A/N

I know it's been awhile, and I'm kicking myself for taking so long, but believe me, the wait was worth it. This is one of my favorite chapters of all time. Number two against the top being Zuko's birthday at the bar.

I'd like to give a shout-out to blade liger night – a very, very dignified and tasteful reviewer. I appreciate every delicious review I'm handed from you, blade. Infinite thanks.

Another shout-out to my pals, IcEKoLd and zukos-swig! Their support and encouragement helps me live through all the ickiness. Power to the avatards!

Oh my gosh! And a huge shout-out to swig's cat for being one of the first feline avatards I've known!! lol

Now. I'm going to start the chapter. Enjoy.

Or don't! But if you don't, don't tell me about it! Go scream into your pillow!!

xxx

Zuko slumped from his room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Iroh was alone in the lounge, calmly sipping his ginseng. Zuko glanced at the sunlight streaming into the room.

"How late did I sleep?" He grumbled, sitting down opposite his uncle.

"Late enough. Did something keep you from sleeping last night?"

"Just thinking." Zuko answered, helping himself to the breakfast spread. "Where is everyone?"

"Aang and Katara took Appa out for some air about an hour ago, and Sokka went 'scouting' as he put it."

"Hm." Zuko buried his attention in the bottom of his cup.

"So… Who's going to be the girl you're taking in two weeks?"

Zuko snorted into his tea. "Wha… What?"

"Sokka informed me of your competition."

"Wonderful. I suppose the only one who doesn't know is Aang?"

Iroh nodded. Zuko snarled dismissively.

"That kid can't keep something to himself for more than two minutes."

"I was under the impression that you told Katara first," Iroh answered, bemused.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "She told you that?"

"No. Momo did…" Iroh chuckled. "Actually, I didn't really know that, it was only a guess."
Zuko groaned.

"So," Iroh continued, "Back to my original question, who are you taking?"

"I don't know."

"Oh, I imagine you do." Iroh smirked.

"I was thinking," Zuko ignored his uncle's smug expression, "Of asking Katara."

"Hm."

"What's 'hm'?"

"It is a thoughtful response."

Zuko sighed. "I would like your opinion."

"Very well… I don't think it would be wise to openly ask her to go with you, after all, she knows about the contest."

"So?"

"So she will not like the fact that you're only asking her to win."

"Why not?"

Iroh shook his head. "This is why you've never had a girlfriend before."

"Oh," Zuko snapped, "And I don't suppose the fact that I was banished from my country and forced to spend two years at sea hunting for the avatar has anything to do with my girlfriend deficit?"

Iroh shrugged. "Well, I guess it does, but your lack of knowledge about girls also adds to your 'deficit'."

"So teach me." Zuko frowned. "I need to know."

"Lesson number one," Iroh sipped his tea once more then continued, "Do not take advantage of them."

"… But I'm not. I'm going to ask her to go the dinner with me."

"Which would be taking advantage of the fact that she is your friend and would go with you," Iroh pointed out. "You can not do that."

"So I can't ask Katara out?"

"If you're only asking to use her, then no."

"But any girl I ask I'll be asking only to win!" Zuko protested.

Iroh shook his head. "Not necessarily."

"What are you suggesting? That I fall in love in the next two weeks?" Zuko hissed.

"Hey," Iroh held up his palms, "You asked me for my advice, and I'm giving it to you."

Zuko rubbed his temple. "Okay. So I want to ask Katara."

"Why?"

"Because she seems like a logical choice." Zuko answered, averting his eyes.

"Ah. I see."

"So I need to do what now?"

"Admit to yourself that you like her."

"I…" Zuko glanced behind him, half-expecting Sokka to jump on him from behind. "That's kind of why I was up last night," Zuko finished in a hushed voice.

"It's no secret, Zuko." Iroh laughed. "I've known for quite some time."

Zuko scowled. "What?"

"It's obvious to me how you feel, and I think it's healthy. She is a pretty girl, and," Iroh added with a wink, "she keeps you on your toes. Now, Zuko, I think it would be alright to ask her to go out with you."

xxx

Katara leaned her face into the wind, closing her eyes as it whipped around her head.

Flying… She had forgotten.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Katara?" Aang asked, interrupting her reverie.

"Honestly?" Katara paused, shifting so she faced away from the wind, and Aang's earnest face. "Zuko."

Aang snorted. "Ha ha."

