-1Hi, this is my first Zutara story. Most of it will be taking place in Katara's point of view. I hope you like it. Please read and review. Thanks. Oh yeah, this is AU. Oh, and characters may be OOC. Sorry.

I wasn't staring at Zuko's butt. Wait, that didn't sound right. Technically, it should be Prince Zuko, but he's not anymore. He was banished. By his little sister. I'm sorry, but I just can't respect a guy who got beaten up by his younger sister, I just can't. Okay, maybe I'm being too hard on the guy. Azula is a clever, conniving , selfish bitch. She's a prodigy. It's really not a shock that Zuko got beaten up by her.

So, back to my supposed staring at Zuko's butt. I wasn't doing it- okay, I was. What? We were traveling in a forest; after five minutes the view started to get monotonous. And hey, I'm a girl traveling with two guys- okay, a teenager and an old man, so why not? Honestly, it wasn't like I gaped or anything. I only stared for a few minutes, then looked back every few seconds. But it's not because I like him. Honest. There isn't anything better to look at! It really wouldn't help my case if I mentioned that I imagined him shirtless, would it? I can't help myself, I'm a girl. It's the fact that I'm a teenage girl traveling alone with two guys. Well, a guy and his uncle. It's hormones that's doing this, not me. Hormones. Understand? So if I were to say that Zuko's kind of cute in a broody- obsessed- with- regaining his honor- type, it's the hormones talking, not me.

"Peasant!" Zuko snapped.

"My name's Katara," I snarled, balling my fists. How hard of a name is Katara to remember? Would it kill him to call me by my name? Or at least, something other than peasant? It starts to get old after a while.

"Fine, peasant. I'm hungry." Zuko glared at me as if he thought that I'd jump and start falling over myself to prepare his meal. Instead, I folded my arms. "Your point?"

"I'm hungry. Get me something to eat." Zuko's face flushed red. I looked at him with slight interest. It was so amusing when he was mad. We're traveling in the forest, so I have to take my entertainment when I can. Showtime.

"Get it yourself," I snapped. I'm disappointed. That was a terrible comeback, but it worked. Zuko's fists burst into flame and he strode up to me. "I'm the Prince. You're the slave. I order you to get me something to eat."

Zuko was right in front of me. I couldn't breathe, he was cutting off my air. His gold eyes were so close and his lips were right there. Suddenly, I had the strange urge to kiss him. It wasn't because I liked him, really. It's just that whenever I see someone's lips up close I think about kissing them. I think it's because I've never been kissed before. Yeah, that's it.

Regaining control of myself, I prodded Zuko with my index finger, standing on tiptoe so we could be face-to face. "You're not the Prince anymore. You can't order me around." Zuko was glaring at me. His eyes were smoldering and his fists were flaming. One more step and I'd crash into him. Neither of us looked away. To do so would be to give in, to show weakness. I was not about to let this former prince intimidate me. He wasn't a prince anymore. He was going to have to start being a little more human.

Iroh broke up the fight. He's the peacemaker. "Now, now, settle down. Who wants some tea?" Despite everything, I had to smile. Iroh could always make me smile. His way of solving problems is with tea. Always with tea. Sighing, I stepped away from Zuko and turned to his uncle. "Sure, Iroh! That would be great." Zuko snorted like a small child and looked away. I busied myself helping Iroh, forgetting that Zuko had yet again, been a jerk to me. I don't suppose it'd kill him to be civil to me, would it? Especially since I saved his life. But no, that would violate the Code Of Zuko.

Code Rules

1. Be broody.

2. Snap at everybody.

3. Obsess over chasing someone who might not even have returned, just to go back to the sister who banished you.

4. Show no gratitude whatsoever.

5. Call people insulting and unoriginal names.

6. Take no notice of the people who care about you, instead obsess over going back to people who hate you.

7. Be a jerk.

8. Scowl at everyone. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Zuko practiced scowling.

9. No smiling or showing any human emotion for more than two seconds.

Yeah, that's basically the Code of Zuko. It's his way of life. Why did I save him again? Oh yeah, because I felt sorry for him.

Flashback

It was freezing. The palace was in shambles. Soldiers were draped in sacks, supervising the slaves. Some of them were toiling in the yard. I could hear the snap of the whip and their stifled moans. Wincing, I rubbed an old wound, as though hearing the sound would make it hurt. I hurried on, counting myself lucky that I didn't have to work outside today. Shivering, I walked through the palace, heading for the throne room. Princess Azula had summoned me. I was not looking forward to this; I hated the girl. She'd probably make me do some humiliating task. Last time she made me eat worms.

"Fire Lord Ozai's dead!" a voice wailed. I froze. Fire Lord Ozai was dead? That was impossible. There was the sound of footsteps and shouts. Nervously, I concealed myself behind a pillar. "Lady Azula, come quickly, it's your father!" Azula burst out of a room, followed by Mai and Ty Lee. Her face was pale and dark circles covered her face. Her hair, which was always perfect, was unkempt. I might have felt sorry for her if she wasn't such a horrible person and was capable of caring for someone.

"What is it? What's the matter?" she demanded. Her voice was strained. She actually looked like a daughter who was concerned for her father. "What is it?" she demanded again. "Tell me!" The servant quailed under Azula's fierce gaze and gulped. Looking at the floor he mumbled, "Princess Azula, you know that your father has been ill for quite some time now…"

"No," Azula whispered. "Please, please no!" The servant hung his head.

"I'm truly sorry, Princess. If there's anything…"

"You're lying! Father's not dead, he's not!" Azula dashed into the throne room. Obviously, I couldn't see what was happening, but I could hear Azula's sobs. I hated that girl. She was a heartless, selfish, lying snob. But she'd just lost her father and her mother was gone. She'd lost her father. I'd lost my family during a raid; I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Even Azula. I felt the tiniest amount of pity in my heart. Then the sobbing stopped. Azula's voice was deadly cold. Oh no.

