ATWOAS prologue

Zuko reached down and picked up the water bender's necklace. He would use it to find her he told himself and his men, but that night once he was alone in his room he carefully held the necklace in his hands and unbidden images of the girl floated in his mind.

Book 1, chapter 9 "The Waterbending Scroll"

As they rode away on Appa Katara couldn't help but look back and watch the landscape change. While being tied to a tree and held a hostage was hardly ideal in any circumstances she couldn't help but think about how she had seen a small glimpse of Zuko's true nature. Perhaps there was some good in him, buried deep. She didn't voice the thought aloud though; she knew the reactions it would receive.

Book 2, chapter 20 "The Crossroads of Destiny"

Katara watched Zuko, his inner struggle obvious even to her. Showing him her healing water from the North Pole she touched his scar wondering if it would be able to heal him, physically and spiritually. Her blue eyes shifted from his scar to meet his golden ones and her breath caught in her throat when she saw he watched her intently. <p
Zuko closed his eyes, he didn't want to see her eyes, like the sea after a storm, filled with pity.

Katara closed her eyes as well and stood on her toes, slowly leaning into him. She felt Zuko stiffen at her approach but he didn't push her away, her lips brushed against his for a fraction of a second when they heard the approach of others.  

Aang glared at Zuko as he hugged Katara, he wasn't sure what had happened but he felt something in the air and he didn't like it.

Book 3, chapter  12 "The Western Air Temple"

Katara stalked out of Zuko's room and headed to her alone. He had betrayed them, betrayed her. She couldn't trust him; she wasn't the same trusting girl she had once been.

Zuko sighed and sat down on his bed. First of all he couldn't help but think that she needed to work on her threatening skills, better to say less and leave it to the imagination. He knew she had no reason to trust him, he had hurt her, but he wanted to go back to the moment in the cave more than anything. For the millionth time he wondered what would've happened if Aang and Uncle hadn't arrived when they did.

Book 3, chapter 16 "The Southern Raiders"

Katara and Zuko took a walk together after dinner, Katara broke the silence once they were far enough away from the fire.

"Are you afraid of me?" She asked looking at her hands, she had sworn she would never use blood bending but she had.

"No. Should I be?" Zuko replied looking at her hands as well. "That was power as I have never seen it but I know you Katara, you would never misuse it. What you're feeling right now is proof enough of that."

"Aang doesn't understand. Doesn't understand blood bending and sometimes I don't think he fully understands me. I know he's the Avatar and growing up fast because of it but mentally we're at such different places in our lives. Sometimes I feel like his mother more than anything, even though I know he feels differently."

"It's because you don't have a give and take relationship. I've seen how the two of you interact. You're his shoulder to cry on but he can't be there for you in the same way." Zuko hesitated a moment before he continued. "I want you to know that I'll be here if you need me.  You know I lost my mother too, and despite us being total opposites in every sense of the word I think we can understand each other. That much we know after the past couple days."

"I'll be here for you too, if you ever need to talk about anything." Katara told Zuko as she pulled him into a hug. She knew everything he said was right. Aang was afraid of her blood bending, he didn't understand that some time you can't just forgive someone and sometimes you really do need to at least see the people who hurt you look pathetic.

Book 3, chapter 17, "The Ember Island Players"

Katara and Zuko exchanged looks and shifted away slightly, they knew what really happened in the cave and if there was one is this play was getting right it was the tension between the two of them.

Outside with Aang she lied and told him there was nothing between her and Zuko, when Aang kissed her she pulled away. She knew Aang wasn't what she wanted, she didn't have the heart to tell the boy that he wasn't for her so she lied and told him she needed time. Walking back to her seat alone she knew she could never turn her back on Aang. She and Zuko couldn't be together, they both knew that. Aang needed her, for the sake of the world she could give up her love. Besides, she knew marrying Aang wasn't so bad, they were friends. It was far better than an arranged marriage that she would probably have gotten otherwise.