"Here we are."
The group stood at the edge of a canyon, the sun warm on their backs as a gentle breeze tugging at their hair and clothes. Staring out across the gorge, Ursa raised a sceptical eyebrow, sharing the same reaction many others did upon reaching the Western Air Temple. Nikko looked toward the clouds, searching for a looming building on their fluffy surface.
"Are you sure this is the spot?" Ursa asked, grabbing Nikko's hand to keep her from going too close to the edge.
Katara's only response was to blow into a bison-shaped whistle, earning more sceptical stares when no sound came out. However, their doubt quickly vanished when, a moment later, Appa groaned in response and his hulking figure appeared through the mist. Landing beside them, he immediately began smothering Zuko with sloppy kisses.
Rolling her eyes a little (why was Appa so trusting of him? Didn't animals have sharp instincts when it came to bad guys?), the waterbender pulled herself up onto the bison's saddle. When the others went to follow she shook her head, saying, "You guys wait here. I need to check something first."
Then with a flick of the reigns and a 'Yip-yip!', Appa was drifting down into the canyon, carrying her toward her friends. It wasn't until she saw them all waving eagerly and shouting that she realized just how much she had missed them.
"Where's Zuko?"
"Did you find his mom?"
"You didn't kill him, did you?"
The demands of the prince's presence forced her happiness to the side, paranoia and anger back at the forefront of her mind. She just hoped her friends wouldn't be too devastated by Zuko's betrayal. That they wouldn't feel the same hurt she did.
"Toph, I need to you to verify something for me."
The blind girl raised her eyebrows. "Really? You're not still holding that stupid grudge, are you?"
"No," Katara said honestly, grabbing her friend's hand and pulling her toward the bison.
"Okay, I guess this means I'm coming with you. Thanks for giving me a choice," Toph said sarcastically, raised eyebrows lowering into a scowl.
Soon, they were back to the top of the canyon, where Zuko, Nikko, and Ursa were waiting. Sliding off the bison, Katara strode over to the prince, knowing Toph was close behind.
Pointing a finger at him, she ordered, "Tell her what you told me earlier."
He made no protest, only sighing heavily before saying, "I told her I have no intention of hurting the Avatar or any of his friends in any way, and that... th-that I really like her."
"Truth, not to mention completely obvious," Toph said, arms crossed and sightless eyes fixed on the waterbender, narrowed in annoyance. "You called me up here for this?"
"Well... What about her?" she demanded, pointing at Ursa instead. The former Fire Lady stiffened, eyes widening, then seeming to droop sadly. The wrinkles in her skin were more prominent when she held such a hurt expression.
"My only intentions are to make up for lost time with my son," she said quietly.
"Truth."
Katara's anger was quickly fading, replaced by embarrassment and desperation. Flustered, she glanced between the mother and son, searching for something o counter their lies. "B-but... All the secretive conversations! The weird looks you kept sending me, the requests to see my bending! The cryptic message!"
"What cryptic message?"
"'To reopen old wounds is to prevent healing and deepen scars.' You can't tell me that's just friendly medical advice!"
But the woman, rather than breaking down and apologizing or begging for forgiveness, began laughing (why did they always have to laugh? These were serious accusations!). With a shake of her head she chuckled, "No, it's not. It's an old Fire Nation proverb about forgiveness – I thought it might make you think about how you treated my son."
"I- but-" Katara fumbled, searching for some reason to cling to her anger (it was hard to let go of when it had consumed her so much moments before), but instead finding herself speechless and wavering between a whirlwind of emotions. This couldn't be it. Things couldn't be that simple...
"Why are you angry at each other?" Nikko asked, huddling close to Ursa's leg, eyes wide and worried.
"It's just a misunderstanding," Zuko comforted, ruffling her hair affectionately, while keeping his gaze locked on the stunned waterbender. "Everything's fine now. Right, Katara?"
"I..." She glanced between the Fire Nation royalty, hurt lingering in both pairs of golden eyes, then turned to Toph, who seemed rather tired with the whole situation. There was no one left to argue with, nothing left argue about. "Yeah, I guess. We're okay now."
"Great," the blind girl chimed in, "glad we could clear that up. Mind explaining why you brought a toddler with you?"
"Long story short, some earthbenders misdirected their anger and destroyed her village," Zuko explained. "We found her and sort of... adopted her."
Nikko waved cheerfully at the other girl. "Hi, I'm Nikko. Why do your eyes look weird?"
"They don't work right," Katara answered for her, resisting the urge to cringe at the child's bluntness. "She sees with her feet instead."
The young girl studied the earthbender's feet, frowning thoughtfully. "I don't see any eyes."
