Hey! I'm back! First, I just want to apologize for the delay in updating - worry not, I'm not nearly done with this story! I wrote part of this chapter and then had to help my parents move which somehow took almost 2 weeks because we're a bunch of hoarders. But the response on the last chapter was so overwhelming, I realized I had to push through and get this one done! So, thank you to everyone that has reviewed! You guys help me get through the writer's block!

That being said, I wanted to quickly recognize all of the kind souls who graced me with their opinions in the last few weeks...

libbylu: Friend, I saw your reviews the other day and it totally kicked me into gear! You are so very sweet and it melted my heart that you reached out :) So, I'm going to dedicate this chapter to you! I hope it is worthy of how awesome you are! As always, thank you for your continued support! It means so so much!

jjocasta: Thank you so so much for all of the reviews! I noticed that too... something weird happened with fanfiction and I couldn't see any of the new reviews for a day or so. UGH, building the tension between them is so hard because I have to repeatedly resist the urge to just mash them together at every opportunity haha so maybe I failed this chapter.. ;) I truly appreciate all of the reviews you have left on this story and feel silly for getting discouraged, particularly given your enduring support.. so, thank you!

pukachujan19999: But of course! Zhao is such a great foil character and I love writing scenes with him and Zuko. Thanks for the review!

milagro yuval: The wait is over! I got some Zutara action for you ;)

eliawantsahoranhug: Thank you so much! I have fragments of future chapters written already and I have a pretty good idea of where I'm going with this fanfic, so hopefully I will be able to finish it (though, it is going to be a long one)!

Surelybystarlight: Thank youu! To be honest, I wasn't actually planning on Toph being one of the kidnapped children, but rather being connected to General Fong (Fong and Bei Fong.. distant relatives, perhaps?) but now that you mention it I am reconsidering..

tundraa1: Thanks for the review and I'm glad you are liking it so far! The zutara moments are only just beginning ;)

~j~: Thanks for reading and reviewing! And I really appreciate the recognition with regards to my attempts at character development! It's so hard to stray from the typical zutara storyline, but I've always been a big fan of delving into characterization. We shall see if Zuko saves himself before it's too late... ;)

brendajreyes13: I got you :) thanks for the review!

demiXxfanXxsinceXx4EVERXX: You, my friend, are so very on point (what is Zuko if not tenacious?)! The binge-reading is a huge compliment! Glad you are enjoying it thus far and thank you for reviewing!

anime357girl: The fact that you binged this story warms my heart :) Hope you enjoy this update! Thanks for the review!

You guys bring tears of joy to my eyes!

This chapter is inspired by the song 'Meet Me In The Woods' by Lord Huron on their 2015 album 'Strange Trails'!

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 18: Meet Me In The Woods

…

I took a little journey to the unknown

And I come back changed, I can feel it in my bones

…

I have seen what the darkness does

Say goodbye to who I was

I ain't never been away so long

Don't look back, them days are gone

Follow me into the endless night

I can bring your fears to life

Show me yours and I'll show you mine

Meet me in the woods tonight

…

"So, what will it be, Prince Zuko?" Zhao sneered, "I've laid out your options."

Zuko eyed the six soldiers around him as they closed in menacingly, preparing to attack. Neither of the choices that the commander posed were acceptable. Even if he did assist Zhao in capturing the Avatar, his father would never accept that as adequate compensation for his lost honor. And Zuko refused to beg – such conduct was unbefitting for a Prince of a great nation. If he wanted to restore his honor and regain his crown, he would have to capture the Avatar single-handedly, not riding on the back of an ambitious naval officer. Only then could he prove he was worthy of his father's acceptance. Anything less would not be tolerated, and he wasn't going down without a fight.

