I do not own Avatar or any of its characters.
Somewhere a voice calls in the depths of my heart
Keep dreaming your dreams, don't ever let them part
Why speak of all your sadness or of life's painful woes
Instead let the same lips sing a gentle song for you
The whispering voice, we never want to forget,
In each passing memory always there to guide you
When a mirror has been broken, shattered pieces scattered on the ground
Glimpses of new life, reflected all around
Kimura Yumi - Always With Me
They stood facing each other both battered and exhausted. Trying to catch her breath, she thought for the hundredth time that this had truly been one of Toph's stupidest ideas yet, and the fact that her brother and Aang had agreed to it had her completely incensed. When she got out of here she was going to teach them all a lesson. But for now she was stuck within a rock walled arena of Toph's design, forced to spend time with the one person she couldn't stand to be around. Of course that had been the plan. Toph figured that maybe if they were forced to be together that they would work out their 'issues'. Well that was never going to happen.
Looking at up at her opponent she asked, "Had enough Zuko?"
The prince stood rubbing his shoulder which was still stinging from her last strike and replied, "I could go all day."
Stubborn jerk! Somehow she knew he would say that. She had no choice but to continue the fight. She damn sure wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of backing down. Slowly she raised her aching arms to draw forth the water from the fountain behind her that Toph had so graciously enclosed with them. Using what was left of her strength she pushed the water in his direction. The force of the motion though caused her to lose her balance, and slipping on the wet stones under her feet, she landed hard on her bottom.
Feeling humiliated she looked up just in time to see Zuko laughing at her – right before the blast of water slammed him into the wall of rock behind him. Unable to control her own laughter she grabbed her side in an attempt to stifle the pain that the motion caused her.
Slowly he rose to his feet. His face was a deep red from either embarrassment or anger. It was hard to tell, and quite frankly she really didn't care at this point. Fixing her with nasty glare he said, "Enough already Katara! This is ridiculous. Neither of us is going to give in, and Toph is not going to let us out until we come to some type of understanding. Could we at least call a truce so that we can figure a way out of this?"
"There is no way out of this because I am never going to forgive you for what you did in Ba Sing Se." she shot back.
"Why can't you let that go? Aang forgave me. Heck, even your brother has put the past behind us. You are the only one still holding a grudge."
"I have a right to hold a grudge." She yelled at him. "You betrayed me."
"I thought I betrayed all of you, but I guess that's not really the issue is it. This is personal." He shot back.
"It's not personal." She responded suddenly flustered by her accidental admission of truth. "I just misspoke. You did betray all of us."
"No." he said angrily as he started to walk over to where she sat. His gait was rather slow and he seemed a little stiff. Apparently her last move had done some damage. When he finally reached her he continued, "This is about you and me. It always has been. I just can't believe I didn't see it earlier."
"Don't flatter yourself. There is no you and me. You've always been our enemy, not just mine. And your betrayal ultimately hurt Aang, not me!"
He stood silent for a moment staring at her and then said, "Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way. But then if you had used your healing water on me, I guess Aang would have truly died. That's got to eat you up inside."
Rising to her feet she reached out and slapped him hard across the face. "How dare you! You don't know how I feel. You can't possibly begin to understand how horrible that day was for me. How could you even say such a thing?"
"Because it's true." He said softly. "You wouldn't have gotten so mad just then if it wasn't."
She glared at him. The rage that she had kept bottled up inside of her that day was making her chest hurt. Deep down she knew that he was right. She had lived with an incredible amount of guilt since Ba Sing Se. Bowing her head she felt tears start to slip down her cheeks. The last thing she wanted to do was to cry in front of him again.
In a hoarse voice she said, "You made me feel like such a fool that day. I still can't believe that I fell for your act. I should never had trusted you or believed that you actually had a heart. I let my guard down and Aang paid the price, but believe me that will never happen again."
"It wasn't an act."
"Yeah, sure it wasn't." she replied. "I bet you and Azula really had a good laugh over the stupid water tribe peasant that almost healed your scar."
"I never told anyone about that, least of all Azula. Not all siblings are as close as you and Sokka."
