Katara stopped running when she found herself outside of the dark and empty noodle shop. Sadness gripped her in its cool hand and she buried a sob behind her fist. Just an hour ago she had been there, happy to be with him. Thinking that maybe she had found the answer to why she had never felt satisfied with Aang. But his admission hurt. How could he lie to her?

He was trying to protect you, the voice of reason in her mind whispered.

It doesn't matter. He should know I don't need protection, she thought as she stared at her reflection in the window.

But it does matter. It matters because he cares about you.

If he cared about me, he wouldn't have lied to me.

He lied to protect you. Like your mother did.

Katara's hands clenched into fists as fresh hot tears poured down her cheeks. She scrubbed them away angrily and turned her back on her reflection. She looked out over the empty street. Her bare feet under the cool stone grounded her.

She knew the rational side of her was right. Zuko had lied because he thought he needed to protect her from the truth. And maybe he wasn't wrong. Deep down she knew that if he had told her he had gone to see the Conduit on his own she would have been furious with him. She couldn't help but wonder what else he might have been keeping from her.

But Zuko had told her the truth before she kissed him. That had to count for something, didn't it? She had the feeling he had been wanting to kiss her for days—she knew he had wanted to kiss her in their room that day at the inn in Jinsan—but after the thunder had interrupted them, he hadn't tried it again. Zuko was letting her come to terms with her feelings without any prompting or pushing from him.

That's more than I can say for Aang, Katara mused bitterly as she recalled him kissing her right after she had said she was confused. And maybe that's why I was so confused back then. Maybe a deeper part of myself knew...knew how I really felt about Zuko.

"Katara."

She whipped around, startled by the unexpected female voice. She watched as Yue's familiar form took shape in the moonlight's reflection on the shop window. Katara gasped and reached her hand out. The glass seemed to vibrate beneath her touch.

"Yue," Katara breathed.

The spirit of the moon smiled at her. "I told you we would speak again soon. How is your journey going with the Fire Lord? Are you piecing everything together?"

Katara frowned. "No. We're not really any closer to stopping the prophecy than we were weeks ago. We found her...and then she slipped away." Her fists clenched.

Yue smiled wanly at her. "I think you're closer to solving the prophecy than you think, Katara. You need to trust him. His heart is full of the best intentions."

"I know." She sighed. "But I don't know where this is going. I know where I wanted it to go. I know why he lied to me...but it still hurts. It's like he thinks he can't trust me." She frowned. "Why didn't he take me with him?"

"Because he wanted to protect you. The enemy you faced is strong and powerful." Yue smiled softly. "And, he is still a man. He will always feel like it's his duty to protect you, even if you can protect yourself." Katara frowned, begrudgingly seeing Yue's logic. "Trust your instincts, Katara. They will lead you to your destiny."

The moon spirit faded until Katara was left staring at her own reflection again. Katara knew what Yue had said was true. She knew it. But Katara wasn't one to easily swallow her pride. She knew she could forgive him...she had to forgive him. Already her anger was ebbing away.

Katara sighed. She wiped away the last remnants of her tears and started back to the beach.

Zuko had stayed where she left him, retreating to the tideline, unsure of where else to go. If she had gone back to their room at the inn, he didn't want to disturb her. He knew she needed her space. Lying to her had been wrong. Zuko should have been honest with her from the start, but he had wanted to protect her.

That's what you love about her, dumb-dumb, the critical voice in his head that had always sounded a bit like Azula said. She doesn't need to be protected. She's capable of making her own decisions, just like you are. You always hate it when someone takes your choice away from you, like when the nobles of the court undermine you, but isn't that what you just did to Katara? She's strong enough to stand on her own.

Zuko knew that well enough. She had come far from the naive girl he had first seen on the frozen shores of the South Pole, or even the brave and determined girl who had trapped him in ice under a full moon at the Spirit Oasis. But it wasn't until they were under Ba Sing Se when Katara had held her own against Azula that he had truly begun to respect her. If he hadn't been there to stop her she likely would've broken Azula's limbs.