"I want my father's murderer found. I gasped. For a moment I was worried I'd get caught, although I could just say I was coming to see her which was the truth and didn't mean to interrupt. Maybe I should just leave. I really shouldn't be interrupting this moment. But Azula had summoned me, and I was pretty sure I should go to her. Gathering up my courage, I tiptoed to the room, just in time to hear Azula declare, " I want my father's murderer found." There was a collective gasp and my jaw dropped. Murderer? What was Azula talking about? Fire Lord Ozai had been sick for months, everyone knew it. Why was Azula accusing someone of murder? Her father had died of a disease.

"Princess Azula, your father had been ill for sometime," a voice began.

"No. My father was too great to die from a mere disease. Someone did this to him." Azula's voice was cold. "I want my father's murderer found." I ran away. Whatever Azula wanted from me could wait, right? Wrong. I was whipped.

The castle was in a turmoil after Fire Lord Ozai's death. I did my work quietly, but I listened to the gossip. Azula still thought that her father was murdered. It was too hard for her to accept that her father had died of an illness. No, the Fire Lord was too mighty to die from sickness. I supposed that was Azula's way of denial. I observed Uncle Iroh. He was my only friend here. He'd taken me in when I was younger. The death of his younger brother grieved him. I could see his old face was even more lined and sad. I would have comforted him, but I didn't have much respite from slave duties.

I remember when it turned out Azula was right. Fire Lord Ozai had been poisoned! The gossip grew even worse. I was curious. What did a slave have to fear? Who would go after them? Then it was discovered that Zuko was the one who poisoned Fire Lord Ozai. The gossip grew even worse. If it weren't for my friendship with Iroh, I wouldn't have cared. What business does a slave have in the business of royals? I remember that Azula was furious. She attacked Zuko. I'm surprised she didn't kill him. Instead, she had him dragged to the deepest, darkest dungeon without food or water. He was no longer her brother. His name was not to be spoken under pain of death. Zuko just looked horrified. His baby sister was imprisoning him. He looked so helpless with that scar, bound in chains and everyone glaring at him that I felt sorry for him.

The days passed. My mind always drifted to Zuko. I didn't think he'd poisoned his father. Zuko had never been close to him. Fire Lord Ozai only paid attention to his precious little prodigy Azula. He never had time for Zuko. Iroh would tell me about how Zuko would work so hard to get his father to notice him, but he never did. It was kind of sad. Couldn't Zuko see that Iroh cared about him? His father was only concerned with power, that's why Azula was his favorite.

I was worried about Zuko. It wasn't my business to. But I'm a good person and Iroh's friend. My mind was made up. I'd help Zuko. One night, I stole the keys from a guard. I tiptoed through the dungeons, shivering. Water dripped on me. Fungus grew on the wall. My nose itched. I could hear rats squeaking. I wasn't sure how long Zuko would last in a place like this. As I rounded the corner, I noticed a guard. Quickly I knocked him out before he could notice me. Finally, I found Zuko's cell. He was huddled in the corner, shivering. His face was sweaty. He was moaning and crying out for his mother. I was pretty sure he was crying, or maybe that was sweat. My heart nearly broke. Zuko didn't deserve this. "Zuko! Wake up!" I whispered. "Come on, wake up!" My heart was hammering. If I was caught then…. "Come on, Zuko, please wake up!"

Nothing. I was panicking. No, panicking was bad, it wouldn't help me. There had to be a way. Yes! I froze the lock and smashed it off with a rock. Now I just had to get Zuko out of the dungeon and to a safe place. Maybe I should have thought this through. Rushing into the cell, I found that Zuko was feverish and shivering. Draping him over my shoulders, I staggered through the dungeon. I think the moon and water spirits were watching over me, because I managed to get Zuko back to Iroh without a problem. I know it's impossible, but I was grateful. Iroh was both overjoyed and concerned. For the next few days I snuck to the kitchen and infirmary for herbs and food for Zuko. When I was caught, I was whipped plenty of times. Most of my nights were spent healing Zuko, so that I'd be too tired to carry out my tasks properly. Zuko just looked so helpless I had to help him.

Zuko got better, obviously. I didn't expect us to be friends. I only saved him because I cared about Iroh and because I couldn't watch him suffer. After that, I thought it was best that Zuko escaped from the palace and make a new life for himself. Instead, he groveled to his younger sister, begging her to give him another chance. It was quite pathetic. Azula said that if he were to capture the avatar, then he'd be welcomed back. This was a wild goose chase. The avatar might not even have been reborn, and even then, how was Zuko supposed to find them?

Iroh volunteered to go with Zuko. The only reason I came was because Iroh was all I had left. That was it. My family was gone. It was nothing to do with Zuko. Really. So now we were sitting sipping tea, while Zuko was sulking. Moron. If it weren't for Iroh, I'd walk off and leave. I didn't support this one bit. Azula was not going to let Zuko come back no matter what. Zuko was being an idiot. Iroh tried to persuade Zuko, but he just called his uncle a foolish old man or some other unoriginal insult. I should just leave right now. I highly doubted that Zuko would recapture me. Besides, I was the responsibility of Iroh now. If I were to leave, where would I go? At least with Iroh I had someone. I remember when I first met him. I tried to escape the ship during a terrible storm and nearly fell overboard. Iroh had saved me. He'd comforted me.

I smiled silently, thinking of the time he'd said that he'd a nephew about my age and we could be friends. If you counted fighting and being ignoring each other most of the time, along with my hormone-driven fantasies(it's not my fault) about Zuko as friends, then we were. That's as close as friends as we're going to get.