Author's Note: Oh my goodness! When I put the note out last chapter asking people to pretty please review, I was NOT expecting that much of a response. Whoa, guys I am so grateful and flattered and happy. I think you all deserve some Zutara goodness as a reward, so let's get on with it. Longest chapter so far! Let's get reading and I hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 12

Within minutes, Katara deemed herself thoroughly lost. The streets she found herself wandering down were dark and unfamiliar, in a part of Ba Sing Se she didn't know by day. She was tired and the air was chilly. To make things worse, the smell of rain clung to the air, and the stars and moon were completely obscured by clouds; it was going to start pouring down on her any minute. All she wanted to do was go home and forget about her hazardous afternoon.

What was so hazardous about it? She thought to herself. She turned a corner and slowed down for a moment, but a prickling feeling at the back of her neck convinced her to speed up again. Someone was watching her; she could feel it. But as she peeked over her shoulder, she was met with nothing but darkness. This is weird… She turned another corner and looked around for anything that might be familiar, or a street-sign she might recognize. Instead, she realized half-way down that she'd turned not into a street, but into a court; a dead end. Her breath hitched for a moment as that prickling feeling of being watched returned. She didn't stop moving forward, despite the dead end ahead of her. If she turned around now, she'd panic. But it was inevitable, wasn't it? She'd have to turn around eventually and face whoever was following her.

Or maybe not, she sighed inwardly as she noticed the narrow footpath between two high wooden fences at the very back of the court. She could see right through to the other side. Katara quickened her pace and powered on through to the place on the other side. For the thirty odd second it took to walk along the narrow footpath between the fences, the prickling feeling on her back became almost unbearable and she had to hold her breath. She couldn't take it and for a split-second, she glanced over her shoulder. It was a long enough moment to catch sight of the slim silhouette standing at the entrance to the path between the fences. Without thinking, she ran.

Once Katara was free of the claustrophobia of the fences, she found herself in a park. She didn't stick to the footpaths as she ran on through. Nothing looked familiar and all she could think of was not letting whoever was following her catch up. No running in circles. She had to keep going in the same direction, at least until she knew where she was. In the end, she was running through tall, un-kept grass and small bushes. She could feel the tug of snatching weeds at her clothes, and the way branches and thorns scratched at her skin.

All too suddenly, she stumbled into the open and found herself on a path once again. There was a pool of light; literally. Before her on the path was a fountain, filled with bobbing lanterns and candles. Katara had to blink to adjust her vision to the dazing light. Then, with a start, she remembered the silhouette and the feeling of being followed. She scampered to her feet and launched herself forward along the path, only to collide violently with a tall, dark figure. She let out a scream. A warm hand clamped itself over her mouth and she thrashed and kicked as strong arms snaked around her body.

"Shh!" came the person's hiss. "It's me!"

She froze at the sound of his voice and felt the panic coursing through her body subside. Instead of trying to break free, she clung to his arm, her legs almost giving out beneath her. "Zuko?" she choked out past his hand.

He swung her around to face him. "Are you okay?"

"Someone was following me," she stuttered, glancing back over her shoulder and sweeping her eyes around the perimeter of light from the fountain.

"I know," he said. "I saw them go after you. I tried to follow, but you both disappeared. I was starting to freak out, I –" He cut himself off and bit his lip, looking around them.

"What?" Katara asked desperately, thinking he'd spotted her stalker.

"Nothing… I was just going to say I thought they were going to hurt you," he said sheepishly.

They stood in an awkward silence for a moment and Zuko kept his hands around her arms a little tighter than necessary. They both scanned their surroundings over and over, flinching at each noise the night made. Katara gave a shiver and not a moment later, a soft pitter-patter announced the arrival of rain. She sighed. "Can we get out of here, please?"

"Are you scared?" he asked, gently. She nodded. "This place is starting to give me the creeps too. Let's go." He didn't let go of her. Instead, he wrapped one arm behind her and led her away. She could still feel that prickling feeling of being watched. "You're shaking. Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "I think they're still following us." They both glanced behind them, but saw nothing, no one. They walked a little faster. Within minutes, the rain had picked up. The violent beating all around them made it hard to distinguish one sound from another, but a noticeably loud splash behind them caused them to look back again. Still, they saw nothing.

Zuko glanced at her, "Run?" She nodded. He grabbed her by the wrist and they sped forward. Zuko led her along the footpaths. Every time they changed directions, she almost hesitated, almost refused to go anywhere but straight ahead. Almost: not quite.

"Do you actually know where you're going?" she called to him over the rain and the slapping of their feet against the wet concrete.

"Yes, I know this place. This is the park I was telling you about earlier, where my Uncle and his family almost got mugged."

The feeling of being watched eventually faded and Katara stopped feeling the need to glance back over her shoulder. They came out onto the streets of Ba Sing Se and Katara finally found herself in a familiar place. Zuko slowed them to a fast walk as Katara's exhaustion left him dragging her along. The streets were empty and the shop-lights were mostly out. "How long was it from when I left to when I ran into you again?" Katara asked in disbelief.

"I'm not sure. It felt like forever. I was looking everywhere trying to find you again."