But nothing, nothing had solidified his understanding of how powerful she truly was than their fateful trip to find the man who had taken her mother from her. Zuko hadn't even known that bloodbending was a thing, and he had found himself grateful that he had switched sides at the right time, that he had never been on the receiving end of that particular flavor of torture.

And that was then. Now, as a young woman, Katara was more than a force to be reckoned with. She was like her element: formidable, strong-willed, untameable. She alone controlled herself. She followed her own path, adapted to whatever challenges came her way. She could be as wild as a monsoon or as placid as a lake. And he loved that about her, because it reminded him of himself: the way his own element could be as devastating as a wildfire or was gentle as a candle flame.

Fire and water may have been opposing elements, but looking beyond the surface, they were one and the same.

He sensed rather than heard her approach. Zuko felt the sand shift under her feet and he looked apprehensively over his shoulder, wondering if she was going to yell at him some more. Not that he didn't deserve it, and if she did, he would accept it. At least that meant Katara was talking to him still...sort of. The thought of her ignoring him like she had for those first few weeks after he had joined Team Avatar sparked anxiety in the pit of his stomach.

He wanted to speak, to apologize profusely and ask for her forgiveness. But he kept his mouth shut. He would let her say her piece first.

"I won't say you were justified for lying to me, but...I understand why you did it." Her voice was like a cold rain. "You wanted to protect me. You thought I would be upset if I knew you went to talk to the Conduit on your own."

"Yeah." His voice was gravel; he cleared his throat. "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

Katara sat down in the sand beside him and drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees. There was space between them, but she was close enough that he could see the tear stains on her cheeks and could see droplets of moisture in her eyelashes. If he didn't feel awful before, he surely did now. He had made her cry.

She turned her face towards the moon. "I'm not some fragile thing that needs to be taken care of, Zuko."

"I know." He sighed. He wished he could find the words to tell her how much he regretted it. That he knew he made a mistake.

Katara turned her head fractionally to look at him from the corner of her eye. "But..I have to admit...it is kind of sweet." He saw the corner of her lips curve into a half-smile.

Hope bloomed in his heart. Maybe all was not lost. He could still redeem himself to her. "I know you don't need protection, Katara. But I wanted to protect you...I don't even know why." He huffed out a breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm an idiot."

"But a very endearing idiot." Her light chuckle was like music to his ears.

He looked up at her, a hopeful smile playing across his lips. "Does that mean you forgive me?"

"Yes." Katara paused, her brow furrowing. But he could see the smile she was trying to resist tugging at her lips. "But I'm still mad at you."

"I think I can live with that." A thin stream of water whipped his ankle. "Ouch!"

Katara laughed again, and he couldn't help but smile back at her as he rubbed his tender ankle

Zuko climbed to his feet and brushed the sand off the back of his trousers before offering her his hand. Without hesitation she took it and he pulled her to her feet. He didn't let go of her, and instead placed one hand on the small of her back to pin her against him. Katara looked up into his smoldering eyes and felt her breath catch in her throat. Her mouth dropped open in a small 'O'.

The knowing smile was back on his lips. "See, you're not that mad at me."

She rolled her eyes at him, but her own lips had curved upwards. He wanted to kiss her, but now was not the time. Instead Zuko let her go. He intended to keep his distance until she was no longer upset. He could wait for her to reach out for him. But to his surprise, after just a few steps, she linked her arm through his and pulled him closer. He allowed a small, relieved smile to curve his lips as they walked back toward the inn.

"We still haven't found anything amiss, Princess Ursa," Suki said as she reported to the acting ruler of the Fire Nation. "Ty Lee and I have stayed until dawn each night, and nothing has happened." She couldn't entirely veil the disappointment coloring her tone. She didn't want Ursa to think she and Ty Lee were failing.

