Hiddy Ho! Long chapter! Mushy! Happy Valentines Day Everybody!

Zuko growled. It was already a long day and lunch had just barely past. He couldn't believe it. That little ingrate wouldn't talk to him again! And what made matters worse, everytime she looked at him she would jerk her head away and blush like a mad man. Well he could believe the not talking to him part. But the blushing! What was that about? Did he have something on his face? He knew he didn't have a boner? What could be going through her mind that would turn her carmel face to a chocolate cherry. He hated it. It was his last day before he forced himself to give her up and she wouldn't even give him the time of day. It was music night tonight maybe she would lighten up then.

He grumbled as he walked past her, but for some reason he didn't even see her this time. She watched him past. He had been grumbling alot this morning and it seemed to have gotten worse since he had eaten lunch. She walked out to the deck. The sun kissed her face and a gentle breeze soothed her aching mind. She had noticed that Zuko's leg had healed completely, with her help. But she wished she hadn't healed it. He was alot easier for her to deal with when he was griping about his leg, now it was anything and everything. She swore up and down she had no idea how the entire ship didn't just mutany and throw him overboard.

She smiled. Riyo had been taken by Iroh for a tour of the ship. Like the baby could understand, but the proud uncle had insisted. A faint smell of alcohol had wafted into her nose.

It was today that the men would have there weekly celebration. The men were already bringing up the instruments.

She signed she didn't want to see it. She would rather stay below and tend to Riyo. She couldn't have fun. She couldn't enjoy herself. She just knew that it was only a matter of time before she was pushed away.

It didn't feel right to her, of course it never had felt right. Why would he go out of his way to capture her to make her his son's nanny, then boot her off the boat? Couldn't she be more use? He could use her as bait? Then she would get to see Aang and Sokka and watch them kick the hell out of the stubborn prince. His logic was very confusing. That really wasn't what she wanted, but she figured that would be a easy trick.

A thought came to her. If Aang and Sokka knew who had her, or where she was, wouldn't they have already come to rescue her? It would have been a lot of help had they gotten to her before the Prince did. Now she was in a terrible bind. She was in love with the enemy. With each passing day she yearned for him. She wanted the right to be called Riyo's mother. She already seen herself as such, and she knew that Riyo did, but to have the title, the acknowlegement, would mean so much more.

She knew alot of other things to. Like the fact that she could never truly be with Zuko, for several reasons. First and formost, he was the enemy. He was the one that had made all of their travels so difficult and hazardous. Second, he was a prince. Sure she had right over the tribe after her brother, but there was alot of difference, status wise, between a chieftess and a Lord. Then there was the fact that he was an emotionally challanged narcissitic bundle of nerves. He had a hair triger temper, and so did she.

They were really too much alike to be so different. He was fire. She was water. He was the sun, she was the moon. Solar and Noncturna. Even though the sun and moon chased each other in an endless path across the sky the never caught each other. Eclipses. The one time in several years where the sun and the moon could meet, only in the briefest of moments. Only to begin the tantalizing chase once again.

That little taste, the little hint, of what it would be like, made the chase even more desireable.

That is what she had done to herself. With the kiss she had brought about a desire to bask in his flames, to be enveloped and taken under with the scorching flames. She no longer feared the fire, but feared the person controlling it. The way he made her feel was terrifying. The last reason, it was forbidden in the Fire Nation for any fire nation nobility to even date outside of the fire nationality.

She looked out over the ocean. So much had happened. So many life altering things had taken place on this ship. Things she knew she would never be able to forget.

Zuko watched glummly as the men carted instruments and various barrels of alcohol to the deck. He hated music night. He hated the drunkness. He hated alot at that moment. He wanted to have the woman as his own. He had never felt that way about any female before. His son and his uncle were the only people who truly held a place in his heart. But now the girl and flooded in with the power of a tsumani. He didn't like the feeling. The warm and fuzzies were a real bother, and the lightheadedness when she was close didn't suit him.

He knew that this wasn't like the other women. He knew if they were to lay together, that he would want to please he instead of just taking the plesure for himself. He felt his face grow hot. He banished the thoughts from his head. If he was to claim her, it wasn't going to be that way. He didn't want her to feel like she was being compared to the others. He wanted to hold her, to protect her. And DAMMIT he wanted to love her.

