Drabble, Drabble, Drabble! XD I HEART DRABBLES! Ok, ok here's numbah 2!

Disclaimer: If I owned ATLA I wouldn't make people wait 2 weeks for a new episode…that's too painful ;. ;

"I'm sorry…" he turned away from me, I lay kneeling on the muddy ground, holding on to his green pant leg. Tears, I thought had stopped flowing, erupted, fell down my cheeks and splashed onto my muddy skirt, the blue almost faded from all the dark brown.

"I'm sorry…" I choked out once more, my hair undone from its original braid hung like a curtain around my face, wet and stained with the rain that continued to fall upon us.

The gray skies above us gave the illusion that it was evening instead of mid day. I slowly raised my head to look up to him, the top knot I had grown so used to was replaced by black locks that reached up to his shoulders and held at the end with a brown and thin scrunchie. The black and red armor I had thought suit him like the fire nation scum bag I had always thought he was, was now replaced by a green outfit that made it seem he was from the Earth Kingdom instead of the Fire nation.

I realized that so much had changed from the events that occurred between us in the North Pole to now, he had no longer the cold and evil stare that I always saw in his golden orbs back then…the look had changed to a painful realization, as though he had found out the most horrid thing he had always found a lie to be true. Sometimes his eyes would glaze as though he was remembering something that always pained him, and what was funny…was that he always looked like this when he thought no one was watching…

But that was the thing…someone's always watching…

Always wondering…

Always thinking…

Always prying…

Always searching for answers…

Always hurting…

And what's more…that some one was me…

I had pried and dug into zones I knew I was never suppose to be allowed in. I always asked questions to those who secretly knew him better than anyone…I always asked his uncle, Iroh, what had caused him such emotional pain that he always has a scowl. I've always asked on how and why he received his scar, I've always wondered what happened to his family, if he missed them. What his mother felt when he was banished, what his uncle felt if he saw what had happened to him. If he had any brothers or sisters…what would they be thinking about him this very moment…?

I searched and searched, I asked and I asked, I never realized what I was doing exactly, but I always knew that I wanted to learn more. Don't ask me why…I just did, at first I only made myself believe that I was just trying to see why he always had a chip on his shoulder.

I looked deeper and deeper and finally I had found it…but I found too much, and the result of my searching wasn't what I had hoped…in fact it left me torn inside.

It had happened when I had asked Iroh of how Zuko got his scar for the hundredth time, Iroh had always given me the same answer, "It is not my place to tell you of Zuko…he is the only one who can tell you…" as much as I had wanted to comply, I had this fear, this dread to what would happen if I asked the Prince himself. I wasn't afraid that he would harm me, or that he would turn me away…I was afraid to see him recoil within himself and once again try to hide painfully the pain and memories he would experience…I was afraid he would hurt himself.

It was then when I had truly realized this fear, when I had truly understood what I was doing…

I had fallen in love with Zuko.

I wanted to see him smile, a true smile. I wanted to see him laugh, to see his face light up when we offer him his favorite dish, (Iroh had managed to let out that bit of information, and I take full advantage of it.) I want to see him excited; I wanted to see a sign of him that was happy for what he had right now.

But most of all, I wanted to see what was behind the mask.

Realizing that I felt this way towards him, the energy, and the will to know more about Zuko strengthened tenfold. I no longer thought of his scar to be something repulsive, but something amazing, something that pinpointed him out from the rest of the world. Something that made Zuko be Zuko, something that I realized I had grown to respect, to admire.

To be scarred so horribly in the face and still walk around in daylight is not something most people would do, for that will I admired him.

It was early morning before it had happened; I had woken up at dawn as I always did to prepare breakfast. I cleaned myself and made some tea while the soup was being made, and waited patiently for the rest of the group to rise. Zuko was always the second to wake up and I think the fact that I woke up before him unnerved him, so I always avoided any serious conversation with him…but I would always share some small talk with him.

"Morning." I waved to him, motioning to him that breakfast was ready. He frowned, "Morning…" he murmured before sitting up and rolled his sleeping back. He turned to me and sat opposite to me and grabbed his bowl, he sniffed it and sipped at it.

He always did that…I think he still doesn't trust us completely since he always checks if we're poisoning him or something…which is always funny since I always thought it should be vice versa. He didn't say anything, but the fact that he continued eating it until there wasn't a drop left made me feel like he did enjoy it, so I had stopped asking whether if it was good or not.