"You sided with her in Ba Sing Se. You chose to fight with her and not us. I'd say that you're closer than you think."
"I thought I was ready to side with you, but Azula offered me a chance to return home a hero. She gave me a chance to redeem myself in my father's eyes. In the end I wanted that more."
Raising her head she turned to look at him. "I don't understand."
"Of course you don't. How could you? Your father always loved you. You never had to prove your worth to him. But it was different for me. I had to know. I had to see if he would be proud of me if I captured the Avatar."
"Well was he? Was it worth siding with Azula?" She asked bitterly.
He was quiet for a moment and then he said in a whisper, "No it wasn't. He was proud of me because Azula told him that I had killed the Avatar. And he did seem to enjoy my company, for a while at least. But in the end nothing had changed; nothing really except for me."
"You had changed."
"Yes, I had changed. All those months spent traveling the Earth Kingdom as a fugitive, and living my life as a refugee, taught me a lot of things about the war and the people of the other nations. I couldn't just ignore what the Fire Nation had done. And when I returned home I couldn't forget it either."
"So that's why you left to join up with Aang?"
"That was part of it. If I had stayed I would have had to pretend to be someone that I wasn't anymore, and I couldn't do that. It wasn't easy you know. I had to turn my back on my family. I can never take back the things that I said to my father before I left, and I can never go back to the life I had before. But none of that matters anymore. The Fire Nation needs to be stopped. My father and Azula need to be dealt with, and joining up with Aang is the only way to accomplish that."
Turning his back on her he fell silent. His hands were clenched tightly at his sides, and she could tell that he was struggling to keep his composure. At a loss for what to do she said simply, "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything!" he replied sharply. Turning back to face her he continued, "In fact if you would just keep your mouth shut instead of always saying nasty things when I'm around, life at camp would be a lot more pleasant for everyone."
Her first instinct was to lash out at him, but she realized that what he said was true. She was being nasty, and obviously everyone else thought so too or Toph would never have forced her into this situation. Still, she had a right to be upset. "Don't paint me as the bad guy here."
"So you're saying that I'm the bad guy."
"If the shoe fits."
"Look I'm trying to change. Everyone else has accepted that and is giving me a chance."
"They may have fallen for your act but it still doesn't change the fact that I don't trust you or that I can't forgive you."
"Apparently nothing I do is ever going to change that. I can't apologize any more than I already have. If you want to go on hating me I can't stop you."
"Oh please," she said while rolling her eyes at him, "you don't have to be so melodramatic. I don't hate you."
"You threatened to kill me if I screwed up in the tiniest of ways!"
"True, but that concerned Aang's welfare. I will not let you put him at risk ever again. It's like I said earlier, I don't trust you, but not trusting you is very different than hating you."
"Come on, you make fun of me every chance you get. You laughed at me when I lost my ability to bend ..."
"Well that was pretty funny!"
He shot her a dirty look and continued, "And you and your brother ridiculed the ancient firebending form that Aang and I learned from the Sun Warriors."
"Zuko, ancient firebending form or not, it was a dance. Remember 'Dancing Dragons'?"
"Fine!" he yelled. "Still would it kill you to be a little nicer to me?"
"Aang asked me if I would let you join our group. He never said anything about being nice."
"You could at least try." He replied in a whisper.
She almost responded with a nasty comeback, but something in his voice made her stop. For a moment it was like being back in Ba Sing Se, when he had seemed so vulnerable while they were imprisoned together. No, she thought to herself, this was not like Ba Sing Se. She was wiser to his ways now. She would not fall for his little act again!
"You don't ask for much, do you?" She shot back.
"I don't really think that's asking that much of you." He countered.
"Well I think it is." She said, and then taking a step closer to him she continued, "I don't see the point in being nice to you, because chances are that you will only screw things up again."
"I don't intend to mess things up this time!" he yelled in response.
"I'm sure you don't, Zuko, but I don't want to test your character in the middle of a battle with Ozai. You chose your sister over us in Ba Sing Se; what's to stop you from siding with your father when we face him at the summer's end?"
His eyes narrowed at her comment, and she could see him struggling to stay in control. Looking at her he said in a very cold voice, "You may think you have me all figured out, but you have no clue as to who I am inside."