In a sudden flurry of motion, he sent an arcing blast of fire at the soldiers in front of him, stepping to the side to avoid the fiery attack from the soldiers at his back. Zuko grabbed the wrist of the man to his right, pulling him forwards and using his lack of balance to throw him into two of the other soldiers. Another man stepped forwards, preparing to send a burst of fire at Zuko's face, but the prince was already dropping down to swipe the soldier's foot from underneath him. As his balance faltered, Zuko deflected his arm, sending the fiery punch over his shoulder to connect with one of the soldiers behind him. Turning to block another burst of flames from his left and return fire, he caught movement in his peripheral vision.

The wicked grin on Zhao's face had faded into a visage of annoyance as he watched Zuko proceed to take down each of his soldiers. Clearly disgruntled, he stepped forwards, descending the ramp towards the docks. Then, as Zuko turned to block oncoming flames from his side, Zhao sent forth a series of fiery punches, aimed directly at the vulnerable prince's back.

It was the heat that first alerted him to the oncoming flames and he spun around just a moment too late, throwing up his arm to block. He caught the glancing blow between his ribs and shoulder blade on his right side. Zuko yelped in agony as he stumbled back, narrowly avoiding the following attacks. He could feel the fabric of his clothing burn into the searing flesh of his back. Then he saw red.

The familiar pain caused his scar to tingle, a stark reminder of the Agni Kai so many years ago when his father had scorched him. But this time he didn't lose consciousness, nor did he waver. The injury and the memories fueled a bubbling rage that filled his being, feeding his flames. He turned to the remaining three soldiers, who must have seen something that frightened them in his seething glare because they each took a hesitant step backwards. Then Zhao was quickly approaching him, sending forth another blast of fire.

Zuko grunted as he brought his arms up, dissipating the flames, then broke into a series of arcing kicks interspersed by punches that sent a torrent of fire towards the naval commander. The pain in his back faded as fury filled his senses. Zhao blocked the attacks, feet rooted to the ground, not breaking his balance. The two soldiers had stepped aside now to allow their commander the space to battle, respectfully recognizing their superior's skill as eclipsing their own.

Zhao was attacking again, a sequence of blasts that had Zuko staggering backwards with each block, the force of the assault knocking him off balance. He blocked the final blow, but it knocked him off his feet and he landed hard on his back, screaming in agony as he was suddenly reminded of his burn as it scraped against the pavement of the dock.

The commander's laugh was low and scornful as he approached Zuko.

"It's a shame your father won't be here to see this," He snarled triumphantly as he loomed over the banished prince, igniting a fire in his fist. There was an unmistakably sadistic gleam in Zhao's eyes – he was deriving pleasure from this. Lowering his tone, he hissed, "I'll even out that scarred face of yours."

The thought enraged Zuko; his father looking on as Commander Zhao gave him a scar to match the one that marred the left side of his face. His eyes widened momentarily at the impending flames, feeling the heat on his face. But then his instincts kicked in and resolve replaced discomposure. In a sudden, swift movement, he turned, lifting himself onto his hands as he pacified the attack, dissipating the flames with his own. Still spinning, he balanced his weight on one hand, and his other foot hooked Zhao's ankle, throwing him off balance.

Zuko was back on his feet, firmly planted on the ground as Zhao struggled to regain his center of gravity. A flaming punch sent the Dommander stumbling back as he scrambled to block the fire. Now, it was Zuko's turn to send forth a series of attacks; each burst of flames knocked the Commander farther back, unable to reclaim his footing. The force of the final blast sent Zhao rolling over the edge of the dock and into the water.

Seeing his opportunity for escape, Zuko turned and ran, shooting fire at the soldiers behind him. His ostrich horse was still tied up farther down the docks.

"Chase him down!" Zhao roared from behind. The command was followed by the sound of hurried footfalls, rushing after him.

Zuko wasted no time in fumbling with the reins, yanking them from the piling and launching himself into the saddle. He spurred the ostrich horse to a frenzied gallop, not daring to glance over his shoulder as he passed through the village, narrowly dodging soldiers and carts of supplies.

