Okay so, I know you all usually just read and then view my comments at the bottom, but I wanted to warn you that this chapter might be a little random to some of you. I'm taking a poll. There are three choices to this question:

Q: Should I continue writing the story like this chapter?

See your choices at the end.

I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender, or any of the names or characters of the show. I merely control them for my own twisted pleasure from this point in the story on.

Chapter 07: And Then Came Adjustments

Katara woke up some time later. Pain filled her senses almost immediately, and she futilely wished she'd stayed asleep.

Lying on her stomach and unable to move very well, she cursed the fact that she couldn't see anything but trees. She had no idea what time it was or even where she was.

Her heart beat in terror as her stomach did a flip in her abdomen. Only trees?

"Hello?' she called in a shaky voice. Her mind panicked its way through all sorts of ideas about being left behind. "Are you there?"

A gasp escaped her lips when the warm hand touched her back. She relaxed, and her breaths came out in short pants as she turned her head as far as she could to look at the Blue Spirit.

He was squatting down next to her, one hand on the ground and the other on her back. She gave him a small smile. "Hi."

The Blue Spirit nodded and stood up, walking away. She wondered why she hadn't heard him arrive when she could hear him leaving. Most likely because she'd been panicking.

Once he was out of her sight, however, a sense of uneasiness settled into her stomach. Where were her friends now? She wondered. Had they too been separated after the explosion? She hoped that they were all right.

But she began to think about her own situation. She wasn't in the best of shape and she knew that these wound weren't going to disappear over night. She was completely dependant on this Blue Spirit guy and she still didn't know if she could trust him.

At least she wasn't completely alone, though the masked man chose not to talk to her. She wanted to know why he wore a mask. Maybe he had a scar, like Zuko. Zuko's scar was frightening but the man beneath it was someone that she knew to be a man of his word.

The fire prince had left her small village alone when Aang exchanged himself for the favor, and he hadn't hurt her when he took her hostage. Their fight at the North Pole had left her angry and hurt, but he could have done much worse.

Angry that she was even giving the firebender a second thought, she huffed. Then, as if on que, her stomach rumbled and she froze. She was so hungry it felt like her stomach was eating its way through her belly. She wondered if there was anything to eat, knowing it was possible that the Blue Spirit didn't have any food.

"Uh," she mumbled, and realized she might not be loud enough. "Sorry, but is there any food?" she asked loudly, not even sure he was still around.

The amused look on his uncle's face was all the proof Zuko needed to know that he was acting like a complete idiot.

Katara had been sleeping for most of the day, and Zuko had stayed by her side until she woke up again. He hadn't realized she was awake until she called out, and her voice had startled him enough so that he'd waited a full ten seconds before touching her shoulder.

She relaxed when he did, and Zuko had felt relieved. But then she turned around to him and gave him a brilliant smile while saying hello, and his whole body had stiffened in response and he'd had to leave.

Now he was here with his uncle, who was sitting peacefully on the ground. They were far enough away so that they were out of ear shot, and Zuko was pacing back and forth with his uncle looking at him with that pleased look in his eyes.

"What?" Zuko growled.

Iroh just smiled brightly. "Why don't you sit down and have some-"

"I don't want any tea uncle!" Zuko yelled, and then flinched, realizing Katara may have heard him. He sighed. "No, thank you," he said again through clenched tenth and continued pacing.

"Is something wrong, Nephew?" Iroh asked with a knowing smile.

"I don't know what I'm doing!" the prince growled at a low pitch, and took a step toward his uncle. "How am I supposed to take care of her, Uncle? She's from a water tribe, not the Fire Nation. I don't know anything about her."

"Well, if you weren't so averse to taking off that mask…" his uncle trailed off and looked over at the other camp that held Katara.

"Uncle," Zuko said, and lowered himself to the ground near his uncle, "you know as well as I do she'd get all…" he searched for the right word.

"Flustered?" Iroh offered.

Zuko nodded, "Flustered if she found out who I really am. That's why I told you to stay away. If she sees you, she'll put two and two together, and then really freak out." He hated how he sounded so concerned and resigned.

"Zuko, you will not be able to hide the truth from her forever." His uncle took a sip from the small cup in his hands. "She will be here for a long time, and some things can not be said without words."

"I just…" Zuko sighed before continuing, "I don't want to hurt her any more."

His uncle gave him and big smile and patted his shoulder. "A noble thought, young prince." He rubbed his chin and gave Zuko a questioning look. "What if she discovers it on her own?"

Zuko stared at his uncle, not really understanding what he meant. He thought about it for a few second's and then came to his own conclusion.

If Zuko sprung it on her, she would most likely become angry and scared, trying to attack him and most likely end hurting them both. But if he gave her hints, to where she figured it out at her own, she wouldn't become too distressed. She'd just go back to giving him frowns instead of those smiles that made his stomach tighten.

"Zuko," his uncle said, and he turned toward his uncle. "She's calling you."

Zuko nodded, placing the mask back over his face and walking back toward the other camp.

She heard him walking up from behind her. He sat down right in front of her view, and titled his head at her. "Is there anything to eat?" she asked, and when he stared down at her coolly, she smiled. "I haven't eaten very much in the last couple of days, and I'm very hungry."

He nodded and stood up without using his hands. His footsteps got further a further away and she was left once again waiting for him to come back. This was getting old, but she didn't really have a choice.

Zuko stomped into camp and threw the mask at the nearby saddle.

"Is something the matter?" his uncle's voice was soothing and calm. Exactly what he didn't want right now.

"She's hungry! Hungry!" He yelled it, no longer caring if the waterbender girl could hear him. Yes, the waterbender girl: he was that mad. "She says she hasn't eaten in a while. What do I do?"

"Bring her food," Iroh stated calmly, and Zuko couldn't tell what his uncle was thinking.

"That's not what I meant. She can't move her arms," Zuko said, and his fell to his sides. "She'll hurt herself."

"Then spoon feed her."

Zuko felt the blood rush to his face. He sputtered, and cleared his throat. "What?"

"Feed her, Prince Zuko." His uncle took another sip of his tea and smiled brightly at his nephew. "You said yourself she can't do it. So do it for her."

"I'm not- I can't-" Zuko stopped talking suddenly. He was only making a fool of himself. He took a deep breath and set his shoulders. Walking over to their bags, he grabbed some left over finger-food from the last couple of days. He also grabbed the mask.

If he was going to do this, his face would be covered.

This is where my Author Notes go...Enjoy.

Okay, so now comes your choices!

A: keep it like this; funny and witty (I hope …)

B: It's funny but a little weird; maybe tone it down a bit.

C: Way too OCC. Keep it like an episode please.

Or you could just say what you want to say; you don't have to pick one.

Anyway. I laughed my way through this chapter, so I'm sorry if it is a little short. Next chapter will be much more interesting, promise. We might even check in with the Gaang.

And depending on your guy's answers, things will get better or worse for Zutara.