Sorry about the format issues, keeps happening. Thanks for catching that.
Soooo this chapter may not be my best, but I think it's important in fleshing out their relationship in a more rational way.
Note: I've messed with the traditional Season 3 timeline, the eclipse is much sooner than is given in the series.
What's Left Unsaid
Katara woke when the sky was high in the sky, feeling sore and stiff from Zuko's outburst the day before. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
She saw Zuko sitting in her armchair, leaning forward, his head bent forward over his knees.
"You're still here..." She said, sitting up fully.
He looked up abruptly, dark circles under his eyes.
"We...we need to talk."
"I know."
She moved to sit on the end of the bed.
"Zu-" she began, stopping abruptly as he held up his hand.
"Katara before you say anything else I need you to know that your loved ones are safe from me, please believe me, I will do all in my power to keep you and them safe." Safe being a somewhat subjective term - Zuko thought guiltily, yet surprised at the sincerity he felt in desiring to protect her.
The combustion bender won't be interested in her brother...he's only been ordered to verify the Avatar's death...she thinks he's dead, she won't be affected by it, her brother will be fine, she won't hate me, she won't hate me - Zuko's thoughts raced through his mind.
She inhaled, "Zuko if you have anything to do with my brother or friends being hurt...then I could never forgive you...maybe it would be best for you to find me somewhere else to stay. I'm grateful to you for getting me out of that cell but it's all gotten...out of hand," She said, gesturing around her.
"I know it has. Katara I won't return you to your cell, Water Tribe prisoners are the lowest of the low...the guards and other prisoners would rob you of all honour...I couldn't let that happen.
She bit her lip. Afraid of what she had to say next.
"Zuko why do you stay here? You are a good person, however much you try to hide it...I know this is your home but you're better away from these people, away from Azula and your father..." she drew a deep breath and waited for his reaction.
He sighed slightly, standing and pinching the bridge of his nose - a habit she had become familiar with to recognize him as wrestling with his inner demons.
"Katara, you don't understand...I am heir to the throne! I can't just leave!"
Katara stood also, walking towards him. Zuko's heart thumped in his chest.
"I know you are...but after what your father did..." She stretched up her hand to touch his scar.
He pushed her hand to the side, becoming angry and resentful all at once - not at her, but at himself for knowing she was right.
"I was out of line! You couldn't possibly understand the politics of being a royal!"
"I understand enough about family that whoever did this to you doesn't deserve your loyalty, you're a good person Zuko!"
"You don't know me!"
"I know enough!"
This silenced Zuko.
"How can you know? After everything I've done to you, I'm the reason you can't go home." He hoped she wouldn't read too deeply into the last part.
"Zuko you saved me from Azula!"
"I'm the reason you needed saving!"
Katara took his hand, "Do you regret it?
"...more than I can say."
"Then you are good."
They stayed like that for a moment, Zuko trying to find his words.
"I'm sorry I was so angry yesterday...it's just...all I ever wanted was my father's love and acceptance. Now that I'm back I thought...I thought he'd treat me as a son...I thought I'd be happy, but I'm not."
Katara didn't know quite what to say, instead she looked up at him.
"If...if I offered you a way out," Katara swallowed, "Would you come with me?"
Zuko's eyes darted to her face.
"I don't know," he said quietly, "Maybe."
She nodded.
He took a deep breath, "Katara...I was thinking, my father wants to send me and my sister to Ember Island, but we could go ahead of the others. Maybe there would be an opportunity for you to escape safely..."
Her heart caught in her throat.
"But I want you to go back to the North Pole, and stay in hiding for as long as you can. Don't worry for the Avatar, worry for yourself. I don't want my sister to find you, the South is too obvious a place to look." He didn't tell her the real reason for the choice of the North as a refuge, couldn't bring himself to reveal to her just how much of a monster he was.
Katara slipped her hand from his, turning away and facing the window, trying to break away from the intensity of his gaze.
