Disclaimer: Why must I go through this every chapter? Zuko, you do it. The memory of me not owning ATLA is too much for my little heart to bear.

Zuko: What? Okay, then. The author of this fic does not own us and anything else associated with ATLA.

Katara: Good thing, too, or the Avatarverse is gonna go nuts with her crazy ideas.

Me: Yeah that's right. If it were up to me, you two would have fallen in love instantly and Ozai would be dead for giving Zuko that horrible scar…. But don't worry Zuko, you're still cute.

Zuko: I'm getting outta here….

Katara: I'm coming with you.

Me: (mumbles to self) If Zuko were to fall in love with Katara, then Aang….blah blah blah blah yap yap yap mumble mumble mumble groan groan groan….


Thank you very much to all my reviewers for 100 reviews! You made me so happy….

ANNOUNCEMENT! I know that fanfiction . net is a huge fanfiction archive and so many stories are posted up that it's hard to keep track, but please, respect everyone else's stories and think up of your own plots! Plagiarism is a serious offense and before you do it, please think. What if a story you have spent weeks creating, developing, and writing gets stolen? Just speakin' my mind out. Thank you and now on with our story.


Chapter 11: Of Potions, Tantrums, and Apologies

"The rebellions have started at the Earth Kingdom." Zuko's deep, booming voice rang through the council's war chamber. All of the leaders of the world were there, discussing the many rebellions that have sparked in the Earth Kingdom and were slowly spreading to the Fire and Water Nations. The atmosphere at the huge war room was tense as Zuko laid out the plans for his attack. Many generals of the three nations were also there, pitching in ideas and commentaries about the strategy against the rebel troops.

"At first, they were the angry farmers and other civilians whose towns were pillaged by Fire Nation troops under my predecessor," an anguished and slightly abashed tone was observed on the Fire Lord's voice as he said this. "But they grew in numbers, recruiting others from the Water Lands, and I am ashamed to admit, even from my nation. It seems that there are still many fanatics who cannot accept that the Fire Lord before me is dead and I am the one now ruling—in peace. They still think that the Fire Nations should be the one in charge of all! That I cannot accept. Much assassination attempts have been done against me, and if it were not for my able bodyguards, I would not be standing here before you ladies and gentlemen. But my safety is not the main concern here. I set up this emergency meeting because I have just received word that they are planning an attack on different locations of the world, focusing mainly on the Fire Nation. Here on the floor is General Jee, who will explain to us the general plan on how to deal with these savages."

General Jee nodded to his King and stood up from his seat in the far corner of the long table. He marched in front of a huge map of the world that was nailed to the wall. On it were different colored pins. Red was for the Fire Nation army; blue was for the Water Nation army; green represented the Earth Nation military; and black signified the rebel troops. Everyone noticed that there were more black pins than blue and green combined—well, almost everybody.

In the farthest seat on the council table sat Katara, her head hung and she was more focused on staring at the hands on her lap than listening to a word anybody said. In reality, she had wanted to throw a tantrum than got to this stuffy meeting than see—him—again, the perverted, jackass, imbecilic, pompous arrogant Fire Lord.

The only thing that was on her mind at that moment was the incident of two nights ago, starting with the ball….

She and Zuko had just entered the palace ballroom after the episode at the palace gardens. They were still holding hands, not caring about the stares and other unfriendly looks they got from the guests—though mostly were from Zuko's admirers. They danced and danced and danced the whole ball, ending the magical night with a kiss in front of Katara's door.

Katara couldn't sleep that night, tossing and turning in her bed, just thinking about what happened. Did she just spend an entire evening with Zuko, Arrogant Bastard Number Two? Everything was so ethereal, as if she were in a trance, a lovely dream, a drug-induced hallucination. Nothing seemed to matter to her anymore that night. She hated to admit it, but she even forgot about Aang and Sokka and enjoyed the night.

In Fire Lord Zuko, Arrogant Bastard Number Two's arms, nonetheless…her brain screamed at her.

Yeah, but I couldn't help myself, it was as if there was something pulling me to him. Can it be that rare smile, or that buff and oh so hot body…oh crap, I'm thinking nonsense.

