A/N: Now your guessing is put to the test. See what happens between Katara and Zuko, and what is it that Sokka does? There's only one way to find out!

You know what? My English professor really confuses me. There was a cockroach on a seat in my class, on its back struggling to right itself. Most of the class had not noticed it and those who did tried to ignore it, but not me. I raised my hand, he called on me and I asked if I could take the thing outside. He and the rest of the class freaked out thinking it gross. He said I could and I just casually picked it up in my bare hands, took it outside, and came back as if it were nothing at all. When I returned, thay all thought I was so brave for doing that instead of killing it. It's a cockroach, it's really not that important. Anyway, what you should take from this is that my teacher gave me three extra credit points for taking the roach outside! That feat really does not deserve that, but hey! It's more points for me, I'll take it!

HJ, technically, if I get on scholarship, I will be in the military. I'll be able to get my own ID and everything. Of course I will be reserves until I commission, but it still counts, right? You better not be a 40 year old creep, otherwise, I'd have to come at you with my swords. No one wants that, considering I have also practiced Russian Martial Arts (Systema and Sambo) for three years and a lot of guys are too afraid to fight me. Pansies! All of them! Anyway, the helos I want to fly do rescue ops along with several other things such as taking Marines from ship to battle and Virtical Replenishments. So who knows, you might rescue me and then I might come back around and rescue you!

Enjoy the chapter, all!

Chapter 6—The Festival

Night had fallen and it was only an hour later when Zuko spotted the lights of the town in the distance. There was a loud cheering when the rest of the group caught sight of the lights as well.

It only took fifteen minutes to reach the town and when they arrived, the only thing they wanted to do was find a cheap inn and fall straight to sleep. They wandered around until they came across an inn that looked a lot like the first inn they had stayed at. They were lucky this time that no guards stopped them as they entered the town or the inn. Sokka was the one who ordered their rooms this time and got rooms with two beds each. Katara and Toph shared a room, as did Aang and Sokka, leaving Zuko a room to himself. That was fine by him. He could not even fathom what would happen if he and the gypsy boy shared a room, and he did not care either way if he got to bunk with Aang or not. It was Sokka that was the problem.

Zuko lay on his bed, unable to sleep for the second time in three days. To occupy himself, he spread out his maps and went over his plan again and again until he began to feel at least a small bit tired. Just when his eyes were beginning to droop, he rolled up his maps and shoved them back into his pack. Removing his shirt and tossing it onto the floor, Zuko pulled back the covers and crawled into bed after shutting off the lights. He closed his eyes and yet, he still had trouble falling asleep.

After he had been lying in bed with his eyes closed for about thirty minutes, a knock sounded at his door. He tried to ignore it, wanting desperately to fall asleep, but as it kept returning he had trouble dismissing it. Finally, after the fourth knock, he threw the covers back and groggily walked across the room and opened the door. His eyes widened when he saw who was at the door. Nervously fiddling with her hands, Katara stood in the door way wearing a small, thin nightdress.

"May I come in?" she asked uneasily.

Tired, and sure she could see obvious dark rings under his eyes, he nodded and stepped aside to let her in. "Does Toph know you're here?" he inquired. She shook her head as she sat down on the free bed that was not ruffled and used. "Then can I ask why you're here? You brother will not be too happy about this."

"That's why I came," she said. "I was wondering if he has said anything to you about…" She paused and stared at the floor. "About you and I."

Zuko was a little taken aback by her question and nearly tripped over his own feet as he was sitting down on his own bed. He frowned, recalling the dirty look he had received from her brother the day before. He knew, just knew that Sokka mistrusted him for more reasons than one; it was not just because of his sister.

He shook his head. "No," he replied. "He doesn't really talk to me at all."

"What about when you went into the hills?" she continued. "He must have talked to you then."

"Well," Zuko paused. "He only asked me one question and that was about Suki, not you."

Oh," was all she said before they both became quiet. The silence in the room was stifling considering how fast Zuko's heart was beating. He could have sworn that the sound of his heart was echoing across the room. There were so many feelings he felt towards the girl sitting across from him, so many things he wanted to say to her but knew he shouldn't. He could not bring himself to hurt her, could not bring her hopes up only to take them away from her at the last second. "What did he ask you?" Katara said, breaking the silence and tearing Zuko away from his arguing conscience.

