This is my first fanfic and I wanted to start with something small so this will probably be a one-shot. Please R&R your feedback would be much appreciated!

Ok. So this is what I think should've happened during Siege of the North

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or any of it's characters

I can't keep going on like this.

He'd just followed a group of turtle-seals into the icy waters and had come up in a cave under the city of the Northern Water Tribe. He blew fire from his mouth a few times to heat himself up from the inside out.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea trying to get in that way.

He stood up and looked around trying to find the best way up into the city. The turtle-seals wouldn't stop barking at him.

"Be quiet!" He snarled shoving past them.

He needed to find a way up, now. He spotted a small water fall probably coming from the city. He walked over to inspect it. He held his breath and began climbing up. He reached a large pool of water just under the streets he tried breaking through the ice but it was too thick He became aware of pressure building in his lungs.

No way I came this far to lose to this pitiful element.

He pushed his hands against the ice and heated them, melting the ice. He smirked to himself,

Fire overcomes water.

This isn't good.

Katara just finished healing another warrior, but it seemed like the numbers of wounded were endless. She could see how, in situations like this, teaching the women to heal had been an benefit. She heard a familiar groan and looked up to see Appa and Aang returning from the other side of the wall.

"Aang!" She yelled when she saw him land. She ran over to him and saw Yue talking to him,

"But you have to! You're the Avatar." She cried desperately.

"I'm just one kid," he looked up at them and Katara knew he was close to tears and knelt down next to him and hugged him.

"Come on," she said, "let's heal these burns. She took his hand and led him inside the palace, she didn't want him to see the horrific scene that the infirmary held. Yue followed them, it was clear that she felt guilty for pressuring Aang and wanted to help. While Katara was working on his various cuts and burns, Yue began asking Aang of the things he did for fun before he woke up to the war. It was nice to hear him so happy while he described the games he played with the other kids.

Katara let her mind wander to her childhood; for the most part it was a good one, she had lots of good memories... but she could hardly remember them. Her otherwise beautiful younger years were marred by one day, one day, ruined everything. The day her mother was murdered. She was so young, hardly 7, when it'd happened; only two months before she'd learned she was a waterbender, but because the fire nation had taken the rest of the benders, she never had a teacher so her skills remained amateur. If only she'd tried harder to hone her bending maybe she would've been able to save her. Whenever she became angry at the fire nation she pictured one face... Zuko's. She'd always seen him as the enemy and she was sure she always would.

"Ow! Katara?!" Aang yelped snapping her out of her daze. She'd dug her nails into his shoulder and there were trickles of blood coming from the marks.

"Oh Aang! I'm so sorry!"she got fresh water and healed the marks.

"Ahhh," Aang sighed, "Much better."

"Are you alright, Katara?" She looked up to Yue looking at her with concern.

"Ya, I just got mad at the them." She emphasized the last word and they both nodded in understanding.

Once she'd finished healing Aang they walked to the outside balcony, it overlooked the whole city. Normally it would've been a beautiful sight, but today wasn't normal. Buildings were crushed, people were scrambling to and fro, and blood had stained the snow. But the worst of it all wasn't something you could saw, but heard. Cries echoed through the walls, cries of pain and cries of loss. Katara shuddered to think about how many had been lost already.

"We need help," Katara jumped a little at the sound of the air nomads serious voice, but she nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we do," Added Yue solemnly , "but we're the only civilization for thousands of miles... there is no help." They all sat there in silence thinking that this could be their last night of life. Katara looked up at the moon, it was full tonight and it gave her a feeling of peace and power. Aang and Yue followed her gaze.

"Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon, and our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. They work together to keep balance." Yue said quietly. Katara took a deep breath, inhaling the strength the moon gave her.

"The spirits!" Aang shouted both girls jumped at the outburst.

"W-what?" Katara stuttered.

"Maybe I can find them and get their help!"Aang was smiling up to his ears and was Yue.

This could be the answer we need! She thought to herself

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" Yue said excitedly.

"Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy spirit attack on the fire nation! Both girls mock-scowled at him.

"... Or wisdom, that works to." he added smoothly. Katara looked over at Yue and they shared a smile

"Boys" they both said laughing.

Zuko broke through the ice and lifted himself up gasping for air. He laid down and closed his eyes focusing on warming himself with his bending.

Ok come on get up you've got to keep moving. He chided himself for resting and got up taking in his surroundings. He realized that the city looked much larger on the inside and was debating were he should start looking when he saw a short flash of blue light come from behind a wall in the farthest corner of the city. He began running toward the source of the light ducking into alleyways whenever he heard someone coming.

Keep moving Zuko, keep moving. You can't lose him again.

He ducked into an ally as a few warriors walked by they were carrying a moaning man on a pallet. He sneaked a peek at the man and got a better look then he'd wanted too. The man's shirt had been peeled of showing the depth of his wounds. Zuko had seen bad wounds he had the scar to prove it, and he'd always been tough about seeing other peoples wounds. He never gagged and never looked away. But this was different, no normal flesh was visible. All that he could see was red. Red skin, red muscle tissue, red blood. He couldn't look at it anymore and tore his eyes away, and for a moment he was grateful for his scar, because it was nothing compared to what that man would have to live with if he didn't succumb to the pain. He touched his scar and sunk to the ground.

