A/N: number 2! Now I just need to figure out how to keep this going on a regular basis and it'll all be good.
He sighed when the door closed behind the blue eyed Healer and he was faced with Mai and her expressionless face.
"What do you want, Mai?" he rose and stretched slowly, "I've had a long day and like Katara said, I need rest."
"Like Katara said?" Mai's arms dropped to her sides as her mouth opened and closed, "Since when have you ever called her anything other than the Avatar's teached or the Water Tribe girl?"
"I couldn't rightly call her that when I was with her everyday. Somehow that would have come across as rude." his head was starting to ache.
"What do you care if you're rude to her? It's not like she and you are friends."
"Actually, we are friends." Zuko tried not to roll his eyes as Mai fumed, "They're are all my friends now. Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Aang are all my friends. They are no different than anyone else and they are a hell of a lot nicer than most people around here."
"Next you'll be telling me you want to marry the dirty blind girl and have ugly earth bending brats." Mai all but spat the last part of the sentence from her mouth like it was poison.
"Her name is Toph." Zuko corrected her without thinking and saw just how mad that made her, "Besides, I was talking about them being my friends. Who said anything about marriage?"
"Do you have any idea how many rumors were started when he offered that Water Tribe peasant your arm tonight?" Mai pointed back in the direction of the throne room, "That should have been me."
"Then where were you, Mai?" he couldn't help but raise his voice, "Off having a fit because one of my friends didn't want me to have to face the night without an escort? That's what friends do. They step up and help you when you need it without asking for anything in return."
"They are weaknesses that will be used against you!"
"Not anymore." Zuko glared at her, "That time has passed. Trust will help our Nation take the right path."
"You sound like the Avatar. You make me sick." and with that Mai turned and left.
"I make her sick and yet she's the one who followed my sister for years?!" Zuko growled out before exhaling flames and smoke.
The next morning came too soon and Zuko found himself growling at everything and everyone. He all but buried himself in his study with trade reports dating back three years. He needed to know just what the other nations were sending in and what they were taking out. Without the need for weapons and armor anymore his people would suffer economically. He needed to come up with a new way for many of them to make a living.
And it wasn't going to be easy.
Just about everything in the reports had to do with warfare. With a groan Zuko dropped his head down onto his desk. Why had he thought he could do this? It's not like he had some huge plan on how things were going to work now. No, all he had known was that he couldn't let his father destroy innocent lives in his insane attempt to rule the world.
He didn't even pick his head up when someone knocked.
"What?" he yelled. His uncle always had the worst timing. Now he was going to have to explain why he was in such a bad mood and listen as the old man tried to cheer him up and encourage him.
"Are you ok?" Aang's voice startled him and he found the young Avatar looking worried as stood by Zuko's desk.
"Just peachy." Zuko tried not to growl. It wasn't Aang's fault that he didn't know what he was doing.
"Well, Katara wanted to see you." Zuko raised an eye brow and Aang shuffled his feet, "Iroh said you didn't eat breakfast so she thought she could heal you in gardens during lunch."
"And let me guess, my uncle made a special meal just for the fun of it?" Zuko sighed but stood up anyways. If Katara knew he hadn't eaten it would only be a matter of time beofre she came to find him herself and force him to eat something. It was just how she was.
"Well, he did say something about asking the cooks for his favorite berry tarts."
"Of course he did." Zuko followed Aang out to the closest garden which just happened to be the one he had thought to use as an escape route the day before. He couldn't help but look over his shoulder at the small balcony outside Katara's room. It was only a five or six foot drop down to the grass. Far too easy for a quick escape.
Katara looked up when she saw Aang and Zuko walking their way. As she had guessed, Zuko didn't look too happy about being dragged out of his study. In fact he had all but run in there as soon as they got back from seeing her father and warriors of the southern water tribe off that morning.
He hadn't looked happy then either.
"Ah, Zuko." Iroh seemed thrilled to have them all together for a meal and despite his nephews scowl continued smiling as he held out a full plate, "I saved some of your favorites."
Zuko took the plate without a word and moved to sit next to Toph and away from his uncle.
Even though he had been put on the spot the night before he had been a lot of fun and Katara found that she kept sneaking glances at him while he ate silently. A part of her really wanted to see him smile like he had when she pushed her shoes under the table.
"Katara?" startled, she turned to find Aang looking at her funny, "Did you hear me?"
"No, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention, Aang." she confessed, dropping her eyes down to her own plate.
"What's so distracting?" he sat up straighter and threw a look in the Fire Lord's direction.
"I was thinking about Zuko's wound." she shrugged and Zuko looked up at her when he heard his name.
"How is it?" Iroh asked, catching part of what had been said.
"He needs a few more healing sessions but it'll be fine."
"We have time now if you want to...?" Zuko motioned to his chest and it was the first thing he'd said since stepping out into the garden.
"Here?" Sokka made a face, "Thanks but no thanks. It's just a little odd seeing my baby sister touching your bare chest. I just ate."
"Gee, Sokka. I'll keep that in mind next time you need to be healed. See how helpful I am when you come running to me with a sliced finger." Katar crossed her arms and glared at her brother, "Your whining could kill an entire armies appetite."