"He just wanted to know if I had a plan for getting Suki out of Auschwitz."

"And do you?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes, but I'll save that for tomorrow. For tonight, we need to rest."

She nodded. "Thank you, Zuko."

He stood up and offered her his hand. "Here," he said. "I'll take you back to your room."

Smiling, Katara took his hand and allowed him to help her up from the bed. Just as they were crossing to room to the door, a loud knock reverberated from the door. They both looked at each other nervously, thinking they knew who it was. Getting in front of the gypsy girl as if to protect her, Zuko cracked open the door enough to show his whole face to the person on the other side and was surprised to see Toph standing there staring blankly the wooden door.

"Toph?" he asked, quite surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting Katara back before Sokka finds out she's here," she replied. "The man's not in the best of moods and it would be good if he did not blow up in all our faces."

Katara came out from behind Zuko and pushed the door open the rest of the way. "So you're not going to tell him?"

Toph shook her head and motioned for Katara to follow. "I think it would be in all our best interests if this one was kept secret." Katara walked out of the room and waved good bye to Zuko. Toph pointed her finger at the ex-Nazi in warning. "But don't think I like this anymore than Sokka does. He's not the only one who doesn't trust you, Zuko. Next time I won't be so lenient and I will tell Sokka that you two have been meeting in secret."

Zuko frowned at the blind girl as she and Katara left to go back to their own room. So Toph did not trust him either. Were they the only two, or did Aang not trust him as well. He was beginning to feel like Katara was the only person he could really converse with. And Sokka's hatred towards him made that almost impossible. Sighing, he shut the door to his room and crawled back into the covers, this time falling asleep almost instantly.

---

"How did you know where I was?" Katara asked the blind girl as they walked down the hallway to their room. "I thought you were asleep when I left."

"I was," Toph replied. "But only partially. I heard and felt you leave and thought you were going to see your brother and Aang but knew better when I felt you go the wrong way."

"If you knew where I was going, why did you let me?" the gypsy girl asked as she opened the door to their bedroom. "I thought you didn't trust Zuko just as much as Sokka."

Toph plopped back down on her bed and pulled the covers back over her shoulders. "I may not trust him, but I know you do. Unlike Sokka, I'm willing to give you some space to breathe and learn things on your own."

"Are you saying that I'm going to learn that Zuko is really not who I think he is!?" Katara asked, sounding appalled. "No offense Toph, but you weren't there when Zuko saved me from getting raped by a creepy old man!"

"That's not what I'm saying at all!" Toph defended. "I'm saying that Sokka doesn't want to learn that he might actually be wrong. I'm willing, just a bit cautious at this stage in the game. You on the other hand, have already learned and are now searching for something new. I think what Sokka is afraid of is that new something you're searching for. He's afraid he'll lose you to it."

Katara sat on her bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I see," was all she said as Toph rolled over and went back to sleep. Sighing, she laid her head down on her pillow and attempted to sleep just at Toph did. However, her mind was in such a state of confusion that sleep did not come until several hours later.

---

Everyone woke up late the next day. Despite how tired they all were the night before, none of them seemed to have gotten enough sleep. Gathered and crammed in Sokka and Aang's room, the group had maps and blueprints spread out all across the beds and floors for their planning. Zuko did not miss a thing when it came to intricate escape plans, or planning in general. Nothing was missed, from how they got a hold of materials they needed, to how they were to find Suki, sneak her away from the guards, and disappear into the night.

They had spent the whole day planning that when they had finally taken a break for their third meal of the day, the sun had set and the town was filled with many lights, kiosks, stages, and dance floors.

"What's going on out there?" Aang asked no in particular when he had taken a peek out the window of the room.

Everyone in the room stood up and walked over to look out the window with Aang.

"Well, would you look at that," Zuko said with a smile on his face. "Is it August already?"

Sokka stared at the ex-Nazi, absolutely baffled. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"August first, it's a national holiday. We usually celebrate with a big festival and fireworks."

Katara clapped her hands together excitedly. "Then we should go!" she cried enthusiastically.

"What!?" Sokka cried. "No! Right now we need to focus all our efforts into saving Suki!"

"Come on, Sokka," Toph said. "Think about it for a second. We've been in here all day focusing on nothing but our infiltration plan. I think it's time we gave out minds a rest and had a little fun."

