Katara groaned, doing her best to ignore the insistent knocking on her door. It was well into the night, and she'd only just gotten back to Ba Sing Se. Her trip to the Fire Nation colonies had been enlightening and, nine years after the war should have ended, they were getting ready to move their base of operations to the colonies. It was exciting and terrifying and exhausting. Which was exactly why she needed that person to take the hint that she was trying to sleep and come back at a more appropriate hour.

"What?" she finally yelled, ripping the covers back and storming toward the door.

"Hurry!"

Her heart stopped the moment she heard that voice, and a thousand thoughts and images went through her mind at once, leaving her feeling somewhere between overwhelming joy and intense nervousness. How long had it been since she'd seen Zuko? Close to six months with practically no communication? They hadn't had much time to explore their relationship after the Sokka and Suki's wedding. They had some delightful months getting to explore a different side of each other, but they'd had to share their time with the war effort, going over scouting reports in preparation for this big push to move into the colonies. Even then, they'd found moments to sneak off…

"Katara?"

"Coming!"

She'd rushed the end of her trip so that she could get back to Ba Sing Se to be there when Zuko's ship got in. Unfortunately, Zuko had done the exact opposite, apparently extending his trip. She'd waited for him at the docks, but he hadn't been on the ship. But now, here he was, knocking in her door in the middle of the night. Heart beating way too fast, her smile so wide it hurt her face, Katara stopped in front of the mirror, hastily combing her fingers through her hair and tugging at her shirt, wondering if she should put on pants, then she turned to her wardrobe, considering changing her clothes altogether. Would it really matter? Tugging at her hair, she went to open the door.

Whatever Zuko had been about to say died on his lips the moment the door was open. The unbound, boyish excitement dripped away as his expression shifted and softened. When he smiled at her, butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach. She felt like a teenager, awkward and unsure of herself, and she looked up at him through her lashes, not sure if she was smiling too much, if it would be too forward to invite him in. But it wasn't like they could just go roam the halls, and she was sure neither one of them wanted to sit in an office. Mumbling, she stepped to the side to let him in, and Zuko entered hesitantly, perhaps only then realizing that he would have to come inside. But it wasn't technically her room. It was just the room they'd given her when she'd arrived at the palace. She closed the door gently behind her, and turned to Zuko.

"I missed you," he blurted, his voice just a little too loud. "I…I missed you. A lot."

There was no way to stop the smile from spreading, and she hadn't even registered the bundle in his arms, just looking at him. The way his hair had grown, now down to his shoulders, and he was actually growing a bit of a beard, even though he swore he never would. Her heart beat quicker as she stepped closer to him, and he sat the bundle on her bed. It didn't take long to bridge the gap between them, and the moment she was in his arms, it was as if the world around her had disappeared. He crushed her against his body, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on the tips of her toes, determined that there not be any space between them.

"I missed you so much," he whispered, his lips against her neck.

Katara didn't trust herself to speak, completely surprised by the tickle at the corner of her eyes. All things considered, six months wasn't a long time. They had been apart for longer, depending on what the rebellion needed of them, but for some reason, this felt so much longer than the other times. Katara pulled away first, even though she could feel Zuko resisting her, but she only giggled, grabbing his face and bringing him to her for a kiss. He was incredibly warm and inviting, and he matched every ounce of passion. His hands were on her waist, trying to pull her even closer, and Katara felt a stirring in the pit of her stomach as she wound her fingers in his hair, and when he deepened the kiss, running his tongue along her lip, she responded in kind until they were making out like carefree kids. He made a little noise as he pushed into her, and it was setting her on fire, his hands tightening around her as her legs went weak. It was hard to ignore the stirring in her body, the way their breath was coming in ragged gasps. With a lot of effort, Katara pulled away, her lips tingling pleasantly.

"I missed you, too," she said, resting her head against his bare chest.

"Sorry, I couldn't wait until morning," Zuko said, shooting fire toward a few lanterns in her room. "I only got in a few hours ago, and I couldn't sleep. I had to see you."

She blushed as he led her toward the bed, glad for the dim lighting. "If it was anyone else but you, I would have bent them halfway toward the South Pole by now."

Zuko smiled warmly at her as he tenderly unwrapped the red bundle he'd sat down. When the object was completely uncovered, Katara stared at it dumbly. An egg? She looked between the egg and Zuko, her brain not quite processing what she was seeing.

