Hey peeps! This is another long one but there is Zutara in it!! I promise!!! It may not be exactly what you guys wanted but in the next chapter there may be…dare I say it… a kiss!!! Dun dun duuuun… ha ha. But you'll have to wait for a day or so until I can get it typed!

REVIEW PLEASE!I NEED THEM!! I NEED THEM OR I'LL EXPLODE!!! That happens to me sometimes….

Katara lay on her bed and tried to fall asleep, which was nearly impossible with all the racket from outside. She stood and went over to the window, slamming it shut. Then she flopped back down on her bed, but the sounds from outside still were loud. Angrily she stood up and opened the window, about to shout when she spotted Appa. People were swarming around him and clambering on him like ants on a Popsicle. Katara stared open mouthed out the window at all the people around him, until a splash of orange among the sea of green and brown caught her eye.

"Aang! Hey! Aaaang!" She waved at him.

"What?" She called back, finally spotting her.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Aang airbent himself up to the window. "All these people heard about Appa and wanted to see him. Sokka is charging money for it too so we can pay for our stay." He grinned happily.

"We aren't leaving yet are we?" She asked.

Aang looked troubled. "Well, we have to get going if I want to defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives at the end of the summer."

Katara frowned. "I don't want to go yet."

"Why?"

Think fast Katara, you can't tell him about Zuko. "I have wanted to see this city for so long, can't we stay another week or so? Then we can make even more money off Appa to buy new supplies and actually stay in a really nice inn."

000

Genia was bent over the sink washing dishes. "Someone is dissing my inn again." She said to herself.

000

"What wrong with the supplies we have now?" He questioned.

Katara jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the condition of everybody's backpacks and sleeping bags.

Aang grinned sheepishly. "I guess you're right. I'll tell Sokka." And with that he jumped off the ledge and airbent himself onto Appa then down to Sokka who had a large pack strapped to his front where people were dumping large handfuls of money. Aang told Sokka something, he nodded and shouted something to the crowd.

"Score one for Katara." She said to herself as she pushed away from the window.

"What?" Came a voice from behind her.

Katara spun around. "Who? Oh, it's you Toph."

"What were you saying?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing important." Katara was glad that Toph couldn't see the huge grin across her face.

Toph shrugged. "Alright." She plodded over and plopped down on her own bed.

Katara slipped out the door and pressed her ear to Zuko's door. She heard what she thought was sobbing so she backed off and sat against the wall in the hallway.

A few minutes later, Iroh exited the room with a sad look on his face. He looked at her mournfully, then let out a big sigh. "He's not exactly the happiest person right now." He said as if he knew what she was going to ask.

Katara let concern spread across her face. "Why? Is he alright?"

Iroh looked over his shoulder then back at her. "He is now. Just don't mention family." He told her.

Katara nodded and went inside as Iroh ambled down the hallway.

"Hey." She said timidly.

"Go away." Zuko mumbled from a chair by the window.

Katara sighed. "I wanted to ask you-"

"What part of go away did you not understand?" He snapped his voice still a little shaky.

She ignored his question. "I wanted to ask if you wanted to take a walk or something." She rubbed her arm, which was mending quickly thanks to her ability to heal with water.

He turned and looked at her. "Why?"

She shrugged, "Just thought you might need some fresh air, you've been in here for a couple of days."

He looked hard at her. "What would we do?"

All these questions! She thought, But, maybe he's actually considering coming?

"Maybe go to a couple of shops or something. I don't know."

"Why not go with the Avatar-"

"He has a name. It's Aang." She interrupted

He almost smiled. "Why don't you go with…Aang." He said 'Aang' as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Or your brother or the blind girl?"

Katara's eyes fell. "Well…I just thought…since…you are always with Iroh, you might want to spend time with someone your own age…or close anyway."

Zuko's face softened then it turned stony just as quickly. "Well, I guess. I know you'll just some back later to bother me so I might as well go and save me the headache of listening to you whine."

