Katara gasped as she saw the mask clattered to the floor. She had entered Zuko's room to gather up any clothes that needed washed. The mask of the Blue Spirit had fallen from a rolled-up shirt. She just stared at the familiar mask of her one and only lover until she heard chatter coming up the hall. Quickly rolling the mask back into the shirt, she gathered the remaining dirty clothes and headed downstairs. Just as she shut the door to Zuko's room, Aang and Sokka come up the hall.
"Hey, Katara! Sokka and Suki found out about this play on the island that is all about us. We were all thinking about going. You in?" Aang said excitedly.
"Are you sure it's about us? And would it be a good idea for all of us to go to such a play?"
"Oh, come on, sis, it will be fun!" Sokka exclaimed.
"But I need to get this laundry done. Can't fight the Fire Nation in dirty clothes."
"Well, the play isn't until this evening, so you have time." Aang explained. Katara sighed. It seemed they were going to the play.
As annoyed as she was by the play, Katara couldn't help but think about what she had found earlier that day. No one had ever told her that the Blue Spirit was Zuko himself! In a way, it all made sense.
Her attraction to the spirit during the one time she had encountered him in the back alley in Ba Sing Se had always puzzled her. He had been a total stranger to her. And she wasn't sure if Zuko even knew it had been her in that alley. It had been dark, and she had been disguised in a dark cloak when she had been attacked by a group of thugs.
Before she could even think to defend herself, the Blue Spirit had been in between her and her attackers. He whisked her away into the dark alley. They couldn't see each other's faces. She silently kissed his cheek in thanks and his hands had tightened at her waist. His breathing became more ragged. It all happened so fast after that. No words, only actions.
Katara blushed to herself thinking back on that night. She had had many dreams about the faceless man in that alley since that night. Recently though, the face had been replaced by the Fire Prince's. Even when she had despised him, she had found him attractive. Now, that she had gotten to know him, the attraction had only grown. She had felt conflicted by her feelings for the two different men. Now, she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that they were one and the same. And what that would mean for the future.
The play went to intermission and Katara ventured outside. She gazed out at the setting sun, still thinking about Zuko and what she had learned, but her peace was short lived when Aang came fuming.
"Katara, did you mean what you said?" Aang demanded.
"What I said about what?" She looked over at him, confused.
"About only thinking of me as a brother?"
"Aang, I didn't say that. The actress did." Katara wanted to roll her eyes at the younger boy.
"But I thought given what happened at the invasion, we would be together."
"Aang, there is a lot going and I am not sure..." Her statement was cut off by Aang's lips suddenly pressing against hers. She pulled back immediately in horror. "Aang! I was just trying to explain to you that I don't know what my feelings are!" She pushed him away from her and quickly went back inside. Zuko, who has accidentally seen the whole scene from the shadows, watched her go. Aang looked utterly defeated, but he squared his shoulders and followed Katara back into the theater. Zuko quickly followed suit to make the airbender didn't bother her again.
Katara went straight to her room after they arrived back at the beach house after the play to avoid both Aang and Zuko. Her heart and mind were in a total uproar. With the final battle looming, she needed to get herself under control. Deciding to take a lesson from Aang, even though she was upset with him, she decided to mediate.
Settling on her bed, she gathered some healing water in her hands, closed her eyes, and began to breathe slowly. Once her felt herself calm down enough, she healed her pounding headache and the nausea in her stomach. When she moved her hands down her stomach to quell the sickening feeling in her stomach, her hand froze on her abdomen as she realized what she felt there.
A knock sounded on her door before she could process what she had found. She pulled herself together and called for the person to enter. It was Suki, inquiring if she was all right. Katara assured her friend that she was fine, but secretly wondered if she would ever truly be fine again.