AN: I did plan for Zuko and Katara to have an all out fight this chapter, but at the end, I decided to save it until next chapter. Sorry to keep you ZK angst fans waiting. Please don't murder me.

Chapter 9: The Oath

From the moment he woke, Katara did her best to avoid Zuko. Sokka and Zuko seemed to have become friends rather quickly, though they did have some trouble calling each other by their names instead of 'arrogant prince' and 'water peasant.' Aang and Zuko seemed to have a mutual bond as well, due to something they weren't sharing.

But Katara, due to some undying instinct in her heart, was unable to trust Zuko completely. In the past few years, she had seen so many different sides of him. Angry, indifferent, determined, obsessed, grief-stricken, suicidal, and now, content. He did still some moments when the short-tempered Zuko showed through, and Zuko often regretted this moments now.

He had stated quite clearly that, no matter how much he may change, he would always have a short temper. That couldn't be helped. The healer, whose name was Anouk they now knew, had replied that as long as he didn't burn down her home, no one could chastise him for what he couldn't help. Then they had all laughed, all expect for Katara.

They spent another week with Anouk, who had wanted Zuko to stay until she could be sure he was well enough for travel. When she said that it was okay, Aang, Sokka, and Zuko were very ready to be off. But the leader of the nearby village was hardly adamant about letting the prince of the Fire Nation travel with the Avatar. Now, Aang, Zuko, and the elder were in a heated discussion about it.

"Zuko already saved me from the Fire Nation! How much more can you ask of him?"

"I'm not going to hurt Aang! Or turn him in to my bastard of a father!"

"Again? Frankly, as long as fire comes from those fists of yours I won't trust you. Never trust a fire-bender."

"Just because I'm from the Fire Nation doesn't mean that I'm war-hungry and heartless!"

"In my book it does."

Katara could already see that there was no way that Aang and Zuko could persuade the elder to let them have the much needed supplies. Nothing short of a miracle at least.

Zuko had crossed his arms across his chest, he looked odd in the white outfit Anouk had given him. "What can I do to convince you I'm trustworthy?" This was spoken more to himself than to the elder, and Zuko appeared to be thinking. A sudden though occurred to him, and he looked up and met the elder's gaze.

"I'll swear a Fire-bender's Oath to protect and serve the Avatar." The elder looked stunned and so did Aang, and both immediately came up with reasons not to.

"No, Zuko you can't do that. It'll kill you."

"We don't have someone from each nation, which is required."

Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Aang is an air-bender, you're an earth-bender, I'm a fire-bender, and…Katara?" He looked at Aang blankly and Aang nodded. "And Katara," he stated more firmly, "Can take care of the water-bending."

Katara chose this moment to step into the room. "Well then, what exactly will I be doing?" Zuko glanced at her.

"Making my life a living hell, but if it'll get us moving, I'm game."

The elder grinned in a very non-cheerful way. "I'll set the ceremony up for you. You can't back out now Prince Zuko."

Zuko sighed as the elder left and sank down onto the bed, hiding his face in his hands. Aang turned on him.

"Why did you do that Zuko? People have died from the Oath." Zuko sighed again.

"Because it's the only way I can prove to him (and to myself) that I'm trustworthy."

Katara still stood in the room with her hands on her hips. "What exactly am I supposed to do?" Aang smiled.

"Oh don't worry, our part isn't too hard. You just have to form a water ball."

Zuko looked up at her and managed to smile weakly, but she frowned. "Could this hurt you Zuko?"

"No, it's just the weight of the Oath. Though, for a few weeks, my temper will probably be even shorter. Don't worry about it."

For the remainder of the evening, that was all anyone said to her. Don't worry about it. But when she saw the platform and the entire village around, she did. They all seemed to have a vindictive look on their faces, and she didn't want Zuko to get hurt. Seeing Aang, who was standing next to the village elder, she went to him. He opened his mouth as if to say something.

"If you tell me not to worry, Aang, I'll scream." He shut his mouth.

Silence suddenly descended and she could see Zuko making his way towards them. Her heart filled with terror as she saw the look of determination…and fear…on his face. He crossed the endless sea of villagers, stepped up onto the platform, and knelt before them. The elder's voice stretched out over the crowd.

"You will now witness what has not happened for over five hundred years…a Fire-bender's Oath."

With his words, each of the four on the stage created a ball of their element, Katara only seconds behind the other three. The four elements existed only with their benders for a moment, but then a bright blue light enveloped each one and joined them in a wide band. The blue light encircled all four of them and Katara felt extremely heavy. The elder spoke. "Speak your oath fire-bender."

Words came to Zuko unbidden and unprompted.

"I will serve the Avatar. I will protect the Avatar at any costs, even of my own life. If the Avatar is captured by an enemy, I will not rest until he is free, even if my own life be forfeit. From this day forward, I am the Avatar's loyal servant, to obey his command until he release me or death take me. These things I swear."

Upon finishing, the light that had encircled them all shrank until only Zuko remained in its midst.

"The words you have spoken become your Oath, forever bound to you. To break this Oath is to suffer a thousand eternities at the hands of Demons in the pits of hell. Will you keep your Oath?"

With every word the elder spoke, it seemed the light shrank smaller, and the look on Zuko's face was of one trying to bear an enormous weight…and failing miserably.

"Yes."

"Will you keep it for fear of the consequences?"

"No."

"Then why will you keep your Oath?"

"Because the words I have spoken and the Oath I have sworn has come from my heart, neither prompted nor rehearsed. I will keep my Oath, because it is what I want to do."

"Then rise, Son of Fire, and remember your Oath."

These final words spoken, the light shrank into Zuko, and vanished. Sudden darkness returned and Katara blinked furiously to adapt. The lanterns that had circled the crowd and platform were now lit, and once light returned, it showed Zuko straightening up very slowly, again, as if bearing a huge burden. The elder waved his hand lightly, and Aang, Katara, and Zuko began to return to the healer's hut.

"You really didn't have to do that, Zuko."

Zuko was walking haltingly, his teeth gritted in determination.

"Well, Aang, nothing we can really do about it now."

"I could release you."

Zuko hissed and flames engulfed his fists.

"THEN THIS ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING! DAMN BOY DON'T YOU EVER THINK?"

As he stormed off, Aang and Katara exchanged worried glances.

"Well," Katara started. "He did say his temper would be shorter."

"Hey, Zuko! Come back here." Aang shouted

To their utmost amazement, Zuko stopped dead, turned on his heel, and returned to where they stood with their jaws dropped.

"What do you want Aang?"

Aang's only response?

"Whoa."

I think Aang and Katara just realized the extent of Zuko's oath, and just how literal it is. Let's hope Aang doesn't misuse this new power.