Realization~Part 3- Zutara

~Chapter 3

Zuko panicked, had Mai seen them go into the room together?  He cautiously walked over to the door.  Zuko opened the door hesitantly.  

"Oh Zuko!  I'm sorry if I scared you I just left my necklace in here," Katara said smiling,  "Did you happen to see anything?"

Zuko sighed in relief

"Uh, no Katara, I don't think so.  But I'll keep my eyes peeled."

"Oh no!  I really need to find it, otherwise, Sokka will see that it's missing then ask where it would be and then I wouldn't know how to answer or actually I'd have to lie and then what if we never found it….Oh no, oh no, oh no."

"Katara! Calm down," Zuko took her in his arms and held her tightly, "Don't worry, we'll find it.  It can't have gone missing we were only in here for fifteen minutes."

Zuko got down on his hands and knees while Katara looked around the bed.  

"Hey Zuko," Katara started, "What's that piece of paper under the bed…"

"What? What are you talking about?  No one stays in these rooms, these are for guests."

"Well, I'm pretty sure this is a piece of paper, Mr. Hotman, unless if I'm mistaken," Katara smirked. "Zuko. You're going to want to come look at this," she said unsurely.

Zuko got up and walked over to where she was standing, it turned out to be a picture.  It was a beautiful young woman.  It was Zuko's mom.

"That's your mother isn't it?  She's beautiful…"

He didn't know what to say.  He walked over to the bed and collapsed onto it.  Katara walked over and sat by him, she put her around him.  They sat in silence.  Finally, Zuko broke the silence.

"Katara, How-why is this here?  Has no one cleaned this room for three years? "

"I don't know…could it be left here on purpose?  Is the back empty? Is there a message of some sort?"

Zuko turned the photo over and to his dismay saw nothing.  

"Oh Zuko, I'm sorry."
She squeezed him tightly.  

"Hey, I'm sorry this is a bad time, but I need to go.  I have to go find Aang.   And it's been two hours.  He's probably worried," Katara leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, "I'll find you later," she said smiling.

Zuko just sat there in disbelief.  What could he do?  He quickly got up and left the room.

"Zuko?" A confused Sokka questioned, "What were you doing in there?  Isn't that a guest room?"  Oh no, please tell me you weren't doing what I think you were!"

"Uhh, no Sokka! No I was just in there…. polishing my…swords…wait.  It's not what it sounds like, uhm I have to go!"

"But you're not holding anything! Oh GROSS ZUKO," Sokka called after the blushing Fire Lord.

Phew that was close, Zuko thought.

~Meanwhile~

Katara walked through the halls to the courtyard with the turtleducks.  She looked and saw that it was empty.  She went and sat down by the pond and nervously bent the water back and forth.  

How am I going to do this?  It'll break Aang's heart. And I forgot to look for my necklace! What if Aang asks about it.

She sat there for a while, contemplating a million thoughts when she heard footsteps.

"Katara?"