Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the last airbender. I am not responsible for any trauma you may experience when reading this piece of purely fan-made fiction. I make no profit off of the characters or concepts of Avatar: the last Airbender or Once.

Summary: -Ember Island Players/post war-Zuko learns that a song once so blissful and hopeful can turn into a tragedy with one passing stanza. He finds his mistake when he sees her guitar stings weaved into a frayed and tear-stained cross-stitching of the words "I love you." (a new kind of songfic)-Z/K-

A/N: wow. So this oneshot-type-thing just kinda came out of me. It didn't give me a choice, It just popped into my head a week or so ago. I had been trying to learn the song "falling slowly," from "Once," on my guitar, and reading fanfiction for procrastination, and my imagination went wild xD. I had tried to ignore it, but then I saw the trailer for the movie and it all fit way more than I ever expected. xD When I finally got my new phone (my dad gave me his old palm pilot! YUS!!1one!) I started playing with it, and found out I could make word documents, and since I was stuck in bed this morning with a slight fever (It happens, though I think this one was from my dentists appointment yesterday. My teeth hurt really bad), I decided to take NIKE's advice and just do it...

So here it is. It is a little short, and a little sad, but that is usual for me. Just a note, though, for the inspiration: this is a songfic. Just not a traditional songfic xD I know it is kinda cheesy to give the characters the ability to play music when the series says they can't, but I don't care. I had to write this. The song (even in its own context) fit too much. I would encourage you to watch both the trailer for the movie (there are a few, but one in particular just hit home) and the music video for the song if you haven't already. You'll see what I mean.

The Second String from the Top

Zuko had not known she played until they came to his family's beach house.

He had been wandering the halls at the time, absently searching for the softly lit, comfortable room shrouded beneath decade old memories,and was lost in a haze of reminiscence, when he heard the gentle strings being carefully played from down the hall. His curiosity piqued, and he opened the door to his mother's old hideaway, silently, to find Katara with a guitar in her lap, humming along to a peaceful tune. He stopped for a second to look at the image before him and realized this was the room he was looking for.

"You play?" He had been a bit crestfallen that the room he had been looking for is already occupied, and it gives his voice a kind, almost sympathetic quality.

She stopped her strumming immediately to look up at him with a nervous look in her wide eyes. "Y-yeah. Sorry, I didn't notice you were, um...here." It had always been an awkward moment between them, and was only amplified by his disappointment and curiosity and her "deer-caught-in-the-headlights" look.

"That's okay." There was an unspoken agreement- don't ask; don't tell- and Zuko left wondering what the words to the song were and why she was so scared to keep on playing after he had come in.

And now, months later, it is his mission to find out.

"We want to have you play at the wedding, Katara. You are a very close friend to us, and to me, and I know how good you are." This of course has nothing to do with his unbearable curiosity that has grown immensely since he stopped seeing her every day after the war ended.

She looks up at him from her seat perched on the steps of the garden with the guitar in her lap again, giving him a sad smile. The image brings to mind memories of his childhood, and of one woman in particular. My mother-She looked just like this. Exactly the same down to the fingers on the second string...

"I'm afraid I just can't do that, Zuko." Her eyes drop down to the fret-board as she says his name. They both watch as her knuckles go white.

"Why not?" His voice is rough and quiet-almost a whisper.

He hears her take in a shaking breath and then sigh, before "Would you...would you like to hear the song?" Immediately, his face brightens up.

And so she plays and he listens, soaking in the harmonies and the lyrics, realizing that the song he found so peaceful months ago now did anything but put him at ease. What was once bliss was now a tragedy in the form of one very sad, very slow line.

"Raise your hopeful voice

You had a choice

You've made it now.

Falling slowly

Sing your melody

I'll sing along..."

By the end, she is crying and he is sorry. By the end, he understands. By the end, his heart is both soaring and breaking at the same time.

"I can't play at your wedding," she states quietly, eyes hidden by the tear-soaked sleeve of her robe. Her voice is shaking-it is nothing more than a pathetic, high pitched murmur, but it is not her spoken words that are being yelled in his ear.

"I know. I'm sorry..." It is all he can bring himself to say. He clenches his fists trying to keep from throwing the guitar aside and bringing his arms around her. He feels his eyes sting.

"So am I..."

A/N: so tell me what you think! I am craving honest reviews, even for this one. I didn't do as much editing for this as I usually do. I just needed to get it down :-/

Please review :D