Hey everyone! So I have a small case of writers block for my Fairy Tail story so I was hoping this would free it up. I am trying to work on it! I promise! Ahem, so yes here is another one of my depressing Zutara stories. It's shorter than the others and I wrote it in like two hours so, anyways long story short, I needed a break though and this it. Also it's 1:09 am so if this is messy, I'm very sorry.

She had seen it. It was coming right at her. It jolted this way and that in flashes of electric blue. Dangerous and crazed golden eyes danced behind it while an evil grin widened in pleasure. It charged wildly at her. Then she heard a desperate cry and... there he was. Like a hero from a great novel that picked up his sword, despite his deep wounds, and sliced the monster in half with it to save the princess.

He had leaped in front of his sister's lightening to save... her? The little Water Tribe girl from the South Pole? The waterbender who has caused him nothing trouble, pain, and guilt? Was she actually... important to him? She still didn't know and she was still confused. All she remembered was screaming out his name and charging at him in pure desperation. Her mind kept yelling, "Don't let him die! Don't let him die!" He kept jerking his body as the electricity started to wear off. She was just about to reach him when a blue wall of fire stopped her. She had skidded to a stop. She knew then that she would have to beat the crazed fire princess if she wanted to keep her friend from dying.

"Katara?"

Katara opened her eyes and the flashbacks faded. She turned her head toward the voice.

"Katara, what are you doing out here all alone?"

Katara pushed herself up off the wall and faced the speaker. "I dunno, Zuko. I didn't feel super social tonight," she lied.

Zuko nodded. "I know what you mean. Everyone is having a good time though. Sure you don't wanna join them?"

Katara smiled, but shook her head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I needed some fresh air anyways."

Zuko looked back at the party and then at Katara. He finally cleared his throat and said, "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all. You wanna walk in the gardens?"

He nodded again and walked down the porch stairs onto the path. Katara followed suit and fell into step beside him.

All was quiet for a moment as they walked down the path that led into the royal gardens. The billions of glowing stars were scattered perfectly across the sky as they walked. As they did, they secretly connected the dots to their favorite constellations.

"I've always loved the stars," Katara commented, breaking the easy silence.

"Yeah, me too," Zuko replied.

"My favorite constellation is the one my mom showed me when I was really young. If you connect the stars just right, it will look like twin fish encircling each other. Just like Tui and La."

Zuko chuckled. "My mother tried to teach me how to make pictures in the sky, but the only one I ever was able to figure out was the Big Dipper."

Katara giggled. "Same for Sokka."

The two cracked a smile and then began laughing. After it subsided, Zuko's smile faded a little. "Azula was really great when she was younger. She was... actually a happy person will feelings and she wasn't always trying to be better than me. We sure had a lot of fun summers together on Ember Island when we were little. We would play random games on the beach in the morning, swim in the ocean and splash water at each other like we were waterbenders in the afternoon, and then collect shells with mom on the beach at sunset. We had separate rooms in the house, but Azula would always creep into my room after the adults went to bed and curl up beside me. She was an amazing little sister, until..."

Zuko stopped walking. Katara halted too and looked at him with a worried expression. "Until what?" she inquired quietly.

"Until my father found out we had firebending abilities. One day, she just decided she was better than me and we both kissed the good times goodbye. Katara, I've wished everyday since then that she would be that sweet little girl again whom I could honestly and lovingly call my sister. I know all this time I've acted like I hate her, but deep down, I've always had hope that she would return to the light. That she would want to go collect shells on the beach with me again and smile like we did so long ago. I want her to come back to me."

A tear slid down his face as he stared up at the dazzling night sky.

Katara placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I don't think I've ever taken the time to think about Azula or what she might have meant to you. What she will always mean to you. I know that if Sokka died, I would be devastated. When I lost my mother, I felt so lost and confused. I knew that from then on, things would be different with us in the South Pole forever. Dad trained harder and harder everyday to keep mom off his mind and Sokka didn't smile for over three months. They both stayed busy while I continued with my tasks. At first, I didn't care what came next. I just wanted my mom back and I wanted my family to be restored to the way it used to be. I cried every night, because mom would usually tuck me in. But there were no more careful hands and gentle kisses. She was gone. After a while, I hid myself one day and just cried and cried. Then I began to wonder, what would mom say if she were here? Well, I thought, she would tell me to smile and be brave like the hearts of the Warriors who protect us. I knew then that I needed to smile because mom was in a better place and she would be happy as long as her family was happy. I finally saw Sokka smile again and dad tucked us in every night."

Zuko looked down at her. She wasn't crying, but... smiling?

"Love is a powerful thing and a nymph in one of our Water Tribe legends said "love knows no boundaries." Our loved ones might dead or lost, but our love for them and their love for us, deep down, will never be rendered. It will go on and on through life and death."

Zuko looked at her totally speechless. Here she was, pouring out her heart to him and teaching him a lesson on love, when he should be saying something to douse the pain she was probably feeling. But, he didn't see any pain. Just, love. "So... you think she still loves me?" Zuko whispered as he averted his eyes back to the sky.

Katara nodded. "She has forgotten. That's all. She needs some hope to spark those memories and see where she has failed."

More tears spilled unwantingly from his eyes as he looked back into her blue orbs. "How- how can you be smiling while you talk about your mother's death like it's easy conversation?"

Katara smiled softly. "I found an old poem in my mother's diary one day before she died and it didn't make any sense to me. When she died though, the whole thing spilled back into my mind and I understood it. It said, "I will smile when I cry, I will laugh when I hurt, I will love when I am afraid, I will hope when all is lost." Katara lifted her hand slowly and wiped the tears from Zuko's face. "It's not over yet. Azula is still here and you have a chance to help her redeem herself. She doesn't have to be the feared monster of the Fire Nation like Ozai was. She can be a loved and respected person again." Katara then took a step forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Zuko instantly hugged her to him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Katara gently rubbed his back as he poured out his own heart the only way he could at the moment.

"Everything is only going to get better from here," Katara whispered sadly into his ear.

After a while longer, they drew apart, but held hands as they gazed up together at the stars. Who knew the stars could remind us of such forgotten memories and help us see where we should go next.

I will smile when I cry

I will laugh when I am hurt

I will love when I am afraid

I will hope when all is lost

I will believe when everything is invisible

I will have joy when I am weak

I will dance when everything is gone

I will rejoice when I fall

I will encourage when I am alone

I will be free when I am trapped

I will sing when I am silenced

I will live when I am dead, just like my God

Please review if you have the time! I love all reviews and take all into consideration. Thanks for reading! ;)