chaosxshion here, I am back and better than ever! I am pleased to announce that this is my first Avatar fanfic and its Zutara or I like to call it Zuka! LOL. The basic summary is kind what would have happened if in EP twenty of Book 2, Aang and Iroh made a wrong turn and didn't show up just in time to stop Katara from using the Healing Water on Zuko's scar. And it takes off from there.

By the way, in case you weren't sure. I do not own Avatar. If I did, Katara would be Fire lady and there would be a whole new series about Zuko finding his mother.

Chapter one

"Why did they throw YOU in here?" Katara bellowed, already miffed at the fact she'd been tricked and thrown in the Crystal Catacombs herself. Zuko, now in a calmer demeanor, just quietly held his knees to his chest like a pouting child. Katara, even more frustrated with his silence and unwillingness to fight back, began to rant even more. Tearing at his heart and soul, each harsh word she spat at him tore at his inner self, the one that wanted to see his mother and stay with his uncle in the Tea Shop. "ME personally, they took my mother away." Katara, facing his back, went to her knees and held herself as if she were going to break in half. Tears starting to well in her deep brown eyes, Katara almost didn't hear the young Prince mumble.

"That's one thing we have in common…" Zuko's once proud and arrogant voice was left with nothing but a child's mourning voice on a wistful memory. Zuko stood with Katara, her tears drying up as she looked him over. It was strange to the girl, to see him in warm, earthy tones, instead of the coldness of black and maroon. She just stared, her mind suddenly falling apart like dough in water. A tiny connection made her finally see him as he was, a human being, not the face of the enemy she once knew. Now, he was just like her, a motherless child caught in the heat of war just like a mouse in a viper's coils.

"I always saw your face when I thought of the fire nation…" she whispered, then bite her lip in regret when he touched his scar and muttered an "oh…." She revoked her statement, "No, not that…" she said coming closer to him. Katara could see in his eyes, the remorse, the sorrow, the confusion and the tear of his mind between two powerful forces… his cruel Father and his kind Uncle.

"I always thought this was my mark, the Banished Prince, doomed forever to chase the Avatar…" his head was bowed, and Katara's pure heart pound in pity and compassion for him. "But, now I realize that I can decide my own destiny…" He raised his head, his eyes like molten gold, their eyes met and Katara's heart raced again with more passion at his inspiring words. She was speechless from just the shock of his brand new attitude, it was as if someone had ironed all his anger and hate out. Katara finally smiled, glad his emotions were showing and his health returning to normal.

She placed her hand on her chest, "I can heal…" she said, then pulling out her necklace, she revealed to him the containment of water from the Nothern Water Tibe.

"-It's a scar…it can't be healed- " Zuko was cut off as he cut her off.

"It's a special healing water, so who knows?" She told him, smiling fondly at him, he stared at her in disbelief. She was just the annoying water bender who traveled with the Avatar, but like he was human to her, she became a common friend in a unfair world. He wanted to smile, but he didn't believe this was happening. No one had shown him this much kindness since his mother and uncle. A chill snaked down his spine when her hand touched his scarred cheek, his heart pounded and he almost thought about hugging her and letting himself sob into her gentle embrace. She began to open the bottle-like container when they heard an abrupt thud through the walls.

His instinct kicked in, her grabbed her by the waist and thrust her to him, and she gasped clinging onto his neck. He listened for any sound of bending or movement. Those moments were like the suspense of any horror film in Katara's mind, she looked around shaking despite his heat. His one hand out waiting to summon fire at will, the other was wrapped securely around her waist demanding her presence dangerously close. Nothing…they both mentally sighed in relief. Katara, now realizing how 'comfortably close' she was to Zuko, began blushing, spreading through her cheeks like wildfire on a dry grass field.