Face it girl, you are in—

Shut up! I don't even want to think about it. I'll just let this night pass as some sort of one shot, yeah, something that shouldn't happen but did happen. And in a few hours, I'll wake up from this dream and everyone will ask me why I was not at the party and I'll just say I slept.

Comforted with those thoughts, she rolled on her back and slept soundly, her breathing slow and controlled with a smile gracing her swollen lips.

That morning, she had woken up, feeling slightly happy. After a quick clean up and a change to a fresh new set of silk robes, she made her way to the dining area to have some much needed breakfast. But while she passed the hallways, she couldn't help but notice that the servants, guards, and other nobles and officials she passed by were giving her odd looks. Some were of bewilderment, others of utmost contempt, and some of happy acceptance. But what really got to her were the whispers she had over heard.

"Yes, they disappeared for most of the night…some say they went to bed…."

"But I saw him saying goodnight to her in front of her door. After that, she went inside and he went to his own quarters."

"Both of you, shut up! Here she comes."

Katara just shrugged it all and went her way, trying to ignore the glances, stares, and whispers. After all, there were many lovers in the palace and what happened last night between her and Zuko was just a furtive dream, made by her hormones which were begging her to get a boyfriend or something, so they focused her on the last guy who made her heart jump: Zuko.

Ha, I'll never fall in love with the bad guy ever again, she thought gloomily as the painful memory of one leader of the Freedom Fighters crossed her mind.

Just then, she heard some shouts from the room two doors from where she stood. She tiptoed her way and listened through a crack in the door.

"Damn it, Uncle, what is the meaning of this!" It was Zuko yelling his brains out.

"That I do not know of," came Iroh's cool but calm reply.

"Cut the crap, Uncle. I just asked the palace pharmacist and he said that you were at his office, asking for the Amore root—this root!"

Amore root? Katara asked herself. She had heard of it before. Drinking the tea that came from it would cause the person to have a short obsession or admiration over the person that occupied their mind the most. Kind of like Cupid's arrow, except that after around at least eight hours of sleep, the effects wear off and the drinkers return to their normal self.

But as Katara thought about it, she remembered that Iroh had given her some kind of strange yet wonderful tea yesterday, a few hours before the ball. And the Amore root tea was described as sweet and aromatic yet has a strange after taste….

"And so? I used it on Jun and had a wonderful time with her last night," Iroh was saying.

"I do not need to hear about your sex life! You made me drink some kind of tea yesterday, and a few hours later, I was with the water wench! I did not know what came over me at first, and I had dismissed everything that happened last night as a dream—or more precisely, a nightmare. So imagine my shock when even piss-and-garlic breath went up to me this morning asking when's the wedding!"

"You're going to marry?" Iroh's voice lighted up.

"For Agni's sake…. HELL NO! Everyone was coming up to me, asking why I was dancing and shit—being all romantic and crap to that water wench! And then it hit me: You!"

Katara had heard enough. She ran away and into her room, falling on her scarlet bed and crying her eyes out. The dream was true, she had kissed Zuko several times last night, almost saying to him 'I love you.' In truth, she had wished that night were true, no matter how much she tried to deny it. She had enjoyed his kisses, drug-induced or not, and his soft whispers and warm cuddles.

But part of her had adamantly refused to acknowledge that something did happen between her and the Fire Lord. It was too absurd! But it had happened with the help of the Amore root, so it wasn't all of her fault….

She still felt horrible about it. They had played with her emotions! Furious, she opened her closet and took out her black leggings and blue tunic. She almost tore out her delicate blue robes in her anger and put on the leggings and tunic and stomped her way out of the palace gates. In the town, she found a horse for rent and galloped her way to the far end of the beach where no one would go and poured out every last bit of her anger with her bending. She caused huge tidal waves and whirlpools, alarming the fishermen who were in the range of the mini-tsunamis she created.

In her rage, she bended a large wall of ice and took it out with one punch, the ice shards flying at every direction. Not satisfied with that, she made another, though thicker wall, and it shattered with a few well placed kicks and punches. Half and hour later, she found herself kneeling on the ground, crying her eyes out, her knuckles bleeding and her cloth shoes all tattered.