Yes, he wanted to love her, but he didn't feel that he should. It was unfair to her and Riyo. Just knowing that their love would be forbidden, made his stomach turn. It was his life. His heart he should be able to be with who ever he wanted.

That would be the first thing to change when he took his throne back. It was then he made his decision. This seperation wasn't going to be forever. Once he took his throne and disposed of his sister, he would search for her. Send for her. Have her brought back to him. Then she would be with him. And not a single person could protest. If she lost the love for him... he didn't want to think about that. If that happened and he sent for her, he would make a fool of himself and disgrace his people.

Zuko made his way to the deck. He wanted to speak with her. He passed his uncle who was fussing over Riyo, talling him all about Ginseng Tea. Zuko rolled his eyes. With his luck his son would be addicted to tea before he turned two. With his uncle having the child, meant that she was alone. He found her helping the men on deck to place the instuments. The sun was lingering to set. Purple, Blue and Red painted across the horizon made his heart wrench. The last night to have together. He couldn't talk to her yet. If he did an argument would insue and make things worse.

The sun set fast and the music started to ring from the ship. Katara sat next to Iroh, Riyo giggling in her lap. She didn't want to be on deck. She wanted to be away from the happiness, away from the carefree flowing of the music. But Iroh had insisted on her staying.

Zuko watched from the shadows as Katara played with his son. She loved that child. He knew that as soon as she had seen Riyo. It was almost like a woman's job to nuture and care for any child that needed someone no matter the situation. Women. Hah what a joke. With her patience and her temper matching his she was more of a man. That brought a small smile to his face. He had fallen in love with a manly woman. That was funny. She wasn't manly persay but she was strong and had a will that far out matched his own. She had an air of dominace and a feeling of power to her that went well beyond what is expected from her gender and well beyond her age. She was very persistand when she wanted something. But that brought about questions to his mind. She wanted him didn't she? The why was this case different. She had pushed the fact or anything else to get what she wanted. She had stated plain out that he was hers. Nothing else. She didn't need to prove it, he guessed. But she had every reason to.

She was sitting there. Playing with the child, and nothing more. She didn't seem to even hear the music floating in the wind.

He could n't stand it anymore. He had to know why she wasn't even enjoying the music. He knew why he didn't but the last time she had enjoyed it very much.

"Katara." He said looking down at her. She kept her eyes on the baby and didn't move.

"Yes?" She said softly. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed her chin. He tilted her chin up to look at him.

"Why aren't you dancing?"

"I don't want to." She said and pulled her face away. Zuko squatted down and looked directly in her eyes. He held his stare as he reached down taking Riyo. He stood up and handed the baby to his uncle. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her to stand. He looked her harshly in her eyes.

"Dance." He ordered. She glared at him and scoffed. She turned her head form him. A soft look came over his face.

"Can we talk?" He ask pulling her closer to him signalling for her to follow him. They walked back over to the shadows in which Zuko had been hiding. He stopped and looked at her. Her eyes glimmered in the darkness.

"Quite this. You can't do this." He said looking at her a plea escaping his mouth rather then an order. She looked up at him.

"I can't keep doing this. You know this is tearing me to pieces. You are going to get rid of me after you let me fall in love with your child." She stated softly. His face was emotionless and he stepped closer to her. Instictly she stepped back until the cool metal graced her fingers. She looked up at him as he took another step. He gently cupped the side of her face in his hand.

"You fell in love with me aswell." He said in a deep ssultry voice. She shivered. She didn't like that voice. She didn't like it because she did like it so. But as much as he spoke the truth it hurt.

"If only you felt the same way." She said softly hardly audible. He leaned in close and graced his lips softly against hers before taking the warm kiss that awaited him He pulled back and looked deep into her cerulean depths.

"I do. I want you to understand something though. This is going to be our last few hours together. We are docking at a village sometime tomorrow." She looked at him. Not this soon. She knew soon but tomorrow. He read the look in her eyes and pulled her in close to him wrapping his mighty arms around her.

"I want to get the most out of this. Just to hold you is enough." She pushed him back tears streaming from her face.

"This is not funny. This is udderly cruel!" She snapped. He looked at her. He knew that this reaction was possible. He grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. Placing his mouth right beside her ear.

"You are the only woman that I ever loved as much as I do you. The only one I have ever loved at all. No matter what you think." She looked at him and smiled. She had wanted to hear that.

"Okay what do you want to do?" He smiled at her and puled her back out into vision.

"Dance."

