Author's note: I'm going out of town this weekend, so you guys get a present! An early post!!

Much love to those who reviewed: meggie-moo s, AnnaAza , darkpassion89 , secretsofadarkangel , hg-always , ArrayePL, XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX, BlackMagicWhiteMagic, Taken by the Flame, Katey123, Jumpingbeans480, sokkantylee, storm2011, andtemariXshikamaruluva. You guys are my favorite! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed Toph's introduction!

And now on to the good stuff.

Chapter 6: Truce

War is so unjust and ugly that all who wage it must try to stifle the voice of conscience within themselves.
-Leo Tolstoy

Zuko ducked under the tent flap and stepped into the night air. He had just spent the past few hours consulting with his military advisors to come up with the Fire Nation's treaty demands. He had not allowed Katara to sit in on the meeting, for obvious reasons. She had been angry and argued that they could use a viewpoint other than the Fire Nation's. He had flatly refused. He hadn't been opposed to her presence, but he knew his advisors would not take too kindly to her. They were already suspicious of her. They had already questioned him about her relative freedom, which he had silenced with a threatening glare.

After his refusal to let her into the meeting, she had stalked off across the camp. Worry had run through his mind. He wasn't sure if she would stay. He had told her she was free to leave.

The moon was just starting to peak over the horizon. The large orange sphere lit up the early evening. A harvest moon. Zuko sighed and rolled his shoulders, attempting to alleviate some of the tension. He approached the edge of the camp. All of the inhabitants were going about their business – cleaning up after the evening meal, sharpening swords, laying out bedrolls – the subdued activity was somewhat comforting.

He made his way to the stream at the edge of the camp. He figured that would be the most likely place to find her. Sure enough, she sat on a boulder on the bank of the stream. Her bare feet dangled in the water, and she stared mindlessly at the rising moon.

She didn't turn to face him as he approached.

He walked over to the edge of the stream and sat cross-legged on the boulder next to her.

"It's finished?" she asked simply.

"Yes."

He heard her sigh above the constant bubbling of the stream.

"Is it something that the earthbenders will accept? Or is it full of ridiculous demands?" she asked him, finally turning to face him.

He hesitantly handed her a scroll he had carried with him. He hadn't wanted to bring it, but he knew she would demand to know the Fire Nation's terms before their meeting with the rebel leadership tomorrow. He also knew that she wasn't going to like what she read.

He felt the scroll being lifted from his hand, and he stared down at the moon's reflection in the water as he listened to her unfurl the parchment.

He didn't want to hear her reaction.

Why am I worried what a waterbending peasant thinks?

He mentally kicked himself. His conflicting thoughts were going to rip him apart.

I am worried what the waterbending peasant thinks because I am in love with said waterbending peasant.

He hated to admit it to himself, but he was afraid. He feared that she would leave. After all, why would she stay? He was her enemy. As much as he no longer wanted them to be on opposite sides of the war, they were. Their truce was only temporary. After all, she was only staying to help the Earth Kingdom – not the Fire Nation.

He looked up at her when he heard her gasp in disgust.

"Zuko, do you really think that they will accept any of these?" she asked incredulously. She looked about ready to throw the scroll into the water. He almost wished she would.

"What do you expect me to do? This is war, Katara! I can't just hand them everything and then have everybody hug to make everything better! I-" he was cut off as Katara spoke once more.

"These are ridiculous, Zuko! The two parcels of land you offered back to them are inconsequential! Don't you think they will demand strategic cities back? Omashu? Ba Sing Se? And leaving a full Fire Nation military presence afterward? Not to mention demanding demilitarization of their major cities! You are a fool if you think they will even begin to consider these! Why would they help you if you give them nothing in return?"

Zuko felt fury rise in him as she spoke. How dare she scream at him? Nobody yelled at him like this and got away with it.

His reply was cutting. "You're helping me. I don't see you getting much in return."

He could have sworn he saw blue fire in the depths of her eyes. Too late, he realized it may not have been the best idea to infuriate a powerful waterbender next to a stream under a nearly full moon.

She started to move into a bending stance, but then her arms fell back to her sides. She must have seen his gaze land on the flowing water.

"No, Zuko, I am not going to fight you," she said quietly.

She took a step closer to him. He suddenly realized that he would rather have had her bend an ocean of water at him than to see the naked disappointment in her eyes.

"You will never change, will you? You won't ever find peace with the world! Right now, you are being presented an opportunity to unite with the Earth Kingdom against your sister, and you are about to spit in their faces. There will never be peace!" she shouted, tears becoming evident in her voice.

