Zuko and Katara followed June and the shirshu through the night. Nyla was faster than Beast and they often lagged behind, only able to hear where June was. The shirshu's stamina was greater than their rhino's too; it was easy to see that Beast was starting to wear out too.

Katara forced herself to stay awake. She fought against the exhaustion that pulled at her eyelids. She was warm and comfortably pressed against Zuko, with his uninjured arm secured around her waist.

It would be so easy for her to drift off but the komodo rhino was moving far too fast for her to risk falling asleep. She wondered how Zuko was faring but it was too dark to see anything more than his dark silhouette above her.

They crossed a deep river sometime before dawn. Beast took a brief respite to drink deeply, but then Zuko was encouraging him to move forward. Katara wasn't sure where they were going, but Zuko told her they were still moving south.

"How can you tell?" she had asked him.

He had taken his hand from its place on her hip long enough to point up at the stars. "It's like a map."

Katara had stared at it for a moment as she tried to imagine the sky as a map. She could see it, with the stars marking it like towns and villages, guiding them along the way, but she couldn't make sense of it. "I can't read the stars. My brother can." She had sighed. "I never really had the patience to learn, and I was always busy helping my gran-gran. I sort of wish I'd learned now."

She could hear the smile in his voice. "Don't worry. I'll read them for you."

Katara had smiled herself.

As the gray dawn rose with the sun, the shirshu began to track the scent to the east. With a start Katara recognized the forest and the broad river dividing the northern Earth Kingdom from the rest of it. It was Jet's forest. Her heart twinged painfully at his memory, at how she had been unable to save him from the Dai Lee beneath Lake Laogai.

"Are you alright?" Zuko's breath brushed against her ear.

"I'm just tired," Katara lied.

She settled deeper against his firm chest. She liked the way his grip automatically tightened on her waist. She liked that she felt secure in his arms.

What are you doing, Katara? A voice asked her. First you're with Aang, then you're heartbroken over Jet, and now you're cuddling up to Zuko? What is wrong with you?

She didn't know. But whatever this was with Zuko felt comfortable. It felt safe. Katara had never felt like she needed to be protected before, but maybe that was because she was the one always doing the protecting.

These last few days with Zuko protecting her had made her feel special. If she was worth protecting, then she was worth something to Zuko. Aang didn't make her feel that way. Not to mention that the nightmares stopped when Zuko was with her. The unknown longing she had felt before was gone when she was in his arms. It thrilled and terrified her at once. Never before had Katara felt so...complete.

A few more hours passed. Dawn gave way to gray clouds. The smell of rain was heavy on the air. Zuko estimated it would begin in another hour, maybe less. He was stiff and sore and hoping that the shirshu would tire out soon. Beast was starting to lag again and Katara lay limply in his arms, fighting sleep. They needed a break.

"How much longer, you think?" Zuko called up to June. He noticed the shirshu was starting to slow down, its great sides heaving and long tongue lolling out of its mouth.

"We must be getting close," June answered without looking over her shoulder. "Nyla's got her nose to the ground hard."

Katara covered a yawn with her hand.

"We'll get some rest soon, princess," he murmured into her hair.

"Mm-hm." Tentatively she brushed her fingers across the back of his hand that rested on her waist. Then she allowed them to settle there. His skin was pleasantly warm against her chilly fingers. "I could sleep for a week."

"Can't do that," Zuko demurred. "We've still got to talk to this person when we find him."

Katara grumbled, her eyes closing. "Don't remind me."

At last they broke through the trees. Down in the base of a narrow valley was a small farming village. June pulled the shirshu up short at the top of the ridge. She pointed toward the village.

"The scent is all over that town down there. Shouldn't be too hard to find who you're looking for. Nyla and I have to get back." June held out one hand, palm facing up. "Pay up, Lord Pouty."

Zuko pulled out a fistful of gold coins and held them out to June. He nodded to her. "Thanks for your help, June."

"Don't mention it." She looked at him and Katara and jerked her chin toward her. "Don't drop her."

Zuko glanced down and saw that the girl in his arms had fallen asleep. A smile quirked the corner of his mouth. "I won't." He looked back up at the bounty hunter.

A playful smirk was on June's lips. "I'm glad you finally got your girlfriend back."