"All alone." He smiled and nodded. She felt odd. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to dance alone. His uncle was very perseptive as he started up a slow song. A fire nation romance lullaby. Zuko stepped close to her and put a hand on her waist.

"Ever heard this one before?" She shook her head. He laughed. Wow. He really laughed. Not that wicked scary laugh of his but a smooth amused laugh.

"It's of my nation." He said taking her hand in his.

"You said you didn't dance." He shook his head.

"No I never said anything. Remember. I'm a prince." He said pulling her in close. "Here let me show you." They began to move gracefully. Iroh sighed and looked down at the baby who was nodding in and out of sleep. He looked back up at the couple. Zuko had always had a heart, it was just difficult to get him to show it. This girl had breaken down his barriers. The moved together very well. She kept up with the fast paced movements of the prince. He was very skilled in dance. It wasn't really that much different from training.

The music stopped and she laughed leaning her head on his chest. It was along bit of music and her legs were tired. He stepped back and smiled at her.

"Hold still." She obeyed as he put his hand out in front of him towards her. She heard a small hiss. This a crackle. She felt a heat on her back and looked at him in fear.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." He smiled. He looked at Katara and smiled. He had manipulated the heat radiating from her body to creat fire, further bending it into two distinct forms. He had slowly started to seperate certain tendrils of flames.

He looked upon his final creation. But if was the flaming angle wings that made the scene beautiful. It was the angel that beheld the wings. He dropped his hands and let the fire die. She walked over to him and into his welcoming arms. Katara looked over at Iroh and the baby. Both were asleep. Zuko smiled and set his cheek down on her head rustling it gently with his chin.

"I'll get the old man. You get the baby." She smiled and nodded.

After old man was set comfortably in his bed and the baby Riyo found a new comfort in his crib. The two lost teens stood staring at one another. She moved to him, knowing what she wanted. She moved and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled back though and looked at her.

"I don't want anything form you." He said, not stating his mind out flat but the meaning was understood. She smiled. She sat on the bed, looking at the floor as he changed into his night clothing. She looked back up at him when he sat down on the bed beside her.

"All I want is to hold you, while I can at least." She nodded and they laid back on the bed facing each other. He reached his arms out and pulled her very close to him. Her arms pulled up to rest on his chest and her head laying comfortably on his shoulder.

"Zuko?"

"Mhmm."

"Why did you chose me to be Riyo's nanny." He was quite for a moment.

" I didn't."

"Then it was a mistake." He looked down at her with his honeyed eyes.

"No it was fate." She nodded and laid there for a few more moments, before she ask another question.

"How many women might you have children by?" she knew what she had meant and by his answer he had picked up on it.

"It doesn't matter. Those women were just items. You are not. You are my lady. Water bender or not." She still wasn't satisfied there was so much she wanted to know. She looked up at him. How she loved him. Words couldn't describe the flood of emotions racing through her veins. She knew her heart was taken and probably never to be given elsewhere. He looked down at her knowing that she was brimming over with questions.

"This goodbye won't be for good. I promise you that." She looked at him softly and pressed her lips gently tohis. First man she had ever truly kissed, it had been first iniciated by her, he was the enemy, and she had fallen head over heals down the love tree hitting every branch on the way down. He brought his hand up and touched her shoulder lightly.

"You said I was your's." She nodded and closed her eyes nestling into him. His skin so warm, comforting. His breathing deep and relaxing. His warmth. Oh she could just go on and on. She opened her eyes wide when she felt him pull away. She looked up at him. He was leaning on his elbow looking at her.

"I've been thinking about that alot. You're Riyo's mother. You claimed me as your own..." He said and took her necklace from her. He rolled the stone in his fingers for a moment before pulling a different stone from his pajama pant pocket. He placed it in her hand. A bright red blood stone. She had expected maybe the fire nation insignia, but instead the fire red stone bore wave after wave of water. She gasp and took it from him sitting up. She took her necklace back. She fiddled with it for a moment or two then showed it to him. Instead of replacing her mothers stone, she added the fire stone to it. He smiled and put it back around her neck. And looked at her his nose touching hers.

"The only person ever, outside of the Fire Nation that has a blood stone. That means that you are mine."

Wow. I liked it. So many places I almost cut chapter. But I justcouldn'tHope you did. Next chapter might take a while. Imaginative tank is running on E just give me a couple days and I'll be filled and sitting on go.