Zuko nodded and shut the window. "I've found it very relaxing before a mission to just go out and have fun. That way you're not so stressed going into the operation."

Sokka glared at him. "And I suppose you did just that the night before you came to attack our village and take our friends away?" His voice was dripping with malevolence and his eyes burned with hatred.

Zuko sighed. "That is completely beside the point, but yes, I did." He walked back into the middle of the room and began picking up his maps. "Now, if we are all done arguing over what we're going to do, I suggest we take Katara up on her offer and enjoy ourselves tonight. We could all use a bit of fun."

Everyone nodded their agreement, making Sokka cross his arms and angrily plop down on his bed. "Fine, you go and have fun. I'll stay here and review the plan until I have it down to a tee."

"Come on, Sokka," Katara begged. "Come out with us."

He shook his head and yanked the maps out of Zuko's hands and spread them out on the bed in front of him. His sister sighed and left the room with Toph to clean up and change into some more flattering clothes than the ones she had been traveling in. Zuko left right after her, walking to his own room, and filling the bathtub up with warm water for his bath. Once the tub was full, he stripped his clothes off and climbed in, enjoying the warm water on his filthy skin and greasy hair. Quickly washing up, he rinsed the suds out of his hair and climbed out of the tub. Drying off, he tied the towel around his waist and searched for a decent outfit to wear other than the farmer's boy clothes he had been wearing before. Picking a pair of brown slacks and a dark blue shirt with a thin coat, he got dressed and walked out of his room and down to the lobby of the inn.

He expected that he would have to wait for the others to arrive but when he got there, all three of them were already there waiting for him. "Wow, you're sure fast," he said when he arrived.

"And you're slow," Toph remarked sarcastically. "Now let's go before all the fun is gone."

He nodded as they all left the inn and headed out into the streets to attend the festival. The lighting was extravagant with lanterns of many different colors and the food was amazing. Small cuts of beef cooked right in front of you, little cheese balls topped with coconut and sweets that Zuko had never tasted before. Aang led Toph off in the direction of more snack booths when Zuko felt someone tugging on his sleeve. He looked down to see Katara smiling in a way that told him that she wanted to do something with him.

"What?" he asked innocently.

She pointed off in the direction of a large area that had been cleared for dancing. "Come dance with me," she requested, grabbing his hand and pulling him in the direction of the dancing figures.

Zuko blushed as he allowed her to lead him to the dance floor. He almost regretted knowing how to dance, but thought better of it as she took his hand in hers and placed her other hand on his shoulder. He took her by the waist without thinking and began to move to the rhythm of the live music played just behind him. The song was slow at first and he nervously moved his feet, leading the beautiful girl dancing with him slowly across the floor. He knew his face was bright red and he tried not to look at her lovely, smiling face and concentrate on his movements. That was hard for him considering his dancing had become muscle memory to him from years of practice. She seemed happy and quite at home in his arms. She wanted him to be there, wanted him to hold her, to just be near her. He hated it, but wanted it. He knew that he could never be with her; her brother would not allow it, but he wanted to be with her and was afraid of losing her.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" he asked her, afraid that he would see Sokka coming around the corner.

She let out a small chuckle making Zuko's heart skip a beat. "Oh please," she began. "He's being Mr. Pouty up in the room, he won't see us here."

But-," he tried to argue, but Katara cut him off.

"Just forget about it," she said. "Relax, enjoy yourself."

His heart began to race as the beat of the song sped up and their dance became more energetic. He did not think of his own moves as he watched her dance. She was beautiful, more so with her fluid movements and light steps. It was no surprise to him that she was such a good dancer. Being a gypsy, it was something she was born doing. He loved how their movements and footsteps intertwined into one dance. Her fingers linked his in a tight grip as she drew close to him before stepping back and spinning out beyond his reach. She came back and he grabbed her waist, lifting her up off her feet and spinning her around in the air before setting her back down again.

His heart beat so loud he thought it had drowned out the music playing in the background. When she smiled, he could not help but smile in return. They danced in graceful, flowing movements that made him feel like they were the only two out there, the only two dancing. Her endearing smile had him transfixed. Zuko could not tear his eyes away from Katara's brilliant blue eyes or her shining smile. He knew what he felt for her now. He loved her and he did not care about the consequences anymore. He was going to tell her, he had to before his bottled up emotions destroyed him from the inside.