"What…"

"Touch it."

There was undisguised joy on Zuko's face, so this couldn't be some kind of trick. Zuko was terrible at tricks, anyway. She reached out to touch the egg, grazing it lightly with her fingertips. Something moved inside and she ripped her hand away, understanding dawning on her, even as her brain fought against it.

"Where did you go?" She whispered quietly as she traced faint veins of gold on the porcelain white shell. "Tui and La, Ancestors preserve me, Zuko, this can't be…"

"I'm sorry I wasn't here yesterday," he said. "I'm really not supposed to be telling anyone this, so you can't tell anyone, but the Sun Warriors sent me a letter while I was investigating one of the colonies. They invited me back to speak with the Masters."

Zuko recounted the tale for her as she inspected the egg, how they made him go through several rituals and dress as one of them. They'd made him meditate for almost three days straight in a hot cave, left him alone with his thoughts, and finally, as the sun rose on the fourth day, the Masters, Ran and Shaw, came to meditate with him, and they did the Dancing Dragon together, and it was one of the most amazing experiences in his life. They'd deemed him worthy, and when he was leaving, the Sun Warriors gave him this egg and told him that soon it would hatch, that he would have the first dragon in nearly 100 years. They'd given him a pile of books and bid him good luck, saying they knew this precious creature was in good hands. As Zuko quieted, Katara put her whole palm on the egg, and she couldn't help the delighted smile as she felt the pulse. She could feel the life inside.

"Wow…" It was all she could say, and it was so, incredibly insufficient for everything he'd told her. "Does your uncle know?"

Zuko shook his head. "He was already sleeping when I got in."

Katara nodded, biting the inside of her cheeks to stop from smiling. "So, what now?"

"We wait, I guess."

Zuko took the blanket and made a nest on the nightstand, then gingerly laid the egg in it. It was adorable how tender he was being as he hummed a fragment of a song and stroked the egg, making sure that it was secure. Katara wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing him between his shoulders. He shivered, letting out a ragged breath.

"So," he said once he was satisfied that the egg was secure. "Tell me what you've been up to."

"Well, certainly nothing as exciting as you."

Still, he listened patiently as they got under the covers, extinguishing the lamps so that the only light was coming from the moon outside. Katara snuggled closer to him as she told him about the colonies she'd visited and some of the people she spoke with. She talked about studying Fire Nation politics with Hau, Yina and some of the other exiles, how she was considering studying with Kuei, and of course she'd talked extensively with her father. He lazily stroked her hair as she talked, and it was all very comforting, and by the end of recounting her adventures, such as they were, she found herself yawning.

"I didn't take you for the scholarly type," Zuko said, stifling a yawn of his own.

"Well…" Katara hesitated, not sure what she should say. In truth, there was a very concrete reason that she was trying to be more interested in politics, and it didn't always have much to do with the rebellion. In the end, she only shrugged.

When they ran out of things to say, they let the silence sit between them, and neither felt the pressure to fill it with empty words or idle chatter. Sleep weighted heavily on them and they drifted off. It wasn't the most restful sleep, if only because her mind wouldn't settle down, and she couldn't get over the fact that they were sleeping in the same bed, that he'd kissed her shoulder and her neck and whispered goodnight, that he was holding her closely, and a little part of her mind whispered that this was the way things were meant to be between them. They'd danced around it for so long, and finally giving in just felt so good. Several times during the night, she felt the bed shift behind her, and after the fourth time, she rolled over, ready to fuss at him for moving around so much.

"Sorry," he said, with a knowing smile. "I'm restless."

She held her arms open to him, and he straddled her, brushing her hair away from her face as she rubbed her eyes. Katara couldn't fight a smile as he kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, and when he finally kissed her lips, she wrapped her legs around him to keep him from pulling away. Zuko chuckled as he tried to pull her closer, and Katara could feel her heart racing as what little space between them quickly disappeared. Their kiss became rough and passionate, and several thoughts flew through Katara's mind as she tightened her leg around his waist and Zuko grunted, his hand hot against her thigh. It was delightful and naughty, and she was roomed right next to Sokka and Suki, but she could feel the heat on his tongue, and as she wrapped her fingers in his hair, their breath coming in ragged gasps between kisses, Katara knew that she would give all of herself to him. It was impulsive. It was delightful. It was scary.

