Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

Author's note: Okay, this chapter is fluffytastic. You'll like it if you like that kind of stuff. It'll get angsty soon, you wait. More drama and fun Zutara here, read on. And so, so sorry for the wait, lost ALL motivation for a while, and went through a writer's block. If you ever go see my other stories, you'll know how common it is for me.

Aand...I'd like a poll! Who should Sokka end up with? The choices are...and I'm always open to new pairings...

Suki

Toph

Ty Lee

Yue

Azula

Mai

Katara shifted comfortably, her head resting on something solid but oh-so-warm. She shivered, feeling a cool winter breeze ruffle the warm, heavy covering, and she pulled it closer, filling herself in the delightful heat. Her back was a bit sore, and she found that she was half-propped against something hard and slick, leaning on something firm but softer. In her mind, she was with Sokka, her sleeping form wrapped close to her brother as he protected her from harm, cold, and enemies. She felt secure in the cocoon of family that was weaved around her, Sokka and Aang, even Toph. Since she had taken Toph to the salon, Katara had looked to Toph as her little sister and friend. Katara smiled dreamily.

Suddenly, something shifted, and she was jolted to reality. The warmth was real enough, but her vision of Toph and Sokka faded. She couldn't feel the wind that whipped her face in Appa's saddle, she couldn't hear the whistle of it gliding over her. All she could hear was silence and soft breathing, which was not her own.

Eyes still closed, and slowly becoming more awake, she allowed her hand to explore for her eyes. She ran her hand up the smooth, marred thing that kept her upright, and recognized it as a tree, a cherry willow. Its balmy softness soothed her rough, weathered hands. She moved to whomever was beside her, though she already had an inkling of who it was. Despair flooded her, and she wished that her faint dream had been real, and clung to it in grief and fear. She touched a smooth, warm cheek, and her fingers danced up the straight jaw, slowing to gently trace the outline of an ear. Her eyes opened, and she was instantly awed.

Katara didn't know what happened to the Zuko she knew and hated with apalling ease. Here, from his right side, she had a perfect profile view of what Zuko could have been. Her eyes followed his straight, well-formed nose, his beautifully-shaped eyes produced from many years of royal breeding. His mouth was slightly open, and carved in a wickedly mischevious grin. Eyebrows, arched and dark, were shaped with impossible perfection, and the rage and grief that constantly plagued his face despite the masks he slipped over his expressions were gone. Here, he was calm and serene, no lines to mar his features. His ear was delicate and porportioned, and Katara couldn't resist reaching up and stroking a lock of soft, silky hair. Katara couldn't hide it any longer. Zuko was...magnificent.

Her hand trailed down his elegant, fair neck to his impressively wide shoulders, and she blushed gently, the soft tinge of pink not fully revealing or concealing the hatred and shame she directed at herself. What about Aang? Katara slapped herself in her head. Here she was, checking out the enemy when she should be looking for Aang. Katara didn't notice Zuko stir, then sit up, as she buried her head in her arms, her elbows resting on her legs as she sat back and cried quietly.

She didn't notice when he crawled over, on his knees, to place a hand on her shoulder, when he wiggled forward to settle next to her. She didn't even notice when he put his arms around her, held her tight, and she didn't notice herself burrow into his chest, sobbing her heart out at her guilt, shame, and misery that he didn't even realize was rooted in him.

Toph twiddled her fingers tiredly, wishing there was something other than sleeping or eating that she could do for fun. Earthbending sounded appealing, but Toph knew that there was a better chance of her metalbending than of the guards letting her have a clump of dust. Toph stroked the cold metal floor, imagining herself lifting and breaking it into slabs of steel. To her surprise, she felt it shudder beneath her hands, and her pale green eyes widened. Slowly, she lifted her hand, hearing the metal creak and groan, and she felt a bead of sweat form at her temple. Grinding her teeth, she pulled as hard as she could, and was rewarded with an impressive formation of metal.

