Her elegance and charm exemplified how any young lady at the time should behave. Her modesty and soft heartedness was truly inspirational, but it was her beauty he desired the most. As Zuko looked on from a distance he could hardly contain the urge he had to simply grab Katara and confess to her all he felt. He ached for her lips, her touch, her healing hands, but alas she was with Aang, and he was not one to upset the avatar, especially after the example that was made of his father.

Instead he looked on from the corner of his uncle's tea shop. All around his friends rejoiced and celebrated their victory, but how could he celebrate? The passion he had held for destroying his father and sister had slowly perished, engulfed by the flaming desire he held for Katara.

Back home in the palace Mai awaited him. He often wondered if Mai knew of his feelings for Katara. He liked to think not. He cared for her as a friend, or at least it had become so since Katara. Mai would be the perfect girl for him he thought. They had a lot in common and she knew how the kingdom worked, but that was it. He knew it was foolish of himself to think that she could ever take the place Katara held in his heart

He thought back to the letter he had wrote her on his departure, the original which he had destroyed. Perhaps, he thought that letter would have made it easier for him. He thought of the wording how each letter had been perfect

My dearest Mai

I regret to inform that by the time you finish reading this letter I would have already left the fire nation. I also am sorry I could not do this in person for you mean so much to me. The time we spent together was priceless and I would not trade it for the world, but it was this time that we spent that led me to this conclusion. I do not love you not as I did before. My heart is with another and it is for her that I leave. You can hate me and denounce my name. Call me a traitor to the foundation of love for it was I who led myself into thinking our love, if you could call it so, was greater than that of mine for her. I beseech you to forgive me but I can no longer live a lie. I am not the Zoku you knew and loved. I have changed I have grown.

Zuko

Going through the letter in his mind he thought, good thing I didn't leave that letter. He knew Mai would have been furious and surely would have had him captured immediately

Zuko continued to sit in the corner staring out at Katara and Aang. It disgusted him how he had lost to a child not only once but twice. What further disgusted him was the way Aang was rubbing it in. He put his head down on the table and closed his eyes. He could not feel the heat in his veins anymore. His passion had died.

"It hurts doesn't it?" said uncle Iro's warm welcoming voice

Zoku immediately pulled himself together and stood up straight

"What do you mean uncle? I'm fine my scars have healed and I'm perfectly healthy" Zuko replied forcing a grin

"As you say nephew you are fine physically but what of your heart?" he said

Zoku did not reply, he would not ruin this day for him. He simply sat with his arms folded and a suspiciously large grin on his face.

"I see so why haven't you told Katara about your feeling?" Iro continued

Zoku was shocked his grin faded, how did he know? How could he?

"Zoku I have only one thing to say to you each day we find new fear so it is better to face old ones"

Zoku's mind was too flooded with emotions to comprehend those words. He nodded at uncle and got up

"I'm sorry I have to go the fire nation needs me." he said as he headed for the exit

As he left he turned to have one final glance at Katara only to see her doing the same. He smiled and waved to her, she blushed and waved back letting go of Aang's grip.

Maybe he thought I should stay for awhile