"I am trying to work toward peace!" he countered. "We just have very different ideas of how that will be achieved! The world will be at peace once it is under Fire Nation control!"

The waterbender's fists clenched at her side. He was certain she was consciously keeping them clenched to keep the temptation of waterbending at bay. Zuko smelled the acrid scent of smoke, and realized it was coming from his own clenched fists.

"Don't you understand? Listen to yourself! As long as you try to control the world, it will fight against you! The nations want to be free, Zuko! Free to decide their own destiny!" she yelled back at him. Zuko noticed the stream behind her begin to bubble violently; the currents and eddies fought against one another, causing the water to froth and foam.

Katara seemed to notice as well. He watched as she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. The water behind her resumed its cheerful journey down the slope.

"I can't do this, Zuko. I am going to go find Toph and her forces, and ask to join them. I will fight for the Earth Kingdom, since I cannot fight for my own nation any longer. I will fight against your sister and you if need be. I had hoped you had changed-" her eyes narrowed at him "-but evidently that will never happen."

With that, she turned away from him and began following the water downstream toward the town. Her wavy mahogany hair swayed violently in the moonlight as she stomped down the riverbank, her bare feet leaving footprints in the grass.

"Katara, wait!"

Zuko's eyes widened as he realized the words that had just left his lips. He had said them without conscious thought. He just…couldn't let her go.

She kept walking, and gestured with her arm. Water came flying up from the stream at him, effectively soaking him. Growling in frustration, he raised his body temperature and steamed the moisture off of himself. He ran after her and grabbed her arm.

"What?" she said furiously as she tried to wrench her arm from his grasp. He held tight.

"Help me rewrite the terms then! If you're so convinced you can do it, then do it! They cannot be unreasonable for the Fire Nation. I will not have the Earth Kingdom walk all over us once this is over."

He felt vague satisfaction come over him as she struggled to come up with a response. Her furious expression softened into one of confusion.

"Really? You would give me that chance?" she finally asked quietly, her eyes searching for truth.

Once again, Zuko mentally kicked himself. He heard his father's voice echo in his head.

You are weak, Prince Zuko!

For the first time in his life, he rebelled against the shadow of his father. Shut up, father!

"Yes. My sister needs to be defeated, and if the rumors are true, her army has grown even larger than my own. As much as I hate to admit it, I need the help of the earthbenders. I know they will not accept the Fire Nation demands as they are," he admitted. "I expect to have some bickering and compromises, but they will not even consider my demands as they stand now. So yes, Katara. Suggest what you will, and we will try to work something out."

Katara sank down once more to the cool stone that lined the stream. She looked so small and lost. How many different sides does this woman have? She is furious and powerful in one instant, and weak and small in the next instant.

Not quite sure how to respond, he sat down next to her. She shivered slightly in the cool night air, and he moved closer to her body to lend her some warmth. She didn't seem to notice.

"What am I doing here, Zuko?" she said as despair filled her voice.

Confused, he merely looked at her.

"I am lost without my people. I should be with them. They think I betrayed them!"

She let out a mirthless laugh.

"They think I betrayed them to the Fire Nation! To you! I suppose in a way I did. After all, I'm here with you. Like you said, I'm helping you, but what am I getting in return-"

He cut her off. "Katara, I didn't mean- I was angry-" he began.

She interrupted him once more. "I know, Zuko, but it's true."

She took a deep breath, and he saw her move her gaze up to the moon, as if imploring the moon spirit for her help.

"Zuko, I'm here because…spirits help me, I love you. I don't know why. I should hate you. You and your people have been the source of so much of the pain in my life. And through it all…there's something. Something good I sense in you, and I pray I'm not wrong," she said in a rush.

He gathered her into his arms, and was pleased when she let him. He pulled her into his lap. She was still shivering.

"Katara, I don't know why either, but I love you too."

He let out a wry laugh.

"If my father were not already dead, he would surely fall over dead if he knew I was in love with a waterbender. You have caused me nothing but difficulty," he continued on even as she snorted in disbelief, "but somehow I am better for it. I question my sanity because of how I feel about you, but I don't regret it."

They sat quietly for a while, content to listen to the flow of the stream. Katara had settled herself deeper into his arms, and she stopped shivering after a while.

Zuko nearly jumped when she spoke again.

"There's something I need to know. I've been…afraid to ask," she began quietly.

"What is it?" he prompted her.

"What is being done with the prisoners you took at the North Pole?"

Zuko answered truthfully. "The prison ships should have reached their destination by now. Once they reach Fire Nation soil, they will be unloaded from the prison ships and processed. They will be sent to various prisons around the Fire Nation."