Suddenly, the door banged open, and Toph gasped, propelling herself backwards and into the shadows. Trusting the metal that she once saw as blinding and an obstacle, she tried to detect the person through the dark steel. The most she got was small, delicate feet and a lighter frame than a man.

"Azula," she whispered, not able to think of anyone else it could have been. A light giggle interrupted her train of thought.

"Close, but no cigar," laughed a girl. Toph grimaced; Ty Lee. She could deal with the stubborn wit of Azula, but the shrill voice, the happy tone was too much for her.

"What do you want?" snapped Toph, glaring as menacingly as she could in the other girl's general direction. Ty Lee had always been particularly difficult to detect, possibly because of her incessant leaping and cartwheeling.

"Actually, I'm here to help you escape!" chirped Ty Lee cheerfully, "although it seems you're doing a pretty good job of it yourself. But I can't get you all the way out of the palace, though I can make your stay a little more comfortable!" Toph sneered distrustfully.

"Why are you helping me? You're with Azula!" growled Toph, and Ty Lee laughed again.

"Zuko has found that there is a waterbender running loose through the palace, and has decided to thoroughly flush out friends of the Avatar. I believe you are aquainted with a miss...Katara, I believe?" murmured Ty Lee, and Toph fell silent. So they had captured her.

"Please, is there any way I can help?" whispered Toph, and Ty Lee sighed.

"Yes, but that will require you coming quietly. We can take you to Katara and Sokka, but we don't know where the Avatar is," continued Ty Lee, keys jingling in her hands as she unlocked the bars. Toph stepped out, unsure of where to place her feet. The metal was still new and unfamiliar, so she had to take it slow. Her instincts screamed for a nice pile of earth, and every step felt like a drop into oblivion.

Sokka took a deep breath, and Mai brushed the dust off of his uniform.

"You had better not mess this up. Just stay calm, keep a level head, and be respectful, I don't care how much it kills you. Just pretend he's going to blast your head off at any second and you have to either talk to him calmly to him or grovel," she said flatly, and Sokka frowned. What?

"Okay...he's waiting...aaand...go!" she barked, pushing him through the wide double doors. He yelped, but was silenced as he saw a figure seated haughtily on the throne. Sokka's head burned, but he tried to remember what Mai had told him. Calm or grovel. Calm or grovel.

"Fire Lord Zuko, you wished to see me?" he asked quietly, allowing a short bow. He was surprised at how smooth he sounded. Just like a soldier in the army...the enemy army. He ground his teeth. Calm or grovel, calm or grovel, calm or grovel...

"Yes...I wanted to discuss your motivations for a position in my army and your background," said Zuko shortly, and Sokka was surprised. He had expected Zuko to be more blunt about his questioning, but he has danced carefully around the topic. Sokka blinked and realized that he hadn't answered yet.

"Oh...my apologies Fire Lord...my name is Ta Kai, I am the son of the overseas merchant Ta, but we lived just outside the city. I have no siblings, and my father was recently killed in the war. I live alone with my mother," finished Sokka, his ears burning as he went over his pre-arranged lines. What? Lived with his mother? Zuko looked amused.

"Hm...what about your lineage?" asked Zuko, and Sokka smiled.

"Mostly Fire Nation background, maybe a few Earth Nation women up the line," he said casually, "but we'd never cared to keep track of it or to mention that." Zuko looked satisfied with his reply.

"So, how do you like Gi-chen Ka so far?" asked Zuko, and Sokka grinned to himself. He has expected it to be much more difficult!

"Oh, I love it. I've never been inside a city so far, except for maybe one or two," he said coolly, confident about his subjects. Suddenly, he saw Zuko's eyes narrow, and his heart dropped. Had he said something wrong? But, just as quickly, Zuko's face returned to the mildly interested expression he had displayed up to that point. But it had been there. Sokka's hands started to sweat.

"So...what other cities have you visited?" attacked Zuko, and Sokka swallowed a few times. His mediocre education and his lack of understanding of the Fire Nation cities left him without an answer.

