Angel: Next instalment! I was scanning through my fanfic folder and found quite a few fics that have yet to be posted. I believe I last updated this fic sometime in 2008, so that's a bit of a hiatus. However, I like this fic, and so I'm posting it even if no-one is still watching me to read it! Enjoy!

12. Intentions

"What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Silence. Aang's jaw dropped. Sokka and Zuko spat out their water. Toph smirked. Haru frowned. Teo and the Duke look confused. Katara froze. Hakoda folded his arms, glaring.

"Well, are you going to answer me or not?" Hakoda continued.

Aang blinked rapidly, swallowing as he attempted to formulate a response. Zuko, sitting next to him, tilted his head to one side to watch the Avatar. He himself had recently faced a vaguely similar scenario when the Warden brought up Mai. He hoped he hadn't looked half as nervous as the young Avatar did.

Then again, he had been quite creeped out by the rather-feminine-looking Warden, and he had been asked about breaking up with Mai, so this situation was quite different. He'd been too busy trying to escape to worry about what Mai's family thought of him – a very different situation to poor Aang's.

"Well?" Hakoda snapped.

Aang, almost unwillingly, raised his head to look at Hakoda, then suddenly frowned. The frightened look faded from his face, to be replaced by confusion.

Confused, Zuko also looked up at Hakoda, who was now looking at him. Zuko felt a small bead of sweat slide down his face. This could not be happening.

"Well, Prince of the Fire Nation, what are your intentions?"

Sokka was instantly furious – Aang he could understand, but Zuko? Aang could only stare in shock, his jaw dropping again. Toph's smirk widened, and Haru spat out his water. Katara and ZUKO?

Meanwhile, Katara remained frozen in place, except for her mouth which opened and closed continuously, like some sort of fish, as she tried to figure out what to say.

"Well? Answer me!" Hakoda snapped.

Katara stepped forward. "Dad!" she squeaked. He ignored her.

Zuko seemed to be slowly recovering from his shock as well. He then pointed to himself. "Uhh...me?"

Hakoda was becoming annoyed. "Do I seem to be talking to anyone else?" he said, gesturing around him. Zuko's gaze moved to Aang again, who was now expressionless.

While Sokka's expression clouded over some more, Katara tried again. "Dad, leave Zuko alone!" she said shrilly, her cheeks flushed in sheer embarrassment. Toph's smirk widened.

Zuko's eyes widened comically as Hakoda stepped toward him. "I don't have any intentions!" he blurted thoughtlessly, his mind whirring to try and figure out why the hell the Water Tribe Chief was ambushing him of all people.

Katara frowned slightly at that, but it went unnoticed as Hakoda stepped forward again, closer to Zuko. "What do you take me for?" he replied, his tone dangerous.

Katara moved forward again, wrapping her arm around her father's. "Dad, leave him alone!" she squeaked, cheeks still quite pink.

Hakoda whirled around to face his daughter. "Katara, what are your feelings for Zuko?" he asked seriously.

Katara's flush deepened. "I don't have any feelings for Zuko!" she squeaked. Toph snorted. Katara glared at her before turning her gaze back to her father. "I don't!"

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. "Do you like him?"

Katara gasped. "What? No! How dare you...no!" she spluttered, blushing at Toph's snickering. "I don't like Zuko! Well, not like that at least," she said shyly, glancing down at the floor. "I mean, I don't hate him anymore or anything, but I don't like him either!" she continued, eyes snapping up to glare at her father again. "And I don't appreciate you asking! Its none of your business!"

Zuko frowned slightly, but Hakoda was now ignoring him. "None of my business? How is it none of my business that my own daughter is being courted by the Fire Prince?"

Zuko's frown deepened, as did Katara's blush. "Zuko has not been courting me Dad! He and I barely even speak! He's just a friend!"

Hakoda folded his arms, glaring at her. "Then why do you train with him in your underwear? And why did I see the two of you hugging the other day?"

Katara stamped her foot, looking angry again now. "I always train in my underwear! I don't have to wring out my clothes so much then! Besides, I train that way with everyone, not just Zuko! As for the hug, it's not of your business! What are you doing spying on me anyway?" she snapped.

