AN: Gomen nasai, I got started on another story. It just wouldn't let me alone. It's a FFX story, if anyone's interested check out the profile. And then I couldn't upload the chapter in, like, forever. Damn computers. Hope your summer's getting off to a great start. And for those who are during finals, Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I'm too lazy to do a long one. I own nothing.

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Zuko fought his way through the darkness around him towards the light. He felt the heaviness of his limbs return along with the aches and pains of someone who hasn't moved in days. He opened his eyes but closed them just as quickly with a hiss of pain.

A cool hand came to rest on his brow, soothing his pain. "Take it slowly; you've been out for a few days." The hand continued to stroke his forehead as he cracked open his eyes. The world spun at first then Katara came into focus. She was smiling down at him.

"What…" His voice cracked. She moved forward, slipped her arm around his shoulders and held a cup to his lips. He drank greedily at the cool water then laid back. "What happened?"

"You've been asleep for three days. I tried to heal you as much as possible, but I can only do so much. I'm sorry." She dropped her head but looked up again when she felt his fingers against her cheek. "I was able to heal your… cuts but you have a few bruised ribs. Plus you hadn't been fed for a week and were dehydrated. You needed to rest."

"How's Ishi?"

Her face darkened. "She… she's stable. The doctors have done everything they can for her. I even tried to heal her but I can't... couldn't, heal something so deep." Her face showed her anger. "A stomach wound is one of the worst, she's just lucky it entered high enough to not hit anything too vital. Plus your sister had some kind of drug on the blade. But she's strong, she's fighting."

Zuko pushed himself to a sitting position, wincing slightly at the pain. He released the breath he was holding when he stopped. That wasn't too bad.

Katara was by his side as soon as he started moving. "You shouldn't be getting up. Lie back down."

"I've been lying long enough. You've seen Azula, I can't just do nothing."

"But you can't do anything yet." She began to fuss over him.

"Would you just leave me alone!" Silence greeted his outburst.

Her eyes went from shocked to hurt to angry. "Fine! Go ahead and hurt yourself. I don't care." She left his room, slamming the door behind her. And he was pretty sure he heard some curses flung back in his direction.

"What did I do?" He pushed himself to his feet with a slight wince at the pain and pressure in his chest. Pain he could handle, but the dizziness made him sit down. He was trying to rise once more when Sokka walked in.

He grabbed the chair in front of the bed, spun it around, sat down and leaned on the back. "I still don't like you. You're arrogant, hot tempered and, basically, a jerk. But you can fight and you do have some brains, sometimes, so I guess you aren't all bad. I might even have a small, tiny bit of respect for you. After everything you did and all"

Zuko looked at him warily. "What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at is that I wouldn't take as much enjoyment in beating you up as I would have. But, if you give me reason to, I will still do it."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Sokka took out his boomerang and played with the edge. "Three days."

Zuko's already loose grip on his temper was slipping. "Three days what!"

"She hardly left your side for three whole days." He saw the temper leave Zuko in a rush. Good. "For the past three days, when she wasn't looking in on Ishi or taking care of personal business, she was in here with you. She ate in here, slept in here, spent every moment possible in here so you wouldn't be alone."

Zuko opened his mouth but nothing came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Why?"

Sokka shrugged. "Partly because she felt guilty. She blamed herself for your capture. Partly something else. You'll have to ask her what yourself. If she'll talk to you." He got up and walked to the door. "You know, I've never seen her so worried and upset as when she first saw you in there." Zuko bowed his head and Sokka turned to face him fully. "One more thing. You hurt her and you'll have to deal with me."

Zuko watched as the light glinted off the edge of the boomerang evilly. "Got it."

O.o.o.o.o.O

Iroh stood in the doorway watching his nephew. The boy was taking slow, careful strides across the room gaining strength back as he went. "Keep this up and you'll have your sea legs back in no time."

Zuko turned quickly at the sound and his legs gave way beneath him. "Damn it." He pushed himself up and collapsed heavily in the chair.

Iroh smiled as he walked in and sat on the bed. "Well, not too soon it seems. How are you feeling, nephew? Katara told me you were awake." Zuko made a face. Iroh's eyebrow rose. "Yes. I heard there was a' cough 'slight disturbance this morning. Nephew, one word on women. They are fiercely protective of those they love. Is she counts you as a friend, she will do everything she can to take care of you, even if it means beating you into submission." He started laughing and Zuko looked at him, half in disbelief and half wary. "All she wants is for you to take care of yourself."

"I'm not a child, uncle." Some of the old Zuko was poking through to the surface; angry and impatient.

"To them, it doesn't matter if you're eight or eighty; you're still under their protection. Count yourself lucky, though, it means she likes you." Zuko blushed and Iroh laughed heartily at his discomfort.

He cleared his throat and looked at his uncle. "Uncle, I need to train harder. There's no way I could beat Azula at my current level. I need to get stronger, I need to beat her. I know you say that we're family and family shouldn't fight but…"

"Are you kidding? She's crazy! She had her men chase me around the village like a dog. She's no niece of mine. We'll start your training when you've regained your strength. Until then, rest and relax. I'll bring you tea later." He rested his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I'm glad you're alright, Zuko."

