Author's Note: just wanna say at the start that I did put quite a bit of work into this chapter but it still might be a bit rough around the edges compared to the first one. Some complications came up in the middle of writing. Initially this had been two separate chapters, but due to a computer malfunction, and the loss of the internet for a couple of days, I figured I'd just write it all down at once.

Hopefully the length doesn't deter you from reading, I know some people prefer shorter chapters. But if it's too long for some of you, just imagine it's two for one, whatever helps.

Anyway, I hope you guys and gals follow, favorite, or review. seeing your support fuels my inner fire and keeps me raring to go! I'll see you all again really soon.

The Man and the Mask

Iroh had once told Zuko something in the off chance he ever had any real interaction with a person of the opposite sex. At the time he figured them to be unnecessary, the whole point of him hiding away was so that he didn't have to directly interact with other people. Still the words stuck with him, and part of him was glad they had.

" There will come a time in your life when you meet a lady. Always remember these things Zuko. Always be courteous, a woman will greatly appreciate the use of good manners . If you ever have one as a guest, do not hesitate to offer her a meal, or even better, a hot cup of tea! " Iroh had a bizarre love for tea, it quite frankly disturbed Zuko. " And most importantly, always be kind, and the woman will be kind to you in return. "

The rest of Zuko thought Iroh was a big fat liar. Katara had been anything but appreciative of his kind mannerisms. It seemed that if there were one thing that could rid a woman of any former sense of civility.

" Is it done yet?! Just let me do it! "

It was their hunger.

" I told you to just stay there, you need to rest. I'll have the rice done when I have it done! " Zuko growled from under his mask.

Zuko hadn't intended on sounding as hostile as he had, but he was feeling irritable. He saved this girl and the only things she's done is nag about how untidy his home is, and how slow of a cooker he was. A little thank you would have been appreciated!

" True gratitude is often expressed in ways that a simple "thank you" can ever show. "

Maybe Zuko was the one at fault. Katara had been imprisoned for the past few days, she had been deprived of sleep and a proper meal for the duration of that time. The Fire Nation weren't exactly known for their hospitality when it came to prisoners. Young women were no exception. Zuko let out a prolonged exhale through his nostrils, calming himself to the best of his ability.

" ...I'm sorry. "

Katara glanced to him, mildly surprised at his sudden apology. He was a complete stranger, and she knew her behavior was less than genial. She was just so tired, so hungry, so her manners hadn't been as prominent as they usually were. That took more energy than she had in her at the moment. " I-It's fine really...I'm the one who should be saying sorry. You were so kind as to bring me into your home after saving me...and all I've done is act like an angry jerk… "

Angry jerk huh? To Zuko, that description didn't seem to fit Katara, not from appearance alone at least. If anything that more or less summed up the face he hid beneath his mask. A face marred by an injury he had when Iroh first found him. Oh how it had ached for the first few months, even brushing it had filled Zuko with immense pain. Now all the hidden blemish served as, was a reminder of a past that Zuko had no remembrance of.

" Don't call yourself that...After everything you've been through, you deserve to blow off a little steam. Might as well blow it off on me. " He looked back at her, blue orbs meeting the pits that were the mask's eyes.

When she had first laid eyes on the horrific grin of the blue spirits mask, it had unnerved her. Those empty eyes, and it's face, forever frozen in a demented cackle. But in the short time she had been around him, she had come to learn that he wasn't a wicked spirit given human form, just a young man with a hot-headed temperament, and lacked in the department of kitchen skills.

Another thing she learned was that he was no real danger to her. At least as long as she didn't go around sporting Fire Nation colors and burning villages. Something that he needn't worry about her doing.

" You're too kind...really. H-how do you know I'm not some criminal who could…who could attack you while you're backs turned...a-and steal all your stuff? "

He gave a lukewarm chuckle. " Four reasons. First one, you hesitated too much while making that all up. Second, if you wanted to attack me you would have already done it. Third, I have nothing of any real value you steal. And the fourth and last reason, you just don't look the part. "

" Don't look the part?! I'll have you know I'm a waterbender and could freeze you where you stand! "

" Could you now though? "

She remained silent. For someone whose vision was more than likely obscured by the limited field of view the masks eye holes offered, he was certainly observant. He was annoyingly observant, reading her like a book with little more than a glance, talking like he knew her, why she had half a mind to-

" You shouldn't be offended. " He murmured aloud. " I wasn't questioning your abilities. I saw tonight when you "soup bending" back there, that you're a more than capable bender...a bit rough around the edges...but certainly capable. "

Her tan cheeks darkened, for two reasons. Some out of embarrassment for the phrase "soup bending" and the rest out of flattery. Aang had been the only other person that had really said anything nice about her bending, and part of her wanted to believe it was just him being friendly, but this masked stranger, someone she had no ties to, had no reason to do say anything nice, had just complimented her, called her a capable bender, even if she was a little rough around the edges. Wait.

