Hey all, ok this is my first attempt at an Avatar fic. I kinda got roped into it by two of my fellow staff on BlueSpirtGal. Though I do need to thank BSG and SB for agreeing to Beta this fic for me. Also I was told I should explain something. See I believe that Katara actually has a dowel personality. So the regular italics and the bold italics are both of her personalities. I truly have no idea why I decided to write like this. I started another Zutara fic, that hopefully I'll finish one day, but I got bad writers block and this idea popped into my head.

Please read my craziness and leave me comments, and maybe I'll get around to writing another one.

Oh and I don't own Avatar, if I did Iroh would be fire lord and I would be his lady.

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"This way," said the masked man as he grabbed Katara's hand. He led them both through a maze of alleyways. Who is this guy?

Who cares? He did save us from those scary girls, that makes him ok in my book. True but still, we've been wrong before. Remember Jet? Grrrr, don't remind me, but I'm sure this guy's alright. Why don't we wait to find out more about him before we jump to conclusions? Alright you win.

Katara followed the masked figure, then remembered that she needed to find Aang, Sokka, and Toph. She studied his muscular back as they ran. What do you say to someone who's just saved your life? Thanks, but I have to go now. We could always tell him about Aang, maybe he would be willing to help us against the firenation. He did jump in the middle of the fight to save us from the girl with the blue flames.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to realize he had stopped. Katara ended up bumping into him form behind, and sent them both tumbling to the ground. She quickly scrambled to her feet and started to mumble an apology.

"Watch where you are going," the masked man hissed followed by what seemed to be something mumbled. What was that? Katara could feel her temper start to rise. Well we did bump into him; maybe we should cut him some slack. Fine.

"Sorry," she said softly and offered him a hand up. The masked figure swatted her hand aside, "I don't need your help." He then got up on his own.

That's it I'm going to kill him. Calm down, he did save our live. ... fine. He brushed the dirt off his dark clothing and adjusted his mask. Then he turned to look at her. "You should be fine now, try to stay out of trouble." With that said he started to walk away.

What? Is he just going to walk away? "Wait," Katara called after him. The masked man stopped but didn't turn around. What did you do that for? I wasn't thinking ok! Well you better think of something to say! ………Fine I'll ask, I won't have him think that we are an idiot.

"Before you go tell me, who are you," Katara became nervous and started to play with her hands. "I mean I need to know so that I can properly thank you." She could feel a blush start to creep up her face, and fought to control it. Great you just had to think what it would be like to kiss him didn't you. Well I can't help it. It's the mask, it's so mysterious. What do you think he looks like under there? That's it I'm taking over again. Fine.

"Who I am doesn't matter," he said softly and with a mix of sorrow and bitterness in his voice. What could have possibly have happened to him to make him hate himself so? Something about him makes me want to give him a hug. Well it's a good thing you aren't in charge anymore. True, but you are curious as well. Fine, but I'll ask my way.

The masked man once again started to walk away from Katara, as she debated with herself. She reached out a hand as if to touch him on the shoulder, but let it drop before she made contact. "At least tell me, why you help me back there."

Katara studied his back for any kind of reaction to her question. He was quiet for a moment as if he himself was wresting with inner thoughts. "Let's say I've had run-ins with these three before, and I would do anything to keep them from reaching their goal."

He paused and looked like he might turn around and add something more to his story, and then she noticed him shake his head. Once again he walks away from her. He knows those girls?

Katara ran so that she now stood in front of him, and held her hand up in front of her to prevent him from leaving. "How do you know them?"

He crossed his arms and seemed to glare down at Katara through his mask. "Shouldn't you be looking for your friends," he replied coldly.

How did he know about Aang, Sokka, and Toph I haven't mentioned them yet. Maybe he was observing the fight before he jumped in it. He could have seemed us all fighting together and assumed we were friends. Maybe but something tells me that we need to learn more about this guy, he could be a threat.

"I'll look for them in a minuet, first answer my question," said Katara in a no nonsense voice. The figure looked at her then quickly away. "I don't have time for your petty questions, now let me leave," he said in anger.

