A/N: So, here is the long-overdue rewrite I promised, beginning with the scene you've all been waiting for: my version of what happened in the crystal catacombs between Zuko and Katara. Initially, I intended to include flashbacks referring to this scene, but as the story progressed, there was really no good way to make those flashbacks fit. With the addition of this first 'prequel' chapter, I think the story is more complete. Other plotlines have also been expanded and refreshed to steer the story closer to the direction I originally planned.

I hope you enjoy this new, rewritten version of Where the Sun Meets the Ocean, and I'll be updating from now on until the story is finished.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. If you recognize it, clearly, it doesn't belong to me. This disclaimer applies to all chapters in this story.

ADDITIONAL DISCLAIMER: I put transcripted lines from the "Crossroads of Destiny" episode in this chapter, just as a reminder of what happened in the crystal cave where Zuko and Katara were being held prisoner. I've designated those lines clearly by putting them in italics, and also by separating them from the "missing time" sections I wrote with my usual section divider (ooo LL ooo). Obviously, those italicized transcripts are not mine and don't belong to me. As in the main disclaimer, if you recognize it, I don't own it! J

Where the Sun Meets the Ocean

ooo LL ooo

"Why did they throw you in here? Oh wait, let me guess. It's a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches. You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar? Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace? But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't? How dare you. You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."

"I'm sorry. That's something we have in common."

ooo LL ooo

Shocked, Katara sat up and wiped at her eyes. She wasn't sure which surprised her more - that she had allowed Aang's nemesis to see her break and cry, or that Prince Zuko was human enough to share such a personal loss. She peered back at him and found that he had scooted around on the cavern floor to face her. Had she not seen his eyes, she might have thought this was just another trick, but his gaze was steady and sincere. Katara couldn't help but be intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"My mom disappeared a long time ago," he related, his voice gritty and forlorn. "No one knows what happened to her, or even if she's alive. It's forbidden to speak her name. My father won't even talk about her. It's like she never existed."

Katara blinked a few times, not sure what to make of this. It was common knowledge that the politics of the other nations involved deception and violence. Still, sheltered as she had been by the familial nature of the Water Tribe, Katara never would have thought that a queen's life could be blotted out so easily, let alone imagine what effect that might have on her children. She actually felt a pang of pity for the scarred young man.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, turning towards him. "My mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid. Not a day goes by that I don't wish I could see her again, even just for a minute."

"I know what you mean." Zuko stared back at her with sympathy. Though he wouldn't have admitted it out loud, he respected the girl. He had for a long time now. She was undaunted by pirates, a ruthless prison warden, even him. It moved him to see that beneath her fearless determination, she was just as human as he. "How did it happen?"

His question was so honestly posed, so devoid of malice, Katara almost forgot that she was talking to the Fire Nation prince. The young man sitting across from her in shades of Earth Kingdom brown and gold was nothing like the firebending tyrant she remembered. This Zuko was humble, gentle, even pitiable. She couldn't imagine what had caused this sudden change in him, but it was extremely disconcerting.

"All the other benders from my tribe had been taken captive," she recounted slowly. "I was the only one left. They came back for me, but my mom lied and told them she was the waterbender. She died to protect me."

Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. A shiver raced down Zuko's spine at the familiar words. "That's why her necklace means so much to you," he realized.

"Yeah. It's all I have left of her," Katara sadly affirmed. "How did you get it, anyway?"

"I found it at the mining shipyard," he replied. "You must have lost it when you were escaping with the earthbenders."

That's right, she remembered, I was talking to Haru on the ship when I noticed it was missing. "I'm surprised you kept it. You knew I wouldn't give you Aang just to get it back."

The firebender frowned. "Yeah, you made that pretty clear when you told me to go jump in the river."

"What was I supposed to do, thank you?" she posed scathingly. "You tied me to a tree!"

"I saved your life," Zuko flatly corrected. "Those pirates would have killed you if I hadn't gotten involved."