" Who are you calling rough around the edges! I'll have you know I'm still learning! "

This girl just couldn't accept a compliment could she? Zuko sighed, but kept his thoughts to himself, choosing to focus on finishing the food he had promised her.

It was an odd sensation, cooking for someone other than himself. In the past he had never been particular on what he chose to eat, often eating whatever was left behind by the Fire Nation patrols he roughed up or scared off. But now, making food for someone other than himself, he felt as though he had to put sincere effort into it.

If only he had the muscle memory for culinary skills the same he had for his swordsmanship. Zuko called it muscle memory, because in his mind he had no other explanation for it. There were no memories of formal training, not that there were many, if any at all, left in his head. He had just felt the urge to pick up the blades Iroh left with him, and his body did the rest.

He remembered it clearly. Iroh had come for a surprise check-in on Zuko, seeing how he was adapting and if his condition had improved or not. Zuko remembered Iroh asking him if he had remembered anything about using them before his memories were lost. He hadn't, but also had no explanation as to how he could use them.

" Hmmm. I have heard stories of a phenomenon, where one who has lost their memories, retains a skills they had previously possessed, with no current knowledge of such a skill. Muscle memory I believe healers call it. "

Muscle memory. Zuko had laughed it off as stupid, and that his skills with the blades were a fluke, one he wasn't remotely complaining about.

But the longer Zuko remained out in those forests, the more he'd travel to distant villages, and the more Fire Nation soldiers he'd fight, he'd come to realize something. He might have no memories in a mental sense, but his body had held onto something, clung onto some shadowy remnant of who he was. It brought up several questions, none of which he, or Iroh had the answers for, most of them about who Zuko was before the event that had brought about his amnesia.

The smell of smoke dragged Zuko from the pits of his memories, and replaced any somber feelings he had been experiencing with utter panic. He had spaced out for far too long, and his mistake had brought a dire consequence.

He had burnt the rice!!

" Oh crap! How am I gonna salvage this?! " He grabbed at his mask in anxiety-filled frustration.

Katara eyed him curiously. He had just been standing there motionless for well over a minute, and now he was grasping at his head like it was the only thing keeping it attached. " Uhh...Lee? Are you uh, alright? "

Zuko slowly turned to her. " Y-Yeah...I just remembered this rice went bad the other day...so, I'll fix us something el- " Before he could get another word in inchwise, Katara had already strode past him, tossing the pot of ruined rice out the nearest window.

" So she says she's exhausted the whole way here and the moment I screw up in the kitchen she not only jumps into action, but also throws my stuff out like it was trash?! I don't even have much to call my own to begin with! "

" I need you to get me some flour. " The sudden request drew Zuko out of his appallment.

" Flour? "

" Yes flour, you do have some right? "

He didn't respond, of course he had flour, it was a common good the Fire Nation carried back and forth. So yes, he had "borrowed" some from them, he'd like to think of it as a tax for not getting booted from his forest. Another reason he hadn't responded was yet another piece of advice that Iroh had given him when it came to women.

" When a woman asks for something, it is generally within your best interest that you comply without complaint. It just makes things all the easier, there are of course obvious exceptions, but you should be able to tell when and where this rule applies.

Iroh had winked when he imparted the "knowledge" on the younger Zuko. When he had first heard the so-called advice, Zuko had laughed it off, mostly because he highly doubted he'd ever be put in that situation.

Now that the masked vigilante had actually found himself in the exact same situation he thought would be improbable, something deep in his gut was shouting at him "just do it! " And Zuko was by no means going to go against such a strong intuitive feeling. So wordlessly, and almost as if in a trance, Zuko rummaged through one of his makeshift cabinets, fishing out a sack containing the flour. " Will uh...will this do? "

Katara's eyes widened partially at the sight of the practically untouched flour sack. It was covered in a light layer of cobwebs, which didn't mean that the flour in the sack had gone bad, but it had meant that Lee had been keeping it for some time now, as if he hadn't known what he was going to do with it. " Lee, do you know how to cook? " She asked suddenly and without hesitation.

The suddenness of the question brought about a stiff feeling in Zuko's body. Was she honestly question his abilities to cook?

" Oh who am I kidding...The most I can do is roast a fish over the fire and just ignore the burnt bits… "

He quickly turned his head away, avoiding her questioning gaze. " A-and, so what if I can't...it's not like I've ever been in danger of starving out here. "

That made her skeptical. Katara had found an unnecessarily large quantity of food that had gone stale while looking for another suitable pot. Sokka would have had a stroke had he been the one to find the expired food. Lee had all this food, and no real knowledge on how to cook it. She was honestly surprised he was in as good of shape as he was considering what his diet might consist of.