"What?"

"That's a joke, right?"

"No." Katara frowned. "I wasn't kidding."

"You were… thinking about Zuko?"

"Yes…So?"

"Well… What about him?"

"Just Zuko."

"Anything particular?"

Nothing she wanted to share with Aang. "He's grown a lot, hasn't he?"

"No. He's not much taller than when we first met him."

"No, Aang, I mean emotionally, he's grown."

"Yeah… I guess so."

"Come on, admit it. He's grown."

"Okay, okay. You're right. He hasn't tried to tie my hands behind my back for quite a few weeks now!"

"Aang." Katara sighed.

He turned in his seat to smile at her. "I'm joking, Katara. He's become a lot more considerate." He swiveled around to hide his deepening frown. "And he really… He really treats you well."

"He isn't so bad, is he?"

"No. Do you ever think, you know, that he's… Giving you… the eyes?"

"What are you talking about, Aang?"

"Giving you the eyes!"

She smiled. "You've got the expression wrong, and no, I don't think Zuko has that capacity."

"Oh." Aang took a breath. "Do you?"

"I wonder sometimes."

"You… you do?"

She slumped into the saddle a little further and rested her chin on her chest. "Not with him in particular, but I just wonder about a boyfriend at all."

"Would you consider him?"

"Oh, I don't know." She glanced at him. "You would be upset, wouldn't you?"

"No, no! Not at all! If you… and he… Yeah! That'd be… fine. That'd be fine."

She pulled herself upright and climbed onto Appa's neck to nestle next to Aang. She decided to overlook the color rising to his cheeks.

"That's not the truth." Katara said softly.

"I don't have a place to stop you." Aang answered, twisting Appa's reins in his hands.

"Yes, I suppose that's true, but I don't think you have to worry."

"Why not?"

"Zuko and I are just too different. It would never work out."

xxx

"Sometimes," Iroh said, "The best thing for a couple is a little variety."

"You mean differences?" Zuko asked.

"Well…not violent differences, but a good blend of feelings and pasts always makes things dynamic. However, you do want to have a little in common."

"Do we have things in common?"

"I'm sure you can figure some things out." Iroh winked. "It makes for deep conversations."

Zuko nodded and leaned back in his seat, staring at the tea in his cup, slowly getting colder and colder. He'd been sitting here in the lounge waiting for Katara's return for an hour now, and she hadn't shown. In the meantime, Iroh continued Zuko's 'girl instruction'.

"Let's run through some scenarios." Iroh offered.

Zuko sighed. He'd been through battle scenarios with his uncle before, and they usually included outlandish opponents, including a small fleet of water bending soldiers in skiffs while Zuko was trapped on an iceberg. Some scenarios included projectiles, multiple varieties of benders, and some even included children, of which Zuko loudly protested.

Now, the Katara-to-Zuko scenarios included interruptions; bad restaurants; and the most terrifying, the perfect evening.

"Let us suppose all goes well," Iroh said slowly, "And the air outside is pleasant and-."

"I think I can figure this out on my own, Uncle." Zuko answered sourly.

"Well…" Iroh shrugged. "We'll see."

"Or we won't!" Zuko rose to his feet. "She hasn't exactly consented to a date yet or anything! I think you're getting too far ahead of yourself."

"Don't you have hope?"

"Haven't I survived most of my life on hope?" Zuko spat and retreated to his room.

xxx

When Katara and Aang finally made their way back into the apartment after lunch, it was as if they'd just stepped into an indoor circus.

Sokka and Zuko were in the lounge, one's face was split open in laughter, and the other was scowling beneath a flushed face complete with the supreme badge of idiocy: a black eye. Iroh was standing in the middle of them, condoling one and scolding the other. Surprisingly, the scowling one was Sokka, being openly mocked by Zuko, who was also being berated by his uncle for being 'heartless'.

"He attempted what you have not!" Iroh shouted, surprising Aang and Katara.

"I don't think I've heard him speak that loud," Aang muttered.

"What's going on?" Katara asked.

Zuko gasped between peals of laughter to choke out, "Your brother… is… an idiot!" He lost his control again and rolled onto his side.

Sokka tried to stand, but Iroh pushed him back down. "Yeah, well, I don't see you trying to talk to any girls! What are you, possum-chicken?"

"This was supposed to bring you two together!" Aang whined. "You're only getting more argumentative!"

