Authors note: Okay, I thought about this and then I thought about this again and I decided…why not? I mean, you guys wanted the sequel and I didn't have any other Zutara fics in mind. So I hope you all enjoy the sequel. It will be a lot harder to read and a few of you will be surprised on how the characters have changed. It will have a lot more adult like scenes so if you don't really like violence, you might not like every chapter. Once again, it will be useful for everyone reading this to have read the first story Next Door. Well, I hope you all enjoy, please review.

Chapter One

Life Prolongs

Ring-ring-ring-ring-ri-

"Uh," was moaned as the alarm clock was pushed to the floor.

The person who had now broken her alarm clock…again…jumped out of bed. That person was Katara Soku.

"Stupid alarm clock…Dad will never get a new one…keeps fixing the crappy old one."

She passed by her shelf of music boxes and sighed as she shuffled into her bathroom. Katara grumbled at her face as she reached for the toothpaste. Work awaited and she was going to be late waking up at twelve o'clock p.m.

"Remember Katara, work means money, money means college, college means life."

As she grabbed her clothes out of the dresser she rolled her eyes.

"Life…now why the heck would I want that?"

After getting dressed, Katara walked downstairs. It was no surprise to see Ty Lee and Sokka talking happily with another as Hokada made breakfast. Katara smiled at the picture as she went to the pantry.

"Hey Kat, aren't you going to eat pancakes?" Ty Lee questioned.

"Like yeah right, I have to get to work."

"Oh…then why are you up so late?"

Katara walked out, with a granola bar in her hand and smiled.

"Exactly…well gotta go."

"Don't come home too late," Hokada said.

Katara raised an eyebrow. Her father sounded different this morning. Sokka shook his head secretly at his sister. She nodded back, grabbing her messenger bag.

"Good luck!" Sokka called.

"I wish."

Katara slammed the door behind her, slipping on one of her flip-flops. Half walking, half hoping, she slowly made it over to her neighbor's house. She knocked on the door once and then glanced around the lazy town.

After a few minutes the door opened. Katara smiled as Mr. Iroh's face came into view.

"Hello Katara," he greeted.

"Hey, I just wanted to say I'll be coming over tomorrow."

"Hmm?"

"Yeah, I found that book you wanted…I think it was "Happiness for Heart". I read it and had a few questions."

"Oh right…tomorrow it is. Goodbye Miss Katara."

"Goodbye," she called, quickly making it down the sidewalk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I love you."

Were the words really said? She felt the kiss but was it there? She felt the embrace but was it real? She had the pebble but what did it mean?

After all this time do you still love me? Every moment I think of you. Do you feel the same?

Please, remember me because I can't forget you.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Kat, what are you doing? Are you-are you sleeping again?"

In a rush of moments, Katara found herself leaning against the cashier platform. She fell back into the plastic bags, ending on the floor in a mess of hangers. Katara just sighed as another rip came to her jeans.

"Uh, will you stop waking me up like that?"

"Oh yeah, I wonder why you were asleep in the first place?"

Katara smirked as she slowly got up. Brushing back her messy hair she picked up the bags. She frowned at the mirror across the wall. Somehow she didn't look right.

"If you're so tired then I'll take over your shift?"

"No thanks, I need the money…my dad has been a slump lately."

"What?"

"Yeah, no one here needs architects, no one is building houses. It's been pretty slow and it's only a matter of time before…they don't need him anymore."

"Oh…well if you need anything, anything, my family is here to help."

"Thanks…" Katara muttered, "You know, you're pretty hot in that shirt."

Souza blushed lightly before catching Katara playfully in his arms.

"Well you look beautiful in…anything because you're well…beautiful."

"Aww thanks…"

Katara gazed up at Souza just to see him frowning the other way. Instantly, she knew what was wrong.

"What are you two doing?!"

"During work?!"

Li and Lo frowned as Katara and Souza broke from each other. It only took them a moment before they were back to folding clothes. Souza gave a short laugh when the two old ladies left. They were the owners of the clothing store "Always In" and the two teenagers just happened to be the only people on the Wednesday and Friday shift.

Souza and Katara usually got distracted on there minimum pay. Their three hours would mostly consist of fighting each other with tags in the storage room, seeing who could open there cash register the fastest, or in most cases just dancing to what ever was on the radio. Times had surely changed…

"You know what Zay; I'm going to take you up on that shift taking over offer thingy."