Ursa paced the floor in front of the desk, reminding the Kyoshi Warrior of Zuko. "It doesn't make any sense," Ursa mused. "Something is not right."

"Ty Lee and I will gladly hold our vigil until Zuko returns," Suki remarked. "If you believe that someone is sneaking into Zuko's study, we won't stop until we apprehend them."

"I appreciate your dedication, Suki. I'm just wondering—" Her eyes drifted around the room. "—how is someone sneaking in here? It's secure from all points."

Suki considered this as she took in the room. That was a question that had been plaguing her as well. As far as Suki could see, there were only two ways into the room: the study door, or the balcony door. Both of which were locked up tight and carefully guarded by herself and Ty Lee. It was a conundrum.

"I'd be happy to have Sokka check it out, if you would like. He's very good at solving mechanical issues like bad locks," Suki said. "He has also a knack for thinking outside of the box and he'll probably even have an idea as to how someone might sneak in here unnoticed."

But the Princess wasn't listening to the Kyoshi warrior. She was staring intently at a spot on the floor beside the desk. Suki looked down.

"Princess Ursa?" Suki prodded. She followed the princess's gaze and saw what had caught her eye.

Ursa crouched and touched the dark spot on the wooden floor. "Suki, what do you make of this?"

Suki kneeled down beside Ursa. The black dot was unmistakable. "It's a drop of ink. Did you spill some? Or Kiyi, perhaps?" Even as she asked, she knew that wasn't the case. Her heartbeat picked up in her chest.

"No. If it had been me, it would be on this side of the desk." Ursa gestured to where she would be sitting. "And I don't let Kiyi touch the ink well."

"And it couldn't possibly be an advisor who might have spilled some ink on the floor by accident?" Suki felt the prickle of excitement and fear in her gut. If Ursa was correct, this confirmed their suspicions. Which meant someone had been breaking into the Fire Lord's study.

Ursa shook her head. "No. They stand in front of the desk out of respect." She locked eyes with Suki. "The maid was in here yesterday to clean. This had to have happened last night."

"Ty Lee and I came in an hour after sunset and left at dawn. That's a very small window of opportunity." Suki mulled it over. "It has to be someone close enough to know the comings and goings of guards, servants, and yourself."

"It has to be someone who also knows the Royal Palace, then. Likely someone Zuko and I trust. Or at least, someone who has access to someone who knows the layout of the palace" Ursa knit her eyebrows together. "That's disconcerting, and disappointing. He has worked so hard to create a government of people he trusts."

Suki pursed her lips. "Is there anyone you suspect?"

Ursa considered that, frowning deeply. She thought of Alasie, her son's secret lover, with her viper-rat smile. She couldn't let word get out about Zuko's past relationship with the water tribe diplomat. It would cause an uproar amongst the court. But Ursa trusted Suki to keep it hushed.

"It could be anyone," Ursa said slowly. "But I have my suspicions."

Ursa rose, and Suki straightened as well, waiting patiently for the princess to speak.

"The Lord Chamberlain is Zuko's closest and most trusted advisor. I don't suspect him, but if anyone is leaking information to the true culprit, it would have to be him, whether it's knowingly or unknowingly." Ursa paused. "And there's one other person I suspect."

"Who?" Suki prodded.

Ursa grimaced. "Let's just say my son had a very close relationship with a certain Southern Water Tribe diplomat."

Suki's eyes widened. "You mean Alasie?" Her voice was a hushed whisper. She had suspected that there had been some clandestine meetings between the two of them in the past, but she had stayed out of it. Zuko was a grown man who could make his own choices, and Suki definitely wasn't going to mention it.

Ursa nodded. "Yes. He told me he called it off shortly before the summit."

"Do you think she's bitter about it? 'A woman scorned' and all of that?" Suki inquired. "It could be a possible lead, at the very least."

