Hello everyone!~ Like I promised here is a chapter! I don't think it will upload today (Friday) but it should be up to read Saturday!~ I hope you all enjoy the chapter! A lot of shit gets done and goes down! Things are really going to start moving so I hope you are all ready!~

Progress

Katara's POV

"Oh, so you're her then?" I felt Zuko's hand grip my waist a little tighter, almost in warning.

"That's right." I watched the woman named Mai sit motionless, I remembered where I saw her from. The party Zuko's father held awhile back, she was speaking with Ursa at one point. I suddenly felt very cautious. This was Zuko's childhood friend, she knew everything about him, his family…things I still had yet to find out.

"Mai, you wanted to see her. Here she is, and as I said this is a relationship I don't want to lose. Please, stop asking about this marriage. I won't go through with it." Mai looked to her father who I finally realized was looking at me.

"Where have I seen you before? I know it was in a magazine but…" I smiled politely.
"My family was featured in a magazine a few weeks back for our restaurant. I'm sure you have heard of it before, it's the Shining South." I saw his face light up with recognition. Hopefully that piece of information would help get Zuko out of this mess.

Oh how wrong I was. "I've eaten there, can't say it was the best food or service but, I understand the hype. Why aren't you helping your father?" I wanted to scream at the man for his rude behavior. How dare he insult our company straight at my face.

"My family loves that restaurant are you sure you don't have it mixed up with somewhere else? If I remember correctly you enjoyed the food at our party a while back. Katara's family actually catered that event after my father's wishes." I felt my heart flip flop and my anger calm down. Zuko picked up a manila file and handed it back to Mai.

"I won't marry you Mai" I smiled, "I'm sorry Mr. Lou but I won't agree to this when it was never my father's place to make me marry someone I don't love." Mr. Lou's anger was overflowing, I had never seen a man's face so red with anger and hate. Obviously he was unpleased with Zuko rejecting his daughter, but something told me it wasn't just that. I looked to Zuko who still had his arm around my waist, staring at the Lou's with a serious expression that I hadn't seen before.

"ZUKO! I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS! I DON"T CARE IF YOU DON'T LOVE MY DAUGHTER AND INSTEAD YOU LOVE THIS SLUT OF A WOMAN WHO IS CLEARLY AFTER YOUR MONEY!" I gasped in surprise at his sudden outburst, too shocked to be angered at the insult. I didn't have to be angry anyways because Zuko was for me.

"SHE ISN'T AFTER MY MONEY! YOU ARE! YOU AND MAI BOTH WANT THIS MARRIAGE SOLEY FOR OUR COMPANIES! AT LEAST KATARA IS TAKING THE TIME TO ACTUALLY GET TO KNOW ME!" Mai's eyes widened in surprise but quickly went back to the same emotionless expression. I watched the men stare with intense rage and hatred for the other. Mai sighed and stood up.

"Father let's leave. Zuko I will forget about the marriage." Mr. Lou looked to her daughter clearly outraged that she wouldn't follow through with his plan.

"Mai what are you saying! We came here not taking no for an answer!" She turned sharply on her heels and headed out the door.

"We clearly are not going to get a yes either, I believe we should leave father. Now." Zuko was watching her walk out with his mouth hanging open. Something told me the woman never disobeyed her father. Mr. Lou growled and followed his daughter out, knocking the chairs over in his wake.

"This isn't over Zuko. I hope you get rid of this slut and come to your senses." Zuko remained quiet letting Mr. Lou and Mai leave. As the door shut he finally relaxed back in his chair sighing a relieved breath. I felt like we had avoided a storm but the worst was yet to come." I looked at Zuko, watching his chest rise with his steady breaths and his closed eyes making him look younger, especially as his hair hung over his forehead almost down to his eyes.

"Zuko…I…" his golden iris's opened, looking at me with such happiness and love it moved my heart into overtime. Thumping loudly in my chest as I looked back. "Thank you…for defending me, and for everything…" I hung my head slightly down in disappointment. I wasn't able to help him much, instead it turned out that I made matters worse. Zuko stood up facing towards me. His warm large hands cupped my face and I leaned into them. Needing to feel the heat he radiated, allowing it to envelope me and calm me down.

"Katara, I meant everything I said. I would rather risk being financially secure and marrying a women I didn't love, to get the chance to see where this relationship leads to." I smiled wrapping my arms around his lower waist, hugging him tightly. His arms soon followed as he hugged me back. "I will mess up. I know I will since this is all new to me, but…I really want to try." I smiled finally making up my mind.

"I do too." I felt his hand cup my face again turning me up to his, our eyes met for a split second before I turned away blushing.

"Katara…can…will you be my girlfriend…" I shrugged too embarrassed to speak any further. "Katara?"

"I…I, yes." He chuckled and kissed my cheek tenderly. I looked to him finally watching his lips tug into a smile but it was obvious I just made his day.

"No going back now. Once I have you…I don't plan on letting you go." I chuckled at his possessiveness. Nodding I felt his fingers hold my chin up and pull me towards him into a kiss/ I could feel his breath on my face, and the intoxicating cinnamon smell that came from him naturally.

"I don't plan on letting you go either. I don't share Zuko, and I don't do well with some things. There will be parts about me you will see I have a very stern rule for. But, just like you I want to make this work, I want to see where we go." Zuko didn't say anything. Instead he pulled me closer, and connected our lips in the most slow and tender kiss that we've ever shared.

