A/N

I'm…

I'm…

I've got a fanart! RayGirl1991 (so says deviantart) or A Twisted Vine (so says ff. net) has done a lovely illustration of chapter six! Infinite gratitude to her! –bows in appreciation- And... linkage won't work for me within the file export... Meh... I'll have a link up on my profile page asap! (Sorry RayGirl... I'm a loser... Heh... Forgive me?)

I've got some angry journals up at deviant. Heh. Comic con did nothing to soothe my soul. I'm quite triggered by it, actually. –twitch- The journals are kind of funny though. If I could portray spitting in anger via internet, I almost did it in the 'what' one.

This chapter is dedicated to zukos-swig. We're in love with the sungi player!

Oh, and I want to thank Silver Shadow 75. I wouldn't have noticed that major flaw (how many of you saw that? -slaps head in embarrassment-). So thanks for pointing that out and being kind about it... Those of you just now reading this will not realize what I'm talking about. The mistake has been removed. Carry on!

xxx

Aang was tied, arms spread-eagled, face bearing cuts and bruises. His grief-heavy eyes were cast to the ground, where no painful sight would greet him. Zuko was aware of a feeling of death about the boy, as though the real Aang had already released its grip on life, and what was left was a broken shell.

Zuko stepped closer, and Aang slowly raised his gaze to meet his. His lips stretched across his face in a poor attempt to smile.

"Well…" Aang choked. "I guess you're Fire Lord now, huh? I'm glad you're happy."

Zuko glanced down at himself, finding his body robed in a bright, royal cloth. His eyes worked their way back up to Aang.

Several guards had appeared from the shadows of the dungeon and circled Aang. One held his fist, alight, and pushed it into the broken avatar's face, daring him to scream. When his wish wasn't satisfied, he struck the back of his head. The others preceded to beat him, mercilessly, without any apparent reason.

"Stop!" Zuko tried to cry out, but his voice was mangled in his throat, and in a tone eerily similar to his father's he said, "Good."

xxx

Zuko woke from his dream with his shoulders heaving, blanket twisted around his legs as if he'd been wrestling himself, and sweat dampening his neck. Had he really dreamt such terrible things? Even last year, close on the avatar's heels in a hunt, he never would have wished such a fate upon the boy.

He pulled himself out of bed and pushed his window open, allowing some of the night air to push through his hair.

Why did he dream that? Was there a reason? He'd accepted the av-… Aang. He was a part of his life now, no different than his uncle, and as he'd accepted Aang, he'd accepted the closure of his old life. The Fire Nation was no longer of any option to him. That part of his life was dead.

Unsuccessful at finding solace with the open window, he moved out into the hall, stumbling into the lounge, only to find it already occupied.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" Aang asked, rubbing Momo's head with his thumb.

Zuko shook his head, startled to see him. Aang gestured to the seat across from him, and Zuko sank into it. Momo jumped from Aang's knee to Zuko's. He glared at it, then gingerly stretched his fingers to graze his fur. The lemur chirped contentedly and settled further into his new companion's lap.

"Do you like Momo?" Aang asked.

Zuko shrugged. "I don't dislike him."

"You're not much of an animal person."

"Do I have to be?"

Aang shook his head. "No. I just think it's weird that Momo's taken to you. He usually prefers people with a little more capacity to love animals."

Zuko arched his eyebrow. "I suppose I should feel privileged?"

"I don't see why you shouldn't."

Zuko smirked. He was already at ease; such was the avatar's charm.

"Why can't you sleep?" Zuko asked.

Aang's focus seemed to drift right through Zuko and a frown etched itself across his cheeks. "Bad dreams," he said simply.

Zuko waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn't, Zuko dropped the matter. He knew how it felt to want to keep one's feelings unspoken.

"What about you?" Aang asked. "You looked kind of spooked when you walked in here."

"I had a bad dream, too." Zuko said.

They lapsed into silence, but the air seemed to be thick and buzzing with bridled topics, the masters neither wanting to bring them out for discussion or close them off. Zuko opened his mouth to speak. If he was to talk about his dream with anyone, he wanted it to be with Aang; he might be able to gains some sort of reassurance.

Aang interrupted him. "I'm going to go take Appa out for a ride. Do you want to come?"

Zuko glanced out the window. "Little dark, isn't it?"

"Flying doesn't depend on light."

Zuko agreed. "Sure. Let's go for a ride."

xxx

"Appa definitely needs his air time." Aang exclaimed, pulling the bison steady from a steep incline into the air.