She opened her mouth to argue with him, then had to close it again. Sokka had scolded her for putting their lives in danger over that scroll, and in hindsight, he'd been right to do so. As much as it pained her to admit it, Zuko had a point. "Are you saying you wouldn't have handed me over to them once you got what you wanted?"

He scoffed. "I got what I wanted without your help. Remember?"

"Then why didn't you let them take me?" she dared to ask. "Once you found Aang, I was of no more use to you. What did my life matter, as long as you captured the Avatar?"

"What kind of monster do you think I am?" Zuko retorted. Clearly stung by her insinuation, he pushed himself up and went to the far side of the crystal chamber.

Katara was taken aback by his defensiveness. She hesitated a moment, then stood herself. "I just don't understand why you would have gone to any trouble to protect me. I thought I was just some lowly Water Tribe peasant who kept getting in your way."

"It wasn't any trouble," he balked, avoiding the underlying question. "All I wanted was the Avatar. Once I had him, I meant to let you and your brother go free."

"But why would you care what became of Sokka and me?" Katara pressed. "I thought we were your enemies."

"Why did you offer to heal Uncle?" Zuko countered, risking a peripheral glance over his shoulder. "I thought we were your enemies."

Katara inhaled sharply with the memory. Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors, all working together, Princess Azula had sneered, before striking out at Iroh. As the old man's body spun and fell into the dirt, the waterbender had seen a look of horror cross Zuko's face. She knew that look, having worn it once herself, long ago. It was the look of ultimate anguish; knowing you were about to lose someone you loved, and being powerless to stop it.

"You didn't seem like the enemy then," Katara confessed, to herself as much as to him. "We were all fighting Azula. It could just as easily have been one of us that went down. And, I guess I hoped…"

"What?" he asked, turning to face her when she fell silent.

"Well…" she began, almost afraid to say it. "That maybe we really could be on the same side."

Zuko's shoulders drooped. When he'd donned the disguise of the Blue Spirit and liberated the Avatar from Zhao, he hadn't expected the monk to end up rescuing him instead, and he certainly hadn't expected him to offer his friendship. Now, it seemed that the waterbender had been offering him the same thing. How could they be willing to forgive him so easily, when his father had placed such a high price on his absolution? It didn't make any sense.

"I guess it doesn't make any difference now," the banished prince sighed in defeat. "We'll never get out of this cave, unless Azula plans on doing something worse than keeping us in here."

"But why did she imprison you? She's your sister. Aren't you on the same side?"

"I guess you haven't seen the wanted posters," Zuko supposed. "Uncle and I are fugitives from the Fire Nation."

Katara shook her head. "Fugitives? I don't understand."

"I failed to capture the Avatar," he explained grimly, "and my father blames Uncle for losing the fleet at the North Pole. Azula didn't come to the Earth Kingdom for the Avatar. She came to trick me and my uncle into going home with her, as her prisoners."

"What?" she gasped.

"We've been living on the run, trying to hide from Azula," he continued. "Ba Sing Se was the only safe place left, so we came here as refugees. The tea shop was supposed to be a new start."

"Oh. I… didn't know." Guiltily, Katara blushed. In her quickness to judge, she'd assumed the tea shop was just another Fire Nation plot. I heard Azula call them traitors in that abandoned town, she recalled now, but I didn't stop to think about why they were here now. I jumped to conclusions, just like I did when Jet came back. Jet was trying to start a new life here. To be a different person. What if I delivered Zuko and his uncle up to Azula, just when they were trying to change?

The thought of her former boyfriend's damaged, dying body beneath Lake Laogai nearly brought tears to her eyes. She would never have another chance to make amends with Jet. But maybe it wasn't too late to help Zuko make things right.

"Zuko, listen to me. We're going to get out of here. Aang will come for me," she assured him, "and when he does, I want you to come with us. Your uncle, too."