"Oh I think I know you pretty well."
"You know nothing about me!" He screamed finally losing control of his temper, "You have no idea what I have gone through over the last few years."
"Hmm, let's see, you lost your honor and the only way to get it back was to bring home Aang to your dear old dad. Isn't that what you told me when you had me tied to that tree?" She responded bitterly. "Seems pretty simple to me."
He stared at her for a moment and she wondered if maybe in her anger she had gone too far. When he finally spoke again his voice was very soft and very controlled. "I guess I should expect such a simple answer from you."
She gave him a glare and asked, "What is that supposed to mean?"
He gave a slight smirk and responded, "You see things in black and white terms, Katara. People are either good or they're bad." This time it was Zuko who took a step forward. With his face just inches from hers he continued, "It must be nice to be able to sit in judgment of all us poor, imperfect beings. After all you've never made a mistake or chosen the wrong path from time to time."
"I never said I was perfect."
"No, but you certainly act like it."
"I do not." She replied feeling increasingly irritated by his presumption about her. "I have done my own share of stupid things in the past, though nothing on the scale of your blunders."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, I mean I never did anything that put Aang in danger."
He was silent at that. Staring at her he let out a slight smile and said, "I seem to remember a time when you stole a certain waterbending scroll from some pirates. If you hadn't done that I would never have been able to track down Aang and almost capture him."
She felt her face flush at his reminder. "In the end Aang escaped."
"That doesn't make it right. It just means that you got lucky. And besides, your little stunt almost cost me my life."
"Hey, I wasn't the one who hired the pirates; you did."
"True, but you stole their scroll, and then you destroyed their boat on top of it. They weren't too happy about that. As soon as the opportunity presented itself they took their revenge."
"How was that?"
"Zhao hired them to blow up my ship, and they were more than willing to oblige him."
"Losing your ship didn't seem to slow you down any. You still managed to find your way to the North Pole."
"If I hadn't been standing on the bridge when the blasting jelly exploded, I would have lost a lot more than my ship."
"They blew up your ship with you on it?"
"They were hired to kill me."
"By Zhao."
"Yes by Zhao."
"That guy really was a jerk."
"You won't get an argument out of me on that one." He said, and then giving her his back he looked at the stone walls enclosing them and said in a whisper, "Besides, it's not like he was the first person that tried to have me killed."
"Maybe you should work on your people skills a little more." She said with a slight laugh. Zuko remained silent, and she felt embarrassed at her remark. Placing her hand on his shoulder she said, "I'm sorry, that came out sounding mean."
Shrugging her off he walked over to the fountain and sat down crossed legged on the ledge. Giving her his back again, Zuko stared into the water at his own refection. She silently made her way over to him and sat down beside him.
Looking at his reflection in the water she asked, "Zuko, who tried to kill you before?"
He turned to look at her, and then returned his gaze to the water. They sat in silence for a while. Just when she thought that he wasn't going to answer he said simply, "My father."
"Your father?"
"Well technically it was my grandfather who ordered him to do it..."
"Your grandfather ordered your father to kill you?" She asked incredulously.
"It's a long story, but Fire Lord Azulon was trying to teach my dad a lesson."
"That's some lesson. What did your father do to earn that punishment?"
"He challenged my uncle's birthright. After my cousin Lu Ten died, my father made a plea for the throne. Grandfather wasn't too happy about that. He ordered my dad to kill me, something about my dad understanding the pain of losing a child"
"But your dad refused to kill you."
He turned to look at her and said, "No, he was going to do it, but then my mom found out. She convinced him to let me live."
"She had to convince him?" She asked in disbelief that a man, even Fire Lord Ozai, would kill his own child.
Zuko let out a bitter laugh at that and replied, "She offered him the one thing he desired most – the throne. In exchange for that he had to promise to let me live." He turned back to his reflection in the water and said, so softly that she had to strain to her him, "I think my mother killed my grandfather. She killed him to protect me."
She stared at him in silence at his revelation. Toph had been right that day he made his bid to join them; his family was messed up. Still she doubted Toph could have foreseen this.