He could almost feel her shrink in his arms.

"I know it's probably not much comfort, but I gave the order that all the Water Tribe prisoners are to be treated humanely and with respect. I will deal with any rumors of abuse personally," he said. There was no room for doubt in his voice.

She was quiet for a few more moments, and Zuko began to worry.

Her quiet voice broke the silence. "They…will still hate you. My people do not belong in prison, Zuko." He felt her shudder in his arms, as if she was holding back silent tears.

Zuko felt doubt begin to gnaw at him. All this time, he had felt justified in continuing the war. And now that he had achieved a key victory – both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes were firmly under his control – he felt…wrong somehow. The waterbender in his arms had put a face to his enemy. What could he do now, though? He couldn't just let them all go free. As she said, they hated the Fire Nation. They would fight him.

He tried to push his thoughts to the back of his mind. After all, he needed to deal with Azula and her uprising first. If she defeated him, the world would be in a dire situation indeed…and his feelings about the Water Tribe would be a moot point.

"We need to work on the terms, Katara. We don't have much time," he said as he gently extricated her from his arms.

After Katara placed her boots back on her feet, they walked back through the camp in silence. Most of the occupants of the camp were asleep – only a few guards along the perimeter were still awake. The only noise came from the nocturnal insects and the crunching of their boots on the loose dirt.

Zuko led Katara into his tent, and laid a scroll and writing utensils out on his low desk. He motioned for her to sit down with him. He lit a few additional candles on the desk, and got down to business.

The following afternoon, Katara once more walked with Zuko and his entourage into the Earth Kingdom town. Neither she nor Zuko had gotten any sleep the night before. They had been awake when the sun rose; they had finally finished their work shortly after sunrise.

Coming up with acceptable terms had been grueling. Zuko hadn't wanted to give an inch, but she had made several valid arguments to change his mind on many of the terms he and his men had come up with. He knew his advisors wouldn't be pleased with the changes. He still wouldn't budge on his ban of a union between the Earth Kingdom and whatever remained of the Water Tribe.

In the end though, they had come up with several offers that the Earth Kingdom rebels would be fools to refuse. Zuko had finally agreed, after much arguing, to allow Omashu to return to Earth Kingdom control. Katara had also argued that the Earth King should be released from his political prison. The rebels would surely demand his release before considering any sort of truce, temporary though it may be. Zuko had argued that he wanted to keep the Earth King as a bargaining chip in negotiations, and Katara had finally conceded the point.

She remained hopeful as they entered the same building they had met Toph in the previous day.

"Hey Sparky, you're on time today!" a bright, slightly sarcastic voice said.

"Greetings, Lady B-" Zuko stopped himself, and finished by saying, "Toph".

Toph nodded in approval and approached them from across the room. Katara once more wondered at the young woman's blindness.

"You still running with this crowd, Ice Queen?" she asked.

Katara cringed. "Yes, I'm afraid so."

Toph took her answer in stride, and motioned for them to sit down at the large table in the center of the room.

"Okay, let's get down to business. I take it you came up with demands for this temporary truce?" the young earthbender asked.

Zuko began to nod, and then remembered the girl was blind. He verbally responded with an affirmative.

"Good. Let's hear 'em. And I can tell if you're lying, so don't bother."

Katara thought Zuko's good eyebrow would hit the ceiling at that statement. She wondered about it as well.

"Very well," Zuko said as he unfurled the scroll.

"In exchange for your help in defeating my sister and her forces, the Fire Nation is prepared to offer the United Earth Kingdom Resistance the provinces of Gansu and Hubei."

Katara glanced over at Toph to gauge her reaction. These were the original provinces that Zuko was going to offer. The lands were fairly vast, but unproductive. They had little strategic value. As she had expected, the young earthbender's face tightened in anger, but she waited to listen to the rest of Zuko's offer.

"Second, the Fire Nation will end its military occupation of the city of Omashu and deliver it back into Earth Kingdom control."

Katara hid a smile at the rebel leader's reaction to that news. Clearly, the girl had not expected the Fire Nation to so easily offer the strategic city of Omashu. Sadly, Zuko had bluntly refused to offer Ba Sing Se back into Earth Kingdom hands. Ba Sing Se was the true prize, and Zuko would not give it up easily. After all, he had been one of the key players in placing the city into Fire Nation hands.

"Third, Fire Nation military occupation will end in outlying provinces."

He had originally wanted to leave a full Fire Nation military presence in the Earth Kingdom. Katara had argued for him to remove all of his military from the Earth Kingdom, but he had flatly refused. She couldn't say she was surprised by his refusal. This point had been hard-won.

