A/N: Number three! Finished it a lot faster than I thought I would. Enjoy!
The next morning Zuko couldn't concentrate on his work. His eyes kept moving to window and all he could think about was the look on Katara's face when she barged into his study earlier.
"Five today." she had said before he could even blink, "I'll heal five people today and draw the line there. After that I will heal ten a day and once the healing house is less packed I will go back to five."
All he could do was nod.
"I'll take better care of myself so in return you have to tell me when you're in pain." that surprised him but once again he nodded.
If she wanted a compromise who was he to say no? He'd feel better knowing that she was setting limits to how far she would push herself in a day. The injuries she was tending to were severe and he had no doubt in his mind that she always started with those who were worse off than the others.
Five still seemed a like a lot when he thought about the time it would take for each healing but in the back of his mind he knew it had taken a lot for her to even make this 'deal'. Besides, his Uncle had been working with the healers collecting information on what would be needed in a new healing house and learning what was lacking in their own methods. Iroh would keep an eye on her while he worked.
Not that he had even thought to babysit her but seeing her laying bed the day before with barely any will or want to get up had left him uneasy. She was so strong, the strongest in the group when it came down to their ability to put others before themselves, and he hated seeing her weak.
"After lunch I want to have another look at your chest." she said as she turned and left. After telling him about her plans to set a limit on her work load she wasn't about to ask if she could look at his wound.
She was a Healer, damn it, and he was going to let her help him.
Her hand went to her forehead as she walked quickly away from Zuko's study. She was embarrassed that he had kissed her forehead. It should have made her feel childish to have him do so while she was sick in bed but look in his eyes had caused her stomach to drop.
There hadn't been anything in his gaze that told her what he was thinking. He had looked so serious and yet his eyes shone like he wanted to smiled.
Zuko grabbed the last of the papers he needed for the meeting and made his way down the hall silently. He was already making plans for when he would be free from the councilors for the day. His body felt tense and it had been far too long since he had sparred with anyone.
There weren't many who were willing to take on their Fire lord even if it was just for practice.
With a sigh he wondered if Aang would want to spar later. His feet stopped moving as he thought back to the day before. He had kissed the girl the Avatar was in love with.
It wasn't like he had planned on doing so. It just happened. His mind had been lost in thoughts of how far they had all come and just how well he knew the water bender's stubborness when he found himself leaning over her.
It just felt natural.
Even if he hadn't meant anything by it he knew Aang would not see it that way. And truthfully it had meant something. He just wasn't sure what that something was yet.
"Aang, you don't have to hover over me." Katara sighed as she finished her healing for the day, "I'm feeling much better and I already told Zuko that I wouldn't push myself as long as he promised to tell me if he has pain in his scar."
"And did he promise?" Aang's stomach tightened as he followed Katara over to the wash area where she scrubbed at her hands for a moment before answering.
"Of course." she smiled, "He's not as stubborn as he use to be."
Aang frowned as he watched her. For having just finished cleaning and healing a nasty leg wound she looked happy. Her cheeks were even a bit pink as she continued talking.
When they all gathered in the garden for lunch Aang watched Zuko and Katara the whole time. He was hoping he wouldn't see any change in their behavior. He didn't want to feel such deep jealousy when he had yet to even confront Katara about his growing feelings. He could barely eat as watched them but in the end he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Besides the two of them weren't even seated next to each other.
"So are we going to go back to those fields today?" Toph asked from her spot in the grass on her back, "I kinda liked the farmers there. They were nice and happy we helped them."
"And the bread they made for us!" Sokka perked up, wiping berry juice from his lips, "I think we should go and make sure they got the planting down."
"Katara, you should come with us!" Aang smiled brightly, "There's a small waterfall near the farm that you would love. The water runs underground and all the way out to the bay."
His heart sank when he saw her turn to Zuko with a questioning glance. Why would she need his approval?
The Fire Lord shrugged and rubbed a palm over his chest, "It can wait till later. It hasn't hurt once."
