Here is Chapter Four. Please review because I really want to know what you the readers really think about this story. Also as a reminder this is set a little after boiling rock.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Air Bender.

Chapter 4

She felt like an imposter. Katara was in the tidy no-frills kitchen only because Zuko had taken her there. She'd been grateful when he'd knocked on her bedroom door this morning with a simple, "Are you ready?" and nothing else. The prospect of having to ask someone to show her the way hadn't been appealing. On her first full day back Katara didn't want to have to start off dealing with expectations and curiosity. With him, she didn't have to apologize, fumble or explain.

Zuko was here, Katara told herself, to do exactly what he said he would: guide her discreetly along. She'd have felt better if she hadn't woken up thinking of their talk last night.

After a short, nearly silent walk through the corridors where Katara had felt all the strain on her side and none on Zuko's, he'd brought her to the kitchen where she was to meet Suki. Once there, she toured it slowly. The room wasn't large, but it was useable. Good light, a practical set-up, privacy. That relieved her.

The capable table that stood in the center was orderly. The fire pit was neat and the pots were all clean. Flowers were there, fresh and plentiful- dark red fire lilies bursting up in a wooden vase that was sitting on a small table by the window. She pulled out a bud and twirled it by its stem as she turned back to Zuko.

"So this is where I do the cooking," She paused, "What other kind of work do I do?"

It was a challenge. It was a plea. Bother were directed to him. He'd decided to help her because she needed help, but nothing was ever that simple. The puzzle of her kidnapping nagged at him, prodded, taunted. On the surface, it seemed like a random kidnapping. Zuko rarely believed what was on the surface. He had a feeling that there was something deeper than just a kidnapping. It had to involve Azula somehow; he just knew it did. He wanted to put the pieces of the kidnapping together, but to do so; he had to put the pieces of Katara together first.

From the description of her family from the day before, Zuko had thought her perceptive. Her impression of herself, however, was far from accurate. Or perhaps it was the fear of herself, Zuko reflected. For a moment, he speculated on what it would be like to wake up one morning with no past, no ties, and no sense of self. Paralyzing. Then he quickly dismissed the idea. The more sympathetic he was toward her, the more difficult his job.

"You're involved in a number of projects," he said simply, and stepped forward to the desk. "Some you'd term day-to-day duties and others special side projects."

"Projects?" she repeated smoothly laying the lily down on the table. "Other than just laying around?"

"You're a bit hard on Katara, aren't you?" Zuko murmured. He dropped his hand on hers, on the fire lily. For five humming seconds they stood just so.

"Perhaps. But I have to know her to understand her. At this point, she's more a stranger to me than you are."

Sympathy rose up again. Whatever his wish, he couldn't deny it completely. The hand under his was firm, her voice strong, but in her eyes he saw the self-doubt, the confusion and the need.

"Sit down Katara."

The gentleness of his voice had her hesitating. Slowly she withdrew her hand from his and chose one of the table's chairs. "Very well. This is to be lesson one then?"

"If you like." He sat on the edge of the table so there was a comfortable distance between them and so that he could look fully into her face. "Tell me, what you think of when you think of a waterbender."

"Are you playing analyst?"

He crossed his ankles. "It's a simple question. You can make the answer as simple as you like."

She smiled and seemed to relax with it. "Water, grace, elegance, power." She brushed the fire lily petals idly against her hand and looked beyond him to a sunbeam that shot onto the floor. "Heritage, men and women dressed in blue, homes made of snow, beautiful white landscape, cold days and colder nights. Fishing in wooden boats…Fishing in wooden boats, " she repeated, and her eyes focused on the stream of sunlight, "With your brother on a sunny day. The sun's in your eyes so that it's difficult to see, but its heat feels nice on your face. You get bored. There's the faint smell of salt from the sea. You decide to try and catch a fish with water bending and you end up actually catching one. Your idiot brother can't stop looking at his reflection to see your accomplishment. You are so happy and proud that you managed such a small feat even if you don't have a teacher to train you." She fell silent, and then dropped the lily in her lap.

Her hand had trembled, he'd seen it the instant before she'd dropped the flower. "Is that your imagination, or do you remember that?"

"I…" How could she explain? She could still smell the salt from the sea; still feel the cold arctic winds. "Impressions only." She told him after a moment. "They come and go. They never stay."

"Don't push it."

Her head whipped around. "I want--"

"I know what you want." His voice was calm, even careless. Annoyance flashed in her eyes. It was something he knew how to deal with. "I'll give you an average day in the life of Katara, the master waterbender."

"And how do you know?"

Zuko watched her, "I know the basics of what you do. Suki can fill you in on the rest. You rise before everyone usually to make breakfast. After that you clean up and make sure Toph bathes."

"A healthy coating of earth," she blinked, and then her brows knit. Frustrated, she shook her head. "She doesn't like to go without it."

Zuko made no comment while she continued to frown, struggling to remember why that phrase was so familiar to her. "You make sure everyone else is doing their responsibilities. You then go straighten up around the temple until lunch. Then you make lunch with the help of Suki."

"I see." She waited for the memories. Longed for it. But nothing came. "Go on."

"After lunch you are off training by yourself. Then you and Aang or Toph spar before you go make dinner. If there is time, you take care of your personal stuff."

It seemed tedious; she mused, and then thought that obligations often were. "What is personal stuff?"

"I don't know."

"So I confine myself to more--- house keeping duties?"

She saw the grin, fast, appealing, easy. "I wouldn't put a label on it after looking at your schedule, Katara."

"Which so far," she pointed out, "consisting of cooking and cleaning."

Zuko tilted his head. "You spend a lot of time honing your water bending skills though."

She picked up the lily again running her fingers over the petals as she rose to pace. "But am I good at it?" She demanded. "Do I know what I'm doing, or am I simply just playing around?"

Zuko took a deep breath. "Both. You are very clever at fighting and you seem to enjoy coming up with new ways to improve your bending. You are an excellent fighter with a fierce determination and have a clever wit about you. I've seen you fight and practice your bending its captivating and--"

"You've seen me practicing?"

He lifted a brow, studying the combination of outrage and embarrassment on her face. With a careless flick of his fingers he produced a small flame before extinguishing it.

"Yes, I have."

There was no use squirming, she told herself. He'd very probably enjoy it. "You were saying?"

"You work, Katara. I promise you. You just don't sit around doing nothing."

"I'll have to take your word for it," she slipped the lily back into the vase. "And I want to begin. It appears I have a lot to learn.

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If it was up to Zuko he would be training Aang right now, but as fate would have it Aang was off earth bending with Toph and he was on his way to see Sokka. Suki had arrived soon after Zuko finished telling Katara about a normal day in the air temple.

He had no idea why Sokka wanted to talk to him. Personally he would rather be doing something productive like teaching Aang fire bending or meditating out in the gardens. Temples, no matter how spacious, how beautiful, how historically fascinating, were still walls and ceilings and floors. He wanted to feel the sun on his face and the wind in his hair.

