AN: I took Sora's Nobody's advice and made some changes to this one-shot. Thanks for your supporting review(s)!

Reconciliation

There he was, the guy with the name that brought a fight to every night's meal, practicing his bending as if he lived here. Well he sort of did now, but she felt that he was taking advantage of their generosity. The awkward, unpleasant mood that hung in the air whenever he was around… even when Zuko secluded himself for most of the day in his room, the tension was still there. She hated it.

It was early in the morning, he a figure contrasted against the bright clear sky. The bursts of fire were magnificent streams of mixed red, orange, yellow and crimson. He was no more than a lone shadow from where she was sitting, beside a fountain with a pile of laundry and out of sight. The sound of burning air became a constant pulse, growing in volume and the seconds between each strike decreasing like a racing heart. Then it stopped and she heard him lean against a pillar panting for breath.

Katara scrubbed her brother's shirt harder against the flat rock she was using and added more water, quietly and stealthily. She didn't understand why she was keeping herself hidden, but with a scowl, she convinced herself that the only reason for watching him was to look for any mistakes that could allow her to carry out the threat she'd made a week ago.

Then she heard a pair of feet approaching. The girl looked to the left and crawled awkwardly, careful not to get dirt on her soapy hands. But who Katara saw surprised her as it did Zuko. There was no air bender ready for the morning's training.

Toph stood with her head slightly lowered, her form the strong stance of directness. The earth bender raised her blank gaze to Zuko and she gave a light smile.

"Hey."

"Uh, hi." Zuko rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to catch his breath. "Good-morning."

He didn't seem as uncomfortable talking to her as he did with anyone else. Perhaps it was because she didn't treat him as an unwanted addition but more as a new comrade.

Katara inched forward and watched the two intently, every word imbedding into her brain.

Toph walked up to him, raised up a seat for herself, and sat down. She leaned back on her hands. "So…Katara told us what happened at Ba Sing Se and I was curious about something."

He looked suspicious, almost guarding, but donned the new look of 'innocence and genuine curiosity' and nodded. "Yeah?"

"I was wondering...How did you get your scar?"

Katara almost winced with sympathy at the blunt question, but shook her head at her moment of weakness.

"I don't see why that would matter."

Since he'd joined the group, it was the first time Katara heard irritation and near anger in his rough voice.

Toph shrugged. Her usual aloof tone turned sincere. "Because it might help Katara and the others to accept you better."

"I've already been accepted…sort of. Besides, it's not a big deal." His answer was immediate.

"Then why are you hiding it?" Toph asked accusingly. After a moment she sat up straight and said loudly, "I don't want you to underestimate me just because I'm blind. I can tell whether you're lying or not and I know for a fact that it's not, 'not a big deal.'"

Zuko almost sighed. Instead it came out as a struggling breath. "I've never really talked about it, so -"

"Well here's your chance." Toph was pressing on without even letting him finish his words. She leaned back again waited, all ears.

Katara had to hand it to the young girl - she knew how to interrogate and make a point. Even Zuko was staring at her, his brow raised in contemplation. Then for a moment he seemed to realize something. The water bender took her eyes off of them and leaned against the firm fountain's stone, continuing to listen.

"When I was thirteen, I offended my father and the Firenation council by speaking out against a general. He...had been planning to send in a group of new troops as 'bait' - basically sending the recruits into a suicide mission without them knowing. I found it to be rash and heartless. I was called into Agni Kai and...I accepted with confidence without thinking."

Katara could hear his voice filled with emotion as he paused here and there.

"What's an Agni Kai?" she heard Toph ask.

"It's an honorary duel between two fire benders -"

Toph must have shown signs of impatience as if that was all the information she needed to get the story, because Zuko cut off sharply and continued where he'd left off.

"But when I faced my opponent...it was my father - not the general I'd offended. And, well…"

Katara felt her eyes widen with realization and her gaze fell to her lap, where closed hands were grasping the fabric of her dress.

There was a short moment of unbearable silence. "Your own father did that to you?" Toph spat disgusted. Her face was full of emotion, none of the pitying look he'd been expecting. "I can't believe we couldn't take a guy like that out!"

"I - Well, after that I was banished to capture the Avatar so that I could restore my honor. And…I guess the Avatar and his friends have told you some of the terrible things I've done." Zuko's raspy voice was filled with shame.

"Courtesy of Katara."

The water bender snuck looked at him and didn't see any surprise on his face, only understanding.