Biting through the stinging pain in his back, he pressed on. He had to warn them of Zhao's plan. Unbidden, Katara entered his thoughts; the image of her being ambushed by Zhao's soldiers, fire approaching her. Zuko winced at the notion. Even if they were still enemies, he wasn't going to allow that to happen. He would not allow Zhao to capture the Avatar, nor would he allow anyone to hurt Katara.

As he rode through the cover of the dense forest outside of Daiyu, he continued to spur his mount on. If he was going to make it to their camp in time to warn them, he would have to beat Zhao there.

…

Appa's bellow echoed through the trees and Katara caught Aang's gaze in the dwindling light of the setting sun. Releasing the water that she had been coaxing into eight tentacles around her, she followed the airbender as he ran through the trees towards their campsite.

When they entered the clearing, Katara's heart dropped. Suki slid out of Appa's saddle with a dejected expression, before burying her face into Sokka's chest.

"Suki! Huan!" Aang yelled as they approached, "What's going on?"

"We didn't find anything," the Kyoshi Warrior grumbled, lifting her head, "Not a trace."

"Nothing at all?" The airbender asked, eyebrows raised.

Huan, jumping out of the saddle behind her, added, "We asked around in the village and were told that the ship never arrived."

"It never arrived…" Katara repeated, "They're sure?"

Suki exhaled, "Yeah, they said they were expecting a shipment of goods on the vessel too. It was due days ago."

"We thought perhaps they had wrecked or something, so we scanned the coastline and flew over the sea. We didn't even stop to rest," Huan rubbed at his face and Katara noticed the bags under both of their eyes.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Suki mumbled, her brow furrowing.

Sokka wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "There are a couple possibilities… if the ship never arrived, they could have encountered trouble on the journey, like you said. Perhaps a storm or… the Fire Nation."

"We did hear that part of the Fire Nation Navy was docked at Daiyu Village, farther south," Huan sighed.

Suki looked like she was fighting back tears.

Katara rushed to reassure her, taking the older girl's hand, "Maybe something happened and they just got delayed?"

"It is possible that the ship never left Kyoshi," Sokka noted.

"Maybe… maybe we should go back to Kyoshi," Suki suggested, her gaze on the ground.

"It's not a bad idea," Sokka nodded, then pulled her closer, "I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, Suki, but I think we need to get Aang to Fong's Base before anyone heads back to Kyoshi. He has to talk with the general about aiding the resistance forces and if something did happen to them..."

Suki silently agreed, but the consternation and dismay did not leave her expression.

"We'll find them," Katara promised her friend, squeezing her hand. She knew Suki still struggled with the loss of her sister. More than once she had caught the older girl staring at one of her fans – a gift the former Kyoshi Warrior leader had bestowed upon her when she left the village – with tears in her eyes. Now, the thought of Suki losing her friends too, girls she had grown up with on the small island, made Katara's heart ache for her.

They sat in silence around the fire that night before retiring, one-by-one. When Sokka sloped off to his bedroll, Katara sat alone in front of the smoldering pile of embers. The moon was full and she doubted that she was likely to get any sleep while it pulled on her so. When her brother settled down and his breathing slowed, she crept into the woods, careful not to disturb her sleeping friends scattered around the campsite. The previous day she and Aang had stumbled across a lake in the woods near the foot of a rocky hillside. It was a private area, a twenty-minute walk to the southeast from the clearing where they camped, and – Katara figured – a perfect place for a bath and some waterbending practice.

The woods hummed with the sounds of night as she threaded her way through the trees. The soft burbling of the creek nearby excited her under the full moon, sending a pleasant chill through her veins that reminded her of home. She followed the channel upstream until she reached the lake, the surface shimmering in the moonlight. With a tranquil sigh, she pulled her green tunic over her head, discarding it on a rock before slipping off her boots and removing her leggings.