Only briefly, Zuko paused at a window to look out before he climbed to the second floor and Sokka's "office." He knocked and after hearing a muffled come in; opened the door.

The room was twice the size of Katara's room, much more ornate and rigidly masculine. Sokka had obviously turned the room into a sort of laboratory. Blue prints were thrown everywhere; they had overflowed from the desk to the floor. Knickknacks and gadgets littered the floor. The molding on the lofted ceiling might have been intricately carves and gilded, but the chairs were wide, the desk oak and solid. Sokka was sitting behind the desk pouring over maps. The curtains were drawn back, so that light spilled across the stone floor.

"Suki said you wanted to talk to me," said Zuko from the doorway.

"Yeah I did," said Sokka without looking up from his papers.

"And you wanted to talk to me because…" asked Zuko as he walked into the room shutting the door behind him.

"I was wondering if you have seen Katara, yet," asked Sokka as he looked up at Zuko. Zuko took a seat across from and Sokka.

"Yeah I was just with her," replied Zuko.

"So how is she?" Zuko could see the worry in Sokka's eyes the panic, the doubt that Katara was anything but alright.

"Physically, I'd say she's bouncing back fast," said Zuko trying to ease Sokka's worry, "Emotionally, she's holding on because she's determined to. She intends to keep her schedule, starting today."

Sokka took a deep breath. Relief washed through him after he heard his sister was fine, "Sounds like her. Stubborn as ever!"

"I suppose," Zuko said nonchalantly. A silence engulfed the two as their thoughts drifted to other important matters.

"Sokka," Zuko said suddenly breaking the brief silence, "about this kidnapping. Something just doesn't seem right. I mean why would they kidnap Katara? Sure, don't get me wrong. Katara's a strong bender, but unlike Aang she has no major importance."

"I never thought of it like that," said Sokka stroking his chin in the process, "So you're thinking that whoever kidnapped Katara was really after Aang and Katara got in the way?"

"Yeah something like that. Sokka this is a big problem. It means Aang is in danger here. I think we have to find a safer place to stay."

"You're right. We've stayed here too long anyway. But I'm worried about Katara." Zuko heard the worry creep into Sokka's voice.

"What do you mean?" asked Zuko.

"Well I think it would be better if she was around a place she was at least a little familiar with. I think it will help trigger something and maybe she'll remember faster. I also think that the less we tell her and the more she's able to find out on her own the faster she'll remember 'ya know," said Sokka.

Sure Sokka had a point, thought Zuko, but there were more important things than how fast Katara recovers her memories. It was probably true that Katara would have a better chance at recovering her memories if they stayed at the temple longer, but like Katara said herself, no one really knows how long that could take and with people out there targeting Aang they might not have that long anymore. For once Zuko just didn't know what to do.

"Good point but no matter what Aang is our first priority. That's how Katara would want it anyway," said Zuko he watched Sokka.

"Yeah you're right. But anything that helps her…. I just want her to get better."

"Everyone does a—"

"I know but," started Sokka as he cut Zuko off, "it's hard for me to see her so…so helpless. After our mom died Katara has always been there taking care of things for me, and well, for everyone. It's her nature to I guess. It's all my fault that she got mixed up in all of this. If I would have just taken care of her like my dad asked me too. He is going to be so disappointed." Sokka shook his head as he stared at the blueprints that sat on his desk.

"Well I rather have your father disappointed than mine."

"Yeah I guess you have a point there," said Sokka with a chuckle, "Zuko?"

"Yeah?"

"Right now, I'm really jealous of you."

"Why?" asked Zuko, wondering where Sokka was going with this.

"'Cause Katara trusts you more than me, her own brother."

"Trust might be a bit premature. She considers me useful at the moment," He heard the annoyance in his voice and carefully smoothed it over, "I can give her information about herself without drawing on her emotions."

"Well for whatever reason you have it. I guess this could be good 'cause it means she isn't mad at you anymore."

"Yeah but I didn't want her to forgive me because she doesn't remember hating me. I wanted to earn it on my own. I…" Zuko trailed off, not sure what to say.

"I know but this just works out better. I mean eventually she'll figure out that she was mad at you, but when she does remember she'll remember all of the help that you have been giving her and there you have it the problem is solved," Sokka said waving his hands to enunciate what he meant.

"How do you know that she just won't hate me more?"

"'Cause I know Katara, and I'm positive that won't happen."

"If you say so," said Zuko who was still unsure about all of this, "So now what? I just act like she never hated me?"

"Sounds good to me. Let her figure it out on her own. Trust me."

Zuko was surprised that Sokka understood seemed to understand his sister that well but it was probably because of the strong bond they possessed. Something he never had with Azula. Sokka interrupted his thoughts, "Anyway about this kidnapper. Who you think it could be?"

"Azula maybe, or she could have hired someone. I really don't know," he said shrugging. "There are many people would target Aang."

"Hmm I don't know. I do know we need a new place to hide though. I know everyone is tired of caves and what not so maybe we could move farther east into the earth kingdom," Sokka said drumming his fingers on the desk.

"What about somewhere closer to the Fire Nation capital," suggested Zuko, "That way we will be right there for when the comet comes."

"Yeah, but I just told you that everyone else is tired of living in caves and….."

"I know but I wasn't thinking about a cave."

"Then what?" asked Sokka. He really had no idea what Zuko was talking about. They were all too recognizable even if they wore disguises.

"I don't know. We need somewhere where Aang doesn't have to hide and it has to be close to the capital."

"Hmm," said Sokka rubbing an imaginary beard, "this could take a while."

"Well then let's get started," Zuko said as the two boys started pulling out maps.

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She stepped out of the courtyard, into a cool hallway.

Ok Suki said to take a left after the statue of the monk meditating and then Sokka's office is the door on the right, thought Katara as she balanced a tray of food. Walking a little farther down the hallway she spotted the statue and, following instructions, she turned to the left. Idly she wondered if she had gotten lost. How embarrassing would it be if she had the wrong room? Slowly she approached the door to the right. From the inside she heard two voices. The one was the deep husky bass of Zuko while the other was a lighthearted tenor. From her time talking to Sokka she knew that it was him. The boys were obviously discussing something important, for they missed breakfast and, according to Toph, Sokka never missed meals.

"So I think the most we have is a week. I mean if the kidnappers are going to make a move it's not…."

There talking about the people who took me. But why? Why wouldn't they want me involved in this meeting? Katara thought as she felt anger and betrayal rise up in her. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door. She heard someone shuffle their feet and the click of the door being open.

"Katara?" asked Zuko as he opened the door of the office. His eyes widened at seeing her. Obviously he wasn't expecting her, "What are you doing here?"

