When Zuko entered the tent, Katara was in the process of removing her blouse. She turned when she heard someone enter. "Ahh! I thought Lakai was gonna do this," she said, using her shirt to cover her front, even though she had her undershirt on.

"Someone has to make sure Uncle doesn't buy a ton of cheap tea and such; she went with the others to the port market and asked me to do this," Zuko explained. "If you'd rather wait, I can keep the oil hot."

Katara paused, then moved, wincing at her stiff back. "I'll let you do it, but no…" she trailed off, giving a look that said it all.

"I'm not some perverted teenaged boy, Katara," he retorted. "You should know that by now."

"Hey, I've got good reason to be wary around boys," Katara quipped, lying down on the cot and propping her head up.

Zuko frowned as he stepped up next to her and set the bowl down on a small stool. "Really?" Katara nodded. "Do you mind if I ask why?"

Katara paused. "I'd rather not go into detail about what Jet said," she muttered.

"That's fine," Zuko replied and began to apply the oil.

It took at least in an hour before Zuko figured he had done enough. His uncle and the others were still not back yet, so he lay down on the other cot (Katara had fallen asleep during the process) to maybe nap, rest at most.

He dozed off, because the next thing he knew, he was waking up to Katara's moans and murmurs.

The small lantern that had been lit when he had lay down was almost out, but in the pale light Zuko could see Katara's face contorted into a mask of horror. "No…not you too…come back! Sokka? Aang? Anyone!" The former prince realized she was having nightmare.

Do I wake her up?

I would.

For once, I actually agree, though I though only insane people heard voices in their head.

You've been through hell and back and you still think you're sane?

…Point taken.

Zuko stood and walked over to Katara. He shook a couple of times, but it didn't work. "Katara, Katara. Wake up." His mouth was just above her ear, a lot closer than he had originally intended.

Katara's eyes popped open. "Oh, Zuko!" Before Zuko could react, Katara and thrown her arms around his neck.

"Are you okay? You were having a nightmare," he said, taken aback by Katara's sudden affection.

"I'm fine," she replied, not letting go.

"Are you sure?"

"You're starting to sound like me."

"It's not my fault I'm worried. You looked distressed." Lousy excuse, he knew, but Zuko was having difficultly thinking straight at the moment.

"Oh, my dream was terrible. Everyone was leaving me. Sokka first, then Aang, Toph, Gran-Gran, my dad, everyone. The last one left was you, and for some reason, I didn't want you to go. I'd have rather jumped off a cliff than lose you." Katara started to cry softly.

If her embrace had not shocked poor Zuko, her sobs would have. She'd have rather died than have him taken from her? Clueless as to what to do, Zuko merely kneeled to her level and wrapped his arms around her, attempting to comfort her.

When he inhaled, Katara's scent flooded his senses. He couldn't name what she herself smelled like because it was masked by the scents of everyone else, but it still captured him.

Katara had stopped crying but still embraced him, sniffing every so often. "Promise me something, Zuko," she murmured.

"What?"

"Don't leave without saying goodbye."

Zuko nodded. "I promise." He didn't get it, but if it made her happy, he wasn't going to argue.

"Zuko? Katara? Hello?" Ty Lee's cheery voice rang out. "Sorry we took so long; some festival thingamajig was taking place and we got sidetracked."

"It wasn't a festival, Ty Lee. It's sale day in Len Sung. They always go all out," Lakai corrected.

Katara let go of Zuko and put her shirt back on. "Coming!" She pulled Zuko out with her by the wrist. They stopped outside and gaped.

They had brought a ton of useless junk. "I thought you went along to make sure this didn't happen," Zuko asked.

In unison, everyone else pointed to Lakai. "Her fault!" Lakai blushed.

"I bought most of this stuff for me! And Toshi," she added.

"Who's Toshi?"

"My husband."

Everyone stopped and stared. "You're married?" Aang asked.

"Yep. Have been for, oh Jala, when was it?" She stopped. "Three years."

"Where is he?" Toph asked. She had a suspicious look on her face, as if she didn't trust men who ditched their wife.

"Oh, he had to do something that he couldn't let me get involved with, or so he said. Hmph, I can take care of myself in a fight. Anyway, it was something to do with the Fire Nation. He said that he'd meet me here, but didn't give a when so I stop by every few months to see."

"When was the last time you saw him?" Iroh asked, digging through the bags.

"It was just after the wedding that he took on the job, so three years ago," Lakai answered.

"And you bought junk for some guy you haven't seen in three years?" Sokka asked.