"Oh...you know...somewhere up...North..." he said weakly, and instantly regretted his reply. Zuko regained the suspicious expression, but slid the mask of indifference on again almost instantly.

"Thank you for your time, Kai, I hope to see you again soon," said Zuko, and Sokka was stunned. Why didn't he press further? It was rather unlike him, but Sokka wouldn't look a gift-buffalo-deer in the mouth. He only nodded politely.

"Yes...good day, Fire Lord," finished Sokka handsomely, bowing low. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, and he hoped that Zuko suspected nothing. He turned to leave, but stopped when he heard a loud noise behind him. Turning, he saw that Zuko had leapt from his high throne to the floor, his metal boots making an impressive thump. Sokka felt his hands grow clammy with anticipation as Zuko strode over.

"By the way...you look like a responsible, trustworthy kind of guy," started Zuko, and Sokka gulped. Here it came..."How would you like to be one of my personal bodyguards?" Sokka froze. Here was an death-defying, dignity-shredding, possible-fireball-in-the-face question. He hoped he had the right answer.

"Um...sorry, but no. I don't think I'm trained for that kind of work," tried Sokka, and Zuko's expression hardened.

"Please, I insist. I think that bodyguards should start earlier, so that a sort of...bond...can be developed." Sokka almost gagged. What?! Bond? With him?! But when he saw Zuko's eyes narrow, he make a quick, humbling decision.

"Well, of course, if your majesty wishes," he forced out, swallowing every ounce of pride he had. Zuko offered a half-smile.

"Good. You are dismissed, Kai," he said, and Sokka found himself bowing again. He suddenly knew how Katara had felt, dancing for her enemy. Well, here he was, dancing for the Fire Lord on command. It sickened him. He shut the door quietly behind him though he longed to slam it.

Zuko stood for another ten seconds, the smile wiped from his lips. His uncle stepped out from behind a pillar. Zuko didn't need to turn around to hear him.

"Did you get that?" he asked softly, and Iroh sighed and nodded. Gi-chen Ka was a portside city, and the ocean faced its north. There were no Fire Nation cities north of Gi-chen Ka.

"Besides, his eyes were the same as his damn sister's," added Zuko, as if reading Iroh's thoughts. Iroh's brow furrowed.

"Zuko, if you know he's against you, and possibly plotting against you right now..." mused Iroh, and the answer came as easily into his mind as it came out of his nephew's mouth.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," muttered Zuko, "we're one step ahead."

Azula contemplated the heavy bit of information. The Avatar was being transported to Agni Minor...Zuko was onto someone. The spy who had told her that bit of indigestable news was kneeling nervously, unsure of her reaction. Princess Azula was a tricky shcemer. Her stern face broke out into a generous, albeit thin-lipped, smile.

"Your work is appreciated, Private Yeng. You are dismissed," she finished, waving towards the door. Not bothering to hide his relief, he staggered away, never knowing that Azula kept him alive to use him further. If he was discovered, Zuko could do her dirty work for her by eliminating him in a nasty, drawn-out fire.

"Hm...the little airbender is being moved already, and we don't even know where he is now," she murmured, "what are you up to, big brother? No matter, I still have the upper hand. You can't run away that easily."

Okaay, leave nice long reviews, I like them personal. I don't really care if they're mean or not, but just be warned: leave a nasty review, and you might get a nasty reply. Don't forget to take the poll!! By the way, I'm open to new suggestion or requests. Liiike cute scenes and such. This chapter was more arranging the plot, but don't worry. Plenty of Zutara goodness coming up! Anyone esle notice that Zuko and Azula are the only ones in control of the game? Sometimes it reminds me of a chessboard. Zuko and Azula are on either side, with Aang, Toph, Katara, and Sokka in the middle. Now the question is...who will win?

ALERT!!: ZUKO HAS NOT DISCOVERED WHO KATARA IS, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CLEARED THAT UP. HE RECALLED HER EYES FROM MEMORY. Just wanted to add that, you can thank Zhao1206 for the input.