Aang seemed to wilt a bit at her words, but nobody noticed. Hakoda's eyes flashed. "Katara, of course it's my business! Particularly if you won't tell me – that makes it far easier to draw my own conclusions!"

"That seems to be what you're doing anyway!" she snapped in reply.

Zuko stood up, coughing slightly to get the attention of the angry Water Tribe family members, taking an involuntary step back at their angry glares (and the furious muttering of the Water Tribe boy behind them). "Umm...sorry to interrupt, but Katara's right. Nothing's going on between us, I swear. Katara was just thankful the other day – that's why she hugged me," he said, shrugging slightly. "She was just being her usual kind self is all."

Katara flushed at the praise, and her father's expression softened slightly as he glanced back and forth between the two. "Alright then," he said simply, sitting down again. "I suppose it is none of my business after all," he said with a reproachful look in Katara's direction.

Still angry, Katara turned around and stormed off to her room, closely followed by the still-smirking Toph. "You got a lucky break there girl," was all the group heard of their conversation followed by an outraged shriek from Katara. Sighing heavily, the rest of the group returned to their meal, which passed in complete silence.

Later that day, Katara found Zuko sitting down near the cliff-edge, watching the sunset. Shyly, she moved forward. "Look, I'm sorry about my dad ambushing you at lunch. It wasn't very nice of him...and I'm really sorry he embarrassed you. I had no idea he was going to do anything like that, and I'm just sorry," she said earnestly.

Zuko turned around slightly to face her, his small smile on his face. "It's ok. It wasn't your fault."

Katara sat down next to him, clearly agitated. "I just can't believe he did that. Just because I'm friends with you now, he has to jump to conclusions like that?" she said, then sighed. "I guess he's just trying to make up for all the time he missed being away in the war," she said sadly. "I was talking to him before and he said his time in prison helped him realise how much he really doesn't want to lose us. I mean, before when he first went to war, we stayed behind and weren't in any real danger. He knew he'd see us again you know? But now, especially after the invasion failed, he's really worried something will happen to Sokka and me. So he's trying to be the best father he can in the time he has left. But like at lunch, it gets a little too much sometimes."

Zuko smiled sadly. "At least your dad cares."

Katara gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh I'm sorry Zuko, I didn't mean to..."

Zuko waved his hand. "It's fine Katara. I'm just saying that even if it gets too much, just be grateful your dad loves you," he said, a slight twist to his mouth as he returned his gaze to the sky.

Katara flushed in embarrassment, looking at the ground. After several moments of silence, she suddenly started giggling.

Zuko raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at her again. "Katara...?"

She smiled, raising her hand to her neck. "You should just be lucky Dad doesn't know you gave me a necklace," she said, gently tapping the carving, causing it to flash in the light.

Zuko frowned, looking confused. "I don't remember giving you a necklace."

She smiled. "You did though. After you stole it from me–"

"I didn't steal it!"

"–Fine, ended up with it after I dropped it on the ground...is that better?"

"...Yes."

"Anyway, after a battle, Aang managed to get my necklace back. When he gave it to me, he said 'Zuko said to make sure you got this', or something like that," she continued.

Zuko frowned. "I don't remember–"

She sighed, interrupting him. "I thought as much. But I took the necklace back anyway," she said, laughing again.

Zuko now looked really confused. Katara stopped laughing and tilted her head to look at him. "What's wrong?"

He waves his hands around, looking exasperated. "I don't see what's so funny! Is it the idea of me giving you a necklace? Is it the idea of me being nice like that? What is it?"

She laughed again. "Don't you know what a necklace symbolises in the Water Tribe?"

Zuko thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No idea."

Katara turned serious, tapping her necklace. "A man carves a necklace for the woman he wants to marry. If she accepts the necklace, they'll be married in the future."

Zuko turned thoughtful. "Oh, so like engagement rings then?"

"Hmm?"

He gestured with his hands again. "In the Fire Nation, a man buys a ring for the woman he wants to marry. If she accepts the ring, then they're engaged, and so we call them engagement rings. It sounds like the same sort of idea."

Katara shrugged. "Sounds like it. I think I prefer the necklace though – its much prettier, and its much more personal. Just buying a ring isn't enough – you should spend time and effort carving a necklace. Its much more personal, and shows your devotion better than some silly ring," she said, almost scoffing.

