The days dragged on, and before I knew it, three weeks had passed by. We soon fell into a simple routine. We would awake, eat breakfast, Zuko would go off to train while I would go to be locked in the room, lunch would come, then dinner, after that, Zuko and I would go to bed, and the day would start all over again. The days had passed by in a boring and uneventful way.

My wounds had healed to extent. They still hurt, but were healing without making a scar, save for a three inch long scar on the left side of my chest that had already begun to appear. My ribs were almost completely healed. I didn't have to worry about breathing too deeply anymore. It was an amazing feeling.

Things between Zuko and I were going fine, for lack of better words. There was no change in our relationship; none that was showing at least. I felt bad for some time. I felt that I wasn't doing my part on helping him to see the good in the world and that his father is not a man of love and compassion. I tried time and time again to make him see that Ozai was not someone worthy of Zuko's love. He didn't need the Fire Lord staring down on him, waiting for him to slip up. He just didn't see true love, something that is shared between Sokka, Dad, and I, is not based upon strength and ruthlessness. But as much as I had tried during the past two weeks, there was nothing that had been built.

I had been given the privilege of being able to be out on deck, thanks to General Iroh. But, sadly, with limits and, above all else, restraints. I was only allowed to be on deck with Zuko's permission and he had to be present at all times. I was not allowed to go out of his sight, save for doing my personal hygiene duties. I was not allowed to get closer than a foot from the edge. All I was really allowed to do was sit on a stool, chatting with General Iroh or watching Zuko practice firebending. And, of course, my hands were to be handcuffed together. How pleasant…

I tried to tell myself that it was a fair agreement, but I just couldn't convince myself to think of the positive. I was able to see the light, feel the sun's warm, and look at the water roll against the bow of the ship, but my hands were handcuffed together and I was forbidden to walk without the Prince's shadow constantly or stare closely at the ocean. I understood why I was not allowed to waterbend, and I expected that much, but it seemed that the rule about being a foot away from the edge was a little much.

When Zuko had told me the rules to being the deck, a fight had broken out. I'm sure that he had anticipated it. We had argued back and forth, negotiating the rules and limitations.

"You're a spoiled prince, who cares for no one, but himself!" I had shouted, waving my fist back and forth in the air at his back as he was leaving the room, shooting daggers with my eyes.

Zuko had merely shrugged, brushing the insult away as if it were a snowflake. "Take it or leave it," he had said before he left the room, slamming the door shut.

I had huffed and puffed out more vile retorts and insults, but it had ceased to make a difference in the rules. Angrily, I had accepted them.

I was hunching over and resting my head on my handcuffed hands. I let out a huff of boredom as I watched a flurry of crimson tongues lick up at the wisps of clouds in the bright sky. Firebending was a fascinating element, but it was so boring compared to waterbending. I found almost no interest in watching it. I supposed I was just as prejudiced toward firebending just as much as Zuko was towards waterbending, but I had never seen a waterbender kill out of cold- blooded murder.

Still…

I shoved that thought away. Just because I was bored out of my mind didn't mean that I wanted to cleanse myself from the inside. I preferred to watch the art of killing and genocides rather than come to terms with my own problems, no matter how foolish and childish of me it was.

It was still warm outside, and with winter rapidly approaching, I wanted to soak up as much warmth and sun as I could before the harsh winter conditions set in.

Iroh began to explain a difficult firebending technique for the fourth time that morning. He gave a dry example of it, showing the Prince the fluent and eloquent moves.

Zuko nodded his head subconsciously. I doubted he was actually listening as well as he should've been. But he began to copy his uncle's movements, adding curls of furious flames none the less. He moved his right arm up in a circular motion in front of his face, moving slowly with precision and determination. His eyes were focused and steadfast. His other arm moved in a series of complicated motions that were going so fast that I couldn't tell where he had messed up.

"No!" Iroh shouted out. Zuko dropped his arms in frustration. "You're not passing yourself. Your determination and will to move on ahead to the next forms will only get you so far. You have to be patient. Those who stand and wait will be served first."

Zuko growled in frustration. "Uncle, I don't have time for your silly proverbs!"

I stepped in, trying to calm the young Prince down before things got out of hand. "You know your uncle's right."

Zuko glared at me and let out a frustrated and irritated groan. He closed his eyes and grumbled to himself, releasing smoke from his nostrils. He looked at me and strangely calmed down. His breathing regulated and he looked at Iroh deadpanned. "What do you suggest?"

I can't believe that worked.

Iroh let a shocked look cross his face. He glanced at Zuko then at me before he let out a soft chuckle.

Why is he laughing?

"Now." Iroh snapped into his disciplined persona. He started to direct Zuko in the correct movements. He repeated the form and nodded to Zuko to follow his lead.

Confused as to why Iroh had looked at both of us then laughed, I replayed the scene over and over in my head. My eyes widened as realization dawned on me. He thought that there was something between Zuko and I! That the only reason Zuko calmed down was because of me. There was nothing, absolutely nothing happened between him and I.

Infuriated, I abruptly stood up, not caring how much Zuko yelled at me, and promptly walked off the deck. I heard him shouting at me, "Come back here" and "Where do you think you're going." I stomped down the hallways, huffing and puffing in anger.