"How did you sleep?" I asked awkwardly, I always had to be polite, not matter how much of an ass he could be in the morning, it was too early to start and argument. "whatever." He said indifferently.

"That's…nice…" I said lamely, I was struggling not to hit myself. that was lame. Very, very lame and I'm not surprised if he won't let me know of that.

"That was lame." He said, amused. I raised an eyebrow at him, "I don't see you trying to make a conversation." He scoffed, "why would I want to make conversation with a water peasant?" that bastard. He knew I hated to be called that.

"I don't see you being any different, your highness." I spat that last word out as though it was a curse. He glared at me, "I'll have you know, that I may be dressed as an earth villager but I have more class than most of the nobles you can find in this prefect." It was my turn to smirk, "Oh yea?" I crossed my arms, and leaned against a tree.

"If you've got so much class why are you arguing with a lowly peasant, such as I, about it?" he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. My smirk grew wider. Heh, I win this round. He muttered something under his breath before standing up. His plate and spoon in his hand, he walked past me and placed them on my arms before continuing his way to where he slept.

"Thanks for the food." He muttered the moment he brushed shoulders with me. Naturally, my eyes widened at this, not once had he said thank you for anything we've done for him without his uncle to force him to. I knew he was changing too, that maybe had had grown up a little. That alone made me smile.

I turned around to see him pack up some more things and continue to wake up his uncle, who was snoring contently; my smile grew warmer and I felt a small flutter in my stomach.

"Jerk." I said softly to myself; as I held on to his plate tighter, I moved on to wash them later on. After about an hour Iroh and Aang had woken up and had made their sleeping bags, the two chattered as they ate breakfast, Aang asking certain questions of the next Fire Bending lesson, and Iroh responding to very few, while the other questions had their answers of a chuckle and a "Patience, young Avatar." He pouted, I chuckled at him.

It was about nine o'clock when Sokka was awakened. (It took both Aang and Zuko to wake him; Aang screamed out his name and cried that his pants were on fire. And when that didn't work Zuko would actually light a small flame on my brother's pants, the result would always leave a sour Sokka, an amused Iroh, a laughing me, a sheepish Aang, and a sneering/taunting Zuko.) He ate his breakfast, which thankfully had not gone cold, and we packed stuff up and began to place our stuff on Appa's saddle, when everything was set, we all set off to another region of the mountains.

Everything was going pretty well, Zuko and Sokka had been arguing and it had almost gone to the point where Sokka was beginning to grab at his club and Zuko at his sheathed swords, (I keep asking Iroh how he got them but Iroh seems to have no clue as to how he got them either.) sighing I made a water whip form from a nearby cloud and hovered it dangerously over my shoulder. The two boys stopped and grumbled.

Iroh let out a hearty laugh. "It seems you already know how to tame these two young men, eh, Miss Katara?" I smiled and Zuko snorted, he didn't really like that comment.

"Hey you guys, I think it's going to rain." We heard Aang from Appa's head. I looked up and towards Aang; the sky was pretty clear except a few clouds here and there.

"What makes you say that, Aang?" I asked curiously. Aang turned around and pointed at a flock of birds that were heading the opposite way, "Well they seem pretty jumpy, and the air smells pretty moist, that and…" he turned back the other way and looked down and began to rub Appa's head. "Appa seems a little edgy." The large bison grunted as though agreeing with him. Aang smiled and rubbed gentler. "There, there, boy, it's ok."

"The young Avatar is right." Iroh nodded his head, sniffing in the air. "We should get some shelter, this won't be just some rain, I fear." We all looked at him, "The air is very still, too still to be up this high, I fear a storm is approaching." I felt uneasy all of a sudden.

"But Uncle," Zuko protested. "We've just left our last camp; it'll be useless to go back now."

"We should look for a cave, or a village to for cover," Sokka suggested. "But I still highly doubt a small storm can knock us off course or anything." Iroh sent him a secretive smile.

"You don't really understand how strong a 'small storm' can be, do you?" Iroh asked curiously. Sokka raised an eyebrow, "What's that suppose to mean?"

"I think my uncle gave you too much credit to understand something so simple." Sokka's eye twitched and his arm gave a sudden jerk, Zuko stared at him expectantly. "Knock it off, Sokka." I said placing a hand on his shoulder, clearly sensing an upcoming argument/fight. "Let's just worry about finding a safe place to wait the storm, Kay?" Sokka growled lowly and sat down grudgingly sending harsh glares at Zuko.

