Disclaimer: Like standard procedure calls for... *sigh*

Seconds ticked by. I was too stunned to do much more than stare.

As my eyes analyzed, gold orbs hungrily gazed back. His muscles made my eyes snap open, and I clutched the towel closer to me involuntarily. I scrambled backward. He took a step forward, and I took one back-

-falling to the floor.

All I could do was watch as he looked down at me, eyes expressing concern.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. He was the most beautiful man I'd ever looked at. He had strong broad shoulders that tapered down into a lean narrow waist. His black hair was long, the ends of it falling over his shoulder a few inches. The amulet hung around his neck was a large dark stone, smooth and circular in shape, strung on a simple black leather cord.

My eyes darkened, taking in everything before me. Intricate markings and symbols ran indolently along his rippling washboard abs, gleaming metallic. And—

I forced my eyes to go no further. But as I looked up, I finally realized something else.

The air was supercharged with the most sensual smell I'd ever come across. A small noise escaped my lips as I shivered. My heart was pounding, and I couldn't breathe right. Something about the man was enthralling me, trapping me in his spell.

A moment passed. Slowly, ever so painfully, my heart thudded against my ribs. My mind cease to coherent thought. All I could think of was the man standing in the door way.

Every one of my sense sizzled into existence for this man. Nothing mattered to my senses but him. I didn't register the water dripping from my hair, or the sound of the air vents buzzing alive or the chill that raced down my skin in response.

How quiet it was as the man finally made a move, disturbing the spell over me. Pulses of sensation scorched me. Nothing made sense. The colors in my vision blurred, split, and finally resettled. I blinked furiously as I heard noises—pitches of sound that shouldn't have been heard by human ears— that grated against my ears, then eased into nonexistence. Just in seconds, the smell of no explainable words made me quiver in delight, and emotions crested in a way I couldn't describe.

How strange the towel felt against my skin. How weird the air tasted, different tastes combined, mingled.

Nothing made sense to me then. Everything had changed.

Something moved in the corners of my mind and I froze. Nothing was making sense, yet...

It was starting to make absolute sense to me. Everything—and I didn't comprehend why my perspective was separating the contridictions from one another. It was too complicated for me to understand, but…simple.

All I knew what that everything had changed.

It was if my mind was touching something it had never touched before. A notion of what should have seemed painful was in fact only a tingling irritation as I grew accustomed. What was going on? Strange, but the thing was…this felt right.

Swallowing, I internally writhed as the sensations clouded my mind, flooding me. It was over whelming. No words were processed in my thoughts. Only sensations and accompany emotions.

My eyes locked with the male standing above me. He was strong, powerful—an alpha in every sense. He carried his frame well, still and analytically meeting my wary eyes. He drew closer, crouching until he was face to face with me. Full lips smirked, and his hand reached out slowly, cupping my face. Sharply, a hissing breath rushed into my deprived lungs. His touch was extremely warm. I couldn't express anything if I'd wanted to as his tremendous pull drew me. Instantly. And hard.

Leaning in, his gold eyes flickered up to my eyes and then to my lips. Desire shot through me, and I pulled it together, gathering it as our lips met, and sent it back just as strongly. His eyes flashed, and for a second, I was sure he'd felt it too. But..how was that possible?

Hungrily, I moaned as tingles raced over me. I couldn't think as this fallen angel possessively took hold of my mouth. My eyes closed, my hands were touching him, stroking the glorious muscles of his torso, dipping to pause over his lean abdominals. His hands were on my shoulders, clenched as if in self denial.

I pulled him closer, and he panted, obviously holding back. Which I didn't like at all. If I wasn't holding back, then neither should he.

My fingers brushed over where the metallic marking were and suddenly, my eyes shot open. A sharp tug had entered my mind, and I became aware of him more. Pausing to look down, a furious blush spread over my cheeks like fire. I hadn't meant to look, but…

I glanced back up to the markings, and was surprised to see them glowing a feint silver, shimmering in an unrhythmic pulse.