"Zuko, stop laughing, it's not…" She snorted, seeing that the other eye was bruised as well, "It's... not funny."

"Oh no?" Zuko grinned. "You can't tell me you haven't waited your entire life to see this!"

"I've given him plenty of black eyes to know how they look on him," Katara answered, bemused despite herself. "Sokka, why don't we hear the story?"

"No!" Sokka folded his arms across his chest. "I told it to them, and they both laughed."

"It was a bit ridiculous." Iroh said cautiously. "Everyone knows you don't call a girl 'big'."

"I was referring to her hair!" Sokka pouted. "She had some big ol' poof on her head, so I said, 'Hey there, you've got some pretty big hair.'"

"You…" Katara giggled. "You said that?"

Aang smirked. "Okay, I might give Zuko some permission for laughing at that. The idiot factor is way up there this time, Sokka."

"Katara," Sokka sighed. "Can you just heal me so I can this over with?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Well, I don't know. What did you learn?"

"Never mock the hand that can smack you!" Zuko sneered, continuing his chuckles.

"Ha ha." Sokka spat. "You're a comic genius, Zuko…. And I don't know. What was I supposed to learn?"
Iroh groaned. "Forget he said that." He begged Katara.

"I won't heal you until you've come up with a good lesson learned."

"Zuko's a jerk?" Sokka offered.

"You can lay off the name-calling anytime now." Aang said firmly.

"Come on, Sokka. You've got to have something." Katara said gently.

He moaned. "I shouldn't call a girl big."

"And duck!" Zuko snorted. "Don't forget that!"

"You know what?" Sokka growled. "I have half a mind to come over there-."

"You've got less than half a mind, Sokka." Zuko shook his head. "You've got about a quarter of one."

"Enough!" Aang shouted. "Shut up both of you!"

Sokka nodded. "I agree."

"Sokka, enough!" Aang thundered. "The next one to speak will be thrown off the balcony, and I seriously doubt either of you can fly!"

"Come to my room, Sokka." Katara said. "I'll get you fixed up."

She led him out of the room, with Iroh quickly at her heels.

"That kid-." Zuko started.

"Seriously, Zuko." Aang said sternly. "That's enough."

Zuko leaned back against the wall. "So what have you been up to? I don't see any bruises on your face."

"No. I get along just fine with girls."

"Oh…really?" Zuko scoffed.

Aang nodded. "Have you ever seen Katara get angry with me?"

"Well…no, but-."

Aang nodded. "Exactly."

Zuko set his jaw. "I've never seen Katara kiss you either, though."

Aang flushed. "She doesn't have to for me to get along with her."

Zuko snorted and folded his arms across his chest, unconvinced.

"And you've kissed a girl?" Aang rolled his eyes.

"I…" Zuko faltered. "Well…" He considered if Azula's attempt to get Mai and himself to kiss counted as an actual kiss.

"That's what I thought." Aang answered smugly.

"Aang, may I speak with you?" Iroh asked, stepping into the room.

"Sure," he hopped to his feet.

Over the avatar's shoulder, Iroh gestured fiercely to Zuko towards Katara's room, mouthing, 'go'. Zuko wrinkled his nose. He never did understand his uncle.

Katara sank into a seat opposite of Zuko, bending a spot of water from her skirt.

"I don't suppose you left any reminder of his stupidity, did you?" Zuko smirked.

She returned the smile. "No, I let him off easy. He is my brother, after all."

"I never did understand sibling mercy. So where's the idiot now?"

"He's sulking in his room."

Zuko nodded, casting a nervous glance around the room. He knew what he should do. He should ask her out. It would be simple, and it wouldn't even take more than a single breath. He could get both his uncle and Sokka off his back, and he could move on with his meaningless, lazy city life.

He raised his eyes to study hers across the room, and his thoughts rested on his comment the previous night.

Something more… Something a little more personal…

"Say… Katara," Zuko put on his old, 'I've got you pinned to a tree, and you're mine' charm. "I still owe you dinner."

She smiled slowly. "Yes, I think you do."

xxx

Fortune was on Zuko's side that day. He found it odd that it had never dared show its face into his life before, but now that he had joined the avatar's camaraderie, everything came a bit easier. For the first time in years, he was at ease, and he had someone to share it with.

Aang had been tied down with some sort of Iroh-induced responsibility, and Sokka was too embarrassed to come out of his room. Katara and Zuko were free to do as they chose.

