Here's the next chapter! I'd been thinking about this one for AGES so I hope I don't disappoint!:)

Enjoy!

Zuko stood in the corner of the room and watched, somewhat humorously, as a few healers tried to convince Katara that she needed more rest. Toph had told him that the previous day she'd woken up, and not the delusional, half asleep kind of awake. She'd talked to Toph using realistic sentences, although she still wouldn't tell him what she said. He assumed that it had to do with the events that led up to Katara's fever so he didn't push the topic.

"I told you I'll be fine!" Katara snapped at the healers and Zuko smirked in response.

"But, Master Katara, after a fever that bad you should rest or you could get sick again or wor-"

"-I told you I'll be fine! I know what caused the fever and I've experienced it before so I know how to handle it! Now get out!" The healers scrambled to get their supplies and to get out of the room as the water bender screeched at them. Zuko chuckled quietly once they left and Katara gave him a pouty glare.

She sat up, threw back the covers, and brought her legs around so her toes were resting on the floor. Zuko watched her glare at the floor and then look up so she was glaring at him instead.

"I still don't trust you," she started slowly, "But get over here, I need help." She finished reaching her her hand slightly toward him. Zuko stood there stunned for a moment that she was asking him for help before walked over and taking her hand. They looked into each others eyes, neither of them moving; the water bender's glare softened and the corner of Zuko's mouth lifted slightly.

He pulled her up slowly but when she was standing completely she groaned and leaned into him. Zuko moved her left hand around his shoulder into his other hand and put his other arm around her waist to steady her.

He watched her squeeze her eyes closed and pant slightly in pain.

"Do you want to sit back do-"

"-No, I can do this. " she said opening her eyes and looking up at him. Zuko nodded slowly and helped her take a slow step forward. After a few minutes and five more steps, Zuko noticed the sweat on the girl's forehead.

"I think you should take a break, " he suggested quietly.

"No," she said shaking her head stubbornly.

"Katara, you need to rest," he said more firmly.

"No," she said glaring at him.

"Yes," he stated simply, releasing her hand that he held over his shoulder and used his arm to pull her knees out from under her; so that he was carrying her bridal style. Her mouth hung open in shock for a moment before she began struggling and demanding that he put her down. He placed her back on her bed and she immediately moved so she was ready to stand again, reaching her hand out to him again, but Zuko simply shook his head and moved out of her reach in response.

"No, you need to rest," he said flatly. She glared at him in frustration before putting her hand back on the bed, moving her glare to the floor; then she slowly pushed herself up to her feet. Zuko had to yell at himself internally to stop himself from reaching out and steadying her shaking frame. She needed to rest, and him helping her would just encourage her to keep going.

He heard her shaky breathing but kept his face clear of the worry that clouded his common sense. The water bender tried to take a step toward him but her knees buckled and he reached out and caught her in his waiting arms. Zuko sighed before standing and carrying her half conscious body back to the bed. After placing her carefully under her covers, Zuko grabbed his, shoved-aside, creaky chair and put it back in its place next to her.

He reached over and stroked a piece of her chocolate brown hair away from her face, and shook his head slowly.

"Your stubbornness is going to get you in trouble some day, Tara," he whispered.

"Right back at ya, ZuZu," He heard her grumble sleepily before turning her back to him. He flinched at the familiar nickname but ignored it and leaned back in his seat, before allowing his drowsy eyes to close as well.

When Katara opened her eyes again her temples were aching and her calves were sore but the pain had left her throat. She flipped over from her side to her back and sure enough she saw Zuko sitting in his chair next to her. He had made her so angry when he made her rest, but now she was glad he did; she didn't know how much longer she could have gone on like that.

She turned over to her other side so she could get a better look at him. She tried not to look at him too often because she would feel either rage or butterflies and both were bad news.

He looked young couldn't be older then twenty but no younger then her, his face was regal and reminded her of what a prince might look like if she'd ever met one. and his black, silky, hair hung around his face framing it perfectly. His eyelids peacefully hid the smoldering eyes underneath, and Katara was thankful for it. His eyes seemed to bore into her soul and made her feel completely vulnerable.

Her eyes moved to his crossed arms and she noticed the lean muscles in them. He wasn't overly muscled like some men she'd seen but it was just enough to impress. Her eyes flickered back up to his face and in that horrifying moment she saw golden eyes staring back into hers.

"How do you feel?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her. Katara felt her breath hitch in her throat at his voice, his voice was low and gravelly , but soft at the same time, like a whisper.

"Fine," she said keeping her eyes trained on his. She made sure her voice was completely void of emotion as she said it, she wouldn't show weakness.

"Ok, now that you've gotten past the prideful answer, how do you really feel?" His voice was teasing and it irritated her, earning him another glare.

"My head hurts," she answered flatly, and he nodded handing her a glass of water from the nightstand. She didn't take it from him, but moved her left hand methodically so that a small orb of the clear liquid transferred from the glass, into her mouth. It soothed her throat and head and she gave a small sigh of contentment.

She watched as Zuko leaned back his in chair flexing his muscles conveniently; instead of staring and risking making a fool of herself, she turned so she was laying on her back and rested her hand on her stomach while she admired her ceiling.

Her and Toph's rooms were far more glamorous then most in the city, her ceiling had millions of tiny blue jewels encrusted into the stone; and they were fashioned in a way that they looked like they were moving. It reminded Katara of waves crashing onto the shore. She still remembered when the council presented it to her,

"And we had the craftsmen add these gems as a special gift to you for all the help you gave while aiding the Avatar."

Katara nearly scoffed out loud.

More like led him to his death

"Hey, can I ask you something?" She heard the man next to her ask, and she turned to see him staring at the ceiling in deep thought.

"As long as it's not stupid," she said a bit more harshly then she meant to, but he just smirked before his face turned serious again.

"I heard lots of stories of the Avatar and how he helped lots of people. But then one day the stories stopped, and the Fire Lord announced that he fell in battle," he spoke quietly.

"I don't see a question in there," she answered spitefully, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.

"Well, Toph told me that you two traveled with him. So what happened to him?" Katara sighed and closed her eyes.

"Exactly what the Fire Lord said," she started her voice wavering, "He fell."

There you go! Hope you liked it!

Also I'm going to be writing a one-shot called "The Fall of the Phoenix" about Azula's depression following the series finale, so check it out!

Love you all!

Kmsitterley