" Maybe you just need someone to teach you is all. "

" ...Someone already tried teaching me...and he made it way too complicated… "

" Oh, and who was this mystery teacher? "

Silence. He had quickly turned his back to her, taking the seat that faced away from her, his gaze focused on the window. Funny really, considering the windows had been boarded up and coated in leaves, meant to conceal any light that might escape his home. Was he really taking the cooking thing that hard, or was it something Katara just wasn't seeing. " Lee? "

" ...Just...just hurry and cook so you can get some rest… "

Katara wanted to say something in retort, he had no right to tell her to hurry up. But, something in his voice suppressed the urge to snap back. His voice was hushed and laced with hurt, that, and the way he had turned away from her, made her think of how a child would react when they were lost, or scared.

She wouldn't pry, not until he let her.

The meal hadn't taken much time at all to cook. It wasn't exactly the easiest cooking experience, living at the South Pole didn't exactly strike Katara with many chances to cook in an actual, albeit shoddily made, kitchen. Still she persevered, and finished her intended dish with the few edible supplies her host had on hand.

Her eyes had glanced back at him multiple times while she cooked. He hadn't moved since their brief conversation. Whatever had upset him, must have done so greatly, as he was so still he resembled a statue. Only with the mention that the food was finally finished, was Katara able to coax him out of his little corner.

She watched him curiously as he seated himself across from her. Had he really intended to eat with that mask on, and if so, how?

By turning his chair to face away from her, and partially lifting his mask up.

" Well so much for dinner conver- "

" It's good...what is it? "

He asked so suddenly. Talking with his back turned was rude, but Katara would let it slide. For now. "Oh, well it's actually something my gran-gran taught me how to make back home… " She paused, letting the sentimental memories fill her, only momentarily though. " They're called sea dumplings, you make the dumplings out of flour, and fill them with things like fish or urchins...I'm not exactly used to the fish you had here, but a fish is a fish right? "

He took another bite of the not-so-foreign delicacy, this time letting it sit on his taste-buds. " Well, it's unique, I'll give you that. I've never thought of using fish for anything other than roasting… "

Katara shook her head in minor disbelief. " Are all boys really the same when it comes to cooking? My brother can't cook to save his life, if it weren't for me he'd- "

She froze. Quickly pulling his mask down and turning to face her, Zuko saw the pain in her eyes as she stared down the plate before her. He had seen that kind of pain before, he knew this pain well. The same longing in her eyes, was the same longing he'd had in his every time he thought about his missing memories.

" Your memories may be gone, but you are still you Zuko. Nothing can change that. "

It didn't matter, he had shouted. Iroh couldn't understand what he had been feeling, to have an actual piece of yourself missing. The sense of longing, of yearning for something you may never see again, was something Zuko knew all too well, and now, Katara was learning of this pain.

And while it never worked for him, Iroh had taught him a way to numb this pain. " Tell me about him. " Zuko said in a hushed tone, placing his hand over hers. Her eyes that had begun to well up with tears, looked at him with confusion. " Your brother, tell me about him...What's he like? "

Katara's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out, as if she were hesitant. However, something about feeling of Lee's hand on hers brought a sense of assurance.

" W-well, his name is Sokka, and he's older than me by a year. He's not the brightest candle...but he means well. He's a warrior from our village, we're from the South pole… "

" The South Pole.. ? " Zuko's eyebrow arched with mild intrigue. " I figured you were Water Tribe from your outfit...I mean I've never actually seen someone from the Water Tribe...But I've heard they like to wear blue… "

" Yeah… " She said quieter than before. " My brother is a great fighter...he just lacks in every other department...he can't clean, he can't cook...he can barely get himself dressed in the morning… " Her gaze shifted from the dinner plate, and up to the blue mask that rested on Lee's face. " I know I hardly know you...but just from what I've seen so far...You have a lot in common with him...And it's just making me think of how he might be doing without me… "

Zuko remained silent for a moment longer, giving him time to soak in everything she was saying, and quite frankly, it made him jealous. Having memories of a sibling that you could hold close to your heart and cherish. He remembered asking Iroh if he had siblings once.

" Sometimes it is best to figure certain questions out on your own, and when you do find the answers you seek, be prepared to face any number of truths. "

Cryptic as always. Zuko remembered trying to ignore the older man after that, but something about Iroh always got him talking.

There was still one question left unanswered for Zuko, so he pushed the thoughts of the cryptic old man as far back in his mind as possible. " How did you end up where I found you. "

Blue eyes met black holes. The abruptness of the question had caught Katara off guard, though she suspected he had been waiting to ask this question. That, and she had him figured as the type to speak bluntly, thankfully, growing up with Sokka had numbed her to most insensitive questions. Besides, he had rescued her, so she owed him some form of explanation.

