Night fell quickly in the Fire Nation, providing helpful cover as Katara, Shai Li, and the Blue Spirit crept through the forest.

Surprisingly, they had not been caught; the Blue Spirit was a smart man, taking them carefully out of the palace, away from the crowds. He had ran into the forest, and the two women had no other choice but to follow them. He kept a steady pace, one that Katara normally would have no trouble keeping up with; but her wounds were acting up again, and she was feeling quite exhausted.

But she would not complain-this man had risked his life for her, bringing her food and saving her from Azula. If she needed to keep up with him for just one night, she could do that.

They were in a deep forest. Large trees loomed over head, touching the star studded sky. The remnants of a sunset hung in the west, and bat-sparrows flitted through the sky.

Caught up in the scenery, she lost track of her feet, stumbling on a tree root or fallen limb. This would have been a problem if there hadn't been a tree in her path, colliding forcefully with her head.

The last thing she could remember was a flash of blue turning toward her, black gloved hands reaching out, catching...

_ _ _ _ _ _

She woke in a clearing; it was pitch black except for the dim fire, trees casting long shadows on the grass. Shai Li slept, slumped against a tree. The Blue Spirit was sitting, knees pulled up to chest, watching her.

She startled, realizing this. Trying to sit up, she fell back...she was weaker than she thought. Her wounds were aching...she hurt all over.

The man must have seen her movements, as he stood and walked over.

"Sorry," she murmured. She felt bad about slowing them down, but he shook his head and bent down.

His hand was warm, even through the glove, as he prodded her head. There was quite a sizable bump there, which he carefully felt and bent down, looking her in the eyes.

"I'm okay," she said. He shook his head again.

From his pack came a worn black bag, and his hands unearthed bandages, creams, and salves. Cautiously, one hand came to rest on her robe. She noticed there was a new pair of dark red pants and undershirt on her-had he put those on while she was out? She hoped not-although he had seen her in the cell, and had been the perfect gentleman. She trusted him, and gave him a slight nod.

He surveyed her wounds, shoulders sagging. Something akin to a sigh escaped his lips as he grabbed the familiar yellow cream and began to open it.

"Hold on," she said, grabbing his hand. "If you get me some water...I might be able to heal this myself."

And he was up without a seconds thought, grabbing a canteen and walking off into the woods. He returned moments later, with a full container of fresh water that he held out to her.

Bending a thing stream of clear liquid out, Katara went to work on her arm first. Coiling the water around it carefully, she sighed as it began to glow. She then healed her back marks, and her burns, and her foot.

The Blue Spirit watched in amazement as her wounds slowly disappeared and the girl slumped in relief. He carefully stretched out a hand and rested it on the new smooth skin of her arm.

Shaking his head in amazement, he gave the waterbender a once-over before heading back to his spot.

_ _ _ _ _ _

Zuko awoke to the smell of...breakfast?

"Shai Li found a nearby town and bought some stuff." Katara pointed to the pot of potatoes and vegetables cooking over the fire. "Want some?"

He couldn't resist the bowl of hot stew she handed him, and sat down next to the fire. He was so close to pulling his mask off and digging in when a thought crossed his mind.

He would have to take off his mask to eat...and with Katara here, he probably couldn't do that.

It's not that he didn't want her to know who he really was. How would she react, finding out that her worst enemy was her savior? Guilt still remained after not saving her immediately and letting Azula torture her.

And something seemed off about Shai Li. He knew her from somewhere...but where? Could he trust her?

"Oh," she sighed. "Guess you can't eat with that on...you can take it off. I don't care what you look like. You gotta eat."

He stared at her.

"Come on. Want me to turn around? You have to eat something. Don't be stubborn"

Silence.

"...Fine."

He turned, walking off into the forest. Only then did he carefully lift his mask and spoon a bite to his lips.

_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _

The group stood, dazed. They didn't know quite what to think...they had discovered Katara was gone, possibly in more ways than one. What did they do now?

At least in the beginning they had a glimmer of hope, something to keep them moving forward. But after flinging open the cell door to discover that only her dress remained, their hope had vanished.

They had met up at the tree after the invasion, as planned.

"We have to keep moving forward," Hakoda sighed to the group. He had briefly described what they had found.

Sokka let out a choked sob, staring straight ahead. Suki tried to comfort him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, but it was as if he was not there-he had not responded to anyone.

Aang sat in stunned silence, tears streaming down his face.

