Hello my lovelies~~

Here is another chapter for you guys filled with much needed drama and angst! Heehehe I did warn you all that it was coming~

Also I am rating this chapter M due to some heavy language and the such, I will also warn you guys that this story will be progressing mostly from this point on so if you were reading this for something T rated, you might want to think again.

OR~ You can be awesome and stay tuned and let this story take you on an adventure~~

This chapter has been Beta'd but if you have questions or find mistakes let me know~

~For now enjoy!~

Trials and Tribulations

Zuko's POV

"Thanks for letting me stay the night, breakfast was amazing as well, Mrs. South." I thanked Katara's mother.

She shook her head, her small hands resting against her hips. "Zuko, you are more than welcome to stay anytime you like. Also, you may call me Kya, no need to continue those formalities!" She chuckled.

I blushed, running a hand through my hair. Katara stood in front of me fixing my tie. "Do you really have to go to work today…?" She asked quietly.

I sighed cupping her face in my palm, smoothing my thumb over her cheek. "I do. I'm sorry Kat, you know I would stay, but I can't miss this meeting." I kissed her cheek pulling her into a hug. "I'll be back after work to pick you up. Enjoy the day with your mom and dad. They miss you."

She sighed defeated, "I know…you promise to pick me up?" I nodded. "Good, because until I figure out what the hell Jet wants…I'm scared to go home alone…" She whispered.

"Katara, he won't get anywhere near you. I promise." I looked up on the wall to see the time was 7:30. "Okay, I have to leave now Kat."

She sighed again before smiling and fixing my hair. "I'll see you later."

I leaned down to capture her lips gently with mine, the taste of her strawberries still fresh on her lips. I hummed enjoying her like a second breakfast. "I have a new love for strawberries now." I spoke.

Katara's face flushed a deep scarlet before she pushed me out the door in embarrassment. "Okay, okay you can leave now!"

"Love you Katara!" I yelled walking towards my car.

Kya started laughing, adding to Katara's embarrassment. "Whatever!" She yelled. I chuckled and climbed into my car. I started the ignition when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I answered it with a smile on my face.

"Yes?"

Katara coughed on the other end of the phone, "I love you too, idiot."

"You should tell me that more often, now I feel like I could take any meeting any day." I could imagine the blush still on her face.

"Yeah, yeah, just come back quickly…"

"I will, don't worry Katara the day will be a breeze."

…But oh how wrong I was…

Katara's POV

I sighed for the hundredth time that morning. My mom and I were currently making cookies for everyone. As we waited for them to finish baking my mother had left to finish the laundry, leaving me to stare at the wall by myself.

"Why is he even back…?"

I tried to not let my mind wander to Jet, but I just couldn't help it. It was too weird, after the whole ordeal I thought that even when he got out of jail he would leave me alone. I thought for sure he would move on and just ignore me like nothing ever happened. Hell, I thought Sokka had scared him off. I shook my head knowing that it was no use thinking about it. Zuko promised I would be fine.

Plus, I wasn't that weak. Sure, I was scared shitless about him coming over when neither Zuko nor my father was here with me. I looked out the corner of my eye to see my mother walking back into the room.

"Katara are you okay?"

I smiled nodding my head. I could only hope I had convinced her, the last thing I wanted was to make her even more worried than she already was. "Just thinking about Zuko, mom."

Her face lit up happily, "Oh, Katara, he is such a lovely man. I couldn't be happier to see you with such a person. Sure, Aang was a cutie, but he just didn't have the backbone to really match you. Zuko acts polite, but I know he's probably quite tempered too."

I chuckled, "I still have yet to see that side of him. He always warns me about it, but I'm starting to believe he's lying."

My mom giggled pulling the cookies out of the oven, "I believe he has a lot more spunk to him. He's so hot (what are you trying to say here?) all the time I don't know how you don't notice it. Maybe it's because you're as equally stubborn you two cancel the other out."

I rolled my eyes grabbing the icing from the cabinet and the food dyes. "I kind of want to purposefully piss him off just to see what he means."

We chuckled at that and began icing the cookies when the doorbell rang. "Oh, I'll go get it mum. Are you expecting anyone?"