"You guys missed breakfast, Suki sent me to deliver it to you guys," she said holding up the tray.

"Come in then," Zuko said as he moved away from the door letting Katara pass by. The room was far more elegant than her bedroom. There was a row of cabinets along one wall. Though the desk was ornate, it was covered with papers, maps, and blueprints. Going over, she sat the tray down on the desk.

"Katara," said Sokka as he looked up from a map, "What are you…"

"You missed breakfast so I brought you some," she said once again.

"Ah thanks. I can't believe that we worked right through lunch," exclaimed Sokka as he stood up taking a bowl off of the tray while stretching his aching back muscles.

"Yeah so what have you guys been working on?" asked Katara as she moved behind the desk. Looking down she saw multiple maps with different spots circled in black ink. "What are these maps for?"

"Oh nothing really, Katara just don't worry 'bout it 'kay," said Sokka as he started eating. Slowly Zuko moved to pick up his own dish. He heard the suspicion in Katara's voice. He had a sinking feeling that she knew what they were talking about and was probably going to get mad for not being included.

"If you say so Sokka. Well is it ok if I take a closer look at these?" she said as she sat in the seat Sokka had abandoned.

"Sure," said Sokka as he wolfed down his breakfast.

Picking up the abandoned brush, Katara pulled a scrap piece of paper out. Dipping the brush in the ink she began making the characters that spelled out her name. Odd to see her name written in her own hand, she mused. The writing was big, looping, just bordering on the undisciplined, and very distinctive. Looking up she found the boys sitting across from her. Zuko's golden eyes fixed on her every movement. Ever the analysts she thought. Turning she looked at her so called brother. He was close to finishing his meal. She looked down at her name again. It wasn't fair she thought that some person could have just taken her memories. But little in life was fair. Whatever Zuko and Sokka were talking about before she was going to find out, if it had to do with her kidnapping shouldn't she be involved too? She then examined the maps. They were maps of the Fire Nation and many cities had big black x's through them while only a handful had circles surrounding them. She had no clue what any of it meant.

"Sokka, can you please tell me what you guys were talking about," asked Katara as she looked from map to her brother.

"Katara I told 'ya don't worry about it. It's nothing too important." Turning she looked at Zuko who simply shook his head. She knew she wasn't going to get anything out of him either.

"Well I overheard you talking about my kidnappers, Sokka," Katara smirked as Sokka's face paled. He obviously didn't want her to find out what they were planning, "and because it involves me. I think you should tell me what you were talking about."

"Katara just don't worry about it ok. Zuko and I are taking care of it. Really I swear it's nothing important. If it was, I would tell you."

Katara was getting tired of that answer. Letting out a frustrated sigh she stood up. Looking down at Sokka she continued, "Sokka anything that involves my kidnapping is important. Anything at all. I just don't see why you won't tell me."

"Katara please understand," he said as he too stood. Zuko knew something like this was bound to happen and just watched it play out, not wanting to get involved in the siblings' fight. Better let her get all of this out now rather than later. He knew Sokka didn't want Katara to worry anymore than she had to, that's why he didn't want her to know about the kidnappers going after Aang. Zuko hadn't thought she'd be pleased to be left out in the dark. When it came down to it, he didn't want her to be. It was easier on him when she was a bit prickly, a little icy. It was the lost, vulnerable look that undid him.

"Understand what Sokka? How can I when you won't tell me anything? You know what you're just…just…ugh." She slammed her hands on the desk.

"You are just so…so unbearable!" she screamed at him.

Then Katara swept out of the room, throwing a dirty look at her brother before slamming the door behind her. Her hair fell free down the back. When she glared at Sokka her eyes were blue, vivid and icy. A creature of the night, he thought. She didn't belong behind temple walls, but under the night sky with the sea raging behind her. The older boy turned to his companion. Sokka's jaw was dropped, "I just can't do anything right when it comes to her, can I?"

"It's not your fault Sokka. You did what you thought best."

"Yeah but now she hates me! Maybe if I went and talked to her…."

"I don't think that's a good idea," interrupted Zuko.

"No I suppose you're right. Could you go make sure she's alright for me?" asked Sokka as he flopped back into his chair.

"Sure." Zuko said as he strode out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

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Zuko found Katara sitting against a statue with her knees drawn to her chest.

"I feel terrible," said Katara as she heard Zuko approach, "I didn't mean to yell at him but I was just getting so frustrated and…"

"It's alright Katara. Your human; you're allowed to get frustrated and yell," said Zuko as he looked down at the sitting girl.

"I know, but still, he is just looking out for me. I can see it in his eyes. He just wants me to get better."

"Yes that's true but he also doesn't want you to worry over useless stuff."

"Yeah, I know." Weariness was there, but she didn't relax. She just couldn't, "Zuko, I don't want to go back just yet. Can we walk?"

"All right." He understood the need to be away from walls, from restrictions. He'd grown up with them as well. He offered Katara a hand which she accepted gratefully.

"Thanks."

They walked in silence; without thinking, Zuko headed to the gardens. Katara just followed him. She still felt horrible about yelling at Sokka over nothing, something so pointless, but she was just so stressed out and frustrated with everything that it became too much. After taking a few turns here and there Zuko stopped. Katara looked up and drank the scene in. Somehow without being aware of it, Zuko had lead her to a garden. She knew the scent of the garden and the feeling of the sun warming her from above. She couldn't be certain she'd been to this spot before, yet it soothed her. Letting the need to know slip away, she walked toward an old, sturdy fountain.

Tiny purple flowers crowded their way up through the cracks in the fountain, determined to have the sun. She reached to touch one but didn't pick it. It would die too quickly. Unmindful of her outfit she sat on the edge of the fountain and looked out at the flowers.

The garden was bursting with colors. If it would've had its way, it would have consumed every space available. The stone pathways prevented that, but didn't tame it. Farther out she could see the crimson of fire lilies. It was like an ocean of colors surrounded her.

"Some things are comfortable right away. Familiar, I mean. This is one of them."

"You couldn't live in a temple for weeks and not find spots like this." The wind whipped her hair back, tossing it up and away from her face. Its color was nearly light brown in the sunlight, with darker shades licking through it. He sat beside her, but not too close.

"I think I'd come to a place like this, just to breathe when the stress became too tedious to stand." She sighed, closing her eyes; she lifted her face to the wind. "I wonder if I always felt that way."

"You could ask your brother."

She lowered her head. When their eyes met, he saw the weariness she'd been so careful to hide. She wasn't back on full power yet, he reflected. And he wasn't immune to vulnerability.

"It's difficult." Anger and annoyance, strain and tension were forgotten as she felt herself drawn to him again. She could talk to him, say whatever was on her mind without consequences. "I don't want to hurt him. I feel such intense love, such fierce protection from him it disturbs me. I know he's waiting for me to remember everything."

"Aren't you?"

She looked back out to the sea of flowers, silent.