"Alrighty," Aang sent us a grin as he turned and shook the ropes that held on to the big furry monster. "Appa, yip, yip!" the beast groaned and we suddenly began to head to a southern region of the mountains, all of us keeping an eye out for a village or a good spot to cover.

It only took about ten minutes to get some good ground and all of us agreed that the nearby caves we had seen earlier would make the best shelter. After a while Aang set Appa down and we all got off and began to take the materials inside once of the caves. We settled down pretty well, I didn't have to separate another fight, that was always a good sign…or just a sign that a bigger fight would happen, I'm praying to Yue that we'll be spared from anymore head aches.

After settling down we waited for a while to see whether it would rain or not, so far it had been pretty clear.

I began to gather fire wood and other items, making sure to steer clear of an annoyed Sokka and a sour Zuko, so far I've been surviving, hopefully I'll keep this up for a while. Iroh had asked to join me and I agreed full heartedly, I had some new questions to ask.

"Zuko is a complicated young man." Iroh said, I smothered down a sarcastic look. "He's dealt with pains you probably couldn't imagine, pains so great it would not be surprising if he's still dealing with them right now." He picked up another dry log and moved past a few roots.

"That still doesn't explain why he's been so obsessed to capture Aang all this time." I said crestfallen. I couldn't look at the old man, I felt bad enough as it is for prying I couldn't take another of his pained looks. There was always something I would make them remember that made things worse, and I found myself soon questioning whether my need for knowledge was worth their pain.

"That I'm afraid you must ask Zuko alone." I heard the retired general sigh. "That answer is connected to the one question you ask all the time." I managed to look at him a weak sad smile was staining his usual calm and cheerful face.

"Why and where he got his scar?" I blurted, I looked away embarrassed to have asked again. A moment passed after he had chuckled and the two of us continued to collect firewood.

"There was once a man who wished to know why the turtle would hide in its shell all the time." Iroh began; I looked up and listened attentively. "The man was so curious that he would ask himself over and over again why the turtle did such a thing. It came to the point where the man would begin to ask the other animals why the turtle did that, but obviously they had no clue at all. In fact they would tell him all sorts of ridiculous things like the turtle did so for warmth." Iroh laughed, I managed a smile.

"But he never managed to get the answer for all that time. Because he was afraid that when he asked the turtle would recoil within its shell and never come back, never realizing that the turtle needed someone to ask him that very question." Iroh looked at me. I stared, what was he trying to say?

"Miss Katara, you must be strong." Iroh said firmly and strongly. I was taken aback from the sudden fierce and encouraging look he gave me that very moment. "You must ask Zuko, not only to find the answers to your questions but for the sake of Zuko himself. He would never admit it being the stubborn lad he is, but he needs someone to talk to. Some one like you."

The fire crackled and popped as it was brought to life later around eleven in the morning. Iroh's words echoed over and over again within my mind. I was distracted from my work and I was so secluded from the group so I would think away by my own. I had wished to go for a walk a little while back to ponder but the skies looked dark enough as it is and Zuko has still not come back yet.

An hour passed and the air grew stiller and colder, I felt goosebumps ride up my arms and a shiver flew down my back by a sudden gust of cold air.

"Let's get in the cave." Aang had called and I looked around as Iroh and Sokka began to retire within the warmth the cave provided.

"What about Zuko?" I asked as I made my way around the camp and settle within the dark of the cave. "He's coming right now, but we have to get in now it's about to pour." Aang had told me. And it was true; I hadn't seen such a downpour in all my life. There was barely any wind as the rain was so heavy it seemed the air itself would have trouble going through, trees were being pushed to the ground already and what was worse…

Zuko had not returned. I began to grow steadily more worried than I had been before. Thinking of all the things that might've happened to him frightened me to no end.

I could almost picture him in a ditch right now, struggling to get out of it as it began to fill up with water. Mud holding him down…suffocating him, his golden eyes pierced with anger, determination and what made me feel worse was…fear. His short hair caked his mud, his clothes becoming a liability as he struggled to survive, and what really made me panic, was knowing he could actually be giving in to death.

Thunder crackled and lightning struck and lighted the darkened sky, the noise itself had given me strength, had given me courage and the idiocy not to think except him.

I ran out of the cave and into the pouring rain.

I don't remember if I heard Aang and everyone else call out for me, the roar of the rain wouldn't have allowed me to, I don't remember crying my eyes out for the first five minutes of my run. I don't remember falling and getting soaked with mud, and I don't remember having that rock jabbed up my knee.