"Three days meditating in a hot cave puts things in perspective," Zuko whispered, his mouth against her neck. "All my life, I've needed balance. I finally found it with you."

When he pulled away, Zuko was panting, but there was such warmth and tenderness in his smile. They did complement each other, and more and more Katara found herself seeking Zuko out whenever she had news to share. More and more, she found that she was disappointed when the person nearest to her wasn't him. No doubt it hadn't gone unnoticed, either.

"We make a good team, don't we?" She closed her eyes, needing to think clearly. "I…can I tell you a secret?"

"Always."

Katara licked her lips, feeling supremely unsure of herself and hating the doubt that was trying to creep into her mind. "The real reason I've been studying politics… I guess…" She shrugged. "I mean, I know that because of who we are, we'll always be involved in politics in one way or another, but… It's just that, I know we haven't had a lot of time to really figure out where you and I are going, but I think I'm hoping one day I'll have to know these things. That it'll be part of my job."

Zuko smiled and kissed her cheek. "Of course you…"

What she was trying to say slowly dawned on him, and Katara watched Zuko's face closely, ready for the slightest hint of rejection, the slightest twitch that said he wasn't as serious as she was. Slowly, he untangled himself and sat next to her, staring at his hands in his lap.

"I can't be casual with you," she blurted, sitting up and tugging at her hair. "The moment I heard your voice, I…I felt…" She sighed.

"Thinking about the future is scary," Zuko said slowly. "The road ahead of us isn't easy. In that cave, I saw…visions? Possibilities?" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "What I have to do will not be easy, and there is a chance… I fought him once, and things didn't work out so well for me, but I've changed, and I like to think I've gotten stronger, but… I've seen a future where things might not work in my favor."

Katara's heart broke, listening to him talk about the thing they'd all tried hard to ignore. He took a shuddering breath, and Katara threw her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she could. He pulled her onto his lap and nuzzled her.

"For a while, I wanted to push you away so that I could protect you, but… I can't be casual with you, either," he said. "I want you by my side, no matter what happens."

Gently, he cupped her cheek, and his lips barely grazed hers, but there was no way to keep her heart from soaring into the clouds. She didn't think their kisses could be any more passionate, but the kisses they shared then made her question what they'd shared earlier, because this was passion. This was need and lust and she dared to let herself believe that it was love, because the things he did to her, the way he made her feel couldn't be anything but love. An hour later, they finally drifted to sleep, naked and satisfied, and they didn't wake until around sunrise, when Zuko shook her. Groaning, Katara tried to hide under the pillow, but he only shook her harder, pulling the pillow away.

"Katara, wake up," he said, lifting her. "You'll miss it."

Opening one eye, Katara looked at the shaking bundle in Zuko's lap. Groggily, she stretched her arms, not missing the way he watched her, and maybe she exaggerated her movements just a little. Snuggling up against him, Katara reached a hand out to touch the egg as a piece of shell flaked away.

"We can't touch it," Zuko said, grabbing her hand. "The Sun Warriors said that we're not supposed to help."

So they sat in anxious, excited silence as bits of the shell fell away, and finally, a tiny red head poked out. Katara squealed as the little head rested before chipping away at more of the shell. Beside her, Zuko was practically vibrating, fighting the urge to help the dragon as it broke enough of the shell to free its delicate wings, then its legs. It gave the tiniest little croak, its long neck raised toward Zuko before moving on weak, shaky legs and finally clearing the shell.

"Agni above," Zuko whispered as he gently touched the little creature curled in his lap.

Katara laid her head on Zuko's shoulder, supremely glad that he chose to share this moment with her. He tightened his arm around her as he inspected the wings and the little horns and tiny red claws. The dragon croaked at him and Zuko smiled, saying he couldn't believe that this was real. 109 years after the last dragon was killed, a new one was born, and Katara couldn't imagine a better companion for the little creature.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked. "Have you thought of any names? What do we feed it?"

"You're such a mother," Zuko said with a light laugh. "We can grab the books a little later. They should tell us most of what we need to know."

They sat in silence, watching the dragon sleep for a bit, each lost in their own thoughts. With a contented sigh, Zuko dropped the shell and blanket to the floor, then maneuvered all of them so that they were laying down, the dragon curled up on his fire chakra, halfway covering his lightning scar.

"Thank you for sharing this with me," Katara said, settling down for what she hoped to be a nice, deep, uninterrupted sleep.

"There's no one else I could imagine sharing this with."