"Katara, don't you want to remember?"

It was the flowers she continued to look at, not him. "Part of me does--- desperately. And then another part pushes away, as if it's all just too much. If I remember the good, won't I remember the bad?"

"You're not a coward."

"I wonder. Zuko, I remember running. The rain, the wind. I remember running until I thought I'd die from it. Most of all, I remember the fear, a fear so great that I would have preferred dying to stopping. I'm not sure that part of me will allow the memory to come back."

He understood what she described. The knowledge ate at him, something he couldn't allow, something he couldn't prevent. "When you're strong enough, you won't give yourself a choice."

"Something inside of me is afraid of that, too. At a time like this---"she shook her hair back and enjoyed the feel of it lifting off her neck. "---it would be so easy to relax and let it go, to just allow things to happen. If I weren't what I am I could do that. No one would care."

"You are what you are.'

"You don't dream?" she asked with a half smile. "You don't ever ask yourself, 'what if'? I could sit here now and pretend I had a small cottage and farm somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. I was no longer a waterbender that had so many duties. I was just myself. Life is simple and very sweet."

"And the woman in the cottage could pretend she was a water bender who was saving the world." He touched a strand of her hair that danced in the wind. "Life's full of dreams, Katara. It's never simple but it can be sweet."

"What do you dream?"

He curled her hair around the tip of his finger, and then set it free. "A lot of things."

"Like? Just tell me one of them Zuko please."

"Of helping people, redeeming myself, making the world a better place and to restore peace."

"I see. That's very noble of you."

"I'm anything but noble." Zuko's voice was low, harsh, blocking out the pain. His mind took him back to the crystal catacombs when he betrayed the only two people who ever offered to help him. If I regret anything in my life, it's that day. The hurt and disappointment on their faces...how could I do that to them? They were the only ones that believed in me. He thought of finally facing his father and sister and fixing all the horrible things they had done. Soon, he promised himself.

Startled, Katara glanced at Zuko. His liquid amber eyes were hooded and heavy, as if weighed down by a terrible burden. Hesitantly, she raised a hand, reaching towards him, but dropped it. No, it wasn't her place to comfort him; she didn't even remember him. What if they hated each other? A wrenching feeling twisted her gut, what if she did hate him? Katara dismissed the thought, mentally shaking her head. Today wasn't the day to think about that.
Silence engulfed them.
"You know what I would grow on my little farm?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.

He thought of it for a moment. "I don't know Katara what would you grow?"

"Anything but papayas," she said with a small laugh. "I would have a small house though." Caught up in her fantasy, she twisted around to face him more directly. "A farmhouse, it would need some work though. It would have a front porch. A big front porch." He laughed, pleasing her.

"I would have to fix a few boards though to make it safe. On warm nights I would sit out on a rocker listening to the wind."

He tugged on her hair. "The grass is always greener."

"So they say. Still I think I could deal with fifty weeks of demand, if only I had two weeks to just relax."

"I suppose that sounds reasonable," he said with a small chuckle.

"You suppose? Of course it's reasonable." She turned her face to the sky once more enjoying the feel of the sun warming her face.

"Yes of course. You're brother will wonder where I have went."

She nodded, taking a final look around the garden before standing up slowly. Zuko followed suit. Katara tilted her head back a little to look him in the face, "Yes, obligations come first don't they? Besides I need to go through my things like Suki suggested. Do you think you could show me the way back to my room from here?"

He didn't answer, but they walked back to her room together anyway.

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Katara now found herself going through her traveling pack. She could almost see herself packing the bag multiple times before. She grinned because it had seemed so natural to be unloading the bag only to pack it once again. With a burst of enthusiasm, she began to organize her things.

She was good at it. It was thrilling to discover she had so many things that were her own. Within two hours she'd assessed the things she pulled from her bag. She then began to slowly, systematically, organize the mess of belongings. At the end of two hours, her confidence was strong and her mood was high. She had found so many things that pleased her. Like the strange straw hat and weird purple robes. The best thing of all was a water bending scroll she found in a small side pocket. She remembered Zuko telling her she could bend and she thought maybe with the help of a scroll she would remember how. When she left her room to go practice some water bending, her room was cluttered and messy. But it was her clutter now—she understood it.

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"Hmm ok to make a wave it says to push and pull the water and to make sure to move your wrists," said Katara as she read the scroll aloud from her seat on the fountain. "Ok all I have to do is push and pull, easy enough." Katara stood putting the scroll down as she tried to make the water follow her movements. Surprisingly enough the water was moving back and forth in time with her motions and she was even able to take a glob of water out of the fountain. "Nothing to it. Hmm let's try something a little more difficult then," she said as she looked through the different moves.

"The single water whip looks doable." Something about the name and stances seemed familiar to her as she looked it over. "Here goes nothing," she said as she put the scroll down so she could read the different stances while she practiced. She raised her arms just like the picture described. A stream of water rose with her movements. Following through the next stance the water flowed at her command but it ended up hitting her in the forehead, leaving a slight bruise.

"Ouch," cried Katara as she glared at the fountain. Maybe I should just give up for the day. I mean I already can move the water back and forth and even get some to rise out of the fountain. That's more than I used to know, she thought. In the end her determination won out and she decided that she was going to learn how to make a water whip.

"Concentrate, Katara. You have just got to shift your weight through the stances nice and easy." Tentatively she went through the stances once more but only managed to raise a small glob from the fountain forming a thin whip that soon fell apart.

"Shoot. Come on water," she cried pleadingly to the water, "Work with me here." She lifted her hands up once more producing a small glob of water she tried to manipulate it but soon lost control of it again.

Trying once more she lifted the water, "Ok what if I just….ow stupid scroll." Ok this was officially getting old. Why can't I just get this dumb move already it is not even that hard. All I have to do was shift my weight into each stances, she thought.

Taking a deep breath she tried again and to her surprise the water obeyed. Working through the stances she manages to keep the water under control as she flung it out and produced a water whip.

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After two hours of water bending practice she had finally master the water whip. She was starting to remember the motions of other moves. The positions felt natural to her. She was good at it, Katara discovered. It was thrilling to realize that she had a talent. It had come as naturally, as dressing, eating and walking came.

A content sigh escaped her lips as she finished rolling up the scroll. For the first time since the kidnapping she felt completely content and totally at ease. She wondered if water bending had always made her this relaxed. Looking up she noticed that it had gotten considerably darker in the garden. The sun was going to set in a few hours. Sighing she turned to go back to the kitchen. She knew Suki would be looking for her to help make dinner. Taking a final look around the breathtaking garden she turned and walked out.

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Zuko had just finished practicing fire bending with Aang and was on his way to his room to grab a new shirt before dinner. As he turned a corner he felt something small and warm run into him. Looking down he saw a startled Katara. Obviously she had been deep in thought and wasn't paying attention to where she was going. In her hand he noticed that she was carrying a scroll.

