Author's Note: Here we go, we're getting somewhere! Sorry it took so long, I took a trip from Georgia, where I'm living with my hubby, to Texas, where my friends and family live. I lacked internet while I was there. Then, I got back with my husband and lo and behold I've been sick as a dog and babysitting so I've been exhausted.

I'll do my best to have 5 out soon, within the end of the week! Read and review, spread the word, please oh please. :3

Our first day and night of traveling was easy. Subsequently, so were the second and third. But the fourth night was… interesting. It was nice out, so we decided to sleep under the stars. I laid down, weary from such a long day, and Zuko, standing next to me, looked down and gave me the strangest look, molten eyes striking me and making my face flush.

"What?" I asked him, my voice holding a slight waver despite my efforts.

"You've just changed." He stated it as a simple fact, and I quirked an eyebrow.

"Changed how?" I challenged. "Is that a good thing? Or bad?"

"No need to get so worked up, Water Peasant." Zuko teased, making my blood run hot with indignance. "You've matured a lot. It's not bad. It's just different."

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms- an immature gesture, I know, but I couldn't help it. "My name is Katara, and you know that." I growled.

"Always so worked up over such small things, Peasant," Zuko taunted, leaning over me, one leg on each side and hands planted on each side of my face. I could feel my body responding as if he were touching me. "I could really get you worked up, if you want." He lowered his body over mine, settling his weight lightly on top of me.

"Is that a threat?" I breathed, Zuko's face mere centimeters from mine.

"And what if it was?" He stared straight into my eyes, blue and gold, fire and ice. Like it always had been. And my feelings were almost resolved right then and there. Suddenly, Zuko's body tensed and he rolled off of me, and in a swift movement he was standing over me, although crouched, flames lapping around his arms. He looked down and motioned his head for me to stand and I pulled myself up, slowly draining water from my Waterskin. I looked at Zuko, tilting my head in confusion.

He weaved a small tendril of flame forward, into the trees, his movements fluid and thoroughly similar to Waterbending. He curved it around a tree and I heard a yelp. A small figure came running out, and I heard a familiar voice cursing.

A small child, no older than two, came barreling unsteadily towards us and a curvy, although slim woman followed, pale, unseeing green eyes trained on us. My body felt uncomfortably hot and I lead the water back into my Waterskin, while Zuko extinguished his flames. Toph caught up to her daughter, pulling her up with ease while the child protested in a mix of understandable speech and baby-like babbling.

"Well hello there, Katara and Zuko." A grown-up Toph said with a big grin. "Sokka. Gig's up, c'mon."

"I'm coming, Toph! I'm a lot slower than you!" My brother's voice came from some ways back in the tree and I couldn't help but grin. Despite being caught.

"How did you know…?" Zuko asked, stepping forward to hug Toph awkwardly, as Toph's daughter pulled at Zuko's hair. He scowled.

"Message from Aang that you'd left, he figured you'd be coming to Ba Sing Se. You never showed up, we went to see if you'd make a pit stop to see the Fire Lord. Ooh, La La, Sugar Queen. Tired of Twinkletoes?" I couldn't help the blush that spread across my cheeks, hoping the darkness and the brown of my skin would hide it. I shook my head.

"Sugar Queen, I may not see, but I can see." Toph snapped, lifting one eyebrow skeptically. "And I saw Zuko on top of you. I'm not stupid." She lowered her voice as she spoke, and all I could do was shrug.

"Toopid! Toopid!" Her child echoed. The kid was a pretty blend of my brother and Toph, Toph's unblemished porcelain skin and black hair with Sokka's facial structure and cerulean eyes.

"Leli, shush." Toph crooned. She beamed at me. "Dunno if you know, but this is me and Sokka's kid. Leli Bei Fong. She's beautiful, right?"

I nodded, and at that moment Sokka came stumbling from some thick overgrowth.

"Katara WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE WOODS WITH THE FIRE LORD?"

"Sokka why do you have to be so LOUD?" I snapped back, mimicking him angrily. I glanced sideways at Zuko, who had his hands up and was backing away.

"We were coming to Ba Sing Se." Zuko explained, and Sokka turned to him, looking like he was ready to breathe fire.

"Oh no! Toph saw- felt- whatever- you guys doing the dirty. Which is nasty in the first place but Katara, you're married!" Sokka continued on, in one of his rant-and-rage modes, making me angrier with every word.

"Sokka-" I started, but Zuko cut me off, probably sensing my anger through my balled fists and flushed face.

"Drop it, Sokka." Zuko said in an eerily calm tone, his voice holding an edge as dangerous as a knife being unsheathed. "We were coming to Ba Sing Se, end of story. We were doing nothing irresponsible, as I would not disrespect the Avatar nor would I dirty myself with a Water Peasant such as Katara. We were practicing." He narrowed his good eye.

Sokka huffed, nostrils flaring, but his shoulders sagged. "Fine."

"So what's the plan?" Toph asked, unphased, as she set her daughter down and the little girl began running in circles, Earthbending small rocks.

"We're not far from Ba Sing Se whatsoever. How far is your home?" Zuko asked. I remained silent, still seething from being caught, from Sokka snapping, from Zuko insulting me (whether he meant so or not).

"Not far. Here, we'll go on ahead, you guys meet us there." Toph offered, giving us directions. Sokka's jaw dropped open and he was definitely about to protest, but Toph clapped a large slab on rock over his mouth so he couldn't speak, and muffled noises of frustration rose.

"We've already set up for the night, we'll be there in the morning." Zuko said, and hugged Toph again. She looked at me and nodded, and I hugged her gingerly.

"We'll talk more 'bout this tomorrow." She whispered in my ear, squeezing me fiercely so my spine cracked. I rolled me eyes, but nodded, and Toph grabbed Sokka's arm, dragging him away. Their daughter followed gleefully, cackling about 'Daddy in twubble! Daddy in twubble!' as they disappeared, swallowed up by trees and darkness. Zuko and I sat in silence for a long while, before finally relaxing.

"I didn't mean it." Zuko said after I refused to speak. I looked sideways at him, biting back a sneer.

"That you wouldn't dirty yourself with a Water Peasant? Yeah, right, Fire Lord." I snarled. Part of me knew I was overreacting, but the other part couldn't help but be frustrated and hurt.

"Katara." Zuko's voice had that razor edge again, but I refused to look at him again. "Katara. Look at me." He warned. I didn't move, and Zuko reached over and snatched my chin, pulling my face towards him, fingers digging in to my jaw. "Did you want them to tell Aang about that? Stop giving me this attitude right now."

"I do not have to listen to you." I spit the words out, one by one, like poison.

"You will listen to me." Zuko shot back, his voice like the calm before lightning struck.

"Or what?" I hissed. In a split second I was shoved up aginst a tree, bark rough against my back and Zuko's hand at my throat, pressing down enough to make my breath rasp with every gasp. One knee came between my legs and the other was tilted a bit, bracing my lower half with his hip. His free hand was next to my head.

"You. Will. Listen." The fire glinting in his eyes frightened me.

"No." The word rasped like a cough from my throat, and Zuko's hold tightened a tiny bit. He brought his face closer.

"Then I'll make you listen." His whispered, his voice nearly inaudible and sending unwilling shivers down my spine.