Hey, guys! I'm so sorry it took so long to update. Everything has been really insane lately, and my parents are cracking down on me since my grades aren't what they should be. I'll try to update more often, but I finally got around to writing the next chapter. You might see hints a couple of cliches that have been used in other stories, but there are twists to it, I promise! As usual, I don't own anything!

Zuko's POV

"Katara…hey. Remember that day you invited me over for lunch? I'm sorry for walking out on you like that. Your friend kind of embarrassed me. Can we be friends again?"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Sokka stood up shaking his head, arms crossed. "My sister is definitely not gonna buy that."

"Okay, so what do you propose then, genius?" I retorted.

"You're going to have to prove yourself to her and not just apologize," he said matter-of-factly. "She's got some issues like that. Ever since this other asshole she used to like played with her for a good five months, she's had some serious trust issues. I personally told her to dump the guy, but she wouldn't believe me."

"Well who says I even like her like that? I only want things to be less awkward during lit class."

Sokka's eyes narrowed at me, but not in a scrutinizing manner. "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive, dude," I put my hands up in surrender.

"Uh-huh," he nodded. I don't think he believed me. "Okay. So, back to making up with Katara. You gotta confront her. She won't buy a text message apology and she won't buy a phone call either. It has to be legit. So, let's practice. I'll be Katara."

"Why you?" The last thing I wanted to see was her brother making a fool of himself.

"Because I'm her brother, dumbass," he shook his head. "Sheesh, you're so clueless sometimes. Okay, so pretend that you see her doing stuff in her locker during brunch or lunch or something. I'll demonstrate." He took down his hair and started running his fingers through his hair, looking into an imaginary mirror.

"Uh, Sokka?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Who's Sokka? I'm Katara, you silly person," Holy shit, that was a creepily accurate portrayal of her voice.

I grunted under my breath, but if this is going to help me face her, I might as well play along. "Okay, Katara, I really don't know what happened with us. I mean, I know we were only friends, but it's really awkward during lit class, you know, since you decided to sit yourself next to me. Those seats are permanent for the rest of the semester, by the way. But um, yeah, can we stop being so awkward? It's just weird."

I cannot even begin to describe what happens next. And no, I'm not gay. Can you see where this is going? I thought so.

"Oh, Zuko," Sokka batted his eyelashes. What the fuck, Katara does not do that! "You should've told me sooner. Because the truth is, I feel that way too. I really want us to be close again." By this time, his hand was on my lower back with his other hand stroking the scarred side of my face. "I love you, Zuko…"

"Get the fuck off me!" I said and threw a fireball punch at him, sending him crashing against the wall of my bedroom.

"Duuuude," Sokka stirred. "What was that for?" Suddenly he gave me this weird, discomforting goofy smile. "You're preeeetty."

"Sorry," I quickly pulled him up, "it was getting a little too weird for me. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's all good," he rubbed his head.

"Were you serious though, in the role play or whatever?"

"Yeah, everything I said was an over-dramatization of how Katara feels about you."

"Wait a second, so she likes me?"

"What's it to you? I thought you didn't like her like that?" Sokka folded his arms across his chest.

"Maybe I lied," I admitted. "I wanted to see if she liked me first. Plus, I wasn't sure how you'd feel about that, the idea of me dating your sister and all."

"Usually, I'd be kind of against the idea of her dating someone older, but you're definitely good for her. If you think about it, you guys kind of balance each other out. At least, that's the way I see it."

"Okay," I sighed in relief. "So, what should I do now?"

"You tell me, captain," Sokka said. "I only said I'd help you do your thing. I never said I'd do it for you."

Wow, he remembers everything. "Um, actually I have an idea." That idea involved: Britney Spears, kidnapping, and a dinner on the beach. Now that I have all three phases planned out, it's a matter of putting it all into action. Here it goes…

Phase 1: Britney Spears

Sokka and I built a motion-sensitive music player that would play the chorus of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" right when she opened it.

Why Britney Spears, you might ask? I figured she liked Britney Spears when she was younger as much as Azula did (way before she went crazy).

I got Sokka to help me get her to open her locker. Let's hope he's clever enough for her to believe him. "Excuse me, miss," her back was to me when I saw him walk up to her dressed as a pest exterminator, his face completely covered. He's definitely a theatrical one. Let's hope he doesn't blow his cover.

"Is something the matter, sir?" She sounded scared.

"I'm afraid so, miss," he said. "There was a rat infestation at the school last night in this area. I'm going have to inspect your locker to ensure that your locker was uninfected."

"Have you done this to all the other lockers?"

"I'm starting with yours." What are you thinking, Sokka? She's now going to expect you to do all forty of the lockers down the entire hallway! Oh well, at least she'll open her locker.

"Um, okay, if you insist," she said, and began walking away.

"I'm afraid you'll have to stay here," I heard Sokka say.

"But what if there are rats in there, like you said?"

"That's what I'm here for."

"Well, what are you going to use to exterminate them?"

Ugh, this is not going well…

"Let me tell you one thing: you can overcome anything by being one with it. As for me, I am one with the rat; therefore, I know how to defeat it. Come and watch." He took out a pick-axe and ripped her combination lock off the locker. "Now, let's see what we have here…"

My loneliness is killin' me (and I)

I must confess I still believe (still believe)

When I'm not with you I lose my mind.

Give me a siiiiiign, hit me baby one more time!