The kiss didn't get any more heated, instead it kept an even pace, slow and tender but the passion grew. His hands moved to my lower back holding me close to him, in return I ran my hands up and over his chest gripping onto his shirt. We parted after seconds that felt like minutes. He pulled me slower to him burying his face into my neck and hair. I felt his lips smile against my skin and my own grow.

"Zuko?" He started chuckling deeply, vibrating against my skin and causing me to shiver. He pulled back and kissed me tenderly again before picking me up. In fear I wrapped myself around him, legs around his waist and arms around his neck chuckling nervously.

"ZUKO! What are you doing! Put me down!" He shook his head smiling up at me brightly.

"Katara you've just made me the happiest man on Earth right now." I chuckled as his childish behavior, I felt my stomach flutter with butterflies.

"Oh please, we were practically dating before." He shook his head.

"That may be true but now you are mine officially and I can tell people. I won't have to hide my affections like they are wrong." I smiled placing my hands on his cheeks and touching our foreheads.

"The same could be said about you. I am yours, and you are mine." We chuckled together reveling in the happiness.

Abruptly the door to the office opened revealing a very confused Toph by the door.

"Whoa what is going on here." Zuko chuckled letting me drop down gently back to the floor but never released his hands from my waist.

"Toph, it's official now." The young co-director threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Finally! Gosh took you two love birds long enough. I could practically feel you two fucking each other in the office." I gasped at her outrageous comment.

"We were not!" She rolled her eyes leaning her hands on the desk.

"Please the sexual tension between you too couldn't confuse anyone. I'm pretty sure everyone in the building knows that you two will be sealing the deal eventually. Especially when they see Mai and her father leaving with angry faces." I shook my head before letting my hands fall from Zuko's shoulders to his chest.

"That's true maybe we should let it be known that you and I are now dating." I looked at him with sadness.

"Zuko gives up awhile first. As soon as this gets out of the office people will go and spread it around and then we won't have any alone time together. Plus if it explodes overnight the newspaper and magazines will be all over you trying to figure us out." Zuko sighed and nodded.

"That's true, I would like some alone time with you before everything goes to the media." Toph gagged and began heading out of the room.

"Ew I'm going to leave you two alone, the sweetness in the room is killing me." I chuckled watching the young woman leave out back to her desk before looking back up to my now official boyfriend. I smiled at the word.

"Well boyfriend, I believe in the end our game was a tie…" Zuko smirked at me causing my heart to race erratically.

"I think in the end I would've won eventually since I would never have given up." I kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Technically we can still go out for a date, we just don't need the excuse now." He pecked me on the lips one last time before turning me towards my desk.

"Then a date we shall have, but first work. I want to finish quickly." I blushed and smirked looking at him from behind my shoulder.

"Anxious are we Mr. Azulon?" His eyes darkened with lust and want. For the first time I felt my lower stomach burn with desire just from him look. How could he have such an effect on me already. I thought about what could possibly be going through his head. His strong hands on me, kissing me tenderly. I licked my lips in anticipation and took my seat at my desk.

"I'm always anxious to be with you Ms. South. Now please get to work, and don't lick your lips." I smirked but refused to look into his eyes, afraid I wouldn't be able to look away.

"Why is that Mr. Azulon?" He sighed heavily before grabbing his sandwich,

"Because it makes me think about all the bad things I want to do with you." I blushed but found the strength to look at him. I bit my lip instead,

"Bad Mr. Azulon?" He nodded and replied to me seductively.

"Yes, very bad." I giggled as Toph poked her head through the door.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Sugar Queen you have a call from someone named Aang. He said something about wanting to hear your answer."

Mai's POV

"Mai what on earth were you thinking back there! If we kept pressing him Zuko would have eventually signed the papers!" I shook my head at my father.

"I didn't do it to lose father, we wouldn't win right now. We should wait until Zuko and Katara have their first fight. That of course we will somehow help create. Then when they are not together I will take my chance and completely destroy their relationship. Then he will have nothing but to accept our marriage." I watched my father grin in satisfaction, the kind when he knew he would get his way. He nodded clasping his hands together, thinking carefully.

"Mai, this is wonderful. Do you really think you can pull it off." I nodded. "Wonderful…wonderful."

I looked outside the window to a storm crawling over the skies towards us.

A storm was coming, one that would cause destruction.

And no one would leave unscathed.

BUWAHAHAHA just what am I planning to happen! WHO KNOWS!? NO ONE KNOWS! You will just have to keep up with the story and see!~ I hope you all are okay with this one chapter a week update! Of course if I find time I will write more chapters but I have a lot on my plate right now~
Regardless that you all for the reviews, views, follows, favorites, they make my days so much better and everyone of them brings joy to my day!~

Okay here are the replies to last chapters reviews!~

PrincesaDeFuego: Again thank you so much for the lovely reviews! I hope some of your questions were answered in this chapter. Some shit is about to go down so prepare yourself! I have to say I agree with the hot steamy angry sex but you might have to wait for a special little moment. I cant promise it will happen but then again I'm not going to say it wont ehehehehe.

Aurora-Royale: Hehehehe yes their little game has changed but it is still ongoing!~ Thank you for the review so much! Im glad to see you are still interested!

Olympic Platnium: I missed you that last chapter!~ Although I completely understand homework should always come first!~ I hope you manged to get it all done!~ I'm glad you liked my little twist at the end there, felt like it was something Katara would do especially in front of Mai, although there is much more to come!~

Thank you Lacrirosa for the Follow on my story!~ I hope to hear your input soon!

Thanks again to everyone all the views and such as such a huge thing for me and I greatly appreciate it! I hope to get some more input on this chapter and where the story is heading!

Love yah guys!~
Ciao
Rae