"I don't think so, but it could be your brother or Suki."

I rolled my eyes, "He's so over protective, I hope it's Suki. We need more hands if we are going to finish these."

I walked over to the front door and grabbed the handle. I paused.

Something didn't feel right. It was one of those moments where you just knew someone was behind the door and you shouldn't open it. I took a deep breath and looked through the peephole.

No one was outside. I grabbed the door and opened it, feeling like my ears where playing a trick on me. I knew I heard the doorbell. Even my mom heard it so where did they go? My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Look down.

The number was unknown and I felt an eerie chill rack my bones. I looked down to notice a white envelope on the porch with my name written on it in perfect calligraphy. I looked around before picking it up and backing into the house. Once I had the door closed, I had quickly locked it, fearing that someone would suddenly show up. My heart hammered in my chest as I scanned the house.

Who the hell sent me the letter? How did they know my name? Why did they ring the doorbell then leave? It was too creepy and I wasn't ready to sit here and do nothing. "Katara, who was it?"

I briskly walked back into the kitchen where my mom was making the array of colored icing for our decorating. I looked at the envelope and then back to her. "I-I don't know…"

Her smile fell from her face. "Katara? What's wrong?"

I shook my head, "N-nothing, it's probably nothing. No one was there, but this was." I turned the white envelope to the other side to open it. When I did I pulled out the dark shiny navy blue card. I looked up to my mom who was wiping her hands on a tea towel and walking towards me. I took a deep breath and opened the note, gasping by what was in it.

Katara, I'll get you back.

I felt the room spin as I chocked on the words. The memories from years ago came back, the start of the whole nightmare once again repeating itself. I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes, but my mom already knew something wasn't right.

"Oh my gosh…it's. He's doing the same thing as last time." She whispered.

I started sobbing, fearing for what he had planned for me this time. I looked around the house in fear that he was inside or watching from a window. The very thought made my skin crawl. "M-mom,"

She threw her towel on the counter and reached for her phone. "I'm calling you're father and Sokka."

(A/N: I was going to stop the chapter there and then I thought...nahhh so lets keep going!~)

Zuko's POV

"Well gentleman, I believe we have a deal!"

The table erupted into happy laughter and cheers. "Zuko, we are looking forward to expanding Azulon Corp. into Australia and Japan. I think this decision will benefit both ends." Mr. Bumi exclaimed joyfully. He extended his hand out across the table.

I took it firmly and shook his hand, "I have to agree with that Bumi, I'm happy to see that you are all willing to participate in this expansion. It will also make our lives easier working together."

"Of course! I'll also get more time with my family back in home. Zuko you've given me an opportunity to be there for my wife and daughter." Mr. Arnook said.

I patted his shoulder, "I'm sure you're daughter, Yue, will be pleased to hear that work will be over there 9 out of the twelve months of the year."

Mr. Arnook smiled widely, "Yes, it will be nice. She will be graduating next year when the building has finished. It's the perfect timing."

"Well I'm glad to hear that, please send me the date so that I can send her a graduation gift. She will be receiving her doctorates degree correct?"

"Yup, that's my girl." He said proudly.

Mr. Bumi looked out the window of the building, "This company is in good hands. I liked your father Zuko, but you are definitely much more fit to this type of career. You're father was too proud to do the expansion, even with us who are supposed to be his friends."

"I agree my father's way of handling the business could've been better, but it also wouldn't be where it is today if it wasn't for him and my grandfather."

Mr. Bumi and Mr. Arnook nodded their heads in agreement. I sighed into my chair, finally feeling relaxed. Katara had no idea about the expansion, which was exactly how I wanted it. It gave me more time to spend with her, and help her realize her own goals. I smiled thinking about her face when I told her.

"Ahh that's the face of a man in love, tell me Zuko who's the lucky girl?" Mr. Arnook asked. His faced smiling but his eyes teasing. They both waited and watched me.

I blushed, holding a hand over my face to cover my embarrassment. "It's actually my secretary, Katara Sout-"

"YOUR DATING KATARA?" Arnook yelled.