His voice, hoarse with emotion, broke through her thoughts. "I thought my mother died that night. My dad never spoke about it. For six years I lived with the pain of her death, but it had been a lie."
"What do you mean it was a lie?"
"My mother didn't die, she was banished. He banished her for committing treason, and then let me believe that she was dead."
"How do you know that?"
"Because he told me," he blurted out angrily. "On the day of the eclipse, when I confronted him and told him that I was going to join the Avatar, he told me what had happened. I think he found great pleasure in my grief. He was more than happy to let me in on his little secret." He turned away from her and stared out at the empty space before him. When he spoke again his voice sounded small; almost defeated. "All that time I thought she was dead. How could he let me believe that? How could he keep that from me?"
She got the feeling that he wasn't really looking for an answer. They sat again in silence. She caught a glimpse of his profile and noticed a lone tear make its way down his unscarred cheek. She turned away, uncomfortable about viewing something so personal. Once again he had pulled her into his grief. She had promised herself that she wouldn't do this, and yet she couldn't walk away. The sorrow was something she was very familiar with. Longing for a parent that was lost forever; this was the common bond that they had shared in Ba Sing Se. Just like before she felt that pull, that overwhelming desire to share her loss with someone who could truly understand her pain.
Softly she asked, "Are you going to look for her?"
He let out a sigh and said, "We have to defeat my father first. After that I'll search for her." He turned to her again, and she noticed that his face held a determination that was missing a few minutes before. "I won't stop until I know what happened. And when I find her I will bring her home where she belongs."
They stared at each other for a moment in silence and then she said in all honesty, "I wish I could see my mom again." Unconsciously she touched her mother's necklace, and then looking across the fountain she said, "I thought I saw her recently. We had gotten sucked into this weird swamp in the Earth Kingdom. It had some kind of spiritual energy and we all saw things. I thought I saw my mother. I ran to her; called to her, all happy that she was alive. But it wasn't her. It was just some tree stump." She grew silent as she felt the tears run down her face. The pain from the memory was too fresh in her mind.
"I'm sorry Katara." He said in a gentle voice.
Turning she looked at him again, and saw something in his gaze that broke through her resistance. He understood her pain. He knew what it was like to need someone as much as she needed her mother. Suddenly she found that she didn't care that he had been her enemy or that he had betrayed her in Ba Sing Se. She just wanted to let go of her grief, and in Zuko she had found a kindred spirit.
"I thought this was supposed to get easier with time. I thought I would forget about how much it hurt to have her gone, but it's never gotten easier. In fact I miss her more now than ever before. When we discovered that Aang was the Avatar, she was the first person I wanted to share it with, but she was already gone. It was the same in the North Pole when I learned Waterbending. All I could think of was how she should have been there, and how proud she would have been."
She hung her head and in a whisper said, "After Ba Sing Se, during those three weeks where Aang hovered between life and death, I really needed her guidance. I mean my dad was there and all, but it just wasn't the same. I needed my mom."
As the words left her mouth she started to sob. Six years of longing took its toll and she found that she couldn't contain her grief any more. Bringing her hands to her face she began to cry in earnest. Lost in her sorrow she didn't notice him shift beside her. Suddenly she felt his arms around her. Part of her mind rebelled at his actions. She should push him away, he was her enemy after all, but she couldn't. Somehow, at this moment in time, he was the only person that could bring her comfort. She never felt this connection with anyone else, not even her own brother. She didn't understand it, but for now she didn't care. She accepted his simple gesture, and found solace in his embrace.
She wasn't sure how long they sat like that. Time seemed to stand still as she unburdened herself. Zuko for his part accepted her sorrow in silence, never once speaking to offer her advice or tell her that it was going to be ok. She got the feeling that he knew better than that. He understood how useless words could sometimes be. And as he held her she found the strength to voice something that she had never had the courage to say before.
In a whisper she said, "I have experienced so much this past year, but there are times where I would give it all up, including my ability to bend, just to have her back again. Just to have things go back to the way they were before she died."
