Author's note: OMG thank you for the reviews, follows, and favs! This story is super young, and its already gaining a small following. I know its not much but I never expected anyone to read my writing at all. I hope you enjoy this chapter. The plot is getting thicker….;)

ZUKOS POV

Zuko was outside in the middle of his flower garden sitting crosslegged before the great lemon tree. His eyes were closed in deep meditation. He had been out there for a few hours now, ever sense the sun had broken across the sky. Zuko had to remain in a meditative state, or else he'd crumble. Every fiber in his being screamed to march up to every one of Katara's friends doors and drag her back home with him. He couldn't believe just how fast the loneliness began to set in now that she was gone.

He was deep in thought when he heard the soft pad of horse hooves approaching him. He opened his eyes to find June in front of him, mounted on an albino stag. She dismounted a few feet away from him, securing the beast to the lemon tree.

"Hey" she said, approaching him gingerly. She sat down across from him in the dewy grass, the morning sun reflecting in her almond eyes. She was wearing her hair down and loose framing her regal features, a purple bruise staining her high cheek bone. Zuko studied her closely as she settled in front of him, evaluating how much she'd changed over the years.

"When did you get the tattoo?" Zuko inquired, staring at the red dragon permanently etched onto her right shoulder. She blinked through her long thick lashes, biting her full lips.

"The year I was banished" she rasped out quietly. Her voice was like the smoke from a comforting fire to Zuko.

"It's cool" he smiled. She gave him a small smile back.

"Your uncle has been worried sick about you" she breathed "he wanted me to tell you that he misses you with all of his heart." Zuko's chest constricted at her words.

"I miss him too" he choked.

….

"They're going to use the new bombing tech to blow the wall protecting Ba Sing Se to bits" June explained in a rush. She had spent the past hour detailing to Zuko what the White Lotus had been working on since he'd been away. And although his Uncle had been imprisoned all this time, he had still been able to communicate with the secrete organization due to his high ranking. Now June was warning him of his father's sinister ambitions to be Phoenix King.

"That will kill millions of innocent Earth civilians" he stated. A look of horror slowly crept onto his face. He looked up at June who wore a similar expression. He had to figure out a way to stop this, before it was too late.

"How much time do we have?" he asked, flexing his jaw.

"Eight months". There was a sharp intake of breath followed by a sigh. Zuko's gaze trailed down to June's wrist, noticing the golden bracelet with a ruby charm delicately placed there.

"I've never taken it off" she whispered as she followed his gaze "since the day you gifted it to me". Zuko sighed deeply. He would not enjoy what he would have to say in the next part of this conversation.

"June," he said her voice softly. Her pale cheeks blushed when she looked back up to him "I really appreciate you coming here to give me this information. And I'm sorry things got so out of hand last night" he said with a grimace. She giggled as she touched her bruised cheek delicately.

"Yeah, your girlfriend's got one hell of a right hook" she said. Zuko chuckled awkwardly as well, until both their smiles faded. June's face became forlorn as she blinked away a stray tear.

"We were so young back then" Zuko began, his brows creased with empathy "I loved you as much as the child me could have at the time". She surveyed his eyes, never loosing contact.

"I know…you've grown out of love my prince. It was presumptuous of me to come here the way I did anyway. I should have known you'd move on" the last part she said a little bitterly.

"I did love you June…back then…even though I would never say it" he looked down, unable to maintain the eye contact.

"I think deep down I always knew that" she said, standing up and brushing off her skirts "why else would your father have sent me away?"

He looked up at her through squinted eyes, the sun glaring into his irises.

"Where will you go?" he asked her, as she whistled for her shirshu. It came bounding out of Zuko's stable wagging its tail and running to her owner. June chuckled as her beast nuzzled its head against her chest.

"Back to the Lotus headquarters in Caldera"

"Caldera?" he repeated in disbelief. The last time he'd checked three years ago The White Lotus was headquartered in the outskirts of Kyoshi Island.

"It was moved about a year ago, shortly after I rejoined. Grand master Piandoa thought it more clever to rest right under the Fire Lord's nose" she explained. He shook his head in disbelief. That explained why is Uncle was able to receive intel so easily. They were basically stationed right outside his prison.

June mounted her Shirshu after connecting her reins to the albino horse she'd rode there on.

"Good bye June" he waved as she turned to leave him. She went to retrieve something from her pocket, then tossed something shiny at him. He caught it quickly surveying the thing in his hand. It was a golden lotus tile, one of very few Zuko knew.

"Don't wait too long to rejoin us Zuko, we need you" she said seriously. He nodded his head gravely praying to Agni that the Avatar would come to them soon.

"Goodbye my prince." And with that her and her shirshu turned abruptly bounding up the dirt path from his garden, the white stag following closely behind.

