Disclaimer for entire story: Avatar the Last Airbender was written by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. I have expanded on the world they created with my own ideas. Please don't copy them.

The Sun Shines When I'm With You

Prologue: The Chase- The Daffodil

The sun was high above them, in the small worn out town. The fight had already gone on for a while, but everyone was finally there together. As the group attacked, Azula leapt over crates and tried to escape. Iroh intervened, using his rotund belly to knock her off her feet. Zuko appeared next to him. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko and Iroh all cornered Azula against the ruins of a stone wall.

"Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors, all working together," Azula said coolly, backing up as her enemies surrounded her. "I'm done." Azula raised her hands in surrender. "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor."

Azula smirked as Iroh eyed the group, noticing Toph whom he had met earlier. Azula took a step forward, firing a blast and hitting Iroh. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground, and Zuko yelled angrily. The remaining five turned to face Azula, four of them bended their respective elements and Sokka threw his boomerang straight for her. The impacts of the elements created a minor explosion, sending a thick cloud of smoke everywhere. The smoke cleared and Azula was nowhere to be seen.

Zuko, kneeled before his uncle, dismayed at the turn of events. "Ugggh! " Zuko cried out, turning to look at Team Avatar. "Get away from us!"

Katara approached Zuko, "Zuko, I can help."

Zuko blasted an arc of fire at the group. "Leave!"

The members of Team Avatar all ran away, leaving Zuko still kneeling over Iroh.

The team walked into the woods, the trees high above them a nice shade from the harsh sun. They walked until they found Appa. The sky bison let out a roar in greeting, and Momo chittered, running up Aang and settling on his shoulder. The atmosphere around the group was a bit dark; all were disappointed that Azula had gotten away. For Katara personally, not helping Iroh weighed heavily on her shoulders. She was tired and worn out from not sleeping, but she still knew what was right. "Guys, I know we're all really tired, but before we leave I think I should try to help Zuko again."

"What?!" they all said.

"You still want to help our enemy?" Sokka said.

"Even though he tried to blast fire at us?" Toph joined in.

"Guys," Aang said, thinking of the time Zuko had helped him, "I think Katara is right. The fact is, Zuko fought on our side today. If his uncle dies and we have a chance to help him, we're partially responsible."

Sokka groaned, "What part of 'he tried to blast fire at us' do you not get?"

"His uncle had just been burned. I think since he's had some time to think about it, Zuko might change his mind. Maybe we can take some kind of peace offering?" Katara said.

"And what exactly do you expect this to accomplish?" Sokka said, frustrated now. "You think this will change the fact that we're enemies? Because it won't."

"I don't think she's trying to make Zuko change sides," Aang interjected. "I think the point is that they helped us today, Iroh is hurt, and Katara has a means to take away that hurt. If it has the added benefit of making Zuko question which side he's on, then that's good too."

"Well," Toph said, thinking about the events of the day. "Iroh is a pretty nice guy. He gave me tea and advice today."

"What?" everyone was surprised.

Toph nodded, "When I left you guys, I met him in the woods. He was separated from his nephew, just like we were separated. He gave me some advice that made me change my mind and come back."

Everyone, especially Sokka, was incredulous.

"Well, It's settled then," Aang said. "Iroh helped reunite us today, so we need to try to help him. What kind of peace offering were you thinking about Katara?"

"Well…" Katara explained to the group what she had in mind.

The group quickly went to work, and Sokka grumbled, "All I ever wanted was some sleep."

"We know Sokka," Katara said. "We're all tired. There," she put on the finishing touch, "the sooner we go, the sooner we can sleep."

"Alright," Aang made to leave, but Katara stopped him.

"No Aang," Katara said. "I think Toph and I should go. I know Zuko didn't really attack you today, but he still could. It's better for her and I to go. You and Sokka can stay here. If we aren't back in twenty minutes…" Katara said.

"Then we'll come after you," Aang nodded.

Katara and Toph left, the former holding the peace offering. Sokka and Aang looked at one another. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Sokka said.

"We have to follow them to make sure they're alright," Aang said. Aang and Sokka snuck after the girls, weaving behind trees and staying a ways back. This went on for a few minutes and they were nearing the old town they had fought in earlier. Suddenly, rocks knocked Aang and Sokka down, and Katara and Toph appeared directly in front of them.

"Did you guys forget that I can feel vibrations with my feet, or are you just stupid?" Toph asked. Aang and Sokka were embarrassed when they realized their mistake, both looking at each other sheepishly.

"We're a master earth and water bender, we'll be fine," Katara said.

Sokka and Aang weren't giving up easily. "We promise we'll stay hidden though," Aang said.

"We'll feel better if we can see that you're alright. If Zuko were to attack you then we can be there to help, and finally leave to get some sleep," Sokka said.

"But…" Katara started to argue.