Zuko clutched his stomach. "Did you have to do that?"

Aang grinned. "Too much?"

"Let's just fly… straight." Zuko sat back in the saddle, folding his arms across his chest.

Aang allowed himself a chuckle at his friend's expense, and Zuko started to retort angrily that as he flew, Zuko could navigate a ship, but Aang cut him off once more.

"I'll tell you my dream if you tell me yours."

Zuko nodded. "Okay. You first."

"No, you."

"I said it first."

"I started the topic. Why don't you just be the better person and take the plunge?"

Zuko groaned. "Fine… It was about you."

"Me?"

"Yes…and I… I'd captured you, and I became Fire Lord, and you were in a dungeon, and they beat you-."

"They beat me?"

"Did I stutter?" Zuko snapped. "Yes, they did, and I tried to get them to stop but…"

"But what?"

"I didn't."

Aang swiveled in his seat to face him, but Zuko couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes.

"That won't happen." Aang said softly. "One, I know you're better than that. Two, you could never catch me," He grinned. "What makes you think now would be any different?"
Zuko ignored his humor and muttered something that had been bothering him for awhile. "I'm not sure I can face my father… like that. I don't know if I can stand next to you."

Aang turned back around, face to the wind. "That's up to you. I think it would be great if you could, but if you can't I understand, he is your father." Aang paused, unsure of how to word his next statement without being too offensive or stirring up old wounds. "He did… hurt you, though."

"He's hurt a lot of people." Zuko said distantly. "I'm beginning to feel a part of something a little larger than just…me."

Aang nodded. "I'm not trying to stop your father. I'm trying to stop the Fire Lord; the same man who is carrying on this… tradition of the Fire Nation of world domination. I can't let that happen."

"I don't want it to happen."

"You don't?"

"It was always just… a way of life, but now, I know it shouldn't be. The Fire Nation has no more right to lead than anyone else."

Aang stared at him with something like admiration. He wondered when Zuko would finally figure himself out. "You've made up your mind, then."

Zuko frowned. "Yes. I have opinions. I'm not skin-deep."

"Yeah… we know."

"What do you mean?"

"You really proved yourself yesterday, with Katara's room and all. Why'd you do that, anyway? I mean, it was really thoughtful, but… why?"

"Don't think we're straying away from your dream." Zuko replied sternly.

"No, no, we'll get there. I'm just curious."

"She deserved it. She deserves a lot more than that, but it's the most I can do for her."

Aang fidgeted. "She 'deserved it'?"

"She's got more patience and respect than the lot of us put together, and she doesn't get half as much of that back."

"I guess so…I never really thought of her that way."

"How do you think of her?"

"She's… uh… pretty? And nice?"

"Hm." Zuko replied, suddenly coming to grips with why there was no 'Aang and Katara'.

"Do you… like her?"

"She's uh… 'pretty' and 'nice'." Zuko said mimicking.

Aang didn't return his laugh. "Really. Do you?"

"Like I said before, she deserves respect. I give it to her."

"Zuko. Are you… enamored of her?" Aang asked, teeth gritted.

For fear of putting him in any more agony, Zuko replied, "No. And remember our agreement?"

"What agreement?"

"Sokka insisted that if I ever wanted to date her, I had to get your permission and Sokka's."

Aang laughed nervously. "Oh… right, and since there's no way there will ever be a 'Zuko and Katara', I might as well give you permission."

Zuko stared at him, shocked. "Why?"

"Because the thought is so ridiculous. I don't even know why I brought it up. You would never date anyone, least of all Katara."

Zuko glared at him. "Let's just drop it, okay? You owe me a dream."

"Oh… right." Aang sobered. "Well, mine was kind of like yours. I have the same dream a lot, actually. It's that I can't defeat the Fire Lord. Every night I try, and every time I fail."

Zuko chewed the inside of his cheek. The subject, honestly, made him uncomfortable. And he had no idea how to give reassurance.

"I don't know what to say…" Zuko admitted.

"Neither do I." Aang whispered. "I just hope I can do it. The world's depending on me."

Zuko felt weighted himself with the responsibility of the world for a moment.

"Aang," Zuko muttered. "I believe in you."

Aang bowed his head. "Thank you, Zuko."

xxx

"I have not forgotten our bargain," Iroh said, stepping out of the blazing sun that hit the marketplace and into an antiques tent.

Zuko groaned and followed him. "Couldn't you let me off this once?"