"Fourth, the Fire Nation will be willing to discuss the return of three political prisoners."

Zuko shifted his weight in his chair.

"Now, in exchange for the Fire Nation's assistance in ridding the Earth Kingdom of the Princess Azula and her forces, we require these demands."

Toph nodded for him to continue.

"While I will end the military occupation of the less-populated provinces, I request that any Fire Nation families who wish to remain in their homes there be allowed to stay. I will not uproot my people from their homes."

He paused, waiting for an answer.

"That is acceptable."

"Good. My next demand is a ban on any union between the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe remnant. This is non-negotiable," he stated flatly.

Katara had argued with him until deep into the night on this point, but he would not be moved. She sighed. If the war continued, the Water Tribe would not be strong enough to mount any sort of offensive against the Fire Nation without the Earth Kingdom's help. The Earth Kingdom would have benefited from having waterbenders in its ranks as well. And Zuko knew it.

Toph did not give a definitive answer on this point. She merely instructed the Fire Lord to continue.

"We will give you Omashu, but a small Fire Nation garrison will remain within its walls. You will demilitarize any major cities under your control."

"Next, I demand that once the Earth Kingdom rebuilds its army, it shall be limited to 100,000 men. No conscription. No men may be accepted into the army who fought alongside the Princess Azula."

The rebel leader spoke, her voice hard. "Okay, Sparky, here's the deal. I can only speak for the Resistance. I'm not the leader of the place – I'm just trying to win it back for our rightful leaders. However, I know that King Kuei trusts me. I will accept a limit, but request that we re-negotiate the number. I will not settle for a figure that low. But like I said, I can't guarantee that the Earth King will abide by these terms."

"Very well. I am open to discussion. That concludes the Fire Nation's offers and demands for this temporary truce."

Toph began to lay out her country's demands.

"If you help us kick your little sister out of here, the Earth Kingdom rebellion will stop its raids along your coastline."

Zuko gave his approval.

"We won't attack any Fire Nation families who want to peacefully live out their lives in the Earth Kingdom."

"We are willing to discuss the release of several Fire Nation political prisoners we currently have in our custody."

Katara saw Zuko raise his good eyebrow. She wondered at this offer. She hadn't been aware that the Earth Kingdom resistance had Fire Nation political prisoners in its possession.

"In return, I was going to ask for Omashu, but you've already offered it. I do, however, want Gaoling. I was born there. It is my home. I will not negotiate this."

Zuko reluctantly nodded. Gaoling was a large, strategically placed city. It would be a great loss for the Fire Nation.

"Next, I want the Earth King released from Fire Nation custody and returned home. I realize you're not going to give us Ba Sing Se, so I won't waste my breath arguing for it."

Katara was surprised and relieved the rebel leader wasn't going to argue that point. She listened as Toph named some more territories she wanted free from the Fire Nation, and concluded her demands for the treaty.

The negotiations began in earnest. Toph flatly refused to limit the Earth Kingdom's army to any number below 200,000, arguing that the lands of the Earth Kingdom were vast and needed a large army. Zuko finally conceded. The discussion became heated when the release of various political prisoners was being negotiated. At one point, Katara was ready to uncork her water skins to intervene if a fight broke out.

In the end, Zuko agreed to release the Earth King into the custody of the rebel group, but he rescinded the number of political prisoners he had originally offered. Kuei would be the only prisoner released from the Fire Nation. Toph finally accepted, and Katara breathed a sigh of relief. Zuko asked for the release of several Fire Nation citizens the Earth Kingdom resistance had imprisoned. Toph had balked over the release of one of the regional governors, but had finally acquiesced. The rest was working out which of various territories would end up under whose control.

Tempers were raw and the sun was beginning to set by the time they finished, but in the end they had worked out the details. Of course, if their combined forces lost to Azula, the agreement wouldn't matter anyway. With these terms in place, both factions had extra incentive to win this fight. Of course, the main reason they were both fighting Azula was for mere survival. The newly-signed treaty ensured that the opposing nations would join together to defeat a common enemy.

Deep down, Katara knew this temporary treaty would not end the war. Unless something drastic happened, Zuko would continue with his conquest of the world. The treaty put the Earth Kingdom back on slightly more even footing with the Fire Nation however, and they would have a chance. And maybe the world would have a chance.

Zuko looked up as a messenger approached.

"My lord, the Lady Bei Fong is nearing the camp at full speed. The guards wish to know if they should let her pass."

Something must have happened.

"Yes, let her pass."