"Fine," Toph said. "Let's just get this over with."

The Avatar group continued on, Katara and Toph in the lead, with Aang and Sokka hanging back. They came to the end of the trees; Katara and Toph approached the old town they had last seen Zuko at, looking at each other. "They're in that one," Toph whispered, pointing at one of the least damaged buildings. It was in shambles, but it was enough for a temporary shelter.

Katara nodded and they both approached it slowly. A few feet away, Katara stopped Toph and walked up to the building, setting down the rock tray she had been carrying, then stepping back to join Toph. "Hello?" she called out quietly.

Inside, Zuko's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Who's out there?" he called out. "What do you want?" Zuko got into a fighting stance and walked up to the exit of the building. He spotted Katara and Toph and started to attack.

"No, wait!" Katara held her hands up in front of her, palms facing out. She nodded down towards the ground in front of him. "We brought you something."

Zuko glanced down, and Katara noticed surprise on his face before he looked at them again. "What is this? We don't need the avatar's help!"

Katara frowned at him. "We aren't the avatar. I'm Katara and this is Toph, and we're here on our own."

"We brought that tray as a peace offering," Toph said. "You don't have to take it, but taking it doesn't make you weak."

"It's a gift," Katara said. "It's only some food, water, and flowers. We didn't really come here for that though."

"We came because of your uncle. He helped me earlier today, and we wanted to return the favor," Toph explained.

"My uncle is fine!" Zuko yelled. "There is nothing you can do for him that I can't! So leave, or I will attack you!"

"I can heal him!" Katara said suddenly.

Zuko stared at her, "What do you mean?"

"I have healing abilities. I've healed burns before, so I can heal him," Katara stepped back pulling some water from the jug on the tray. Zuko was alarmed, and he moved as if to attack.

"No, just watch," Toph said. Zuko paused, and he watched as the water formed gloves around Katara's hands and started glowing.

"I can heal him," Katara said. She walked up to Toph, who held her arm out. There was a scratch on Toph's arm from bumping into a tree branch earlier that day. Katara placed her glowing hands above the scratch, and healed it quickly. Zuko's eyes watched her, though he remained silent, he did refrain from attacking.

Katara put the water away, and it was obvious that Toph's scratch was gone. Both her and Toph looked at Zuko expectantly. "Will you let me heal him?" Katara asked. "It will only take a few minutes, and then we'll be out of here."

"Things can go right back to normal," Toph said. "The only difference is that your uncle will be healed." Toph shrugged, she made it sound like no big deal.

"What do you people want from me?" Zuko said angrily. "I didn't ask for your help!"

"You didn't have to," Katara said.

Zuko's eyes narrowed at them. After a few seconds of glaring, Zuko's eyes closed, his face crumpling. When Zuko still didn't say anything, Katara broke the silence.

"Is he ok?" she said, genuinely worried.

Zuko's eyes opened, his expression now blank, "He's in bad shape. I patched him up the best I could, but I'm worried about possible infection. He hasn't woken up yet."

"If you let me heal him, you won't have to worry. Even if it didn't get infected, he will be in a lot of pain when he wakes up. I can prevent that from happening," Katara said.

"Don't look at it as us helping you, look at it as us returning a favor for Iroh. Even the gifts are for him," Toph gestured at the flowers.

The two girls waited, and Zuko finally relented. "Fine!" he snapped at them. He turned angrily on his heels, and crouched on the other side of his uncle. Toph and Katara walked into the small building, stepping over the tray in the doorway. Katara walked up to Iroh and kneeled next to him. Katara reached towards Iroh's bandages, but Zuko stopped her. "I'll do it," he said. She frowned at him, but let him remove his uncle's bandages.

When Zuko finished, Katara bended water from the jug just outside the doorway, and the water formed glowing gloves on her hands again. Zuko watched, his body tensing up as Katara touched the wound on his uncle's shoulder and chest with her water. As Katara worked, Zuko got restless. "Well?" he demanded.

Katara frowned in annoyance, but kept her gaze on her patient. "It's bad, but I can heal it. It's just going to take a few minutes."

Zuko sighed, feeling frustrated that Katara could do more to help his uncle than he could. "We would have been fine you know. I can take care of him myself."

Katara nodded, "I know."

"And he still needs you," Toph said. "Even with us helping him."

Zuko looked at Toph. "He needs you as much as we need Toph," Katara said, smiling at her friend.

"And you need him as much as I need my friends," Toph said with a smile. "Life would be pretty boring without them."

"Oh you know," Katara said with a wink, "we're just interesting like that." Toph and Katara laughed, the former gently punching the latter.

"Don't flatter yourself sugar queen," Toph said with a grin.

"Sugar queen?" Zuko stared between them.

Katara's eyebrow twitched, "Oh, whad'ya know?" her hands stopped glowing, and she put the water away. "I'm done healing him."