KATARAS POV

Katara was lounging in the sun lazily in her new swimming suit that Song had gifted her. They were both laying by the pool at her friend's estate a few miles out from the town's square. Katara had no idea that Song's father was so rich, but when she rode up to the grand entrance of her home last night she nearly fell off of her horse. May and Leila had always hinted toward's the fact that Song was basically royalty in their town. Her father had a monopoly on most of the milk production in the western part of the Earth Kingdom, therefore the money their family accrued yearly was astronomical and it showed in the grandness of their home.

"I'm gonna go for a swim" Katara stated. Song looked up from the book she was reading in her recliner chair to evaluate her friend.

"No diving!" Song called after her as Katara canon balled into the marble pool. It was a blistering hot day in Chao and all Katara wanted to do was swim. She floated on her back lazily in the water, staring up at the sun. Her thoughts immediately went to her boyfriend…or ex boyfriend…or whatever he was at the moment. She was missing him already, yet her stubbornness wouldn't allow herself to be the first one to reach out. Especially since he was completely in the wrong. The image of him and that girl in each other's arms resurfaced in her mind, feeling like a dagger in her heart each time. She was a fool to think that with Zuko's history he'd be satisfied with having only her. Who was she kidding? He was used to having an endless number of women at his disposal. She had heard that the fire palace's haram was extensive, with a wide variety of women from each nation to choose from. She didn't have chance in hell to compete with that. She had fallen for his promising words and loving domineer only for it to be shattered within minutes. Maybe she had reacted too suddenly, Katara thought. She hadn't given him the chance to explain himself. Katara sighed as she dived under the cool water opening her eyes beneath her element. Looking up she could see the sun reflecting off of the water's surface. She held her breath a little longer before coming back up.

"Hey Katara, I think the servants have prepared lunch for us!" called Song from across the pool. Katara swam over to the edge, climbing out and bending the water from her bikini and hair.

They sat in the pool room together, drinking tea and idly chatting. An older servant by the name of Fe approached them with a tray of food in her arms, setting it down before them.

"You have guests Lady Song" she said bowing deeply.

"Who?"

"It is your friends Lady Leila and Lady May" she said while arranging their table settings for four.

"Please, have them join us" Song said politely.

A few moments later their friends were trekking into the cavernous pool room. May was wearing a black bikini on her lithe frame, her blond ringlets bouncing behind her. Leila sported a sage green one piece that made her eyes shine like emeralds. Both of them set their towels down on the lounge chairs before joining Song and Katara at the table.

"What's up guys?" Song asked cheerily, diving into the smorgasbord of food before them.

"Thought we'd stop by for a free lunch" May said stuffing her face with a bread roll. Leila rolled her eyes pouring herself a cup of tea.

"We came to check on Katara…May told me about what happened last night at the party" Leila explained, looking across the table and locking eyes with Katara. She looked down and away, twirling her hair idly.

"I'm fine guys…really-" she tried.

"You're so not fine" May protested.

"May!" Song scolded angrily.

"What? It's true! You should've seen her at the party, she went all master sifu water godz-"

"MAY" both Song and Leila shouted at once.

"Okay okay, geez" she relented, shrugging back into her seat.

Katara signed deeply taking a sip of her tea.

"Seriously Tara…I know you must be hurting. No one deserves that" Leila said softly reaching across the table to grab her hand. Katara felt her eyes begin to prickle with tears, that lump in her throat returning.

"Lady Song" they all turned their heads towards the arched entrance. There was a guard standing there, his status embroidered on his golden breast plate.

"You have another guest" he stated dryly.

"Who else could it be?" she wondered aloud.

"A man by the name of Lee…he insists on seeing the Lady Katara. He wouldn't go away" he said pointedly looking to the side behind the pillar. Zuko emerged slowly from behind the pillar, sheepishly locking eyes with Katara. Her heart threatened to stop beating.

"Well he's not welcomed here" May seethed crossing her arms. Katara looked around the table to find her three girl friends glaring at Zuko with their fists balled.

Leila stood up "You should go home cheater" she frowned.

"I'm not a cheater-" Zuko defended.

"Says the cheater!" May yelled.

"Everyone please!" Katara finally spoke up. Standing from her chair she closed the space between her and Zuko. She approached him slowly, never breaking eye contact.

"I hope you came here to bring the rest of my things" she said flatly. Letting out a puff of air Zuko ran his fingers through his ruffled hair. He looked a mess, like he hadn't slept since she'd left. Served him right.

"Can we talk?" he asked, eyes darting behind her where her friends sat glaring at him "alone?"

"Whatever you have to say you can say in front of all of us you ass wipe!" May yelled from behind. Katara held up a hand to silence her.

"Fine, but make it quick" she clipped, walking past him and out of the pool room.