Zuko found himself getting offended for some reason. "Hey, those rings are really expensive! The man shows the woman he can provide for her by buying it! That's much more important!"

Katara scoffed again. "Well, I like our way more," she said, falling silent again to watch the sunset.

Zuko's eyes remained on her, or specifically, her necklace, which was making interesting patterns in the light as she played with it. "Does...does that mean you're engaged then?" he asked quietly, making her jump slightly.

Katara looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. "What? Oh no no no! This just used to be my grandmother's necklace. She was engaged, but then she left the North Pole and Master Pakku before they got married. She then gave the necklace to my mother, who passed it on to me. Its all I have left of her now," she said quietly, tapping it again.

"I'm really sorry I took it then. I mean, I know I didn't steal it, but I taunted you with it, and...I'm just sorry," Zuko replied, hanging his head slightly.

Katara frowned, using her hand to tilt his face back up and towards her. "Hey, don't be sorry. If it wasn't for you picking it up, I might never have found it again. I was angry before, but I should really be grateful. So you don't have to be sorry," she said softly, releasing his head again.

There was silence for awhile again before Zuko spoke. "So wait, I'm still confused. What was so funny about me giving you a neck...lace?" he asked, before groaning and smacking his forehead. "Oh, I get it now," he mumbled, and Katara laughed.

"See? If Dad knew that you'd given me an engagement necklace, he would have been a lot angrier," she said, laughing.

Zuko just groaned, holding his head in his hands. "That's just great. I hope he doesn't find out. This is just great," he repeated. Katara continued laughing.

Some distance behind them, Hakoda turned to look at his little accomplice. "I still don't understand. How is this supposed to help my daughter?"

Toph smirked. "Oh, you'll see. She and Sparky just need to spend more time talking – the rest will work itself out."

He frowned. "But how did my getting angry at Zuko help them?"

Toph sighed. "Well, Sugar Queen would feel like she has to apologise to Sparky, and that's all they really need to start a conversation. Plus, I mentioned the whole necklace thing to her before, and it sounds like she just told him that."

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. "What necklace thing?"

Toph shrugged. "Oh, apparently ages ago, Zuko gave Katara some Water Tribe necklace or something. I don't really understand, but Sugar Queen's heartbeat went crazy, so I guess it means something."

Hakoda growled. "He gave her a necklace?" he said, starting to move forward.

Toph stopped him. "Hey, easy there Pops. At least his intentions are good if they're already engaged or whatever," she said with a smirk.

Hakoda sighed. "I suppose you have a point. Though I feel a lot better about what happened at lunchtime now," he said darkly.

The little earthbender shrugged again. "Whatever. Thanks for your help though – if those two don't get together soon, I'll go crazy. Their heartbeats are driving me insane!"

Hakoda chuckled dryly, recalling an earlier conversation with Toph. "You do realise that once they're together, that's just going to happen more."

Toph punched his arm. "Hey, do I ruin all your plans with logic like that? Leave me and my reasonings alone! You want them to get together for all the mushy stuff, and I just want them to quit bugging me with their silly crushes."

Hakoda laughed. "Of course Toph. I don't doubt your intentions at all," he said dryly, smiling as the earthbender glared at him and stomped inside the temple, muttering something about evil parent figures.

Hakoda waited for a few moments longer, watching the two friends chatting. As he watched, Zuko's mind turned back to their (admittedly rather awkward) conversation earlier in the day. "You take care of her, alright?"

Zuko turned to watch Katara, the sunlight lighting up her animated face as she talked about some adventure in their past. "I will," he murmured, smiling as she suddenly grinned at him.

The look on Zuko's face said enough. Hakoda slipped back into the shadows of the temple. "As long as your intentions towards my daughter are honourable Prince Zuko, I've no objections to your relationship. She could do better, but she could also do a lot worse. However, you hurt her in any way, and I won't hesitate to destroy you. Consider yourself warned," he murmured under his breath as he walked.

"Then again, that's only if she doesn't get you first. Stubborn little waterbender," he said with a fond smile. "As beautiful and kind as her mother, and as well-loved for it."