Here's another chapter. I couldn't let Zuko kick Jet's butt just yet. I don't know how I feel about the chapter, but I think it'll help the story along somewhat. Please R&R. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 4

Katara raised her chin in a defiant gesture, even though she was freaking out on the inside. She wasn't the one that was caught cheating while they were engaged! And they hadn't been for three years now, so what was with the livid expression?

"Hello Toph, Zuko. What are you guys doing here? How did you find me?" she asked looking from Toph to Zuko and back, directing the question at Toph. She couldn't meet Zuko's gaze that was blazing with suppressed fury.

Still it was Zuko who spoke up.

"Is that any way to greet your fiancé, Tara? He asked in a very low voice made raspier by the tight control he was keeping to not lash out. After the first glance he had given Jet, he acted as if the man who had been holding onto his Katara wasn't even there. If he acknowledged his presence he was afraid it would get violent. He wouldn't have minded, but he had AJ to consider.

"You're not my fiancé Zuko. You haven't been for the past 3years and you know it!" Katara cried in indignation. Then to her dismay – why it dismayed her was a mystery to her – Jet stepped back and wound his arm around her waist again. He had tensed at Zuko's words but seemed to try and hide it.

"Whoever you are, I think you should leave, seeing as my girlfriend and I were on our way out." Jet said casually pulling her against his side.

Katara saw Zuko's hands clench and Toph who had been silent through the whole exchange put a hand on Zuko's arm to try to calm him down. This was going to get out of hand if she didn't do something about it and fast! She could ask Zuko and Toph to leave and go with Jet. But she knew there was no way she was going to be able to get Zuko off her mind knowing he was in the same city as she was. And she reasoned if she left with Jet now whatever it was Zuko had come here for, the encounter was going to be way more difficult than it already was going to be. She wasn't too worried about Jet being angry about being sent home alone. After all he didn't know she had planned on spending the night. Taking a deep breath she looked up at Jet with an apology in her eyes.

"Um, Jet I think you should go home and let me handle this, ok?" she said willing him to understand and not make things any worse than it already was.

She saw he wanted to argue. So she squeezed the hand at her waist. It's not like they were lovers for crying out loud! Well not yet. Sure they had probably would have been come morning but she had more important problems without Jet breathing down her neck with Zuko and Toph standing right in front of her apartment block!

"Please just go. I'll call you when I'm done ok?"

"Fine." He said with a sullen look on his face.

He glared at Zuko for a moment and turned to where his car was parked and left

She turned to Toph; gesturing towards the car they seemed to have come in. "Ok let's go."

"And where would we be going to if I may ask?" Zuko spoke up instead.

Damn it! Why wasn't Toph saying anything? She just kept looking at her with a hurt look on her face. She was making her feel guilty for she didn't know what! And with Toph it was bad when she wasn't saying anything when she was upset with you.

"To your hotel of course." She answered without looking at him.

"Anything wrong with inviting us up to your apartment, seeing as we're already here?" he asked pointedly. "Or you still want to make use of your overnight bag since you've packed it already?" he said with steel in his voice.

Katara blushed but glared at Zuko finally." My overnight bag is no business of yours! I just think it would be best to talk over there so Toph can put AJ to bed before its too late!"

"Fine, we're staying at the Holiday Inn. That's our car. Get in." he said with a deep scowl on his face. He was clearly trying very hard to maintain his composure in front of the little one.

"I'll follow you in my car. Just let me get my keys." She quickly ran into her building.

"Gran Gran! Zuko and Toph are here!" she cried as soon as she got in and saw Kanna watching TV.

"What! Are you ok honey?" she asked with deep concern.

"I'm alright, I think. I'm going to the Holiday Inn with them. I sent Jet home. This is so messed up Gran Gran! What if he finds out about Kya?"

Kanna got up and embraced her granddaughter. Rubbing soothing circles on her back when she felt the slight tremors going through Katara's body.

"Everything will work out honey. Just go hear what he came all the way down here to say ok? It can't be for a whim that he came. Especially if Toph came with him. Besides you weren't going to hide her forever were you?" She said gently.

"You should have seen his face when he saw me Jet's arm around me. And my bag! He looked like he was going to kill Jet or me for that matter!" she was getting more upset the more she talked about it.

"Shush child. Zuko may have his faults but you know he'll never hurt you. Don't keep them waiting. Go get it over with. Just be strong honey."

Katara took a deep breath and hugging her grandmother tight one last time, dashed into Kanna's room and quickly kissed her sleeping daughter. Grabbing her car key from her room she left. In her haste she forgot she was still carrying the overnight bag until she got out of her building again and saw Zuko's eyes drop to it. She couldn't read the expression that passed fleetingly over Zuko's face so she just got in her car and saw Zuko do the same. They took off and she followed suit.

