" Seriously, you guys didn't find any meat

Learning to Accept

Wow guys! It's been… six months since I've been here at FF! I'm pretty new to the Zutara scene, so I very much doubt anyone knows me! That's ok; I hope you enjoy my story! I was a Tokyo Mew Mew Kichigo writer before now, so I like the romance style! Uh…yeh.

Note: It takes place RIGHT after "The Boiling Rock Part 2", so there will be spoilers from the whole series. I don't own anything unfortunately!

Chapter One: Reasoning

" Seriously, you guys didn't find any meat?" Toph asked, sarcasm hinted in her tone.

" No. But we almost were dead meat." Zuko added, his voice suddenly quiet.

He was still shaking about what had happened with Mai. Guilt, anger and remorse were flowing through him- a face-to-face encounter was the last thing he expected. He knew Mai was going to be mad, but he wished that she understood. But even now, even after he had talked to her and she yelled at him… she betrayed Azula to let him free. It was way to confusing.

Meanwhile, as Zuko was dealing with his confusion, Katara and Sokka were enjoying an embrace with their father. Suki stood back with Aang, smiling in content. All that hard work, all the struggling back in the prison- it was all worth it. Sokka and Katara were re-united with their dad, she was back with Sokka… it brought new hopes to them all.

" You have to tell us everything!" Toph shouted, feeling uncomfortable with the obvious air of love. Haru, Teo and The Duke nodded in agreement, making their way towards the group.

" Yeah, we want to know how you did it!" Aang added.

" Well… maybe I should put on dinner first and then we can talk about it. I'm sure you all would love a sit down for a while." Katara said with a smile, breaking away from her father and brother. She wiped away a tear of happiness, feeling rejuvenated and powerful.

" That's a good idea." Said Hakoda, holding is empty stomach. " Food would be lovely right now!"

Katara was humming lightly as she gathered the ingredients to make a meal for over ten. Chit Sang, the newcomer who helped them escape the prison, apparently was going to leave at the first sight of dawn- he wanted to keep moving away from the fire nation as fast as he could. Katara was secretly glad- she didn't want more people in the gang… more people who were risking their lives in a few short weeks to defeat Ozai.

' Let's hope that it all fairs well…' She thought, hitting two flint stones together in a failing attempt to create a fire.

" Hey, do you need any help?" A voice asked, making Katara jump. She stiffened slightly- she knew that voice.

" I'm fine Zuko. You can go sit with the guys now." She said, hostility ripe in her tone.

" Are you sure?" Zuko asked again, moving so he was sitting next to Katara. She grunted an inaudible response, hitting the stones again in yet another failed attempt at creating fire.

" Let me…" Zuko outstretched his hand towards the wood, sparking it alight quickly with his fire bending. He smiled towards Katara, who turned away in annoyance.

" I could have done it myself." She muttered, the annoyance in her voice still there. Zuko sighed and put his hand on her shoulder.

" You don't have to do everything alone you know. I'm willing to help if you need it."

" Oh really now? You're offering me help? Sure, right, I see. Yeah, if you want to be of help, go peel the potatoes." Katara laughed sarcastically, pointing towards a large stack of potatoes. She almost gasped aloud in shock when Zuko stood up and walked towards the potatoes, picking up the peeler along the way. Not even Sokka knew what a potato peeler looked like, nevertheless how to use one.

There was silence for a long time as Zuko peeled the potatoes and Katara fixed up the rest of the meal. She kept looking up quietly every now, waiting for Zuko to do something. Anything!

" So…" Katara got her wish as Zuko spoke up. " I bet you're happy to have your father back with you."

" Yeah… it's great. I'm so glad he's not hurt! When I saw him, it felt like everything was finally coming together! Like I'd been given hope again…" Katara whispered, her wall of hostility falling almost instantly. She could not get used to this new, refined, almost human Zuko.

The silence returned.

Katara suddenly stood up, anger flowing through herself. She couldn't believe, after he muttered 10 simple words her shield she built up after many days and nights was broken down. She didn't know why she still doubted Zuko's antics, but she just couldn't let him hut her like Ba Sing Se, again.

" What's wrong?" Zuko asked, noticing her sudden movements.

" Argh! You! " She said, pointing an accusing finger at the potato peeler. " I just don't get you! You waltz in here, saying your good and that you've changed. You go on a quest with Aang and start becoming his fire-bending master. You go on a so-called fishing trip with Sokka and come back with our dad and Suki. I don't get you!"

" What do you mean?" Zuko stood up as well, feeling a bit off at her comments. " I left my father to help you, the Avatar and the world! I became Aang's fire bending teacher because no one else could help him! Sokka was going to leave the camp to infiltrate a fire-nation prison alone, so I went along! What don't you get?"

" Why." Katara stressed. " Why you did it. What could you possibly have to gain from this? From helping us?" She was yelling by now and was surprised Aang, Toph and the rest of them weren't coming to break up the tension.

" A better future." Zuko muttered. Katara's ice-cold eyes suddenly softened.

" Zuko…" She whispered, not really knowing what she planned to say next.

" Everyone else accepts me. Everyone else understands my motives. But not you." Zuko replied in the same whispered tone. Katara felt guilt rush through her system.

" I'm sorry."

" Don't be." Zuko muttered, turning away and walking into the distance.

There you go! A bit shorter than my usual chapters, unfortunately, but still hopefully enough for you to want to read on! Angst Zutara here, next chapter is fluffy Zutara, and from there on who knows? Hah! I do warn you, I plan whole-heartedly to use the Finale Trailer scenes in this story- think of it as a kind of… alternate ending. One I want to see!

I know it seems like I've literally just jumped into the deep end, but I didn't want to type up the whole Boiling Rock thing again, since this pretty much starts when it ends.

Reviews would be nice!