"It can't really be that bad." Katara said, smiling. "We'd love to hear you play the sungi horn."

"Here's some instruments!" Sokka shouted, taking sick pleasure in Zuko's discomfort.

Zuko threw a withering stare his direction. "That's not necessary. Uncle will find one on his own."

"I'll bet this is a sungi horn…" Sokka chortled, brandishing a bowl-shaped piece of metal.

"Actually, that's a spittoon." Iroh responded, taking it from the boy's hands and setting it aside.

"Ewugh!" Sokka gasped.

Zuko's lips pursed into a grin, and he opened his mouth to reply to Sokka's foolishness, but Katara stopped him by laying a hand on his arm.

"Before you do anything stupid," she said gently. "Why don't I stop you?"

"Uh…hey, Katara, do you like this hat?" Aang asked.

"Again," Iroh sighed. "That, too, is a spittoon."

Aang swiped it off his head and shoved it back onto the table, face turning scarlet.

"Can I just laugh?" Zuko asked Katara.

She was chewing her lip. "Not if I can't."

"Here we go!" Iroh said proudly, presenting his nephew with the horn. "Let's see what you can do, Zuko. Give us a few notes."

"Not here." Zuko grunted.

"We won't know if it's good if you don't try it." Iroh noted.

"You can play. Why don't you try it out?" Zuko snapped.

"It will lose its meaning if I do it. You need to practice the feel-."

"No, Uncle!"

Iroh sighed. "Very well. We'll just stick to our agreement."

Aang wandered over to Sokka's side, who was rifling through some Earth Kingdom weaponry. Aang glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one else was listening.

"Zuko and I had a crazy conversation this morning." Aang said nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah?" Sokka asked, half interested.

"We were talking about Katara and the nonexistent chance that they'd get together." Aang chuckled. "Like that will ever happen, right? It's so outrageous that I even gave him permission to date her."

Sokka dropped the arm guard he was inspecting. "You wha… Why?"

"It's absurd…Right?"

"Well, sure, but why give him the tools to go after her?"

Aang raised his eyebrows. "He won't, though."

Sokka pursed his lips and jerked his head over to him. Aang followed his gaze.

Katara and Zuko were huddled together, laughing in light conversation. Aang shrugged.

"I don't see your point…"

"He's plotting. In his little mind he's working out ways to woo her. He's already started. I suggest you jump in real soon, or you're going to lose your chance."

Aang scoffed. "Sokka, you're delusional. There's no way Zuko feels that way. He's too cold and closed-off to get anywhere near Katara."

"Whatever you say, but I think you made a big mistake this morning."

xxx

The gang made their way back to the palace leisurely, mostly because of the stops Zuko suddenly had a great wish to see.

"Let's see what this has…" Zuko said, pointing to another tent.

"That's the fifth one we've seen, and they all have the same things." Sokka complained. "Let's just go. It's too hot."

"If you're in such bad shape, I guess you'll have to miss the weaponry section." Zuko said coolly.

Sokka frowned. "There's such a thing?"

"It's just up the way." Zuko acknowledged.

Katara snorted. "Sounds like someone's trying to work his way out of a bargain."

"I agree," Iroh nodded.

"Well…" Sokka glanced up the road. "If Zuko really wants to look around, we might as well let him."

Zuko ducked into the tent before anyone could cause him any more delay.

Sokka stretched. "That's fair, right?" He asked the others.

Katara rolled her eyes. "It's fair for you for selfish reasons."

Sokka headed down the road. "Yup. Sure. Selfish. See you later."

"I'm going to keep an eye on Zuko. If he wanders off before we get a performance…" Iroh trailed off and headed after his nephew.

Aang gawked at Katara. They were alone together?

She shook her head after Iroh and turned to Aang. She froze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Aang shook his head. "Uh… I thought I saw… a bug on your nose."

She reached up and brushed the feature.

"Don't worry. Nothing there." Aang reassured her.

"Okay…" She glanced around her. "Are you getting hungry? I'm dying for something to eat."

"Sure!"

He followed her to a bread vendor, where she bought them both a snack. Aang could barely eat, though; he was so caught up in their moment alone.

"Katara… Can I ask you something?"

The bread in her throat suddenly stuck and she had to cough violently for several moments to dislodge it.

"Yes?" she finally spat. "What do… you want to ask?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Is that what you wanted to know?"

"No, no… ahm… I wanted to know what you thought of Zuko."

"As… what? An addition to our 'league'? I think he's doing great."