"Ow."

"Careful, you should pay more attention to where you're going," Zuko said watching the water tribe girl.

Katara looked up at what she had run into. Zuko. Of course it was him. He always seemed to appear when she least expected it. She took a step back losing her balance in the process. She felt herself falling backwards before warm hands encircled her wrists steadying her. The scroll dropped from her hands with a loud ping when it hit the stone floor below.

"Katara are you alight? You look a little pale." As he said this, his fingers tightened.

Her vision blurred, her knees shook. It was dark again, and there was a face close to hers but it was indistinct. She smelled smoke, strong, like something was burning. From far away she heard someone talking in a low voice to her, "I'll save you from the pirates." Fear tripled, pulsing through her like a drug. Abruptly she struck out at him. Struggling against the hold he had on her wrists, swaying as she did.

"Don't touch me! Don't……"

Because her voice was more desperate than angry, he let go, then almost immediately grabbed her again when she swayed forward. "Katara, look at me! Look at me, Katara!" A warm hand tilted her chin up and forced her to look into a pair of worried gold eyes. "Katara?"

She blinked. Silently cursing himself, his voice was gentle, calming. "Breathe deep and relax. I'm sorry I didn't mean too."

Zuko dropped his hands from her shoulders and reached around her waist. He looked down at her as she rested against him.

If she wasn't so dizzy she would have laughed at him. Of course he would have thought that her dizziness was his fault. Hey eyes shut; she tried to clear her mind, clear and dizziness.

"No, it wasn't your fault. I remembered---I think…" Her face was pale when she looked up at him, but her eyes were dark and intense. Terrified.

On a frustrated breath, she closed her eyes again and fought for composure. "It was something else. Just a minute ago I was somewhere else. A man held me by the wrists. I couldn't see him…it's dark or my mind just won't let me get through to his face. He offered to save me from pirates. But I don't think he was there to help me. I smelled smoke. I was so scared."

She closed her eyes again as another wave of dizziness fell over her. "Just now I could smell the smoke. His hands were rough. He's very strong and warm." She swallowed. Zuko saw her shudder just before she opened her eyes again.

"Katara." Zuko said as he shifted her so more of her weight fell upon him. "Tell me what else you remember." She looked up at him then and her face was as it had been when he had found her. Colorless and strained.

"Nothing. I only remember struggling and the smells. I can't be sure but I think someone else was chasing me too. I feel like they were after something important. There's nothing after that, nothing before it either."

"Don't push yourself. You're still pretty pale." Zuko said as he looked down at the water bender he was supporting.

"I'm dizzy." She stated weakly as she lifted a shaking hand to brush the hair out of her face. Before she knew what had happened Zuko had swept her into his arms easily, tucking her as closely and gently to his body as possible.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" She half screeched in reply but before she could say anymore another wave of nausea hit her. She closed her eyes tightly and buried her head in Zuko's shoulder hoping that would help, all the while taking deep calming breaths. He smelled like the sun, like the spicy musk of sweat, crushed tea leaves and smoke.

"I'm taking you to your room Katara. You need to rest for a while." He said walking off in the direction of her room.

"That's sounds nice," came her muffled reply, "you smell by the way."

"I'm sorry buy you caught me on my way to get a clean shirt," he said with a small smile.

"Oh. What where you doing anyway?" She asked trying to fight off the fluttering in her stomach and the blush that crept up her cheeks. She hadn't meant to say that out loud, but she was grateful he took it the wrong way.

"Fire bending practice with Aang; but that's not important. So where were you going in such a rush anyway?"

"To help Suki make dinner. Before that I was water bending," she said proudly with a smile as she moved her head so that it now rested on his shoulder.

"Is that where you got the bruise from?"

"Yeah," she said touching the bruise of her forehead ever so lightly, "my muscles remembered the motions. It's just the matter of relearning them again. Well the concept of them."

"That's a start." She stated turning a corner. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. But I think you were right I just need to rest for a little bit."

"That sounds like a plan." He said as he stopped before her door. He carefully set her down making sure she was stable before backing away. "Try to get some rest. I'll bring some dinner for you in a bit."

"Alright. Thanks Zuko," she said as she leaned against her door frame. "Hey can you go pick up the scroll I dropped back by the gardens for me please? It's my water bending scroll."

"Only if you promise not to practice any more tonight," he said giving her a pointed look.

"I promise I won't bend anymore and I'll take it easy but just for tonight. Happy?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side.

"Sure. I'll see you later. Now go get some rest." He stepped back from her door.

"Alright, alright." She said as she started to walk into her room. "Hey Zuko, thank you again for everything," she said blushing a light pink.

"You're welcome now go and rest." He said as he turned to walk down the hallway but he didn't turn the corner until he heard the click of her door closing.

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Like Zuko has promised he delivered Katara her dinner. It was some sort of five flavor soup that Katara discovered she really liked. He was pleased to see her resting like he told her too. After she finished eating she decided to get a warm bath. She was sore and hoped that the warm water would help ease the soreness of her muscles.

There was a skylight, strategically places so that the sun or rain or moonlight would be visible while looking up from the tub. The floor and walls were all tiled and flowering plants hung everywhere. Even with them, the tub dominated the room with its splash of rich, deep green. Its circular shape would accommodate four; she mused, and wondered if it ever had. Bemused, she watched the water pour out of a wide glistening faucet that turned it into a miniature waterfall.

Idly she began to play with the water. She noted that it was easier to manipulate the water than before. The scent rising out of the tub was the same that had been in one of the little bottles she had found in her bag. Katara's scent, she reminded herself.

The water flowed hot around her. This was something she'd need, Katara discovered. She must have relaxed here countless times, looking up at the sky while thinking though what had to be done.

She suddenly stopped bending. She remembered her promise to Zuko to not bend tonight and here she was bending. Sighing she slipped lower into the water. The memory from today had haunted her. She struggled to make sense of it but couldn't.

Zuko, Katara thought reaching for the soap and a soft, oversized sponge. Why did he care so much? He had no ties to her that she knew of. Accordingly to Toph he had just recently joined the group. So he was still new. Why then? This question along with others bugged her.

Even thought there was no bond between her and Zuko a part of her wanted there to be one. She wanted to know about him, his past and his family, how he got his scar. He had his own life in the fire nation once. Had she been there? He'd said she had once briefly. She would have to ask Sokka after she apologized for being so mean to him earlier.

She had so many questions for Sokka too. What happened to their mother? What was their life like when they were children? Where their dad was now and why wasn't he with them? What were the strange purple robes in her bag used for? Where did she learn to water bend and who taught her?

She lay there, willing her mind to open. Only impressions came to her. Tents and long cold nights. And an ocean, an ocean with white snow on its banks and boats gliding in and out of ice. It tired her to push herself to remember something so unimportant.

