First, a few announcements!
I keep on changing the title for this chapter, so don't be shocked if you'll see "chapter 16" still and another name! lol
So, I think you guys are really going to like this one! Just tell me when you need a break from this story, or when you think I'm posting too many chapters of this. I try to upload Friend or Foe and this story equally, but if I am posting this one too much just let me know. ;)
For Moonlit Darkness readers, I haven't gotten to chapter four in a while but don't lose hope in the story! It will be posted up eventually! I'm thinking that I'm gonna post a chapter a month with that story. :/

So, enjoy! Comment, rate, fav, etc lol :D. If you don't like it or want to give me advice on my writing, remember that I am always open for it! ;)


Chapter 16 – Sunset




    They rode on Appa for the rest of the day. It was a long day, for Ta Min couldn’t stop shooting insults at Mai.
    “The only thing I see when I look at you is your big head!” Ta Min yelled. “And you’re so boring as well!”
    “I’m sorry I’m not that crazy, beautiful girl that you want your grandson to have,” Mai replied, folding her arms and looking away.
    “Yeah, I’m sorry too!” Ta Min snapped.
    “Okay, okay you guys,” Aang said. “Let’s all be nice to each other. Then this trip wouldn’t seem so long.”
    “Let’s get to know each other better,” Katara suggested. “Like…Mai! You like daggers, right?”
    Mai just looked at her.
    “Ta Min, do you like daggers?” Katara continued.
    “Once, I found a dagger in an alley and used it to pick garbage out of me teeth!” she exclaimed.
    “I use daggers for fighting people,” Mai said. “That’s how they’re supposed to be used!”
    Mai and Ta Min looked at each other angrily.
    “Let’s all relax now,” Katara told them. “Forget about getting to know each other better. Let’s all calm down-”
    “Stay out of this water tribe girl!” Mai snapped.
“Hey,” Zuko said. He was still on Appa’s head. “There’s no reason to bring it to Katara. She was just trying to help.”
    “Zuko! Don’t take sides with her!” Mai scolded. “What’s gotten into you?!”
    “What? I can’t take sides with my best friend?!” Zuko yelled.
    “Zuko, I’m your girlfriend. I’m over a best friend!” Mai argued.
    “That’s not how I put it,” Zuko mumbled.
    “GUYS!” Sokka shouted. They all looked at him. “It’s getting dark. Let’s put this whole thing behind us and make camp.”
    “Good idea!” Ta Min grumbled.
Zuko took Appa down to a grassy field below. They climbed off Appa and made camp silently. After they were done, Aang walked up to Katara.
    “You should sleep in my tent tonight,” he suggested. “Seeing Mai and Zuko made me realize that we, too, need to heal our relationship. I don’t want it to fall apart, for we already got this far. And, I think we’re meant to be together. Let’s not ruin this.”
    “Okay, Aang,” Katara said. “I’ll stay with you tonight.”
    She smiled half-heartedly at him. Aang was right. They did need to fix their relationship. Maybe when Aang reassures her, she could be happy again.
    She walked away from Aang and walked down the row of tents. She walked past Zuko and Mai’s tent first. They were in there, trying to figure out if they were doing the right thing. Next she walked past Sokka and Suki’s tent. They were also in there, laughing about something. Katara smiled. She wished she could have that type of relationship.
Katara continued walking past all the tents to the edge of the cliff they were on. She found a large, rectangular stone and sat on it, looking up at the sky. The sun was setting and it was beautiful. That’s when she heard someone sit down next to her. She turned and saw it was Zuko. They were silent at first, just staring at each other. Then Zuko turned his head away from her and looked at the sunset.
    “It sure is beautiful,” He commented.
    “It really is,” Katara agreed, looking at it too.
    “We never had the chance to really talk in a while,” Zuko said. “You never told me why you were crying last night.”
    Katara looked at him again and said, “I’m an emotional mess. What seemed good to me in the past seems strange now. Everything’s so changed. People changed, feelings changed…I’ve changed.”
    Katara looked down with a sad expression on her face.
    “I think I can relate to that,” Zuko told her. “After Sozin’s Comet came, I thought I was happy with Mai. I was glad that she had forgiven me. Now being with her doesn’t feel right, but being there for you does. I can only imagine you feeling the same confusion when you’re with Aang.”
    “I do feel confused when I’m with him,” Katara said. “Nothing feels right anymore. Nothing besides us.”
    Katara stared at him again and found that Zuko was looking at her too. Wind was blowing in his hair, and it made him look more handsome.
    “You’ve always been there when I needed you, and I didn’t even have to ask,” Katara said soothingly. “And we were dancing today, just you and me, I couldn’t help but feel comfortable. I couldn’t help but feel myself again.”
Katara’s hair blew in her face. Zuko touch her hair and brushed it back.
    “I meant what I said last night. I’ll never leave you, Katara,” Zuko told her. “If you need me, I’ll be there…I love you.”
    Katara smiled and answered, “I love you too.”
    They scooted closer toward each other and Katara rested her head on Zuko’s chest. Zuko put an arm around her, caressing her gently. It felt good to be in his arms. She felt safe.
    That’s when Katara felt a change in their mood.
    She sat up and looked him in his gold eyes and he looked into hers. Katara felt as if they were the only two people on the planet. Before she knew what was happening, Zuko started to lean in toward her lips. Katara couldn’t think nor breathe. She moved in slowly toward him too, her eyes closing slowly as she grew closer towards his lips. Zuko was so close to her now, that she could feel his sweet breath on her warm skin. Finally their lips found each other. Katara felt so happy. This felt right. Then a realization hit her. She just told Zuko that she loved him without struggling to. Something that she could never do with Aang.
    Katara’s eyes opened in an instant.
    AANG! Katara thought.
    Zuko seemed to have the same reaction.
    They separated at the same time, looking at each other. They got up off the stone in a slow pace, and walked backward, eyes still on each other.
    What did we just do?! Katara thought.
    In unison they turned around fast and took off running to their tents. Katara wondered if she had just done a terrible thing for everyone.


A little note here, from me. :] When they told each other "I love you", they didn't mean it like in love...well at least not yet. ;)