Chapter 21

Help

"You know it's not going to be easy coming back?" Zuko more told than asked his sister.

"I'm not worried. You did it and I can do anything you can do and ten times better." Azula smirked. Zuko gave her a dry look. "Sorry, I mean, I'll work very hard to gain everyone's trust."

"It will take time but fortunately we may have an ally in Katara when it comes to reintroducing you to the Avatar and his friends but it will be a while before you get there?" Zuko said.

"What? Why? I'm ready to be good now." Azula frowned.

"Yes, I know, you've already said that but Azula it's not that easy. I need to be sure I can trust you and that you're really better now." Zuko tried to make his sister understand.

"Urgh, what do I have to do to prove I want to be good now? This is so much harder than being bad. To be bad you just do it and everyone just knows it." Azula snapped.

"I want you to spend some time with Uncle. When and if he deems you are ready to come back to court I will gladly accept you back and punish anyone who speaks openly against it, I promise."

"Then I promise I'll do everything in my power to show you that I'm good now." Azula said, clenching a determined fist.

"Good because believe it or not I have kind of missed you." Zuko grinned.

"Of course you have, this entire palace is an absolute bore without me." Azula smirked.

Zuko just shook his head, rolling his eyes, as he led his sister to uncle Iroh's apartments.

"You'll have a room in one of his spare rooms for now since we don't want anyone to know I let you out yet. You are forbidden to leave his apartments unless he is with you. Do you understand me?"

"Uck, yes, Zuzu. Don't treat me like a child, I get the whole secrecy thing."

"Azula, if people see you right now, they'll think you escaped that would ruin everything."

"It's fine, I can get through house arrest, I've been living in a cell for the last couple of weeks I think I can handle a bedroom, a sitting room, and a tea room. That's quite a bit more space. I'll work on my vocabulary of goodness or something."

Zuko stared at her for a moment. "Vocabulary of goodness?"

"Yes, the words and phrases you good people use. Instead of saying 'get out of my way peasant' I'll say 'excuse me please' or 'get me some lemonade now,' I can say 'I'd like some lemonade please.'"

'Wow.' Zuko mouthed.

"What?" She snapped. "Isn't that right? Isn't that how you be good? That can't be wrong, I distinctly remember good people saying stuff like that. Especially please, they were always begging for their lives and their children and their homes and they definitely always used please."

"No, no, that's perfectly right. It's all the right things to say if you're, uh, good. It's just weird hearing those things from you…since it's just not normal for you to be…good." Zuko struggled to explain.

"Well, get used to it. I'm going to be so good I'll make the avatar look like the old me." Azula said confidently.

Zuko couldn't hold back the laughter at that. Azula gave him an annoyed look.

"I will." She insisted.

"I'm sure you will." He chortled, not believing it at all but if it made her feel better, he'd go with it.

- -

General Kawamura smirked from his hiding place. So the fire lord had let his crazy sister out. This could be used to his advantage. In fact, the girl could play a vital role in his new plot. This was just too perfect. Turning he left the hallway as silently as he'd come.

- -

Zuko paced outside of the main dining room trying to think of the best way to pose his question. He wanted to get something for Katara but he was going to need some help. Previously he wouldn't have bothered but the waterbender was on his mind increasingly as the wedding drew closer. When he got out of his meetings now he had to attend lessons with her. She was learning the proper way to make an entrance on his arm and how to perform the most traditional of fire nation dances. Since she'd most likely be dancing with him it was only appropriate that he practice with her. Also, he had to learn some traditional water tribe dances.

They were slowly growing close during these lessons together and in the time they stole away together for naps where no one could find them. He wasn't sure at what point it became routine but now they always seemed to find a new place to sneak away to whenever their lessons were over. Sometimes they'd talk for a bit first and then go to sleep, other times they'd just pass out together. He enjoyed every time they were together though. She fit comfortably in his arms and he liked holding her. Sometimes he'd wake up to her tracing the definition of the muscles in his arms or of his chest if he was where a shirt that exposed it. Sometimes he'd wake up and she'd still be sleeping and he'd kiss her forehead and draw her closer. Still other times he'd wake up to find her lips pressed against his and he'd smile at her.