Ursa considered this. "It's possible. I don't know the depth or seriousness of their relationship. There are some things a son doesn't divulge to his mother." She arched a brow at Suki. "He never mentioned it to you?"

Suki shook her head. "No. Zuko and I are friends, but we're not that close. He might have mentioned it to Sokka, but I can't see Sokka keeping a secret like that from me. He's the biggest gossip I know."

"We will just have to observe her quietly then," Ursa said with finality. "Her and Mal-Chin both. You can't convince me the Lord Chamberlain doesn't at least suspect something happened between the two of them. But we can't let anyone know about their relationship. It would be...very damaging, to say the least."

Suki frowned. "How so?"

"It's how the Fire Nation court works." Ursa sighed. "It's not unheard of for Fire Lords to have...concubines. Fire Lord Azulon had three in his day, and Fire Lord Sozin had twice that. But, since Alasie is a diplomat working for the Southern Water Tribe...it would look like favoritism. The court would assume she had gotten into his bed to get favors for Chief Hakoda."

"But Chief Hakoda already has Zuko's favor. The Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation have the best diplomatic relations out of all the nations." Suki frowned. "You don't think that's what it was really about, do you?"

"I don't think that was Zuko's intention, no. But Alasie? I don't know. She might have had ulterior motives." Ursa shrugged. "Before any of this happened, I would have said no. But now, I'm not so sure. I'm not sure about anything." She pinched the bridge of her nose, and Suki was once again reminded of Zuko. "Regardless, I think it would be wise to keep this between us."

"I'll let the Kyoshi warriors know," Suki said. "We'll be discreet. I'll have Sokka come by and check the locks as well."

"Thank you, Suki."

"Of course, Princess Ursa." Suki paused. "I'll also speak with Ty Lee. Perhaps we're giving too much time for someone to sneak in. I'll be sure that the study is not left unguarded at any moment."

"Good." Ursa sighed. "I can't help but feel this doesn't bode well for Zuko. I don't think it's a coincidence that things are happening now that he is away from home."

"I get what you mean. I don't like any of this one bit." Suki offered Ursa a humorless smile. "But I promise my Kyoshi warriors and I won't let any harm come to you or your family."

Ursa placed her hand on Suki's arm. "I know you won't."

The Kyoshi warrior took her leave, and Ursa's eyes returned to the drop of dried ink, feeling troubled. What storm was brewing on the horizon? And was it truly connected to the prophecy and to her son? Ursa wasn't sure, but she suspected they would soon find out.

Zuko lay awake in the still night, watching the shadows dance across Katara's moon-bathed skin.

Maybe she was still mad at him, but that hadn't stopped her from welcoming him into the bed beside her. He had been fully prepared to sleep on the floor, if that had been what she wanted. She had turned her back to him this time, but she hadn't protested when he put his hand on her hip, nor did she fight him when he pulled her close. Maybe she hadn't settled against him as readily as she usually did, but it didn't take long for the soothing circle his thumb was tracing on the exposed skin of her waist for her body to relax and her breathing to deepen before she leaned into him, tucking her head beneath his chin.

He was wide awake.

Zuko was sure he'd regret it in the morning with the long day ahead of them, but he couldn't keep his eyes closed. He found it hard to believe she had forgiven him so easily. Forgiveness was not something he associated with ease, as it had never been readily shown to him except for by his uncle. Even a few years ago, Katara hadn't been so quick to forgive him.

"This is how far we've come, isn't it?" Zuko murmured into her hair. "How much further will we go, Katara?"

He lightly pressed his lips to her temple before settling into the pillow, hoping sleep would come.

"So my brother and the Water Tribe peasant found the almighty Conduit in a little farming village in the northern Earth Kingdom." It wasn't a question. Azula looked up from her fingernails, which she was cleaning with the tip of a knife. She stared into the masked face of the black-clothed man before her.

"That's correct."

