IMPORTANT NOTICE: READ A/N IF YOU'RE TOTALLY TICKED OFF AT ME FOR NOT UPDATING QUICKLY!

I relaxed on the bed, sprawling my limbs out to the edges, enjoying the small comfort and peace. I closed my eyes, pretending I was back home. Pretending I was lying on enticing fur pelts and not the smooth silk. I imagined seeing the sky change from its baby blue to it passionate mix of orange and pink then slowly fade away to the cool, misty night sky lined with grayed clouds. I yearned to see an actual sky again and not the pitch metal ceiling of the ship which I had become so accustomed to over the past few months.

It had been weeks since Zuko let me back up onto the deck. After out last argument, he decided that I was too "immature" to handle a little freedom. Of course, I had yelled and shouted at him some more, claiming he was being an "insolent, spoiled prince." I, regretfully, had thrown a scroll at him, but had somehow missed his big head much to my disappointment and to his ego. I was pretty sure that that had boosted his ego up much more than necessary. If that was even possible; his ego was already as high as humanly possible.

I rolled onto my side, sighing in content. It was rare that I would have a moment of tranquility, a moment where I could lay in the solace of my thoughts. The days were usually filled with mantras of pain and exclaims of commands and shuffling from up above on the deck. Every second that wasn't full of malice and rage was welcomed with open arms.

For some reason, Zuko had been gone the entire day. When I awoke, Zuko was gone as usual, but strangely enough, he didn't return at all. He didn't come to check on me during lunch, between lunch and dinner, or for dinner. There was a plate on the nightstand with bread, grapes, an apple, and a chicken leg. There wasn't a note or anything explaining Zuko's disappearance either.

The metal door swung open with hissing squeaks. I heard the familiar sound of tromping boots that I had adapted to. I silently groaned, knowing that my peace had been destroyed much quicker than I had intentionally planned, and no doubt another argument would ensue.

Rolling onto my back and sitting up, I took in the Prince. He was covered in sweat and he had no shirt on as usual. He sulked over to his dresser. Zuko grabbed a clean outfit, nearly yanking the drawer out as well.

Great… He's in a good mood tonight…

I bit my lip, trying to keep myself from saying anything to him. It would surely only rouse his anger even more.

"So…" I said, still not sure whether or not to speak. "Where were you all day?" I timidly asked.

"The Fire Nation's plans are not to be discussed with a peasant of the Water Tribe."

Ooohh, how he made my blood boil! He could make me get mad quicker than Sokka had when he accidently dropped my favorite doll into the ocean when we were little. I had been about to ring his neck when Gran Gran finally inter- vened.

"So you were in a war meeting?" I asked, telling him that he had told me where he was even if he hadn't meant it.

His eyes went wide in shock and his cold stare loosened. He blushed in embarrassment as a smirk spread across my lips. His mouth opened in an attempt to utter some retort, but nothing came out. He closed his mouth again.

"Don't worry," I declared, "I won't ask what you were talking about." Mischief laced my tone. "That way you won't make the same mistake twice."

Zuko's face turned from embarrassment to anger so quickly I had barely enough time to catch it change. "How dare you be so disrespectful to royalty!" he roared. Wisps of acrid fire fell from his knuckles and onto the metal floor. Steam poured easily from his nostrils. His eyes blazed with intense anger and wrath. If I stepped out of my boundaries once more, if fate seemed to be bored again then I would be in imminent danger. I would have no way of protecting g himself from Zuko's fire.

I swallowed my pride, fearing his fury more than I wanted to keep my dignity intact. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."

He calmed down, for the most part, that is. His eyes withheld annoyance more than anger at that point, but I wasn't too sure. He glared at me, warning me to not try that again. Believe me; I was far from testing him in that manner again.

"Close your eyes," he growled. I tentatively shut my eyes, a little worried about what he was doing. I assumed that he was merely changing his clothes, but after what I had said, I didn't know if he was going to punish me. I heard the ruffle of clothes and Zuko sighing. "Ok," he said, telling me I could open my eyes.

I opened my eyes and quietly gasped as I saw that he was only wearing burgundy shorts with red and gold strips ringing the bottom of the hem. I hadn't expected him to only be wearing shorts. I felt a flush of crimson in my cheeks. Though the room was dimly lit, I was positive he could see my blushing cheeks.