"MEN ARE SUCH PIGS!" Katara roared at the top of her voice at the same time a huge wave crashed to the shore.

----------

Meanwhile, somewhere in the arid desert of the Earth Nation, a good fifteen thousand miles away from Katara….

"Did you hear that, Aang?" Sokka asked, turning around and seeing nothing but sand, rocks, cacti, sand, a blue sky, and sand.

"Well, I heard a voice too…" Aang answered slowly. "It sounded like…."

"Katara!" They said simultaneously.

"We're both going in over our heads," said Sokka as they trudged on.

"We miss her too much, I know."

"Yeah…. Darn it! We're out of water!"

"And she was always the one who found water for us even in the middle of a desert such as this…."

----------

Back at the Fire Nation, in Zuko's room, the young Fire Lord paced around his suite, not caring that he had about a dozen more meetings and negotiations lined up for the afternoon. All he could think about was what happened last night…being in the arms of the 'water wench' and how absurdly happy he was being able to spend time with her.

Focus, Zuko! That was part of the Amore root's trick! You had no control over it! Besides, would you really do that consciously?

HELL NO! I'd rather die than do that!

Then his mind wandered to his 'first kiss' with the Waterbender.

She had such soft lips….

Snap out of it, boy! You'll do better than to fall for a no name Chieftess of an Agni-forsaken tribe!

Right…I better calm down. This is just my hormones playing with me…I am just eighteen after all. I have not yet conquered this phase my teachers call 'Teenage angst' whatever in Agni's name that means. But in a way, this is good, I'm learning to control my emotions. That stupid Waterbender is a good guinea pig after all….

Good, Zuko.

Pleased with himself, the Fire Lord sat down on his bed and as if on cue, someone rapped on his door.

"Enter," he yelled and a sentry came inside.

"Greetings, your grace," the sentry said, bowing.

"At ease, soldier." The guard straightened up and spread his legs a foot apart with his hands on his back. "What have you got to report?"

"The esteemed Fire Lord Regent Iroh wishes your company to dinner this evening. He said that he has something of importance to tell you."

"Tell him, fine but I haven't forgiven him yet. You are dismissed."

The soldier nodded and bowed his way out. He had not left for more than fifteen seconds when a huge crash was heard and Zuko's door flew open.

Fire Lord Zuko jumped up on his bed in surprise and saw Katara framed in his doorway, her face and neck dripping with perspiration and blood. Her hair was out of its elegant bun and were tangled all over her face; her tunic was torn in several places and trickling with water; her knuckles were a bloody mess and her face was screwed up in what Zuko thought of as the most frightening expression he has seen as of yet.

Hell really hath no fury like a woman scorned…. But whoever said that haven't met Katara before. The phrase 'Hell, torture, and eternal damnation, hath no fury like Katara scorned' was better in describing what Katara was emanating.

Does she have Firebender blood?

"Look, buddy boy," she began, her words laced with loathing and pure rage, "I have come here to tell you that what happened last night was a fuckin' fluke and I'm more than happy to forget it all. I have no feelings for you, and I know you also don't, so we're square. Bear in mind that I now loathe you from the deepest of my heart and would rather face eternal perdition than relive that moment again. In simple words, we just forget that each other exists, okay? You forget me, and I forget about you, got it!"

All the while, Zuko was staring at those clear blue orbs of hers that reminded him of the sea he had called his home for so long. Not a word registered into his brain until Katara pushed him on the chest, making him sit on the bed again.

"What? What the hell are you--?"

"Did you get it?" Katara growled, her face an inch from his. Zuko snapped back to reality. He stood up angrily and glared at her.

"Of course I did, and I'm more than happy to oblige! Now get out of my room now!"

"As you wish, my lord," Katara spat out the words and made a mock bow before stomping her way out.

"Katara! Katara! Are you even listening?" Jing hissed beside her and Katara looked up, dimly wondering why she was in the council war chamber. Her memories came flooding back and she gave a sharp nod to Jing.