Bathing in the Earth Kingdom was so easy compared to what it had been like back home. In the South Pole, bathing was often a painfully tedious process; water would have to be heated over a fire for hours – though it cooled again rather quickly in the frigid air – and she would have to huddle in the corner of the tent behind an animal skin, washing herself with a wet piece of cloth. In the warmer climate of the Earth Kingdom, water was readily available in its liquid form at a mild temperature. Until recently, Katara had never even had a proper bath and the realization at what she had been missing this whole time irked her.

As she waded into the cool water, her mind flicked back to the warm bath she had submerged herself in when she was with Zuko in Daiyu. The memory of his golden eyes dancing over her body brought a blush to her cheeks and she scrambled to distract herself. Thoughts of the firebending prince always seemed to invade her mind at inopportune moments. She pulled the water up around her, scrubbing away the dirt on her limbs. Sinking into the water, she exhaled as her element enveloped her, lending to a weightless sensation that washed away her troubles.

Katara bent the water to flow around her as she rose to the surface, forming tendrils that encircled her. As she moved into the octopus form, the water danced along with her, drifting side to side with the movement of her arms and hips. Stepping forwards, she sent forth a whip that cracked against the rocky hillside. A smile tugged at Katara's lips as joy flooded her senses.

…

It had been hours since night had closed in on him, but Zuko had neither stopped nor slowed much since his departure from Daiyu – his escape, rather. Ignoring the blistering pain in his side, he had allowed anger and determination to drive him forwards. But now he could feel the ostrich horse beneath him tiring, having had little time to rest while Zuko fought off Zhao and his soldiers. The creature was beginning to lumber through the woods, its head swaying loosely from side to side.

Zuko eyed the full moon through the trees, casting silvery rays of light that filtered through the canopy, considering. He was certain he had lost his pursuers hours ago, but his haste was no less necessary without the threat of pursuit; he needed to reach them with ample time to warn them of the commander's approach. He hoped that Zhao would wait until morning to storm the area, using the rising sun to his advantage. If that were the case, he might yet be successful in thwarting the naval officer's plan to steal away his last opportunity at regaining his honor.

Slowing his mount down to a halt, Zuko slid down from the saddle, patting the ostrich horse's long neck as he walked alongside the creature. He judged that he must be getting close now and decided to allow his mount a moment of repose. They ambled through the trees at a leisurely pace, listening to the murmur of the forest around; the chirping of crickets, the quiet burbling of a nearby creek, and the scampering of small mammals through the wet leaves that covered the forest floor. He followed the sound of water, leading his mount to the trickling creek. The animal plunged its head through the surface and plopped down its body in exhaustion. He sank down next to the ostrich horse, cupping the water in his hands to splash over his face.

A distant crack punctuated the ambient melody of the woods and brought Zuko back to his feet. He waited, listening for the sound again. When it resonated through the trees once more, then a third time, he recognized the sound and the direction from which it came. A water whip.

His heart leapt into his throat; It had to be her. Katara.

Tying the reins of his mount to a nearby tree, he followed the creek downstream in the direction of the sound with slow, calculated footsteps. The sound came again, closer now, and he paused, squinting ahead. By the light of the moon, he could make out a clearing in the forest up ahead, presumably the source of the cracking water whip. Pulling in a ragged breath, he crept forwards, careful not to make another sound.

The full moon shone down on the small lake, unimpeded by trees, lighting up the clearing to reveal detail nearly clear as day. On the far shore, he saw her; smooth bronze skin covered in a thin sheen of perspiration, glistening like diamonds in the moonlight. She had removed her outer layers, donning only the white bindings that she wore underneath, wrapped around her chest and pelvis. Zuko watched, eyes widening as her hips swayed back and forth tantalizingly, dancing with the water that she gracefully wielded around her. The intimacy of the moment in which he caught her sent heat pulsing through his core and he tried to drag his eyes away, but to no avail.