Katara grinned and was sure she saw a smirk flicker across his face. Zuko pushed himself up out of the chair and wheezed slightly from his broken ribs. Katara walked over to help him but he just waved her away and she stood beside him while he grabbed a shirt and pulled it on over his head. His hair was much longer than it had been when she'd seen him after Iroh was hurt by Azula. She looked at him with pure concern written across her face, Zuko turned and looked at her questionably.

"What?"

Katara snapped out of it, and shook her head a little. "Oh, nothing."

He looked at her like he didn't exactly believe her but he didn't say anything. Katara showed him where the kitchen was and where everything was located then they headed outside. Zuko blinked his eyes a few times until they adjusted to the bright sunlight. Sokka was dozing on a pile of hay while Aang drew on his face with a marker, Momo and Appa were nowhere in sight, most likely in the stable. Aang saw her and his face seemed to fall slightly but he kept drawing the mustache on Sokka's face.

"So where are you taking me?" Zuko asked, looking around.

"I don't know, I suppose we could just wander."

He shook his head. "You brought me out here to 'wander'?"

"Yeah, so?" A man bumped into her. "Excuse me."

He snorted. "I don't 'wander' I want to know exactly where I'm going."

That's the fire bender talking. She thought.

"Maybe you should try it sometime, it gives you time to think and time to relax."

"And what exactly do you think I'm doing right now?" He added smartly.

Katara shot him a glare.

Up ahead, music was playing and a hog-monkey was dancing and tipping its hat to passerby while an old Earth Kingdom man was sitting against the wall, barely clothed.

"Oh look at the hog-monkey!" She exclaimed.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "So?"

"I think I'll give it some money, the man needs it and the monkey can perform very well." Katara dug in her knapsack for her money pouch. "I can't find my money!"

Zuko pulled his hand from behind his back. "Looking for this?" He tossed it up in the air and caught it a few times.

The water bender was baffled. "How did you…?" She snatched it from him.

"Lots of practice." He again almost grinned. Katara gave the man a gold piece and then they continued on their way. Zuko was pushing his way through the crowd behind the young water bender when he felt something grip his wrist. Looking down he saw the sharp contrast of heavily tanned skin against his paler skin. The hand was attached to Katara who had grabbed his wrist so not to lose him in the crowd; Zuko didn't like it but allowed himself to dragged around…for her sake.

They managed to get out of the big crowds and entered the nicer part of town. Ladies with long, hand sewn dresses and heavily jeweled fingers looked in the windows of shops while their children played in the street and romped with each other. Men would be in pubs drinking and singing war songs, and the younger men would be walking hand-in-hand with their beautiful girlfriends. Zuko felt a little uncomfortable when they passed such a pair and was relieved when they finally stopped at a shop.

"You can wait out here, I just want to check something out." Katara told him.

Zuko grunted in response, happy that he didn't have to go inside.

Katara walked inside and marveled at the different kinds of fancy jewelry and gorgeous dresses hanging about. Strings of shining, colored beads hung from the ceiling and the smell of roses and moon peaches wafted through the air. Katara mused through the store, stopping every so often to check the price on a dress then moving on. After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled one off the hooks. It was a white around the top and slowly darkens into a powdery blue and then into a cerulean blue nearing the bottom.

A few minutes later Katara came out shyly. "I think I'll buy this." She said to the store clerk.

"Oh, it fits you beautifully! What's the occasion?"

Katara twirled around in the dress, "My mother's wedding dress looked like this." She frowned.

"I'm sure she was just as beautiful as you look now." The clerk said.

"Thank you." She smiled. Men that were in the store looking at dresses with their girlfriends stopped and stared at Katara. One girl squealed and hit her husband, which caught Zuko's attention outside.

His jaw almost hit the floor when he peeked through the store door. Katara looked absolutely beautiful. The dress hugged all her curves and the front dipped into a little 'V' but not too deep. It reached a little above her ankles and angled off to flare out slightly on the right side. Behind her it was open backed to her lower back where the dress came back together. Her shoulders were bare, the dress being a halter topped one. The fabric glittered along with the shining sequins when she twirled around to go back into the changing room. It wasn't like Zuko hadn't seen a girl in a dress before, but not since he was about 13 and he had to admit that she was even more beautiful then any of the Fire Nation girls. He caught himself wondering what the dress would look like in red and mentally slapped himself for it.