ZUKOS POV

Katara led him to a private terrace off of the room she had been staying in. The french doors opened to a white marble balcony overlooking the rose gardens of the giant estate. Zuko had known Song's family was rich, but he'd never gotten a chance to witness the estate that the villagers held in such high regard. It was almost like Chao's own palace.

"Thanks for letting me come up here" he stated gingerly, surveying her reactions closely. She didn't respond, just placed her arms over the balcony rails watching the servants tend to the gardens below. She had put on an olive green sarong around her waist, covering the lower half of her sage bikini. Her damp curls flowed wildly down her waist, lifting with the mild summer winds. He came up beside her, looking below as well. They sat in silence for a moment, both afraid of what the other would say.

"Katara, I never meant to hurt you" he began. He could see from the corner of his eye her chest rising and falling rapidly. "I've always been honest with you about my past…about where I come from. And I know it's not all pretty. I know some things about me are just hard to accept" his eyes cast downward, not wanting to witness her reaction. He took a deep breath in the wake of her silence, pressing on.

"June and I…we had a long history. One that began when I was 14. We were both children, living in a hell our parents had created for us. Her mom had sold her to the highest bidder when she was just 12 years of age, eventually landing her in my father's clutches. She had been too young for my father at the time….so he gave her to me. Back then she had been so scared, and all I wanted at the time was to help her and make her feel less afraid. I was all she had in that dreadful place. Outside of my Uncle she was all I had too. One night when attending one of my father's war council meetings I spoke out against him. They had been discussing sending our own troops into a suicide mission, one that would kill thousands of fire nation soldiers…our own country men. That's where he challenged me to an Agni Kai. I refused to fight him…my own father….so he burnt half my face off. To teach me a lesson." he heard Katara's breath hitch "June nursed me back to health. Without her, I probably would have thrown myself from the palace balcony. It was the darkest time in my life. It was then that we began devising a plan to escape the palace together" he chuckled at the memory "we were going to find the Avatar ourselves and save the world from my tyrannical father. We soon discovered that my Uncle had been devising a similar plan, realizing his brother was sorely unfit to rule. That's when we joined the White Lotus's efforts. Together we did small things, like intercepting my father's mail holding important intel, reallocating war funds, and even blackmailing important figures on my father's council to spy on his every move. But on the night of my 17th birthday June just vanished without a trace. I searched everywhere for her, I'd turned the streets of Caldera upside down. My father told me that some servants had seen her leave in the night…I was heartbroken. Completely shattered. I was once again all alone. Azula eventually caught on to what me and my Uncle had been doing. I guess my father felt it merciful to banish us for high treason instead of putting our heads on spikes." Katara was now turned towards him, a strange expression on her face. Zuko continued nonetheless, wanting her to hear his truth, no matter how things ended up. She deserved that. "I hadn't seen June in five years since then…until that party. I was shocked. She informed me that it hadn't been her that left, but my father who'd banished her. Once he had discovered my true feelings for June he sent her away, claiming she was making me soft. Concubines weren't for love…they were to be used then discarded." Zuko scowled, remembering what June had told him her father said to her the night he sent her away "And you were right Katara…she was coming to me for a second chance, to rekindle the love we'd once shared. And even though it pained me to come face to face with the heartache that had threatened to break me all those years ago…nothing hurt worse than seeing you walk away from me last night" he finished. He could see there were tears in her eyes. He blinked, feeling wetness coating his own cheek. He placed a finger there only to realize that he'd shed a tear. Katara closed the space between them, looking up at him and searching his face.

"Do you still love her?" she asked, her tone like steel.

"How could I?" he breathed. Unable to stop himself he cupped her face with both his hands "How could I love her when I have someone as fiercely intelligent, strong, and selfless as you?" he brought their foreheads together breathing in her scent.

"I need to know that you are mine Zuko" she said fiercely, her blue eyes piercing into his "…all mine". He had never seen Katara so furiously possessive. He recognized the look in her eyes. It was a need he understood all too well.

"Always and forever" he said in finality. Fisting the front of his tunic she pulled him roughly to her, devouring his mouth in a fervent kiss. Bringing his hands to rest on her hips he pulled her lower half close, returning her affections with enthusiasm.

"Show me" she moaned through fiery kisses. He picked her up quickly, wrapping her legs around his waist. She threw her arms around his neck never braking their kiss as he walked them off the balcony and into her rooms. Moving to the canopy bed that was covered in emerald silk sheets he laid her down gently. His body hovered over hers as he kissed down her neck like she was his favorite dessert.

"Estér bëniy tu" he whispered against her neck. It meant 'I love you' in Katiu, her mother tongue. Zuko had been learning her language in secret over the past few months, picking up where he'd left off when he was studying as a prince. Katara let out a throaty moan at this.

"Estér dontora tu (I want you)" she returned breathily. He kissed her lips tenderly laying down beside her and running his hands up and down her sides. He wanted to savor her. He wanted to cherish her. But Katara had other ideas.