"I haven't seen Toshi, but he sends me letters regularly by reptilian parrot. They're incredibly reliable mail carriers," Lakai said. "I still wear my betrothal necklace." She pointed out the blue pendant on the silken band around her neck. Both were more a sea toned blue than Katara's necklace, but it was still an engagement necklace. "Now, who got what again?"

They spent the next two hours dividing merchandise, with Lakai breaking off to cook lunch every so often. Most of it was food, but some was nonperishable items, like new shoes for Ty Lee, at least twenty yards of different colored cloth (or so it seemed) and matching threads, hair ribbons for Ty Lee and Katara (Toph blatantly refused any ribbons and instead got a new headband), and so on.

"We even got a hat and some really cool gloves to hide my arrows!" Aang exclaimed, showing Katara. "And a hood for Zuko, if he wants it." Aang looked at Zuko, slightly worried.

"Your scar is a bit recognizable, Zuko," Katara pointed out. "This should help hide in if we ever go into a town." Katara studied his scar, as if trying to figure out why he had it to begin with.

Zuko nodded, a slight frown on his face. He felt…hurt over something, but he didn't know what.

"How did you pay for all of it?" Zuko asked, a little coldness to his tone. Iroh looked up from his rummaging and looked at Zuko, a concerned look on his face. He could tell something was wrong.

"I pulled a few favors to get the better stuff, but since the whole market was having a huge sale, it was incredibly cheap. And, Sokka put on a great performance that got us some free stuff."

"It was not a performance! I'd been bitten by fire ants!" Sokka protested.

"Yeah," Lakai said. "Ya danced." Sokka started to protest, but Lakai kept saying he had danced.

For some reason, all the laughter got on Zuko's nerves. Laughter hadn't bugged him since he joined the Avatar; why was it now? He was beginning to feel the way he had on his ship. He was feeling like a prince who thought the world had wronged him.

Fed up with it all, Zuko abruptly stood and stalked off into the surrounding trees. He didn't see Katara attempt to stand to follow and his uncle stopping her with a hand on her arm.

He walked through the trees, stopping when he reached a willow. In a place with moon peach and other assorted short leafed trees, this weeping willow was Zuko in a Water Tribe village, as in out of place. Shrugging off the abnormality of it, Zuko pushed aside the branches and sat down against the tree's trunk to meditate.

In, out. In, out. Eventually, Zuko forgot all about the others (except his uncle) and was absorbed in his meditation.

He was so absorbed, in fact, he didn't notice it when Momo came swooping in, holding a moon peach. (Momo didn't notice him either. He was just trying to find a place where Sokka wouldn't steal his fruit.) When Momo did notice him, he squawked slightly. Zuko didn't acknowledge him. Curious, Momo walked over to Zuko and waved the moon peach under his nose (it worked for Sokka). Zuko didn't move.

Momo scrambled up Zuko's head and waved a small paw in front of his closed eyes. Nothing. The lemur rapped his paw on Zuko's skull. Still nothing. Shrugging, Momo clawed at Zuko's hair and nestled down for a nap.

That got Zuko's attention. "What the…?" He reached up and felt the ball of fur that was Momo. "Get off, you crazy lemur." Momo squawked, but jumped down, picking up the fallen peach.

Zuko sighed. His meditation had just been ruined completely. He stood and left the shelter of the willow branches.

It was late evening already. Zuko had forgotten how easily he could get lost in his meditation. He headed back to camp.

It must have been later than he thought, because when he arrived, Lakai was the only one still up. Her usual braided bun was out and she seemed to be putting out the fire.

"Oh, Zuko. You were gone a long time. Did something happen?" she asked upon noticing him.

"No," was his stiff reply. Lakai frowned and shrugged.

"If you're hungry get some of those moon peaches. G'night." With that, she turned in.

Zuko sighed and took one of the suggested peaches. In all honesty, he didn't know what was wrong with him. True, for him to be moody was no big deal, but usually a chain of events led to his surliness or anger. He hadn't felt even an urge to be surly or rude since…

Since Katara had helped him with his ankle.

Maybe that was it. Maybe Katara's scrutiny of him this afternoon had set off something in him, something that brought back his surly attitude. But why at her look? Why not when Sokka made comments? Or when Ty Lee was being to preppy? Why only when Katara had given him that look?

Because you were hurt by it.

Huh?

Just what I said.

Zuko sighed and wiped his mouth. He was tired, that was all. The sight of all the junk had put him in a lousy mood, as his uncle's shopping trips always had. He stood and entered the tent he was sharing with Katara, not noticing which cot he lay down on.