" It happened three days ago…" She began. " We had just escaped a place called Crescent Island, and were on the run from the Fire Nation...A man named Zhao was chasing us… "

" Zhao? " Zuko repeated. He had heard the name by some of the passing patrols, a crazed commander condemned to traveling the world's oceans for one reason or another, at least that was the most common piece of gossip. Still, something else about the name unsettled Zuko, as if he had known him from somewhere else in his shadowed life.

" Yeah...Zhao, he's a madman...a Fire Nation commander who's been obsessed with hunting Aang down… "

" Aang? " This had been a name Zuko had yet to hear. Was it another missing sibling of hers, or someone else?

" Sorry...I guess I should've brought him up first...you see, Aang is the Avatar and- "

" The Avatar? " Zuko asked almost incredulously. " You mean like, the master of all elements, keeper of the peace, mystic spirit bridge. That Avatar? " She nodded. Zuko might have suffered from severe amnesia, but everyone knew something about the story of the Avatar. And listening to Iroh talk constantly about how the Avatar once kept harmony didn't hurt when it came to knowing. " Disappeared for a hundred years and left the world defenseless...That Avatar? "

" It wasn't Aang's fault! " Katara suddenly shot up, the defensiveness laced in her voice told Zuko that there was more to this.

But before he could give an apology, Katara started to sway, rocking back and forth, with the imminent danger of collapse following close behind. " H-hey! " Zuko bolted around the table, quickly placing himself behind Katara, letting her fall safely in his arms. " Look...I'm sorry if I came off as skeptical or standoffish...This obviously means alot to you...So if you say you're traveling with the Avatar...then I believe you, but you're tired. I guess cooking and talking can only distract your body for so long. "

Katara kept silent, but didn't resist as he lifted her in his arms and rested her in the nearby bed. His body was warm, almost too warm, but still she kept silent. He was right, her exhaustion had finally caught up with her, and even her mouth lacked the energy to work.

" Just sleep...You can finish telling me in the morning. " He pulled the cover over her, and seated himself in a nearby chair, crossing his arms and lowering his heads. " Sleep well Katara… "

Drowsiness weighed down her eyelids, and sleep quickly overcame her. " Goodnight Lee… "

Peaceful sleep never came for Zuko that night. His "dreams" had quickly turned into a plague of anguish and nightmares. He saw their faceless forms towering over him, locations he was unfamiliar with. The worst thing out of it all, he saw him. He always saw him, the warped face and horrific voice had haunted him for three years.


" Stand and fight! "

Zuko wanted to fight, to cut the man to ribbons, but try as he might, his dream self was cemented to the floor, forced to stare down the entity. It was going to happen again, the pain, the agony.

The fire.

" You will learn respect...and Suffering will be your teacher… "

" No! " Zuko lurched forward, falling out of the chair and onto his knees. Sweat poured from his face, his body trembled, and he felt sick to his stomach. " That same dream… " His eyes suddenly drifted towards Katara. Seeing the girl still soundly sleeping brought a small wave of relief. His night terror hadn't interrupted her much deserved rest. Good.

Quietly, and hastily, Zuko made his way out the door of his hut. He needed to bathe after that dream, it always brought a filthy feeling with it.

The sun had just begun it's ascension as Zuko's trek began, and Zuko had learned when the sun rose, so did he. He wasn't very sure as to why it happened, Iroh had informed him that it was a common trait with firebenders. Yet Zuko had no such bending capabilities, at least none that he had any initial memory of, or even muscle memory for that fact. He had been sure of that when he first asked Iroh if he were a bender or not.

" The only way to truly tell if you are a bender or not, is to simply try. Reach out for your element, let it become an extension of yourself, and bend. Go ahead, give it a try."

Of course it hadn't helped that Iroh didn't exactly tell him which element to try bending. For all Zuko knew, the elderly man had wanted him to try airbending. So rather than ask the man and risk getting more useless advice, Zuko tried bending them all, or at least his own interpretation of bending. All of which bore no fruit.

Zuko had long since reached the stream, but remained deep in thought. His body moved on it's own, removing his clothes, and submerging himself as deep as he could go. All of which were motions he had gone through everyday for the past three years. " It doesn't matter if I can't bend...All I need are my swords… " He had told himself, but after seeing Katara's bending, something deep within him had been nagging, it was a feeling he chose to ignore.

" I'll just finish my bath and occupy the rest of my free time with training… " He sunk down into the water, as he had done the previous day. " Talking to yourself again, eh Zuko? " It seemed that even after meeting Katara, that habit wasn't close to dying off.


Noon had come, and what few cracks existed in the hut's windows, let miniature beams of sunlight pour in. One of which hit Katara's shut eyes. She stirred about, trying to escape the luminous beam, only to realize she was now awake. " Well...It was nice while it lasted… "

Katara's head swiveled around, trying to find Lee, but there wasn't a trace of him. " Lee? " She called out as her body rose from the bed.