Her eyes were cold. "And you're telling me that the Kage Noshi weren't able to eliminate them or capture the Conduit. Why is that?" Her voice climbed in volume as her patience wore thin. She couldn't stand incompetence. The Kage Noshi were supposed to be the best of the best, and they were falling short of that mark.

The assassin dropped to his knees before her and bowed his head. "Our apologies, your highnesses. My men reported that they followed your brother to a secret meeting with the Conduit but they were unable to make a strike against him. Once he had left they tried to capture the Conduit but...it was a slaughter. Only one of my assassins survived." He looked up into callous gold eyes. "We underestimate her. We didn't think she would be able to take out a dozen of the most highly skilled assassins in the world."

"Yes, you did underestimate her. That was your mistake." Azula said, her tone biting. "That is why I gave you the valuable information you need to capture the Conduit and bring her to me!" Blue flames exploded in the palms of her hands.

"My apologies, your highness." There wasn't a tremble of fear in his voice. Azula didn't like that. He should be afraid of her. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do you know what I had to do to acquire that information?" Azula inquired, her voice venomous. "I had to find the hidden library of Wan Shi Tong. Did you know the desert has swallowed the whole thing up? The spirit who lives there tells me the Avatar himself caused him to sink his library. It took a lot of manipulation for that owl to not eat me or my men on the spot." A cruel smile curled her lips. "Well, most of them."

"We won't fail again."

"You better hope you don't, Kurai," Azula ground out. "Because if you do, you better not show your face to me again, or you will wish the Conduit had killed you as well. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, your Highness." The assassin got back to his feet. Azula didn't care that he stood a head and shoulders above her, that his skills were legendary, or that he had probably killed more people than she could imagine. She wasn't afraid of him.

"Have your bumbling excuses for men lost track of my brother and the Conduit?"

"Reports say that your brother returned to the sea and is moving south. The Conduit has evaded us, but my men are searching diligently."

"Good. As soon as my brother sets foot on land, I want your men to find out where the Conduit is, and then I want you to kill them." Azula arched a brow at him. "Do you think you can manage that without screwing it up?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now get out of my sight." Azula's voice rose to a screech at the last part as the wall sconces burned blue for a brief moment, but the assassin still didn't react.

Azula glared at his retreating before settling back into her chair. Her blood was boiling with hot rage that she could barely contain. The Kage Noshi were supposed to be the best at what they did. They came with high expectations and weren't cheap, but Ozai had insisted. He had told her they were even better than the Yuyan Archers, and the Kage Noshi were anonymous, unknown.

Sort of like the Conduit, Azula mused.

That had been her father, too. Ozai had told her about the Conduit a year ago. They had been plotting together for years now, but they had never come up with an infallible plan to take down her brother.

Ever since Ozai had told her about the prophecy, she had been working hard to track her down, searching the far corners of the earth. Information about the Conduit was hard to come by. So difficult, in fact, that Azula and a handful of Dai Lee agents that had come back into her fold had journeyed to the desert with her to find the legendary library.

She had been aware of the owl spirit there, who was distrusting of her and her underlings. But Azula had been prepared and had been able to persuade him to give her the information she desired by providing some valuable, rare texts from the Fire Nation. In return, the giant owl had given her the key to controlling the Conduit. As it turned out, the Owl preferred peace throughout the land. He knew the Conduit was a threat to that harmony, and he was more than eager to assist her when he found out Azula intended to take her out. So it had been a half-truth, but the end result was in her favor.

Now as long as the Kage Noshi were able to actually capture the Conduit and bring her to Azula, the real fun could truly begin. She was looking forward to it. Once the Conduit was under her control, the throne and the crown of the Fire Lord would belong to her and her father again. As it was always meant to be.

Sokka crossed every inch of the Fire Lord's grand study looking for an unknown entry point that could have allowed an intruder to enter. He began by studying the lock on the door, but he didn't find anything suspicious.