His permission did not matter, because the girl came flying into camp on a wave of moving earth. The guards didn't matter much to her, because she easily encased them up to their heads in solid rock. This was the first time he had seen her demonstrate her skill as an earthbender. It was impressive.

She skidded to a halt in front of him, and Katara's footsteps pounded up on the ground next to him. She had apparently heard the commotion.

"We've got a problem," the earthbender stated.

Zuko began to worry. Toph had dispensed with the nicknames. He listened with full attention as she spoke.

"Can we go somewhere a little less…public? No guards. She can come," the girl finished, gesturing at Katara.

Zuko led the two women into his war tent. Several of his men were milling about, and he sent them on their way.

One of his men began to protest. "But my lord, if it pertains to the war-"

Zuko interrupted him, a ball of flame appearing in his hand. "Out! Now! Do not question me!" he yelled. The man's eyes widened in fear, and he scurried out of the tent.

Once Toph decided that everyone was out of earshot, she began to inform him what was going on.

"We are receiving several rumors that Azula has built a massive fleet. It appears she is preparing to mount an invasion," she said bluntly.

Zuko paled. "How massive?"

Toph took a deep breath. "One of our scouts saw the fleet this morning. It is hidden in a harbor a few miles south on the coastline. He reports an estimate of at least two thousand."

"How could she have built such a large fleet in so little time?" he asked, despair leaking into his voice.

"After the Fire Nation defeated Ba Sing Se, several remnants of the Earth Kingdom army and the Dai Li escaped. They knew the location of the naval fleet, and it is rumored that Long Feng himself took control and hid it. He must have gotten the entire fleet – the rebellion has been searching for it for some time now. Your sister must be working with Long Feng," she explained.

Zuko began to feel real fear rise in his chest at this new development. First, he was familiar with Long Feng. Before the takeover of Ba Sing Se, the man had essentially ruled the city, using Keui as his puppet. The former head of the Dai Li was ruthless. Zuko's own fleet was large enough to take on Azula's forces, but it would take his entire navy. At the moment, his navy was scattered around the ocean. It would take time to recall all his ships to the homeland. Time he didn't have.

Katara finally spoke. "So your scout knows the location of the fleet?" Toph nodded. "Zuko, I think we need to see for ourselves what we're up against."

"Why don't you and Sparky here go find the fleet and see if you can discover any weaknesses? I'll take my forces and create a diversion."

Zuko nodded his agreement. "We need to stop her before she sets sail," he said wearily. "Let's go. I'll have messenger hawks recall my navy."

Katara gained a small amount of satisfaction from the fact that she easily kept up with Zuko as he made his way through the forest. She had experience stealthily running through forests during her days of raiding Fire Nation supply trains. She was happy to find she hadn't lost her touch.

They made their way south, following the coastline as they went. According to Toph's scout, this forest would end at a steep cliff overlooking the harbor where the fleet was hidden. As they ran, Katara noticed more light was filtering through the forest, and she could hear the distant pounding of surf.

A few minutes later, she and Zuko reached the edge of the forest. They stepped of the trees and looked down the sheer drop into the harbor. Zuko looked over to her, and she met his gaze. The scout was correct. The fleet was massive. Azula must have all the resources of the former Earth Kingdom military at her disposal.

"What now?"

Katara blinked as his quiet voice cut through the air, barely discernable over the noise of the surf.

"We find a weakness," she answered. "Come on, let's find a way down."

He grabbed her arm as she began to walk along the cliff face.

"Wait, someone is coming," he hissed at her.

They started to move back to the trees, but they were too late. Katara's stomach dropped as Azula's mocking voice hit her ears.

"Zuzu! So good to see you again!" she said cheerily. Katara shuddered. The firebender continued to talk. "So, you're still consorting with the waterbender? My my, what would father think about you working with both waterbenders and earthbenders?"

In a split second, Katara had uncorked her water skins, and Zuko stood ready to throw fire. Worry wormed its way into Katara's mind when the other woman looked unconcerned. She snapped her fingers, and several figures melted out of the trees around her. They must be the legendary Dai Li warriors.

"Gold makes betrayal so easy. That little scout we found here this morning did his job well. He also told us where you were staying – not that it matters at this point," she said lazily.

Katara was alarmed to feel the ground lurch beneath her. Too late, she realized that she and Zuko stood at the edge of the cliff. And they were surrounded by skilled earthbenders.

Zuko jumped for her as the cliff gave way beneath them.

Author's note: Hahaha, evil cliffhanger!! There's a slight chance that next week's chapter will be posted on Thursday instead of Friday, since one of my friends is visiting me next weekend. No promises though :)