"She's not my—"

June waved him off. "Save your breath for someone who believes you. For what it's worth, I think you guys look real sweet together."

Before he could say anything else, June and the shirshu took off back into the dewy forest, leaving him staring dumbly after her. Zuko looked down at the girl sleeping peacefully against his chest. He let out a soft sigh.

"What am I going to do?" he asked her softly. But the dozing girl didn't answer.

He turned the komodo rhino and started down into the valley, intent on finding an inn and getting some much deserved sleep.

Zuko found that the town's only inn also served as a tavern. He pulled the komodo rhino up to a hitch post and shook Katara gently.

"What's going on?" She sat upright, swaying a bit in the saddle as she blinked blearily. "Did we find him?"

"No, we found an inn and we're going to get some sleep," Zuko told her gently. He dismounted with a pained grunt and offered her his hand. "Come on."

He helped her from the saddle and Beast promptly dropped to the ground with an exhausted snort. Zuko was sure the animal was asleep before his head touched the ground.

Zuko patted the komodo's hide. "Thanks, Beast. I'll bring you breakfast in the morning, I promise." Beast grunted in response, his eyes already closed.

Zuko guided Katara inside..

In the early morning hours, the downstairs room was empty except for a few guests eating breakfast and one man snoring loudly from a table in the back. Katara was dead on her feet, her eyes narrow slits as she leaned heavily against his shoulder, and he kept a hand on the small of her back as he guided her to where the innkeeper was wiping down the bar counter.

"Welcome to Jinsan," said the innkeeper with a kind smile. "Would you and your wife like a room for the night?"

Zuko blanched against the innkeeper's unexpected assumption of their relationship. Wife?! But he regained his composure. There was no reason to correct her. Katara was dozing against his shoulder, oblivious and unable to protest.

"Yes, I'd like a room for me and my...wife."

"Sure thing. That's ten copper pieces for the night."

Zuko handed her the money.

She handed him a key. "Thank you, sir. Last door on the left."

He looked back down at Katara. She was sleeping on her feet. With a sigh he scooped her up into his arms, ignoring the protest from his ribs and arm. Her head fell against his shoulder and she didn't stir.

"Poor thing must be exhausted," the innkeeper remarked. She seemed to notice the bruises on his face and frowned. "You don't look too good yourself, sir. Did the two of you get into some trouble?"

Zuko grimaced. Katara wasn't really heavy, but he was still hurt from the fight, and it was straining to hold her up. "Yeah, you could say that. Thanks for the room."

He started up the stairs, willing himself to stay on his feet. Exhaustion was overwhelming at this point and all he could think about was falling into bed and sleeping. He unlocked the door to the room and took it in. It was small but neat, with one narrow bed against one wall. At least the bedding looked clean.

He carried Katara to it and gently settled her on top of the blanket. She made a small noise in the back of her throat but she didn't wake up. Zuko kicked off his boots before he tugged hers off and lay beside her. He snaked an arm around her and pulled her into him until her back was against his chest. With a soft sigh she settled herself. Her hand found his and she rested her hand over his wrist.

Wife… The innkeeper's assumption played over and over in his mind. I could only be so lucky...

Zuko secured her in his arms and promptly fell asleep.

When she awoke, the room was cool. Gray light filtered in through the narrow slats on the window and she could hear the sound of rain on the roof.

She vaguely remembered Zuko waking her up outside of an inn, but the trip from the rhino to the bed was somewhat of a blur. Katara rolled over expecting to find Zuko beside her, and was disappointed when she found the bed was empty.

"Zuko?" she called out softly. She peered into the washroom and found that it was empty too.

Katara heard footsteps in the hallway outside their door and she sat upright, hands reaching to uncap the water skin that was no longer on her waist. She cursed her inability to bend. Katara heard the key in the lock and then the door opened and Zuko entered. Rain dripped from his hair. He carried a woven basket on his arm. The smell of the food hit her a moment later and Katara's mouth watered. She was famished.

"I was hoping to get back before you woke up," Zuko said as he came deeper into the room. His voice was huskier than usual. "I went out and got something to eat. I figured you'd be hungry."

She nodded, putting one hand over her rumbling stomach. "Starving, actually."