A little while later she felt herself getting drowsy and got out of the now cold tub. Feeling relaxes she shrugged on her dark blue night dress. After straightening up in the bath house she left, blowing out the candles behind her.

Dinner must be over by know, she thought as she placed a hand on her door knob, maybe I should go down and apologize to Sokka. No I'm going to bed, she decided as she opened the door, besides Zuko would probably yell at me for not resting.

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Dinner was over and the gang was just sitting around the dying campfire. Haru, the Duke, and Teo had all gone to bed after they showed everyone the new type of exploding jelly they had made. It was now just Sokka, Suki, Toph, Aang, and Zuko sitting in silence. Before dinner Sokka had cornered Zuko telling him that he wanted to tell everyone about what they had talked about this morning.

Zuko looked over at Sokka who was sitting in between Aang and Suki. Sokka caught Zuko's look and cleared his throat getting ready to tell everyone about their theory. But before he could even start Suki cut in.

"Sokka, I was thinking today about the kidnapping and from what I got from Katara; I don't think they were truly after her. I think they were sent to capture Aang and Katara just got in their way."

"Suki you're amazing," exclaimed Sokka putting an arm around the Kyoshi captain, kissing her cheeks. "That's exactly what Zuko and I were talking about earlier."

"Oh." She smiled softly at Sokka.

"So if what Fan Girl is saying is right than that means Aang is in danger," said Toph from her stone perch.

"Exactly!" Sokka exclaimed.

"And you're excited about that Snoozels?"

"No I'm…its just…..you…."

"And so what do we do," asked the young Avatar cutting off Sokka's babbling.

"We also were thinking about that," said the water tribe warrior as he looked at Zuko who nodded for him to continue, "Well Aang if there's someone out there targeting you. They were obviously going to use Katara as bait and then….."

"Just get to the point," said Suki she knew how far off point Sokka could get sometimes.

"Ok well Aang the point is that you're in danger here. We have to find somewhere safer."

"But what about Katara. Won't moving her just confuse her even more?" asked Aang worriedly.

"Maybe, but who really knows. You know Katara would put your safety ahead of her own problems."

"Yeah but…"

"No buts Twinkle Toes. Sokka's right, Sugar Queen would want you safe before anything else. So where are we going now?"

"That's the problem. We can't be too far from the Fire Nation capital or be too close that Aang is discovered," said Zuko.

"That's going to be hard," exclaimed Toph," Why not go to the Earth Kingdom, it's safer and…"

"But it's too far away. Now we were thinking about going back to Chameleon Bay where the invasion forces met up, or maybe that city where Toph became the Runaway. Or the city where we met Piando." Sokka pulled out the map that the two boys had circled every possible place that they could hide in. "Do you guys have any suggestions?"

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Katara lay curled up on her bed looking at her mother's necklace. She had taken it off and it put it next to her on the bed. It was beautiful, she thought, someone must have taken a long time and a lot of care to carve something this magnificent. She took it in her hands.

"Amazing." Katara whispered as she ran a hand over the carvings. She wondered what her mother had been like. She desperately wished she could remember. Even when she saw the pain in Sokka's eyes when he talked about her; Katara just couldn't feel it. She wondered if she loved her mother. She seemed like a stranger to her now, so she couldn't be sure. Sighing she slipped the necklace back on and fell into a deep slumber. As she slept she dreamed. At first her dreams were calm and soothing but soon they turned for the worse.

Katara was no longer in her room anymore. She now stood in a small room that was bathed in soft candle light. She looked around and saw a young girl in a small bed with animal furs, blue sheets, blue spread. The walls were made of ice. Katara could feel the coldness seep into her bones. Moving over to the bed she looked down and gasped as she saw the younger child. It was herself well her younger self she looked to be about 3 years old. Tilting her head Katara heard music drifting up from far away. A waltz, slow and romantic.

"Where am I?" asked Katara aloud. Quickly she covered her mouth she didn't want her wake her younger self. Surprisingly the girl didn't even stir it was like Katara wasn't even there. She turned when she heard someone approach the room. She watched as a tall, lean woman with dark chocolate tresses walked into the room. Katara froze but the woman walked right past her as if she wasn't even there.

She must not be able to see me, thought Katara as she stared at the woman. She was beautiful. It was then that Katara saw the necklace the woman wore. It was her mother's necklace. So if that's a younger me than that means that's my mother, she reasoned. The woman was smiling, murmuring, laughing a little as she leaned over the bed, so that her ice blue earrings caught the low light. Her dress was like the earrings, blue, icy and elegant. It rustled as she leaned over kissing the child on the forehead whispering sweet dreams. She smelled of fresh flowers, of winter, of youth. The woman stepped back as a man, her father Katara guessed, walked in the room coming to stand behind her mom. He wore a dark blue parka. He still had the twinkle of youth in his eyes as he looked at his wife. Katara could see the love he had for her in his eyes. She watched as her mom leaned back into her dad who wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.

"Kya, love, what are you doing?" he whispered in her ear.

"Just tucking the children in dear." Her voice was musical and light. Katara was drawn to it and unknowingly stepped closer to the couple. Her father laughed deep in his throat moving his head so it rested on hers as they watched their daughter sleep.

"Hakoda?" her mom asked quietly.

"Yes love?"

"We have beautiful children and they are growing up so fast. One day Sokka is going to be a strong warrior like his father and will no longer need his mother anymore. And Katara, our little waterbender, is going to grow up and become a powerful bender who won't need me anymore either." He kissed her head lightly before speaking.

"Kya, they will always need their mother. Just like how I will always need you too. But they are growing up so fast." Silence fell over them again, "I think we should get back to the party before Mother notices we're missing."

Her mother laughed and it was just as musical as her voice had been. "Hakoda you can't possibly be scared of sweet Kana. What kind of warrior are you anyway?"

"A smart one," he said with a laugh as he pulled his wife out of the room. Katara watched as they left hand in hand. Katara wanted to grab her mother and to hug her. To tell her not to leave. To tell her that she had to stay safe because her kids needed her. Even when they get older they need her so much. But she knew it was useless; no one would hear her cries.

The scene shifted before Katara's eyes. She was no longer in her old room. No she was now sitting by a campfire. The girl was a little older now. Katara put herself to be around 6 now. She was sitting in mother's lap while her mother brushed her hair. Her mother now had on a light blue parka dress. Her dark brown hair was left down falling around her shoulders. Beside her sat Hakoda. He looked older now. He was sporting a small beard and Katara noted that it suited him. His hair was pulled back into a half ponytail like Sokka's usually was. But her father wore two blue beads in his. A younger Sokka say at his father's feet playing quietly with two carved figurines. An older woman sat across from her family. She was old but still had a youthful air around her. Her hair was pulled back into a graying bun. This must be GranGran, thought Katara as she watched her mother started to braid her younger self's hair.