This war is horrible.

There was no other way he could put it. It was simply horrible. It had taken so much from so many people. It took homes, fathers,...mothers. He blinked back tears as he thought of his own mother.

"Remember this Zuko, no matter how things may seem to change never forget who you are."

He didn't know how but he knew that because of the war his mother was gone.

"I should've been able to protect you," he muttered to himself quietly.

Come on dumb-dumb did you forget why your here just because one weakling had a burn? He growled at Azula's voice in his head. But she was right.

He snapped his head up and wiped the tears distastefully from his eyes. He was not going to be weak, he was Prince Zuko heir to the fire nation throne. He got up and continued weaving through the streets until he made it to the wall. He climbed up the side, his rage fueling him, pushing him forward. He'd reached the rim when he saw it. It was a small piece of land, but it had grass. But then he spotted the real prize sitting cross legged in front a small pond in the middle of the oasis. He slid down silently and hid behind the small wooden bridge. The water tribe girl was talking to another girl.

..."Then we should get help." The unknown girl said.

"No he's my friend I'm perfectly capable of protecting him." Katara told her. He stood up and smirked.

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" came a familiar and menacing voice.

"No," she choked out turning hoping it wasn't him.

"Yes," he smiled, "hand him over and I won't hurt you."

"You wish," she said glaring as she got into her fighting stance and the other girl ran.

He locked his jaw and sent a dozen fireballs at her. She drew from the oasis and stopped them before they could reach her and sent a blast of water at him causing him to fly backwards and land hard.

"Unh!," He grunted as he landed and his vision went temporarily black.

Never give up with out a fight Circled around in his head and he forced his eyes open and himself up.

"I see you've leaned a new trick, but that's not going to save you," He threatened.

He began shooting more blasts at her faster, not giving her a chance to be on offense. He moved in closer and distracted her with a blast with he reached behind her and grabbed the collar of Aang's shirt.

"No!" Katara yelled shooting water at him and shooting him away.

Rage was fueling her fight now and she attacked him relentlessly.

You killed my mother and took my father out of the picture. You will NOT take my friend too! She directed all of her anger at the fire nation at him. Within the minute he was frozen against the wall unconscious.

You will not. She glared at him and looked back at Aang seeing him unharmed made her relax and she went to stand by him.

Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko

Voices kept calling him. His fathers disapproving voice, his sister's taunting voice, his uncle's disappointed voice, Zhao's condescending voice.

"Stop, please," he said weakly.

"Zuko?" He looked up to see his mother smiling at him.

"Mom?" He couldn't believe it.

Then she vanished from sight and instead of her he saw all of the good memories he'd ever had with her flash in front of him. There they were feeding turtleducks, and there they were reading Uncle Iroh's letters, and there... was her saying goodbye. Then he saw himself looking at his father.

"Where is she?" The child asked. The father remained silent sitting in front of the pond she'd loved so much. He'd kept waiting for her to come back. He'd thought since there was no funeral that she'd come back... he was wrong.

He opened his eyes with anger. His father had no doubt cast her out as he'd done to him. The Waterbender's back was to him and he breathed steam from his nostrils quietly melting the ice around him. He sent a large fire blast at her and caught her off guard, knocking her over. She stumbled to her feet as he advanced on her. She got in her fighting stance and glared but the sun was coming up and she felt her strength waning.

Deep breaths Katara you can do this.

He sent a wave of fire at her and she met it with a wave of water. They clashed together causing a thick layer of steam to cover them. She was turning in a circle trying to see him but he saw her first and grabbed her hands and twisted them behind her back causing her to cry out in pain. He tied her hands and spun her around bringing his fist back to knock her out but he hesitated.

What would mom say? He still didn't hit her and she glared at him and her nostrils flared with anger.

"I don't care where you go or where you hide, I will find you. And I won't stop searching until he's safe." She could tell her statement caught him off guard when his lips parted slightly but then he glared at her, his eyes filled with rage. She braced herself for the hit. But it never came. He threw her to the ground, and turned to Aang and tied him up as well.

"Then I guess I'm taking you with me." His back was turned to her so she couldn't see his face, but she knew hers was filled with fear. She calmed her expression before he turned back to her with Aang slung over his shoulder.

"How will you carry us both?" She was sure that she had him cornered when he glared, leaned over, and slung her over his other shoulder. She gasped as she was lifted up, sure that he would fall over. But he didn't, in fact he didn't even grunt from the additional weight. She silently guessed that he must have been strong from hours of hard training.

He wasn't sure how much farther he could go on in the snow storm, he could feel Katara shivering. Even though it would've been convenient just to drop her in the snow and let her die, he didn't want her dead. He'd decided that the reason he couldn't kill was because of the man he'd seen back in the city and killing her would be a waste. That's what he convinced himself it was.

"Z-Z-Zuko," Katara stuttered," Aang will die if you don't find shelter."