"What?" His eyes bulged momentarily, but he'd been taught not to trust in hope. He turned his back to her and shook his head. "You don't mean that. I know what a terrible person you think I am."

"No, that's not true. I shouldn't have said that." She kicked at the ground sheepishly.

ooo LL ooo

"I'm sorry I yelled at you before."

"It doesn't matter."

"It's just that… for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy… it was your face."

"My face. I see."

"No, no, that's not what I meant."

"It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

"Maybe you could be free of it."

"What?"

"I have healing abilities."

"It's a scar. It can't be healed."

"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important. I don't know if it would work, but…"

ooo LL ooo

She would really do that… for me? After everything I've done? Zuko stared down at the girl in disbelief. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but her compassionate gesture touched him deeply. Humbling himself, he lowered his chin, indicating his willingness to let her try.

Katara started to uncap the vial, but something held her back. Her hand reached out to touch his scar. She laid her fingers along the rough folds of badly-healed skin around his eye and cheek, grazing them with tenderness. You're not really so bad, are you? Don't worry. It's going to be okay. I'll help you.

Meanwhile, Zuko's heart raced. It was all he could do to breathe. He didn't know much about how waterbenders healed, but he at least knew it involved water. Why is she touching me? Why is she being so gentle? I don't understand, but it feels… nice. Relishing the physical contact, he didn't budge, afraid the slightest move would startle her and she'd withdraw.

Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise caught them both off guard. They protectively leaned closer, knowing they'd stand a better chance against the Dai Li if they were together, but the dark-robed earthbenders were not the ones who came crashing in on them.

"Aang!" she cried as the dust cleared behind the rocks, and the Avatar and Iroh came into view. Katara raced toward the little bald monk and threw her arms around his neck.

Over her shoulder, the Avatar shot Zuko a dirty look. His arrow-tattooed hands gripped the waterbender firmly, clearly marking his territory.

Zuko's jaw dropped. Stunned, the scarred prince was too shocked to move until he felt Uncle's warm girth against him. The old man enveloped him in a loving hug, bringing Zuko back to his senses. But as relieved as he was to be rescued and to see that Uncle was safe, he couldn't help but resent that yet again, the Avatar had come between him and the promise of happiness. Hatred for the airbender filled his heart once more. And from the pre-emptive look of loathing that appeared on the monk's face before Zuko could even muster a frown, it seemed that the feeling was mutual.

ooo LL ooo

"Aang, I knew you would come."

"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?"

"Saving you, that's what."

"Grr!"

"Zuko, it's time we talked. Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you."

ooo LL ooo

The Avatar gave a triumphant grin. He bowed happily to Iroh, then raced off into the dark tunnel without a backward glance, not even waiting to see if Katara was with him. Katara, however, seemed reluctant to leave. She slowly started off after the monk, then glanced expectantly back at the scarred face she'd wanted to heal, as if she hoped he'd ask her to stay.

Zuko shot her a sidelong glance. His amber eyes were heavy with regret, but he said nothing.

Katara hung her head. I guess they have things they need to talk about alone, she reasoned glumly. Iroh said they'd catch up with us. That must mean Aang wanted them to come along, too - and that means we'll have another chance to talk once Ba Sing Se is safe. So... it's not really goodbye. Fighting disappointment, she turned to leave.

As she disappeared into the shadows, much like his mother once had, Zuko could feel his heart breaking, and not only because he'd lost this chance to be free of his scar. He stared openly after her. He knew why Iroh had joined the Avatar, and he didn't care about that. It seemed to be the only chance they had of escaping. But Zuko couldn't comprehend why he had sent the waterbender away, too.

You had to have seen us standing next to each other. She had her hand on my face, Uncle. On my scar! When have I ever let anyone else close enough to touch it?

Zuko couldn't look at him. It hurt too much. All he could do was ask in a strangled voice: "Why, Uncle?"

ooo LL ooo

A/N: After the fall of the Earth Kingdom and the escape of the Avatar and his friends, the story continues…