"Zuko they need me...to end the war. To end all the suffering...surely, surely you can see how wrong it all is?"
"Katara, with the Avatar gone there is no way to defeat the Fire Lord and his armies. The Earth Kingdom has fallen, what is so bad about Fire Nation rule? With the war over there won't be any more suffering."
She frowned. "Zuko I have travelled the world. I've seen how the Fire Nation treats conquered people, they are little better than slaves, taxed into oblivion, benders oppressed, fathers ripped from their families..." and Aang isn't dead - she thought, still afraid to tell him the truth.
"When I become Fire Lord I can change that!"
"When you become Fire Lord there may not be enough of you left that wants to!"
This left him speechless. Is she right? a small nagging voice whispered from his mind.
He shook off that thought, walking towards the door. "I'll bring you some proper clothes, we leave tomorrow."
Katara watched him leave, wondering.
Ember Island
A crisp blue sky stretched above the royal barge as it glided smoothly across the harbour into Ember Island.
Katara stood above decks, relishing the soft sea breeze, the sound of gulls calls in the air. She and Zuko had barely spoken in the time since their argument, aside from what few words were needed to make the short journey to the Fire Nation retreat.
She was relieved at the freedom being out of the palace had given her, she could move about the decks during the day, even having her own quarters at night (under a light guard of course). The distance from Zuko helped to clear her mind and she knew now that she had to have a plan, any plan which would get her out.
The hollowness she had felt since Zuko's outburst hadn't quite left her, now mostly replaced by sadness, sadness that he might be too far gone.
She jumped a little as a hand touched her bare shoulder, it was him.
"Come on, we're about to dock." He said, touch vanishing as quickly as it came.
The palanquin carried them from the harbour through the stifling heat of the baking sun, up the hill and away from the town.
"Where are we going?" Katara said, peering out of the curtain.
"The family house is some distance from the tourist areas, we won't be bothered by anyone," Zuko replied shortly.
The house was hardly a house, more of a mansion. Staff had cleaned it up for the occasion of a royal visit, yet there was still evidence of neglect in the slightly too wild vegetation surrounding the villa.
Zuko had kept the staff minimal, just three or four servants practiced in the art of ultimate discretion.
Katara was shown to her own room, several doors down from Zuko's. It was pleasant enough, with large bay windows overlooking the sea and an accompanying balcony which opened up onto the garden.
She unpacked the clothes Zuko had brought for her, holding up her mended blue tunic nostalgically. Her mother's necklace had been taken from her in prison in Ba Sing Se, she doubted she would ever see it again. It was like saying goodbye to a piece of her life.
A cough came from the doorway, she turned sharply, dropping the tunic back to the bed. Zuko was in casual attire, barefooted and leaning slightly against the doorframe.
"I've dismissed the servants for the night, there are things we need to talk about and I don't want to be overheard."
She nodded. "I'll be on the beach," he said, leaving.
Katara went back to her unpacking, Anxious about what he wanted talk about. She pulled out a red halter bathing top and light sarong. She changed quickly and took a slow walk down the path to the beach.
The sun was hanging low in the sky, the sound of waves crashing becoming more apparent. Zuko was swimming languidly in the water just off the private beach.
Katara strolled down to the water, kicking off her shoes to feel the sand between her toes.
The water called to her, it had been so long since she had bent freely. Glancing momentarily at Zuko, she began to stream the water, slowly bending it about herself, feeling the push and pull.
She became quite lost in herself, suddenly noticing Zuko standing at the edge of the water, watching.
"Feel like a spar?"
She smiled a little, moving into the defensive position, hands up, "More of a rematch I think."
He chuckled, mirroring her movements, waiting.
He shot a cautious streak of flame at her, steam hissing as she pulled up a strong shield, whipping it around into a water-whip and striking at Zuko's legs. He dove forward over the whip, rolling up to shoot two rapid fire-balls at her. Katara cartwheeled to the side, pulling an immense amount of water to twist into an octopus form, shooting icicles at Zuko. He broke them physically with his hands, dancing closer to Katara. She switched tactics, sending a barrage his way. He quickly formed a V-shaped fire shield, cutting through the wave.
