Day 1: Serendipity

They camp for the night in a cave not too far from the small village, a temporary shelter until the rain stops. The flying bison can barely fit inside the small opening, retreating to the back of the shelter before shaking out the wetness in his fur. The pair of benders follow him, slipping their drenched, black hoods off their heads. Before long, there's a fire going, painted shadows dancing on the wall of the cave, the crackling noise overpowering the pooling of water at the mouth of the cave. Katara kneels next to Appa, her long, slender fingers smoothing his fur as she searches for remnants of rainwater. She smiles when he growls in gratitude, but it's artificial - hollow and empty inside. The outing had not gone as she'd hoped - she couldn't bring herself to end him, her fingers had just stopped working. What was wrong with her? She curses herself inwardly, sweat forming at her temples and her hands clenching into a fist.

"Katara," the voice shakes her out of her thoughts and she glances back to see Zuko standing behind her, his golden eyes softly trained on hers. "You should get some rest. It's been a long day," he adds, beckoning her. She scoffs, his eyes widening as she turns back to Appa.

"Can't you see that I'm a little busy here?" Besides, she adds softly, I can't sleep, can barely close my eyes. Zuko is quiet as he studies her, the words being spewed out in a current of emotion. He sees the determination in her jaw, the power in the words but he isn't fooled so easily - her eyes are tired and her clenched fists are shaking. When she turns around, he takes a deep breath in...and tries again.

"Are you okay? Maybe you should get-" She cuts him off, whirling up and around to her feet. Her hands are at her side, and her voice is tight, forceful.

"I don't need any rest." She sighs heavily, takes a step back when she realizes she's standing close - too close - to Zuko. "And yes," she adds quickly, "I'm fine." She wants to get back to work, to not think about that day, or Zuko, or her mother, or anything at all. As she attempts to take another step back, Appa nudges her forward and her hands fly out in front of herself to catch her balance. Instead, Zuko catches her, one hand enclosed over her wrist, the other on her waist. Her hair falls briefly in front of her eyes and when she looks up, she finds herself inches from his face. His eyes are sad, a soft golden-brown and she almost wants to comfort him. She quickly realizes that it's pity in his eyes, for her, and frustration and anger boil in her blood. The events of the day come back to her and she's a loose cannon.

"I couldn't do it! I couldn't...end him. He was right there, in front of me, and he admitted it. I should've killed him, but I just stood there! My mother died because of him, and he just...got away. I should've made him pay...but I didn't." She stops herself, swallows harshly as she pulls away from Zuko. "I couldn't," she whispers, her voice low.

"You did the right thing." His voice is sorrowful, and he reaches out to her, arms wide. Her eyes meet his questioningly, tears pooling at the corners as she pulls away.

"Did I?" She shakes her head, turns her back to him. Shaking hands come up to wipe the tears from her eyes. "How?" Zuko places a hand tentatively on her arm, his touch reassuring.

"You didn't stoop to his level." When Katara turns her head slightly to the side, he adds, "It may not seem this way now, but you were...are a better person because of it." When she turns to look at him this time, her cheeks are stained with tears, and she's unashamed. His heart breaks for her and at the same time he reaches out to draw her close, she throws herself into his arms, her hands wrapping around his neck in a hug. Unable to control her tears, her breath hitches and her sobs rattle her body. She's cold against him, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, he wraps his arms around her more tightly, places his lips gently on her forehead, and holds her close, his body a source of warmth and relief.

As the rain subsides and the fire dies, Katara finds surprisingly just what she needs.