Nothing. He must've gotten up sometime earlier, and let her sleep in. It was a kind gesture, considering she had nearly dropped the night prior, so Lee must have left quietly to let her sleep longer. " It was sweet of him...But he could have left breakfast...I never got to finish my dumplings last night… " She murmured with a pout. Then again, maybe it was for the best Lee had not left out breakfast, she'd figured out that cooking was not something he was good at, especially after the rice problem last night.

That's when a sound caught her attention. It was faint, but just loud enough to come through the surprisingly sturdy walls of the shabbily made hut and sounded like a grunt. Deciding to investigate, Katara poked her head out the entrance, glancing down the side of the tree, where the sound grew in volume. " Lee? "

Still no answer. That was it, she was finding out where he had gone, it was rude to just abandon a lady when she was so vulnerable after all. Steadily, she made her way down the rope ladder, and down the hill nearest to the tree. " Lee where are you? "

" Over here! " He replied from behind a nearby boulder.

And that's where she found him, and the grunting noise she had heard. She found "Lee" performing repeated backflips, landing flat on his feet after each one. He'd count up, before repeating the small process. " There you are, next time leave a note or something. "

He stopped and looked at her. Zuko honestly thought it hadn't been a big deal, but apparently, leaving without letting her know had upset Katara. " Sorry. I just figured I'd get my day started, and you deserved a little sleep after everything you've been through. "

Katara sighed, " It's fine, just don't do it again. "

Zuko smirked under his mask. " Don't do it again huh? I didn't think you'd wanna stay for more than one night. "

That got it's intended reaction out of Katara, as he cheeks turned a light shade of pink. " Sh-shut up...You never know, maybe it's gonna rain. You wouldn't make me leave on my own in the rain. "

" You're right. I wouldn't. "

A small smile graced Katara's well rested face in response. " Thank you Lee, hearing that means a lot. Most people would probably turn their backs on strangers...Especially pesky waterbenders who get themselves captured by the Fire Nation. " Katara sighed and sat herself on a flat stone.

Zuko saw her expression turn to that of a doleful one. He didn't even have to think of Iroh to know what the right thing to do in this situation was. " You never did finish telling me everything yesterday. Why don't you continue? " He sat himself on the ground next to her, glancing up expectantly.

" Well, alright. " She said, staring off at the nearby river. " We had just managed to escape Zhao. "

" The Fire Nation officer who you said had been chasing you. "

" Right. We had made it out of the Fire Nation's waters and reached the shoreline of the Earth Kingdom. That's when Aang suggested we stop, he was really tired after everything… "

" And Aang is the Avatar. "

" He is. " She hadn't been bothered by the fact he was interrupting her. If anything it assured her that he had been listening.

And so Zuko listened to the Water Tribe girl recounted the events that had led up to her short-lived imprisonment. How they had made camp just off the shore, as Aang, the Avatar had nearly passed out from exhaustion. How they had been set upon by Zhao's ship in the middle of their slumber. Zuko had wanted to tell the girl the major error that was camping in such an open space when you're on the run, but knew better, so he held his tongue.

The last thing she regaled upon him was how she had actually gotten captured.

" They had us surrounded...Aang was still too tired to fight back. So I...I made an opening for them...Told them to go ahead and that I'd meet up with them. I had actually expected Zhao to use me as bait...But I guess he figured I wasn't good enough bait, and decided to have me thrown in prison...where the rest of the Fire Nation's waterbending captives are sent…I doubt Aang or Sokka even know where to look for me... "

By the end of it, Katara had started hugging her knees to her chest, her eyes staring off distantly. Zuko knew exactly what she was thinking of. Who she was thinking of.

" You're lucky. "

" Huh? " She suddenly raised her head, turning to look at Lee. His concealed face boring holes through the dirt beneath.

" I said...You're lucky. To have a sibling to worry about...To have family you can reminisce about. "

Katara's eyes slightly widened in realization. " Oh Lee...I-I'm sorry. I didn't- "

" You don't have to be...It's not like that anyway, I meant it in a...Literal sense. I have no memories of my family...Don't know if I have siblings, a mother, a father...For all I know I could be all alone in this world. The closest thing I have to family is a man named Iroh...And I haven't seen him in almost two years…I don't even remember much about myself to be honest... "

" Oh Lee… " What a horrible thing he must've been going through. She understood the pain of losing a loved one, or being separated from a loved one. But to forget everything about everyone you've ever cared about, yourself included, and then find someone you can call family, only for them to suddenly vanish. The concept of living such an empty life felt so foreign to her, it frightened her, and made her start worrying deeply for Lee.

