Disclaimer: I don't own A:tLA

Glad that's out of the way! Hello again, my wonderful readers! Thank you all for staying with me! And anything that has happened/will happen in the Legend of Korra has nothing to do with this story.


Reflection

Zuko sat, staring at his face, reflected perfectly back at him in the still waters of the spirit oasis. Deep lines were etched into his face from years of dark scowling. He narrowed his eyes at himself, feeling useless being trapped where he was.

He knew he would have to keep a low profile on this outing, but he had never imagined that it would include him hiding all day while Katara did all the searching. Chief Arnook had been more than welcoming to the duo, and understood their need for utmost secrecy, even allowing Zuko to take refuge in the tribe's holiest of places until other arrangements could be made.

He couldn't help but remember the first time he had been here; the Fire Nation had been attacking. It seemed so long ago, long enough to be another lifetime. A lifetime of shame that he wished he could forget.

He sat, thinking and scowling, remembering all his past misdeeds. Everything he had done wrong weighed down on his soul. It seemed he would never be freed from his demons. His past would always haunt him. Angry, he turned his head, trying to cover his scar with one of his hands. It hid his scar, but only to his eyes. His very soul was scarred; everything bad that had happened to him could be traced to the day he received his scar, and the man who had imparted it upon him. His banishment, the loss of his mother, the loss of his sister, the loss of his childhood.

But it was also the very same scar that had brought about good things. Travelling with Uncle, choosing his own destiny, teaching the Avatar, and ending a long and bloody war. He was undeniably a part of that, and not just because of his royal heritage. Becoming friends with Aang and the others had been the one good thing he could claim as his own; something he had done without harboring ulterior motives.

Zuko sighed, dropping his hand back onto his lap. His scowl eased back into a passive mask. All his accomplishments and failures, all of it, made him who he was. A man with honor.


Katara made her way back towards the spirit oasis after having spent the day with Chief Arnook. She had confided in him about Aang's disappearance, and why only she and Zuko were tracking him.

He had promised to help in anyway possible, and told her he would keep his a lookout for any information on the Avatar's whereabouts, and find a way to discreetly notify her if he did find out. He had even arranged for a small hut on the edge of the city to be ready for her and Zuko to use for the night. But they had to move on. Aang wasn't here, as much as it crushed her to admit it. The feeling of confidence that had flooded her before now left her empty, and nearing despair. She had to find him; she had to fix this.

Stooping to go through the small tunnel that lead to the spirit oasis, she wished that things could for once be simple in her life.

She stood upright, having exited the tunnel into the spirit oasis. Her breath caught at the sight of Zuko staring into the water, one hand covering the left side of his face. His hand fell to rest at his side as his face cleared of emotion.

"Zuko," she breathed.

Startled, he looked up. "Hey," he said quietly.

She made her way to his side, lowering herself to the grass next to him. She gave him a look of compassion. Her eyes held no pity for him, only sadness for his pain.

"Aang isn't here."

"I thought as much. If he were, we wouldn't have been here so long," he replied.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to wait up here all day. I'm sorr-"

"Katara, it's fine. I can be patient."

She nodded, fighting the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes. She had thought that once the war was over that things would be easy in her life. It had all seemed so straightforward, but now it was a tangled mess.

He watched her try to compose herself, watched as she swallowed her fear and panic. She finally looked up into his eyes, and said, "I can fix it."

"Fix what?" he asked, confused.

"Your scar." She reached out, and placed her hand on his face, her fingertips coming to rest just under his eye. "We're in the spirit oasis. I can use the water here to heal it."

He took a deep breath, hope surging in his chest. He could finally be free from it; the horrible mark of his misdeeds forever gone from his face.

He hated everything about it. The way it looked, the horrible tightness that could never be stretched.

He could be free.

He wanted it, but he had come to accept his scar – had come to accept himself.

"No," he exhaled.

"What? But, why?" She was genuinely surprised and confused.

He opened his eyes meeting hers, and he knew. "It's a part of me now," he said simply. "Plus, if I ever change my mind, I can always drag you back up here to heal me." He smiled weakly, taking her hand off his face, and gently holding it with both of his. "Thank you, though."

She was left speechless, awed by how much he had grown in the past months.

"Arnook has a house for us to stay in for the night," was all she could supply, "but I think we should keep going. We have to find him."

"We will," he assured. "Tonight, though, we need to get some rest."

He rose, and pulled her up with him, hands still joined.

For the first time in his life, his scar wasn't his definition. He would no longer see his scar when he looked in the mirror – he would see himself.


A/N: I am so so so sorry for how long this took to get out. I have had a very long spring, and just now have had the time to write this out. I don't deserve all you amazing readers, but love to have you anyway! Thank you for reading, and do me a favor and leave a review, too? They make me write faster, because of how excited I get from the feedback.