In a voice equally as soft he responded. "The last time I saw my mother I thought that it was a dream. She came to me in the middle of the night, and woke me from a sound sleep. She told me that no matter how things seemed to change, to never forget who I was. As she released me I fell back to sleep, not quite understanding what her visit had been about, or if it had in fact happened at all. When I woke again, I felt an urgency to find her and make sure that it had been a dream. I raced through the palace looking for her, but I only found Azula. My sister confirmed my worst fears; my mother was gone. Later when I confronted my father, he remained silent. He never spoke of her again. It was as if she had never existed. That day my life as I had known it was gone. Any love or security that I had ever felt left with her. My world was never the same again. If I had been given a chance to go into exile with her I would have. I would have gladly left behind everything to be with her."
She pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. "Even the throne?"
"Even the throne, but I gave that up on the day of the eclipse. My father will never allow me to return to my former title. I'm a traitor in his eyes."
She stared at him for a moment and then looked down at her hands that were now resting in her lap. She found herself once again at a loss for words. Where their mothers gave them a connection of sorts, their fathers were completely different. Her father had been her strength during the aftermath of the raid that took her mother's life. Zuko's father had been the source of even more pain and suffering. She hated Fire Lord Ozai with a vengeance, and she wondered if deep down Zuko felt the same way.
Looking back up she asked, "Do you wish things could be different with your father?"
"They could have been if I had chosen them to be so. He wanted me to be someone that I wasn't, and when he couldn't make me conform to his idea of who I should be, he tried to eliminate me."
"When you were a boy?"
"That was the first time. And then there was my banishment, but it was most recently, during the eclipse. He didn't just let me have my say and then walk away. He waited for the sun's power to return, and then he blasted me with lightening."
"How did you survive a lightening blast?" she asked.
"I redirected it. It's a trick my uncle taught me. I drew the energy from the bolt through my body and channeled it back out." At this he made a slight grin and continued, "I directed it right back at him; gave him a little taste of his own medicine."
She couldn't help but smile too. "I would have liked to see the look on his face at when that came his way."
"So would I, but I was too busy escaping to look."
"He really isn't that nice a guy."
"No he's not." He replied matter-of-factly.
She found herself staring at him once again, and then without thought she reached up and touched his scar lightly. He started to pull back, but stilled himself. Afraid of his answer, but needing to know, she asked him gently, "Zuko, did your father do this to you?"
His eyes held hers as he contemplated his answer. Finally he responded simply, "Yes."
She involuntarily drew in a sharp breath at his admission. Letting it out she asked, "Why? Why would he do such a thing?"
He broke eye contact and said, "I was disobedient. I spoke out of turn, and he decided to teach me a lesson in respect."
"How cruel." She responded.
This brought a slight smile again to his face as he look up at her and said, "I told him the same thing before I left for good. It was cruel. I was only thirteen at the time; still a child. There were other ways he could have taught me respect."
"You weren't much older than Aang." She said amazed.
"He banished me after that. Sent me off to find the Avatar. I don't think he ever intended for me to find him either. The first time I ever came to this temple was a week after it all happened."
"Why did you come here?"
"I figured I start at the air temples and then branch out from there."
"So how long exactly were you looking for Aang?"
"A little over three years."
Three years; that made him sixteen. Only one year older than Sokka. She didn't know why, but she thought he was older than that. In the end he was just one more kid displaced by the war.
"Bet your father never thought that you'd end up joining the Avatar in the battle against him."
"Sometimes I still don't believe it." He responded, and then with bitterness in his voice he said, "Azula was the prodigy. If anyone has any business teaching Aang firebending it should be her."
"She's too busy trying to kill him, and besides you're not that bad a bender yourself." He looked down at her statement, embarrassed by the compliment. For some reason she found that endearing. Shaking her head she tried to dispel the traitorous thought from her mind.
"But you still don't trust me." He said.
"Huh?"
"You accept me as Aang's teacher, but you still don't trust me."
"I'm afraid to do that." Suddenly she felt uncomfortable and getting up, started to pace. "If I trust you then I may let my guard down, and then Aang could get hurt again."
"I don't want to hurt him."
"You may think that, but something could change your mind."
"Nothing will change my mind." He said, his voice rising slightly. He stood up and blocked her in mid stride. "I am not going to let you down again."