"That's it, any questions?" General Jee was saying. There was murmur of assent from the council members but none questioned so Jee got back to his seat after an approving nod from his King.

"My intelligence tells me that they rebels first plan to attack the cities of Juliang and Ferian of the Earth Kingdom, then at Soliam and Dezra of the Fire Nation. With your approval I would like to send some of my troops in there, capture a few who are top brass and interrogate them. I would like to find out who is leading them all."

The Earth Kingdom leaders nodded and clapped and Zuko also nodded to the governors of the cities of Soliam and Dezra.

"Your cooperation is highly appreciated. This concludes this meeting which is the last of the council's. Your appearance during the past week has been very joyous for me. Have a safe trip and let us see each other again in six months."

The leaders nodded and went away quietly while some went up to Zuko to shake his hand, express gratitude, or to just simply talk to him.

Katara was among the first to get up from her seat and leave the chamber. Jing was left behind to talk to Zuko.

Katara raced to her room, again ignoring the stares and whispers. Somehow, her outburst at Zuko's room didn't spread as she had thought. She figured that the Fire Lord had a hand in shushing it all up. But at this moment, she didn't care. As soon as she was inside her scarlet bedroom, she stripped to her underwear and donned her travel clothes that were lying on a red sofa. She took down her bun and braided it up. All of her clothes were already packed; she had packed two days ago.

All that was left was call for Jing so they could leave.

She went out of her suite and looked around for Jing, and when she didn't find him in the war chambers, she went for Iroh's office where the two old men would drink tea and have a game of Pai Sho. But in the maze that was the Fire Palace, she got lost and ended up in the east entrance of the gardens, where the fateful night had happened.

As Katara turned to leave, a voice spoke.

"You told me two days ago that you would leave. Why are you still here?"

Katara glanced around and saw Zuko leaning on a tree with his arms crossed and looking far away.

"I could not leave without Jing; he was the one who insisted we stay here until the council meetings are over," she said stiffly, also crossing her arms. "And it would be rude of me to just leave like that. And anyway, why are you speaking to me?"

The past few days all that they shared was a sharp nod or when they spoke, it was in civil tones and wasn't more than a five or six words each.

"Was there some written agreement to not speak with you?"

"Don't be a smart ass. Anyway, I'm leaving and don't expect me to come to the next council meeting because by then Sokka would be back and he would be chief of the tribe again and I will no longer see your face."

Katara pivoted on her heel and was about to run off when she felt something encase her wrist. Zuko had come up behind her and was holding her wrist gently. Normally, she would just slap his hand away and run, but she didn't.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered softly in her ear before letting go and raced away.

Katara stood rooted to spot.

It was the day that Katara swore she would never, ever fall in love and marry, and would spend the rest of her life as a spinster, also that she would never step into the Fire Nation again.

However, a few minutes later, she found herself sitting on a chair in the palace's infirmary, clutching an ailing Jing's hand.

"Why have you chosen to fall ill at a time like this?" Katara almost wailed.

"I am so sorry, my dear, but I'm afraid that I am too old and my body is not as strong as it used to be," Jing coughed.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here. It must be the weather that's doing this. We'll get you home soon."

"No, child. I'm afraid this is a disease I've contracted. The doctor said that I should have to stay here for a few weeks; I can't be moved around or I'll get worse, and a journey back home is going to be the death of me. We'll have to stay here, Katara. Of course, I don't mind going back if that's what you want; I am old, and may be my time has come…. Katara? Katara?"

Katara didn't hear the rest of what Jing had said. All she could see was a bright light before a completely dark, blissful void.


Sorry if I updated too late and this chapter was a bit crappy. Inspiration has left me and my computer broke down—only got fixed today. I couldn't think of anything, seriously. Anyway, I had lots of schoolwork and I just found out although my grades went up in some subjects, it also dipped in some.

Oh, before I forget, the contest has ended and the winner will be posted up next chapter…by Wednesday if I finish all my requirements before that date.

REVIEW, please. If I get many reviews, heck, I'll update by tomorrow.

Rienne ;p