Steam billowed over the beach, eerily lit by the orange of the almost-set sun. Katara stood at the defensive, alert, aware of every sound. Zuko leapt out of the steam, catching her about the waist and tumbling to the ground.
He pinned her there, "I win," he said, smirking.
"Really?" She said, he looked down to notice an icicle pressed to his abdomen.
He chuckled, grasping her arm and pulling her up.
She smiled at him freely, for the first time in a long while, "Thanks Zuko, I think I needed that."
"I did too, it's nice to be able to do something together that isn't complicated," He hadn't let go of her arm, moving his hand down it to grasp it lightly.
He cleared his throat, letting go.
"Katara I know we haven't spoken much in a while...but I think I have a plan. Let's go inside, it's getting late," he said, glancing at the dim sky.
They walked back inside without comment, Zuko flicking his fingers to light several candles. He led her into a study, pulling out a large map of the Fire Nation.
"So what's the plan?" Katara said, moving to look over the maps.
"I thought that I could try sending you to the northern Earth Kingdom with several families relocating to colonies there...you could pose as a well-born noble joining her family in the colonies." He traced the route on the map.
"Then maybe I could arrange for you to be sent with some ambassadors to the North Pole and you could slip in..." he trailed off, looking troubled. "It's that part that's the hard bit."
"Zuko why not give me money for a boat, I could get there well enough on my own," she looked up, folding her arms.
"What if there's a storm Katara? What if you run into a Fire Nation patrol or pirates?" Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated that she couldn't see why he was unwilling to send her off alone.
"I can take care of myself Zuko, I know how to blend in...the North trades with those villages on the coast all the time. I'll hitch a ride with them."
"Katara, you can't be sure that there will be trade now that the Fire Nation has control of the area. It's too risky."
"I'll be fine, seriously it's insulting you have so little faith in me..." she said, looking annoyed.
"Katara it's not that I don't have faith, it's just...I want you to be 100% safe."
Katara's expression softened.
"I'll never be 100% safe Zuko, not now, not in this world."
He looked away. "You would be with me."
She didn't know what to say to this.
He took a deep breath, reluctantly conceding, "But if you really want to leave...I'll get you as far as the colonies."
He moved closer to her, "But stay in the North Katara, don't leave until after the Comet at least."
"Why the Comet?"
He couldn't tell her, not when they were so close to parting. He couldn't stand her thinking him an aberration.
"Just...it seems like a good benchmark."
She nodded. "I'll try then."
Relieved he smiled slightly, "I'll set plans in motion so you leave a few days before the eclipse, my sister and father won't bother with you with the eclipse to prepare for."
But...but if it's before the eclipse then there's no chance of me seeing Aang..what if he needs me? But what if he hasn't recovered enough to come? Should I still go to the Earth Kingdom?
Katara's thoughts swirled about her mind, yet she decided to go along with Zuko's plan. It was that or tell him about Aang...something she couldn't risk.
"Katara...I want you to know...just how sorry I'll be to let you go..."
Katara looked up into his eyes, "...me too." She stretched up to kiss him softly, it held no promises, but was just it for itself.
They broke away slowly, "I guess these are our last few days together..." he said regretfully, swallowing before continuing, "Katara...this house is big enough so that we don't have to spend time together...if you don't want to then I'll understand."
Katara considered, it might make things a little less complex...but she didn't want to just cut him out. He was...not what she'd expected, she'd discovered so much more about him than she ever thought she could...Oh gods no...I can't fall for him, not now...
She knew what she had to do, she had to be strong.
"Maybe that would be best," her eyes glistened slightly, holding back a few treacherous tears.
He looked as though he'd been slapped, "Right." He looked as though he wanted to say more, instead he left abruptly.
A stray tear rolled down Katara's cheek as she mourned what might have been