"Thank you, uncle." The words were faint, barely reaching Iroh in the doorway. But reach him they did. He smiled and left.

O.o.o.o.o.O

Later, after an excited Aang had visited, bouncing around the room, asking a million questions, Zuko threw a sleeveless training shirt on and left his room. He thought about going to Katara but decided against it when he felt the angry shift of the water. He made his way to the infirmary.

Ishi was lying on a bed, still and pale, when he walked in. There was a faint color returning to her cheeks and her breathing was even. He sat next to her. "You don't look too bad."

She cracked an eye open, looked at him and closed her eye again. "You look like shit."

He frowned. "Next time, I won't try to be nice."

She smirked. "Good. I'd rather you be honest with me. I prefer honesty to flattery."

"You're not making this easy for me."

Her smile got wider. "When do I ever try to make things easy for anyone? It's not in my nature. I like to jab at people like a rock in their boot. It's the only thing that gets some people moving." She opened her eyes and fixed him with her emerald gaze. "Now, what am I not making easy for you?"

His hands clasped his knees, his arms stiff, body tense, and he stared at the floor. His voice was gruff and slightly hesitant. "I want to thank you."

"We all came to rescue you, not just me. And Katara was the one who was in the lead."

His face became even harder. "Not for that. For afterwards. If you weren't there… None of us would've gotten there in time." Her eyes were wide, shocked by his words. "I owe you more then I can ever repay."

His molten eyes met hers and she was pleased by the emotion that lingered there. He got up and left the room. She smiled. "You sure picked a good one, Katara." She closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.

O.o.o.o.o.O

Zuko emerged on deck and took a deep breath, glad to be out in the open. His eyes swept the deck, unconsciously searching for her. She was nowhere in sight. He made his way aft, past boxes and supplies that were being stored, to the stern of the ship. And found her.

She moved across the deck followed by a trail of water. He sat in the shadows, not wanting to disturb her, just watching her bend.

The sun glinted off the water, casting patterns of light across her features. She moved across the deck more aggressive and passionate then normal but still fluid and graceful. Her movements were more dance-like then bending as she twirled and leapt around the deck. It wasn't something he'd ever seen her do. It was a vision he would forever keep close. He leaned against the hull and settled in to watch the beauty before him.

She dipped and twirled, water droplets hanging about her like so many jewels. Her arms waved in time to music that she created. He could hear it faintly; a song about lovers separated by war and strife only to be united in the end by the gods as stars in the sky. There was a quiet joy in her face as she ended her dance in a flourish.

She landed on one knee, her head bowed and her arms flung wide. The water hung over her head in an orb, catching the colors of the setting sun, turning her skin golden.

She rose and took the orb in her hands, staring at the sunset. He walked quietly to her side. "I've always liked sunsets."

She started slightly but kept her back to him. She sent the remaining water over the side. "I would have thought that sunrises were more your thing. You know, all that 'I rise with the sun' stuff." She turned her head and arched an eyebrow, challenging him.

He shrugged slightly. "My abilities might strengthen then but that doesn't mean I prefer it. Darkness has always suited me better. I've always been more comfortable at night." The corner of his mouth lifted. "Plus, dawn doesn't have this much color; it's harsher, more unforgiving, colder."

They stood together, silently enjoying the other's company till the sun sank below the water. As the last bits of color streaked the sky, he placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry." She turned towards him, a question in her eyes. "I didn't want to make you worry."

To his surprise and delight, she flung her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have gone through that. You wouldn't have been hurt. I wouldn't have hurt you."

He felt a slight wetness on his neck and pulled back to look at her. She refused to meet his gaze. He put his fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. "You did nothing wrong."

She shook her head. "I was angry and I wanted you to stew for a while before I forgave you. I always intended to but I was being childish. And, because of that, because of me, you got caught."

He smiled, a genuine smile. "I'll forgive you if you'll forgive me."

Her face softened, she smiled and nodded. Hesitantly, unsure of his reaction, she laid her head against his chest. He tensed briefly then wrapped his arms tighter around her. She relaxed against him. He brushed his cheek against her hair. "Thank you, for staying with me."

Her voice floated up to him with a promise. "Always."

He looked down at her, hunger in his eyes. Her heart sped up and she breathed quickly through slightly parted lips. He bent towards her and she rose on tiptoes to meet him.

Their lips brushed, testing the softness of the other, then settled. A shock went through them at their first contact and they instinctively deepened the kiss.

His eyes fluttered closed and, for the first time in a long time, he felt truly happy.

She sighed into the kiss, closed her eyes, and moved her hands up to brush the peach fuzz that was now his hair. I'm home.

They broke apart with a slight sound. She sent him a dazzling smile and rested her head against his chest once more. His arms tightened around her and she cuddled into his embrace. They stayed in each other's arms as the stars came to life around them.

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AN: Ahhh, I remember the first time my uncle met my boyfriend. He said, "Remember, I'm a cop and I have a gun." Gotta love family. Well, it took 17 chapters but they finally did it. Hope it was worth the wait. Review please.