A/N: Alright, here's a short chapter to keep you satisfied while I work on the next one! From Zuko's P.O.V. so enjoy :)

Zuko paced the length of the clearing anxiously. He hadn't expected for that kiss with Katara to continue as far as it did. In fact, he hadn't intended for it to happen at all. That was never the plan.

But Agni, he couldn't get the memory of it out of his head. It replayed itself, over and over again, taunting him. Her breath mingled with his, her lips, soft and plump, and the her body was pressed against his, every curve-

Spirits, he was going hard again. Zuko sat down on the log near the fire, running his hands over his face, trying to regain control of himself.

Don't forget about how she ran for the trees with a look of pure terror on her face, he thought to himself bitterly. He didn't understand it. Was she embarrassed because of her reactions? Her responses–there wasn't a way for Zuko to even explain how beautiful she was. The way she lost herself was incredible, breath-taking even.

So why did she run?

Zuko heard rustling behind him, and turned quickly to see if she'd returned, but his hopes were swiftly dashed. It was only Lieutenant Jin.

"Well don't look too happy to see me, sir," Jin said as he took a seat opposite Zuko. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" He was smirking at Zuko like he knew exactly what the two of them were up to while he was conveniently missing.

"Shut up," Zuko grumbled, glaring at him over the fire. He knew Jin wouldn't hold back on him if he knew about Katara and himself. Zuko had grown up with Jin as his older brother, in a way. He'd trained hand-to-hand with him many times as a teenager. That is, until Jin was tired of losing.

"I didn't say anything," the Lieutenant said, holding his hands up in a defensive stance, but he was laughing. "But if I was going to say anything-"

"Don't," Zuko warned tersely.

"I would say that I think she'd be good for you," he finished seriously. Zuko was quiet for a moment, somewhat taken aback by Jin's confession.

"Why?"

"She's got backbone."

"And you're saying I don't?"

Jin sighed, knowing Zuko would automatically think to take it that way. "No, I'm not saying that. But she's strong. She doesn't take your crap, and let's face it Zuko, there's only a handful of gifted people who have the balls not to. The only other women who have ever shown some degree of resistance toward you are your sister and your mother. She snaps back at you when you snap at her, yells at you when you yell at her. Hell, she'd probably give you a roundhouse kick to the chest without flinching if you threw the first punch. She's as stubborn and spirited as you are, and I don't think you're going to find another woman like her out there."

"What, are you in love with her?" Zuko asked sarcastically, trying to hide the twitch in his jaw as he grabbed the canteen of water next to him and took a swig.

"No," Jin started, smiling. "But you are."

Zuko swallowed in surprise, choking violently. "What?" he got out between coughing fits.

"It's pretty pathetic actually, watching you hang onto her every word-"

"I-I-m not-" Zuko stammered, still in shock.

"-like she's got the key to mankind's existence. And then there's the way the atmosphere in a room physically changes when the two of you are in it together. It's like you could cut the sexual tension with a knife-"

"I am NOT in love with her!" Zuko shouted at Jin, standing up as if to get his point across better, making the fire between them flare subconsciously. Jin looked at Zuko, watched his eyes glaze over as he processed everything in his head. It looked like he was losing it.

"Alright, I get it," Jin said softly, thinking it better to stop torturing Zuko for the moment before he burned the forest around them to the ground. He'd been near Zuko a few times when he used fire bending as an outlet for his anger and knew that it was nearly impossible to stop him once he starts. "You're not in love with her. I was just busting your balls. Relax, Zuko."

And he did relax even though it took a while, but that didn't mean he was through thinking about Jin's words. Those three simple words kept ringing in his ears over and over again.

But you are.

Jin walked over to the tent and started fiddling with the tarp, making sure the stakes were far enough into the ground, but Zuko remained seated by the fire, watching it intently.

A lowly peasant girl from the outer provinces shouldn't have this kind of effect on him. He couldn't be in love with her, it wasn't allowed. Her status was far too low for her to even be considered a marriage partner if things were to ever go that far between them. The most she could ever be to him was a mistress, and Zuko knew he couldn't stomach the thought of putting her in that kind of position.

He cared about her too much.

They could never have a future together, no matter the circumstances. Tradition wouldn't allow it, and Zuko knew that as a banished prince who returned to claim the throne, he didn't have the authority to question those customs.

Another branch snapped in the woods behind Zuko, but he didn't turn immediately this time. He wasn't sure how to act around her now.

But she didn't show.

Zuko stood up anxiously, turning to Lieutenant Jin. "How long has she been down at the river for?"

Jin stopped and looked at the young Fire Lord, his expression a mirror of Zuko's. "Too long."

And both grabbed their swords and ran through the trees, down the path Katara had taken until they reached the river. But it was quiet, the only noise they could hear was the rushing sounds of water over rocks.

"Shit," Jin said quietly, his eyes eyeing something down by the riverbank. He walked closer to it, to reaffirm his suspicions. Zuko didn't need to walk closer to it for confirmation.

"Maybe she got away, sir," Jin said with waning certainty, knowing that probably wasn't the case. For a fleeting moment, Zuko almost believed that could be true.

But then he looked to his right where he'd seen something in his peripheral vision sway with the breeze. His eyes focused on the arrow lodged in the tree and the material stuck between the tip and the tree trunk.

It was the Fire Lily necklace he bought for Katara while they were at the festival on Ember Island. She must have been wearing it.

"She didn't get away."

The material of the necklace swayed gently in the breeze again, mocking him.

We have her.

A/N: Alrighty, here is a little blurb from Zuko's P.O.V, hope it pleased you. Review and let me know what you think! Your reviews have really helped me shape the story so far and I'm really depending on your input, even for a small chapter like this!

Thanks and enjoy!