He glance at her, a playful smirk on his face now, he joked, "Are blushing because of the heat or am I too hot for you." His smirked widened when her blush grew deeper, she shoved herself away from him. She stuttered for words, hiding her face from him, then crossing her arms and huffing. He chuckled, this new fondness was creeping in his thoughts, and she seemed so kind and trusting. That's what he'd been searching for, for a long time; someone he could cry to and be comforted by but never tell anyone if he requested she not too. "I'm just kidding, you don't have to be offended, Katara."

Katara, now going into another phase of shock and her arms falling to her sides, looked at him with eyes like the water she commanded, calm and understanding yet mysterious and wild. They glistened with confusion; he'd never called her by her real name before, always derogatory and demeaning nicknames. She smirked back, folding her arms over her chest once more, "You haven't changed THAT much, you're still a cocky brat." His temper rose, he clenched a fist, his knuckles whitened until he heard her chuckle, "You can dish it out, but you can't take it!" They both chuckled. Zuko looked down at his robes, liking the new colors on him.

Katara sat, patting the rock next to her for him to sit. He, hesitantly, obeyed her wishes and went to the rock. He supported his weight on his hands, leaning back and looking at the roof like she was. "I take it you don't want to try and escape to help the Avatar?" His voice became bitter again, like biting into a lime thinking it was a strawberry. She shook her head with a giggle, he turned to her raising her eyebrows.

"No, I do, but two brains are better than one." She chimed, grinning at him. Zuko, at first surprised at her optimism and thoughts of him helping, half smiled at the thought of being on a team. "Now, there's not much water down here, or fire for that matter-…"

"-That doesn't matter for me, I can summon without fire being near me, and you carry water, don't you?" He glanced around the glowing green cave, and motioned to the right of them. "Above us is too heavily guarded, we'd be stupid to try that way, but if we explore right then we might be able to find a way out."

"Why right?" she glanced over, he hushed her.

"Smell…" He bluntly commanded, she frowned both her lips and brow, but sniffed in the direction he pointed, it didn't smell as musky. "Feel…" He took her darker hand in his pallid one, pointing it toward the right, she felt a breeze hit her arm. She opened her eyes and looked to his face, the unscarred side, then kinder side of his soul, the untouched by war and death side. He noticed her staring and looked her in the eyes only to lose him in her dark pools, like the deepest depth of the sea at night.

"That's so cool, where did you-…"

"Basic survival training…" He shrugged it off like a cat clearing a jump. He stood and strode to the right tunnel with Katara not far behind. She began talking to him, lots of small talk that he answered in short, blunt answers. She crossed her arms behind her back and almost started skipping. Abruptly, Zuko took her in his arms bridal style and ran forward; they looked at what would have been a crushed Katara beneath heavy boulders. Katara held onto him tightly, thanking him for saving her life. He noticed the light coming from above; he started walking towards the ruble with her still safely tucked into his arms.

Aang flew down from the hole and opened his arms widely for Katara's embrace; his wide grin fell at the sight. Katara was snuggling into Zuko's neck as he held her almost emotionlessly. With her eyes closed and in the arms of the enemy, Aang soon assumed that Zuko did something to hurt her. Aang narrowed his eyes and eyebrows, "Get away from her!" He demanded, scaring Katara awake. Zuko grew angry and was about to snap at him, when Katara asked him to put her down and hurried to Aang's side, embracing him warmly. "Good to see you safe Katara let me handle him!"

General Iroh was coming down at about the time Katara ran in front of a fuming Zuko. "NO! Aang, you don't understand he-…"

"I SAVED her from your careless earth bending! That could have crushed her!" Zuko yelled, pointing at the ruble on which Aang stood gracefully on. He looked down in shame, then at Katara in fear of her disapproval. Katara shot him a look of sympathy, and General Iroh was shocked to see the sudden defensiveness he got over this pretty young lady, then smiled and put his hands back into his green sleeves. Zuko went to his uncle, passing both of them and letting his uncle embrace him. Zuko finally answered his embrace, with one arm and a half smile. Aang apologized to Katara, while Toph and Sokka showed up. Katara hugged him, they got out of the cave skillfully. They were about to split and go there different ways when Katara took Zuko by the hand and tugged him along with her. "No. Katara…" He stood his ground like a tree, she struggled to even attempt to budge him. General Iroh was pleased to see his almost son becoming a part of a team, now beaming with pride in his new nephew.