As if on cue, a deep chiming of a bell announce the late hour of eleven. "I must have been lost back there for hours," she said, frowning. She saw an unlit sign above the pavement ahead that read The Jasmine Dragon, but before they could pass it, Zuko pulled her off the street and down an alleyway. "Where are we going?" she asked, a hint of panic rising once again.

"Back here. The front doors will be locked by now." Around the back of the buildings were large waste bins. They looked menacing in the darkness, as if some strange monster would burst out of one, grab Katara by the hair and drag her back in with it. She pressed herself closer to Zuko. He was warm and the high walls surrounding them didn't feel so overbearing. She didn't feel like someone was following them anymore. Zuko found a key hidden under a soggy doormat. "Uncle must have gone up to bed and left it for us… well, me." She gave a half-hearted laugh as he unlocked the door and held it open for her.

Katara stepped inside and as soon as the door was closed behind them, she felt the warmth of a kitchen washing over her and the scent of tea invaded her lungs. She sighed with relief. To the left of the door was a small passageway with a flight of stairs. Zuko led her up into a reddish brown walled room. An arrangement of comfortable couches surrounded a coffee table, and an old T.V sat on a stand in one corner.

"Is this your room?" she asked quietly as he led her through another door.

"Yeah… come through here."

Katara followed him into a small ensuite bathroom and handed her a towel. She buried her face in the soft material and closed her eyes for a moment. "What a night…" she murmured. She straightened up and caught sight of herself in a small mirror over the sink. "I look horrendous."

He chuckled. "You don't look too bad," he said. "Just a little scratched up and dishevelled." Katara gave a small shiver. "And cold," he added. He kicked his shoes off and left them on the bathroom floor before brushing past her. "I'll turn the heater on. Um… you're soaked. I can lend you one of my shirts if you want," he offered. Zuko rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I can put your clothes near the heater so they'll dry overnight."

Katara smiled. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "Thank you."

He turned the heater on and passed her a shirt and a pair of loose-fitting tracksuit pants. She peeled the wet clothes off her body slowly, trying to control her shaking. The bathroom was cold, and a small part of her wished Zuko had stayed to hold her. He was so warm… She dried herself and pulled the borrowed clothes over her head. The shirt was a faded red and the tracksuit pants were at least a size too big. Katara tried to adjust her damp hair in the mirror, but without a brush or the energy to sort the tangled mess, she gave up and stepped out of the bathroom.

Zuko's room had warmed up quickly and he was already changed, his own wet clothes hanging in front of the heater to dry. He took her school-dress from her and hung it too. When he turned back to her, she realized how close she was standing and blushed. "Sorry," she murmured, taking a step back.

"Don't be," he said. Zuko stepped towards her. "I messed tonight up a lot. I'm the one who should be sorry. And… I am."

Katara glanced up at him with a flickering smile. "It's okay. I'm sorry that I ran off on you."

He shook his head. "I shouldn't have said what I said. I made you uncomfortable. And I shouldn't have assumed anyway."

"No, don't, I… I wanted it to be a date too."

There was an awkward pause in which Zuko hung his head in though and hesitantly glanced back up at her. "You wanted it to be a date too?" he repeated, doubtfully.

She shrugged. "Yeah…"

Zuko straightened up. "Then why did you run off?"

Katara pressed a hand over her face. "I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting you to say it, I freaked out a little," she laughed.

"You freaked out? I thought you were going to hate me for it!"

"We'll I'm sorry! I didn't mean to freak out! I –"

"Shh!" he hissed. "Sorry, we're getting loud and my Uncle is already asleep."

"Sorry…"

His face broke into that lop-sided half-smile. "Don't be." Zuko reached up with one hand to pull a strand of hair away from her face. "You still look cold." She nodded and shuffled closer to him. Zuko put his arms around her waist. For a moment, she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He smelled of rain and musk, with a touch of wood-fire smoke. With a deep breath, she took in a lungful of his scent and straightened up. His face was so close to hers and his body was so pleasantly warm. She realized that she'd slung her arms over his shoulder. As they held each other, she felt their faces drawing nearer. His sweet breath danced along her cheeks and she felt herself smiling, blushing. He shut his eyes and pulled her in just slightly, pressing his forehead against hers just a moment to suddenly. She shied away. Zuko took a step back. "I'm sorry," he whispered. But Katara shook her head and stepped towards him again. She felt her heart skipping every second beat as she pulled him back to the closeness from before she'd shied away. Zuko smiled at her; this time, it was a full smile. Slowly this time, he pulled her body just a little closer to his own and waited for her to lean her forehead against his first. They glanced at each other for just a moment longer before they shut their eyes. Zuko felt her lips brush against his for a split-second, caught her, and turned the brush into a gentle, deeper kiss.

Author's Note: Viola! Zutara! But who the heck was following Katara? Will we ever find out? Last chapter, reviewers guessed Azula and Jet. I'm still open to people chancing a guess. Has anybody else played Slender? I freaked out my first time. Well, writing the part at the start of this chapter, where Katara was being followed, made me think of that game... anyone else?

Sokka: Smoochy, smoochy! Someone's in looooooove.

Let me know what you thought of this chapter in a review! :)