Katara came out of the store with a bag and a slightly lighter money pouch. "Where to next?"

"I don't know, you tell me." He replied.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing, I just thought we were wandering." He retorted.

Katara shook her head. "You have problems."

Zuko frowned. " You have no idea." He said distantly.

Katara scrunched her eyebrows together, "What's wrong? Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Please?"

"No."

Katara sighed. "You don't talk much do you?"

"No." His lip quivered in an attempt to smile.

Her eyes widened. "Did you almost…smile?"

"No."

"I think you did. Now, we need a drum roll." She said teasingly. "And after wards we'll take a picture and it will go down in history as the first time I've seen you smile. Well, conscious."

Zuko stopped. "What?"

She stopped beside him. "When you were unconscious…I sort of took care of you. And one day you started to hallucinate, you thought I was…um…" She blushed a little bit.

"Well…tell me."

"You thought I was an angel, and you said how pretty you thought I was and stuff. Then you thought I was your mother and you kept saying how you were sorry and you didn't want to stay with your father because he would hurt you or something."

Zuko lowered his eyes to the ground.

"After that you thought I was Azula for a while, then you thought I was your mother and after that you passed out again."

"Anything else happen?"

"Well, you attacked Sokka one day I don't know if you remember that. You were fully conscious then though."

Zuko's mood lightened. "Is that why he hates me so much."

"Nah, he just hates you because you chased us relentlessly for like five months and tried to kill us with giant fire bombs. Oh and you knocked me unconscious when we were at the North Pole. That's probably why he hates you the most, because you hurt me, he's really protective when it comes to stuff like that."

Zuko frowned. "I guess, you have a lot of reasons to hate me."

Katara nodded, "Yeah, but for some reason I don't hate you. I did for a while but after seeing you so helpless, I realized that you are exactly like me. No home, mother gone, only one family member to stay with you, it's hard. So I figured that you can't be too bad."

He grinned, "I'm glad that I've found one other person who doesn't hate me."

They walked in silence for a while until the sounds of music and smells of food reached them.

She's a pretty girl

She's always falling down

And I think I just fell in love with her

But she won't ever remember

Remember…

"I wonder what's going on?" Katara said to herself more than Zuko.

He just grunted.

They pushed through a crowd of people and finally got to where they could see…sorta. There was a band playing and various people were dancing to the music. Zuko and Katara pushed through the crowd to the front of the crowd. The music wasn't very loud and it was easy to talk without having to scream.

"Zuko, Iroh told me about your mother and I'm really sorry."

He sighed. "I know he told me."

"And you're alright with me knowing?" She asked, surprised.

"Well, yeah. Now that I know you don't hate me." He grinned.

"My mother was killed by the Fire Nation." Her eyes filled with tears.

Zuko's eyes widened. "I'm sorry." His memory flashed back to when the war first started. The attack on the South Pole was the one they were bragging about that night so many years ago.

So please take me far away

Before I melt into the ground

And all my words get used against me"

You sad and lonely girl

Katara sniffled. "It still hurts even though it was so long ago."

"I guess that's another thing we have in common." He said somewhat compassionately.

Quit crying your eyes out

Quit crying your eyes out and baby c'mon

Isn't there something familiar about me?

"Yeah." Katara wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, I feel so vulnerable when I cry." She sniffled.

The past is only the future with the lights on

Quit crying your eyes out baby

The song ended and a slower song started. Various pairs came together making Katara hope that Zuko would ask her to dance, which then made her wonder why she was wishing he'd dance with her. Various pairs around them gradually clung together moving in small circles.

A new singer got up and started.

This time, this place

Misused, Mistakes

Too long, too late

Who was I to make you wait?

Just one chance, just one breath

Just in case there's just one left

'Cause you know, you know you know

I love you, I've loved all along

And I miss you, been far away for far too long,

I keep dreaming you'll be with me.

And you'll never go

Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore

A couple bumped into Katara sending her into Zuko's arms. He looked mildly surprised at first but then just held on to her.

"You're clumsy, you know that?"

She grinned, "I was pushed."