"How many people have a key to this?" Sokka looked at Ursa as he pointed toward the door.

"Only Zuko. He had all of the locks in the palace replaced after he was crowned, to specifically guard against something like this. There is only one key for the study." Ursa produced the key from the sleeve of her robe, where it hung from a piece of twine tied to her wrist. "He gave the key to Iroh for me before he left."

Sokka rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Is it possible that someone could have had a duplicate made?"

"Not that I'm aware of. I've kept the key on my person since I've had it, only parting with it when I give it to Suki at night, but I don't know about Zuko," Ursa answered. "I can't see Zuko leaving it laying around but I suppose anything is possible." Her mind drifted to Alasie. "Well, on second thought…"

Sokka nodded, his expression grim. "Are we thinking of the same pretty water tribe diplomat?"

"I don't know how intimate her relationship to my son was or how close she could've been to the key, but I'm not willing to take any chances at this point," Ursa said.

Sokka frowned. "That still doesn't sit right with me. Even if they had a key, that's a pretty small window of opportunity to get in and out of here between when Ty Lee and Suki come in and when they leave, what with patrolling guards all over the place." He looked around. "I don't know about you, but I don't see old man Mal-Chin being all that quick."

Ursa arched a brow. "Alasie, on the other hand…"

"But what would she gain from betraying Zuko?" Sokka inquired. He paced the floor as he pondered the problem. "That's what Suki and I can't figure out. I can understand the chamberlain. He's Fire Nation. But Alasie? She's Water Tribe. What's in it for her?" The thought of a traitor from his own nation left a sour taste in his mouth.

"It could be blackmail. She could be protecting him. If someone threatened to expose their relationship, she would know what it would do to Zuko's reputation as well as her own," Ursa said. "She might be doing it out of fear."

"That could be it." Sokka drifted over to the balcony doors and inspected the lock. He jiggled the knob with his hand.

Ursa watched him. "Is something wrong?"

"This lock is weak." Sokka tested the door. "Look at it. If I move the door just right—" Before he could complete his sentence, the lock popped open and the door swung outward.

"That has to be how they're getting in here!" Ursa stared at the open door. "They get onto the balcony and open the door."

Sokka looked at her. "There's just one problem with that. They can't lock the door on their way back out."

Ursa frowned. "Then how…?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Sokka turned back to the room. He observed the spots that Ty Lee and Suki hid in at night and tried to imagine where another person might be able to hide while the Kyoshi warriors were staking out the study. It couldn't be the leg cubby beneath the desk; Suki would be able to see them. And Ty Lee could see every other aspect of the room. His eyes drifted to the empty fireplace. Well, almost every aspect…

He crossed the room and stopped before the hearth. It was deep. Even in the daylight, the inside of the fireplace was cast in shadow.

"What are you thinking, Sokka? Do you think they're hiding in the fireplace?" Ursa's complexion had gone pale.

"Or maybe they're coming in through the fireplace." He crouched down and peered up into the dark space. "If they dressed in dark clothing and maybe wore a mask of some kind, and didn't move all night, it's possible that Suki and Ty Lee might not even see them."

Ursa shuddered. "And that would explain how they are never seen."

"Exactly." Sokka straightened up and turned back to her. "Whoever it is would need to be pretty strong and agile to maneuver themselves up and down the chimney." He frowned as a thought occurred to him. "Or an earthbender, maybe."

"Well, that changes things, doesn't it?" Ursa looked at him with one eyebrow arched. "I've been told you're something of a strategist. How do you propose we catch this person?"

Sokka had already been thinking of a plan. "I'm working on that. In the meantime, I think it would be a good idea to take any important documents with you when you leave. You shouldn't leave anything lying around that might help our adversaries." He planted his hands on his waist as he looked up at Princess Ursa, a determined look on his face. "Let's get Ty Lee and Suki back in here. I think I've got the perfect trap."