Here is the next chapter!

Enjoy!~

26

Rumor Has It

Zuko's POV

I groaned stepping through the threshold of our apartment and took off my shoes and coat. I looked around and noticed all the lights were off and it was quiet. Was Katara still out shopping? I looked to my watch and saw it was 6:30…Katara should have been home by now.

Thankfully ten minutes later I heard the door open and bags hit the counter. I walked into the living room from the bedroom watching her unload stuff onto the countertops quietly. Smirking, I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I kissed her shoulder and pulled her tighter against me. "How was your shopping trip?"

"It was eventful…" she answered. I stopped kissing her shoulder and I knew immediately something was wrong. I turned her around gently to look at her, pulling her face to eye level.

"Katara what's wrong?" Her eyes were bright red and her cheeks were stained with what looked like tears. "Whoa what happened?"

"I don't know I feel like I'm going crazy…"

"What?"

She watched me carefully before speaking quietly. "Did Mai call you yesterday?" She asked hesitantly. I sighed dropping my hands to my sides from her face.

"Yes she did. I hung up on her though."

"Did she say she needed to speak with you?"

"Yes but Katara I told her I was happily engaged and ended the call right then and there. Why are you so upset about this?" I asked tiredly. I just got home from work, I didn't want to talk about Mai. I just wanted to enjoy spending my time with her.

"Because that bitch is pregnant!"

I blanched at her outburst. Pregnant? "Okay and?"

"And…and she says it's yours!"

I sighed heavily, "That's bullshit."

"Oh really? So, me watching her take off her coat revealing a baby bump and frequent doctors visit and a confirmation that she's pregnant is just a huge ruse?!"

"Katara she might be pregnant but it isn't mine!"

"How am I supposed to know that!? Were you seeing her? She knows exactly where we live and she said she's been to your office to meet with you!" She screamed.

I was beginning to boil with anger."Katara think about this rationally! Why the hell would I be with her when I have you! She's probably pregnant with someone else's kid and is trying to make you lose faith in me! Let's figure this out and get through this. I promise you I've been nothing but faithful. You can call Toph and find out if she's been to my office or even Tracy. I promise you I haven't met with her. Hell I don't even want to!"

She watched me with tears pouring down her face. I reached out to comfort her and she grabbed my shirt tightly. I sighed, thankful that she wasn't really mad at me or she would have pushed me away. "I know..I know I should know but…Zuko I-I want to trust you…but…I think-"

I stiffened not liking the way she was beginning to talk and hugged her tighter. "No."

"Zuko if it is yours…I don't-" she said as she backed away from me.

"Stop. Okay? Just, just give me some time to figure this out. I'll get a paternity test and we can put this behind us. She's just trying to start shit."

I watched her give in and nod. Sighing, I helped put everything away. Keeping my distance from her, regardless of the burning desire to hug her and tell her that everything would be alright, because it was obvious she didn't want that.

The night ended quietly. We didn't talk about the matter further. Well, she wouldn't talk to me period, let alone let me comfort her. No hugs, no kisses, nothing. She climbed into bed and stayed at her side and fell asleep.

I had yet another fight with Katara and I hated this. I hated upsetting her. A part of me wanted to kill Mai for framing me to be the father of her child when she was definitely whoring around. But, the other part of me was fearful. Was it possible that Katara wouldn't believe me until Mai was completely out of the picture? The kid definitely wasn't mine, but this was obviously beginning to tear a hole in our relationship.

I closed my eyes sighing heavily for the hundredth time since I got home as I fell into a dreamless sleep. Hoping that today was only a very terrible nightmare.

I awoke to the sound of my alarm and quickly shut it off. Rolling over in the bed I reached to grab Katara and pull her close to me. However, when my hand fell against empty sheets I was wide awake, looking around the bedroom for any sign of her. "Katara?"

When no one replied I jumped out of bed and looked in the bathroom, then the living room and the kitchen, and not seeing her. My heart began pounding in my chest. Had she left? Did she leave me? Panicking, I grabbed my clothes and quickly put them on and ran into the kitchen to grab my keys when I saw a letter with my name on it in Katara's handwriting. Breathlessly I picked it up, tearing it open and reading over the script.

Zuko,

I know I was wrong and stupid for yelling at you like that last night. You're right, maybe she is just faking it. But, why didn't you tell me it was her that called? Why did you lie about that? A part of me thinks it's because you already knew what I was dealing with Jet and didn't want to add to it, but another deep and ugly part of me thinks it's because something is going on. I don't want to think that. I honestly feel like this is just her sick way of splitting us up. So…until you can figure out if the baby is yours or not I won't come home. Me being there will just turn me into someone I don't want to be. I promise I will go to class and I'm not breaking up with you. I just can't stay here when all this is going on. It's going to drive me crazy and I will become someone we both hate.