"She still doesn't trust me." It wasn't a question, really.

Toph was quiet for a moment. She lightly frowned after coming to a decision. "Don't worry. I won't tell them what you told me."

Zuko's head shot up. She seemed to sense it, because Toph gave a shrug and turned her face away. "It's private. You can tell them when you're ready to do it yourself."

He watched with sudden surprise and then gave a look of fondness at her angered, slightly embarrassed face. A silent nod of appreciation.

"Besides, she's just being the stubborn sugar-queen she is. Katara will give in eventually. She always does." Toph grinned widely.

"...Sugar-queen?"

Katara clenched her fists, this time from pure want to strangle the young girl. Referring to her, in front of him, with such a humiliating - it wasn't even a nickname!

"You know what? You probably aren't the cold-hearted guy everyone is insisting you are." Toph's voice grew quieter and thoughtful. "I've only just had a real confrontation with you and I can tell you're a good person at heart like your uncle. It's this war and your dad and sister that made you the way Katara and Sokka and Aang saw you as. You hunted Aang with desperation and hurt feelings - making you short-tempered and cold." Toph faced the general direction where he was standing and smiled. "After the war's over, you're gonna be our friend for sure."

Katara was breathing heavier than she had been, the muscles in her forehead tight. The fire bender had been listening intently and he seemed to have something wash over him.

Zuko allowed himself to smile the slightest bit, even though the girl wasn't able to see it. Perhaps she could just...understand. "You give some of the best advice I've heard. How old are you again?"

Toph grinned and raised an arm. "No older than the Avatar himself."

There was a warm feeling in his chest, something he welcomed while sagging his shoulders a bit.

Toph stood up and tilted her head down. Zuko could see a genuine smile beneath her fallen hair, and even in her emotionless eyes. She was about to leave.

"Thank you…ah…Toph."

She cleared her throat and gave a lazy, indifferent wave behind her as she walked away, her usual self back. "Sure thing." With one last look back, Toph raised an eyebrow. "See ya Zuko."

Katara couldn't help but sense true change in the young man and she felt anger rising when she realized it. He was getting to her too, just like he'd convinced everyone else for a second chance. But for her, this would be the second time she would be giving it. The way he carried himself, behaved, spoke, even looked was all the opposite of the Firenation Prince whom she'd first met at the South Pole. He was different even from the Zuko she'd seen under the city of Ba Sing Sei.

She returned to doing the laundry, a number of things running through her head. Katara scrubbed harder still, until she could feel a roughness that shouldn't have been from wet fabric. She looked down and let out an aggravated groan when she saw a hole in Sokka's shirt.

…

"See, a human being."

"No, an improved actor."

"A lost prince in search of honor...with an extreme personality change."

"Shut up Sokka." Katara had her arms crossed and was pacing back and forth the length of the large room. The four of them had gathered to make progressing plans for another attack when the topic had again, so 'shockingly', turned to Zuko.

"Hey, he's been here a week and though it's been really weird and just wrong, he's been doing a good job with the overall helping out thing."

Katara looked with disbelief and shock at her brother. "You're defending him? I thought you distrusted him the most!"

"Apparently not." He shot back, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Hey look, I'm just glad Aang's finally found a good fire bending teacher, even if he may be the guy who'd tried to kill us in the past and followed us all over the world."

"Nice." Katara glared at her brother.

Aang leaned against his staff and nodded in agreement to Sokka's previous statement. "He's like a completely different person Katara. Zuko's even been helping Sokka with his sword training!"

"Though he wins just because he has those duo blades, the cheater."

Toph grunted. "Sure Sokka."

Katara threw her arms up into the air with frustration. "I can't believe you guys! What if this was all a trap? You'd all be walking into it right now."

"Katara, even if we did turn him away, what would Aang do?" Toph was looking at her as if she were dealing with a stubborn child and Katara couldn't really stand it. "Besides, I thought you'd have changed your opinion at least the slightest bit when you heard me when I was talking with Zuko this morning."

Katara turned away. "No, I -"

Toph sighed and frowned. "I could feel you hiding behind the fountain."

"I wasn't hiding, and fine I did hear the conversation. What of it?" She was irritated beyond words.

Sokka had a looked of confusion on his face and Aang was looking from one girl to another as the quarreling continued.

