The winter wind persisted and therefore thwarted their beach plans to some extent. Zuko and Katara eventually joined their friends at the waterfront, but when the icy tendrils of the tide reached their bare feet, it became obvious why no one was swimming.

"I thought this was supposed to be the perfect vacation spot," Toph grumbled. Not that she wanted to swim anyway.

"I don't know. I've never been here in the winter," Zuko replied.

"Apparently Oyster Bay is where it's perfect all year around… at least according to Rena," Katara said, remembering how much the colonial girl had complained about the heat in the capital city.

"I'll make a bonfire. I always liked those as a kid. At least until…" Zuko trailed off and set about the task of finding firewood.

"I'll help you," Aang called after him, then turned to Katara. "Did you tell him, yet?"

"About what?" She brushed her hair out of her eyes and peered questioningly at her friend.

"About what Roku said."

"Oh. No. I just thought we could relax while we're here?" Katara half-hoped she had dreamed about the prophecies. Not that she disliked what they foretold, they just seemed so weighty. It was almost better not to know. And Zuko had to deal with so much already.

"OK!" Aang smiled brightly and bounded off to find Zuko.

He's always so upbeat and carefree, even after everything we've been through, Katara thought as she watched the Avatar scoop up handfuls of driftwood and chat animatedly with an indifferent Fire Lord.

After the fire had been burning for some time, the younger two of the group expressed their boredom and wandered further down the beach to build sand sculptures with their earthbending. When the chatting amongst the remaining four died down, Katara noticed that Sokka and Suki had gone from cuddly to handsy. It had to be some form of torture to watch her brother do that. Zuko picked up on her annoyance pretty quickly, though. "Let's go for a walk," he said.

Zuko seemed to have a destination in mind, and when they arrived at the cave at the far end of the beach, Katara recognized it. They had celebrated her birthday there two summers ago. It was decidedly one of the best birthdays she'd ever had and largely because Zuko had gone to great lengths to make it special for her. And that was ages before we even…

Zuko pulled her into a kiss and then led her into the cave. He gave her the look, his sly smile, and she realized that not only did he have a destination in mind, he also had a plan. She was curious and yes, aroused even, but also feeling a bit feisty. What if I play hard to get? Besides, it's so damn cold…

The weather appeared to not phase the firebender at all because once inside the cave, Zuko immediately started stripping off his clothes.

Okay, then.

"Z-z-zuko, what are you doing?"

"Well, I don't want to get them wet, do I?"

She remembered now. At the back of the cave was a hot spring. Zuko stood still for a few minutes with his back toward her. It seemed like every muscle in his body was flexed, and all he was doing was just standing there, inadvertently driving her crazy. He then looked over his shoulder at her, flashed a seductive smile, and strode to the water's edge. For all his lack of self-confidence in other ways, in this, he did not. Or perhaps it was just where Katara was concerned. Those types of smiles were only reserved for her, after all. And this was something they only shared together.

He eased into the water and sighed. She melted.

"It feels great, Katara. Are you coming?"

Playing hard to get was such a stupid idea. Shivers went down her spine and not because she was cold.

Once she had joined him in the water, he said, "You told me I needed to relax and have fun, so I just thought—"

She cut him off with a kiss. A very insistent, I-have-to-have-you-now kiss. He broke it just briefly to look into her desire-filled eyes before he lost himself in them… and then lost himself in her completely.

They had "bathed" together before back at the palace, but this… this was different. It was such a combination of sensations: the heated pool, like fire and water; them moving together, team liquidy hot; the occasional burst of cold air against their heated skin, opposites attract…

And snow.

Wait, snow?

Zuko stilled their motions even though it almost pained him to do so. Katara let out a little whimper in response.

"K-k-katara, why is it snowing?"

"Oh…um…" She tightened the grip she had around him with her ankles before leaning back slightly to look up at the top of the cave. In an act of impulse before entering the water, she had frozen the condensation there. She had also regulated the surrounding air temperature, so that when the water droplets began to melt and fall, they would refreeze, crystallize, and then float down like snowflakes.

The flurries melted instantly when they touched Zuko's skin, she noticed. She wondered if he could feel their icy prickle first like she could, or if everything with him was just constantly and irresistibly hot. He watched the snowflakes fall in between the puffs of steam their quickened breaths made. When he realized she wasn't going to give much more of an answer, he coaxed her to the edge of the pool where he could get more leverage. It wasn't long before their cries of pleasure echoed off the cave's walls.

On the walk back to the beach house, Katara confessed. "So, I've always had this… fantasy… about doing it in the snow. Or, um, maybe inside an igloo. I dunno."

"Sounds cold." Zuko smirked.

"Yeah, I guess that's the part I couldn't figure out. I never factored a firebender into the equation, though."

"Wait… how long have you had this fantasy?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, come on. It's not like I ever thought I would leave the South Pole."

"Is this what all little Water Tribe girls fantasize about?"

"Zuko, stop it! Maybe I'm just homesick, did you ever think of that?"

"Oh." He looked taken aback. "Are you?"

"Maybe? I don't know. I just don't know if I could live in the Fire Nation for the rest of my life, OK?"

"Whoa, whoa, what brought this on? Nobody's forcing you to stay in the Fire Nation. Even if we… well, I had hoped you would stay with me, but of course, you could go back home whenever you want. I wouldn't stop you." All confidence was lost. Zuko was not the man in the cave anymore. He felt uncertain, vulnerable… and cold.

Katara realized that while she had been playing with snow flurries before, she had just thrown ice daggers without meaning to. And instead of melting upon impact, they had penetrated. That came out completely wrong. How do I explain? I wouldn't feel so pressured if it weren't for those stupid prophecies.

"I want to go with you," Zuko said.

"Huh?" Katara had been so distracted by her own inner dialogue, that Zuko's comment caught her off guard.

"I want to go with you to the South Pole."

"You d-d-do?"

"Yeah. I want to meet Gran Gran. And eat seaprunes. And go tiger seal hunting with your dad. And try ice fishing. And I want to make love to you in the snow. Or in an igloo… whichever you prefer." He smiled, this time the shy and hopeful smile.

"Technically you've already met Gran Gran…"

"That doesn't count."

"And you've had seaprunes."

"That doesn't count, either."

"And just now, it was snowing, sort of…"

"Katara?" His smile vanished.

"Hmm?"

"Are you… ashamed of me? Do you not… want me to go?

"No! I mean, yes!" Zuko's frown contorted into a look of confusion. Katara made a noise of frustration. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to say what I mean. No, I am not ashamed of you. And yes, I would love to take you to the South Pole!"

"Who's going to the South Pole?" Sokka fell in step with them out of nowhere.

"Sokka! Where did you come from?" Katara squeaked. And how much did you hear?

"I've been looking for you two. Lunch is ready. And then after lunch, Zuko, you owe me a sword fight."

"You're on," Zuko replied. "Hey, Sokka, we'll see you at the beach house in a few, okay?" He gave the other teen a rather pointed look, and his meaning was understood.

"Sure thing." Sokka left.

Katara marveled at how easily Zuko could get rid of her brother. She couldn't do that if she tried. In fact, if she had insinuated or even outright asked him to leave, he would take that as all the more reason to stay. These two have… an interesting relationship.

Zuko interrupted her thoughts with a kiss. His breath was warm on her neck when he whispered, "So… I've always had this fantasy of doing it in a hot spring… inside a cave…"