All I did remember was that I didn't care how hard the water poured itself on me and soaked me to the bone, I couldn't care if I was bleeding and my knee was biting at me with pain. All I cared was finding Zuko and making sure he was safe.

That alone made me ignore the pain and the cold. It made me remember that I had to do something and I wasn't going to let anything stop me.

I ran and pushed with all my might, my eyes stung with salt and rain water my hair had become undone somehow on the way and the watermelon sized raindrops pushed it down to my neck and back. My clothes clung to my body not providing the correct protection against the icy cold water that burned at my skin.

But regardless I scanned my surroundings and called out his name, I had forgotten for a moment I could Waterbend and when I realized this I had managed to bend an invisible umbrella over my head.

It could only hold for a while due to the force the rain hit the umbrella, but it was in that only while that I had seen him.

There sitting on the top of a boulder. Elbows on knees, head bent down low, hair dripping with water, clothes clung and straw hat thrown to the ground. I stared in amazement.

I realized how hard I was breathing when I saw him turn his head and look at me; his eyes killed me at that very moment.

I was left rooted to the muddy ground, my eyes wide and my breath quickened. There was so much pain, so much sadness, so much self hatred, so much fear, so much. Too much for me to take.

I felt tears form around my eyes once more, large warm tears that mixed with the rain when they escaped. He continued to stare at me with that look, his lips slightly parted revealing the end of a grimace. His face looked tired, his body screamed exhaustion. What had he been doing out here?

"Zuko?" I called. He didn't reply, instead he looked back down and closed his eyes. The rain beat upon our backs mercilessly.

I began to walk closer to him, mud dripped from my skirts and pants, my knee began to throb rather painfully.

"Zuko?" I repeated, now closer to him. He looked at me once more but not at my face, he had noticed my knee. Damn.

"…" he said nothing; he just sat there letting the rain beat him, letting it soak him. I realized right there this wasn't Zuko. This meek little kitten couldn't be the jerk I knew so well, this scared child couldn't be the man that I had grown to admire for his stubbornness and his determination.

What replaced that man was a person who seemed to have given up, who had believed he had nothing more to lose. And I wanted to find out why.

"What's happened to you?" I asked, the tears stopped falling Zuko sat up straighter now, his poker face came back.

"What would it matter to you?" he stated, the rain provided the only sound besides the dead silence that took space between us. "Please…" I whispered after a while, his ears perked up as though he were straining to hear me. "I want to know why."

Zuko scoffed. "You've been prying in far too long." He spat, I looked up at him in shock. H-he knew? He sent a glare my way, "Yea I know," he said as though he had read my mind. "I know how you continuously ask my uncle about things that shouldn't even concern you. I know how you won't cease to dig in and yank at my business, I know how you always ask questions and no matter how many times Uncle Iroh tells you, you don't wish to stop." He stood up suddenly.

He jumped off from the boulder and didn't stumble, his eyes burned with anger. "Now you will listen to me if you want answers." He growled. I cringed at his steely tone, "everything that happens to me is none of your goddamned business," he took a step forward. "Everything that has occurred to me will never be part of your goddamned business," he began to corner me his voice slowly began to crescendo as I tried to back away. I felt my back connect with a tree; Zuko stood over me his eyes full to the breaking point of rage. "And everything that is happening to me will STAY out of you goddamned business, understand!" he bellowed, I recoiled away from his boom, looking away.

I heard a whistle past my ear and a hard slam right next to my right ear, I looked up quickly and saw his fist right next to my face, his hand was shrouded in smoke. I looked back at Zuko, I was afraid for that very moment. In fact I had no doubt my eyes were telling him this. His glare made the hairs on my neck stand on end, his face closer to mine than I wished it to be.

I shut my eyes quickly and wrapped my arms around myself. "I…I just-" I stuttered. He didn't bother letting my finish.

"Why do you even care anyway?" he hissed, his other fist connected with the other side of the tree, I tried not to whimper. "Why do you want to know so much?" he grasped my shoulder, I gasped and looked up. His golden orbs locked with mine. "Just tell me the truth." He whispered. There was something in his eyes that made me forget where I was, that made me forget that the rain was beginning to lighten, that made me forget why I even began asking questions in the first place.

"Tell me the truth!" he exclaimed, his eyes pleaded to me painfully, his anger seemed to be replaced with dread.