Shadows of warm tendrils wrapped in my mind, anchoring me to it. Or more precisely, him. I was aware of not only my emotions, but his, too. His were primitive, almost predator like. Almost like a…

Exactly like a wolf's.

The only one I knew in person was….

My God. I could feel his curiosity, monitoring my reaction. I was confused, angry, and hurt, but I couldn't do anything but feel as he received this. I felt…I didn't know. Was this normal to know you should feel overwhelming intrusion, when in reality, all I felt was…

I didn't know.

I honestly didn't know.

In understanding, he kissed me again. Gentler this time. Slower. More intimate than just a moment ago. This time, he poured peace into me. He wanted me to accept this. He wanted me to be okay with our decision. He wanted me to accept him. He wanted more than just my acceptance. He wanted my time, my effort, and my willingness. He wanted…me.

I couldn't move, momentarily unresponsive as he tried for entrance, licking my lip. He nibbled. I responded. Helplessly, I realized that this was his doing inside of me. Physical movement paused, and my eyes fluttered as he showed me through his eyes what he'd seen.

At that moment, I accepted that this was more than just physical. Accepted that our minds touched, and his essence brushed mine, leaving its mark. Mine did the same, and equally joined, we tightened hold to the other.

My vision was split, the dominate section blurring out the lesser. Muted colors. Extreme smells. Animal instincts. Predator senses. Physical hunger. Emotional deadness. Pain. Memories. Lies. Betrayal. Trickery. Imprisonment.

These whirled through my mind, instantly becoming part of me. In minutes, I had years of this man's life etched into my thoughts and mind. I saw his past, his memories. I saw his life prior to now, and the years of difference. The small things, the unusual things, the funny things, the big things, and the everyday things.

And then the seconds his life became permanently uprooted. I saw as he was separated from his family in a way no other person could understand. I saw his mother, his sister, his father…I saw them all. Even his tea loving uncle. I saw their faces, and the memories that accompany them. I saw his best memories and his worst memories.

I saw a woman that had betrayed him, tricking him into an inescapable fate. She had cursed him because he'd stopped loving her. He'd been cursed to the form of a beast because he couldn't bring himself to return her feelings. He couldn't. She was the monster, not him.

Anger welled up in me. He hadn't deserved this. He'd been trapped in a loveless marriage. So what? It hadn't been his fault he couldn't tell her those same three words. At least he'd been honest! He couldn't undo the arranged marriage. Before he'd been bound in a witch's curse, he'd been trapped inside marriage to a cold woman who had never understood anything but her own needs.

That had been a hundred years ago.

He had been cursed and trapped for over a hundred lonely years. If he didn't break it before the last lunar eclipse of the hundredth year, he'd be trapped forever in the wolf's body. He would be bound to the land he'd once carried his new bride over to call their own. Just hours after their first anniversary, since he'd failed to give her lies of affection, she'd used magic to trap him in the split replica of his beloved hunting hound's shape.

The way of breaking his curse was a series of steps. When I realized what they were, an overwhelming compassion made my eyes water, and I cried for him. I felt so sad for him, having been dealt those cards. I felt even worse that he'd never complained. He'd shouldered this burden alone this long, and soon, he'd have no other reality if something wasn't done. God, he was so strong. It made me respect him more just knowing everything. I'd never met a man with such a since of complexity. And I never would again.

I saw golden eyes reflected in an imagined mirror, the body of an impossibly large wolf-dog. Watching, the reflection turned into a handsome man, markings rising up to the skin as if pulled out from within, excruciating as they burned flesh, magically marking him with the written form of the curse.

I untangled through our minds the key to his curse, and assured him it wasn't impossible like he'd assumed it was. He placed his hand over mine as he pressed my hand to his markings. I could feel them. I could actually feel a pulsing energy binding me to him, and my essence responded, echoing the resonance.

If this had been some weird novel, I would have acutely said I'd found my soul mate. But it wasn't. This man was real—not some hero from a book. This man was real. He was touching me as if he couldn't get enough of me. I realized my hands were doing to same, though I wasn't embarrassed. Physically, this was nothing in comparison to what close intimacy our essences had done.