Zuko perched on the bed beside her and opened the basket. Inside were fresh rolls, rice, bok choy, and strips of roasted sheep-pig meat.

"That smells delicious," Katara commented.

He offered her a small smile. "I would have been back sooner, but I promised Beast a hearty breakfast. We pushed him hard last night."

"He deserves it. He needs to keep up his strength, too."

They proceeded to eat their meal in silence, too hungry to do anything more than take another bite. Once the food was gone Katara looked at him pointedly.

"I really should heal some of these cuts. You look rough," Katara told him.

"I feel rough," Zuko admitted. "I do not recommend breaking a table with your back." She chuckled a bit in spite of herself. Then he eyed her, an amused half-smile tugging at his lips. "You look a little rough yourself."

She scowled at him. She hadn't even thought about what she might look like after a night of riding on Beast. "Let's get you taken care of first, and then I'll get cleaned up." She smoothed a hand over her messy hair and braid, suddenly self-conscious and feeling foolish for feeling that way. "Take your shirt off and let me see the damage."

"That's a bit forward of you, don't you think?" There was a half-smile on his lips again. He couldn't resist messing with her. Sometimes she made it too easy. "Shouldn't you at least take me out to dinner first?"

Katara flushed. Her hands gesticulated wildly for a moment before she recovered. "To see your wounds, I mean!" She frowned at him, and the little line that he liked so much was there between her eyebrows. "Why am I even explaining it to you? You know what I mean!"

Zuko laughed. He loved the flustered look of irritation on her face. Then he did as she asked obediently. His muscles protested loudly as he did, and his ribs pinched. With a slight blush still tinting her cheeks, Katara fetched some water from the basin in the small washroom and brought it back out.

"It's a little dark in here," she mused as she sat down behind him. "You mind?"

"Not at all." With one fluid movement, he lit the oil lamps that lined the walls as well as the one on the bedside table.

As the light slowly pushed away the shadows with each lamp that lit up, Katara's eyes widened as the extent of his injuries was revealed.

"You're pretty torn up, Zuko. There's still glass stuck in some of these cuts." She pursed her lips unhappily. "I wish I would've been able to heal you sooner."

"Ah well, it happens." He winced as her cool fingers gently prodded his back.

"It won't feel pleasant," Katara warned him. She ran her hand across his side. "I think at least one of your ribs is fractured."

He wanted to shrug but decided against it. "It won't be the worst thing I've been through."

Her mind flashed to the scars on his face and stomach and a shiver went down her spine. To distract herself she pulled water from the skin she had filled. She held her water-gloved hand over his ribs. She could feel the injury there, and she gingerly laid her hand on his side. A slight hiss escaped his teeth.

"Sorry," Katara murmured apologetically.

"It's okay," Zuko assured her, his voice strained.

Katara focused on mending the bone, her mouth twisting into a grimace. It was trickier than a cut or burn, and took a lot of her concentration. She had spent a lot of time reading healing scrolls from the water tribes over the last few years, but she hadn't gotten to test her skills out very much. It was amazing how rarely a healer was needed when they weren't in the middle of a war.

Once that was healed she turned her focus to the deepest gash in his shoulder blade. Soon the water glowed blue. A trickle of water slipped from her finger to the wound and extricated a sliver of glass from it. Katara dropped it onto the tea tray with a gentle plink.

"That's not so bad," Zuko murmured, only wincing a bit.

"I'm trying to be gentle."

"I know."

For the next twenty minutes Katara concentrated on removing bits of glass, clay, and slivers from the dozens of cuts on his skin. The tray was filled with the debris. When she was finished with that she placed her hands over the marks and healed them as well as she could. All that was left were fresh pink scars that would fade with time.

"Alright, now turn around so I can get your face and hands, and that cut on your arm."

"Yes, ma'am." Zuko rotated to look at her, a teasing smirk on his face. "You're still kind of bossy, you know that?"

She flushed. There was something so...appealing about him when he looked smug. It was impossible to stay mad at him when he teased her like that. "I prefer to think of myself as willful," Katara replied, unable to resist a smile of her own.