"You want to know why?" I cried suddenly, I stared fiercely within his eyes. He looked taken aback, his hands he removed and placed them at his side, bracing himself for what I would tell him. "You want to know why I always dig in and never mind my own business?" I threw my hand to the side. Beginning to walk towards him, he started moving back his eyes never leaving mine. "It's because I worry, Zuko! Everyday I see you hurt yourself and cause yourself pain, everyday I see you recoil within yourself, your pain only visibly through your eyes. It came to a point where it was too much!" I exclaimed, I never stopped myself from speaking anymore. My eyes were pouring for the third time that day. But I felt like I was truly crying, like something was being let go within myself.

"It became too much for me to take, seeing you like this!" my voice cracked, a sob racked my body, but I still never removed my eyes from his. His eyes wide from shock, surprise and amazement, as though he had never expected something like this to ever happen. "I had to ask, I had to pry." I felt my shoulders shake as I finally looked away, my chest hurt unbearably.

"I had to because…" I opened my eyes…the storm's rage began to pass over; rain was all that was left of its remains. "Because…" I looked at him finally, his eyes still wide, his body rigid as though he was trying to contain himself from doing something he regretted, and there was that pain in his eyes again. I walked towards him, nearing closer. "Because it hurt too much, to see you like that…it broke my heart." I wobbled as I stumbled over a rock in the mud. "It made me realize..." I looked up at him; I felt as though my heart was bleeding for him, he stared at me, eyes trying to see what I was trying to say. I looked down, my voice barely above a whisper, but the rain had already come to a halt.

"…That I had fallen in love with you."

Silence.

I stood there, listening my eyes shut, hoping for him to say anything, to insult me, to scream at me, to hit me, anything to spare me from this horrid dead silence…I wanted to hear him say something that made me realize what I had done was not in vain…I didn't notice I had fallen to my knees, my knee numb from constant ignored pain.

Alas, I saw his feet turn and he turned around. He was about to walk away when I jerked my hand to his pant leg, he stopped.

"I'm sorry." I choked out, my throat burned and my eyes stung like hell. I felt weak and hopeless, my energy felt drained. "I'm sorry…"

I slowly raised my head, my eyes locked once again with Zuko's own. His eyes stared at me strangely and I could only stare back.

His eyes shifted to the side, and I realized maybe everything I have done was in vain. Maybe I shouldn't have been meddling in…no I shouldn't have meddled. It was never my place to do so…and he was going to remind me of that…I knew it.

I looked down and bowed my head low, waiting for him to scowl at me and growl out insults and many other horrid things…I heard a ruffle and I braced myself, my grasp on his pant leg tightened water ran down my arm. My body felt cold and exhausted from running in the pouring rain, my hair still stuck to my neck and back began to tickle and drip, the light noise made me realize he wasn't doing anything. I opened my eyes slightly and saw his hand before me.

I opened my eyes fully and looked up at him rapidly. A question in my mind I wanted to ask never left my lips as I had instinctively let go of his pant leg and grabbed on to his warm hand.

He helped me up, his eyes looked away a different pain was found within his golden pools, his lips tightened in a straight firm line.

I stared at him until he managed to look back down at me; we neared one another, his hand pulled me to him, I smiled. I released my hold on his hand and wrapped my arms around his neck; I covered my face on his shoulder and sobbed. I closed my eyes in fear that if I let go…I would have to let go forever.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and back awkwardly, and soon he tightened his hold almost protectively. I wept on his shoulder and felt myself grow warm as he heated his hold on me. His face burrowed in the crook of my neck and the two of us remained in each other's arms for a while. Neither saying a word…I stopped crying after he began to breathe comfortingly in my ear.

This wasn't the Zuko I had been used to…this wasn't the Zuko that had made life for me and my friends hell…this was the Zuko I had fallen in love with…The Zuko that had made me feel so much pain…

The Zuko I never thought I would care about so deeply if I hadn't been so nosy in the first place…the Zuko that had whispered in my ear almost too softly that very moment…

"Thank you, Katara."

XXXX

FIN

This has been the longest drabble I've ever written…and probably the one I've dedicated mostly…if you've noticed my other fanfics just stopped…well they didn't I just lost a large sense of inspiration…and it's taking a while to get it back…I might erase Prove them Wrong however…it isn't really going the way I want it to go. Well people, you know what to do. Leave me your feed back, and possibly suggestions for any drabbles you might want to see up.

This drabble did not have a kiss, and I know many of you may have been dying for it…but there will be more where that came from! XD you can bet your flappin heads on it!