"It's going to be fine Zuko," Katara said. She could only hope that she was right. She prayed to Yue that Zuko wouldn't be able to tell that she was just as scared as he was.

Zuko gave her an expression that said, 'Are you serious?' However, his eyes didn't match his expression. She knew that he didn't want to see Ozai after everything he had put Zuko through. Even though she knew this, she still grimaced. "Okay fine, you win. I'm scared for you. I want you to find your mom, but only Agni knows Ozai did to her! I don't want you to go through what I had to." Katara could feel a tear roll down her tan cheek.

"Are you crying?" Zuko asked in a tone of disbelief.

Katara turned away in embarrassment. Trying to seem tough, she said, "Are you crazy? Why would you say that?" However, Katara's voice had other plans. Her voice cracked and she started sobbing into her knees.

Katara hadn't noticed that Zuko had moved until he had one arm placed awkwardly around her shoulders. Katara leaned her face into his muscled chest and continued to sob. He rubbed her arm in a very understanding way and whispered words of encouragement into her ears.

Katara's sobs subsided after they had landed for a couple of minutes. She looked up into Zuko's beautiful golden eyes and gave a half-hearted smile.

"I'm sorry Zuko. Sometimes I just miss her so much, and it just slips out," Katara whispered.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes, I miss my mother so much, I just want to sit down and cry. But, honestly, I usually hold up until I'm alone," he said quietly.

Katara smiled. "I would have guessed that much. You aren't really good at expressing your emotions," she said with a giggle.

Zuko's face turned a light shade of pink. "So I've been told," he muttered almost indistinctly.

They sat there for a few minutes just thinking, but after a few minutes, they realized that they were in a really awkward position.

Zuko moved away from Katara gently, then they got off Appa together.

Katara looked at Zuko but quickly turned away. He looked rather morose, and she really didn't want to start crying in front of him again just because she was sad her mother died. Zuko was able to keep it all bottled up tohimself anyway.

She felt her cheeks growing hot. What did he think of her? She didn't usually cry in front of people, but the one time she did, she just had to cry in front of Zuko. Of all people Zuko!

She looked at his shirt where her head had been a couple of minutes ago. It was very, very wet. She looked down as her face turned an even deeper red.

Why on earth had she done that? She really needed to get a grip before she ended up breaking not only Aang's heart, but also her own. She knew that Zuko would never be able to love her like she loved him. She was just a friend to him after all. Nothing more, nothing less.

Katara sighed. If only he knew…

"Katara?" Zuko asked, Are you okay? You seem like you just sort of spaced out."

'La!' Katara thought to herself. How long had she been out of it? Zuko must think her to be an even bigger fool now!

"I-I-I'm f-f-f-fine," she stuttered. Her voice was a little shaky from all the crying she'd done.

Zuko looked into her eyes with nothing but concern in his own amber ones. "Are you sure Katara? You should probably sit down for a while," Zuko said softly. He was ready to receive the beating he knew he would get from Katara for saying that. She had never liked not being able to do anything.

Katara immediately calmed down and gave Zuko an angry glare. "I'm not weak," Katara insisted. "I can get along just fine."

"I know you can Katara. You're one of the strongest and bravest people I know. You fought Azula, remember?" His eyes flashed down to where Azula had struck him and then gave Katara a thankful look.

Katara blushed and then asked, "Are you sure you're okay? She hit you pretty hard… I could give you a healing session if you want…"

Zuko started to laugh. "I'm fine Katara! Honestly! Sometimes you can be so motherly, but that's one of the things that I like most about you. It's a shame you never had a mother to look after you. You need someone to look after you too Katara," Zuko finished with a smile on his face.

"Are you sure Zuko? It wouldn't be a problem for me to-" Zuko cut her off mid-sentence.

"Really Katara. I'm fine, and I can take care of myself believe it or not. I did for three years. Believe me, I'm fine. Are you okay? You don't have to come if you don't want to."

Katara couldn't decide if she wanted to act tough, or succumb to her pain, loss and love.

That small pause was all it took for Zuko. He put an arm on her shoulder and she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her. "You need someone to look after you Katara. Even though you are strong, brave, and caring on the outside, you also need to be taken care of and loved on the inside. You need to take a break from it all—for now at least. Just sit down and meditate while I go to see my father. It really helps, trust me. Does that sound okay?" Zuko asked.

Katara nodded. "Just tell me if you need anything Katara, okay?" Zuko said. He patted her shoulder tentatively and then walked off to where he would finally find out what really happened to his mother.

Katara watched him walk away and then whispered, "What I need… I need you Zuko…"