I love finding out I have new readers! Welcome to girly4567! I'm glad everyone loved the last chapter. Hopefully ya'll will like this one too. I must have re-written about five times, and I'm still not satisfied with it. I think because I know I stink at writing conflict. But this had to happen, because this is a Zutara story after all.

Enjoy!

A Pause to Break

Katara woke the next morning feeling better than she had in a long time. She was well rested and ready to face the day. She felt so energized, yet part of her was loathe to move from her bed. She was just so warm and cozy and…

Actually, she was just a bit too warm.

Katara turned her head to look behind her and that is when the events of the previous night came rushing back. Zuko was in her bed. Zuko was in her bed because she had asked him to stay with her. Zuko was in her bed because she had asked him to stay with her because she had had that nightmare again.

Zuko was in her bed.

Katara felt like she should panic a bit. After all, there were reasons she wouldn't let Aang spend the night with her…she just couldn't think of them at the moment.

Because Zuko was in her bed.

Snap out of it! she ordered herself. Stop acting like a love-struck teenager. Zuko is here because you asked him to be here. He stayed because he is a really good friend. Nothing happened. Right.

Her resolve back in place, Katara made to get out of bed only to find that she couldn't. Peeking under the covers she saw why; Zuko's arms were locked securely around her waist. She felt her resolve crumbling, but she stubbornly held it in place.

"Zuko? Zuko wake up."

"Huh? Whatsit?" was the mumbled reply.

Katara held back a giggle. "It's time to get up."

Zuko let out a big yawn, then looked around the room in confusion. His confusion only grew when he finally noticed Katara. "Katara, what are you…oh!" He quickly removed his hands from Katara's waist. "Sorry."

Katara sat up and turned to face him. "It's ok. I should be the one apologizing."

"No, you don't have to," Zuko insisted. "I understand. Like I said, I'm here for you." The sincerity in his voice and on his face was so obvious that even Toph would have taken note of it.

"Thank you," Katara whispered as she gave in to an impulse and hugged him. "I have a feeling I'll need the extra support."

Before Zuko could ask her what she meant, there was a knock on the door. Whoever was on the other side didn't wait for an answer for the door swung right open. The person on the other side was the last person Zuko wanted seeing him and Katara in bed together (even though nothing happened). He would rather Sokka walked in on them then –

"Aang!" Katara said in surprise as she jerked away from Zuko.

The smile fell from Aang's face as he slowly lowered a bouquet of panda lilies. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Zuko exclaimed as he leapt out of Katara's bed. He winced at how high-pitched his voice sounded just then. "You see, uh…"

"I had a nightmare last night," Katara began.

"Yeah, and I was walking by her room when I heard a scream – "

"And then Zuko woke me up, but I was really shaken – "

"And I couldn't very well leave her alone after a dream like that – "

"So he stayed – "

"To keep the nightmares away," Zuko finished lamely.

Aang glanced between the two of them, a frown etching itself deeper and deeper onto his face.

"Nothing happened," Katara reiterated.

"Is this why you won't come with me?" Aang demanded.

"What? Of course not! I told you, I just can't up and leave like that. My position as Ambassador – "

"Will still be here when we get back," Aang cut in. "I thought you wanted to be back on the road, exploring the world with me. Just like old times."

"You know I wish we could go back to that, but we all have bigger responsibilities now!"

"Responsibilities that can still be taken care of while we travel," Aang argued.

"Maybe yours can, but mine can't," Katara stated. "I'm the Fire Nation's Water Tribe Ambassador; my work is here! I have people depending on me – "

"People like him?" Aang asked angrily as he pointed at Zuko.

"Leave him out of this!" Katara shouted.

"Don't think I haven't see the way he looks at you, or you at him," Aang accused.

"What exactly are you getting at?" Katara questioned.

"I'm saying that I think there is something going on between the two of you."

Zuko and Katara shared a flabbergasted look. "You're crazy," Katara finally insisted.

"Am I? Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't have feelings for Zuko," Aang demanded.

"Of course I have feelings for him; he's one of my best friends!" Katara said. "But it isn't like what you're insinuating."

Aang shook his head. "I just don't buy it."

A tense silence ensued, seeming to drag on forever until Katara broke it. "It's come to this then. You don't trust me anymore. If you honestly think I would have cheated on you…then you don't know me."

Aang seemed like he wanted to argue her point, but Katara wouldn't let him speak. "Go on your trip Aang. Fulfill your Avatar duties and be there for the people. Just don't expect me to be here waiting for you when you get back."