"Shift taking over offer thingy?"

"Just take over my shift."

"Will do, seeya at your house babe."

"Seeya."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ty, Sokka, Dad, I'm home!" Katara screamed as she slammed the door behind her.

"Dad's doing extra hours!" someone called back.

"Oh okay…how's everything here?"

"Good I guess," Ty Lee answered as she turned the corner, "Sokka's taking me out tonight, you won't be bored will you?"

"Nah, I'll probably just hang with Souza."

"Cool."

Katara smiled as she fiddled with her hands.

"How was work?" Ty lee questioned after awhile.

"Nice, at least for me…no one was in at "Always In", how ironic."

Ty Lee giggled as she picked up a few letters and bills. She picked at her mini skirt before turning back to Katara who had jumped onto the five year old couch.

"Dad says he wants to talk to you when he gets home."

Katara raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Said it was private…are you sure you won't be bored?"

"I'm sure…just go. I need to fresh up on TV anyway; I haven't watched it in forever."

"Zay will help with that," Ty Lee added with a giggle.

"Ty…"

"Sorry, anyhow, we'll be leaving in about two hours. Are you positive, without out a doubt, that you won't be bored?

Katara nodded quickly with a smile as she picked up the remote. After a few clicks she set it down and lay against the couch. She didn't move out of the same position until hours later.

"Alright, we're gone!" Sokka called, grabbing Ty Lee's hand.

"Bye Kat."

"Bye Ty…"

Katara heard as the door closed and sighed. She would be doing nothing, as usual. School would be starting in two weeks, her seventeenth birthday in a month. There was a lot of things to be happy about and Katara was happy. Her life seemed oh so grand. However, the word "seemed" is much different than the word "is".

"Hey Kat, mind opening the door?"

Katara bolted up. She hadn't even heard Souza knocking. Katara hurriedly paced over to the door and swung it open.

"So sorry Zay, I was…lost in thought."

"No prob, I brought candy…all your favorites."

Katara giggled lowly as Souza smiled. He walked in as she closed the door and sat the candy on the table.

"What will it be? Snickers or Milky Way?"

"Just shut up!"

Souza frowned with confusion as Katara plopped on the couch. He slowly sat next to her.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

"Oh no, no it's not you. Oh Souza I'm so confused."

"What is it?

"That's just it, I don't know. It's like something in my heart isn't right but my life is. I just can't put my finger on it…it's like something is missing. All it's really doing is ticking me off."

Souza looked down and the turned back up with a grin.

"I know what will get this "thing" off your mind; Old classic movies, chocolate, and your all time best guy friend Zay. Come on Kat…"

Katara couldn't help but smile as she fell into Souza's arms.

"You'll be better soon…" he murmured.

"Promise?" she whispered.

"Promise."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is that really the time?" Souza questioned as the third movie ended.

"Yeah…" Katara remarked with her eyes closed.

"I'd better get home; my mom is going to have a fit."

Souza gently shook Katara from her sleep and the two walked over to the front door.

"We'll hang out tomorrow, kay?" he said, pacing away.

"Kay," Katara answered as Souza walked down her porch.

Katara shut the door only to open it three minutes later.

"Hey Dad…"

"Hi Chatty, was that Souza?"

"Yeah, we watched some movies and heavily indulged ourselves in chocolate."

Hokada shook his head with a smile, "I like that kid."

"Me too…" she mumbled as she sat on the couch.

Hokada's smile soon disappeared into a scowl when he saw his daughter.

"Are you okay?" he inquired, following her to the couch.

"Yeah, I'm fine…it's just-wait, Ty said you wanted to tell me something."

"I did…I'll just tell you tomorrow."

"Why, is there something wrong? Did they let you go, Dad?"

"No, it's nothing like that. Look, I'll tell you tomorrow. Right now, let's just get some sleep. I think we both need it."

Katara nodded as she tagged along with her dad upstairs. She fell into her bed and quickly went into a fitful sleep.

On the opposite side of her room was Hokada's room. Unlike his daughter, he was awake into the night.

"How am I going to tell them?" he thought, "How are they going to react? We're moving to T. Haed…how will they take the change?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Authors note: Yes, it's a lot different isn't it? Anyway, I can't same much but please review and I hope most of you stay for the whole story.