She was stunning, a sight to behold, and he was suddenly captivated; forgetting his purpose, his mission, himself. Crouching in the shadows at the edge of the clearing, he watched, eyes dancing over her lithe form, her brown locks that cascaded over her shoulders, the pleasant smile on her face. She moved with elegance and he found it hard to believe that she was truly a peasant from the South Pole. The gentle sway of her hips reminded him of the palace dancers from his youth, sent in to entertain the royals and nobles during balls and national events. But the comparison was moot; her foreign allure was so different from the milky-pale, slim beauties of the Fire Nation, like a breath of fresh air, a shimmering sapphire in a sea of rubies.

Zuko had noted her beauty many times before in passing, but it had never been so distracting, so encompassing, as it was now under the light of the full moon. Whatever notions of longing and yearning that he had successfully quelled since their last meeting came rushing back with a force so strong, it dizzied him. His balance faltered momentarily, and he caught himself with his hand as it pressed down on a twig, which broke underneath the sudden weight. The noise echoed through the clearing and he cursed himself under his breath as a sickening feeling crept into his stomach.

Hearing the noise, Katara ceased her swaying movements and turned in his direction, eyeing the trees around him as the water around her fell back into the lake with a splash. Then, her gaze appeared to fall on him, crouched in the shadows.

"Who's there?" Her voice came as she frowned, resuming her bending stance. "Show yourself!"

Still muttering a string of curses, Zuko rose to his feet with a scowl. He had little choice, having been discovered. He stepped out into the moonlight, leaving his shadowy sanctuary behind and watched her glower slacken momentarily.

"Zuko?" Her features softened at the sight of him and it tugged on his heartstrings. The instant passed, however, as recognition and remembrance flashed over her gaze. Then she snarled at him, baring her teeth like a wolf, elegance tossed to the wind.

"Katara-" He started, not entirely sure what to say; caught between trying to defend his actions, warn her, and divulge his darkest fantasies. But she cut him off when she growled and raised her arms, sending forth a wave that charged up from the lake, rushing towards him.

Annoyance swept over him as he jumped up onto the lower branches of the tree to avoid the surge of water; this was not how things were supposed to go. He was exhausted from his journey and lack of sleep and food, weakened by the burn that Zhao had inflicted on his ribs. The full moon seemed to grant her more energy, more control of her element, while everything about the situation worked to his disadvantage.

She wasted no time, bending the water around her to form a series of tendrils that snaked upwards, preparing to strike. And strike she did, sending forth an arcing water whip with a sharpened edge that cleaved off the branch on which he had been standing. Cursing, Zuko jumped down from the tree as the thick branch crashed to the ground behind him. Was she trying to kill him?

Another whip darted towards him and he leapt forwards, sending a bout of flames to meet it. As he blocked and dodged the tentacles of water that she sent at him, he saw exasperation cross over her face. Good, he thought. If he was going to beat her in this situation, it would have to be at a shorter distance. The waterbender had the clear advantage in long range combat.

As he vaulted over another tendril of water that slashed at his legs, he sprinted around the shoreline of the lake, closing some of the distance between them. Furious at the apparent ease with which he avoided her attacks, Katara rushed forwards, bringing a wave along with her that she sent crashing to the shore in his direction. He jumped and rolled out of the way, wincing when his blistering burn contacted the ground.

Before he was back on his feet, daggers of ice were shooting towards him. Impressed with her persistence and prowess, he rose into a spinning crescent kick, melting her attack before continuing his approach. Katara brought the water up beneath her feet, intent on retreating further into the lake as she balanced on a wave, but Zuko targeted the wave with a series of fiery blasts and it sizzled, evaporating from below her.

Changing direction, she bent a stream in front of her, freezing it into an icy bridge that she jumped on, sliding along its curving surface. But Zuko was fast. He lunged forwards, catching her wrist in his hand, and yanked her down. Katara yelped as she lost her balance and they rolled over the dewy grass along the shore of the lake.

…

He held her wrists down at either side of her head, pressing her back into the ground, as his body stretched over hers, looming above her in the soft moonlight. From her perspective, he was a silhouette, a dark figure outlined in a silver glow against the backdrop of the night sky. But his amber eyes flickered in the shadow. Only their panting and the distant hum of crickets punctuated the silence of the woods around them.