"That's 'cause I see through vibrations in the earth."
Nikko looked like she wanted to ask more, but a distant shout prevented her. The group turned to see Aang shoot up from the canyon on his glider, grinning widely.
"What's taking so long?" he asked, landing in the middle of the small crowd. Then, looking at Ursa and Nikko, he added, "Who are they?"
"We'll make introductions later," Zuko said, patience thinning. "Could we get back to the temple, now?"
Nobody made any protest to the suggestion. The group piled onto Appa and flew down into the gorge, Aang leading on his glider.
"It's magnificent," Ursa gasped when the upside-down structure came into view. "Just as Iroh described..."
"Do we have to walk on the ceiling?" Nikko asked, taking in the sight with wide, curious eyes. She was clinging tightly to Zuko's arm, but seemed to have forgotten her fear now that she was faced with awe-inspiring view.
The scarred teen chuckled, smiling. "Technically, yes."
Watching the two interact, Katara wondered why it was so easy to feel hatred and mistrust to such an obviously kind-hearted person. Shouldn't he be the person she felt the instinctive need to help and support?
Then again, it didn't make much sense that someone like him had once been hell-bent on destroying the world's last chance for peace, especially now that he was so determined to save the world.
Maybe he would always be a bundle of incomprehensible contradictions.
"It's about time!" Sokka scolded when they arrived down in the temple. "What took you so long? We were worried sick about you!"
"Didn't you get the letter?" Katara asked, hands on hips.
"Yeah."
"Well, it explains things quite clearly – we ran into more trouble than we expected."
"Th-that's not an explanation!" he exclaimed, flailing like he usually did when flustered. "That's a vague, worrying excuse!"
"It's a long story," she sighed. "Can we at least rest a little first? We've been walking all day and the sun's about to set."
"Fine. But I want answers sooner or later!"
"You'll get them," she assured, rolling her eyes slightly. Turning to Ursa, she smiled apologetically, hesitantly asked, "Can you handle introductions while me and Zuko put our things away?"
"Of course," she said, smiling in a tired but relieved manner. "I'd love the chance to meet all your friends."
With that, Zuko and Katara gathered their things and headed further inside the temple, down the corridor toward the bedrooms. Her room was at the very end of the hall, but she stopped at the first room (his) instead.
"Do you need something?" he asked, letting his bag drop onto the bed.
Standing in the doorway, watching him unpack as the fading sunlight shone through his window, she was instantly reminded of when he had first joined them. She had been so awful to him, and he had just... taken it, still willing to stay by her side no matter what she said to him.
Her hatred had felt justified then – she still believed it was, to a point. Now, the anger she had felt moments earlier just seemed... childish.
"I'm sorry."
He looked up from the items he had been pulling from his pack, obvious surprise on his face.
"For being so mean to you," she clarified, hugging her right arm against her side. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."
"Well, you believe me now, right? That's what counts."
The memory of what she was supposed to believe – that he loved her rather than wanting to kill her – made the guilt gnawing at her stomach intensify.
No doubt he wanted some sort of response to his confession, something Katara was reluctant to give. It just seemed far too cruel to hate him, trust him, jump to conclusions and hate him again, trust him again, then tell him she didn't feel the same way she did.
And he had been nothing but kind to her, protecting and helping and putting up with all her spiteful behaviour. That deserved some kind of reward, right?
"Don't," Zuko commanded, reading her thoughts. He facing her fully now, offering the full effect of his intense golden stare. "Don't give me anything out of pity. If I like you I like you – I don't ask for anything in return."
"But... It's just that I've been so awful to you and-"
"And what?" he cut in. "I don't care. I still have feelings for you anyway."
Katara found herself at a loss. It felt wrong to always be hurting and disappointing him, especially when he had proven himself to be nothing but selfless. But, at the same point, she didn't want to lead him on or disrespect his wishes.
So what could she do?
"Alright," she sighed, reluctant. "I'll find another way to make it up to you."
He smiled, turning back to the task of unpacking. "Just have a little more faith in me the next you're suspicious, alright?"
Nodding, she turned to the door, intending on heading to her room to put away her things. She barely had one foot out the door when Zuko's voice stopped her.
"We're... friends now, right?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed worriedly.
A tugging grin tugged at her lips as she was once again reminded who hid beneath the rough, stubborn exterior of the rough prince.
"Of course we are."
Author's Notes: Almost done! This story has one chapter let, which I'm looking forward to writing. =D
Certain aspects of this chapter were kinda awkward/tricky to write, but I'm overall happy with how it came out. Sorry if it seems rushed and choppy, though.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.