been begging for. For what reason is beyond me, though.

There was almost no space between us now. I felt Zuko's body heat up subtly; his eyes seemed to pierce my innermost being.

Crash! A tree nearby collapsed, breaking the spell that had been cast. Zuko let his hands drop to his sides and turned to look at the fallen tree. Inwardly, I groaned. We had been so close to…to what?

"Lightning," he muttered, avoiding my eyes. It was good a thing I was avoiding his. He made sure that the tree with our food in it was safe. I noticed he wobbled on his feet every time he moved. I sighed.

"Zuko, listen. You're exhausted and you need your sleep. If you're worried about something coming and attacking, I can keep watch," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. He turned to face me. "I slept last night; I'll be much more alert than you would be." (Zuko couldn't argue with that logic.) "Plus, I can make lunch with the food Aang left. I'll wake you when I'm done." The Fire Prince paused and nodded. I smiled. "Good. Now, could you do me a favor?"

"What?"

I pointed to the tree that had the food bag in it. "Get that down for me. I'm too short to reach something that high up." Zuko smirked as he got the bag down. "Thanks," I said reaching for it. Zuko held it out of my reach. I sighed and jumped for it. I wasn't that much shorter than Zuko (five feet, ten inches), but his arm span was greatly larger than mine was. I remembered Sokka doing the same thing when we were little and he would steal my doll. It was annoying then and it was annoying now.

"If you want lunch, give me that bag!" I said, huffing. Zuko smirked even wider.

"No." I shrugged.

"Fine." I kneed him, not anywhere sensitive, and not too hard, but hard enough to get him to drop the bag. I laughed at the expression on Zuko's face.

"Peasant's brat," he grunted. I laughed as I dug in the bag.

"Yup." Zuko rolled his eyes and lay down.

"Try not to burn anything," he quipped. I shot a look at him, though he couldn't see it, as his back was turned. I took out two half-frozen fish from the bag, sighing at Sokka's oddness. (Who sticks half-frozen fish in a canvas bag?) I made a rough spit and began roasting the fish, my gaze moving to Zuko's sleeping form.

Usually, Zuko had a haunted look about him, like the shadows of his past never left him. When he slept, however, he seemed…peaceful, like a normal teenaged boy. I sighed. This war ruined everyone's lives.

I watched as Zuko's chest rose in steady, slow breaths. His tunic was slightly unbuttoned, making me quickly avert my eyes. The last thing I wanted was for him to wake up and find me staring. I longed to lie next to him and wrap my arms around him, feel his muscular body next to mine.

I groaned. What on Earth was wrong with me?

It was about three hours later that the fish were done completely. Before I could go wake him, Zuko got up, looking a lot less tired. Wordlessly, I handed him one of the fish; wordlessly, he sat down next to me and we ate. Nothing was said between the two of us, even once lunch was finished. Finally, I broke the silence.

"It stopped raining about an hour ago," I said, silently berating myself. What was wrong with me? The weather? I was talking about the weather? Zuko just nodded, staring into the fire. I stood, ready to put the bag back in the tree. I tripped over a protruding root and fell on Zuko.

"Sorry," I muttered, untangling myself from the Fire Prince. "Stupid root; it wasn't there earlier." I began to think that the island really did have it out for me. As I stood, my necklace came undone. "Drat."

"Here," Zuko said, picking it up. I held up my braid so the prince could tie the necklace on for me. I stood perfectly still as Zuko tied the ribbon. After he had done that, he set his hands on my shoulders. At that moment, I felt such a powerful, overwhelming sense of longing I moaned ever so softly. I realized what I had done and hoped Zuko hadn't heard.

He had. I felt his hands heat up as he brought me closer. I heard Zuko's voice in my ear, a low, throaty rumble. "What was that for?" he whispered, brushing hair from the side of my face. I nearly trembled when I realized how close he was to me.

"What was what for?" I whispered back innocently. I turned to face him. His eyes stared at me with burning intensity that nearly made me faint. I realized that no common person, like me, in the Fire Nation's Court would have ever met Zuko's eyes; they sent shivers up my spine.

"That moan." I blushed and looked away. I bit my lip, reluctant to explain the unknown longing that had sprung up inside me. Zuko didn't need an explanation; he wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his body. I moaned as he ran his hands down my shoulders and rested his hands on my waist.

I rested my face against his chest, letting his warmth radiate through me. I felt Zuko's hands move from my back to my hair; he teased my braid out. (Usually, that is a surefire way to annoy me, taking my braid out.) I bit back another moan as one hand returned to my waist. The other held my head against him. "Zuko," I whispered breathlessly.

I dimly heard the sounds of birds calling in the background. The birds had disappeared from the island, what with all the rain, so I ought to have been shocked. But I wasn't. Nothing could have surprised me more than the emotions I felt running through my body; wellbeing, yearning, pleasure…and one other I dare not believe or mention.

Zuko lifted my face so our eyes met. "Katara," he whispered. I shivered slightly as he ran his hand from my back, up my neck, and to my face. Another moan slipped out, and I closed my eyes. My heart pounded in my chest so loudly, I'm sure Zuko heard it.

His face was soo close to mine; I could feel his breath on my cheeks and lips.

I prayed that nothing would ruin this moment.

Suddenly, fire ran through me as Zuko closed the distance. I felt his body tense slightly against mine and his arms tighten around me. I gripped his shoulders, hanging on as if he was a boat and I was lost at sea. I never wanted the kiss to end.

But, like everything, it had to end. Lungs fit to burst, Zuko and I pulled apart slowly. I couldn't believe what had just happened; Sokka would kill me if he knew. I knew it was more than likely wrong, yet it felt so right.

If Zuko realized this, he didn't care. He just held me close to his chest, his breaths coming in pants, his heart beating rapidly. I suppose my breaths were just as shallow and my heart beat just as fast, but I was too lost in Zuko's eyes to notice. His warm breath made my cheeks tingle and sent a small shiver up my spine.

Gradually, our breathing slowed and our heartbeats became normal. Once my breathing was under control, I reached up and caressed Zuko's face with my palm. How could someone who chased Aang, Sokka, and me around the world for weeks be so passionate? I knew that, if he wanted to, he could use me as bait for Aang and then hurt me in many ways.

Zuko grasped my hand in his. I knew instantly that he would never harm me intentionally and that I trusted him more than I trusted anyone else.

His other hand brushed the hair that had gotten in my face away. No words had he spoken, but his actions said it all. "I've never been this close to anyone," I murmured, relishing the feel his heated skin against my cool body. I rested against Zuko's chest, suddenly very tired.

Zuko held me closer, tightening his grip on me when I shuddered. It wasn't from cold that I shivered; it was being so close to him and hearing him whisper my name like a fire whispers the name of the watcher.

I looked up at the sky and gasped. It was night already! I had lost track of time, so entranced by…by Zuko had I been.

"I didn't realize how late it was," I said, looking at Zuko. "Do you want to eat?" Zuko shook his head, nearly dead on his feet.

We let the embrace slip; Zuko put the fire out and I picked up the supply bag to put back in the tree. I was so tired that I just lay down at the foot of the oak the bag was in and feel asleep in a matter of seconds.

So no one asks why Zuko doesn't talk so much in this chap: he's tired and the KISS just zapped him. He's only had three hours sleep in two days, after all.