"Kana they didn't really dress up as a water spirit to scare you did they." Her mother asked laughing.

"Yes those two hooligans did. Thinking they could trick an old lady into believe that nonsense," Kana shook her head laughing lightly, "It takes a lot more than an octopus head and spooky voice to get me."

"Hey it wasn't my entire fault," said her father, "It was all Bato's idea. I just wore the octopus; he did the scary voice."

Kana glanced at his son, "Funny you say that because Bato swears that it was your idea. Now Katara, Sokka, don't try to pull anything like that on your mother. She's too smart to fall for that."

Her mother laughed as she saw her two children look up at her with wide innocent eyes. Hakoda only rolled his eyes mumbling something about how if Bato wouldn't have messed up on the voice than Kana would have fallen for it. Katara smiled at the scene. They had been happy once Katara remembered it now. They were a normal family at one point in her life. Like before she wanted to give them some kind of warning but remained silent.

The scene changed once more. Katara was no longer was sitting beside a campfire now she stood out in front of tents and igloos. In front of her was a big snow fort. It was a sunny day and snow was falling gently from the sky. People were going about their business; it was just another normal day. Suddenly a small Sokka appeared from behind the snow fort. He looked around sneakily before raising his arm; Katara saw he had a snowball in it, before he could throw it though a snowball hit him square in the face. Katara turned around to see her younger self standing there her hands covering her mouth as she laughed at her brother's expression. Katara laughed along with her younger self. Katara guessed that she was about 8 years old around now. She turned back to Sokka who not wanting to be outdone carried a large snowball and started to head for his sister who still was laughing at him. He was out for revenge. Katara laughed as she watched the little boy try to carry this huge snowball that was almost the size of her head.

Suddenly the giggling stopped and the snowball Sokka had been carrying fell to the ground. Katara wondered what was going on. She watched as they both turned to look at the sky she did the same. Black snow was falling from the sky. This can't be good she thought. The younger bender turned to look at her brother. Panic and worry swam in her ocean blue eyes.

"I'm going to find mom." She sounded, panicked and scared. The younger girl ran past her brother. Katara watched as Sokka just stood there looking after his sister before turning and running off in the opposite direction. She watched as he started to run with the older warriors as they went to confront the invading fire navy. She knew he was going to be alright but still seeing him running with all the older men he looked so tiny. It scared her but she turned her back on him and ran after her younger self.

Fire blasts were hitting igloos, people were screaming and shouting, it was all so loud and confusing. Her younger self ran as fast as her little legs would carry her. She finally made it to her home. Katara watched as the younger girl pulled back the blue tarp covering the entrance and slipped. Taking a deep breath she too entered the little igloo.

The sight before her made her gasp in shock. Like always no one heard her. Her mother was now sitting helplessly in front of a savage fire soldier. He wore the fire navy armor and a helmet that reminded Katara of a sea hawk.

"Mom," cried the younger girl. Katara watched on helplessly as her mom started to get to her knees. The older woman threw out her hand to stop the younger girl from coming any closer. Katara watched the fire bender turn his head to glare at the little girl. Katara gasped at his eyes. His eyes those hateful brown eyes. She knew they would haunt her forever.

Her mother turned to look at the intruder again. "Just let her go and I'll give you the information you want." She demanded in a clam steady voice.

What information, Katara thought, what were they talking about? The man scared her. Her mother's tone scared her. She watched as her younger self's eyes widen. The little girl looked as if she was going to burst into tears. Then the man spoke. He had a cold, hard, unforgiving voice.

"You heard your mother." He glared at her once more before yelling, "Get out of here."

The younger girl looked from the man to her mother. "Mommy I'm scared," she said her hands flying up to her chest.

"Go find your dad, sweetie. I'll handle this," her mom said looking at her daughter. Suddenly her gaze drifted to Katara. She looked as if she could see her. She saw her mom smile a little before nodding to herself. Katara stood there froze. She wanted to go help her mom. To go and hug her. She wanted her mom to pull her close and tell her everything was alright that all of this was just a bad dream. That none of this ever happened. Silent tears began to run down Katara's cheeks. She wanted to step between the fire bender and her mom. She wanted to water whip him so bad. She wanted to scream out to warn her mother that she was going to die. But it was all useless. Nothing was going to stop what was going to happen next.

Katara looked at the little girl as she took one last look at her mom before running out of the tent to find her dad. Katara didn't try to keep up with her younger self. She stood there for a while watching as the man turned to face her mother again. She watched her mother look at the spot she stood and then mouthed "I love you so much. You've grown up so well. I'm so proud of you. Now go."

The tears kept coming as Katara backed out of the tent slowly following her younger self again. Katara heard the man from inside the tent.

"Now tell me," his voice sent shivers down Katara's spine, "who is it…"

Who is what?, thought Katara. "Who's the water bender," he said in that steely voice of his.

"There are no water benders here. The fire nation took them all away a long time ago," her mother said in a calm voice.

"You're lying," screamed the man, "My sources say there's one water bender left in the southern water tribe. We're not leaving until we find the water bender." Katara gasped.

"Do…Do you promise to leave the rest of the village alone?" Came her mother's quiet voice from inside the tent. The man grunted a yes. "It's me. Take me as your prisoner." Katara screamed no. No this couldn't be happen. No this wasn't real. Her mother wasn't the waterbender, she was. She was giving herself up to protect her daughter and village. This isn't how things were suppose to be.

"I'm afraid I'm not taking prisoners today," said the man. Katara didn't hear whatever else he said because she was off running. Running as far and hard from the igloo. She had to get away. She watched as her younger self finally found her dad. "Dad, Dad," the little girl screamed over the din of fighting. She watched as he father threw a fire bender into a snow bank before turning around to look at his daughter.

"Dad, please," cried the little girl desperately, "I think mom's in trouble. There's a man in our house," she cried out.

Her dad turned around to her before shouting, "Kya!" He took off running for his house with the younger Katara following. But they were too late. The man was gone and so was her mother. Katara watched as her father fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he pulled his youngest child close to him. Katara couldn't take it any longer. She fell beside her father and sobbed and sobbed crying out over and over again even though none could hear her. She felt it now; she felt the pain that she always saw in Sokka's eyes.

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The gang was now making a list of all the places that they thought were safe to stay for the time being. Toph and Suki had made sure to include some Earth Kingdom places even though Sokka had said they were too far away. The girls seemed set on returning. Even if they couldn't agree on a place to stay, they had agreed that they could stay at the temple for a week at most. It gave them some time to reorganize and for Katara to recover in a familiar setting.

"Well," said Toph yawning, "I'm gonna hit the sac. Wake me when you think of a place. Twinkle Toes you should—"

Zuko watched as Toph turned to address Aang before he looked back down at his list once more. That's when they heard screams echoing though the temple.