His mouth never moved, but he spoke. How do you like me now?

"In what retrospective?" I asked him quietly, shyly. "How do I answer something you can just pluck from my mind? Zuko…why?"

He knew what I meant. If I wasn't his only choice, we both knew he might not have picked me to be the key to his proverbial lock and chains.

He answered only part of what I'd inquired. I don't want to just pull that answer up. That's intrusion. Even if we could just yank the truth from one another, it's still invasion without consent. His fingers trailed along my skin, leaving behind an invisible touch that stayed, echoing his warmth for a slight second.

"Then what do you call what you're doing in my mind?"

His expression hardened. I can't verbally speak, Katara. You saw my memories. Even if I open my mouth and try, nothing will come out.

I raised a brow, and he rolled his eyes. His lips parted. His mouth moved, and the powerful muscles of his neck moved. But nothing came out. Not even a sound of trying.

I told you. He sighed. Don't you think I would have talked by now if otherwise?

He had a point. He opened a flood gate of frustration in our link, and I got to my knees and just hugged him. He'd been through so much. He accepted the embrace, holding me to him, though tense.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered.

He sounded indifferent, though I could feel the anger. It's not your fault. There nothing you could have done to prevent what has already happened.

But there was something that I could do now to prevent what would happen.

Even if I was his only chance now, that didn't mean I could give up on him. My weeping heart wouldn't allow that. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if he wasn't given a chance at freedom. Even if it meant more to me than it did him, breaking his curse had now become one of by top priorities.

Because in order for his curse to be broken, the key events had to fall in order exactly as Mai had intended. To unmake his curse in four months time, it would either break one of us or the both of us.

First, Zuko had to be bound not only to his curse, but to a willing woman physically, mentally, and emotionally. Which was already done. That willing woman would be me, now that it was too late to go back. Second, he had to marry the woman he was linked to. Which…would be me, if this was in fact not a hallucinated fantasy of my wackiest romance deprived dreams. I heard Zuko heave another sigh as my mind raced over that.

I sent him a look that made him laugh, silently, of course, and he pulled me into his lap. My blush severely deepened as he nuzzled my neck.

So…this was how it was going to be for the next four months or so? Bizarrely, I liked these conditions. I suddenly—unintentionally, I swear—erected a barrier in my mind, against a small discrete corner. Zuko didn't seem to hear my private thoughts as I stored key ones to this tiny portion of my mind. Even though I might be part of this deal, it didn't mean I could enjoy the benefits. Did it?

Then I chided myself for such indifferent, selfish thoughts.

He couldn't seem to stop touching me. Another thing about the curse. Neither he nor I could get enough of each other. I craved him. Just as he craved me—at least, I think. There was no objection to this man touching me. I certainly didn't mind this at all.

I let that shield drop, and was defiantly uncomfortable as Zuko raised a dark eyebrow. As soon as that discreet barrier had fallen, he'd immediately known those thoughts as they echoed into his hold.

"When exactly will you be able to speak again?" I asked him, changing the subject, loving the feel of his hands over my markings. Then I realized the towel had dropped. Blushing furiously, I yanked it back up as his chuckle filled my mind. Darn him and his sexy laugh.

Which goaded him into a grin.

I was actually stunned enough to stop thinking.

"Zuko, has anyone told you you're absolutely gorgeous?"

His hand rested on my knee, thoughtful. No, but thank you, my beautiful bride to be. He frowned, suddenly thinking of something. I knew even before he worded it at what he was getting at. Getting you to fall in love with me doesn't seem that hard.

"No. But…" He'd already anticipated this having gotten the disapproval from my thoughts. "forcing yourself to fall in love is hard, Zuko. It's why you grew to hate Mai. Am I right? After you knew, you tried to force love to continue when you couldn't even bare it. Sure, you can get me to fall in love with you easily, but…if you force yourself to love me, you'd hate me. Then you'd be cursed because you didn't really love me. Even if you succeeded in getting my love," I watched as he realized this too. "You could doom yourself by trying too hard. It has to be real, not just desperation for freedom."