She left her bag in her car and got down when they reached the hotel. They reached the reception area and she slowed her walk wondering where they wanted to talk. She turned to Toph but it was as if Toph was totally ignoring her. Why would she come all the way to Africa just so she could give her the silence treatment?

"Toph look…."

"No Katara. I can't really talk to you right now. I have lots to say to you but I can't. Not in front of my son. Ok? I'll be in my room." She left with a squeeze to Zuko's shoulder.

"I'm assuming you would prefer to talk at the bar?"

Katara nodded, not meeting his eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't think what we can have this discussion in a public place. My room is this way." He said flatly and started forwards without waiting to see if Katara was following him, which she did.

Her heart was hammering in her chest when she stepped through the door Zuko held open for her. She didn't know what she was dreading more: questions about the past or questions about the present. Both could end up leading to Kya. She took the seat he offered and declined the offer he made of drinks. She looked at Zuko sit across from her and stare at her the stoic expression he only used with her when he was really trying very hard to keep his temper in check."

"Why, Tara?" was all he said.

"Why what, Zuko?" she answered trying hard to not put herself into a defensive position. She hadn't done anything wrong!

"Did we mean so little to you? Did you stop to think for a minute that what you saw that day wasn't what you thought it was? You didn't even give me a chance to explain…."

"To explain what Zuko?" she cut him off. The pain she had thought she was over flaring up again and making her tone rather biting.

"That I never betrayed you! I never have and never would!" he all but shouted at her.

"And you expect me to believe that?" she asked incredulously, her own voice rising.

"When did I ever lie to you?" he shouted getting up; too agitated to sit still.

"Well there's always a first time isn't there?" she said scathingly.

"I would never lie to the woman I love. I've never done it and I never will!" he shouted in frustration.

That caught Katara off guard. Had she made a mistake?

"But I saw you! She was wearing only your shirt. And you were in sweatpants and you were holding her in your arms! Why would you have been doing that? What? Did her dress get lost or something?

"Because she was distraught when she came to see me, and she poured red wine o her dress and had put it in the washer when I was in the shower and borrowed my shirt. I knew you were coming to see me. Why would I be with Mai when I knew you were on your way, even if I had been having an affair with her?" He asked having calmed down a bit.

He came up to where she was seated and drew her to her feet.

"I've always loved you and I've never been unfaithful to you Tara. I swear it on my honor." He said looking deep into her eyes.

Katara couldn't look away. She saw his eyes darken and his gaze settled on her lips. She saw him slowly lowering his head and jerked away from him, heart racing.

"I need to go Zuko. I need to think." She turned and was almost at the door when she heard him speak.

"Is it because of him? Do you need to think because of that guy you were going to spend the night with? There was so much pain and anger in his voice.

Katara couldn't help feeling guilty. Why did she feel like she needed to explain her situation with Jet? Probably because you know Zuko is serious when it comes to hi honor? A small voice piped up in her head.

"This was the first time I was going to spend the night okay? Not that it's any business of yours." She huffed, turning to look at him.

She saw Zuko almost sag with relief. This was getting more complicated than she could have imagined.

"What you do is always going to be my business Tara. It took some time finding you but I have now, and I'll be damned if I let you slip away again."

"Good night." Was all Katara could think to say before rushing out the door.

She had thought of seeking Toph out but decided against it and got into her the way home Katara wondered if she had made a mistake. Yes, she had seen them together but she had drawn a conclusion from what she had seen without giving Zuko the benefit of the doubt. Zuko had never lied to her before. Maybe she should have listened to his side of the story. Dear God! If Zuko was telling the truth now – which if she was honest with herself she would admit she suspected he was – she had denied both her daughter and the man she would have been married to for 3years by now each other! What was she going to do? She needed to talk to Gran Gran. She had no idea what she was going to do. How had he even found out she was in Ghana? And how did he find out her address? This was a total hot mess!

She got home and quickly changed and got ready for bed. She went to peek in on Kya and found Gran Gran hadn't moved her back into her own room after all. She didn't want to risk waking Gran Gran so she went t bed without seeing her daughter. She couldn't shake the dread she felt in the pit of her stomach. Should she try and keep Kya secret till Zuko left? Or should she tell him and let the chips fall where they will? If Zuko left she could just go ahead and make a life here with Jet. Or she could tell Zuko and hope to God he could forgive her. The latter idea held more appeal to her. And she wondered why that was. She had been over Zuko right up to the moment he had showed up! Her impulsiveness was going to be the death of her, she thought glumly as she drifted off into fitful sleep, forgetting to call Jet like she had promised she would.