Holy cow...25 reveiws for the last chapter?!?! Okay, most of them were in response to the finale, but still. Whoa baby.

They arrived at the Air Temple a few days after. Suki was still resting in Sokka's arms, and Katara had ended up leaning against Zuko. Sokka looked as though he was about to say something, then remembered the threat Zuko had made.

Once they landed, Aang led Appa to the bison stables so he could eat and sleep. Momo went with, chattering and sniffing the air.

Everyone else split up to find rooms somewhere. Toph insisted she get a ground floor room.

"I may be up in the mountains, but I want a room closer to the ground. Two months on Appa makes a girl want a lower altitude," she said. Iroh agreed and said he needed a room that didn't require stairs.

"Hmph, old man my eye," Zuko muttered. "He runs faster than Aang when there's tea being made." Katara giggled and took Zuko's arm.

"Come on. You're going to help me find a decent room."

"Why me?"

Because Suki just dragged Sokka off to do the same thing and I've never like big places that echo," Katara replied. "Come on!"

Zuko allowed Katara to drag him off. "So, you wouldn't like the Fire Palace then, right?" he asked. Katara paused briefly.

"I might like it, if you or Iroh were Fire Lord and there were a lot of people around. I once heard it was very elaborate," she said. Zuko snorted.

"Saying it was elaborate is like saying Appa is large," he replied. Katara giggled.

"That fancy?"

"Oh, yeah." Zuko shook his head. "Even the gardens were detailed." Katara laughed harder.

"I'm sorry. You had a childhood with no freedom! No wonder you're such a stiff-necked goose-bear," she teased.

"Hmph. You had too much freedom if that's how you talk to princes," taunted Zuko.

They kept the banter up until they found a decent room. Zuko thought it would be a small room, with space for one, but it had a divider up and another bedroom on the other side. "Looks like the nuns ran out of room," Katara muttered. "Why don't you take one half and I take the other. It's a lot easier than finding another room and, don't tell anyone, but I can't sleep alone."

Zuko frowned. "Why not?" Katara blushed and looked away.

"Well, I grew up in a tiny village and a tinier tent, so I'm used to having people around me all the time. And when we're traveling, Sokka, Aang, Toph, Momo, Appa, everyone is close to everyone else. I'm used to hearing someone else breathe or just knowing someone is within whisper distance," she explained. "Call me childish or whatever you want, but-"

"No, it's fine. I'll take the half by the window, since I can keep my body temperature stable a lot better than you can; mountains get cold at night," Zuko murmured. Katara smiled softly.

"Thanks, Zuko."

"So let me get this straight. There is some skinny old tan guy in the northern wing who will be giving you Avatar lessons?" Sokka asked for the fiftieth time. Aang nodded.

"Yep. Guru Pathik said he's been waiting for me and will give me lessons. I just can't have any outside contact during the teaching period," he said. "So you guys get to explore without me." The young Airbender seemed put down by that.

"Hey, don't worry. We'll find stuff to tell you about afterwards, Twinkles," Toph said, clapping Aang on the back. "Trust me, I'm the most observant person here."

"Are not," Iroh retorted from his seat.

"Hey, I may mot be able to see with my eyes, but it's hard not to see something when you send out shockwaves," Toph pointed out. Iroh folded his hands in defeat.

"Touché." Iroh went back to his dinner, fried rice for Aang and fried rice with fried pork-beef from the packs for everyone else. Sokka had added some soy sauce he had stolen from Ba Sing Se during the coup. Katara frowned.

"Sure there's enough salt in there? You'll make yourself sick," she warned. Sokka shrugged.

"Hey, I'll eat my food the way I like and you eat your food the way you like it," he replied.

"How much do you want to bet he gets sick tonight?" Toph muttered to Suki.

"I'm sharing a room and a bed with him, and I'm not stupid. I know he'll get sick if he eats much more of that sauce," Suki replied. "It was his idea to share a bed."

"Not that you're arguing, I noticed," taunted the young noble. Suki blushed, glad Toph couldn't see her.

Aang just picked at his rice. "The guru said this will probably be the last meal I eat with you guys until he's done with me," he moped.

"If it tastes as good as it smells, I think this food will be perfect for your Avatar training," an old, odd voice said. Everyone turned to see the Guru Pathik enter the room. His beard looked like a cloud and he was darker than Sokka or Katara. His clothes looked like he hadn't gotten new ones since the war started. Iroh stood and bowed to him. Pathik smiled and looked at Katara.

"It's nice to know that the Avatar travels with people who know their spiritual paths and take them. I cannot tell you how rare that is nowadays. I can tell you will be a good influence on Aang's spirit," he said. Katara blushed and muttered something incoherent. The guru leaned down closer and whispered in her ear: "And do not worry. Fire cannot burn you." Katara blushed a vivid shade of ruby and excused herself. The guru chuckled and turned to Aang.

"Are you all finished? The faster you train, the faster you can return." Aang sighed and stood up.

"See you guys in a few…days, hours, I don't know." Sokka nodded.

"Hey, cheer up. You're going to get to learn stuff that will help us knock the rear off the Fire Nation. Uh, no offence," he added, looking at Zuko and Iroh. Aang chuckled.

"Why don't you people say 'butt' anymore? It's always rear, rump, or tail. Geez." Everyone started cracking up, even the guru. Aang left with a smile.

Meanwhile, outside in the hallway, Katara was thinking about what the guru said. How could he know about my crush on Zuko? Whoa, did I just say that? How could I have a crush on Zuko? Okay, so he's actually really nice, and he's understanding, and not to mention good-looking…

Better not let Sokka know what I just said about Zuko. Even if he's not out to hurt him anymore, he might kill him if he knew. The last thing I want is to cause the death of the only guy in the world who truly understands me and isn't a psychopath with a sick mind.

I need help.

With those thoughts raging in Katara's mind, she absently made her way to her room only to find Zuko had beaten her to it. He was standing by the door when she noticed he was there. "How did you…?" she started

"Get here before you? There's a shortcut from the dining hall to here and you were walking so slow I think I saw a snail beat you," Zuko explained. Gently, he took her small hand in his larger one. "Are you alright? You seem a bit distracted." Katara blushed. Zuko seemed to worry about her more since that night she had cried over his story. Maybe it was just her imagination.

"I'll be fine. Something that old guy told me just kinda weirded me out," she replied. She paused. "Zuko?"

"Yes?"

Katara looked at him. In the shadowy light outside the room they shared, his golden eyes stood out more than they usually did. He seemed patiently waiting for her to speak.

"What do you think of me?" she asked.

Zuko was suddenly glad for the dim light. His face paled, making him look sick. She did not just ask him that, did she? How was he supposed to respond? "Oh, I think you're amazing to have put up with Sokka for so long, talented, compassionate, and did I mention I have a crush on you?" Yeah, real smart.

"Um…well…that's a tough question for me to answer," Zuko mumbled. "It's not because I don't know what I think of you, it's just I can't…tell you because I'm already embarrassed enough and don't want to make it worse," he added in a hasty whisper, hoping Katara didn't catch that last part. Zuko had never felt more like an idiot than he did at this very moment.

"What? Oh, okay." Katara stood still for a moment, thinking. "Well, good night."

"Good night."

Life…just got awkward.

Score one for awkward teenaged moments! Unless they happen to you. Then they suck.

21 more days until Christmas!!!