Then… He slowly sorted through his thoughts. He pictured how he'd fall into love with me, setting up a fool proof plan to where it would be genuine love he would grow into. Not just a temporary one either. Mai had been specific about that. Unconditional love is what was needed to break the curse.

Zuko thought about this long and hard for all of five minutes. To fall in love with me, he would have to have contact. He needed to know I wasn't just a fantasy of his insane mind. He needed to know he had the chance to be free of his curse.

I can do it. He announced. I might take me a while, but…I know that it's not completely out of my reach.

He obviously didn't care that I was aware of his thoughts. In detail, I saw his plans. The way—down to the very last precise sketchy idea—he was going to fall in love, unconditionally and fully.

Wow. Wasn't I the luckiest girl in the world! I couldn't think of a female on earth that wouldn't want to be in my position. I had the most amazing man that needed me and my love. He was going to have to work at this, and clearly, he was willing to put everything into breaking his curse.

At least he was amazingly desirable. At least I'd never get tired with looking at him. At least I was never going to get tired of touching him. At least I was never going to get tired of the possibilities in how we could spend time together. At least I was never going to get tired thinking of how to love him. At least I didn't see breaking his curse as a chore. At least I was never going to get tired of…

"You just heard all that didn't you?" I cast my eyes to the floor, embarrassed more because of my thoughts then the fact that neither of us was fully decent.

He seemed smug at this. It's good to know I'm desirable to you. He looked over to the mirror, and glimpsed our reflection. He pointed to it, softly making it known. Look. On your side.

I got to my feet to get a closer look. I stopped, looking from the mirror to my stomach. Oh, great. Zuko's markings had transferred over to me. How lovely. Hadn't I already known this? Yep. That's right. He'd been too busy distracting me with his hand to have me really give a rip about the markings.

Looking closer, I realized almost none of ours were the same. In the floor length mirror, my eyes stopped, narrowing as I spotted something on my side and on his stomach. I twisted to look over my shoulder. "Is it just me, or is that one symbol moving?"

It's moving. He looked amazed at this, and was staring at the one that I was referring to. I stared down at it, suddenly insecure. My chin was lifted as he was suddenly there, using a gentle hand to make me look him in the eye. It's one of Mai's sick reminders. That symbol is most likely going to keep moving like that until that part of the curse is unmade. It's still now.

And he was right. I looked over, and it had stopped moving. He let go of me, and the symbol started up again. It didn't hurt, but…it looked like it should. I reached out for his hand, and it stopped again.

My other palm met my face, and I cursed. "You mean to tell me that both of us are going to have a little silver squiggle shimmering like a blinking headlight every time we're not touching?"

That's what it says.

"You can actually read that gibberish?" My voice was tight as I looked over the incoherent symbols. My eyes widened as I recognized one. Sure, I'd known it was magic. What surprised me was that I knew the origin.

You're right. Mai was in one of the darkest covens in history. What no one knew was that she was the queen of them all. He closed his eyes, disgust written all over his features. That symbol is emphasized. What that says is, he traced out the lines and random symbols on himself. I swear I felt it too. 'Beware, only true love can break the curse'.

"Then what's emphasized?"

The word 'beware'.

"How…" I muttered. What was the word that would fit best for what the situation called for?

…sick minded? He offered. Ironic? Masochistic? How predictable of an evil romantic of a witch?

"Not what I would have said, but...yeah. You're right. Zuko, just how evil was Mai?" I needed to know how evil of a witch she was to understand how powerful her magic had been.

If I were to say that her practice of magic would have made the most twisted, experienced blood witch pray to the Lord, would that be an indicator?

Well…yeah, it would.

I remembered hearing from one of my fellow professors at the collage that there would only be one more lunar eclipse this year. If my math was right, then it was four months away, precisely. We had four months to break his curse or else.

We have some time then. He heard the echoes of my worrisome mathematics. It's more time than I thought I had.

