Chapter One: Calm Before The Storm

As the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, Fire Lord Zuko could feel the suttle change in his body. I rise with the sun he thought to himself as he walked through the palace. It had been four years since the defeat of his father, Fire Lord Ozai. The Avatar had stripped him of his bending and he was now confined to the prision to rot for life. His sister, Azula, was another case. She went mad when she realized that she had used fear to hold everyone at bay and then when Mai and Ty Lee turned on her, she learned fear would not hold everyone for long. She was locked away for the rest of her days, or until she could be safely stripped of her bending, like their father. Aang would not atempt doing it when she is worked up.

He sighed at the memories. He had not seen his friends in a long time. Sokka was with Suki on Kyoshi Island, Aang was still trying to make peace with everyone, and replanting the lands that Ozai burned in his mad quest for world domination, Toph was working closely with the Earth King to rebuild the Earth Kingdom. She was the most powerful Earthbender out there.

Then there was Katara. The thought of her make Zuko smile. He harbored a smile crush on the beautiful Master Waterbender for many years. Since he cornered all those years on that beach. He was trailing the Avatar back then, and he thought he had to capture Aang to regain his honor. She was beautiful then, and over the years she had filled out. Developed womanly curves, and those eyes. He could never get those liquid sapphire eyes out of his mind.

Shaking his head, Zuko sighed and looked up at the rising moon. You rise with the moon. He wondered where she was at that moment.

--

"Come on, Sokka. Aang should be here any minute. Stop lollygagging and get your rear in gear." Katara yelled at her brother as she ran out of the small house Sokka and his wife, Suki shared on Kyoshi Island. She diidn't even wait for a response from him as she ran down to the town square.

Three years ago, Katara and Aang broke up. They both realized that they were not made for each other, but they stayed best friends. Katara never wanted to lose that friendship. Since the breakup, Aang had been seeing Toph, his old Earthbending master. They all kept in contact with each other, except for Zuko. Every letter she sent him always went unanswered. Finally she quit writting altogether. It was hard to do when she cared deeply for him.

He was always close to edge of her thoughts. He was the enemy for a long time and then somethinng changed. He helped her see that revenge for the death of her mother was not really what she wanted, but she could not forgive him for doing it either. He also took a lightning bolt to the chest for her from Azula. Somewhere between that trip with him to find the Southern Raiders and the final battle, she began to fall in love with him.

Scanning the horizon, she spotted Aang and Appa. Momo was probably with them and most likely so was Toph. They always spent the battle aniversery togther. They always tought about going to see Zuko, but no one had heard from him in years. They tought he didn't care anymore.

"Hey Katara, you fall asleep?" Sokka tapped her in the shoulder, which caused her to jump. "Take it easy little sister."

Katara shook her head. "Sorry, just dreaming. Thinking about the gang and what it was like before that last battle." She sighed.

Sokka smiled and put his arm around her shoulder. "I know, I miss him too."

Not thinking about it, Katara sighed. "I wish he would have answered my letters..." Then she realized what she was saying. She never told Sokka about her feelings for Zuko.

Giving her that knowing smile. "Little sister, I already knew about you liking the new Fire Lord. I saw you two together and you guys made it blatening plain that you felt something for each other." He laughed at her horrified expression. "Don't worry, I only told Suki."

"I think we should go see him. Damn him for not answering anyone's letters." Katara grinned at her brother. "I want some answers from him."

With that said, they walked over as Appa made his landing.