I also left a note attached to it that read: "Go to the one place where you get away from everything and give me a sign." If she doesn't figure this out, words cannot describe how this will greatly upset me.

"Well, no rats in here," Sokka shook his head, "but that's definitely a sign of something else. I'd do it if I were you." Sokka immediately turned and pretended to "inspect" the rest of the lockers before rushing back into the janitor's closet, where I watched him through a crack in the door. "Okay, I think she's going to do it. If she doesn't show any sign of going there, I'll see to it that she does." He slipped me their mother's necklace that she always wore. "Do whatever you have to, but just make sure she gets it back. It can't be replaced."

I wasn't planning on stealing it, if that's what he was thinking…

Phase 2: Kidnapping

I slipped into an all-black outfit, leaving no part of my skin uncovered and slipped the necklace securely into one of the pant pockets. Then, I took out a blue and white mask that my mother had given me at a festival when I was younger and tied it around my face. It formed a determined growl and looked fierce, yet intricate. Now let's hope I don't scare her. In my bag I packed a blindfold and some rope, and I was on my way.

I hid under the bridge of the little park where I had first opened up to her, hoping against hope that she'd show up. Although, I remembered what Sokka had told me. If she doesn't show any sign of going there, I'll see to it that she does. I hope neither of them let me down.

What seemed like hours passed, and right as I was about to leave, I saw her walking. From the moonlight, it seemed like she had been crying. Wow, Sokka was not kidding when he said he'd see to it that she'd come. I have a feeling that what I'm about to do isn't going to make her feel any better, but it will be worth it for the third phase.

I held my breath and tiptoed out from under the bridge, making sure my shadow wouldn't be seen. I'm sorry, Katara, I mentally apologized to her. This will be worth it, I promise. I gave her a kick hard enough to make her fall and tied the blindfold firmly enough around her head and tied her hands behind her back.

"This was a trick?" she screeched. "Get your filthy hands off me now! I swear, when I break free…"

Phase 3: Dinner on the Beach

I silently picked her up with one swift movement and guided her back across the bridge. Then, I led her along a path that I hoped she didn't recognize, and sat her on the blanket on the beach. I silently opened the basket of food that I brought for her, and cut a slice of steak that Sokka and Ty Lee cooked and placed it to her lips. She wouldn't open her mouth. "Go on," I said, disguising my voice. "It's not poisoned."

She reluctantly did so, but I could tell she liked it by the way she was chewing. When she was done, I slipped the necklace around her neck and tied it securely. "I was wondering where that went."

"If I untie you, will you promise to stay?" I asked, still in my disguised voice.

"That depends," she said softly, and I undid her blindfold first. She blinked a few times before seeing me and falling backwards. I stifled my laughter and held out my hand for her to take. She did so, and I pulled her back up to sitting position. "Who are you?"

I slowly undid my mask, pulled down the black hood, and let my hair fall without saying a word.

"Zuko?" She looked confused.

"Katara," I cut her off before she could say anything else. "Look, I'm not sure what happened with us 3 months ago, but to be honest, you made my life a whole lot more interesting when you started working at my uncle's shop with me. I feel really bad for just leaving after you invited me over for lunch that one day. Can we start over, or something?"

She pursed her lips together and looked out into the ocean before looking back at me. "Why did you leave, that one day?"

"Um," I actually hadn't thought about why I had left, but I suppose it'd be because I got scared after the little girlfriend of the blue-arrowed boy exposed my feelings. I'm not sure how she does it, but she can definitely read me almost as well as Uncle does. "I guess…I got scared. You know? Your friend was telling the truth when she said I liked you at the time, and I wasn't sure how you felt about that, so I ran away before you could tell me you didn't like me like that or something. My feelings haven't changed, by the way."

It took her awhile to soak it in, as she cut her steak into little pieces, mixed it with some mashed potatoes, and daintily placed it in her mouth. When she finished swallowing, she said, "Toph was right about me too. I've tried to deny it because I knew Sokka wouldn't approve of me dating somebody older, and I was also afraid you wouldn't like me."

"Sokka's okay with it, you know," I told her, "because he gave me permission to do all this for you."

"WHAT?" she practically yelled in my face. "So Sokka allowed you to tie me up like that?"

"Well, in theory, yes he did know about it," I admitted. "I also thought you'd figure it all out by the time you got to the park, since I'm the only other person besides you that goes there."

"Oh," she said. "Well you didn't have to scare me like that. Why didn't you just tell me instead of going through all this trouble?"

"It was no problem," I assured her. "I did all this to show you that I really am sincere."

She smiled at me with watery eyes. "Thanks, Zuko." She scooted closer to me and leaned on my shoulder. I patted her head lightly and put an arm around her. Suddenly, she pulled away. "But promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Don't ever kidnap me like that again! It scared me out of my mind!"

"Deal," I agreed. Now, only time will tell if things will go back to the way they were. But for now, I think I'll just enjoy this night. I made a mental note to thank Sokka later.

What did you guys think? I got the whole idea of Zuko surprising her like that from the way a friend and I kidnapped one of our other friends on her birthday. And as for the Britney Spears part, I saw bits of the most recent Glee episode, and let's just say memories came back and I thought that song was perfect for the way he felt. To answer a question that I'm sure is going to come up, yes, Katara and Zuko are now officially dating :) I'm not sure what's going to happen in the next chapter, but I know there's going to be more school drama for sure, so keep a look out for that!