Chapter Sixteen:

-Zuko-

I don't know when exactly Katara and I fell asleep, but suddenly I felt the warmth of the rising sun on my face and the energy of the Sun running through me as it usually does most mornings. This morning though I tried to ignore it.

That is until I heard a loud, familiar voice call out to us.

"Well good morning you two!" Uncle Iroh greeted us.

"Aaaahhhh!" Katara and I screamed at exactly the same time. We both shot straight up and remained still until Uncle walked over to us.

"I'm sorry you two. I thought you were both awake watching the sunrise. What with the way you had been leaning against the house holding each other" Uncle replied innocently.

Holding each other? I looked down to see that Katara was clinging to my robes with her face buried in my chest while I had my hands pressed tightly against her back pulling her closer to me as a way of protecting her. Then I suddenly remembered that after I had dried her tears after our emotional confessions we just sat there comforting each other, not realizing we had fallen asleep leaning against the old house holding each other.

Katara looked up at me and started to blush furiously after realizing that we were holding each other. I looked back at Uncle who was trying to hide his smile by coughing into his sleeve. Oh if looks could kill right now, I thought furiously as I glared, my right eye twitching, at my Uncle for scaring Katara. Katara cleared her throat to grab my attention and I knew she wanted me to let go of her. I immediately released her and retreated a couple of steps so she would feel comfortable and so I could clear my head.

"It's alright Iroh, I forgive you" Katara said smiling at Uncle. "Although I can't promise that your nephew will forgive you for scaring us both."

I gawked at her in disbelief. Yes I was scared but I will never ever admit that to anyone. "Excuse me?" I demanded, trying to hide the truth. "I was not scared. I was only making sure you were alright."

"Sure you were" she replied sarcastically. "Your screaming proved that."

"You're asking for it" I threatened, trying hard not to smile.

That didn't stop Katara from laughing. "You want to bet."

"Yeah actually I do." I went to reach for her, but she hopped up and started to run away. I chased after her until she spun around faster than I expected and she collided with me. Throwing us both off balance I landed on my back as Katara proceeded to fall and ended up with her body laying across my chest. We both groaned at our new bruises. "Fine you win."

"Victory" Katara breathed out. It was obvious that emotionally she had improved greatly.

Uncle was the first to voice his opinion after Katara and I had helped each other to stand up. "Miss Katara, you seem much happier compared to the last time I saw you. What has changed?"

Katara side-glanced at me before she responded, "Your nephew helped me greatly during our week together. He was very patient with me and he was able to comfort me when I was sad. So really you have him to thank. He is a wonderful, caring young man."

I spun around to stare at Katara. She was being honest and yet it still surprised me. Is this really the same girl I chased around the world for half a year and fought at the North Pole? Yes, it is. The fire in her eyes from when we had fought was steadily increasing as she began to trust me more, but I still can't believe she would say what she had about her former enemy.

Uncle seemed to notice me staring at her in shock because he broke the tension that was slowly building by saying, "Well I'm very happy you are improving Miss Katara. And Zuko," I snapped my head around to face him, "I am especially proud of you." My eyes started to sting from the tears that wanted to escape, but I held them back so as not to startle Katara. It just meant so much what my Uncle just said to me. "If there is anything I can do to help out please don't hesitate to ask me."

Katara became very interested with her feet at that moment. "I wish you could teach me how to water bend, but I know you can't since you and Zuko are fire benders."

"Who says I can't teach you?" Katara and I were both shocked. What is this man talking about now?

"But…I thought…" Katara started until Uncle cut her off.

"I happened to study water benders when I was younger. And I would be glad to teach you what I do know. Zuko, I can also teach you a technique that will help you become a better fire bender." Easy to say we were both confused. "Both of you sit down and I will explain your training."

After we were both seated – and had eaten a small breakfast – Uncle proceeded to take a stick and draw the symbols of each of the four nations. With each nation he explained the importance of each of the different types of bending. Then he explained how it is important to take from all of the different nations instead of just one so one can become a better bender and fighter. The example he gave was to know how to attack and then run like the air benders practiced. Next he began to take us through the motions of basic water bending skills. "For water benders their offence can easily become their defense" he explained.

"Uncle, how exactly will this help me?" I asked, truly curious.

"Because nephew I am going to teach you how to defend yourself from being attacked with lightning using a water bending technique I invented myself."

He didn't have to tell me that it was my sister he was talking about. Excitement overtook everything I had been feeling before. "Redirect lightning?!"

Uncle nodded and smiled. "Just wait until Katara has finished for the day and then we will begin."

I nodded eagerly. Then I turned my attention back to Katara. Only to see her standing still with a far off stare. Is she remembering something? That's how she acts for the most part whenever she remembers something. "Katara?" I called out to her. She blinked a couple of times, being brought back to the present. I walked over to stand in front of her. "Katara what do you remember?"

"Um, it was just a brief flicker," she began to explain. "I saw myself and I was going through some water bending motions, but I think I was actually bending water because I could feel energy running through me. I was smiling and it felt really nice. To be completely honest, it felt like I was bending water in the clouds."