"I don't whine!" Sokka shouted, embarrassed but Katara ignored him and patted the ground next to her.
"This won't take as long as last night will it?" Zuko plopped down next to her and untied the sash on his robe. they were sitting in the shade but the heat was steadily climbing and the air felt thick.
"It shouldn't." she grabbed her water skin but stopped when she saw Aang's face, "You ok? You don't look so well."
"I'm fine." Aang smiled, shaking himself mentally. She was just helping the guy. There was no reason for him to feel threatened.
Now if he could just get the guts up to be alone with her and do what he'd been dying to do for weeks. Another kiss would prove to her that he was serious.
Aang couldn't force his eyes away when Zuko laid back on the grass and Katara leaned over him to place both hands on the red skin.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Toph asked and Aang jumped, "Your heart is racing."
"I'm just a little warm." Aang lied before he could catch himself. Toph just raised and eye brow and gave him an 'I don't believe you' look.
Zuko flinched, pushing Katara away as grunt escaped passed his lips, "That hurt."
"Here?" Katara poked at his chest and was rewarded with a growl.
"Yes, there." he tried to push her hands away and was pinched for his efforts, "Hey!"
"This side shouldn't hurt at all." Katara gloved her hands in the water she dropped when he had pushed her before leaning further over Zuko's chest, "It was the other side that tore and this side looks almost completely healed."
Iroh moved to get a better look at what she was doing as her hands gently and slowly examined the area. Suddenly Zuko was wishing he had waited till they were alone to have her look at the wound. Now everyone was staring and the Avatar looked on the verge of being ill.
"It doesn't hurt that much." Zuko tried reassuring the younger boy.
Aang nodded, his cheeks going pink as guilt hit him. He had wanted to shout, to say something that would make Katara get away from the Fire Lord. But what could he have said? And Zuko's words made him feel very stupid indeed.
He should have been worrying about him like the others were but instead he was too busy letting his feelings get in the way.
"Let's take this elsewhere." Iroh suggested when Zuko grunted and turned slightly green from something Katara's fingers had found and pushed on.
Aang was the first to offer Zuko a hand up.
Later Zuko would regret letting Katara get her hands on him again. She stayed in his study with him even after they were done with his 'healing' and asked him questions about how he had been feeling since being hit by lightening. It wasn't out of curiosity but out of worry.
And it was driving him crazy.
Everyone else had left them a long time ago. Zuko suspected it was because of Katara's constant questioning. No one had been able to get a word in edge wise.
"I don't see what my eating habits have to do with being hit by lightening." he dropped his head down onto his desk. He had read the same aparagraph a few times over but still didn't know what it was about thanks to Katara's never ending questions.
"I'm going to make sure you are alright." her hand landed lightly on his shoulder, making him look up at her, "You're my friend, Zuko. I would never forgive myself if my healing caused you lasting pain or if I missed something important just because I was rushing."
She worked on his scar three more time before the end of the day. She looked tired but said she was ok and refused Zuko's advice on resting. Katara insisted that she was fine.
And he had thought she was until she didn't get out of bed the next morning.
"I'm ok." she pushed her brother's hand away as everyone sat around in her room, "Just a little tired. I'm not dying or anything so you guys can leave now."
"We really should be looking at those fields today." Toph stood up and grabbed Aang by the arm, "The earth needs to be shifted and mixed with all the burned trees if anything is going to grow there in time for winter."
"It doesn't even snow here." Aang protested but couldn't pull his arm free.
"No but the plants do die in the cooler weather." Iroh said from his chair by the open balcony doors, "Tomorrow may be just too late to plant the new seeds."
Aang opened his mouth a few times before finaly caving in, "Fine but if I have to go then so does Sokka."
"What?!" Sokka looked insulted, "I'm not leaving while my baby sister is feeling ill."
His hand was batted away once again when he tried to place a wet cloth on Katara's forehead.
"Sokka if you don't go with them and get out of my sight you will spending the rest of your day frozen to a wall." Katara threatened from her bed and Sokka backed up at once.
"Well, I guess we should get to work so we can make it back by dinner." he all but ran out of the room.
"Are you sure it's ok to leave?" Aang asked when he reached the door, "If want us to stay we can stay." he almost slipped and said 'me'. If she asked him to stay he would have ignored every other duty for her.
Sure Toph would be hard to handle if he shrugged off something they had promised to do but he was getting better at handling his earth teacher. She was after all the person he spent most of his time with lately.
"No. I'll be alright. You go help Toph and keep Sokka out of trouble. I'll see you at dinner." she smiled but it looked like she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.
"I'll make sure she is well cared for in you absence." Iroh smiled reassuringly and Aang nodded and finally left with a quick glance at Zuko.
"Are you stupid?" Zuko asked quietly once the others were gone and the door was latched.
"Zuko!" his uncle looked shocked by his question but Katara, he could see, was scowling at the cieling.
"You shouldn't have pushed yourself." he set aside the scroll he had been pretending to read and took a seat on the edge of her bed, "You were trying to fix whatever it is that is wrong with me and pushed yourself into this condition!"