"I think we should all go." Iroh had arrived late to lunch and groaned whenever Zuko mentioned the meeting they had just gotten out of, "After a morning like the one we just had it would be nice to have a break."
"Uncle!" Zuko frowned at the old man, "All you did was sit there and smile while everyone argued and I had to put a stop to it myself. Besides I have more papers to go over for tomorrows meeting with the builders."
"You can't always spend your days inside that study, nephew." Iroh stood up slowly and waved to one of the guards that were never too far away, "The Fire Lord is taking the rest of the day off. If any messages arrive for him he will get to them later."
Zuko just sat there with is mouth hanging open as the guard took Iroh's orders before turning on his heel and marching back inside.
"He wanted to send an escort but I told him that with the Avatara and all your friends along with your own talent and mine as well that only an idiot would attempt to attack you." Iroh's smile had grown and looked very proud of the fact that he had caused the Fire Lord to go speechless.
"It'll be fun." Sokka swatted Zuko's arm, "Anyways I don't get how can do all that work and not go crazy. You gotta get out sometimes."
"Don't worry, Sparky." Toph grinned, "We won't let anything happen to you."
"Have there really been people trying to attack you?" Katara asked in such a tone that the light mood Toph had been going for was killed.
"There have been threats." Iroh nodded but didn't seem concerned.
"Not everyone is happy that my father is no longer the Fire Lord. They aren't happy with me or the end of the war." Zuko shrugged to show her that he wasn't worried, "And Uncle is right. I can't spend every hour in my study."
Aang stopped himself from scoffing. Zuko was going a bit out of his way to make Katara relax.
"Toph's right though." Katara said as they all headed for the gate, her hand going out to tug at Zuko's sleeve, "Nothing will happen to you with us around."
"I wish someone would try something." Sokka sighed and looked around, "It's been dull without anyone threatening our lives every waking hour."
"I'm not helpless, you know." Zuko laughed at Katara's serious expression. His eyes went to her fingers which were holding on tightly to his robe.
Zuko was laughing? Aang did a double take and then growled inwardly. Katara was blushing and pulling her hand away from Zuko's sleeve like she had been caught doing something silly.
Even though they knew Zuko was capable of taking care of himself they still kept an eye out for trouble because just like Zuko had said, not everyone was happy with the changes in the Fire Nation. And Zuko wasn't the only one to have been threatened or targetted.
Aang thought Katara was going to water whip Sokka into the spirit world when he mentioned it casually as they walked.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" she stomped, turning on Aang, "Well?"
"Because we knew you'd act like this." Toph answered for him and Aang was very grateful to have those angry blue eyes off of him and on the blind earth bender.
"Like what?" Katara asked.
"Like it was a huge deal." Toph kicked a small rock out of her way, "Iroh told us stuff like this was a normal occurrence in situations like ours. I mean, we did put a lot of people out of work by bringing back all the soldiers and Zuko here did anger a lot of important people by teaming up with us. So you can see why they feel the need to at least threaten to do something. It doesn't mean they will. Most don't even have the guts to anything more than write angry letters."
Katara looked a little calmer and Aang had to admit that Toph had said it just right to play it off. If it had been him he would have just made it sound far worse than it really was and Katara would be dragging them all back to palace to keep them safe.
Even if she was more relaxed she still kept close to Zuko and Sokka as they traveled.
Thankfully they had avoided the main streets of town and walked along the edge of a thin forest to the lesser populated farm areas. It was easier for them to make their way quickly since there were no bowing servants or citizens or any one for that matter to interrupt them.
It was a nice quiet walk even if the sun was abit too warm on their faces. At least they weren't inside the palace walls. And with no signs of anyone else being out and about on the wide dirt road they all relaxed and started enjoying themselves.
Katara snorted as Sokka took out his sword and mimed a fight with an invisible foe. The two siblings had taken to practicing together and found they had a good rythm when it came to fighting. That was, they were good when Sokka could keep his attention on the practice itself.
The rock Toph had been kicking along the road had grown in size and she was weaving it in and out of her feet as she walked. All the while carrying on a conversation with Iroh. Things were feeling very relaxed even it was quiet among them.
