I'm getting better! My update came faster! (Course, it's Thanksgiving break...)

No one seemed to notice or care when Sokka and Suki returned. In fact, Katara merely tossed her shirtless brother a tunic and went back to her scroll. (It was one she had gotten from Ba Sing Se. All of the stories were myths and fantasies.) "About time. Aang said he saw you land in a thorn bush," she muttered. Momo chirruped and flew down next to Katara, jabbing at the pictures on the scroll. "Yes, Momo, those are lemurs just like you. Or flying monkeys, I can't tell."

Zuko watched as Momo tried to drag Katara up by her broken arm. "No, you silly lemur. That's the broken arm."

His uncle looked up from helping Aang get into the proper position for Firebending. "Actually, you could try moving the limbs now. They need to be tested for strength. Zuko, will you help her?"

The younger Firebender didn't respond; he just stood up and walked over to Katara. Carefully placing his hands under her arms, Zuko lifted Katara up. "Hold on to me," he whispered. Katara nodded and grabbed onto his shoulder. They moved to a spot that wasn't covered with bedding or bags. Katara took a cautious step forward. As she attempted to walk without assistance, Zuko stayed close behind, ready to catch her like his uncle had instructed days before when Katara first tested her healing bones.

"Catch her if she falters, or I might end up a very lonely uncle," he had warned. "Sokka would kill you."

So, every night or so, Zuko would help Katara test the strength of her legs. Sometimes she could go without his help, but usually she'd trip and nearly break another bone. Needless to say, Zuko had held Katara close to his body a lot. What's more, he secretly kinda, sorta enjoyed it.

There was something about her when she was attempting to walk again that drew Zuko to the Waterbender's presence as though she was the flame of a flickering torch and he was the weak-minded insect.

"Whoa." Katara wobbled slightly; Zuko reached out to catch her. "Thanks Zuko. I think I want to lie down for now." Zuko nodded and helped Katara back to her pile of bedroll.

"By the looks of it, you're legs will be perfectly fine within a week, maybe a week and a half," Iroh mused. "Your arm appears to be better already. Still weaker than it should be, but fine."

"Have six weeks passed by already?" Toph asked. "That was what my dad said was the healing time for broken bones."

"Actually, I think it's been almost a month. Right?" Aang asked.

"Thereabouts," Katara agreed. "I've been using my healing to sort of speed the process along. Plus I'm not Sokka. I heal a lot faster than he does, and I don't do stupid things when I'm hurt."

"Hey!"

"Truth hurts, bro."

"So…you should be up and about in a few days?" Suki asked. At Katara's nod, she sighed. "Thank Kyoshi. We are going to run away from all these boys! Even Toph is boyish!" Katara laughed at the looks on the other's faces.

"Nah. We can't leave Iroh to deal with them," she said. Suki pouted, then broke out into fits of giggles.

"Sokka, you should have seen your face!" Sokka glared at his "secret" (or so he thought) lover.

"It wasn't funny, Suki. It sounded like you don't me, er, us anymore." Suki gave Sokka a look and dragged him off. Toph and Aang cracked up when she said they were going to have a "long discussion".

"Yeah, sure. Three coppers they come back flustered and all that," Toph joked.

It was late at night when Katara woke up panting. Looking around, she relaxed.

"It was just a dream, an awful, vivid dream."

The Waterbender tried to get comfortable, but comfort and sleep were elusive. Finally, Katara gave up and just sat there, praying for daylight.

She nearly screamed when a warm hand rested on her shoulder. "Shh. It's me." Katara relaxed.

"Don't creep up on me like that again, Zuko. Okay? I nearly woke up Sokka," she whispered. Zuko nodded, then sat down beside her.

"Are you okay? I woke up to your whimpering and shifting," he murmured, genuinely concerned.

This was all new to him. He had never been concerned for anyone other than his uncle, and that had started only recently, after the North Pole. In a way, he liked the feeling of protectiveness that accompanied the concern he felt for Katara.

Katara nodded. "Just a nightmare about the day my mom died. A Fire Nation soldier killed her when I was about eight or nine, maybe ten." Katara shook slightly. She was crying.

"I miss her so much. I'm named for her, you know. My mom and my grandmother. Tara-Ke and Kana." Zuko nodded. He was named for his maternal aunt (Zuka) as far as his mother was concerned and named for Fire Prince Kuzon as far as the world was concerned.

"So you were close?"

"Inseparable. I was even there when the bastard killed her. I watched from under a snow bank about three yards away." That did it. The dam broke, leaving Zuko with a softly sobbing Southern Waterbender. Clueless as to what else to do, Zuko took Katara into his arms.

To Katara, life had never seemed as right as it did in Zuko's arms. For Zuko, he never wanted Katara to leave.

"It's okay, Katara. You know, we have something in common. My mother was killed when I was about ten." Katara looked up.

"Oh, Zuko…" Zuko shook his head.

"It's okay. I don't think about it much."

"Too painful?"

"I guess. There are a lot of times that are too painful," Zuko muttered.

"Like what?" Katara looked at Zuko, then gasped. "Your scar."

Zuko nodded, still holding Katara. "Unfortunately, I can't forget completely about it," he spat disdainfully. Katara smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry. There is a good side to this."

"Really? What?"

"At least your entire face isn't burnt," Katara pointed out. She had him there. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Point taken, Katara," he said. Katara giggled. She felt a lot better, now that she had talked to someone.

"Thanks for, y'know, listening," she whispered. "I can't very well talk to Sokka; it'd just upset him. Toph isn't the type of person I can confide in, Aang's too young, and Suki would tell Sokka." Zuko nodded. What he said next surprised them both.

"I'm here. I'll listen."

Something else all my fellow Americans can be thankful for. Zutara fluff.

Grr...my gol-darned e-mail provider doesn't like the site right now, so I might not respond to the reviews or it might take awhile.

Happy Thanksgiving! (Only 33 more shopping days until Christmas!)