"Katara," He finally grumbled between breaths, "I didn't come here to fight you."

Anger stirred in her; at her vulnerability, at his control over her, at herself for being unable to forget him. "Then why are you here?" She snarled, struggling against him, "To capture Aang? I told you last time, I won't let you!"

"I'm not here for the Avatar," His tone was devoid of emotion.

She paused, disbelieving. "Why, then? What do you want, Zuko?" Doubt lingered in her voice.

His gaze searched hers before momentarily shifting downwards and she realized, belatedly, that he was pressed between her legs. She gasped at the awareness of their position, her heaving chest pushing up against his as she suddenly found herself struggling to breathe. When their eyes met once more, something akin to annoyance flashed across his features. A fire was burning hot in his piercing golden stare and she tried not to shy away from it, challenging him, asserting herself. She wasn't the timid little rabbit he had chased from the South Pole; she was stronger now, she was capable and driven, and she wasn't backing down.

"I want you," He growled after a moment.

The memories of her time in captivity returned to her, rushing to the forefront of her mind; Zuko tying her up, pushing her back against a tree during their training sessions, letting her leave...

She bristled. "What, as your prisoner? So you can set another trap for Aang? You don't really-"

"You know that's not what I mean." He scowled, interrupting her as his grip tightened on her wrists, the fire in his eyes flickering dangerously. "It wouldn't work anyways… I wouldn't let you go again."

Katara's bottom lip found its way between her teeth as he leaned in, his scarred cheek brushing against hers.

"Not even when I have the Avatar," He breathed, his tone low and raspy in her ear.

She shuddered underneath him, his hot breath on her skin sending shivers down her spine. His words left her speechless, dumbfounded. A strange amalgam of emotions swelled in her; it was fear and frustration, but also something else. He was exerting control, his body pressing down on hers, dominating. Katara frowned when she realized that, despite everything, she was enjoying it.

Zuko pulled back and his face lingered over hers as she met his gaze. His amber eyes burned into her, causing a heat to rise in her cheeks as her breathing faltered, becoming increasingly erratic. His eyes flicked down to her lips, then back to hers, as if asking for permission. Her body betrayed her as it ached for him, yearning for his touch, but a small voice of reason in the back of her mind whispered of consequences.

They stared into each other's eyes, the air between them thick with an electric tension. After a moment, Zuko's brows knit and he released her wrists, propping himself up on his hands as he pulled away from her. The loss of heat was a shock to her system and unbidden disappointment surged in her.

"I can't… stop thinking about you," He admitted, sitting back and averting his gaze as he broke the silence that lingered between them. "No one has ever come so close to... knowing me." His words were strangled, like it pained him to share such vulnerability.

Katara realized then that he wasn't truly in control. She couldn't rid him from her mind either, as hard as she tried, and the notion that Zuko was in much the same position simultaneously relieved her and stirred a fervor that she dared not define. His defenses were crumbling before her and he made no attempt to repair them.

He exhaled, his frown betraying frailty. "You glimpsed my darkest side and… you didn't turn away."

"Zuko…" His name escaped her lips as a breath, barely audible. She sat up on her elbows, inching closer to him once more, responding to the gravitational pull – the moon to the sun.

"You don't have to tell me again," He grimaced, "I know this can't happen." His gaze returned to hers, a swirling simmer of emotion in his molten gold eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

Before she could think, she was pushing herself upwards, towards him, grasping at his shirt as her lips crashed into his like a tempest battering the shoreline. He went rigid at her sudden display of affection, as though he didn't believe it. But then he was kissing her back, his arm snaking around her torso to draw her further into him. Zuko's hand found her lower back and he pressed his palm there, guiding her onto his lap. She obliged, clumsily crawling onto him.

The kiss was short-lived as Katara quickly pulled back, out of breath.

When she opened her eyes, she witnessed the smirk play across his lips. "…You're first?" He breathed.