I thought of something. Just how exactly was this possible?

"Zuko, how did you turn back? Into a human, I mean. How…?"

Oh. You kissed me.

He shook his head, expression amused at my lack thereof.

That's part of the curse too. I'm not sure how that worked, but…Mai somehow set it up where the woman I was bound to—you, in this case—would start the unmaking process by a simple declaration of affection. You kissed me earlier when I was trying to ignore those loud collage kids of yours. Remember? You ran out just as the magic started taking affect.

So…all I had to do was kiss him and…poof! He'd turned into a human?

Not exactly. Pain filled is eyes as he remembered.

Then how….?

Instead of letting me ask for his permission and delve through his memory as I had first intended to, he blocked that part off from my excess, and just told me. It felt like I was being pulled from the inside out, Katara. I didn't let you hear what was going on, but… He shifted uncomfortably. There's some damage in the den from my claws. I'm sorry.

"Just how bad is it?"

Not bad. Just some groves in the floor.

Zuko as a wolf had been at least two-hundred pounds. I thought back to the size of his paws…

…which had been larger than my hands. Zuko held up his hands to show me, and I noticed how large they were. Correction, they were still larger than my hands. They were about the same size as his paws had been. My poor floors…

Like I said, I'm sorry. Apologetically, he shrugged.

My mind turned back to our challenge. Or rather, the rest of it. We'd already been over it, but just to make sure, I back tracked.

The third condition was the one that made me really scared. The third part of ths unmaking of his curse was that he had to honestly declare his undying love to this woman. He had to fall in love with her, and have her return his feelings. Zuko had to have this woman's unconditional love returned if he was ever to stay a man.

Which, if I was correct, was me.

You're not going to go into shock, are you?

I didn't think so. Not yet, anyway.

That's good. Then… He cuddled me, and breathed in deeply. I leaned into him, closing my eyes. Maybe we should get me some clothes.

I had to look up at the ceiling so I didn't look back down.

"You know, that might be a good idea."

The next four months were going to be a mess, and I didn't know anyone that could sympathize for me or Zuko. I didn't know how I was going to survive, or who to write up in my will. Sokka could do what he wanted with my things, but should I include some things for my students? Aang would like my television, I knew for sure, and—

When do we get married?

Oh…God.

So... this was my life. My name is Katara. I am twenty-four years old, and two months ago, I lived a decently fair, average life. Though I live pay check to pay check, the house I live in is a blend of modern conveyance and older architect. I also have a big brother who can put a line-back to shame at the breakfast table. Though I haven't seen them in a while, my dad and his best friend are medical researchers in the top of their field. About four years ago, I met my best friend is a twenty-two year old majoring in zoology named Aang. My entire life, I always wanted a happy ending - just like any other female I've ever met. I also just recently became an Old World Literature professor at one of the world's most discrete, but most advanced, colleges. As of this morning, I couldn't wait to perfect my yard and harvest my first load of fruits and vegetables.

And somehow...somehow, I wound up becoming not only roommate with one of the arrogant males I've ever known, but eventfully I'd be the key to unlocking his curse, his friend, his partner, his lover...

...and God willing...

...his wife.

Don't forget the last thing on the requirements, baby.

Ah. He was right. My vivid imagination was going to keep me up all night if he didn't make himself decent. Either that or the both of us would be awake for a while.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko." My voice was teasing, and picked a towel from the rack. He caught it, giving me a blank look with I motioned he cover himself up "I almost forgot. Let's head out to get your naked butt some clothes."

I made the mistake of letting my eyes travel over his body again, and the blood rushed to my face. My nostrils flared. I kept my eyes on his face and a smile curled on his lips.

It seemed someone was happy to see me.

This section concludes heflo's writings. Chapters 1-4 were her works. From this point on, I will take over. While I'm going to miss the way she wrote her stories and the random ways she did most things, I'm more proud of her now that she's decided to pursue life outisde of the darkness of the compter room.

If you were a fan, you know the drill. She probably would like to know that you support her story relief. So....review, please?

-Eralynn.