The next day, Katalina found herself walking aimlessly with Jet and Shion. They had finished up their work at the wall, but decided against retiring to the Jasmine Dragon right away. So they just walked around the city instead. And they spoke about random things. Then the topic she was dreading came up.

"You and Zuko seem to be getting along now," Jet pointed out.

She nodded. "Yeah, we've been better."

"Good because we were all getting sick of you two fighting," Shion replied. He laughed. "So did you near-death experience cause you to reach enlightenment or something?"

"You could say that if you wanted to." She sighed. "Zuko and I are getting close again and Mai is hating me even more."

"Mai's a bitch," he stated.

"At least you don't have to live with her," Jet replied. "Lina, we really need to find another place."

"You barely ever see her," Katalina said back. "I think you can deal."

"Oh? Are you enjoying staying there?" he asked, a smirk spreading across his face. "Do you have some repressed emotions coming out into the open?" He laughed at his own comments.

"I almost told him," she responded.

"Told him what?" Shion wondered.

"The truth."

Jet now stopped laughing. "Wait, what's the truth?"

She took a deep breath. "I think I am in love with him," she then admitted. Both of them gawked at her. "Yeah, I know, it's ridiculous."

"And you almost told him that?" Jet then repeated. "Almost? Well, why didn't you? What kept you from telling him?"

"He is dating Mai."

"And she is a bitch," Shion reiterated. "Plus, Zuko deserves to know how you feel, Lina. I mean, this isn't something you can hide from him forever. You'll have to tell him at some point. And you're gonna wanna tell him before he finds out for himself."

"How the hell would he find out?" Jet wondered. "Trust me, if he hasn't realised it yet then he's frigging oblivious. I do agree, though. You should tell him, Lina. I mean, it's not like he's in love with Mai. And I doubt she loves him as much as you do."

"Whoa, whoa, you two are getting way far ahead of me," she cut back in. "I only said that I think I love him. I'm still not positive. And there's no way of knowing if he is in love with Mai or not. He very well could be."

"He would leave her for you, though," he figured.

"I'm only his best friend. That's all he sees me as."

"Are you sure? Maybe the only reason he's still with Mai is because he doesn't think he has a chance with you."

"I think you two are thinking too deep into this," she declared. "I'm not gonna tell him because I'm not gonna try to break them up."

"We could tell him for you," Jet suggested.

"Say one word to Zuko and I will tell Jin that you like her."

His eyes widened. "Don't do that!"

"Then shut up about it."

"Actually, that would be interesting," Shion thought aloud. "Make a deal out of it. If Jet tells Jin the truth, then Katalina has to tell Zuko the truth."

"That's not fair!" Jet exclaimed.

"I won't be telling Zuko, then," Katalina denied. "Because I actually like Shion's idea. Tell Jin and I'll tell Zuko."

He sighed. "I'll think about it."

"Why don't you want to tell her?"

"Stop—"

"No, it's my turn to interrogate you."

"Okay, I get it! I'll stop asking you so many questions about it."

"Thank you."

"Though, I do want to help you, still," he told her. "But I won't help until you ask for help. So just be sure to keep us up to date with what's going on."

"I will," she promised.

"And I'm not gonna tell you what you should or shouldn't do, but I will give you some helpful advice."

"Maybe you should shut up now," Shion cut back in.

"Do what you think is right, Lina," he went on anyway. "And if you think it's right to keep a secret like this from your best friend, that's fine. But if you think he should know the truth, that's fine, too. Just make sure you're happy with what you decide to do or not do."

Katalina thought for a moment. "Was that supposed to be some sort of…reverse psychology bullshit?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Why? Did it work?"

"Not in the slightest."

Shion laughed. "Nice try, Jet."

"C'mon Lina!"

"You're a moron," she said back. Then she let out a heavy sigh. "If Mai and Zuko ever breakup then I'll tell him the truth."

"Unless Jet decides to tell Jin the truth."

"Let's face it, Shion, that's never gonna happen. Yet you don't see me pressuring him about it."

"Okay, I get it," Jet stated. "What if Zuko and Mai never breakup, though?"

"Then I guess I'll spend the rest of my life just as the best friend."

"Please, even I don't think you could last that long without saying a word about it," Shion said.

"And I'm surprised we've lasted thing long talking about it in general," Katalina responded. "Especially when I never wanted to talk about it in the first place. So what happened to dropping the subject?"

"Fine, we'll drop it now," Jet confirmed.

"Not until you two make the deal official," Shion declared. "If and when Jet tells Jin the truth, Katalina has to tell Zuko the truth as well."

Jet shrugged. "Deal." He stuck his hand out in front of him.

Katalina took his hand and shook it firmly. "Deal."

Behind her back, though, her fingers were crossed.