They had failed-Katara was gone, and their chance at doing something worthwhile during the eclipse had came and went. All they had to show were some scraps of blue cloth and a glimmer of hope, slowly dimming.

_ _ _ _ _ _

"I think...I mean, seeing as we don't really have a plan...well, I think we should catch up with my friends. Aang...well, the Avatar, you know...and my brother, Sokka, and our friend Toph and my dad and some others are going to take down the Fire Lord when the comet comes."

Both Shai Li and the Blue Spirit's shoulders stiffened; Katara had no idea why.

"That was our plan before Ba Sing Se...try to gather as many people we could to take down the Fire Lord. I don't know exactly where they are...but they are probably around here somewhere. We had a schedule of places to go to find people...and right now we were going to be here, in the Fire Nation, to find a firebending teacher for Aang."

"So...your friends are somewhere...in the Fire Nation?" Shai Li asked, warily eyeing the young man with his head in his hands.

"Well...yes. Most likely," Katara said, brows furrowing.

Throwing his hands up, the Blue Spirit stalked off, frustration etched in his shoulders. Disappearing every so quietly into the forest, leaving the two women alone.

"What is up with him? Why will he never talk to us? Never eat and barely sleep? He's like a statue!" Katara huffed, leaning back upon a tree.

"I think...he's just confused right now. He has had a hard time lately..." Shai Li trailed off.

"...Wait," Katara stood. "How do you know? Does he talk to you?"

"No," Shai Li admitted, cautiously, "but I think it's time he does."

She turned, walking the same direction the man had disappeared to.

Sighing, Katara through her head back, losing herself in the stars.

_ _ _ _ _ _

Throwing his mask down, Zuko knelt by the stream, splashing his face with cool water.

Life was just so horribly complicated.

He had not thought out farther beyond saving the girl and getting out. He had not planned on a mysterious woman he knew from somewhere, way back in his memories, tagging along. Or how hard it was to take care of three people without speaking to them. Or the fact that this girl wanted to take down his father-a fact that he had known, yes, but not really accepted until it was staring him right in the face.

He could, of course, say yes. Take off his mask and go with her, take down his father and save the world, be the hero, for once. Not the bad guy.

And it was what he wanted-to rid the world of his father before he could do any more damage. But actually doing so was a whole different matter.

Would Katara's group accept him? Would Katara accept him?

And he knew this: he really, really, really wanted Katara to accept him.

That was another thing he had not planned on. This strange attraction brewing between the two of him.

It was little things, of course. The way her hips swung when she walked. How she got that far-off look in her eyes while making dinner. The way her fingers felt when he took his cup from her. How whole-heartedly she accepted him, treated him like he mattered-

"Zuko?" a quiet voice whispered, freezing him in place.

It was too deep to be Katara-it had to be the woman. But how on earth did she know his name?

"...What?" he croaked out, voice hoarse from disuse. "Who are you? What do you-"

"Look at me," she murmured. "And tell me how you don't recognize me."

He turned, slowly, and took in the details of the woman standing not ten feet away.

It hit him all at once; the way her eyes were deep gold, sloping slightly, just like his. The pale birthmark on the side of her slender neck...the way her elegant fingers were tapered at the end...how her hair gleamed in the sunlight. Just like his.

His mind raced back to his last memory of her, quietly leaving his room that night so long ago. He compared this woman, every detail; and came up even. Yes, there were small differences-her name, small lines along her mouth and eyes, a little thinner than she used to be-but this woman was one and the same. This woman was his mother.

"Mom," he whispered, rolling the word around in his mouth. "Mom?" he asked, a question.

"Oh, Zuko," she murmured. "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry." Tears brimmed in her eyes.

Ten feet could not be crossed fast enough.

He fell into her arms, crying. "Oh, Mom...I can't believe...I never thought I would see you again...what happened to you? Why did you leave?"

Her hand tangled in his hair. "You've gotten so big," she whispered. "What happened to the little boy I left?"

"He grew up, Mom," he said. "Let's talk."

_ _ _ _ _ _

And they did.

"So...you didn't really leave? They caught you and kept you in prison?"

"Yes," she mused. "It wasn't that bad, really...better than death."

They sat against two trees, facing towards each other.

"And you," she laughed. "You did an awful lot while I was gone."

He paled. "Well, I did do some bad things, but I've changed, I promise-"

"Oh, baby," she whispered. "I know you have. I know."

"And...I've decided I want to go with Katara to find her friends."

Ursa nodded, smiling a grin that said she knew this all along.

_ _ _ _ _ _