Zuko looked down at his uncle's shoulder. The wound was gone, and only the faintest of marks could be seen on the skin. "There wouldn't have been any scarring if I had gotten to it a little bit earlier, but the scar will probably fade with time. He should wake up soon."

Zuko was still staring at Iroh's shoulder. He lightly placed his hand where the wound had just been, and touched smooth new skin. Zuko tried to not let the awe show on his face, but it must have been obvious.

"Pretty neat, huh?" Toph said.

Zuko looked at them and frowned. "Alright, you can leave now."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Yea, sure, you're welcome."

Katara stood, then her and Toph walked out of the building, careful to step over the tray in the doorway.

Zuko stood, following them to the doorway to make sure they were actually leaving.

"Bye Zuko," Katara said, looking back at him sadly.

"Give the old man our condolences," Toph said.

"Why?" Zuko said.

"Because he's stuck with you again," Toph said sarcastically. Katara turned in time to see Zuko moving for an attack, and she ran in between Zuko and Toph, pulling her water up in front of her protectively.

"Wait! No fighting you guys, we came here on peaceful business," Katara said, nodding towards their 'peace offering'.

Zuko had calmed down a bit. "Why would you say that?" he said, looking at Toph.

"Well, we just helped your uncle, and all you can say is 'leave now,'" Toph glared at him. "We just came here to help you, but all you've done is act like a jerk."

"I didn't ask for your help!" Zuko yelled angrily. He made another move to attack, but Katara placed her now water gloved hands on his fists.

"Please," Katara looked into his eyes. "Toph doesn't mean it. We're going to leave now." Zuko stared back at her, surprise evident on his face. When Zuko's features calmed down, she released his hands and stepped back to join Toph. "C'mon Toph," Katara said. The waterbender turned around, grabbed Toph's arm, and started leading her away from Zuko.

Toph grudgingly followed, jerking her arm away from Katara's grip. "I can walk myself," Toph said.

Katara rolled her eyes, and the two walked back into the forest, joining Aang and Sokka. The group was tired as they trudged back to Appa. Team Avatar quickly got back on Appa, and left to find a safe place to sleep.

When Zuko was sure that the girls had left, he walked back to the entrance to the building, staring down at the tray they had left. Sighing, he bent down, picked it up, and took it into the building. He sat down next to his uncle, whose breathing had become less labored after being healed by the waterbender.

Zuko stared down at the flowers, and something caught his eye. He picked it up and stared at it. In his hand, he held a small bracelet. The bracelet was made out of some kind of twine that looked like fishing line. It was intricately woven together, a blue string woven through the middle of it. In the middle of the bracelet was a small yellow daffodil. Zuko glanced at the other flowers, noting that none of them were daffodils, most being wild flowers. There was a clasp on the bracelet, but Zuko decided not to wear it. He stuck it in a pocket of his robe.

"Zuko?" his uncle said. Iroh sat up slowly and looked at his nephew. "Are you alright?"

Zuko nodded, "Yes I'm fine. And so are you it seems."

Iroh smiled, and a thought occurred to him. He reached over, touching his shoulder where the wound had been, and frowned. "Azula hit me with fire here. I know I was burned," he paused, confused now, "but it seems that I am healed."

"She actually missed you. You must have felt the heat, but I'm guessing the smoke got to your head. You passed out, and I brought you here," Zuko said.

"Well, that's strange," Iroh said.

They talked about the fight, and Iroh promised to teach Zuko more in the next few weeks, so he would be more capable in future fights. As they turned the lamp off to go to bed, Zuko couldn't help the hand that went into his pocket and gently pulled out the bracelet. The blue woven into the bracelet led him to believe that it was a gift from Katara. He stared at it in the dim moonlight, wondering why the waterbender had given him such a meaningful flower. He pondered all of the possible meanings of giving someone a daffodil until he fell asleep.

Daffodils- Meaning and Symbolism:

The flower symbolism associated with the daffodil is regard, unrequited love, chivalry, sunshine, respect, the sun shines when I'm with you, rebirth and new beginnings. The daffodil is virtually synonymous with spring. Though their botanic name is narcissus, daffodils are sometimes called jonquils, and in England, because of their long association with Lent, they're known as the "Lent Lily." Lore connecting the daffodil to not only a sign of winter's end but also a lucky emblem of future prosperity is found throughout the world. In Wales, it's said if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth, and Chinese legend has it that if a daffodil bulb is forced to bloom during the New Year, it will bring good luck to your home.

Author's note: This is my first attempt at an "epic" Zutara romance. As a Zutarian, I always had my own version of Avatar in my mind, now I'm just putting pen to the page. I'm trying to keep everyone in character and keep this story as realistic as possible. Please let me know what you think of this so far. Please REVIEW!

I have the next chapter written already, I'm just waiting for more feedback! ;D