And they proceeded to do so.

Zuko was nervous. He intended to convince Katara that he was worthy of her, and that he wanted more than the steady friendship they enjoyed. He wasn't sure how he was going to get his point across; maybe Iroh could've told him, but he wanted to do this on his own. A couple times on their jaunt to a restaurant, he almost lost his nerve, but her gentle smile pushed his heart a little faster and his confidence a little higher.

Katara was on the same page as he was. She had some idea of what he was planning, and she'd been trying to come up with a reason for the way she felt. When she was at his side, and the two were talking, she felt as if every word she spoke was revered, treasured, and likewise, each sentence he uttered was a marvel to her. She'd never felt that way with anyone. Of course, she'd been attracted before, but she'd never felt this close to anyone outside of her blood relation, and even then, Sokka didn't always listen to her.

And of all places for her to find this acceptance, she found it in Zuko.

And of all places for him to find this confidence, he found it in Katara.

"Thank you." Zuko muttered to her as he held open the door to a suitable restaurant.

She stared at him, understanding that he was speaking of a deeper meaning.

"No…" She dipped her head. "Thank you, Zuko."

xxx

Sokka's evening went from bad to worse.

When he finally emerged from his room, his sister was gone. That wouldn't have been a problem had not Zuko been gone, too; this only meant that the two were together, and as far as Sokka was concerned, the two only needed to be alone if they were fighting… from a distance.

He raced into Iroh's room, and lo and behold, a fireball met his eyes. He leapt back into the hall.

"What's going on?" He shrieked.

Aang stumbled out, holding up his palms. "I'm so sorry, Sokka! I didn't know you were there!"

Sokka heaved a breath. "That… that was you? You're fire bending?"

"I thought he might as well start a little instruction. He hasn't mastered earth bending completely, but-." Iroh started.

"You can't fire bend!" Sokka snarled. "That's… that's… that's for fire benders!"

Aang rolled his eyes. "I'm the avatar, Sokka. I can bend all four elements. I thought you would have figured that out by now."

"But… but…" Sokka ground his jaw. "Fire benders are…" He glanced at Iroh and jerked his head away. "Fire benders are taking my sister. Where is Katara?"

"Katara?" Iroh asked innocently. "I don't know. Do you mean to suggest that she's with Zuko?"

"Yes," Sokka seethed. "That's what I'm suggesting. What is he doing with her?"

"What does it matter?" Aang shrugged. "It'd be no different than if I was out with Zuko."

"Except you're not a girl," Sokka growled. "And therefore he can't… Eh… Never mind. I want to find her. Let's go!" He started down the hall.

No one followed him.

"It's not an issue." Aang said dryly. "And I think you should get over it."

"I'll 'get over it' as soon as the two are separated! I don't trust Zuko with her."

"Again," Aang said, "You should get over it."

Sokka glared at him, until finally he realized Aang wasn't going to back down, and he slumped his shoulders. "Can you at least not catch the apartment on fire?"

"That won't be a problem." Iroh assured him.

"Says the fire bender." Sokka muttered under his breath.

xxx

Katara laughed again, her head and stomach having the same sensation as they did when she was flying. Her laughter died down once more and she searched Zuko's eyes, making sure this was real.

He grinned at her. "I have to be honest; no one's laughed at things I've said since I first came onto my ship."

"Why did they laugh at you?"

"I never did figure out why… Whenever I gave a command they sort of… snorted and passed it off. It wasn't until I threw one of the crew members overboard that they started listening... But I think I lost some respect because I fished him out of the water myself."

"You did?" Katara asked. "That seems… out of character for you."

"I didn't know what I was doing," Zuko admitted. He paused. "I've never… said that to anyone."

"Well, I guess there's a first for everything, huh?" Katara twirled the tea in her cup.

"Tell me something."

"What?" She chuckled.

"Did you have a good life in the South Pole?"

"I suppose… It wasn't exciting, though, and I usually did grunt work that the others were either too old or too lazy or too busy to do. Not to mention I was relying on my own creativity to learn how to bend."

"So when you found Aang it wasn't a big decision to go?"

"The only hard thing about it was leaving Gran-Gran behind."

"The, ah… old woman?"

Katara snorted. "The one you said was about as old as Aang?"

"Was that her?"

"Yes," Katara laughed.

