Disclaimer: don't own it… yadda, yadda, yadda…

Dedication: This one is a shout-out to all the people who reviewed the chapter before this! Also, Garcia, thanks for the idea concerning how to continue this fanfic!

A/N: If this chapter sounds different from the one previous, please remember that the first was originally meant to be one-shot…

But LordRevanGrandMasteroftheJedi - your wish for more - brought about this chapter. (Props to you!)

(What can I say? Your wish is my command…)

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Just as Katara began to dig into the mounds of food, she saw Aang stand up from the low table that she, Zuko, Toph, Sokka, Suki, and Iroh were all sitting around, cross-legged or kneeling.

The young monk got to his feet with a hesitant air about him. But, when he spoke, his voice sounded heartfelt and sure. Perhaps a little too sure…

"Katara…" Aang said, "I know that we decided that it wouldn't work out between us, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you…" Not noticing the horrified and embarrassed look on Katara's face, the monk continued his speech. "I just want to say that I still love you and that I want to marry you…"

For some reason, Zuko could feel his heart nearly miss a beat at the Avatar's announcement.

Katara was too shocked to say anything for a good two minutes or so. When she finally recovered, she whispered, "Aang… I just can't deal with this right now, okay?"

Getting up from the floor, Katara quickly paced out of the room, caught between conflicting feelings of embarrassment and outrage.

Staring at her retreating back, the group at the table silently and half-heartedly began to pick at their food.

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How could he do that to me! To not only bring up the subject – which I know I was very clear about not sharing his feelings, but to bring it up in front of Zuko and the others… It's just unthinkable!

How can he even talk about marriage! He's what – twelve-years-old? And I'm almost sixteen! Absolutely preposterous! Now, Zuko on the other hand… he's around seventeen, right? If he was thinking of marriage, I wouldn't be surprised…

Zuko would make a great husband…

What! What am I thinking!?! Gaaaaahhhhh! Katara yelled to herself. Just shut up and calm down!

Reaching her room, Katara flopped down heavily on the large, canopy bed and tossed about, still tormented by her stray thoughts of marriage.

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Barely a half an hour after Katara had stomped off to her room, she heard a hesitant knock on her door.

"Who is it?" Katara asked, annoyed.

"Zuko," the visitor gently replied from the hallway.

Immediately, Katara felt all her annoyance and anger deflate within her, only to be replaced by a nervous fluttering feeling in her chest – as though butterflies were caught in her breast.

"Come in," she said, her voice suddenly soft.

Zuko entered the room that he had specifically designed to appeal to Katara's particular sensibilities.

The windows faced east, so that the Waterbender could watch both the sun and the moon rise. The color scheme of the room was blue, white, and silver – the typical Water Tribe colors. The room was elegant but simple, and Zuko had spent many hours making sure that it turned out this way.

Stepping into the room with his cargo, he spied Katara sitting on her bed. She looked positively frazzled.

Looking up at him, she asked in an attempt at playfulness, "Well, now, what do we have here?" motioning to the platter in his hands.

"Oh, this old thing?" Zuko returned with better success. Turning serious, he answered, "I thought you might be hungry…"

At that moment, Katara's stomach let loose a dissatisfied grumble.

"Give it here," Katara commanded, waving for Zuko to sit down with her on the bed.

Soon, the two of them were bolting down the food like there was no tomorrow. Quirking her eyebrow, Katara covered her food-stuffed mouth and asked, "Why are you so hungry, Zuko? You're not the one who left the room without eating…"

Wincing slightly, Zuko replied, "Well… after Aang's little 'announcement,' the atmosphere was hardly comfortable…" Pausing for a moment, he added, "Believe me, I don't think that anyone had a good meal today – except perhaps my uncle. He doesn't believe in going hungry."

Smiling at his reference to Iroh, Katara shoved another piece of chicken breast into her mouth. Returning her smile, Zuko continued to eat as well.

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Aang was immature. Toph concluded. That must be it. How could he not have noticed the way that Katara and Zuko had been mooning over the other?