On those days he'd let her experiment. If she just wanted to brush her lips against his, he was fine with that. If she opened her mouth to him, he'd indulge her. If she wanted to run her fingers through his hair, he'd return the gesture. Their stolen moments were making things more comfortable by the day and he was also ready to admit that he might be falling for her. It had occurred to him when he realized he was going through his entire day waiting for the moment their lesson was declared over just so that he could hold her.

He was torn from his thoughts of her as he finally laid eyes on the person he wanted to see coming out of the dining hall.

"Sokka." Zuko called.

Sokka froze, "Did I do something?"

"Um, no, why did you think you did something?" Zuko asked confused.

"I don't know. You just sounded extra grumpy today?" Sokka shrugged.

"I'm not grumpy." Zuko retorted.

"Right, you just keep telling yourself that Fire Lord Broody." Sokka grinned, at the new nickname he'd come up with.

Zuko gave him a look. "Can you focus?"

"On what?" Sokka asked, confused.

"On what I'm saying."

"But you haven't said anything."

"Because you threw me off with your 'what did I do' question."

"I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that you haven't said anything so I don't know what exactly I'm supposed to be focusing on."

Zuko wanted to strangle him.

"Well you're never going to find out what he wants if you don't let him talk." Suki said appearing at Sokka's side.

Sokka sighed, "You're right, Suki. What do you want Zuko?"

"I need your help with something."

"Oooo, do you need a party planned because I'm an excellent party planner. In fact, I should be in charge of the ball that's coming up…" Sokka stopped at the look he was getting from Suki.

"Sokka the ball is in two days, it's way too late to get you in on that and I'm not here about a stupid party. I'm here about your sister." Zuko snapped.

"What's wrong with my sister? What'd you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything to her. I need your help picking out a present for her."

"A present for her?"

"You mean like an engagement present?" Suki jumped back into the conversation.

"Er, yeah, exactly, like an engagement present." Zuko blushed, rubbing the back of his head.

"That's so sweet of you." Suki beamed. "But why are you asking Sokka? You're going to need a woman's help for this one."

"Then why don't you come too. I'm going to need all the help I can get. I have a history or screwing up trying to be nice to her."

"I don't know. It sounds to me like you're doing something right lately." Suki grinned, giving Zuko a knowing look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sokka demanded.

Zuko caught the look and then secretly grinned himself. It pleased him greatly to know Katara was talking about him to Suki. Afterall, she wouldn't talk about him if she didn't like him, right? He pondered this for a moment while blocking out Sokka and Suki.

"It doesn't mean anything." Suki said.

"Then what was that look for?" Sokka asked suspiciously.

"What look?" Suki grinned mischievously.

"You gave him a look."

"I gave no look."

"But, but I saw a look. There was definitely a look."

"You're losing it Sokka."

"Zuko, you caught the look didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Sokka but I do know that I'd like for us to be on our way. Unlike you I actually have things to be doing with my life." Zuko replied striding towards the palace doors.

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Sokka shouted after him.

- -

Katara was in her room being measured for her dress. She was in luck, her grandmother had brought a dress maker from the water tribe to come help make the dress. While Purya had balked at the idea of anyone helping her create the wedding dress, one scathing look from Gran-gran had set the old dressmaker to silently scowling. It seemed to irritate Purya more that she could goad the water tribe dress maker into fighting with her. Purya already had the measurements but she refused to share her notes with the water tribe dresser so there Katara stood being measured again. The battle over the color of her dress still raged on and Katara was so sick of it she almost wanted to shout she'd wear green just to horrify them. It was Thursday now, Saturday was the ball and the Saturday after that was her wedding. The countdown had begun and Katara had to admit she was starting to feel a little nervous.

A/N: As we draw closer to the wedding I am in need of your assistance again. It was suggested to me that a party be thrown for Katara and Zuko, seperately. I have hinted that Sokka is planning something but if I'm going to write these parties I'm going to need your help. I've been to a wedding, never a bachelor (obviously) or bachelorette party. I could probably come up with some cheesy stuff but it all sounds lame in my head so if I get some good ideas from you guys I may write out the parties. Those of you who have given me suggestions in the past know I try to work them in so please give me good suggestions of things you think they might actually do. Try to picture it in your head first and if you say no so and so would never do that then please don't suggest it.