TITLE: Tea Shop Talks

SUMMARY: Katara finds herself coming to the tea shop, more and more. She always makes sure that Iroh is alone in the shop. Iroh shares some inside information about Zuko with her. Katara keeps these talks a secret from the others.

CATEGORY: Friendship / Family/ Hurt/Comfort/ Drama/ Romance/ Spiritual/ Tragedy

RATING: T

CHAPTER ONE RATING: K

BOOK TWO – EARTH

EPSIODE BASED OFF: THE CROSSROADS OF DESTINY

CHAPTER ONE

THE VISITS BEGIN

Iroh walked over to the table where a lone young woman was sitting, more a child but all woman. He placed the tray down on the middle and lifted the tea pot. He quietly poured tea into it, setting the pot back down. He handed the tea to the silent girl. "You are a water bender, southern water tribe." He said in a calm knowing voice. "You travel with the air bender, the avatar. Katara isn't it?"

Katara looked quickly up into the fire bender's eyes, the fire lord's own brother. She was shocked and nonplussed that he knew whom she was, and whom she was traveling with. She held the tea cup in her hands, a little shaking.

"Has the young Avatar mastered fire yet?" Iroh asked, as if he wasn't aware of how frighten the girl was.

"He will." Katara said truthfully. "He has all ready mastered air, water and earth." She lifted the cup to her lips and took a tentative sip. Her eyes widen at the taste that alighted her taste buds. She couldn't describe the ecstasy that her system was currently in.

"It's my special brew. I only make it for the ones that I truly trust." Iroh said as he took the empty seat. He smiled pleased that the young water bender enjoyed his tea. He loved tea, and most things in life. He didn't used too. He used to be as hateful and hard as his brother, Ozai, the fire lord. But than things changed for him. One defining moment in his life, had awaken what he had become.

"Where's Prince Zuko?" Katara asked in a hard strain voice as her eyes darted around the tea shop. The shop that was empty expect for her and the old man.

"I sent him off to find some more herbs for my teas. He'll be out until late tonight. You are quite safe, water bender." Iroh said with a kind smile. "I won't tell him that the Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se. Zuko still has much to go through, before he's completely on the good." His head nodded. "But I have faith that Zuko will chose good in life over bad."

Katara's eyes narrowed. "So Zuko isn't following Aang any longer?" She said in an unbelieving voice.

"The only reason why Zuko wanted to capture the Avatar, was to restore his honor, in his father's eyes." Iroh said. "But, when it comes down to it, Zuko doesn't want the Avatar captured. Not by him or any one else."

Katara snorted out of her nose.

Iroh looked at Katara, "So what brings you here to my tea shop?"

"I saw both you and Zuko, when I was on my way to the Earth King." Katara said.

"I see you didn't let the Earth King know that two high up Fire nation was in his kingdom." Iroh said with a nod. "Otherwise my nephew and I would be in prison."

"I was going too." Katara said lifting her head high. "It was on the tip of my tongue."

"What stopped you, water bender?" Iroh asked curiously tilting his head.

"Aang." She said softly.

"Why isn't he here confronting me, than?" Iroh asked.

"He doesn't know you are here, no one does, expect me." She replied. She shook her head. "I don't know why I'm protecting you two, you are fire nation." Her eyes lowered. "I can't believe I'm protecting fire nation."

Iroh leaned forward and poured out more tea in her empty cup. "Why do you hate fire nation so much, Katara?" He asked as he sat back in his chair.

She remained silent.

His heart went out to this young woman whom was sitting before him. "What fire national hurt you so much?" He softly asked. He saw a tear drop fall onto the table before her. "It helps talking about it, young Katara. It's not healthy to hold onto hurt, pain or anger."

Her eyes lifted up in anger.

"I know this, from personal experience." Iroh said lifting his cup to his mouth. He took a sip and lowered the cup back down. "I am the fire lords older brother, I was in fact next in line, when father died. But when it came down to take the crown, I turned back on it. I was not the same man than."

Katara's eyes soften as she looked at the man in front of her, but than she willed herself to remember, that Iroh was fire nation, the brother of the most evil fire lord. "It was a mistake coming here." She moved to stand up.

Iroh quickly leaned forward and put his hand over hers, gently. "I'm not here to hurt you, Katara. You can trust me. Please stay." He looked up at her with soft grandfatherly eyes.

She sat back down in her seat. "What is it about you, your eyes remind me so much of Aang's."

"I will take that as a complaint." Iroh said with a smile.

Katara sighed, "I was only five when my mother died. A fire bender was in the tent with mom. I ran in to warn her that we were under attack – to find a tall fire bender all ready in front of my mother." She chocked her next words out. "Mother told me to run and fetch father, that she would be all right in the meantime. I – I obeyed her." Tears were running down her checks. "When father, Sokka and I arrived back at the tent, mother was dead. The fire bender was no where around."

"I'm truly sorry that one of my own took your mother away from you." Iroh said leaning over and putting his hands on Katara's which were outstretched on the table.

Katara couldn't believe that she was allowing herself to be comforted by a fire national. And the brother of the fire lord to boot. Aang had changed her in more ways than one. One she didn't even realize that she had blamed the entire fire nation for her mother's death. It was only one fire bender whom had decided to kill her mom. Just one, but she harbored such hated for him, and the element fire that she put it on the entire nation.

But, ever since traveling with Aang, she had come to realize that not all fire tribes are like that one man. Her heart had slowly began to open and accept the fire element as a much needed part of life. She no longer wished the entire element banished from the earth. Not like when the fire nation went to the air nation temples and destroyed them all. All expect one, Aang. The last Air bender.

When Aang accidentally burnt her hands, and it was Jeong Jeong who came to try to heal her, Katara knew that not all fire benders were cruel and out to kill innocent people. That not all fire benders were set on stealing mother's from their children. But still, she blamed Prince Zuko for her mother's death. He was the one who was after Aang after all.

"Thank you, sir." She whispered as all these thoughts and feelings were rushing through her mind and soul. She lowered her head to both of their hands. Silent tears feel onto the top of his hands. She finally lifted her head and found that he still had the soft understanding look on his face. "I best be going."

"Not yet, young water bender. You need time to freshen up. You don't want your friends thinking that something terrible had happened to you." Iroh said finally letting go of her hands. "More tea and a game of Pai Sho are in order."

Katara laughed gently and nodded her consent. She wasn't ready to leave the elderly fire bender yet. He reminded her of her grandfather.

Iroh jumped to his feet with a glad clapping of his hands. "I will get the board." He turned and rushed over to the table where his Pai Sho board was sitting. He quickly swooped up the pieces of tile and the board. He walked back over to the table, pleased that the young water bender, had refilled the tea pot herself. He set the board down in the middle of the table. He handed the girl her pieces and they began to play.

END CHAPTER ONE

Author's Note: This is a collection of one shots that center around Katara and Iroh. The others main characters will of course be included, but the main forces is Katara learning more about Zuko through Iroh's eyes.