Pain

Zuko can't look at her. They've managed to survive the battle. Aang has defeated Ozai. Zuko has been crowned Firelord, promptly named Iroh his Regent, citing the need to grow up a bit more, and left with his friends on Appa to organize the first peace conference of Ember Island.

And for two weeks, they've not exchanged a glance. Katara checks the healing of his chest a few times a day. A few times, sharing chores, Zuko has been able to watch her, hoping desperately for a sign that maybe, maybe she doesn't hate him for kissing her.

Ocaisionally, they exchange words and gestures. "Please," accompanied by a gesture of a bowl towards the pot of soup. "Thanks," from her, after he lights fire for cooking, or in each of the main rooms.

Zuko just wishes he knew what to do, what to say.

Katara is a little scared to talk to Zuko. She doesn't know what to expect. Would he kiss her again? What would she say to him? And most frightening: does she want him to kiss her again?

Part of her does.

And that's the thing that hurts most of all; that makes her chest tight and her breathing shallow.

She doesn't know what she'll say to Zuko. Nor to Aang, who has made it clear he loves her, who has given up so much….

She remembers Jet, and his treachery, and his final sacrifice for her. Zuko and Aang would be safer they had no care for her—the life her destiny has given her attracts danger. Katara often curses her frequent inability to be independent.

Mostly, though, she wishes that she could know her own mind enough to do something about this thing with Zuko. It's tearing her up, not knowing.

Zuko has given up being confused.

Now, he is angry. With whom, or about what, he cannot say, exactly. But he can no longer stand the awkward silences, and so he retreats to harshness. Katara is fortunate that they rarely speak, and so she has been spared the cutting edge of Zuko's tongue. The others have not been so lucky, and even Aang is growing concerned.

But Zuko cannot make his anger last forever—it is like fire: eating away until it reaches its final source of food and collapses.

It happens when he accompanies her to shop for more supplies. They're halfway through the forest on the way back to the house. She looks calm and collected, and it makes him furious that she should not be as tormented as he. She asks him something over her shoulder. Zuko doesn't know what it is, can't hear it for the pounding of his anger. Before he can stop himself, he bursts out: "Say something that means something, damn you!"

Katara spins, shocked.

"Stop acting like it was nothing, like—" then their eyes meet. And Zuko sees the pain and confusion in her eyes, and is filled with shame for his harshness. "Damn it," he whispers, and runs.

Katara knows now. It meant something to Zuko. What, she's not sure. But he's as much in pain over this as she is, and all she wants to do is run to him and—she can't. She's let Aang kiss her twice now, and even though the battle is over, she doesn't think she could bear breaking his heart. Even though the price is her heart, and Zuko's.

But doing nothing is tearing her to pieces. If she could only find a way to make everyone happy—

Zuko comes charging back through the trees. He stops short, whispers, "I'm sorry," and leans over and kisses her.

Katara drops her bags of groceries.

For a long minute, nothing matters. Then her senses begin to return and Katara pulls away, her heart breaking as she shakes her head even as she leans into him to sob into his shoulder. "We can't. We have to think of Aang, and Mai, and what would happen—the Fire Nation won't accept you having a Water Tribe peasant for a girlfriend."

These are the words Zuko never wanted to hear.

Nor Aang, nor Sokka, conveniently hidded behind a bush, spying on their friends to find out what had been causing all the tension.

A/N: apologies for the delay-this chapter required major overhaul, which will result in some extra work on the next four chapters as well. But the earlier version...just wasn't cutting it. Hope this version lives up to everyone's expectations. Also...I don't ask for reviews, but I would like to thank sokkantylee and Lady Flick for writing some anyway.

Alshain