Zutara week2013: voices

"Kat?" Zuko asked, poking his head into the kitchen. He had been looking for her all over the place, but she was no where to be found.
"Katara!" He yelled down the basement stairs. But there was no response. Just the silence of an empty house. Sokka and Suki had gone out for the day. Azula was with Ty-lee and Mai. His parents had gone to work. He was in the house alone. But he had no clue where his wife was.
"Zuko," He heard a whisper. He could swear it was Katara. Maybe he was going crazy, but he turned around, and he could almost see it in front of him.
"Zuko, I can't reach the top shelf." The 16 year old Katara was standing on her toes trying to reach the bowls on the top shelf of the cabinet.
"Here, I got it." The 18 year old Zuko before him reached up above her and grabbed the bowl she had been reaching for.
"Thanks." Katara rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek as she continued to make her breakfast.
He had never realized how much of a life him and Katara had in this house. They had so much history here. This is where they fell in love. Where they got engaged, where they've lived since she was 16, and where they've started their life together. He pondered these thoughts as he walked to the living room.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw it again.
"I can't wait zuko! My dad is coming home today, and he doesn't know we set a date yet. He should be here any minute." Katara said, her 17 year old self bouncing around, peering out the window every few seconds.
"A watched pot never boils, Sweetie. Come sit with me." Zuko said, setting down his book and looking up at her.
"I'm too excited to sit! I can't wait for him to come home, I haven't seen him in person since he left." Katara said, bounding over to stand behind the couch.
"I know, hun. But like I said, he's not going to show up if you keep watching the driveway. I know. I used to sit for hours waiting for Uncle to get home. It took longer if I sat there and watched. Let's just relax here." He reached for her hand gently.
"Ok. I love you." Katara said, beginning to walk around to the other side of the couch, but the doorbell rang, and Katara bolted for the door.
Zuko smiled at her excitement as he walked up the stairs, glancing back to think of her face when she opened the door. When he made it to their bedroom, it happened again. he heard her voice ghosting through his mind.
"See? You can see the floor under your bed now." Katara triumphantly put her hands on her hips as she surveyed his neatly made bed. Their bed.
"So you can put all of your stuff under there?" Zuko asked from the desk in the corner.
"No. This way you can put stuff for storage under there. Not old gaming systems and stacks of notebooks." Katara said, sitting on his lap.
"I have to work, honey." He said, smiling at her.
"No, you have to take a break." Katara cooed, kissing his nose.
"A break, huh? Alright." Zuko smiled, lifted her up, and threw her on the bed."
"Zuko! I'm home!" Zuko's smile faded, then grew again as he heard Katara's voice. Her real voice. He jogged down the stairs to greet her.
"There you are. I didn't know you left." He said, kissing her on the cheek.
"I went shopping for stuff for dinner." She said, holding up a few grocery bags.
"I've been thinking. You know how we've been looking for somewhere else to move to?" Zuko asked, following her to the kitchen.
"Yes." She said, unpacking the bags.
"Let's not."
"What?"
"Let's stay here. This is where we started our life together, and I don't think I'm ready to leave that just yet." He said, grabbing the vegetables and putting them in the fridge.
"Really?" Katara asked, smiling.
"Yeah. I like it here."
"That's great!" Katara hugged him tightly. "I didn't want to leave yet either. I love this house."
"Me too, Kat. me too."