" Is...Is that why you wear the- "

" Yeah. It is. " He slowly moved his hand towards the mask, grasping it at the eye holes, but never removing it. " I wear this mask because I have no memory of the person underneath...As far as I'm concerned they don't exist. "

Unable to hear any more, Katara suddenly flung her arms around the masked youth, pulling him in close. " That's enough...I don't want to hear you talk like that anymore. Maybe you don't recognize yourself under there...But you're still you underneath, you just have to find who you really are. "

Zuko sat there, stunned by the girl's sudden show of sympathy and affection. No one but Iroh had ever shown him such emotions. With no way to actually respond without her hearing the growing vulnerability within him, Zuko instead chose to lean into her embrace, his mind drifting to Iroh as he did.

" Remember this Zuko. You may have no memories of who you are under that mask. You may not ever want to know, but never forget, deep down, you are still yourself. "

But it was hard to accept that under the mask he was himself when he felt like such a stranger in his own skin.

" Accepting who you are, is the first step to finding out who you were, and finding out who you were is another step on the path of finding who you really are. "

Damn that cryptic old geezer. Zuko would never admit it, but he had grown to care for the old man. That of course didn't keep Zuko from getting frustrated at the things he spouted from his mouth. Still, at moments like this, he was somewhat glad to have listened to the nonsense that came out of Iroh's mouth.

Golden eyes, shrouded by the veil of darkness within the masked met the deep blue orbs of the waterbender. The two remained in the embrace for some time, and in that time they had started to talk. Well, Katara talked, Zuko, still not used to such social interactions, just nodded and listened.

A sense of serenity had washed over the two as their "conversation" transitioned into peaceful silence. Peaceful, at least until terrifyingly familiar smell permeated through the air. The unmistakable smell of burning woodland.

Zuko shot up from his seated position, wasting no time in sprinting back towards his hut.

" L-Lee! "

" Run towards the stream and keep moving south! "

" But- "

" Just do it! " He hadn't meant for such a harsh tone to accompany his command, but if that smell was what he thought it was, then there would be smoke. And where there's smoke, there's fire, and where there's fire, there's Fire Nation. " No no no no no!! "

Zuko's blood pumped rapidly as he climbed the tree his home was settled in, desperately clawing his way through the leaves and reaching the top.

Fire. There was fire as far as the eye could see. And along with that fire, were the soldiers who were spreading it. Dozens of armor adorned firebenders let out organized blasts of fire, scorching the surrounding trees and brush. The animals fled in fear, their home was being destroyed.

" No! " A terrifying rage filled Zuko, accompanied by adrenaline. With these things in his body, Zuko leapt from the treetop, pouncing down onto one of the soldiers below. He needed to stop this now, he needed to run these soldiers off before it was too late, if it wasn't already too late that is.

With the swiftness of the wind, and the precision only rivaled by the greatest of archers, Zuko danced through the soldier's and flames, striking any non-lethal area he could, taking down anyone in his path. Like the raging fires surrounding him, Zuko too was filled with a fury he wasn't accustomed to. His strikes became harsher, less precise, he was letting it all get the best of him.

" Lieutenant Roh! It's the Blu-Ack! "

Zuko rendered him unconscious before he could issue the warning. The less aware they were the better. Still, the takedown had been sloppy, he was losing his edge in the midst of it all.

And it wasn't just the rage that was bringing this sudden drop in quality of his skills and control. The further he pushed into the blazing forest, the hotter it became. His breathing became labored, sweat drenched his forehead under the mask, and as the smoke started getting to him, his vision started to blur. But even through impaired vision, Zuko spotted his target.

In the three years time Zuko had lived out in the Earth kingdom, he had grown to learn the significance of Fire Nation uniforms. What rank wore what, what each subdivision of that rank wore, and even how to tell the difference between a Fire Nation big shot and a decoy.

The officer standing less than ten feet away, blasting away at a nearby tree, was without a doubt a lieutenant, and the one in charge of this attack. He was young, mid twenties, peak condition, a challenge compared to the usual middle age officers that made up the norm of the Fire Nation's armies. " ...If I take him down...They'll have to flee… "

Wasting no time at all, Zuko circled around the wall of fire separating him from his target, making sure to stay out of the officer's peripheral vision. " Just one clean sli- "

But just as Zuko got within a whisker of striking range, a nearby branch suddenly gave out, having it's support burned away by the blazing inferno. Zuko's eyes widened. He needed to move fast, or it would all be over.

" The people of the Earth Kingdom need you Zuko! Iroh needs you! Katara needs you! "

Stopping on a dime, pivoting his foot, and leaping backwards all in one clean motion, Zuko narrowly evaded the falling branch, but at the cost of his target catching sight of him.