She took his hand in hers and inspected it carefully. Katara knew the only wounds that needed to be tended to were the ones on his knuckles, but she marveled at the chance to examine his hands closely. His broad palms were rough and calloused, with shallow lines crossing the flesh. The last few years sitting behind a cozy desk hadn't worn away the marks of a warrior. His fingers were long, thin, and pale, but strong. He had the hands of a firebender, just as she had the hands of a waterbender.

As she examined his hands, she didn't notice Zuko observing the way she was studying him, a thoughtful smile on his face.

Satisfied with her analysis she turned his hand over and placed her water-encased hand over the bruised knuckles. Soon the wounds healed and she took his other hand and bended the wounds until they were almost entirely gone.

With that taken care of, she gently turned his arm and tried to pretend she didn't see the way the muscles of his forearms flexed beneath his skin. She focused her eyes on the scabbed-over wound on his arm. It had been deep, and even though she had healed it somewhat at June's tavern, it needed some more work. She worked on it until it was nearly healed.

He would never admit it out loud, but Zuko was enjoying the way she was doting on him, making sure he was alright. He wasn't one for physical contact, but this...it was nice.

Katara looked up at him through her thick eyelashes. His lips were slightly swollen, there was a blackish-green bruise on his jawline, as well as the cut above his eye, and on his temple was a bruise of purple and blue.

"I'll start with the cut on your face since it's the oldest," she murmured, acutely aware of how close her face was to his, and how unreadable the molten gaze of his golden eyes were.

"Okay, Katara." His breath was warm on her skin and a chill ran through her. Why did he have to say her name like that? With his soft, husky voice and his gorgeous golden eyes? He made her name sound like a melody. How could she focus when he was looking at her like that?

Zuko couldn't help but study her face as she healed him. She looked so intense, with that small furrow in her brow and her mouth downturned as she focused. He found his eyes transfixed on her lips. The urge to kiss her was nearly overwhelming...but he held back.

Gently she placed her thumb over the cut on his brow bone. Katara focused intently on her hand to avoid looking at him.

There was a tension in the air around them. It wasn't an angry sort of tension though; Katara wasn't sure she wanted to admit that she knew perfectly well what it was. Why was he looking at her like that? Did he feel it too? And why did she like it? Her breath hitched shallowly in her throat and her heart pounded unevenly against her ribs.

"That one's good," she said quietly.

She placed her hand to his temple, brushing her fingers through his hair to properly reach the wound. If that guy had hit him any harder Zuko would have had a concussion. She kept her eyes on her hand and felt the wound ebb away beneath her healing touch.

"Feels better already." His voice was nearly a purr. She risked a glance at him and found that his eyes were closed. Thankfully.

"Okay," she said when she was done. She swallowed hard. Her mouth was suddenly dry. "Just the one on your jaw and…mouth."

Katara pressed her hand to his jaw delicately. His eyes flashed open, bright and unreadable, for a brief moment, before they closed again. She didn't miss the way he turned his head to press his face deeper into her palm or the soft, almost inaudible sigh that escaped him. Katara tried not to stare at his mouth and failed.

I wonder… She blinked. No. I shouldn't.

The bruise on his jaw faded away. Hesitantly, almost nervous, Katara placed the tips of her fingers to his lips. Even through the cool glove encasing her fingertips she could feel how warm and soft his mouth was.

She looked up and found he was looking at her. His eyes were like liquid gold. Her breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard. What is he thinking? But even as she thought it, Katara knew. And she realized she wasn't objecting.

"All done," she whispered. Even to her own ears her voice sounded forlorn. Katara pulled her hand away but she didn't pull back.

Zuko leaned in, never taking his eyes off of hers. They seemed to say you can tell me to stop...if you want to. Katara felt her heart skip erratically in her chest. She didn't want him to stop. Katara wanted Zuko to kiss her.

His lips were mere inches from hers when the thunder cracked loudly overhead and they both jumped back, startled.

Color rose in his cheeks and Katara tittered nervously before turning away, suddenly busying herself with the mess of broken glass and clay.

The moment had passed.

"I'm going to take care of this," she muttered. Her cheeks were hot and her hands were clammy.

"Okay," was all he managed to say.

Katara left the room, feeling a bit faint.

After she had gone, Zuko threw himself back on the bed, briefly registering how her healing had completely eradicated the stiff, sore feeling in his muscles and the ache in his ribs before the irritation settled in. He growled in frustration. He raked his hands through his hair.