She could do that too? I really wanted to ask her if that was the truth, but I didn't want to push her since her smile was radiating from that memory; plus the fact that this was the first good memory she has experienced since she has been with us so I was not about to put a damper on her mood. Instead I gave her a small grin and squeezed her hand comfortingly. Just as I was about to walk back to my Uncle, Katara called me back over. "Zuko?"

"What is it Katara?"

"I never got a chance to ask you, but…how old are you?"

Not exactly what I expected. "I'm sixteen."

"And you had to leave home when you were thirteen?" I nodded slowly. "So you have been away from home for over two years?"

I sighed quietly before admitting the truth, yet again. "Truthfully, I have been away from home for three years, but it was late in the year and I was pushing fourteen when I was forced to leave." Katara's brows furrowed as she tried to do the math. "I'm going on seventeen in a few months."

"That makes more sense" Katara mumbled. "I just wanted to know so I could say I was sorry."

"Katara it's not your fault."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I'm not sorry."

Katara squeezed my hand to show her sympathy. I smiled at her before I went back to Uncle. He then proceeded to demonstrate the movements for me to redirect lightning by having me go through the motions in order for me to become accustomed to feeling the energy flow in, up, and out. Uncle reminded me constantly about not letting the lightning pass through my heart and instead letting it pass through my stomach. Bottom line Zuko, if the lightning hits your heart you are dead; literally. The whole time I practiced Katara sat watching us. Any time I snuck a glance at her I could see the curiosity brewing in her ocean blue eyes.

After an hour Uncle congratulated me and in my excitement I told him I wanted to try with real lightning.

"Absolutely not Zuko. Lightning is dangerous."

"I thought that was point of you teaching me! I've seen you conduct lightning before so I know you can use it!"

Uncle's eyebrow began to twitch. "I'm not going to shoot lightning at my only nephew! I taught you this technique so you would be prepared, but I truly hope you never have to use this ever."

You just love getting my hopes up don't you? I thought angrily. Suddenly I heard thunder off in the distance. A storm is coming. And with that storm will come lightning. "Then I'll find my own lightning."

I barely walked a couple of feet away when a pair of cool arms circled around my waist holding me close. I turned my head to see Katara frowning and her eyes pleading for me to stay. Then I realized just how to stupid I had been acting and I couldn't ignore her; wow, now Katara is starting to affect how I think. "Ok, I won't go anywhere."

After that we went inside the old house in order to stay dry and we talked for hours; taking breaks in between to eat. Later Uncle informed us that we would be traveling to Ba Sing Se. "Why would we go there?!" I shouted after coughing up my water. Uncle then explained how we would be able to blend in with the refugees so we didn't have to keep hiding in the woods. As reluctant as I was I agreed to it and Katara just shrugged her shoulders; going with whatever we wanted to do. Not much longer after that Katara fell asleep. She was in a corner with a blanket wrapped securely around her, but I could tell she is much more relaxed. I felt myself smiling before I could stop myself or hide it.

"What exactly did you do to Miss Katara after I left?" Uncle asked quietly so as not to disturb Katara; even though I was sitting right next to him.

I recounted most of what had happened, Katara's nightmare, how we became more comfortable with each other, and how we confessed our most personal secrets – my scar and her two month past – until we got to where we are now. "If you said what I think you did the first night she was with us, then you were right. She just needed some comfort and patience before she could open up to me."

Uncle stroked his beard as he thought this over. "So you told her everything?"

"Not exactly. I didn't mention the Avatar or the fact that I'm the Prince."

Uncle smacked his head. "Zuko," he began gruffly, "as much as I am glad that Katara has begun to heal, you cannot keep sheltering her forever. If you keep that up, then one day she may turn away from you."

Hint, hint, Zuko you can't keep lying to her forever or else she will hate you I chided myself. "I know Uncle."

"Well, why don't you turn in my nephew? We still have a long journey ahead of us." He stretched once before he leaned against the wall muttering, "A man needs his rest" before he started snoring. Standing up I walked over to where Katara was still sleeping and lay down close to her in case she had a nightmare. I couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked now; especially considering that most of her bruises were long gone by now and her long, wavy hair draped gently over her shoulders. My heart started to beat faster. It actually started to hurt so I brought my hand to my chest, hoping that would control my heart rate before it went even crazier. When I felt like my heart was under control I tucked my hand underneath my head so it wasn't against the wood floor. Then my eyes slowly started to close and soon I had fallen asleep to the sound of Katara's gentle breathing.

OK, there is chapter 16. What did you guys think? I could really use some feedback; I don't know why but this is the one chapter that was driving me absolutely nuts! So if you have any suggestions that you think something needs to be changed or something like that I'm all ears! And yes I am trying to stick to the original timeline of the actual series in a way; just I'm obviously changing some things here and there. Anyway, thanks for everyone who has been reading and if this is your first time reading this story I hope you enjoyed it so far. Until next week when I post chapter 17, see ya! And have a Happy New Year!