"You better not because my threat still stands. I will do whatever it takes to keep him safe, and if I have to hurt you I will."
"You seem awful confident in your abilities." He said.
"I've learned some new tricks since we last fought. Believe me, you do not want to cross me."
For some reason her threat brought a smile to his face. Irritated by his reaction she said, "You find my threat amusing?"
"No, it's just that I didn't realize that people from the Water Tribe could be so passionate."
His statement only incensed her more. "So you think that only Fire Nation citizens can get worked up over something they care about."
"I never said that."
"I will hurt you."
"I believe you."
"Just so that we're clear on that."
He smiled again and replied, "We're clear."
They stood staring at each other for a moment and then she said, "Zuko, about what you said earlier, I guess it won't kill me to be nicer to you."
"Thank you."
Suddenly the ground beneath them shook violently, and the walls surrounding them disappeared back into the earth. When the dust settled Toph stepped forward and started to applaud. "Well congratulations you two. That only took all day, but hey, you made nice, and that's all that matters."
Katara glared at her friend and said, "You could have let us out hours ago."
"No could do; you two had to settle your differences."
"Well they're settled."
"And not a moment too soon. Actually I was getting a little worried. I tune out and suddenly Hotman here is talking about being passionate."
Katara felt her face flush and snuck a peak at Zuko, only to find him blushing as well. "Passionate about a cause; not passion like...well, like whatever you're implying." He said defensively.
"Oh don't go getting all anxious. We all know that you and Katara are anything but passionate. Yeah good old dull and boring; that's what we should call you. Wouldn't you agree snoozles?" She said as she stumped her foot, and sent a ripple of earth careening towards Sokka, who was sleeping a few feet away.
Jumping up into the air as the wave of earth connected with him, he landed in a defensive stance and looked around wide eyed. "Huh...what...who...?" he asked, still dazed from sleep.
As his eyes found Katara and Zuko he said, "Oh, I see that you two finally made up." Stretching, he let out a loud yawn, and then continued, "What an incredibly dull day this has been."
Katara ignored Toph's smile at her brother's remark, and fixing him with a look replied, "No one said that you had to stick around."
"I couldn't just leave you trapped in there with Jerk Bender here. Someone had to make sure that he didn't try anything."
"Sorry we weren't entertaining enough for you Sokka." She replied heatedly.
"Hey at first it was great; all that yelling and slamming around, but then when you guys got all quiet and sappy I lost interest."
"I thought the whole point of this was for Katara and me to come to an understanding; to play nice as Toph put it." Zuko interrupted.
"Right...about that Toph...if Zuko and are Katara aren't fighting anymore, what are we going to do for fun now?"
"I could always go back to pushing you around." She returned with a grin.
"No seriously Toph, first Zuko goes and gives up being angry, in favor of this new, kinder and gentler – and girly, I may add – form of fire bending." This drew a glare from the prince. Sokka unaware continued, "And now Katara's let go of all her pent up hostility at Zuko. Other than making fun of Haru's mustache, there's nothing left to help pass the time."
"You could help out a little more around camp." Katara stated.
"Boring!"
"How about training a little harder with your sword?" Zuko attempted.
"Are you implying that I don't already train hard enough as it is?" Sokka shot back angrily.
"No, of course not." Zuko responded sarcastically.
"Good, because I wouldn't want to ruin this being nice thing by having to put you in your place."
This brought a snort from Zuko, and a full blown laugh from Katara. "What?" her brother asked. "You think I can't handle Zuko?"
"Do you want my honest answer or what you want to hear me say." She laughed even harder. "Not that I'm saying your bad or anything, but have you ever watched Zuko train?"
"Apparently not as much as you have!" he shot back heatedly.
She felt herself blush from head to toe at his answer. Awkwardly she replied, "I had to watch Zuko closely. I mean he could have done something to hurt Aang. I had to make sure that nothing happened."
"Good try Katara, but I know the truth." Toph joked.
"Toph! I don't know what you're implying..."
"I think you do, and it explains a lot about your behavior towards a certain firebender..."
"Cut it out Toph. You are being insufferable..."
"And gross." Sokka interjected.