It wasn't that I had never seen a man topless before; I just didn't on a regular basis. Living in the South Pole, it was unnecessary and ridiculous. I had seen Sokka and Aang shirtless plenty of times before, but, to be honest, there really wasn't anything to be blushing at except a few budding muscles. But Zuko… he was already full developed and matured. His biceps were perfectly shaped and defined as well as his abs and triceps and pectorals. How long had he been trained for the hardships of war?

But even though he was muscular, his muscles couldn't hide the scars on his body. He had at least nine that I could easily trace with my eyes in the dim lighting. How many battles had he seen? How young had he been when he received his first battle scar?

Quit staring at me, peasant," he snapped.

My eyes squinted in irritation. I hated to way he called me peasant, as if I was below him. It made my blood run hot with fury. A retort curled on the tip of my tongue, just waiting to take leave.

Patience, Katara. Gran Gran chided me. Show him the ways of your people.

Sighing, I tried to be patient and kind. "Why do you think of me as something different?"

"Because you are from the Water Tribes," he merely grunted.

Biting words jumped up and down on my tongue. I bit my lip to keep them from escaping. Zuko had rubbed off on me when it came to retorts and insults after the many times we had verbally battled.

I rolled off the bed, feeling the cold metal lick at my bare feet. I sauntered to the Fire Prince. I placed my hand on his cheek. Electric shocks raced from his cheek to my hand, running through my veins. I quietly gasped.

"No. Tell me the real reason."

Zuko's eyes hardened and he roughly grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand away. Another electric jolt rippled through my veins, making me release a second sharp gasp. For some reason, the jolts of electricity had come more and more frequently. With every touch I received or gave, a small jolt would leap from his skin to me or vice versa. Zuko seemed not to feel them, but, then again, he was pretty good at covering his feelings up, so I was left clueless to if I was crazy or feeling the exact same thing he was.

"That's the only reason."

I shook my head, closing my eyes. It wasn't the only reason. He and I both knew that whether he was willing to admit it or not. It was always hard getting Zuko to open up and tell me something more about himself. As of right then, what I was trying to learn didn't really have to do with his personality or hidden feelings, but be that as it may, it was no less important that I knew the reason. It was important that I knew what he stood for and why. My persistence grew as I pursued into the argument brewing.

"Come on, Zuko," I pleaded. "I know you, and there's defiantly more to it than just because I'm from the Water Tribes."

"You know nothing about me," he snarled. The Fire Prince walked closer to the bed. He raised his eyebrows and spun his finger in a small circle, telling me to turn around.

I did so, but continued on. "You think I'm an ignorant savage, don't you?" I asked. I supposed Zuko shrugged, since no reply came. "Perhaps I am compared to you; being raised in a palace and all."

"That Fire Nation does not cater to soft- fleshed pampering." He angrily replied.

I heard the bed springs coil and groan. He must've had gotten onto the bed. I turned around; knowing that my eyes were safe from nudity, save for his chest. My cheeks flushed a bit from my thoughts. I shamed myself and pushed them aside. There were more important things at hand.

"No," I shook my head. I crawled onto the bed next to Zuko, "it doesn't. But what if I wasn't Water Tribe? What if I was from another nationality?" I rested my head on his shoulder.

The Prince turned his head towards me, cocking his eyebrow- his only eyebrow to be exact. "What does that have to do with anything?" he said with still a hint of anger tingeing his tone.

"Well," I elaborated. "If I was of some other race or nationality, would you think of me any different? Would I be seen as the same thing I am today in your eyes?"

He stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. "It depends on what nation you were from."

I sighed, realizing Zuko was just closely evading my questions. He was such a hassle to deal with. It was like pulling teeth. You had to peel away a layer at a time, and even then, it was tedious work. The young Fire Nation Prince was like an onion. At times I thought that the best way to get to his heart was by taking a knife and just cutting away all the hurt and pain and outside appearance, but he would just instantly shut me out. After all the day, weeks, months, I'd spent with him, I had only gotten so far. It seemed to be a lost cause, but my stubbornness had gotten the best of me, urging me to not give up.

"Zuko," I groaned, rolling over away from him. "I mean, you've been to so many places. I guess it must be so that someone could consider me as a savage."

"You have been traveling around the world also," he acknowledged.

True, I had been to many different places in the world, but only ranky- dank villages that I had never heard of until we had traveled to it. Beside the Northern Water Tribe though. It was nothing compared to what a Fire Nation Prince must've been to, I assumed.

"Yes, but I mean…"

"Mean what?"

