"I…Love…You?" She choked. His shy look vanished and there became a cold hard face that she didn't know how to describe.

"I understand Katara, it does not matter. I figured I would have nothing left to lose and everything to gain if you said it back. I would be leaving tomorrow at dawn. Why would she love me? The monster that tracked her and the Avatar down for a year. To what? Try and get his honor back. The boy who his father didn't love, marred his face, and disowned him. A boy whose mother had to leave him behind. A boy whose sister wanted him dead. A boy who has destroyed everyone's trust and has betrayed everyone he loves." As he walked on he kept murmuring that and it hurt her to him talk like that. She stumbled back to camp. Everyone was gone except Iroh. He came back with a pitingly look on his face.

"Zuko came back and told Aang and Sokka he would like to practice one more time before he becomes Fire Lord and there will be no more vacations like this. Toph and Suki left for town, they were going to get you but Zuko said he thought you would like time to think before we part ways."

"He was right like always." She admitted defeated.

"You must know that Zuko doesn't like defeat. He hates to me told he is wrong, to be told he cannot do what he would like or not responsible for. That is why he went into the War Meeting at so young, where he was marred for life. He doesn't like to give up. He knows what is right and what is wrong. And so I will give you the only advice that I know. Life is like a pot of tea, when it is at the perfect temperature it is perfect, like life. When the tea is at the wrong temperature it is horrible. Now my nephew will admit that his tea is at the wrong temperature."

"Well life isn't always at the right temperature."

"Yes I will agree with you but Zuko's whole life has been at the wrong temperature. Now I must leave I need to find some more tea Leaves before it gets dark." And with that Iroh left me to ponder. Sure Zukos life hasn't been exactly easy and carefree, but it hasn't been terrible. Well… I might be wrong. Scared by his father, abandoned by your mother, hated by your country, hated-even wanted dead by your sister, feeling betrayed and hurt and abandoned. That basically sums up Zuko's past and none of that are rainbows or butterflies. Even before his mother left he was always outshone by his sister and unloved by your father. I guess his pot of tea is always at the wrong temperature. Ugh! And I just made it worse. But I know he would refuse the love if he thought I would only love him because of his past. I know he wants to be loved because of the present because of the time we spent together. I'm a terrible person because I know I love him, I just can't tell him. He will be Fire Lord he doesn't need me. He might love me for real and want to be with me. I just don't know if I can stand being with that moody, jerky, cold, distant…loving, gentle, protective person. Gosh! I can't even be mean to him in my brain. What is wrong with me? He just isn't want I want in a guy.

I want a guy who will protect me when I'm threatened, but won't control me. I want a guy who will protect me during lightning storms because I can just not forget what lightening has done to my fake-family. I want a guy who is a family man and I want a guy who isn't afraid to say I love you every day to me.

Gosh! I feel soooo guilty about starting this story because I have four others going on to! But this has just been stuck in my head and originally this was going to be a one shot but I'm going to do more than that so just wait. Now I must salute you *saluting you* because you actually read this! On and

Disclaimer: I don't own the VOICES, THE ANIMATION, THE IDEA, THE ARTISTICNESS THAT STARTED THE SHOW, I DON'T OWN THE TV AND I DON'T OWN THE CABLE THAT BROUGHT THE SHOW TO ME (my mom owns it tehe)

TaTa for Now HiccupxAstrid