"You're the one being heartless right now!" Toph stood up with balled fists, a scowl appearing on her young face. She stomped her feet and bits of debris fell around them from the high ceiling. "You want something to be bad with him! I don't know, maybe it's because I've just really met him, but he can be trust-worthy, now that he knows which path to take. He's been sincere the whole time he's been with us."

Katara was about to snap back at her when she heard a pair of feet behind them, and turned around. Her eyes widened unintentionally when she saw what she did.

Zuko - standing there with a basket of fruit in his arms. Haru was standing with him and now seemed to want to get away more than anything.

"Uh, sorry for barging in." Zuko licked his lips and averted his eyes. "I'll go help Teo and The Duke with some more gathering."

Haru nodded. "I'm coming too man."

Katara let out a sound of irritation and faced the earth bender, only to realize that she was no longer there. Sokka offered the direction the earthbender had left with a lift of his finger. There was a new hole in the wall, and beyond it a stalking away figure.

How had things turned out like this? Why, when she was only trying to do the right thing, was she suddenly the enemy? Perhaps it was because she was following her instincts. But then Katara realized that doing so had never really gotten her anywhere.

…

Zuko was lying on his back, the ray of sunlight missing the area where he lay by a mere two feet. He reached out to feel the heat. For the first time in a long time, he felt content and almost accomplished. The acceptance and trust he was gaining day by day was starting to rub off on his character. Perhaps the young earth bender had been right about the war taking its toll on him - something his Uncle had been trying to tell him for years.

He truly wished that Iroh was safe so that they could meet again and so he could offer his proper apologies.

Zuko had continued running at full speed for years without even knowing which path to take. Iroh had always been with him despite the biting comments he would make at the old man and no matter how many mistakes he would make. Iroh's criticism had been different from his father's, always with underlying feelings of love and care. A sudden sensation of regret and weariness washed over and he pounded a fist onto the wall beside him, light sparks flying.

Then he felt a presence at the door.

He sat up quickly, feet swinging off the side and sitting up with a curious face. The expression was met with a pair of cold blue eyes. The irony.

"You know, that look of yours doesn't suit you."

"I…uh -"

Katara barged in without warning and stopped in front of him, her form slightly bent so that she could lock eyes with him.

"I don't understand! How could you change from this cold, always stiff pursuer to a nice-guy wimp? Now you're always grinning here and there, acting all genuine."

"A wimp?"

Zuko was watching the young girl, just as he had when she'd first entered like this, daring him to step out of line.

"It's just…infuriating!" She yelled. The water bender wasn't even paying attention to him anymore, just ranting and making gestures.

Her voice was faltering and Zuko took advantage of it. "Katara, I really have changed. I really do what to defeat my - the Fire Lord and end the war."

Katara remained silent for a moment. She turned around in a swift motion, still scowling. She seemed to be doing it more often.

"I will not be made the enemy!"

…And he couldn't help but let out a laugh. He immediately covered his mouth, but the damage had been done. The water bender had already heard it and taken offense.

"I don't see what's so funny, Zuzu."

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he mirrored the girl in her stance and shook his head. "It's nothing, sugarqueen."

He realized how big of a mistake he'd made as he collided with the wall. She was hands down scary.

When questioned about his black eye by Sokka, Zuko replied that female's were frightening beings. Sokka nodded, and sympathized.

"I know just what you mean man, I experience the feeling everyday - look how I turned out."

Zuko didn't know if it was supposed to be comforting or not.

…

There was nothing different about him. She knew this while she watched grudgingly from the far side of the open-spaced temple, sitting upon the edge of a trickling fountain 'washing' fruit.

Zuzu and Aang were practicing a certain move that Aang was having special difficulties with. It involved jumping high into the air and letting out a stream of fire towards the enemy, closely followed by another strike towards the feet to break the opponent's stance. No airbending.

"You need to shape the fire, not just let it out." Zuko wiped his brow and did the leg motion on the ground. "The fire can't die midway, it needs to be able to push the opponent back!"

Aang groaned. "I'm trying!" Images of Katara cradling her hand was entering into his train of thought. He desperately tried to pushed them away.

"Center the heat of the attack towards the feet. Feel it leave you." Zuko realized that he was starting to sound like his uncle.

As Katara watched the fire bender do another demonstration, she could see that the fighting part of him hadn't changed at all. All of his motions were headstrong and brash and smooth and elegant. The fluid movements of a real bender.

"Give it another try." Zuko was trying hard not to loose his cool now, especially that Katara was watching. And after instructing the Avatar of the proper movements one last time, stepped away.