"I'll have to offer her my apologies next time I see her."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it." Katara sighed.

"Why not?"

"She's about as accepting of new things as Sokka is. In fact, she didn't want Aang in our village at all when he first came, especially after the ship incident."

"Ship incident?"

"He and I explored this old ship and-."

"Oh, I remember that! That's how I found him!"

"From the light?"

"Yeah… That was you with him?"

"Mhm. So when we came back to the village, Sokka and Gran-Gran wanted him to leave."

"So then I showed up?"

"Scared us out of our minds, and Aang rescued us."

"He agreed to go quietly." Zuko continued.

"We were surprised that you kept to your word." Katara said quietly. "Most fire benders we'd come into contact with…"

"I was very purpose-driven. I didn't care about anything but getting him home."

Katara cocked her head. "You've changed a lot since then."

"Maybe not." Zuko answered, lowering his gaze. "I've just changed my viewpoint."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm working backwards, I guess… My goal's been flipped."

"I disagree. I think you're different."

"You think so?" Zuko said firmly, catching her gaze again. "Well, I know I'm happier with you than I ever imagined being, and I guess that's a change. I'm finally… at peace."

Katara smiled. "I'm glad to hear that…You know, we used to talk about what you would be like if we ever captured you."

"Really?" Zuko asked, smiling.

"We came up with some pretty funny scenarios."

"Like what?"

"Oh," Katara flushed slightly. "You'd refuse to eat our food for it being, 'too low' or threaten to enflame Momo or some other nonsense."

"Probably true… I caught the crew one time mocking me behind my back about you."

"Me… specifically?"

"After I found your necklace-."

"Stole." Katara jibed.

"I found it, Katara, at the prison. Anyway, after that they speculated that the real reason I was after the avatar was because of you."

Katara smiled and flushed again. "What did you do?"

"Ignored it, partly. Ji made some comments to my face, and those I contended with but not severely. Now I have to wonder if that was somewhat the truth."

Katara's heart jumped a few beats ahead. "Oh… I… don't really know what to say to that."

Zuko smiled (charmingly, Katara thought). "Your blush is enough, Katara."

She laughed nervously. "You're something else, Zuko."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes. I think it is."

Their waitress interrupted them, handing them both bowls of soup. They nodded their thanks and dipped their heads over them. Katara drew back, wrinkling her nose.

"Mine's kind of cold." She looked around for the waitress, but before she could call out to her, Zuko picked up her bowl.

Katara watched, fascinated, as he put the bowl's edge to his lips and blew gently on the liquid, sending quiet ripples dancing across its surface. In a few moments, steam floated lazily through the air.

Zuko never took his eyes from Katara. A pleasant wave of electricity crackled down her spine, and her lips tugged into a smile. When he passed the bowl back to her, their fingertips brushed, and she found herself wishing the contact could last longer.

She set down her bowl with trembling hands, whispering, "Thank you."

He smiled, genuinely pleased.

xxx

"Get that look off of your face, Sokka. You look like a dying hogmonkey."

"Well, maybe I am!"

"No, you're not. They're gonna be back any second."

"You said that twenty minutes ago, Aang!"

"And I'll say it again: they'll be back."

"Your optimism is just hiding the fact that you're as worried as I am!"

"No, I'm not! Would you just be quiet, Sokka?"

"Sure! Go bring back my sister, and you won't get a peep out of me after that."

Iroh groaned. "Your mouth will be the death of us."

xxx

Zuko led Katara out of the restaurant, hand on her elbow, guiding her steadily. Katara was glad for his support; otherwise she might not have been able to stand. When they came out into the street, bathed in the dying lights of the sun, he let go, and after a few minutes of walking and struggling with their own consciences, they simultaneously reached for each other's hands.

Katara opened her mouth, then closed it, unsure of how to voice her feelings.

"What?" Zuko asked softly.

"N…Nothing."

"Go on, tell me."

"You tell me what you're thinking first."

"Alright… I've… never felt this way before."

"What way?" Katara prompted, her heart pattering in her chest.

He studied her, as if the answer would lie in her flushed face. "I'm not sure how to explain it… All I know for sure is that that was the best evening I've ever had."

"Me too."

"I hope we can do it again sometime."

"It's been perfect." Katara agreed.

"Now what are you thinking?"