He took her by the waist again and lowered her very near the floor, bending forward and spreading his legs to better support her weight. Just then, the song ended and they both were breathing heavily. He brought her back up to a comfortable standing position and led her away from the crowds to a quiet place on a small, wooden bridge overlooking a quietly flowing stream with small lights lighting up the surface of the water.

"This place is beautiful," Katara remarked, staring out over the surface of the water.

Zuko smiled as he watched her. "It is," he said, not referring to the water at all. "You are."

Katara turned to look up at him quite surprised by his comment. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You're beautiful, Katara," he repeated. "I realized this the moment I saw you frightened in the second floor of that house." He took her hands in his making her face him. "I cannot begin to tell you how much you affect my actions. I have long come to terms with your brother's feelings towards me, but it does not change how I feel about you." She still had a look of complete confusion on her face but Zuko knew better than to think she was clueless. "I have fallen in love with you, Katara. I want to spend the rest of my life with you whether your brother likes it or not."

He caressed her face with his palms and brushed a lock of dark hair from her eyes and without thinking, without the slightest hesitation, he leaned in and kissed her. He felt her consent right away and wrap her arms around his waist and slink up his back. He held her close to him, afraid that he would lose her if his grip was not tight enough. They stood there, linked together in a passionate kiss with the light of the small lamps bathing them in many colors. No sound existed but the quiet rushing of the stream under them and as they broke apart, Zuko stared into her blue eyes and saw an immediate likeness to the water bellow their feet. The light reflected off her irises just as it reflected off the water making them sparkle and shine like they never had before.

Smiling at each other, Katara slipped her hand into his and they left the bridge to return to the festival with a new outlook on life.

---

Sokka followed his sister and the ex-Nazi to the secluded bridge and watched every move they made. He had seen them dancing and had his suspicions about what was about to happen in this private sector of the town. He could hear every word of their conversation and hated what he heard.

"I have long come to terms with what your brother thinks of me," he could hear Zuko say. "But that does not change how I feel about you." Sokka frowned and squeezed his hand into a fist. He watched in helpless anger as Zuko took his sisters hands and turned her to face him and spoke the forbidden words. "I have fallen in love with you, Katara. I want to spend the rest of my life with you whether your brother likes it or not."

And Sokka's mind exploded in an overflow of rage, hatred, and betrayal. Zuko had gone in for the win, leaning in and kissing Katara before Sokka could do anything about it. He stormed off; heading God knew where before he bumped into Aang and Toph by the performers on stage.

---

Zuko and Katara released their hands from each others as they arrived back at the festival. They searched around for the others until they found them conversing by the stage performers, only a new face was added to the group.

"There you guys are," Katara said as they joined the others. Zuko was surprised to see Sokka out and about but quickly dismissed it as Katara continued talking. "I thought you had gone to get more food."

"We did," Toph, explained. "But ol' lightweight here," she said, nudging Aang in the ribs. "Got full too fast so we went to see the performers."

Aang flinched and rubbed his ribs as the others laughed. Zuko smiled and almost did not notice Sokka walking up to him and tapping him on the shoulder.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked the ex-Nazi who nodded and followed him back to the secluded bridge where he had just confessed his love to the one girl that the two men both had in common. Sokka seemed a little uneasy to him, but seeing as it was nothing new, Zuko quickly dismissed it as the man's normal way of bearing himself. He knew the man wanted to say something, yet it seemed hard for him to get out. Finally, after taking a deep breath, he spoke. "I realize how much you mean to my sister, and I'm sorry I was so hard on you." His voice shook only slightly and he refused to look at the man he was talking to. "I guess I just judged you too harshly on who you used to be and what your people were doing to mine. I realize now that you're only trying to help us and that in order for this plan of yours to work, we need to trust each other." The gypsy held out his hand for Zuko to take. "Do you think you can forgive me?"

Zuko paused for a moment, thinking over what he had just been told. Was this man trying to play him? It seemed all so sudden but yet it seemed right. However much he was suspicious of Sokka, he could not argue with his logic. Sighing deeply, Zuko took the man's hand and shook it. "You're forgiven," he said and they both walked back to enjoy the rest of the evening.

A/N: Sokka, WHAT!? What a turn of events! Will it turn out for the better, or for the worst? Keep reading and you will find out soon!