"You think everything revolves around you!" Katara snapped, "I barely sleep anymore because it's hard to believe that it's safe to be alone after being in group for so long. I wake up to every small noise and can't fall back to sleep. I worry about my father and his trip back to the South Pole. I have nightmares about his ship never making it and about Suki and the other girls coming to harm. So yes, I may have pushed myself when I knew that lack of sleep was making me weak but I worry about you too, Zuko!"
"You worry about me?" he didn't know whether to laugh or hit her.
"I think this is a conversation for just the two of you. I'm going to go to the kitchens and get miss Katara some soup." Iroh stood and stretched but the two teens didn't look at him as he left.
"Of course I worry." she crossed her arms over her chest, "Sokka use to say it was my only talent."
"Sokka is an idiot." Zuko liked how pink her cheeks had turned as she spoke, and after clearing his throat he added, "I worry about you too."
He left in a hurry. His face was hot but in his mind he could still see her smiling face. That just made him quicken his step further and nearly bowl his Uncle over when he rounded the corner.
"Where are you going, nephew?" Iroh saved the bowl of soup from spilling but the crackers tumbled to the floor.
"I was just going to get a few papers." Zuko lied quickly, "And while I'm at it I'll get some more crackers."
Iroh didn't ask why Zuko was lying but instead told him a bit of truth he should have known the day before, "Miss Katara will be better in no time. She spent too much time yesterday in the Healer's quarters. She looked ready to drop when lunch was served but she wouldn't rest after she found that you were in pain. She stretched herself too thin. She will be fine."
Zuko wanted to be mad at her for doing all that knowingly. If she'd been tired she should have waited to help him. Well she had just admitted that she'd been tired lately but she had left out the bit about her healing people the day before. He settled for just being annoyed. His anger never did anything more than anger Katara. She wasn't scared of him or his temper. So he decided it was for the best if he just saved his breath.
Without a word he turned away from his Uncle and head to the kitchens. His mind was filled with a certain water bender and the way her smile had made him feel.
He wasn't sure why he had felt the need to run. It was just Katara and he had told her the truth afterall. He did worry about her from time to time and there was no reason for the heat he could feel rushing to his face. He had nothing to be ambarressed about and had long since gotten over his shyness around the Avatar and his friends.
The cooks froze for half a second before dropping to their knees and bowing to him when he entered the kitchen. It took his mind a moment to remember why had he gone to over heated room.
"Miss Katara needs more crackers for her soup." he said, feeling dumb as the head cook looked up in surprise.
"Of course, My Lord." the man stood and placed a handful of crackers on a plate, "Anything at all, she need just ask. If it weren't for her my son may not have had the use of his right hand back so soon or at all. We are all in her debt."
Zuko was surprised to say the least when the others whispered their agreement with small nods.
Just how many people had she helped before tiring herself out over him yesterday? His annoyance turned into anger. His earlier determination to save his breath was gone as soon as he stepped out of the kitchens and head back towards he room.
"Are you stupid?" he shouted before the door was even fully open.
"Zuko?!" Iroh looked shocked but Katara was instantly glaring.
"Excuse me?" she snapped at him, "I thought saving you was a good thing. Too bad I must have been wrong."
"Not that." he growled, ignoring the hurt her words should have caused and pushed it all to one side. Why didn't that comment hurt like it would have just weeks before? Maybe it was because he knew she didn't mean it. He could see it in her eyes, even now while she was preparing to fight with him, she regretted saying it.
"Then what?"
"How many people did you heal yesterday? Were you feeling ill before or after helping me?" her eyes widened just enough for him to know the answer.
"Uncle, I need to talk to her alone." his voice hadn't lost it's edge and the old man looked at him before bowing and leaving the room with a quick warning about the water benders strength being weak, "I'm just gonna talk to her. Not fight her in a duel."
"Say it." she crossed her arms over her chest, "Just say you don't need someone like me saving you and get over it."
"I don't want you risking your health for mine." his voice dropped back to normal and her surprise gave him the chance to add, "A Healer who doesn't know how to take care of herself will only cause pain when she is unable to do her work. Pain to both herself and those who need her."
He placed the plate he'd been gripping on the bedside table and leaned over her, "Eat up and get better soon." without thinking about what he was doing his lips brushed across her forehead before he turned and walked out of the room.
He had gone in there to accuse her of being an idiot but his anger had gone the moment he realized that she just wasn't one to say no to helping others. She'd always been that way. It was just in her nature. And he couldn't yell at her for that.
"Make sure she finishes that soup." Zuko said calmly when he passed his Uncle in the hall just outside the doors.
A/N: I have no idea where the inspiration for this one came from but the end was written very quickly and it seemed to just flow all on it's own. Other than that it had been a hell of a chapter to write. Of course my work hours have gotten in the way quite a bit but I have still been trying to work on this while also keeping up on my other writings and personal outlets.
Blah, the days just don't have enough hours for me.
Review!- Seriously people. If you want more REVIEW! IF YOU READ IT REVIEW IT!