Grr. Sometimes I hate my computer. I tried to upload this chapter, but it wouldn't work, so i had to go to notebook and then change the format in editing and...needless to say, it was a bit trying. But! luckily, i got it posted, so forgive any odd mistakes you might see...hope you like this one, though it's a bit emotional.

Chapter Twenty-three

Ty Lee glanced back at Sokka's still unconscious figure. She had done what she could to dress his wound, but she wasn't sure if it was enough. She needed to get Sokka to his sister, the waterbender. Maybe she could make it better.

"I'm sorry, Sokka," she whispered. "I didn't want you to get hurt." He was brave, but Ty Lee knew he had done something incredibly stupid. And, though Azula had tramped off in the opposite direction of the Air Temple, Ty Lee knew it was only a matter of time before she figured out what had happened. And then she would be angry.

A moan escaped from Sokka, indicating that he was waking up, so Ty Lee reached behind her and jabbed at one of his nerves, rendering him unconscious once more. The last thing she needed was for him to wake up when they were traveling. It would hurt him more than necessary.

As the Temple began to come into view, Ty Lee let out a little sigh of relief. Hopefully, Sokka could be helped. And hopefully Azula hadn't set her up. That was her biggest fear. Ty Lee didn't want to be the one to betray her newest friends. Still, it was getting hard playing on both sides of the fence. Azula was beginning to get suspicious. And why not? Ty Lee had changed. She was less…enthusiastic about what the princess was doing. And it was beginning to show.

"Azula and Mai are still my friends," she whispered, "but you are, too." A ghost of a smile flickered on her face. "Let's just hope you guys don't start mixing. If that happens, I'd have to worry about everyone else's sanity, too."

Zuko kept his eyes on Katara as she led him through the temple. She held his hand and she was laughing, her eyes like jewels in the sun. Her hair was up, as it nearly always was, and Zuko had the sudden urge to pull it free of its pins and loopies.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked.

Katara smiled back at him. "You'll see," she answered.

Zuko didn't really care about where she was taking him, really. He was simply trying anything to make her look back at him. He smiled. Not that it was too hard. Besides, she seemed as if she was having fun.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Jet came running around the corner. When he spotted Katara, he breathed a sigh of relief but stopped short when he saw her hand intertwined with Zuko's. Katara immediately let go, leaving Zuko feeling bereft…and angry.

Jet glared at Zuko for a moment and then turned to Katara, his face carefully blank. "Katara, we've been looking all over for you…It's Sokka"

Katara gasped and followed as Jet darted away. Zuko stayed behind for a moment before following at a slower pace, a scowl fixed on his face. He was getting closer to Katara, but he had a feeling that Jet would try everything to make sure that didn't happen.

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Katara's heart thumped wildly in her chest as she dashed through the halls of the temple. What was wrong with Sokka? "What is happening!?" she screamed silently. "Jet--"

"Hurry, Katara"

"What--"

"Come on." As he led Katara outside, Jet tried not to show his anger. He had noticed Katara holding that…firebender's hand. How could he not? What was going on? If he didn't know better, he could swear Katara liked the guy. But that was impossible. "It is impossible…isn't it"
Still. Anything was possible…
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Katara nearly screamed when she entered the courtyard. Iroh was feverishly making tea and Toph was resting against the stone wall. But there, in the center, was Aang and Ty Lee, kneeling beside Sokka's prone figure. Even from far away, Katara could see the large black and red spot on Sokka's shoulder.

With a startled little cry, Katara flew across the courtyard, her hand already summoning the water from her waterskin.

"What happened?" she asked tearily, though she could already guess. She placed her water-covered hands over the wound and began to heal her brother.

Ty Lee glanced sadly at the distressed girl and shook her head. "We…caught up with your flying bison," she admitted. "Sokka wouldn't tell Azula where Aang was so she…she…" The girl broke off, looking towards the ground.

Katara's hands abruptly stopped glowing. She never noticed as Zuko entered the courtyard, keeping a suspicious eye on Jet. "How could you let that happen?" she asked Ty Lee, her voice rising. "How could you simply let her do that to my brother? Don't you have any compassion at all?" Her anger grew and the nearby pond began to ripple dangerously. Aang shared a troubled look with Iroh but the two remained silent.

"And what are you doing here?" Katara continued. "Spying for Azula? I bet you led her right to us!"

Ty Lee lifted her head, her eyes wide with shock and misery. "No! I would never do that, never."

"Why not? Azula's your friend, right? Then again, it doesn't seem like you're too loyal."

Katara was about to say more when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and back to find Zuko looking down at her. "Katara…Look. She put a bandage on his wound, brought him here to you. If she didn't care, if she was only leading Azula here, then why would she bother bringing him back at all?"

"I don't know. Guilt?" Katara retorted, though her heart was no longer in it. She sighed just as a hand snaked around her ankle.

"Katara..."

Katara's anger immediately disappeared and she looked down at her brother, a smile on her face. She reached down and brushed the hair from his face. "Sokka. Are you all right?" she asked in concern.

"I've…" Sokka took a deep, pained breath. "I've seen better."

"Well, at least you're alive."

"Yeah…but are you going to heal me or yell at Ty Lee all day."

"What? Oh!" Katara gave her brother a guilty look and then took the bandage off of his shoulder, placing her hands over his wound again.

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Zuko watched as Katara's hands began to glow, sealing the burn mark on her brother's shoulder. As he watched Katara lovingly heal the burn, Zuko finally admitted the truth. It welled up in him, taking him by surprise, but it had been there for quite some time. He loved her. Now all he needed to do was make her see just how much he cared about her…and find a way to keep Jet out of the picture.

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Iroh watched his nephew watch Katara. His look was so tender and caring, it took the old general by surprise. It seemed his little plans for getting bringing Katara and Zuko were working well. Actually, they were working much better than he had anticipated. Still, it was nice to see such a change in Zuko.

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Katara finished healing and made sure her brother was comfortable before standing. As soon as she stood, however, the world around her began to spin, and she felt faint. She had spent too much energy healing her brother, though it was a worthy thing to spend it on.

The waterbender began to sway. Both Jet and Zuko moved forward to catch her but, as the world began to fade away, Katara moved closer to the most familiar. Just before she fainted, she smiled into his eyes, knowing that he would catch her.

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Zuko caught Katara and lifted her into his arms. He turned to Iroh. "I'll take her to her room, Uncle." His gaze found her face and when he spoke again, his words were soft. "She's very tired."

Without another word, he left the courtyard and carried her through the temple, savoring the feel of her in his arms. Zuko smiled down at her. She looked so peaceful, so calm. Warmth seeped into him and he entered her room, still smiling.

Zuko placed her gently on her cot and covered her with a thin blanket, knowing she would be a bit cold in the night. He turned to leave but was stopped as Katara weakly grabbed hold of his hand.

"Zuko…would you stay with me?" His stomach fluttered and his heart began to beat faster at the question.

He smiled gently. "I'd love to," he answered.

Eeee! I just love the thought of Zutara, don't you? Sorry, I was looking at some fan-art, and some screenshots from the season finale and I couldn't help myself. And, there's supposed to be an Avatar live-action movie…I wonder who they'll get to play the parts… Uggh…has anyone heard anything about the new season? I'm dying here, waiting for it to be on…and I'm dying to see if they're going to take the Zutara thing any farther…you know there were hints! There were definite hints…uggh. They need to stop teasing us and get on with it! Do you agree?
Please review!