"Stupid! What were you thinking?" he berated himself. "She just broke up with her boyfriend! She's not going to kiss you."

It didn't seem like she was going to stop you, a voice in the back of his mind whispered. And if she was really that heartbroken over it, would she be cuddling up to you every chance she gets?

"Maybe I'm just a rebound," he whispered to himself, already doubting that. "And where would it go? My advisors and court would never go for it." Zuko thought of Alasie for the first time in days, wondering, and not for the first time lately, if his true attraction to his diplomat had been because of his feelings for Katara.

Do it anyway.

Zuko closed his eyes and tried to imagine going home and announcing to his court that he was courting the Water Tribe Princess. There would be an uproar. They would argue with him, point out all of the reasons it couldn't happen while ignoring the reasons it should. But he was the Fire Lord. Shouldn't it be his decision?

Her unmistakable footsteps in the hallway pulled him from his reverie. Zuko got to his feet and made himself look busy rifling through his rucksack.

Katara came in and sat on the edge of the bed and seemed to take interest in everything in the room but him: the rickety bed with its sagging straw-filled mattress, the chipped and worn dresser, the small washroom.

There was an awkward feeling in the air and Zuko mentally kicked himself for possibly messing everything up. The thought of her not wanting to curl up in his arms sent a twinge of panic through his gut.

She drummed her fingers across her thighs and he pretended not to notice. At last Katara looked at him. There were two spots of color high on her cheeks and her eyes were glossy.

"Okay, now that we're fed, rested, and healed we've got to decide how we're going to find Tatsuya." She was all business, as if what had just nearly happened hadn't almost happened at all. She had seemed like she wouldn't mind if he kissed her. What if she was regretting it? Disappointment washed over him. Zuko couldn't let himself think about it. "The shirshu led us here, so that's a good start."

"I just wish June would've been a little more specific," Zuko griped. He pulled a dry shirt from his bag and pulled it on over his head.

If he was trying to see if Katara would peek, he didn't admit it to himself. But Zuko was still quite satisfied when he saw she did. Maybe I haven't screwed everything up yet.

"Hm, yeah," she mused distractedly. "At least the town isn't that big. If the Conduit is here, we should be able to find them."

Zuko peered out of the window. The rain was still coming down. "Then I recommend we head down into the tavern. With weather like this, half the town will probably be in before the night is over. We can sit back and observe people to see if anyone jumps out at us."

"I'm glad you have that much confidence in our ability to spot this person," Katara muttered.

"Like you said, I'm the Avatar-tracking expert. Why can't I be the Conduit-tracking expert too?"

Katara cracked a grin at him, and the awkward atmosphere in the air broke. "It's better than nothing." She stood up and looked down at her dusty clothes. "Um, maybe after I get cleaned up."

She grabbed a clean change of clothes and her soap and headed into the washroom. She bathed quickly and donned fresh clothing, braiding her hair down her back before she stepped back out into the room. Zuko was sprawled across the bed, tossing a leftover roll into the air and catching it deftly. He looked up when the washroom door slid open, and promptly dropped the roll onto his face.

Katara covered a laugh with her hand. "Alright, let's do it."

Zuko sat up, his cheeks flushed. "Yeah, okay." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his blush deepening. "Um, by the way...I thought I should mention that the innkeeper might kind of sort of...think we're married."

"What?" Her eyes opened wide, but she didn't sound angry. Just surprised. He took that as a good sign. "How did that happen? And how did I miss it?"

He felt his face grow hotter. "Well, she just sort of assumed...and I figured it wasn't worth correcting...and it might be a good cover story anyway." He offered a nervous, sheepish grin. At the time it had sounded like a good idea, but now he had no idea how she was going to react.

A pink blush crept into her cheeks and she looked away again. Her shoulders lifted in a tiny shrug. "Well...if it helps our cover story, I guess that's good."

Zuko breathed an internal sigh of relief.

Zuko led Katara to a small table in the back corner of the room. The night was still young and there were only a dozen people scattered throughout the inn. Some of them looked like travelers, like they did, but others were clearly citizens of Jinsan.