"Some times it feels like nothing has changed." Katara smiled, her eyes on her brother as he lead the way with his invisable foe alwasy just out of reach of his sword.
"What do you mean?" Aang looked up at her, hating the fact that he was still shorter than her even if it was just by a tiny bit.
"When we're all together like this it feels right." she linked her arms, one with Aang's and the other with Zuko's as her brother laughed at her.
"You being a sap." he called over his shoulder.
"I'm being honest!" she scowled but the next part of her retort was cut off as Aang sent a blast of wind to their right seconds before Toph had created a thick wall.
"Archers!" Aang yelled, jumping atop Toph's wall to send out another gust followed by stones the size of his head.
"They're running!" Toph shouted and everyone was suddenly on the move.
In the back of his mind Aang had realized it had been far too quiet. They hadn't heard a single animal on their journey. And now he knew why. Someone had scared them all off.
"Keep up, Uncle." Zuko shouted, seeing how the old man was trying to protect their backs as they ran, "Leave that to the others. I need you with me."
"There are six of them ahead and three behind us." Toph informed them.
"I got the three!" Katara stopped and pulled water from the two leather skins she wore at her hips and prepared to fight.
Aang smiled as he rushed on a head. Obviously these people didn't recognize them in their fire nation clothes. No one would have attacked them if they had. Making Katara mad was never a good idea but pair her up with Sokka and it was a dangerous game the unknowing fools had stepped into.
And sure enough when Aang looked back he saw Sokka had stopped by his sister's side.
When Zuko hesitated Aang shook his head, "They'll catch up."
It wasn't long before he wished that one of them had stayed behind. The ones they had been chasing disappeared so quickly that Toph was left tripping over her own feet.
"They're gone. Just gone!" she dropped to her knees and laid her hands out flat in the dust, "Not so much as a foot step left to follow."
"What do you mean?" Zuko stood ready for an attack, his eyes scanning the area, "Where did they go?"
"That's what I was saying! I don't know where they went." Toph huffed.
"Check the skies." Iroh nodded towards the young monk who didn't need to be told twice.
Seconds later he landed with a thump and shake of his head, "Theres nothing up there but thin clouds."
"We need to get back to Katara and Sokka." Zuko sounded more worried than Aang felt he should have. It wasn't until his Uncle agreed in the same tone that Aang felt his heart tighten.
"I have a bad feeling about all this." Iroh turned and headed back the way they had come but to Aang it felt like they weren't moving fast enough.
With a leap he took to the sky to hurry his way to his friends. He landed near where he thought they had split up and looked around frantically. It was Katara's cursing that alerted him to their whereabouts.
"Sokka hold still!" she hissed and Aang heard Sokka whimper.
"But it hurts." he whined.
"Of course it hurts. You were shot in the arm by an arrow." Katara whispered and Aang's feet couldn't move quick enough.
Sokka was hurt and Katara could very well be worse off. It would be like her to treat her brother first.
Thankfully when they came into view he saw that they both looked better than he had been visualizing.
"Did you catch them?" Sokka asked as soon as he spotted Aang.
"They got away." Aang didn't care about that at the moment though, "What happened after we left?"
"There were more than three of them." Katara sighed but kept her eyes on Sokka's arm until the arrow wound was nothing more than tender pink skin.
"Arrows came from everywhere!" Sokka looked down at his now healed arm and flexed it a few times, "But thank the spirits my sister is Master at her element or this would have been the least of my worries."
"Are you hurt?" Zuko rushed past the monk and knelt down beside Katara, looking at the blood on the front of her shirt. And suddenly the air felt too heavy for the young Avatar to take a full breath.
She couldn't have been hurt. He would have noticed it the blood stain had grown in size, right? And she had been so focused on her brother that she couldn't have been in pain.
Aang felt queasy as Katara's face paled.
"Oh." she looked as surprised as everyone else when she lifted her shirt to find a long bloody line on her abdomen.
"Here." Zuko unhitched one of the water skins from her belt and poured water on her bloodied front, "Heal it before you lose anymore blood."