He realized how true her words were. He hadn't even considered the boy's safety. He turned in a circle looking for any sign of shelter when he saw a cave.

"There," he said.

Once they were in the cave he made a fire and dragged his captives over to it to warm up and he sat on the opposite side of them. Katara brought her arms under her so they were in front instead of behind, but he wasn't worried he knew that she couldn't bend either way. He watched her but her hands up to the fire. And then once she was warmer she turned to Aang. positioning him so he could warm up faster. But then it occurred to Zuko that she could untie him. He stood up, and she noticed.

"Relax, I'm just trying to warm him up," She said to him. The fire was back in her eyes and he glared at her but he didn't feel like arguing with her. He turned and walked to the entrance of the cave.

"I finally have you and I can't get you home because of this blizzard there's always something," He muttered. Katara heard him and turned to look at him. She knew he was talking to Aang, but she wanted know what he was saying.

"Not that you'd understand you're like my sister, everything always came easy to her." Katara listened intently this was different then the Zuko she knew.

"She's a firebending prodigy and everyone adores her. My father said she was born lucky, he says I was lucky to be born." Katara was horrified. If what he was saying was true then she couldn't have imagined growing up with a father like that.

"I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am." Katara heard something in his voice that she'd never heard before. She heard the years of pain and struggle. She found that she looked up to him for his strength, for being able to survive all those years and still come out fighting. He lowered his head. She slowly stood up and took a few steps toward him.

"Zuko?"She asked quietly. He turned his slightly to acknowledge her.

"If all that's true and your father is the monster you make him out to be," she paused, she didn't want him take it the wrong way,"then why do you want to go back?"

He sighed and turned to her. Sadness written clearly on his face.

"Because, Katara, besides my uncle... I don't have anyone else," It was the first time he'd called her by name. She hadn't even been sure he knew wasn't angry at him anymore, she pitied him. He wasn't the man who killed her mother and he wasn't the man who started this war. He was someone who had been hurt by the war too.

She took a few steps toward him so she was directly in front of him. She slowly reached her still bound hands up to his face. He saw her hands coming up and thought she was asking to be untied and he sighed. She wouldn't get far in this storm anyway he though. He drew out a fire dagger and cut the rope off her. She looked at her hands shocked

Why did he do that?

She looked up into his eyes. They were compassionate.

The same reason he didn't hit me. He isn't his father.

She slowly reached one of her hands up to his face, and paused before gently placing it on his scar. He closed his and sighed slightly leaning into her touch. She didn't think the scar made him ugly, just like his struggles it was a part of him and he wouldn't be who he is without it. He opened his eyes and looked into hers. They held tears.

She pities me.

"Don't cry for me Katara," He raised his hand and cupped her face in it wiping away a stray tear with his thumb, "should I fail, then you'll be safe back in the city." More tears streamed down her face.

"But I feel safe now," she whispered. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tight against her resting her head in the crook of his neck. He stiffened at first but then he relaxed putting his arms around her. She loosened her grip slightly and pulled her head back to look into his eyes, he stared right back into her eyes, glanced down at her lips, and back in her eyes. He slowly pulled her closer him and their noses brushed together, she closed her eyes as his lips pressed against hers. He kissed her sweetly not demanding anything more then she was willing to give. She kissed him back not wanting him to stop but he pulled away looking into her eyes with sad ones.

"In another world, another time, another moment, and this could happen," A single tear slid down her cheek she knew what he was saying, "But the in the world we live in fire and water are not only opposites but enemies." He paused and she nodded.

"I understand," She choked out. Aang's body shuddered and they both looked over at him he wasn't awake but he probably would been soon. He let go of Katara and gestured with his head to go to him. She walked over to Aang and sat down next to him moving him closer to the fire. She wiped away her tears and turned to look at Zuko. He was leaning against the wall looking at her. She gave him a small smile and he returned it. It was the first time she'd seen him smile, it was beautiful. She turned back to Aang because she didn't want Zuko to see her blush.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She heard a loud yell from the mouth of the cave and in a split second had water from the ice on the cave ceiling in hand and she was in a fighting stance. But she didn't even get a chance to use it before she was given a bear hug.

"Katara are you alright?! Did that jerk hurt you?" Sokka was now holding her at shoulder length inspecting her.

"Sokka!" She was so happy to see him," No, no I'm fine"

Wait, what about...

She turned to see Zuko laying on the floor with Sokka's club next to him. She bit her tongue to stop from crying out.

"I'm so happy we found you guys before he hurt you." Sokka knelt down next to a now stirring Aang and untied him. "Come on let's get out of here before he wakes up." Sokka said carrying Aang out to where Appa was waiting. She paused where Zuko was laying and dragged him closer to the fire so he wouldn't freeze to death and brushed her hand along his cheek.

"In another life you'd be my prince." She said softly.

"Katara, let's go you don't need to help the jerkbender!" Sokka called from outside. She stood up glanced at him one last time and ran out and jumped on Appa.

As they were flying away she looked back where the cave had been.

"I don't care where you go or where you hide, I will find you. And I won't stop searching until he's safe."