Arizony: So glad you liked. I intend to make it a chapter story.

AvocadoLove: I agree. Most people don't realize that Aang was the first to try to befriend Zuko. This would hurt them all.

coolmac1718: I am a hardcore Kataang. I just wanted to see if I could write a convincing Zutara story. I don't believe they could last realistically. It would just be too painful for everybody involved.

Here's the next chapter. Enjoy....

'I need time.' his words reverberated through her, cutting her to her core. She winced, barely hearing Zuko say something about forgiveness. She silently agreed with him but the pain of that look was still coursing through her heart.

In all the years she'd known him, Aang had never given her such a cruel look. She sobbed knowing she had no one to blame but herself. The war room was much colder without him but then her life up to this point was her own doing. She'd been stupid and foolish and she'd been paying for it up until now.

Katara glanced back at the Fire Lord. He was still standing where Aang had left him. It was painful to look at him. She couldn't blame him as completely as she wanted to, she'd fallen into her old trap of tragic boys.

Her Aang had been a man at thirteen. A man that she deeply loved but that she lost because she was too much of a child to deal with his duties. Her doubts had magnified when he was gone for long periods of time. She along with Zuko had been forced to deal with every insurgence or threat and they soon became the couple to go to.

She had not realized it then that people were already responding to their friendship and twisting it to something else. Mai had understood the politics but was unwilling to deal with every little single problem. Somehow she'd become his right hand and they had spent more and more time together.

Her relationship with Aang was still tentative and though they both cared for each other, her insecurities had gotten the best of her. She still marveled at how fast she'd fallen for Zuko. She had pushed aside her feelings for Aang justifying to herself that he belonged to the world and not just her.

The weight of having to rebuild an entire nation of airbenders had kept her up at night and Zuko had been there for her to talk to. Gradually that easy friendship had morphed into more due to their relative closeness.

Katara left the room and wandered through the courtyard. The last six weeks had been a nightmare that she was finally breaking from. She knew if she was honest with herself she would have seen the signs for this meltdown sooner.

Her appearance had changed along with Zuko's. When she lay curled in his arms she didn't see his scarred face. She saw the cherubic face of her best friend. She pictured the wide smile instead of Zuko's dour one. His arms were no longer the comfort they had been when this mess had begun.

He noticed too because he had caught her on several occasions trailing her hand through his hair as if tracing an arrow. He called her on it and she had admitted that their attachment was not what either of them needed. It hurt her to think that she needed Aang a lot more than he needed her.

When he had returned and seen their closeness he had retreated away from her. She tried to confront him at first. Begging him to understand that he would always be Avatar first and Aang second. He'd been calm and bowed telling her he respected her decision.

Her stupidity hadn't lasted long as his formality began extending to outside the mandatory peace meetings. When he began calling her Lady Katara she knew she had lost him.

In hindsight Katara was aware of how hard that had been for him. While she frolicked with her new love he had been forcing his out. Katara wondered when she had stopped being his friend and become this twisted person.

She needed to clear her head. And even though Zuko had begun the road to healing, she knew it was her responsibility to beg Aang to hear her out. It was all out in the open and though her and Zuko had no plans to marry speculation was rampant in the palace.

She figured that's why Aang had gotten up so quickly when Zuko had begun to talk. She smiled bitterly, at least his extreme reaction gave her some hope. It meant he might just still care for her. Even if he hated her, it was still something.

She had told Zuko this morning that she would be heading back home to the South Pole and he had hugged her in farewell. He too was tired of the remorse hanging about them. Katara sighed, she had a long battle ahead of her if she was to convince Aang it was possible for her to be trusted again.

She was already packed and would depart to the nearest ship home. Katara sat down pondering the strange events that had led them all here. She let the slight breeze caress her face. She pretended it was him because only then could she keep from fully falling apart.

"Katara."

She looked up at the figure looming over her. With all turmoil and antics of this morning she had forgotten how handsome he was. This surprised her since she had spent all the meeting tracing and memorizing his every feature.

She wasn't hesitant to admit that her body was reacting to him. More that it had ever in the Firelord's embrace. He was completely unaware how wonderful his nation's colors brought out his cloudy eyes. How his attire not only showcased his toned and lean torso but how it reminded her of happier times. Times when she'd been able to freely run her hands over him.

She could feel color flooding her cheeks. It amazed her how quickly he could still affect her senses. Katara wondered anew at what caused her to hurt his beautiful man the way she had. Maybe she was everything Mai had screamed at her. A faithless hussy.

All these ruminations scurried through her mind in a split second. Enough time to compose herself and face the man she didn't deserve.

"Aang. I'm so happy that---"

"I'm leaving." his words cut a swath through her speech and she stared dumbfounded. "I have concluded my business with the Firelord. There are providences that need my attention and I can't leave them to their own devices."

"Leaving?" she parroted stupidly. 'He was going to leave her again. He wasn't going to give her another chance?'

"But…but we haven't talked. We haven't resolved anything. You haven't even given me a chance to explain." she pleaded. Her hand somehow clasping onto his.

His expression turned mutinous and he pinned her again with that look. She was growing to hate that look. It didn't suit him. It made him look older that his fifteen years.

"Explain. There's that word again. What can you possible explain to me that I don't already know. That you and Zuko fell in love and I had to take it gracefully and peacefully because I'm the cursed Avatar." he shouted ripping his hands from her grasp and roughly grabbing her by the shoulders.

"That the girl I loved all my life couldn't wait for me. That she took refuge in my friend's embrace and I can't do anything about it. No matter how badly I wanted to destroy him and his palace with my bare hands just for the satisfaction of it. How badly I wanted to hurt you and tell you, you meant nothing to me."

His touch burned her as he admitted, "Even if its not true."

He let go of her and Katara stood as if encased in creeping crystals. "I did wait for you. I waited all my life for you to return. I was stupid and selfish. I was a child. I still am but I've seen what I've done. Give me a chance to prove to you how much I love you." she whispered.

"I don't think I can stand you loving me anymore." he replied.

They stood like that for what seemed forever but in a few seconds she gave him a way out. "Take me to the South Pole and you'll never have to see me again."

He gripped his staff tighter and reluctantly nodded. "Be ready by tomorrow. I leave at first light. With or without you."

Katara watched until his silhouette disappeared from her sight. Defeated she cried into her palms. Maybe that play had been right. She cried too much or maybe not enough.