With a slight running start, Aang leapt into the air and did a back turn. The kick was perfect, straight and clean. The flame that was aimed towards Zuko rushed with full power and form, beautiful and deadly. Katara could feel the heat even from where she was sitting. Zuko raised his arms in defense and used his own firebending to stop the attack from causing any damage - a great improvement. He looked at the boy and nodded.

Aang whooped with joy at his accomplishment and looked towards his teacher with a grin so wide it was covering his whole face. Zuko watched the boy jump up and down, earning words of congratulations from Sokka and Toph. He realized that his time with them hadn't gone to nothing as he'd suspected it would have. His face was blank of emotion for a while, watching the joyful scene from another place and with deep understanding. Then within a few minutes, Aang fell exhausted beside him and Zuko's eyes widened with awakening. Aang's laughter slowly died away with a few short breaths.

It fell silent. Teo, The Duke and Haru decided to hold another race, and Sokka went into the task of polishing his boomerang while Toph sat beside him.

Only Katara continued to watch the two. Aang was spread upon the floor, his chest still heaving and mouth wide open. One leg was resting peacefully with the other bent at the knee. Zuko had an arm slung across a raised knee and he was leaning back with the other, he too breathing deeply though not as heavily. His long hair was matted at the ends with sweat.

They sat side by side, a fire bender and air bender with peace and friendliness between the two, just as it should have been.

Zuko then smiled, the kind of smile he remembered wearing for his mother when he had been young. That sort of expression...she didn't want to see on him anymore. Because she felt as if the wall she'd built up to block him out would soon melt away.

…

Another week passed, and she was not able to pinpoint anything suspicious on him. The prejudice against him was faltering, and Katara began to accept the idea that he could be worth trusting. A true 'third' chance.

Everyone was in the pool Katara and Toph had built for relief from the heat. It was large to play around in, as well as practice their bending. Katara and Aang were dueling until they fell down from the high rocks to join in with the swimming. The water bender was surprised to see Zuko swimming with ease from one end of the pool to the other, his body gliding beneath the surface.

When he rose with a gasp for air, Katara found it strange to see his hair slick with water, pressed in an oddly cute way to one side.

He looked over and offered a smile - an act he'd become more open with. She just met his eyes before looking away with an awkward expression.

"Hey Katara, I'll race you!"

Aang was floating beside her and suddenly took off. Katara let out a laugh and propelled herself with waterbending.

"Hey that's cheating!"

She won, but Katara had a nagging feeling that he'd let her. Toph was with The Duke and Sokka, learning how to swim in a shallower area and Haru and Teo were having a conversation with their feet dipped in.

Zuko was just… there. Not with anyone, but watching with observant eyes surrounded by a lonely air. She couldn't stand just looking at him. As Aang went to give Toph a few techniques to stay afloat, Katara sucked in a breath and after pressing back her pride, swam over to the fire bender.

He pushed against the water and moved away a bit, not expecting the girl to be heading towards him.

"So you know how to swim."

Zuko raised a hand from the water, the droplets sliding down his toned arm. "Yeah, it gets really hot in the Fire Nation."

No duh. One thing she'd learned about him: the Prince could be very akward with words. "It would have been sad for a Prince not to be able to swim."

"I guess."

Why did her voice still hold a hint of bitterness? Katara just wanted to drown. But then something came to mind that had been nagging at the back of her thoughts for a while.

"Why do you eat your food in your room?" She demanded suddenly, asking as if it were a crime.

Wasn't that what she wanted? For him to be away from them as much as possible? Zuko didn't know how to respond. Katara supposed it was because of her.

"Well you say you want us to trust you. If you're in your room all the time, how do we not know you're not scheming something?"

He quickly shook his head. "I'm not, really!"

The water bender faced him, only inches away. He couldn't turn from her glare. Katara couldn't either. His eyes were the traditional gold, symbolizing his royalty. The gaze was brighter and stronger than any flame she'd seen. She slowly and carefully chose her words.

"So starting from today, you're going to eat meals with us. So that we can keep our eyes on you at all times."

He wondered if he'd heard right. When the water bender began to raise her eyebrows with a questioning look, Zuko felt his lips rise into a grin. A sudden weight lifted from his shoulders.

"All right. I'll do that."

Katara let out a held-in breath and backed away, the first smile she'd ever given him spreading across her lips.

Fin