Don't cry for me tonight

Chapter 6

Ursa and the rest arrived back to the palace some time later. The bet was final and was agreed that no one besides them would ever know about it.

"So you want to go to the festival?" Hakota asked when the kids requested to go.

"Yes dad. It might be fun. This might also be a good time for you and Ursa to go out, you know?" Katara suggested.

"And you're ok with that?" Ursa asked. "You, Sokka and Zuko?"

"Of course! So can we?" Sokka asked. He wanted Katara to be his servant and make her do horrible chores.

"Um sure. Lets see if Bato or Gran-Gran want to go." Hakota said.

"That isn't necessary Hakota. I have taken the liberty to ask for you." Zuko said politely. "They agreed to go."

"Well thank you Zuko." Hakota said. He was pleased that they were all getting alone but something about Zuko worried him.

Katara, Aang, Sokka and Zuko raced up the stairs to change.

"Ok if you two want a better chance of getting a date you might want to not wear blue. Many people here in the capital supported the war and I doubt they are used to seeing anyone from the other nations." Zuko said.

"Well what do you think? That we have something else?" Sokka asked.

"I'll loan you something. Katara go ask my mom for some of Azula's old clothes." Zuko said making it sound so easy. "Sokka and Aang, you two can borrow my old clothes." Although it was strange for Katara to wear clothes from Azula she didn't protest.

"Here. Just go change in another room. Come back if they don't fit." Zuko pushed them out of the room with clothes in their hands.

"Ouch! Geez!" Sokka grumbled. "Ok Aang we can change in my room."

Sokka opened his door and turned the gas lamp on. He dressed slowly into the outfit he borrowed. He looked at himself in a mirror; he thought he actually looked fine. He wore a pair of baggy black pants and a black shirt with a shirt minus the sleeves with red outlining. It looked as though Zuko had ripped off the sleeves. Zuko had also given him two long black ribbons that Sokka had no idea what they were for.

Aang was given a red baggy warriors suit with golden outlining. And same as Sokka he received two long red ribbons.

Zuko wore a black shirt with ripped sleeves and black baggy pants with a golden outline. With his golden colored ribbons he tied them around his writs and around his fingers.

Sokka and Aang came to Zuko's room knocking on the door.

"Hey! Open up!" Sokka yelled. "Why do we look like warriors or some kind of students in martial arts?"

Zuko opened to door. "Because the avatar we celebrate wore things like these. We wear them like if we are his pupils. The girls must wear more dressy ones. I don't know! Its just tradition! Why didn't you guys put on the silk ribbons on your hands yet?" Zuko asked.

"Oh! That's what they are for!" Sokka said tying them on. Aang did as well.

Meanwhile

Katara skipped down the stairs hoping Ursa was still where she last saw her, in the den.

The door was closed but with a little crack open. Katara wanted to know if anyone was inside, so without a word she looked through the crack. She gasped at the site. Her father was lip locking with Ursa. He kissed her neck and all over her face and she moaned in pleasure. Katara turned away and pinned herself to the wall.

"No. No." She fought back tears. She had never seen them do anything more than a friendly hug. It was disgusting and upsetting at the same time but the feelings balanced out into numbness.

"Hey Katara? What are you doing? Why aren't you getting ready?" Aang asked coming down with the other boys. He was still trying to tie the ribbon.

"Ugh let me do that!" Sokka said. "It is kind of hard though I guess. Why are yours so slippery?"

"Hey, did you get my mom? Or did you get lost?" Zuko smirked.

Katara shook her head in difference. "In there." Zuko quickly noticed that she looked shooken up.

"Hm?" Zuko raised an eyebrow. He walked over and looked through the split. His eyes widen. "I see." He hid his anger well. He thought if she could do this in secret, then who knows if she had been sleeping alone these past nights. He barged into the room. "Hey mom? Katara needs clothes for the festival. Can she borrow from Azula?" Zuko asked his mother who jumped when the door flung open.

"Zuko! Knock first! And yes she can. Azula may never come back here anyways." Ursa said stepping away from Hakota.

Katara now walked inside. "Hey dad? Gran-Gran also considers it a sin when you live with your fiancé." With that she left closing the door behind her shedding two tears.

"Ok let's go to Azula's room then." Zuko lead them to the upper level.

"Wait out here." He commanded as he searched through the bedroom. Moments later he handed clothes for her. "There. Go get changed and promise me something. Don't let what you saw our parents do bug you tonight. They are getting married." Zuko told her.

"And weren't you trying to stop it? Did you give up already?" Katara asked.

"I'm waiting for the right time. But if you want it done sooner just work with me." Zuko offered.

She plainly looked into his amber eyes. She felt her breathing slow down. Once she gained control over herself she said, "No, I'll leave that to you." and she left to change in her room. The boys waited outside to discuss last minute terms on the bet.

Katara dressed in slightly baggy silk gold Capri pants and a long sleeve silk gold shirt. She unbraided her hair and pulled it up into a ponytail. She tied the gold ribbons she got around her hands knowing what to do after seeing Sokka tie Aang's.

She opened the door and asked Zuko, "Did I tie them right?"