I sighed from frustration, giving up as exhaustion shadowed over my thoughts. "Never mind," I muttered. I crawled under the covers, "I'm too tired to elaborate anymore."

Zuko grunted. The bed springs groaned and my side of the bed lifted up, jostling my body around not much, but just enough to disrupt the comfortable position I was in.

I groaned and complained, "Why did you get up? I was actually at ease."

"I'm just going to change my shorts; they're not very comfortable. Keep your eyes closed."

"Like I would try to catch a peek at you in the nude. Don't flatter yourself." I muttered, pulling the covers over my head.

"Hmph." I heard the ruffle of clothing and Zuko saying, "Alright, you can open your eyes now."

I tore the silk off my head and fixed my static-like hair.

He sauntered over to the bed, my eyes never leaving him. I was glad he didn't notice my staring; it would've been incredibly awkward.

I sighed. He really is handsome, isn't he? I mentally slapped myself. What was I saying? I couldn't be attracted to him. It was just absurd. I knew that if I found him handsome, then it would surely be hard not to develop feelings for him, and that was the last thing I wanted. I could never fall for someone like him.

A thought suddenly struck me: Why was Zuko going to sleep next to me? Why had he last night? Come to think of it, he had slept next to me every night since I had been captured except for the first night when I had tried to escape. Why hadn't I noticed until now?

Hurriedly, trying to stop him before he slipped beneath the covers, I asked, "Why are you sleeping next to me tonight?" My brow furrowed in confusion. "Or any night, for that matter." My eyes turned cynical as I glared at him, daring him to hop into bed right then and there.

He stopped dead in his tracks and gave me a condescending look. I could tell what was going through his mind pretty clearly. There wasn't any straining needed.

"What? Don't look at me like that." My voice hardened like clay. "You perfectly well why I am concerned as to why you have suddenly taken up an interest in sleeping next to me considering the first night I was here, you slept on a cot. So pray do tell me before you slip into the bed next to me why you plan on sleeping next to me."

"Oh," The Prince rolled his eyes, "Don't flatter yourself. I am only "interested" in sleeping in a comfortable bed since the cot is extremely uncomfortable, and when I slept on it, I was sore and couldn't firebend correctly."

"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are," I smirked, meaning to sound light and playful. I imagined hearing Aang and Sokka laughing in the background if they were there with me. Of course, if they were there with me, Zuko would've already been thrown overboard long ago.

He grunted, unamused at my small joke. "Maybe you should take your own advice," he shoved back at me. He lifted the silk covers up and flopped on the bed rather ungraceful, shaking and rattling the bed. He pulled the covers over his chest and folded his hands on his chest.

I cried out as I felt my almost healed ribs being jostled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Zuko pretended to be sympathetic. I could see the falsity dripping from his tongue.

"Hmph." I crossed my arms, more than ready for him to firebend the candles out. I closed my eyes, trying to tell him it was time to sleep.

He sighed and rolled over onto his left side. He flicked his wrist and the candles instantly went out. He sighed deeply, more than he had just a second ago. "Apology accepted."

I didn't have to ask. I knew what he meant. I was glad that he was changing little by little each and every day, even if the results were necessarily immediate.

I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face.

A/N: Alright, ready for the usual apology? No? Well, neither am I. In fact that's the one thing I've been dreading lol. So... Here I go: I'm really sorry I've been late(again). I've been really busy because of finals and it was really important that I did well on my finals since I'm officially a freshman now! Haha! That's right! Make way for Sarah! Lol, yeah, today was my last day of school. But now that I'm out of school, I will have so much more time to get my writing done! Yah! I'm excited!

I don't think I'm doing anything for summer besides possibly renting a condo on some crappy lake and taking a Japanese class. Oh, no wait! I'm also going to be going to my church camp and doing this rock camp that I did last year. I'm probably going to have a really boring summer. Oh, well, I guess it could be worse. I could be dating some really cute guy that treats me like a princess. Oh, no wait! That actually wouldn't be bad! Ok, yes it would, but only because we promised each other that we would wait until summer to date because we go to different schools and our schedules are so different that it would be better to date during summer, and so what does he do? He goes and messes around behind my back. :(

But you guys don't want to hear my problems. Well, hope you liked the new chapter, and btw if you guys ever start getting pissed off at me for not updating, just send me a little PM or review for either story you want me to update soon. Sometimes I just need a little nudge in the right direction to get me to write because normally I just wait to get into that mood to write, and as many of you may have noticed already, that happens about every two months.

Thanks and please review!

-Neon