"Wha- can-… can you tell?" She stammered, a blush burning her cheeks under his smoldering gaze.

In a dizzying torrent of motion, his hand raked up to the middle of her back, holding her steady as he turned, bringing her with him until she was pressed against the grass once more and he hovered over her. He was holding her down again. Zuko's lips lingered over her own, infuriatingly just out of reach, as his fiery gaze penetrated hers. A thick haze clouded her mind as she lost herself in a sea of amber. Each second spent in his gaze fueled her with an insatiable desire, unlike anything she had experienced before.

His breath tickled her mouth when he whispered in a husky tone, "Let me show you, waterbender."

Zuko's lips brushed against hers lightly, tenderly, sending a spark that pulsed through her core. His hand cupped her cheek as his calloused thumb traced her lower lip and she instinctively parted them in response. Then he kissed her and the world around them fell away. This kiss was so unlike the awkward mashing of lips that she had instigated. It was both passionate and demanding, yet still gentle and painstakingly slow. The lust that unfolded in her was almost painful, an aching need to be closer to him; but it was the best kind of torture.

…

Just as he had managed to quell the desire burning through him, Katara had reignited the flame by crashing her lips into his. The kiss had been clumsy and caught him completely off guard, but the thought that this was her first caused pride and triumph to swell in him. Zuko smirked against her, hovering over her form as he rested on his elbows. Her first kiss belonged to him.

Zuko couldn't shake the notion that this was all a dream. Though, it was so much better than he could have imagined. She was unlike any woman he had ever kissed – despite her inexperience, there was a passion, an intimacy, in her kiss that roused him in a peculiar way. In that moment, he longed for every part of her, an inexplicable need to be impossibly close. It was a sensation he had never experienced before. He wanted to let her in.

Her lips were full and soft, moving with his as they finally found a rhythm. Just as he had noticed many times before, she was a quick learner. Katara moved against him, her body rolling with waves of desire like a roiling sea, pressing into him as their kiss deepened. When his teeth grazed her bottom lip, she gasped and her hand glided upwards to weave her fingers through his hair, tugging lightly when he repeated the motion. Her response to him was exhilarating and a groan rumbled deep in his throat. He wanted more. He wanted to taste the saltiness on her skin, he wanted to brush his fingertips over the uncharted territories that hid under her clothes, he wanted to keep her by his side forever. Moving down to her jawline then her neck, his lips left a trail of burning kisses in their wake and his name slipped from her on a breath.

"Zuko…"

Hearing his name on her lips sent a wave of lust crashing over him anew and he felt the sudden urge to possess her, to take all her firsts, to hear her whimper his name every day. He sucked and nibbled at the sensitive skin of her neck and Katara stifled a moan, raking her hands down his back. When her fingers skimmed across his burn he winced against her and she pushed him back to meet his gaze.

"You're hurt," She gasped, her sapphire eyes filled with concern.

The stinging pain that radiated through his side dragged him suddenly out of the haze, shattering the rosy trance as he was reminded of his purpose. Pushing himself up on his hands, he sat back, catching his breath.

"Let me see it," Katara followed him upwards, crawling out from under his body. She inhaled sharply at the sight of his injury. "What happened, Zuko? You're… burnt."

He grimaced as he returned to reality. "This is-… I came here to warn you."

Katara coaxed water to flow around her hands, "Warn me?"

Zuko nodded, exhaling as her hands began to glow and the heat that radiated from his ribs subsided under her cooling touch, "His name is Zhao. He's a Commander in the Fire Nation Navy. He has my ship and he's coming here..."

Woo! I hope I didn't overdo the kiss.. I wanted to do it justice, given the amount of time I have spent building up to it. I also hope it wasn't too soon! Please please please let me know what you think about it! I'm sort of new to writing romance/drama and kissing scenes are such an important part of the genre that I re-read and edited it so many times.

Thanks for reading and please consider leaving a review..? :)

...

With love,

A Storm