"You are mine" she bit out, her southern tribal accent coming through in her passion. She flipped them over so that she was straddling him.

"Yours" he returned, submitting himself to her will. He rested his hands on her thighs letting her take control. She bent down to run her lips down his neck, leaving small bite marks in her wake.

KATARAS POV

Katara was nervous truthfully. There had only been a handful of times her and Zuko had been intimate, and she still lacked experience. Yet her need to possess him…mark him as hers was too strong for her to stop. She ground her hips down over his erection, her bikini making the friction that much easier to feel. She moaned into his neck, feeling herself getting wetter by the second. Zuko had placed his large hands over her backside, massaging her underneath her sarong. She sat up, unbuttoning his tunic swiftly. She revealed his alabaster skin which rippled over his toned chest and abs. She placed her hand over the star shaped lightning scar on his chest.

"The lightning that day…when we battled your sister together. It was meant for me wasn't it?" she asked him, with uncertainty in her eyes. His amber oarbs caught hers, surveying the way her blush tented her cheeks and ran down her neck. He nodded his head.

"You had your back turned. Azula saw her chance. I couldn't let her take you" his voice was so deep with longing, making her eyes sting with tears. All those years ago he had risked his life for her. She remembered how he struggled for breath under her as she fought to heal him. She ran her hands down the angry raised skin delicately. She traveled further down, unbuttoning his trousers and gripping his length in her small hand. Zuko hissed at the sudden contact, his eyes becoming hooded with lust.

"Slow down Kat" he said in warning. She ignored him, pumping him eagerly. His shaft was soft yet hard as steel. She loved how he looked beneath her. His pale cheeks were tinted red, and his red lips swollen from her kisses. His long hair was splayed around him like a dark hallo on the bed. He was absolutely breathtaking. She paused to throw off her sarong and pull her bikini bottoms to the side. Zuko sat up instantly grabbing her wrists and holding them to her sides.

"Whoa whoa, Kat are you sure?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. She kissed him with all the passion she could muster, swallowing her nerves down. She broke from his hold on her wrists, grabbing his member beneath her and positioning him at her drenched entrance.

"I've never been more sure about anything" she whispered, sinking herself all the way down onto his length.

"Ah!" she yelped, not expecting the sharp pain. He sat up instantly cradling her tightly to his chest.

"Fuck Kat" he whispered, gripping her tighter. In any other circumstance she may have laughed at his high pitched tone. He had one hand in her hair anchoring her head to his chest, the other wrapped around her waist. He didn't dare move, for fear of hurting her more. He was like fire inside her, his large member burning her from the inside out. She clung to him desperately, her breathing labored and heavy. She hadn't expected it to hurt this bad. After a while once the pain had subsided a bit, she wiggled her hips a little, testing the waters.

"Agni…" she heard Zuko moan into her hair. He was gripping her hip rather tightly making her think she may have bruises there later. Her pain was short lived, as tiny waves of pleasure shot up her spine as she tightened around him experimentally.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She leaned back slightly to look at his face. He looked dazed and feverish, his eyes going in and out of focus.

"Yes" she replied lifting her hips slightly and pressing back down. Truthfully Katara had no idea what she was doing, she just knew it felt amazing being this close to him. His length dragged against her walls slowly as she rode him. He reached up to remove her swim suit top, covering her breasts with his hands instantly. She moaned as he massaged her, running his thumbs gently over her nipples. Zuko gave a shallow thrust up into her, causing her to see stars in her vision.

"Oh Zu…" she moaned. She had never heard herself like this before. It was almost embarrassing how needy she sounded. He gave her another thrust, moving to grip her hips with both hands.

"So tight" he huffed.

ZUKOS POV

He was having a hard time seeing straight. Her center gripped him like a vice, and it was all he could do but hold on as she rode him slowly. He looked up at his kitten in disbelief. She was absolutely breathtaking above him, her dark curls a lions mane around her and her electric blues boring a whole into his heart. He could tell he wouldn't last long to save his life. He gripped her ass in an attempt to slow her down. The pleasure he was feeling engulfed in her wet heat was out of this world. He wanted it to last.

"Kat please…I'm-"

"Please Zuko, give it to me" she moaned in rapture. His eyes widened incredulously. What had gotten into her? Thrusting up one last time he came quickly with a groan, coating her walls with his thick seed. He held her tightly to him as he released, not giving a damn who heard him.

"A-Agni I love you" he stuttered out. She raked her fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp as she let out little whimpers. She kissed him tenderly, smiling against his lips.

"We should probably head back to the pool. My friends will be wondering what's taking so long" she giggled. Nodding his head in a post haze he kissed her cheek running the pad of his thumb down the side of her neck. What was he going to do with her?

END CHAPTER 7