How dare he assume that I would fall for such an insolent, arrogant, pig- headed, egotistical, moody-

Katara! You should know than to be so hateful and rude. You were raised to know well enough that you are always to be kind and tolerant of others. Why, you're no better than him. Gran Gran lectured.

I sighed, suddenly ashamed of myself. I had overreacted and been rash. I should've stayed on the stool and watched him practice. I began to turn around, but realized that it would be embarrassing to return and feel their looks upon me. I headed farther down the hallway, making my way to the bathroom. I thought that that was an adequate enough reason for my abrupt exit.

I entered the bathroom and sighed as I closed my eyes and leaned against the door. I slid down to the floor, pulling my knees close. I rested my head on my knees.

Nothing… There's absolutely nothing going on between us…

Oh, how I wished to believe that. I told myself over and over again, trying to delude myself into thinking that there really wasn't anything going on. …But in my secret heart, I knew that there was, oh, so much more going on than I wanted to let on. I wanted to pretend that it was normal, that things weren't changing. But they were; the signs were clear. There was definitely something- if not anything- going on.

To be honest, knowing what was happening and what was in store was nerve-racking. And it was beginning to take its toll on me. I was becoming stressed. Hard to believe, but I was.

I sighed, knowing that I would have to face them sooner or later. I lifted my head back up and stood up, wiping my dress off. With a heavy heart, I opened the door and walked through the halls and onto the deck again.

I smiled and waved sheepishly at Zuko. I silently prayed that he wouldn't pester me as I made my way back to the stool. I about sat down when Zuko said, "Didn't find any escape routes?" I cringed

Great.

I spun around to face him. "Actually no." I placed my hands on my hips. "I had some business to take care of."

"Like?"

I didn't faze. "Things that you wouldn't want to know about."

He crossed his arms and gave me a condescending glare. "Try me."

I sat down, crossed my leg over the other, and smirked. Oh, yes, this would feel good. "My monthly cycle." My smirk dropped, but it was quickly replaced by a smug grin. I couldn't believe the lie had come out so easily. I hadn't thought ahead of time, but it came out as if it were a line I had been memorizing since I could talk.

His tight jaw loosened and his face paled. "Uh… I- Uh…" he stuttered, fumbling over his words. Iroh chuckled behind Zuko. The Prince cleared his throat and clenched his jaw. He gave me a stern look, trying to look serious, but failed miserably. "Very well, but tell me next time you are about to leave, I'll unlock your chains. I could have down that, but instead you ran off. Why didn't you just ask me?" His voice was irritated and annoyed. It almost sounded shiny, but it was far from.

"Because I didn't want you to know!" I stood up, chest puffed out, trying to look tough. My mood had turned from playful and light to annoyance as fast as drunkenness comes to a lush.

"You didn't have to mention why you had to leave! Just that you had to go to the bathroom!" he shouted.

"You wouldn't have left it alone! 'Why, Katara? Why do you need to go to the bathroom? Number one or number two?"

"That's not what I do and you know it!"

I scoffed. "Oh, please! You have to know about every single thing in my life because you need to have some sense of control, don't you?"

"Well excuse me for trying to maintain some control," his fists balled and tiny wisps of smoke left his knuckles. I knew I was on dangerous grounds, but I didn't care, "unlike you," Zuko gestured to me and then out to the ocean, "and those boys you stampede around with, whooping like apes!"

My hands curled into fists and I brought them near my face. "We do not," I flung my hands down, "stampede around and whoop like apes! You don't even know us!"

He gave me a condescending glare. "Yes, but after following you around for months on end, I began to pick up your patterns i.e. stampeding around and whooping like apes, which is why it is so easy for me to find you." He smirked, thinking he had me.

"If it's so easy," I said, struggling to keep myself from shouting more, "then why haven't you caught us yet?"

"But I've caught you, haven't I?"

I opened my mouth, appalled and angered by his words, but I could find no comeback. I closed my mouth and let my face contort into a mask of rage. I crossed my arms and glared death at Zuko.

He continued to smirk at me. His arms were also crossed, but more leisurely. He opened his mouth, mimicking and mocking me.

"Can't think of a comeback, my dear, Katara?"

"You're so full of yourself, Zuko," I spat. True, it wasn't the best of comebacks, but I got to say what I wanted to. I glared at him one last time before I sat back down onto the stool.

Zuko gave me another smug grin then returned to his lesson.

A/N: Hey! Wow, this chapter is really late! I do actually have an excuse! For once. For Spring Break, I was dragged away to go on a cruise in Central America so I wasn't able to write at ALL! I know, I know, cruises are fun! No, this one wasn't. For one, I hate boats. Two, I was seasick for more than half the cruise. Three, I saw WAY too many guys that looked like this guy I really liked that died a few months ago. :'( Four, I was hit on WAY too many times by drunk AND sober college guys to feel safe and not paranoid that I was going to be grabbed and then raped :/ And five, I was stuck with my family. So when I finally got back and finished typing this chapter out, I was unable to log on for like three days because of some technical issues fanfiction was having. So yeah, that one really put me behind.

Anyways, this chapter really isn't for a purpose. It's really just a filler, but I wanted to show the changes that were happening between Zuko and Katara. I wanted to show that, yes, while they were falling in love, they still didn't want to admit it and still argued and hated each other at the same time. I hope you liked it!

-Neon