Toph could feel the changes in their heartbeats whenever they were next to each other… just like she could feel Aang's heart trying and failing to beat in time with Katara's.

The only thing is… Zuko and Katara have the hots for each other… Toph thought to herself. Whereas… Aang is alone in his love. He should just back off and let Katara sort this thing out for herself.

Shouldn't take too long. Toph decided. She had sensed Zuko walking to Katara's room less than fifteen minutes ago. Hopefully Aang will walk in to find them making out… that would be the best way.

"Come on, Twinkletoes," Toph commanded. "You're going to come with me to see Katara, then you're going to apologize for being an idiot."

"What!" Aang protested. "I'm not an idiot!"

"Spoken like a true idiot," Toph replied. "Come on," she added, using her metal-bending to quickly shackle his wrist with the leg of a nearby metal chair.

Pulling him along, she finally stopped when they arrived at Katara's door. Releasing his arm, she opened the door and pushed him in the room. Sitting down in the hallway, Toph prepared herself to enjoy the show.

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"Uh…" Aang stammered as he straightened up from his fall into the room.

Looking up, he saw Katara and Zuko playing catch with a bread roll on Katara's bed.

"Huh?" Aang queried.

Whatever he had been expecting, this certainly wasn't it.

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Katara and Zuko had been eating and talking for a good ten minutes when Zuko had thrown her the last bit of food – a bread roll, insisting that she eat it, since he wasn't as hungry anymore.

"But you're still hungry, right?" Katara asked, flinging the roll back.

"I'll be fine…" Zuko replied, tossing it back.

"No you won't! You've got a stomach on you that's just as hungry as Sokka!" she said louder, hurling it back at him.

The two continued to go back and forth until they just couldn't help it – they burst out laughing over their absurd argument, and they just kept lightly chucking it between them until Katara heard Aang muttering.

She looked over at the stunned Avatar just as Zuko threw the roll back to her.

Not paying attention, the roll hit her forehead.

"Ow!"

"Oh! Katara! Are you okay?" Aang asked, panicked and concerned.

"She'll be fine, Aang," Zuko answered for Katara as he gently probed and massaged her forehead. Realizing the contact between them, Katara blushed.

Hearing Zuko's diagnosis calmed the Avatar down, somewhat. However, it did little to relieve his feelings towards the water-bender – especially since she was blushing modestly at Zuko's touch.

That should be me! Aang shouted internally. I should be the one touching her and laughing with her! It should be me!

The Avatar could feel envy prickling and buzzing within him like a swarm of scorpion-bees. Why? He asked himself. Why isn't she able to love me?

Sadness enveloped him.

Nothing seemed… to be right, Aang reflected. Why can't Zuko just be happy with Mai and leave Katara alone!

Turning tail, Aang fled the room, almost knocking Toph over in the hallway in his hurry to escape.

"What's his problem?" Toph muttered to herself as she picked herself up off the tile.

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"Oh…" Katara wondered. "Where'd Aang run off to?"

"Don't know…" Zuko replied, preoccupied with cleaning up the food platter. "'Probably had somewhere to be…"

He didn't dare tell Katara what he thought had really occurred. Zuko could tell that Aang was shocked. Clearly, Aang hadn't even considered the possibility that anyone else would have feelings towards Katara – which, to be honest, is an insult to the water-bender in question.

Zuko sighed.

"Anything the matter?" Katara asked, concerned.

"Not a thing," he replied. Picking up the tray, Zuko stood up and said, "I'm going to go now. I'll see you later."

"'Kay!"

As the door closed behind Zuko, Katara gingerly touched her forehead, recalling how gently Zuko had touched her.

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Walking down the hall to her own room, Toph muttered darkly to herself. "They're fools! All of them are fools!"

Shaking her head, she wondered, "Do I have to do all the work myself?"

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A/N:

I don't know what Toph is going to do, but whatever it is, be afraid. Be very afraid!

Thank you for reading my fanfic! Please review! Tell me what you liked… what you hated… heck! Tell me what you ate for breakfast! Just… show the love by reviewing. : 3