A huge thank you to ManofManyHats! Their review and subsequent ideas over PM have inspired this chapter into existence! (Four months later, LOL.)

AN EVEN BIGGER THANK YOU to my beta, Jane Glass! Her help with story, characters, grammar, conventions, and plot have helped out this chapter so. much. She also helped motivate lazy ol' me:P

NOTE: Last chapter I used a style of writing in only dialogue for some sections and no dialogue for the others. Those sections will still exist, but from here onward there will also be sections with both. Also, I know this chapter's a bit short compared to the last one, but that's because it's setting up for the next chapter, a preview of which is at the bottom!

Thanks for reading! I give you...

Chapter Two

LIFE CONTINUES ON

in which Aang, Zuko, Sokka, and Katara try to heal overnight, and fail

"Hey, Aang?"

"Y-yeah, Katara?"

"What just happened?"

"Well... so, I went out to get medicine for you and Sokka, right? But the Fire Nation saw me, and they sent these really good archers out after me and captured me and took me to Zhao... and I don't know why but he said it has to be him who captures me... anyways! There was this guy in a Blue Spirit mask, and we escaped, but turns out it was Zuko! So, then he captured me, and we traveled for a few days. A day and a half? I don't remember. But when it was night he had this nightmare and started firebending and-and... yeah."

"Zuko? You have been in your room for quite some time now. I am starting to get worried. You are still growing; you need to eat."

"I'm fine, Uncle! Leave me be."

"I can tell that something is troubling you, Zuko. Looking within yourself will help to solve this conflict, but that does not mean I cannot help. May I come in?"

Katara couldn't look Aang in the eyes. Or should she say eye?

Her best friend's right eye, while no longer painful (or so he claimed), would be scarred forever.

How could Zuko do such a thing? She always knew he was evil, but somehow, she didn't expect this.

If only she had been more careful tending to Sokka, then maybe she could've gone with Aang to get the medicine...

But she wasn't the one who burned Aang!

Zuko scarred Aang for life! What, did he just feel lonely being the only one around with a facial scar- was that it!? Was it just trying to force someone innocent into his little club!?

He probably deserved his scar.

What were you if you hurt another person? Zuko wondered. A fighter. But what if they weren't fighting back? Then you've won the fight. If they were defenseless? A conqueror. A defenseless child? A- a monster.

But what if he was also the Avatar? Monster.

All powerful bender of all four elements? He only knew one.

An airbending master, who could bend the air from your body, wipe out the Fire Nation and take over the world?

HE WAS A CHILD.

"We need to continue North. We need to find you guys a waterbending master and defeat the Fire Nation," Sokka spoke out of the silence. It was the dinner, the second night after Sokka, Aang, and Katara had reunited, and this was the first time anyone had mentioned moving onward.

Sokka found it hard to even talk to Aang. To hear that his voice still carried its usual optimism even after he had been permanently disfigured. To hear how it was slightly less optimistic than it had been before.

Aang was Sokka's little brother. Similar to Katara, but different. He'd known Katara for forever, and Aang for only a short while but... Aang was Sokka's little brother. That's the way it was. He was supposed to protect Katara, and he was supposed to protect Aang, and he'd failed.

He'd failed so hard.

"Hey... Katara?"

"Yeah, Aang?"

"Should I forgive Zuko?"

"What are you talking about? Of course not!"

"I-I know it sounds crazy... but I'm trying to move forward and I can't stay angry forever so may as well forgive him now and put this all behind us, right?"

"I wouldn't."

"It's not like he meant to burn me! It was an accident!"

"Likely story."

"No, really! He was sleep bending! And I couldn't move and... it wasn't his fault, was it?"

"Of course it was his fault! He burnt you, Aang!"

"It's just... my people... the Air Nomads, they told me to always forgive. Even if it's something truly horrible, bitterness hurts yourself more than it hurts the other person. To truly be at peace, we need to forgive... but it's just so hard."

"Aang, it's okay if you don't want to forgive Zuko. More than okay, actually. He doesn't deserve your forgiveness. He scarred you, Aang!"

"I know, but the Air Nomads-"

"The Air Nomads are dead, Aang! You don't- you don't have to forgive Zuko."

"Uncle, what do you do if you've hurt someone?"

"Then you apologize, preferably over tea."

"What if you can't apologize?"

"Why wouldn't you be able to apologize, Prince Zuko?"

"Don't call me that! I'm banished. Probably will be forever."

"Do not say such hopeless things, Nephew. You could capture the Avatar yet!"

"Nephew?"

"Leave... please."

"The Air Nomads are dead, Aang!" Sokka froze. He'd just come back from hunting for food, when he heard Aang and Katara talking. He couldn't believe his sister would say something like that. Sure, tensions had been high lately, what with... everything that had happened, but he didn't think she'd take it out on Aang.

Arriving back at camp, Sokka saw Katara running off towards the stream, while Aang stood still, in shock. Slowing to a stop, Aang and Sokka just looked at eachother.