I'm so sorry Zuko, please understand.

I Love You

Katara

"DAMNIT!" I pounded my fist on the counter crumpling the letter in my hand and stared at the floor. I was livid, no beyond that. I had spent so many years giving up on finding love and being with someone who loved me without all the excess things I had with me. Then, just when it looked like my luck had come around it was pulled from me with Mai's bullshit.

I looked at the letter once more and this time hope welled in my chest. She didn't break up with me. She was just waiting for me to fix whatever this was. I took my phone out of my pocket and sent a quick text to my mother, asking for Mai's number. In the mean time I took my time to get ready for work. Taking one last glance into the apartment before heading out the door solemnly. Knowing that tonight I would also return to the same silence.

Katara's POV

"You think I'm being silly don't you?" I asked quietly. I rested head rested against the cool countertop as my mother cooked us breakfast.

"Not silly dear, I'm just worried." She replied. She flipped the pancake over and proceeded to another pan that had eggs and bacon sizzling. "Do you really think that Zuko would meet up with Mai? The last time I checked he was head over heels for you."

I sighed hiding into my arms. "I don't know mom. I just feel so confused. He took that call the other night knowing it was Mai, but when I asked he said it was nobody. How is she nobody? It's his ex!"

My mother grabbed two tea cups and poured the hot water before setting one in front of me. I sighed yet again before reaching for the tea. "Katara, maybe to you she is someone important. However, for Zuko she is in the past. He sees you and wants to be with you. So then Mai is nobody in comparison to you. Did you want to tell Zuko about Jet at first?"

I sank further into my seat, "No…"

"And do you think that Zuko is someone you can compare to Jet?"

"No of course not!"

"Then why would Zuko be any different dear?" She finished. I was at a loss for words and we sat in silence with the question hanging in the air. She plated up our breakfast and placed it in front of me before taking her seat from across the table. "Mai being pregnant is one thing. But claiming it to be Zuko's is another."

"I know and I believe him, just…a part of my heart can't trust him." I stared down at my plate, moving the fruit around as I thought.

"Katara dear don't play with your food. Come on you need to eat." She scolded me. I chuckled reaching for the honey and drizzling it over my pancakes. The warm and moist texture melted against my tongue as I took my first bite. Smiling I took another, fully enjoying the feast she had prepared for us.

"This is delicious! Just like when Sokka and I were kids!" I said enthusiastically.

"Please you both are still kids." She teased quietly.

"MOM!"

"Oh dear I guess I let that slip!" She laughed whole heartedly.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. Relaxing in the feeling of home, my thoughts drifted to Zuko. How was he feeling right now? Did he hate me for making this decision? Was I making the wrong decision?

"Mom do you think I was too hasty?"

She hummed lightly, "I don't think so. Only you know yourself best dear, and you felt like this was needed."

I nodded. "I just don't want to become that angry jealous person over something that could be a total lie. I just feel like if I had stayed I would make things worse." I finished quietly.

My mother smiled warmly, "Then that was the best decision if it is what you truly wanted. Im sure Zuko feels the same as well. But I wouldn't avoid him for too long Katara. He will grow anxious about your whereabouts and your safety. It would be good to return to him soon and try to figure everything out together."

I sighed knowing that she was completely right. Despite not wanting to become someone I feared I was leaving Zuko. We were supposed to sit down and discuss this, but I just couldn't help myself from getting angry. I hated it, but I know nothing is going to sort itself out unless I talked it out with him. "I think I will do what you said mom. Just let me stay here for a few days? And don't tell Sokka that I'm here, he will tell Zuko immediately."

She chuckled before handing me another pancake. "I won't! It's good to have some mother and daughter time! I've missed my cute little snowflake!"

"Moommm!" I whined, blush rising to my face in embarrassment from the old endearment.

Yeahhh this was a short chapter...wow.

Sorry I had to build this part up and like yeah..this happened.

Hopefully it isn't a crappy chapter! Shit's about to go down though ahahah

Anyways I will resume with the ever other day now and get back on track

So next chapter is on Monday!

Make sure you tell your mothers happy mothers day!~

(I totally didn't plan this chapter where Katara goes to her mum to be so close to mothers day but, it's pretty cool how that worked out!)

Anyways see you guys next time!

I'm in a rush to get ready so I can't reply to reviews but I love you guys and thank you soooo so so so much for always leaving them and favoriting!

Luv ya!

Ciao

Rae