"No as… a partner."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think he's… Would you ever date him?"

"Date him?" She laughed. "Zuko?"

"Yes?" He asked above them.

Aang's heart sank. So much for solitude.

Katara flushed. "Oh…nothing. We were just talking about how… creative you are, eluding your punishment."

"It'll be punishment for your ears if he doesn't practice." Iroh chided from beside Zuko.

"Ha ha, Uncle. I'll let you know when your sarcasm is appreciated."

"Look!" Sokka exclaimed, rushing up to them and holding a club above his head.

"He got a new toy. Isn't that cute." Katara smirked.

"It's Earth Kingdom." Sokka spat. "I figured that I'd have to blend in a little more."

"Well, that's quite an original idea you've got there." Zuko rolled his eyes. "I've never heard that notion before."

"Actually, now that you mention it, I can recall someone saying that your outfit 'pegged' you as a Water Tribe citizen," Katara tapped her chin sarcastically. "Am I right, Zuko?"

"That does sound a tad bit familiar…" Zuko agreed.

"Ha ha." Sokka said. They beat him at his own game. What was he without being King of Sarcasm? "Anyway, this club is now very important to me, and I'm going to carry it around always."

"Sokka… that's kind of dumb." Aang noted.

"Thanks for the encouragement. Now that I've got my new stuff, can we go now? Seriously?"

"Yes…" Zuko sighed. "Let's get this over with."

Katara slipped next to Zuko as they tromped back to the palace. He hung in the back, moodily.

She passed him a warm smile. "I promise I won't laugh."

"Thanks," Zuko grunted.

"I'll bet you're better than you think you are."

"I'll bet you're wrong."

"I'll take that bet."

He stopped short and looked down at her, his nose wrinkled.

"How exactly do you classify 'good'?" He asked.

"Aang." She smirked. "If it's bad, he'll say so. If it's good, he'll say so."

"Fine. If he says it's bad, you have to… buy me dinner."

She nodded. "And if he says it's good, you have to buy me dinner."

They shook hands and started back off again.

Up ahead, Sokka shoved his elbow into Aang's rib cage. "Jump…on… the… opportunity! Do it before he does! He's making the move on her!"

"No, he's not…" Aang waved Sokka away.

"Aang, if you don't start flirting, I'm going to push you two together."

"Why?"

"Because Zuko's a maniacal monster who will steal Katara away and make her queen of the Fire Nation! Do you think I want a Fire Nation queen as a sister?"

"No… But-."

"Aang! Listen to me! Zuko's on the prowl! Interrupt his chase and take him down!"

"Sokka, you're a bit on the maniacal side yourself, so if you don't mind, I'm just gonna go talk to Iroh…" Aang sped up his pace to make small talk with the old man.

Sokka threw his fists in the air. "That does it! I'm playing matchmaker now, Aang! You'll have no choice but to-."

"Do I want to hear the rest of this?" Katara asked from behind him.

Sokka whirled around. "Katara, I think you and Aang have a lot in common. I think you two should get married."

"What? Sokka, that's ridiculous."

"Let's see… They're both…people. That's one thing." Zuko pondered.

"Hey!" Sokka pointed to him. "You with the scar, no talking!"

"I hope to put you to your death with my ear-splitting tunes," Zuko replied shortly.

Katara stifled a laugh. "Sokka., why don't you just keep walking? I think the heat has gotten to your head."

xxx

Katara leaned her head on her pillow, her head swimming, but not from the sungi horn's music. In fact, Zuko had played well, and the tune had stayed with her, and it seemed to buzz from the top of her head to her toes. No, what was really making her dizzy was the smile Zuko had given her when the others retired to their rooms.

"Aang said it was good." He said quietly.

"I told you so." She answered.

"I suppose this means I'm taking you out to dinner."

He rose from the floor and passed her, standing in the doorway. He paused at her shoulder and leaned in to whisper, "It'll be my pleasure."

She wasn't sure if he was just teasing or if he really meant to be attractive, but she did know that her heart wasn't beating from over-exertion.

She stared into the flame that hovered above the red candle on her nightstand, and then she leaned close and blew it a kiss. It flickered into darkness, leaving Katara alone to wrestle with her thoughts on a certain prince.

xxx

A/N

Yeah. That's how we do it in ma house.

I liked it. Hoosha. Beginning to end. Fun fun fun and flirtANG. Bash it all ya want; it's gonna be my EVERYTHING for awhile…