His wise voice told Zuko, "It's time you went with your heart and not that confused head of yours." Zuko shot his uncle a betrayed glance, and Katara finally got him to budge. Sokka and Aang were nearly having fits over Katara's plead to bring Zuko along. "Go on Zuko, go with the pretty young lady, you need one." Katara blushed, Zuko blushed more and Sokka nearly blew his head off. Aang reflected sorrow, not only was he supposed to let go of Katara but it seemed she had already let go of him. He supposed they were almost perfect together, after all, like the Avatar must bring balance, they brought each other balance.

"OH! C'mon hot shot, just come with sugar mama and twinkle toes…" Toph groaned her announcing growing like cancer. Her dirty feet hanging over Appa's saddle, swinging to an imaginary beat.

"HEY!" Sokka protested.

"Oh- and Dummy."

"Yeah!" He agreed smugly, then realized her words, "HEYY!" he whined.

"Zuko…"Her gentle alto voice made him turn to her, purposely letting himself get lost in her eyes once more. She almost lost herself completely in his lava filled ones before finishing her thought, "…choose your own destiny." Those words, she seemed to now understand what he was going through and what his uncle was trying to tell him the whole time. The urge to grab her up into his embrace became more appealing in the Fire Prince's mind. Instead, he looked to his uncle with a conflicted expression, his uncle nodded and then smiled when Katara told him, "You can come too, General Iroh. "

"I would love too, my child, but I have a Tea Shop to run." He answered, winking at the two, before turning away and leaving the scene.

"Will you all just c'mon already! By the time we reach the castle it'll be taken over already!" Toph impatiently noted to everyone, jumping from Appa blindly. She began to feel around with her feet. With Zuko tucked under their sleeves, or entwined in Katara's fingers, they were off. (We all know how the episode ends, but for my sake let's skip the fighting, for now.)

The City fell to the hands of Azula, which left Zuko in a depressed state; he couldn't stop his sister yet again. He sat distant from the others; his shame of letting Katara and his uncle down was more grieving to him than the words of his harsh sister and ruthless father. Katara, with two bowls of soup in her hands, went to him. Graceful as a swan, she sat next to him and offered him a bowl, ignoring her distraught and fuming brother. He mumbled a thank you, his mood lower than ever, he felt everything explode in his face all at once, and wished his uncle was here to comfort him, or his…Katara tired making small talk, being as cheery as possible, but he only grumbled and ate his soup.

"You're so moody hot sauce." Toph butted into the attempted conversation, "First, you're hot, then cold, and then depressing, then smoochey-smoochey with sugar mama." She grinned, staring at the tree, she figuring what's the use in staring in the direction of something you can't see anyways. Aang flinched, trying not to let his emotions show, he thought he'd let her go when she went into the Avatar state, but it didn't seem to stop the numb aching in his chest. She was playing peacemaker, but Zuko was getting a little more attached to the Water bender than Aang would have liked or imagined. The rest of the night went on with laughing and eating, more of Toph's antics and Sokka's "serious" plans. When it was time for bed, Zuko placed his bed a few feet away from Katara's being sure than he was away from anyone else.

Katara wished everyone a good night, Zuko only nodded, wrapping himself in a light blanket and watching Katara sleep in her angelic peace. He was beginning to like this….too much…

It's wayyy shorter than I normally do, but my wrists hurt and I need to go to work early in the morning. =) Happy Reading, Happy reviewing. I like constructive criticism, no flaming. Yes , I know I spelled Sokka's name wrong. I forget. =)