"Uh huh, right." He smirked.

Katara put her arms on his shoulders, "Shall we dance?"

Zuko pulled away. "I don't dance." He muttered and pushed through the crowd trying to get out. A very ugly young woman came up to Zuko and asked if she wanted to dance. Repulsed, he said the first thing that came to mind. "I'm here with someone."

"Oh really?" The young woman turned her awkwardly beaked nose toward where a very hurt Katara was standing. "That girl over there?"

Zuko who was staring at the oddly formed nose took a couple of seconds to respond. "Oh, yeah, yeah her." He said after mentally slapping himself…again.

"Well, dance with her! Or I'll dance with you whether you like it or not!" The ugly girl said with a smile, showing rows of not-so-white, crooked teeth.

Zuko jumped back and was by Katara in an instant.

On my knees, I'll ask

Last chance for one last dance

'Cause with you, I'd withstand

All of it to hold your hand

And give it all, and give for us

Give anything but I won't give up.

Katara looked upset as Zuko came up to her. He rubbed his arm with the other. "Do you want to dance?" He asked without looking at her.

Katara smiled. "Sure." She put her arms up on his shoulders and he placed his hands on her tiny waist. They moved slowly in a circle to the music.

'Cause you know, you know, you know

I love you, I've loved you all along

And I miss you, been far away for far too long,

I keep dreaming you'll be with me.

And you'll never go

Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore

So far away,

Been far away for far too long

So far away,

Been far away for far too long

But you know, you know you know

"What made you come back and dance with me?" She asked.

Zuko sighed and looked around, not spotting Beaky, he told her about the big nosed girl.

"Oh." Katara looked hurt, again. She lowered her eyes and stared at other couples.

'I did it again!' Zuko though to himself, 'either this girl is sensitive, or I'm just mean. I just told her what happened, and she gets all upset! Girls really are crazy!'

Katara looked up at him with her giant, deep blue orbs called eyes. "You don't have to do this you know."

Zuko let out a sigh, "I know, but I kinda like it."

Katara smirked. "Pervert." She quipped.

"What?!" Zuko blushed a little. "N-no I didn't mean it that way! I just meant that I-" What did he mean? The words had slipped from his mouth before he knew what he was saying.

Katara placed her fingers to his lips. "Calm down, I know what you meant."

I wanted, I wanted you to stay

Cause I needed, I need to hear you say

I love you, I've loved you all along

And I forgive you,

For being away for far too long

He quickly shut his mouth as a shiver was sent through his body. He hoped to God she didn't feel it. He felt himself being drawn to this girl, this exact opposite of himself. They were alike though, in a different way, different but the same. He felt comfortable with her, unlike all the others Fire Nation girls who were giggly and loud and very (uh…well the term isn't appropriate for this story, but you get the point.) She pulled herself a little closer to him and stared up at him, they were like that for a couple lines of the song then Katara lifted a hand and touched his scar.

Zuko blinked a couple of times but allowed her to touch him. Katara's touch was soft, like a feather on his skin except that it didn't tickle. Zuko was feeling so out of character; he wondered what had happened to his old self. The mean, nasty, self-absorbed, hot-headed 16 year old who want nothing more than to be respected by the world. Katara was wondering the same thing as she looked up at him, their eyes locked.

So keep breathing, cause I'm not leaving you anymore

Believe it, hold on to me never let me go.

Keep breathing

Hold on to me never let me go

Keep breathing

Hold on to me never let me go

The song finished and another more upbeat one started. Katara and Zuko parted and pushed their way out of the crowd. It was getting really dark now and they needed to get back. They headed down the street, walking closer than they had on the way here. Katara stopped in another store and got clothes for Zuko.

"Shouldn't I try them on?" He asked.

"No, they'll fit."

"But I like them kind of loose around the shoulders and-" He started.
Katara smiled at him. "Trust me, they'll fit. Have you forgotten that I live with two other boys?"

Hope you liked it!!! Sorry about the abrupt ending, but I would have kept going and it would have been like, 11 pages! So I decided to stop here.

The first song was Baby Come on, by Plus 44 and the second was Far Away by Nickelback.

REVIEW!!!