" So we finally flushed you out! "

The heat had intensified, and Zuko's condition was worsening. The only thing keeping him standing was his raw determination, and growing anger. He raked his swords against one another, creating sparks as he took his stance. " Why are you doing this! I was the one you wanted, the forest had no reason to be burned down! "

The lieutenant chuckled. " We're simply acting on behalf of the orders of the newly instated Admiral Zhao. "

" Zhao?! " That was the name of the man that Katara had spoken about. News did travel fast in the ranks of the Fire Nation, but Zuko never knew it traveled that fast. " How'd he give the order if my last attack only happened last night?! " Zuko leapt over the burning branch, lunging for the officer who jumped to the side, sending out an arch of flames with a kick.

Zuko rapidly spun his twin blades, dispersing the oncoming flames to the best of his ability. He could feel himself slipping.

" You think that little ruckus from last night was the breaking point? You've had a target on your back for a long time now Spirit. Zhao was just the one to let the nocked arrow fly. "

Again Zuko lunged for the officer, just barely catching his armor with the tip of his right-hand blade. " And if he's the one who gave the order, who does that make you?! "

A smirk came to the officers face, he stood to face the masked vigilante. " Well since you'll be dead soon I'm sure it won't hurt to tell you. " My name is Roh, Lieutenant Roh. But after today, I'll be known as the man who killed the blue spirit! ' He punched the air, firing a small barrage of fireballs before bolting through the smoke that had been to his back.

Even with his agility hindered by his worsening condition, Zuko still managed to weave through the balls of fire, giving chase to the fleeing soldier. Another surge of adrenaline pulsed through Zuko, causing the young man to pick up in speed, his swords readied to strike.

That was when the "fleeing" officer stopped. Zuko had him! He took a crouched stance in mid sprint, his muscles tensed, his eyes widened. It was now or never.

Zuko launched forward, spinning his body to build up the momentum he needed for a debilitating strike. When suddenly, Roh sidestepped, and Zuko saw why. Behind the veil of smoke that had clouded his vision till now, was a sheer drop off. A cliff that led to spirit's knows where.

The realization that this could be it shot through Zuko's mind like lightning. If he was going out, he'd leave his mark. Stretching his arms out, getting the swords as close as possible, Zuko gave a mighty swing, raking the tips of the blades clean across the left side of the lieutenant's face. The sight of the officer reeling in pain, and grasping his face just as Zuko's body left the edge of the cliff, brought a small sense of satisfaction before he plummeted down with a scream. The last thoughts going through his mind before his consciousness faded, were of Iroh.

" To die is not the same as to lose, just as to live is not the same as to win. There will come a time in your life where you feel as though you will fall in battle. When that day arrives, you must remember that inside of you, there is a raging fire. Your will to live, and the only person who can snuff out this flame...Is you Zuko. "

The wounded Fire Nation officer clenched his hand to his blood drenched face. He glared fiercely with his remaining eye as two soldiers came to his side.

" Lieutenant Roh sir! "

" Are you injured Lieutenant?! "

The lieutenant turned to face his subordinates, his teeth baring, and his nostrils flaring. " No...I'll live… "

" Sir, did the Blue spirit escape? "

" If so we shall regroup in an attempt to apprehend him sir! "

His enraged scowl slowly shifted to that of a satisfied grin. He knew it wasn't over. The Blue Spirit hadn't eluded the Fire Nation for three years only to perish after one confrontation. He would have said yes to the soldier's question, he should have, but after what that masked bastard did to his face. Now it was personal, he would get his revenge. On his own.

" That won't be necessary… "

" B-but sir! "

" I said that won't be necessary! " He huffed, trying to keep his cool. " This cliff could be miles high. He's just one man. No one could survive it...So further searching won't be required...Regroup at the edge of the forest...We're pulling out. "

He turned back to the edge once more before stalking off into the flames. " Until next time… "


Katara had run for what seemed like ages, following the stream just as Lee had instructed, until finally she came across a large reservoir. From where she was, she could see the blazing inferno's glow. The smoke filled the sky, blocking out the sun, the only light now was the radiance of the flames on the cliffside above.

The sight of it all brought horror to Katara's face. Dread washed over her as she fell to her knees, the thought of Lee still being up there in that blaze.

" L-Lee… "

It wasn't fair. None of it was, Lee had been living in those woods this whole time, and only when she shows up does it get destroyed. Guilt. She was starting to feel guilt, even though part of her knew she wasn't to blame. She pounded her fist into the soil beneath the water, splashing it all over her ash covered outfit and face. " It's not fair! " She cried out, tears streaming from her eyes.

Just as she was about to scream out again, something drew her attention. Something that was falling, falling from the cliffside, plummeting to the water below. Her deep blue orbs widened.

" Lee! " It had been Lee who was falling, his clothes were burned and tattered, and his body was limp, yet still clung to his swords. Without even thinking, Katara dove head first into the water, using her emotion driven waterbending to propel forward. She needed to reach him in time, even into water, a fall from that height would kill him.