Now that tone sounds familiar. I don't care who he is, he's going to answer my questions. But the voice. I'll work on that latter. Katara frowned and crossed her own arms across her chest. "Well you are just going to have to make the time."

The masked man harrumphed, and then sighed. "If I tell you will you let me pass?"

She pretended to think about her answer. He's dangerous; we should just let him leave. No, not before he answers my questions. And why would we need fear him anyway? We are a master waterbender. I know, but still there is something about him. He saved our life I don't think he's going to turn around and kill us.

"Well," he asked growing impatient. She shook her head to get rid of her conflicting thoughts. "Yes, if you answer my question. I'll let you go."

The figure nodded. "Fine, if you must know I'm considered a firenation rebel." She could hear the disgust in his voice. "Those girls are princess Azula, and her friends Mai and Tylee. I'm the son of a Nobel-man from the capital city. You could say I grew up with those girls.

"Believe me when I say the princess has always been ambitious and ruthless. I've made it my mission to keep Azula from getting what she wants."

He's a firenation rebel, but he seems to hate himself for it. And why a noble would be fighting against the firenation anyway. "If you are who you say you are, why are you fighting against the firenation?"

The masked man took a step towards Katara, and figured the swords at his side. "You said if I answered your questions you would let me go." Not so fast buddy, I've got a few more for you as well.

Katara uncrossed her arms and let them drop to her side. "I changed my mind. Once I know you aren't a threat to me and my friends I'll let you go."

The masked figure let out a harsh, "And how are you going to keep me from leaving?"

She reached for the water skin at her side, but the masked man was quicker. He grabbed both her wrist and brought them up over her head. Then he pushed her back against the ally wall.

"No more games, girl. If I had wanted to harm the Avatar I would have captured him, instead of saving your life. Haven't you ever heard that the enemy of your enemy is your friend?"

Avatar? I never told him about Aang. Something about this seems familiar. Stop thinking along those lines and help me figure out why he knows about Aang. Fine. Katara narrowed her eyes. "How did you know I was traveling with the Avatar?"

The figure let out a curse then squeezed her writs a little harder. "Kind of hard to miss the tattoos, don't you think?" I still say there is something very familiar about all this. Oh will you shut up? Help me figure out how to get out of this. Um … try asking why he saved our life, and made sure that we were safe instead of fighting directly with that girl.

Katara straightened up her back. "Why me? Why did you help me instead of fighting against, that girl Azula? If you had let her hit me, you might have been able to get in an attack on her."

The silence in the ally was almost deafening. Why isn't he answering us? I don't know, but we should try and be patient. Finally he dropped her hands. "I don't like bullies. Tylee had taken away your bending, there was no way you could have defended yourself."

Katara rubbed her writs wear he had grabbed them. That is so not an answer to the question. Then he turned his back on her. "And I didn't want to see you get hurt," he said in a whisper.

Her heart started to pound like mad in her chest. What is going on? First he rescues us from certain death like something out of a story. Then he is rude and agues with us. And now he's saying he didn't want us to get hurt? grrr. Oh don't be like that. I think it's kind of romantic.

Katara places a hand on the masked figures shoulder causing him to turn and face her. She reached up a hand and started to move the mask. What are you doing? I'm following my heart, now be quiet we may never get this opportunity again. Plus you know you want to know if he's a good kisser.

She moved the mask up far enough to reveal his lips and nothing more. The figure was too stunned to react to Katara. Before he knew it the feisty waterbender that he had chased all the way across the world had stolen his first kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered as she pulled away, and pulled the mask back down. Warm. Soft. The figure nodded and took a step back, but the masked eyes never left her own.

"Will I ever see you again?" Katara asked her heart racing. He raised a hand and gently placed it on her cheek. "We'll see." Something about the warmth and the gentleness of the voice made her want to saver this moment forever. So she closed her eyes.

Warmth, a sense of honor, a temper to match my own. The reason he would be bitter at being considered a rebel. And how he would know those girls. Only lead us to one name.

Katara felt the warmth of his hand leave her cheek. Her eyes snapped open at her own discovery and looked around for man in the blue mask. But he was no where in sight. A smile played across her lips, "I'll be waiting, Zuko." Katara's smile widened as she realized she meant it.