Bumi and I looked at each other in pure shock before I nodded my head. "Y-yeah I'm dating her. Do you-"

"You. Dating Katara? Hakoda's daughter?!" He screamed again.

"Uh, yes. Katara South…."

He smiled widely smacking me harshly in the back. "Oh this is great! Katara and Yue knew each other until they were 19. That's when we had to move to Australia for my wife's work. Yue keeps talking about how she would like to see Katara and Sokka again. It's been two years I believe."

I groaned. Who the hell didn't Katara know? I saw the happiness of Arnook's face as he sent a text message to his daughter. Well if it made him that happy, I guess it was okay for them to know. I sighed, the problem would be the public finding out about it. I didn't want Katara to suddenly get dragged out into the paparazzi's eyes.

Wait…

Come to think of it, they had been pretty quite lately, and for some reason I had a terrible feeling things were going to come crashing down.

"ZUKO!" Toph screamed.

Her little legs carried her through the room, her eyes wide with fear and her breathing haggard from what looks like running. "Toph? What's wrong why do you-"

"You need to come downstairs. Now!"

"Wh-"

Now that the room was quite I could hear the faint murmur of people voices and cars outside the building. Bumi, Arnook, and I all walked towards the window and looked down. If I had any color to my face it was now drained as I looked down the other heads of dozens of reporters at the front of the building.

"T-Toph, please don't tell me."

She shoved the newspaper into my chest. "Yeah, they caught you two."

I looked at the front page,

Scandal!

Top Business man Zuko Azulon having a secret rendezvous with his secretary?!

*Who is this woman? Could it be the infamous Hakoda and Kya South's daughter Katara?

Pictures of their secret meetings over the past month!

Date: XX/XX/XXXX

"FUCK!" I crumpled the newspaper in my hands and looked down at the mob of people. I had to go down there but what could I say?! I looked to Toph who was texting away at her cell.

"Calm down Sparky, Katara said to call her. Wait- nevermind she's calling you."

"What?"

Not even seconds after her ringtone for my phone went off and I answered, excusing myself from Arnook and Bumi. "Katara?"

Her sigh was relieved as she heard me on the other end. "Hey, Zuko I heard what's going on from Toph. What are we going to do? I didn't think this would ever happen!"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, "I don't know. Look Katara, there's not much I can do. They have pictures, I don't know if you've seen the front page-"

"I have, my mother just brought it in…Zuko I-"

"It's okay. I can just talk about how our parents are close, or maybe Azula can come and put her two cents in during an interview. We don't have to make our relationship pub-"

"Zuko, shut up!"

I snapped my mouth shut at her order, "E-excuse me?"

"Oh please, Zuko how are we going to cover this up? I work for you for fucks sake it was bound to come out. It would be worse if we tried to lie or cover it up with how close our family was. Just tell them the truth. My mom will drive me over so I can help out-"

I snapped, "What the hell! No! Katara, this is the papparrazzi. They will never leave you alone if we accept to this then they're going to want every fucking detail of your past and mine. That thing with Jet won't stay in the dark, do you honestly want that to come out?!"

"NO! Of course I don't, Zuko, but for now stop yelling at me! I'm trying to help-"

"You're not doing a very good job."

"…You know what? I see what you meant by being far from perfect. You can be a real ass-"

I groaned, I let my frustration with the situation get the best of me. "L-look, Kat I'm sorry. I'm just stressing out, I never thought they would be so interested…I don't want you to feel trapped into being in a relationship with me.."

Her laughter could be heard as clear as a bell, I felt my worries slipping away. "Zuko, it's fine. To be honest I never thought it would either, but who are we kidding? We have your psycho ex plotting against us…well at least we think she is. My crazy ex is out of jail. I work for you. You own a million dollar company-"

"Billion.." I muttered..

"W-what?" She was silent on the phone for a while before finally her breath hitched in realization.

"It's no longer a million dollar company…it's a billion…maybe a trillion by this time next year-"

"Y-you're kidding." She interrupted.

"One hundred percent honest. Signed the papers about thirty minutes ago."

I could hear her groan and her mother asking what was wrong with her. "Z-Zuko this-"

"Is fantastic? Amazing?"