"Katara," Sokka cried as he jumped to his feet. But Zuko was faster. He was off running. His only goal was to find Katara. He heard the others behind him but didn't slow down. Instead he sped up, his longs legs carrying him over the group quickly. He took a corner too sharply and almost slid into the opposite wall but he kept going. He kept pushing on.

Without breaking his stride, Zuko threw open Katara's door. He saw her tossing around madly screaming and crying out from her bed. She was asleep. She was just having a nightmare. Zuko felt a brief relief to see that Katara was physically alright.

He went to her then. "Katara." Beneath him he could feel her skin, icy. Sweat pearled on her forehead and tears ran down her face, but her screaming had stopped.

"Ah no ah. Don't please," cried out Katara struggling against Zuko's hold. With an effort the prince kept his voice calm.

"Katara, Katara wake up," he demanded while gently shaking her. Sokka entered at that moment followed by the rest of the gang.

"What's wrong with her," yelled Sokka over Katara's struggles.

"She's having a nightmare and won't wake up," yelled Zuko back as he shook the girl again.

"Wake up," he screamed as he pulled Katara up into a sitting position as she still struggled against his hold. Suddenly her eyes opened. Gasping her eyes darted quickly around the room before landing on Zuko.

"She's….he killed her. He killed her. She was only protecting me….she," Katara said frantically as tears ran down her face.

"What's she talking about," asked Toph from somewhere behind Zuko.

"Katara who died. What are you talking? What are you talking about?" Though Zuko wouldn't admit it he was terrified when he heard Katara's screams but her senseless babble was scaring him even more.

Katara leaned forward and grabbed Zuko's shirt in her fists. Burying her head in it she wrapped her arms around his waist refusing to let go. "I keep seeing his eyes. His eyes," cried Katara into Zuko's shirt.

Zuko put his arm tenderly around her holding her to him. She was soft, frail, sweet. He had to protect her if it was the last thing he did. "Katara it was only a nightmare. It's alright. You're alright. You're safe now," he said into her hair.

"But it wasn't a dream, Zuko," she said a little more calmly but he could still hear her sobs, "I remembered, I watched my mom die again. I loved her. I can feel it now. I loved her so much. It's like losing her again. She died to protect me. It's my entire fault."

"No, it's not Katara."

"Yes it was." She said pulling Zuko closer to her as she sobbed harder into his shirt.

"Sokka's here. Do you want Sokka," he asked, hoping maybe her brother could get her to calm down. He gently untangled himself from her grip as Sokka came to sit on the edge of her bed. She quickly turned from Zuko and buried her head in her brother's shoulder.

"No. No please don't leave me." She said as she grabbed Zuko's wrist. With a sigh he sat down beside the siblings. Katara had now intertwined their hands together. Sokka was now softly stroking her back like their mom used to when trying to calm them down. Slowly she relaxed and calmed down. The trio sat in silence expect for Katara's sobs.

Aang had heard Katara's wails, he just couldn't get into her room to see her. Looking over Toph's head he saw the water bender wrapped into the Sokka's arms sobbing her eyes out. His eyes widened when he saw Katara desperately grabbing Zuko's hand. It broke his heart and he tried to move forward to go comfort her as well. But when he took a step forward Toph shot an arm out to stop him.

"Where do you think you're going Twinkle Toes?"

"To go help Katara…." He said as he tried to get around Toph.

"No you're not. She's panicked right now. The more people around her; the worse she's going to be," the small blind girl stated, "Besides you have training with Zuko in the morning. You should be going to bed. We all should," she said quietly.

"But—"

"No buts Twinkle Toes," She said pushing Aang the other way.

Katara's sobs had eventually subsided and though it pained Sokka, he knew he needed to leave Katara so she could get some rest. Sokka leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I'm here if you want to talk about it in the morning. Sleep well Katara," he told the exhausted water bender. Before untangling himself from her he quickly brushed his lips over her hair. Getting off the bed he turned to Suki. She could see the unshed tears in Sokka's eyes. It broke her heart to see him like that and no matter what she was going to fix everything. He stood stiffly and walked over to her. She slipped her hand in his and started to leave the room.

Zuko too started to get up to follow the couple out but the hand that held his own refused to let go. "Please Zuko, Please stay just for a little bit please."

Sokka had overheard his sister's whispered request and though it hurt, he knew she didn't mean anything by it intentionally. Sighing he closed the door softly behind him.

Zuko didn't know what to do. He was never good with crying females. Probably because his sister never cried, so he was never faced with many crying girls. He looked at the girl who still had a death grip on his hand. Unshed tears making her cerulean eyes shine. He took a calm breath and sat back down on the bed so his back was against the wall. Slowly he felt her release his hand and slid into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his waist again and felt her relax against him. He put his arms around her waist, holding her close to him. He remembered when he was upset his mother would rub calming circles on his back. If it worked for him, maybe if would work on Katara too. He whispered soothing nothings in her ears until she had finally quieted down.

"Katara it's alright, I'm here. Just try to relax." Her head rested lightly on his broad shoulder. He watched as tears silently made their way down her cheeks. Softly he wiped them from her eyes. She tensed at first but soon relaxed. She felt him slip his arm back around her waist. She felt safe. The dream seemed like a distant memory. Katara inhaled deeply, she liked the way Zuko smelled. His scent was the same as that afternoon's, without the spiciness of his sweat added in, a hint of smoke, sunshine and something else that was distinctly Zuko. The couple sat in silence for a while before he heard Katara say softly in a drowsy, worn out voice, "You smell better."

He laughed softly, she liked the way she could feel it vibrate deep in his chest, "Of all the things to say."

"Thank you for staying," she said as she yawned. Slowly with Zuko stroking her hair softly; Katara laid her head back down on Zuko's shoulder again and fell into the dreamless slumber she so desperately needed.

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Ok I made this chapter super long. Sorry for that but since I haven't updated in FOREVER it seemed fair that it would be a long update. I'm deeply sorry with how slow this story is on updating its just there is a lot of things going on. I had most of this chapter written but then my grandfather had another heart attack and it was just shoved to the side. And with all the tests and work teachers have been throwing at me since it's the week before x-mas I have been swamped. But enough about my problems. I just hope you guys stay around to see what happens next. The updates hopefully will be a little faster but I'm not promising anything. Sorry. Anyway let me know what you think of this chapter so far it's my favorite but idk. Rather know what you guys think of it. I saw twilight movie when it came out and can I say amazing. I heard my doubts about the actors they casted as the characters but they really pulled it off. And can I say Japer Hale is so freakin' hot. I think my beta reader can agree with me on that. Lol. Go team jasper. Lol Ok anyway a huge thanks to my beta reader, mythreedeadlysins, I think I drove her insane with this chapter lol anyway without her this story wouldn't be as good as its turning out to be. Thanks. Well like always read and review!!!!! Reviews are great Christmas presents and they help me get motivated to start writing more.