But she didn't move. Aang couldn't breathe.
"Katara snap out out of it!" Sokka shook her shoulders untill she looked up from her wound, "Heal it now!"
She nodded and called water to her shaking fingers before healing the wound enough to stop the bleeding.
Aang was frozen to the spot. He had never seen Katara hurt before. Not like this. And somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered why he wasn't glowing and destroying the woods in search of the person who had done that to her while a little voice also wondered why he hadn't noticed the blood on her.
"We need to get back to the palace and send out search parties and scouts." Iroh was saying from the edge of the group. While everyone else had focused on Katara he had been keeping an eye out for trouble.
"Toph." Zuko's voice had an edge to it as he bent down and all but forced Katara to get on his back, "You got the back." he ordered, "Aang you take the front with Uncle."
"I can walk, Zuko." Aang heard Katara complain but Sokka's scoff was louder.
"You're as white as Appa. No walking for you. Now be quiet so we can hear if anyone is sneaking up on us." her brother scolded her and any other time she would have argued. It was telling as to how she was feeling when she just nodded and wrapped her arms around Zuko's shoulders.
Their trip back was silent. Toph was the only one to speak and that was every few minutes to assure everyone that no one was on the path ahead.
When they got close to the palace guards came running with the news that others areas, even the palace itself had been attacked. No one was wounded and the attackers were gone as quickly as they had appeared.
Aang was in shock. He felt like he was watching everything from far away as Zuko barked out orders and sent people scurrying in all directions. Watches were set and healers were called even as Zuko refused to let anyone take Katara out of his sight.
As silence fell and his orders were being carried out Zuko turned to Katara, who was now leaning against her brother and dropped to his knees at her feet.
"Zuko?" Iroh took a step forward but stopped when he saw the look the Fire Lord wore.
"I apologize." Zuko said with his gaze on the ground, "Things have been too quiet for too long. I should have been better prepared."
"You couldn't have seen this coming." Sokka shifted uncomfortably as he addressed their kneeling friend, "You would have done the same thing for us."
"Get up you idiot." Katara laughed and Zuko looked up at her quickly, "I'm just tired and Sokka is nearly back to normal. If you keep blaming yourself I'll have to water whip you clear across the Fire Nation."
Iroh chuckled and announced that everyone should move to a better location to clearly talk about what they had seen or not seen in some cases.
"It might be a good idea to stick close for a few days." he sighed, moving pillows around in his tea room so Katara could lay down in more comfort. She was still pale and bit sore but she was healed and wanted to be apart of the conversation.
"We need to figure out who is behind this." Zuko sat stiffly at the low table, having given up his pillow for Katara.
"The list of potentials is far longer than I would like to admit." Iroh pulled out a tea pot and took a spot by Katara's head as if guarding her as she rested.
"Well we can't do nothing." Aang frowned, he hated feeling helpless and this was turning into one of those 'sit and wait' situations.
"We need to know more about what happened." Zuko straightened up even more and looked around, "Where's Sokka?"
"Asleep." Toph pointed to the corner where Sokka had propped himself up, "Getting shot by an arrow and then having that arrow yanked out before being healed and seeing your sister bleeding everywhere must have tired him out."
"Well, when you put it like that." Iroh said, looking down at Katara before smiling, "She's asleep as well."
"Are you sure they're ok?" Zuko asked quietly.
"They're strong." Iroh poured a cup a tea and handed it to his nephew.
"That's not what I meant."
"Her wound didn't reopen from being carried and his looks like a healing bruise. In my opinion they should be right as rain in a few days. Sooner for Sokka of course seeing as his wound was smaller and treated at once." he saw his nephew scowling at him so he added quickly, "But it was deep and Katara is a fine healer. She'll be alright."
A/N: Ok, once again the chapter kinda wrote itself. I started typing with one thing in mind and the next moment I realized that three hours had passed and I was nowhere near where I planned to be in the story line. O well.
The more reviews I get the quicker the next chapter will be up.
SO REVIEW PLEASE!