Judgement

Chapter Fifteen- What Really Matters

Kissing is like drinking salt water. You drink and your thirst increases.
-Chinese Proverb

"You're a good man." Katara told him before leaning up and placing a lingering kiss on his scarred cheek. "Thank you." She whispered in his ear.

Without even thinking about it, he grabbed her wrist when she turned to leave. He ignored the surprised and questioning look on her face as he pulled her body flush against him. He just knew he couldn't let her go.

Before she could say anything, he pressed his lips to hers, silencing anything she might have said. He moved his lips against hers hungrily. He smiled into the kiss when he felt her respond.

Her hands moved up his chest to wrap around his neck and he put both hands on her waist pulling her closer. Sensations shivered through him when her fingers gently rubbed the back of his neck before she pulled away slowly.

Then she disappeared before he could even look at her.

Zuko woke up slightly upset he dreamt it, slightly upset it was just a dream. He didn't open his eyes right away. There was no point to. He sighed and tried to go back to sleep.

"Zuko?" His eyes shot open and he threw himself at whoever it was in his room. He pinned the obviously startled person on his bed. "Zuko, it's alright!" A familiar female voice called. He looked down.

"Katara?" He nearly gasped. "What are you doing here?" He yelled, almost sounding angry.

"I had to talk to you." She whispered bringing her hands to his neck. Zuko shook his head and pushed off of her not wanting to go through this. "I want to apologize first." Katara tried, sitting up. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions this morning." She wanted to smack him when she rolled his eyes but she paused deciding how to word what she wanted to say. "Will you still chase Aang?" Will you still chase me?

"I have to. You know that." She told her in an angry tone. "We're enemies and always will be." He laid back down. "Now get out."

Katara didn't listen to him though. Instead she leaned over him and looked at him like she was studying him. She stayed silent for a while before she touched his arm.

"Come with me." His eyes snapped open at this.

"What?" He asked, thinking he heard her wrong.

"Come with me." She squeezed his arm. "Travel with us, fight with us."

"Then I'll never return home." He told her. "It would be pointless. Nothing good would come from it." He whispered, the angry tone slowly being replaced by a saddened one.

"Forget going back there." She almost shouted. "I don't get why to you want to go back there anyways."

"It's my home!" He shouted sitting up so fast that Katara jumped back a little.

"Home is where people love you, where they understand you. That's not the Fire Nation and you know it."

"Then I have no home!" He shouted again.

"Your home is with your uncle." She paused taking a deep breath. "You could have a home with me." She nearly whispered. Zuko's eyes softened a little shocked and he sat there speechless. "Come with me." She pleaded again. "Where people won't judge you, where people-"

She was cut off when Zuko put his hand behind her head and quickly pulled her lips to him. Katara's eyes widened in surprise before she realized that the shock that ran through her wasn't just from the surprise of him kissing her. It was from warm tingling sensation that spread from her stomach to her entire body. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on his chest slowly moving them to his shoulders.

Zuko on the other hand got into it right away. He knew just how much he wanted this and he knew just how much pain it could cause him. He didn't care anymore, at least not right now. He moved his lips passionately against hers as his hand tangled in her hair. As soon as he felt her start to respond, he deepened the kiss, licking her bottom lip gently asking for entrance which she granted.

The kiss kept getting deeper as Zuko gently pushed her back down to the bed so he was lying on top of her. Electrical sparks set them on fire and for once, all judgements and thoughts faded away and all that mattered was this one moment.

Zuko pulled away but not very far. His lips still brushed hers just slightly and his forehead rested on hers. Both of them were breathing heavily and Katara's hands held his face, afraid he'd try to pull away and take it all back.

"What about my uncle?" Zuko asked breathlessly. Katara looked at him confused before she realized that he was agreeing to go with her. She smiled.

"He can come too. Whatever you want." She pulled him down for a short kiss but as soon as she pulled away, he kissed her again. This time is was soft, like a promise. He was never going to let her go.

"Let's go." He whispered once he pulled away. He grabbed her hand and reluctantly stood up. Katara turned her legs and sat on the edge of the bed looking into his golden eyes that seemed to make her melt.

"I love you." She whispered, unsure she even said it until he responded.

"I love you too." He kissed her one more time before forcing her to stand. "I hate it, but I love you." She took no offence to it and walked with him to the door.

"Will you tell your uncle?" She asked as they walked through corridors still holding onto his hand.

"Something tells me he'll know where I am." He looked around wondering if Iroh was somewhere around at the moment. "If he wants to, he'll come find me." As they approached the deck, Zuko moved behind her and grabbed her upper arms. "Play along." He whispered in her ear.

Katara was slightly confused but when they approached the guards, it made a little more sense. They still thought she was a prisoner. The guards looked a little confused at seeing her again and she tried her best to look like a prisoner.

"You're dismissed." Zuko told the men roughly. The men nodded quickly, knowing not to disobey or ask questions, and walked away. Once they were out of sight, Zuko let go of her arms and stepped beside her. "You guys won't judge me?" He asked looking straight out.

"Sokka will no doubt." Katara laughed a little. "But it doesn't matter what he thinks." She turned towards him and placed a hand on his cheek, making him look at her. "I won't judge you."

Zuko genuinely smiled at her before taking her hand once more and leading her off of his ship.

Okay well this is the last real chptr. I'll have an epilogue up in not too long. I hope you all like this chapter. I'll tell you my plans for the future in an A/N in the epilogue... I have a sequel in mind but I'm still deciding so... until next time.