Katara was painfully aware that her palms were starting to sweat. "I think I'm…" She looked up to his eyes, trapping her (but not in an unpleasant way), and she faltered. She glanced away, aware that she could make a total fool of herself. "Sokka's going to kill me."

Zuko frowned. "Oh."

She cursed herself silently for disappointing him. "I mean… I don't… care because this has been one of the best evenings I've ever had, and I couldn't… I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else."

Zuko stopped, facing her. Katara nervously smoothed the front of her dress.

"Wh… What?" She gasped.

"We're here." He said, gesturing to the building behind them.

"Oh," Katara gushed.

"Before we go in, though, I'd like to ask you something."

Katara swallowed and nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Would you accompany me to the dinner with Sokka?"

Her heart fell. "Oh… Is that… all?"

Zuko frowned, angry with himself. What did that contest really matter, anyway? "Yeah, I guess." He muttered, avoiding her eyes.

Their hands were still entwined between them, and Katara tightened her grip.

"If you'd like me to," Katara said quietly, "I'll go."

They stared at each other for a few more moments, and then Zuko led her inside the building.

xxx

"Put your boomerang away!" Aang cried. "What are you doing?"

Sokka stood up from his crouch by the front door. "I'm on a stakeout, Aang! What does it look like?"

"Stakeout?" Aang all but screamed. "Calm down! It is not a big deal!"

"You're in denial!"

"Put. The. Boomerang. Away." Aang growled through clenched teeth.

"Why don't you just blow some wind and make me?" Sokka taunted.

"Sokka!" Aang exclaimed. "Put it away!"

"No!"

"Now!"

"NO!"

Aang wrenched it from his hands and threw it down the hallway. Sokka went after it, screaming over his shoulder.

"You'll be sorry when they come back… married or something!"

"Ugh, you're so paranoid!"

"I have a reason!" Sokka picked up his boomerang and stalked to his room.

"And stay there!" Aang snarled.

xxx

Zuko stopped once they were outside their apartment. He stared at the door and then turned to Katara.

"I'm sorry." He said earnestly.

"Why?"

"I made you feel… used. I shouldn't have asked you to the dinner. In fact, I don't want you to come."

"You don't?"

"No, it's not important. What's important is knowing that you know that my time I spend with you means the world to me, and I don't care if I have to wear that poncho or not."

Relief swept through Katara. "I really can go if-."

"Please don't. It would make it uncomfortable for you with Sokka there, too, and I don't want that."

"Zuko, I… Thank you."

Zuko tipped her chin to face him again. "You don't feel used, do you?"

"No," she said quietly, her eyes heavy with emotion as his gaze caught hers.

Zuko's hand didn't leave her chin, and it moved across to cradle her cheek. Katara stepped close, on impulse.

"Katara," Zuko breathed.

"And I don't want to hear any more of it!" A voice shouted from inside. "You've got mush for brains!"

"You've got a superiority complex! If I wasn't complaining, you'd be out on the streets looking for them right now!" Sokka answered Aang.

Zuko dropped his hand and stepped away from Katara, disappointed. "I suppose we should stop the war, huh?"

They held each other's gaze longingly.

Sokka wrenched the door open, screaming a wordless war call. Zuko and Katara dropped their hands before he saw. His war screech halted as he saw them.

"You!" he barked, glowering at Zuko. "What have you been doing?"

"I owed Katara dinner, so I took her out."

Sokka circled him and then Katara. "I smell… food."

"Yes, Sokka." Katara answered tiredly. "We ate dinner."

"You see?" Aang panted. "I told you, didn't I? They're fine! Unscathed and here before dark! Now, Mother Sokka, get in here and calm down!"

Sokka stalked inside, casting dark glances over his shoulder at the pair.

Zuko ushered Katara into the apartment, placing a hand on her back to lead her in. Katara smiled up at him as she passed.

"All's well that ends well." Katara muttered.

A/N

Boo-ya! Whoo hoo! Ooooh yeah! Score! Ten points! Touchdown! Goal! Bingo! Bada Bing Bada BOOM!

The Aftermath will continue with four more chapters after this, although they will be considerably shorter.

Please allow the author to make several more victory sounds before continuing.

YEAH! WHOO-yeah! Slam-dunk! M. Jordan style! Through the ROOF 'cause it's on FIRE! Ha ha! Fire Nation… Whoo!

I drink milk! I drink milk!

(You're thinking… that chapter just came from that lunatic? Whoa…)