She pulled her hands out to show him. She felt a tingle when he touched her hands. "Um—they will be fine." Zuko said checking and quickly letting go.

"So remember, the first one with a date before dusk wins. And the rules are you can't go around telling people to stay away from the opponent. Got it?" Zuko asked.

Sokka and Katara nodded. Aang laughed. "I bet on Katara!"

"Aang should you really make that bet?" Sokka asked wondering why Aang didn't feel intimidated by this bet.

"That reminds me, Aang. The other rule as of now, we can't interfere with the contest until it's over."

'Aw. Oh well, I'll try to get Katara to hang out with me later then.' Aang thought to himself. "Got it. So let's go?" Aang asked.

They raced down the stairs to the adults. "Ok we are ready!" Sokka said.

"You kid's go on ahead. We'll meet you down in a minute. Zuko you know your way around here. So please watch them." Hakota said.

"Sure. We'll wait for you by the gate." Zuko insisted.

They were walking down to the door when Katara went to Zuko's side and whispered "You didn't want to baby-sit, huh?"

"Hell no." Zuko said waiting up for Sokka and Aang. "When we split we'll all meet at the center of the town after the fireworks finish. You'll know when you see a firefall." Zuko said.

"Firefall?" Katara asked.

"It's a waterfall but tonight the water looks like fire." He explained.

They reached the gate when the adults came outside. They didn't dress like how the teens did. For the holiday only everyone under 18 were suppose to dress like warriors/ students to the great Avatar they honored.

"Ok so what do you want to do? Split then meet later?" Bato asked as they reached the festival grounds. Sokka ignored him then said to Katara, "Have fun with foot rubbing Kat." He walked over smoothly to some girl with long black hair eating at a booth. They saw him say something then they both left somewhere together. Sokka had won the bet before they actually began.

"That's not fair!" Katara cried. She ran off in the ocean of people.

"Katara! Zuko, will you get her? I don't want her to get lost!" Ursa said.

Zuko nodded and ran off.

"What did I miss?" Aang asked coming back with a new hat he bought.

Zuko chased after the waterbender. He bumped and shoved people to the sides to get through and not lose sight. "Katara wait up!" Zuko shouted over the laughs, cheers and loudness from the crowd. "Stop!"

Katara stopped at the 'firefall'. She sat on the stones that kept the water in the giant bowl.

Zuko grabbed her arm. "Hey! Never run from me again! Damn I don't know how your father could ever handle you! You're so annoying, disobedient, and rude"

Katara began to cry. "SHUT UP! You don't know anything about me! I'm not annoying! Or disobedient! How am I rude?" She yelled.

"You spied on mom and Hakota." Zuko said calmly.

"It was an accident. You did too! Go away! I don't want to see you right now!" Katara shouted in his face.

He smirked. "Don't start a scene Kat. 'I don't want to see you right now' you make it sound like I did something to you. Don't you think?" Zuko asked pulling her up to her feet.

"No I'm not! Just leave me alone!"

"You really take losing badly."

"No I do not! He cheated! We didn't even begin!" Katara cried.

"Who cares? At least you can go to sleep tonight without the guilt of using some guy for a bet." Zuko said. "Have you really thought about how Aang felt from all of this?"

"Aang? I didn't think he'd—", she sighed, "you're right. I'm—I'm sorry." Katara apologized.

He pulled her for a hug—just a friendly hug. "It's ok. You know I like you already, Kat. You're better than Azula for sure. I wish someone like you could have been my sister a long time ago. It would have been easier."

Katara hugged him back. She was confused with the last thing Zuko said: "It would have been easier." What would have been easier? She thought. But she didn't bother to ask. He probably wouldn't have even said anything.

It seemed like an okay moment. It was a moment of future siblings with a strong bond between them and life together ahead of them. Nothing wrong with that. Although from a distance it didn't look that way.

"So what do we do now?" Katara asked still in his arms.

"I'll show you around. Let's go to the other side of the town." Zuko said.

"So you're baby-sitting?"

"You can call it that. Or if you want you can call it a date." Zuko said putting Katara in shock.

"Is that even ok to joke about? We are going to be siblings and—" she began.

"Is it ok? Kat we aren't even blood. They aren't married yet either. Its ok." Zuko winked. "It's not a real date anyways."

Katara smiled. She had never seen him this way. She liked it—to see him in a way that was new.

Yay! Another somewhat short chapter! ^_^ Sorry its short. I could add more but I don't want it so long. The next chapter might come out later today. ^_^

Edit:

Back from the grave! I was going to stop writing this story until this morning when I read two reviews from my email that I don't check too often. I didn't think people still read this and seeing that you do I'm finally answering your wish and I'll be finishing this story. I don't know about many writers but from what I realized about myself is that when I read reviews I feel more motivated. I don't want to write any stories if no one is reading. I mean, who would?

So those who are sticking with me and for those who are new thank you for the reviews. You have no idea how much they mean to me.

For anyone who read this story – as you might have realized already that I removed all the chapters except for chapter 1-5. That's because I wanted to edit them first and I didn't want people reading on ahead when the chapters need to be fixed. Sorry for that.

Review!