She had managed to get beneath him just in time, and with all her bending ability, Katara threw her arms up high, raising the water in a spout, just big enough to catch Lee, cushioning the fall enough for her to catch him.

Her eyes scanned over his body with pain in them. His body was littered with small marks where the flames had barely brushed his exposed skin. His already tattered clothes were singed, yet miraculously, his mask hadn't a single scratch or knick in it. He would be alright, thankfully.

Using whatever strength she could muster, Katara swam to the nearby shore, hauling the masked warrior along with her. Once she had reached shore, she dragged him across the sand, onto the nearby grass, and under a tree, cradling his head into her lap. " Lee...Lee can you hear me. "

Zuko's head was in intense pain, his ears were ringing, and his vision blurred horridly. He remembered falling and hearing iroh's voice just before everything went black. But where did that leave him now, he couldn't be dead could he? No, dead people couldn't be feeling the pain that had racked his body.

" L-! Pl-se w-k- -p! "

What was that? A voice, was it a voice that was calling out to him? If so, whose was it.

" It's time to wake up Zuko, you wouldn't want to be late to another lesson. "

Another voice? This one, it sounded so clear, so tender. It was nothing like the muffled, panic-ridden voice he heard first.

" Ple-se L-e! Yo- h-ve to w-ke up! "

There it was again, clearer than the last time. Zuko felt his vision returning, the color blue slowly filling his view.

" Zuko my love. Everything I do is for you...To keep you safe. I have to go now, but remember my son...no matter what happens to you, what you do, never forget who you really are… "

Zuko's eyes shot wide open, rising from Katara's lap, breathing heavily." Wh-where am I...What happened… " He gazed upwards, pupils shrinking at the sight of the overhead inferno.

" L-Lee..? " He heard a timid voice, the voice of the Water Tribe girl he rescued, the voice of Katara.

He turned back to her, and for the first time since they met, Katara could see the eyes behind the mask. The horrified, tear-filled golden eyes.

" K-Katara…" His voice was filled with defeat. " Katara...I failed… " He collapsed forward onto his hands and knees. " I...I told him! I told him I'd protect this place… "

" This forest is by far the largest one I've seen that has gone untouched by the Fire Nations cruelty. It is a beautiful sight that very few will even think of cherishing. "

The older man had spoken so affectionately about the forest, the beauty of nature. Just his words alone had been the reason that Zuko saw those things as well. And from that day he had vowed to protect it, to keep it and all the animals inside it safe.

He could feel the bile rising in his throat, the realization hitting as hard as it can, that the place he had sworn to protect, the place he had called home, was gone. Burned away by the faceless monsters that masqueraded as men, by the Nation filled with these monsters.

Unsure of what else she could do, Katara pulled Lee into another embrace, this one tighter, more reassuring that the one before. " Lee...I'm so sorry...If...If only I ha- "

" No… " He cut her off. " Don't blame this on yourself...I was the one who couldn't protect it...It was my fault...My Failure… "

Katara went to immediately protest, she wouldn't allow him to brand himself as such. But as the waterbender opened her mouth to tell him how wrong he was, something hit her nose. Something wet.

Then came a sudden crack of thunder, a flash of lightning, and finally, a cascade of rain, coming down with force like that of a waterfall. The sound of burning wood was soon drowned out with the hiss of the flames being doused in the massive and sudden rainfall. Zuko's head lifted, raindrops falling through the eye holes of the mask, leaving it indiscernible of what was a tear and what was a rain, that is if anyone could see his face at that moment.

And just like that, the glow of the scorching inferno vanished, in its place was nothing more than smoldering smoke. His home was burned away, but maybe, just maybe, the unforeseen downpour stopped the fire before it could destroy everything. Iroh's words echoed through his mind once more.

" Failure is but a stepping stone in the path to success. Just a part of life we all come to face at one time or another. But most importantly, is experiences that end in failure that mold who we become, that can lead you to finding just who you really are Zuko. "

Failure was just a part of life, no matter the size. Zuko clenched his fist and pressed it into the soaking grass beneath him, pushing himself to his feet.

Katara's eyes widened. " L-Lee! You shouldn't try moving...You're really hurt… "

Yet he continued to lift himself into a strained standing position. He wouldn't stop here, he couldn't rest. Though his home was gone now, he still had everything he needed. His swords, his mask, and his will to never give up.

Then an idea came to his mind. He had nowhere to go, nowhere to call sanctuary, and neither did Katara, at least not here. She had people waiting for her, and after saving his life, he couldn't, no he wouldn't let her go on her own, not with those monsters out there. " N-no...If I stop now...I'll never be able to move forward...Besides " He turned her, a new feeling of determination brimming throughout his body. " How will I get you back to your brother and the Avatar if I'm just lazing around here… "