"Enough!" Zuko yelled. "I am tired of being insulted." He turned to Toph. "You wanted us to try and be civil towards each other, and we have." Looking at Sokka he continued, "Sorry though if that ruins all your fun for the duration of the war. I guess you'll have to find something else to amuse that simple mind of yours. As for me, I am tired and sore, and I am going to my room to rest. I suggest you stay out of my way!"
"Wow, now that's more like it!" her brother replied. "The old Zuko is back."
Zuko smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand and said to Katara, "How have you managed to put up with him for the past fourteen years?"
"It hasn't been easy. Stick around long enough and you'll learn how to tune him out." And then turning to Sokka she said, "You know I'm with Zuko. A good nap sounds very appealing at the moment."
"What about dinner?" her brother asked.
"Don't worry about me; I've got some fruit in my room. I'll be ok."
"I wasn't worried about you."
Smiling sweetly she replied, "I'm sure you'll manage just fine." Turning to Zuko she asked, "Mind if I accompany you as far as my room?"
"It's fine by me." He replied.
She could hear her brother continue to whine as they left. Zuko asked, "How long do you think he's going to keep that up?"
"Keep what up?"
"The whining."
"Oh, I didn't notice." She giggled, and then in an exaggerated tone she said, "Tune him out."
This brought a smile to Zuko's face. "I'll try."
They continued on in silence until they came to her room. Standing at her door she faced him and said awkwardly, "Well, here's my room."
"Yeah, enjoy the quiet."
She laughed slightly. "You too."
He smiled and then started to leave. Impulsively she yelled, "Zuko wait!"
Turning back around he asked, "What?"
"I just wanted to thank you for listening earlier. I haven't been able to let go like that in a long time."
He blushed at her words and replied, "I haven't ever told another soul about what my father did to me. It felt nice to be able to tell someone."
She now found herself blushing. "Zuko, about my behavior earlier..."
"It's ok; you had a right to hold a grudge."
"I know, but still I want to apologize. I meant what I said earlier, I will try to be nicer to you."
"And if I screw up?"
"Don't screw up."
This brought another smile to his face. "Good night Katara."
"Good night Zuko."
This time when he left she didn't call him back. Standing by her door she watched him go until he turned the corner and disappeared from sight. This had definitely been one of the strangest days of her young life. Reluctantly she had found a friend in her enemy, and now she could only hope that he stayed true to his promise to help Aang defeat the Fire Lord. She really didn't want to have to do anything harsh, but if he pushed her, she knew she would have no choice.
Silently she entered her room, and without bothering to undress, lay down on her bed exhausted. She lay there thinking about all that they had discussed today; their mothers' similarities and their fathers' differences. She thought about how he wasn't that much older than her and how odd it was that the fate of the world rested in the hands of a twelve year old monk, and his teenaged friends. Finally, as she drifted off to sleep she thought back to her parting words to Zuko - don't screw up. She really hoped that he didn't. The last thing she wanted to do was take down the one person that finally understood her; the one person that she felt most comfortable baring her soul to; and the one person that she, against her better judgment, wanted to be friends with.
A.N. I started this back in December under a different title and with a different idea. After numerous touch ups I finally sat down with it and changed it to what you just read. I hope you liked the story. I would love to see these two make up in the series, and I will continue to hope that they do. This though is just something to get me through to that time.
I found inspiration for this from three sources. One being an essay on DA by MizSweet. She had a lot of interesting points about why Zutara should happen, but it was her indepth psychoanalysis of Zuko that I enjoyed the most. I also have been enjoying the fanart created by GreenifyME and found myself wanting to put a story to all her wonderful drawings. Lastly I wanted to finish this for two friends who are dealing with the death of their mothers. One the year anniversary, and the other just this week. It never does seem to get easier, and I wanted to relay that fact through Katara and Zuko'a interaction.
Finally, I would like to thank Taffy0823 who recently gave me encouragement to continue writing. Life has become very hard for me lately. I've got a lot going on, and a lot of people dumping on me. My confidence in very low and it has affected my desire to write. This story is a break for me, and I haven't forgotten the others, I just needed a diversion.
Hope you all enjoyed it. Please let me know!