Katara sat with her back to the wall and Zuko dragged his chair beside her so he could look at Katara and the room at the same time while remaining inconspicuous. He rested his hand on the table, then thought of something. He casually offered her his hand with a pointed look, and she took it. A middle-aged barmaid came over to take their order.

"Fire spirits, if you've got them," Zuko said to her. He looked at Katara, his eyebrow arched. "And...watermelon juice for my wife?"

Katara shot him a hot glare before turning to the waitress with a white-toothed smile. She rested her free hand on Zuko's forearm affectionately. "Actually, my husband is mistaken. I'd like some moon peach wine if you have any, please."

If the grouchy barmaid suspected anything about her young customers, she didn't say. "I'll be right back with those."

Once she had gone Katara turned to Zuko with a quizzical look in her eye. "Fire spirits? Aren't those a little...strong?"

Zuko snorted. "Are you saying I can't hold my liquor?"

"No, but I thought we were supposed to be on a stake-out."

"We are. I can handle one drink." He looked at her pointedly. "You're drinking too. You don't see me questioning your choice of beverage."

Her cheeks pinked and she scowled at him. "I'm also not going to overdo it. Besides, it's wine. That's practically just over-glorified juice."

"I don't think it works that way, Katara." His lips quirked up in a cocky grin and his eyes glittered with amusement. "Besides, I got into a bar fight yesterday, and I won. I think I earned it."

"Male posturing led to that fight, so I don't know if you earned anything."

He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Whatever you say." He squeezed her hand. His smirk didn't waver. "Look at us, arguing like an old married couple already."

She snorted out a laugh. He was impossible to stay mad at. "And we're not even off our honeymoon yet!"

For the next two hours Zuko and Katara sat and watched but nothing happened. Zuko made sure to tip the waitress well since they had only ordered the one drink. As time went on Zuko had leaned back in his seat and settled his arm around Katara's shoulders. Appearances, he told himself. To his pleasant surprise, she leaned her head against his shoulder. Maybe he hadn't screwed everything up.

Only a handful of new people had come into the inn, and a few of them left. Those that were there sat in small clusters talking amongst themselves. They caught snatches of conversation about the minutiae of farm life: crops, the price of rice by the pound, drought, the upcoming harvest season.

Zuko and Katara remained perched in the corner, nursing their respective beverages, watching and waiting. But no one jumped out at them as someone suspicious or powerful. And no one paid the young honeymooners any mind, either.

Where is everybody? Zuko wondered with a frown. In a town this small, on a night this stormy, this place should be packed. That was his experience with every inn and tavern he had stayed at during his time amongst commoners. Bad weather brought crowds to drink and ward off the chill.

Katara was growing discouraged and impatient. Plus she felt weird watching other people. She didn't know how Zuko could sit there looking unfazed by the drabble. Then again, he probably spent a lot of time observing people as Fire Lord.

Finally, she spoke up. "Something's not right, Zuko. There should be more people here."

"I know." Zuko downed the rest of his fire spirits without even pulling a face. Katara almost admired his ability to do that. Her own experience with the Fire Nation beverage had left her sputtering and choking. He stood up. "I'm going to find out where everybody is."

Katara watched him cross the room. She admired the smooth grace in his step and the self-assured way he held himself when he walked. Her mind drifted back to what had almost happened in their room and her face grew warm. He was going to kiss me. And I wanted him to. She waited for the guilt to hit her, but it didn't. Instead she felt light, giddy. That's just the wine talking. But the truth was it wasn't the alcohol; she barely felt its buzz.

Katara observed the casual way he leaned against the bar, the way he put on a flirtatious smile to coax information from the innkeeper. She was surprised to feel a flush of jealousy go through her as he did so. I wanted him to kiss me. But am I wrong for wanting it so soon after leaving Aang? Shouldn't I wait a while?

She was still lost in her thoughts when his shadow blocked out the dim light. Katara looked up at him. His brow was furrowed and he looked troubled.

"I found out what our problem is," he growled. He found he couldn't quite look her in the eye. "And you're not going to like it."

"What is it?"

"Apparently there's more than just this inn in town." He paused. "Apparently they've got a new baresuku in town. It opened a few months ago, and it's been taking all of the inn's business."

Katara looked at him, puzzled. "What the heck is that?"

A pink flush crept up his neck. "I think it's better if you just...see for yourself."