Was Sokka supposed to say something? He didn't know what to say. She's crazy, am I right? Except for Katara might not be crazy. Sokka wasn't sure Aang should forgive Zuko, either. So should he say something to cheer him up? No, I don't think now's the time for jokes. So, not knowing what to say...

"That's rough, buddy."

And then, because how did you comfort someone who had recently found out his whole nation was dead, he added, "I uh... should probably go after her. Calm her down, y'know? So uh... see you later!"

Sokka sprinted off in the direction he'd seen Katara run off in. Idiot! How could you just leave your friend like that? He kept running.

Coming to the edge of the stream they'd situated their camp near, he saw Katara curled up with her head on her knees at the edge of it.

"Katara?"

"You heard that, didn't you?"

"The end of it, yeah."

"I know I shouldn't have said that, I was just so mad! How could Aang even consider forgiving Zuko already? Zuko scarred him. He could've killed him!"

"Katara..."

Don't pretend you aren't angry too!"

"I'm not pretending anything, Katara! I'm angry, and you're angry… we're both angry, because this shouldn't have happened! But it did, and yelling at Aang isn't going to help anything!"

"I just want him to realize-!"

"I know, Katara. This just- this isn't Mom, okay? Aang's here; Aang's alive."

"Well, not if Zuko had his way!"

"But he didn't. Aang's here, and alive, and safe… and probably traumatized from meeting Scary Katara."

"I should probably go apologize for that, huh?"

"Probably. But maybe you could sit with me a few minutes more? I… didn't exactly catch any fish earlier. Think you could help?"

"Yeah, sure."

Zuko knew he should tell Iroh. Iroh would know what to do in this situation… even if it was unlikely he'd give Zuko any coherent advice. But, still...

The Air Nomads are dead, Aang!

And it's all your fault.

If only, if only you hadn't run away!

Aang's scar didn't hurt at all now, all thanks to Katara, but it sure did feel strange. It felt rubbery and leathery; it didn't fit in with his skin at all…

You know who else was burnt? The Air Nomads! And they, unlike you, didn't wake up from it.

And it's so sad, Aang thought, but I'm past this. I'm meant to be here, now, with Katara and Sokka. I ran away and it lead me here… and Appa's here, and I'll be fine!

Just because you're here, now doesn't mean you shouldn't have been there, then. They really could've used an all-powerful Avatar then. If you were there then, you wouldn't need to be here now.

Zuko was right… I didn't even try. I just… disappeared.

Disappeared and let your people be burnt to the ground. Now you know what it's like to be burnt...

You deserved it. At least they fought. You deserved to burn with them.

Zuko knew he should tell Iroh. He knew it, he knew it, he knew it, but still…

How could he tell Iroh he'd done something that Iroh condemned so vehemently?

Iroh had always told Zuko that hurting an innocent was unacceptable, and while Iroh never explicitly brought up his father or his banishment, Zuko had a feeling that was what he was referring to. Still, Zuko set it aside. He had disrespected his father, and was deserving of punishment. Obviously.

But what had the Avatar done to merit being burnt in his sleep?

Iroh had always believed the best of Zuko, even when he didn't deserve it. How could he let his uncle see just how far gone he was?

But maybe, Zuko wondered, Iroh could help. And maybe he would still love me?

Sokka and Katara walked together back to camp, Sokka's arms full of fish, and Katara carrying wild berries and other non-meat foods for their vegetarian friend. Arriving back at camp, they found Aang curled up at Appa's large feet, the flying bison licking its friend while Momo bounced on his head in a mostly-futile attempt at cheering the young monk up.

The two siblings placed their food by the fire and walked up to their friend. They dropped down on either side of the young airbender, and put their arms around his shoulders.

Katara sat and thought some of her mother, and a little of Zuko, but mostly about Sokka and Aang, and closed her eyes with a small smile on her face.

Sokka took this time to do a mental inventory of all they had and what they would need to continue forward. There was still a Fire Nation to beat, after all.

Aang… thought of almost nothing. Running around in the back of his head, of course, were his memories of Gyatso and the guilt he just couldn't shake no matter what he did, but he felt the warmth that came from being sandwiched between his two greatest friends, and found his mind at peace.

Zuko knew he had to tell Iroh.

Later that night, around the warmth of the fire, Sokka cooked fish, and Katara told (or rather attempted to tell) jokes, and Aang smiled, and all three laughed.

In the firelight, Aang's scar was less visible than normal, but was still glaringly obvious. However, it seemed that it was a minor enough part the night that all three in their heads reached the same realization: Life continues on.

"Uncle? I… I need to talk to you."

Next time, on Hey, Zuko?:

The Wanted Poster: The Fire Nation is slow in updating their wanted posters. Aang finds the old poster of himself, then Zuko finds it, and then they find each other.

HEY YOU! Wanna see that next chapter even faster? My fuel is reviews, friends! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the original chapter, and the BETA NEEDED chapter that's been deleted. Keep it up, please:D