"I was going for worse? Zuko you're no longer the million dollar bachelor, but the billion dollar bachelor. Oh god…." she whimpered.

"That isn't really the problem-"

"ARE YOU KIDDING!?" She screamed. I held the phone away from my ear fearing that she would blow my ear drums out. "Zuko, that has EVERYTHING to do with the damn issue. Oh my god, they will pick at that! You're going to be even more sought after this comes out to the public! They will think I'm dating you for the money! Oh god…Zuko this is so bad…"

I started to panic. She almost sounded like she wanted to break up, "Katara…" I warned. "I won't let anything happen to you, remember I promised! Look, give me some time to think about this. Toph just walked in seems like she has a plan." I watched Toph take a seat along with Arnook and Bumi.

"O-okay, Zuko don't go out there until you call me back with this plan you hear! If you have to go out there I should be there too!"

I sighed, "O-okay I'll let you know. I'll find a way to delay them while we think about this."

"Good, please Zuko don't do anything rash okay? I love you."

I felt my heart swell with pride, "Yeah, I love you too."

"You didn't promise me Zuko! Nothing rash!"

I chuckled, she was so demanding. "Yeah, I know I promise. Nothing rash until I call you back."

I heard her relieved sigh on the other end. "Okay, bye Zuko."

"I'll call you in a minute, Kat."

I hung up and looked at Toph, Bumi, and Arnook who all wore serious expressions on their faces.

"Please, tell me you have a plan."

Toph smirked. "Actually, we do."

Meanwhile

"Well it looks like the photo's came out quite nicely."

"Did you ever doubt me father?" Mai said happily.

Mr. Lou sat back in his chair tapping his finger happily while watching Azulon Corp. get bombarded with news reporters, paparazzi and jealous fan girls. "Never, I raised you to be perfect. I expected nothing less." He turned to face his daughter.

"Now, how is this supposed to break them apart?"

Mai smiled deviously, "I highly doubt she can stand the pressure from the media. Not to mention people will be digging up that terrible incident about her two years ago. No one will think she is…well, clean enough for the top bachelor in America. I mean come on."

Mr. Lou clapped his hands in respect for his daughter. "Well, this is going even better than expected. How did the call with that man named Jet go? Is he in on our plan?"

Mai's eyes turned cold, "He refused, saying he wanted to try his way first to get Katara back. I figured it would be smart to leave him alone. I mean if his plan does work then he will be helping us out in the end by getting rid of the bitch for us."

Mr. Lou leaned even further back into his chair. Sighing in contentment.

"Well I guess things will be getting quite interesting now."

*Malicious laughter*

Hehehe so how was that for a chapter!~ Lots of stuff is happening for our lovebirds!
What do you think the plan is?
What do you think will happen from here on?

Also I wanted to ask you guys two things!~
1.) Do you want another chapter where it's from Mai's perspective up until this point?

2.) Are the characters still well, in character?

I'm halfway through the next chapter and then I will be sending it to my lovely Beta to fix for me!~

Thank you everyone for the continued support! I literally upload this and then I get around 300 views that day so I know you guys are reading!~

Reviews:

Ladyjane025: Im glad that you reviewed and noted how my modern take on Jett was good because I was seriously worried about that. There could be some possible Mai and Jet alliance but they have very different ways of getting what they want so you'll just have to wait and see what I have in store for them!~

Irianna Marie: To be honest I have no idea how I'm going to make Ozai and Ursa find out about Katara and Jet's past but I promise you that the only villans in this fic are Jet, Mai, and Mai's father. I plan to keep it that way and therefore I wont make Ozai an ass...even though he is one. Hahahahah~
I also really like how you said my modern take on Ozai is a "reformed Ass" Because that's so freaking true ahaha! Thank you because now I know how to describe him!

A big thank you to the users Ib00ger, WiiL, and Chickenwang for either the favorite and review for my story or myself as a writer~!

Please review and tell me how you guys feel the story is going so far and just you're personal thoughts!~ It's a lot of fun to see what you guys expect to happen and you're interpretations!~

Until another chapter (very soon)

Ciao~

Rae