"Ugh! You're right. This mud is making everything harder," she grumbled as she slipped again.

"It can't be worse than ice. You lived in the Southern Water Kingdom."

"I'm used to less slippery surfaces now. Plus, I mainly walked through the snow. Not bare ice." She then slid again and caught herself before she went completely down. As it was, her hands were now covered in mud.

Zuko was laughing at her so hard she went over and placed both hands on his face. She smiled at him and then declared, "Serves you right. Now you're covered in mud too."

Later that night, as Zuko lay on his bedroll and looked up at the stars, he thought about Katara, who was sleeping not far away. The more time they spent together, the deeper he was falling in love.

Katara smiled when they entered the village. She threw her arms up and twirled. "Finally out of the Fire Nation!" She then blushed. "Sorry."

"You were chained up and stabbed. I don't take any offense at all. I'm glad to be out too. I have a fugitive with me after all." He winked at her, "I'm a rebel living on the edge."

"Oooh, the dangerous type, hot."

He snorted, "Pun intended."

"I always intend my puns. I'm Sokka's sister, after all. He did rub off on me a bit." She laughed and faced him. "I'm just actually funny."

"I don't know. He is funny looking." He smiled, and they continued walking.

"I could go for a hot meal and a bed right now, but some food would do. How about you?"

Zuko was thrilled with his surprise. "I reappropriated some Fire Nation funds while I was at the jail. I say we do both."

"You stole money?!"

"I reappropriated it. I am the prince. It's my money —in a way."

She laughed, and her eyes danced with mischief. "Lead on then. I'm starving and would love to eat something we didn't have to catch or forage for." He was excited to be able to take care of her and give her a rest.

The joy in her eyes was worth everything to him.

The next day as they left the town, Katara's stomach sank at her realization that they were close to meeting up with the gAang. Her face twisted in confusion. Her trepidation confused her. It was going to be a joyous meeting, and it meant Appa would be there. She didn't have to walk everywhere. Her feet ached.

She looked over at Zuko. He was walking by her side. She was about to ask him what he thought about her realization. It was that which caused her to stop dead in her tracks.

Zuko took four more steps, then stopped and turned to look at her. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head and then thought better of it. She said, "I need to take a small break. Can we… rest?" It was all she could think to say. She didn't feel she could tell him that she had wanted to share her concerns with him. She didn't know what that meant.

"Okay. We can sit and -" Zuko stopped suddenly when Katara strode away from him quickly and ignored him completely.

"Why? What is going on with me?" She was mumbling to herself and had quickened her pace away from him. "Why does his opinion matter so much to me?"

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at Zuko. He was looking at her with concern. Then it hit her. She had feelings for him. She liked the time they'd had alone together. She didn't want to catch up to everyone because it would mean that this time would end.

She didn't have to be the sister, support, or mother. She was just her imperfect self. The her that could admit to weakness and didn't feel like she let anyone down. They were equal partners.

Dammit! And she loved him for it. Crap, when did that happen? When did the last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe fall in love with the heir to the evil Fire Nation?!

"Are you okay?" Zuko shouted over to her. "We can stop for the day if you would like that."

Then she realized she didn't fall in love with the Fire Nation heir. She fell in love with Zuko. The man that stood there with no thought other than concern for her right now, and she was freaking him out.

"No, I'm okay. We can keep going. I just…" she didn't know what to say to explain herself to him. She couldn't say she loved him. That would be weird and awkward!

She walked to him, where he stood waiting for her, and when she was five paces away, she saw the look in his eyes. It wasn't just concern he was looking at her with. Suddenly his emotions were laid bare to her. Everything was crystal clear. "You love me," she said in shock.

His eyes fell shut, and his head dropped down. "Yeah, but I won't make it weird, and we've almost caught up with everyone else. You won't be stuck alone with me much longer." He then looked up at her timidly, "You handle Aang's feelings. Can you handle mine?" The pleading in his voice wrenched her heart.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Aang only thinks he loves me. He doesn't need a girlfriend —he needs a mother. That role I don't mind."

"Do you want me to leave?"

She decided she didn't want to fight or deny her feelings for him. He was the one person she felt she could be her whole, vulnerable self with, and she didn't want to give that up. She couldn't lose the feeling she had now with him, even for her enormous pride.

Plus, she trusted him, and she liked the idea of sharing more with him.

"You're not going anywhere, Zuko. You stay by my side." It was an order, but her smile softened what she said. "Things will get awkward, though."

Zuko looked panicked, "No! I promise I can-"

"I love you too."

Zuko felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He couldn't breathe, and his legs refused to hold him up. From his position sitting on the ground, he looked up at her and said, "Wha…?"

Katara knelt down and looked him in the eyes. "I needed to stop just now because I was coming to the realization that I love you. I'm sad that this time, with just the two of us, is coming to an end."

Even though surrendering control was difficult for her, she wasn't a coward. She forced herself to deal with her fears of a relationship head-on. She wouldn't ever let anything hold her back.

Zuko's brain was having trouble processing what she said. It was everything he didn't dare hope for. "Y-you love me?"

"Yes, it's bad timing, but that can't be helped," she shrugged.

"Bad timing?" He asked, confused.

"We're trying to change the world, and all I want to do at the moment is go back to the last town and delay meeting up with everyone." She then shrugged. "We have a lot to get done."

He stood and said, "We have the same goal, and neither of us would put things ahead of what we need to accomplish. Lucky for us, our feelings don't really interfere with our goal."

"True. We just keep moving forward, and we join up with them."

"Yup." He then pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "Will you be my girlfriend as we work to stop the Fire Nation and my father?"

"And beyond?"

"And beyond."

"Yes." He leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the lips. His heart soared.

She smiled up at him when they broke the kiss. "Well, let's get going." Then as they walked side by side, she grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. She peaked over at him, and he was beaming, then she realized she was too.