Yay! Haha..thx to the reviews…haha…

I was reading a couple of the forums around the Avatar World…and like…I found out that a lot of people were questioning where the whole Zutara idea came from…..

Most people think it is cuz of the Waterbending Scroll…..but for me, actually, I was just watching random eppies of ATLA and I thought wow….Katara and Zuko would make a great pairing….and I thought….nah…I'm prolli paranoid…but yet…I still went on Fanfiction and I did the whole search thing where you choose which two characters you want…and I discovered that Wow, there really are a lot of other Zutara-fans out there…..so yea…I did a bit more research….and found out there was an eppie in ATLA that had hints of Zutara….surprisingly….I STILL have not seen that eppie of the Waterbending Scroll…I got so mad 1 or 2 weeks ago cuz I read on Tv Schedule that the Waterbending Scroll would be airing on Saturday at 11:30 and then I wait patiently by my tv…including skipping a trip to the mall with my sis (tho she is quite annoying) and then guess what happens? NICK PLAYS THE X's INSTEAD OF THE WATERBENDING SCROLL! I got so pissed….seriously….what was their problem? Grrr……so yeah…I really need to see that episode…

Sry….just sharing a personal thing… .

N e ways….next chapter!

O yes, one more thing…there was a blooper I caught in my chapters….in Chapter 3…I said that Sokka and Aang has seen the firebenders…but in Chapter 4..I made it sound like as though they didn't know there were any firebenders in the market…..well, I won't change my blooper (cuz I'm too lazy) but I just wanted to point it out.

Chapter 5: Trust is Gained

Zuko froze. He had heard that deep raspy voice before. Stiffly, he turned around, and tried to look scared. After all the years of training, it had been instilled in him never to be afraid of anything. Zuko found it quite surprising how hard it was for him to pretend to be terrified.

"What are you three wandering around for?" a man spat out viciously. He was clad in the orthodox Fire Nation uniform and a had a menacing sword in his grip. Even though he was well-built, and looked much like a pug, the man seemed actually pretty youthful, with rich black hair and absolutely no wrinkles visible on his face. Zuko eyes widened when he recognized the man. He was one of the soldiers on his ship! Was he of high rank? Zuko didn't remember. Then, his mind remembered what the man had said. Three? Zuko glanced around. He saw that idiot of "warrior," clutching his boomerang behind his back with sweaty fingers. He noticed the water tribe girl, watching the man's every move. Wait, something was wrong with this picture. Where was the avatar? Zuko scanned his surroundings, he was no where to be seen! Then, he caught a glimpse of red and yellow appear and vanish in the treetops. So, that's where the avatar was, hiding, like a coward.

"You, boy! What are you looking at!" the soldier demanded suddenly at Zuko/Koru.

Zuko gave no reply.

"Answer me when I talk to you!"

"What business do you have with us?" Zuko growled out.

The soldier glared at Zuko, but seemed to think better of giving the boy a beating. He stood straight, and talked as though he were announcing something to a king himself. "I am here on official business. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation has mysteriously vanished after his ship anchored on this island. I have been sent out to look for him."

Oh yes, definitely a new recruit. Zuko thought grimly. "We are not hiding him, leave us be," Zuko snapped again.

"You better show me some respect," the man threatened, his grip on his sword tightening visibly. "Don't forget where your place is."

Zuko forgot momentarily that he was supposed to be an earth kingdom civilian, and retorted back, "I know my place, and it is without a doubt above you!"

Roaring, the soldier charged himself at Zuko. He would teach this earth kingdom scum a lesson, and maybe prove himself to the generals and admirals.

Out of natural instinct, Zuko was about to unleash a series of fire blasts at the soldier, but remembered that he had to stay incognito. It didn't matter, he was sure he could beat this amateur soldier without any bending at all.

Katara watched in amazement as Koru battled the Fire Nation soldier. He had been really brave, and maybe a bit too bold, to challenge and snap back at the intimidating-looking soldier. She was about to help him when the soldier had charged at him, and she had unscrewed her canteen and bended out a bit of water when right in front of her eyes, Koru had dodged a swipe of the soldier's sword and kicked out, sending the soldier falling to the floor. She couldn't believe her eyes at first, she didn't know Koru could fight so well, or so gracefully. She kept her canteen unscrewed, just in case, but as the fight progressed, it looked like Koru didn't need much help at all. The soldier was panting heavily, and had a nasty bruise already forming on his cheek, where Koru had punched him before. Koru, on the other hand, didn't seem to be tired at all. He stood with his shoulders held back and head in the air, staring down at the panting soldier. He stood with great dignity, and it was then Katara truly saw the muscles that were hidden beneath his earth kingdom clothes. Wow, she thought. I wonder how he got those. Katara saw that the soldier was occupied with Zuko, so she took the liberty to look up and see where Aang was. She was glad to see that he had had his staff out, and was probably going to attack the soldier behind when he had charged at Koru. But now, Aang seemed to be watching Koru in amazement, just like Katara had a few moments before. I guess we all underestimated him Katara thought didn't know he could fight that well.

It was clear to Zuko that if the soldier took any more of a beating, he would die. Zuko didn't stand for killing his own people, especially if it was one of his soldiers. "I suggest you leave," he said calmly.

The soldier looked up at Zuko's hard gaze, and knew that he had lost this battle. Yet, he would not admit defeat. "The Fire Nation will track you down, and when they do, you'll make sure you hadn't messed with me!" the soldier threatened.

Zuko almost snorted at the thought. "I'll look forward to it," he mocked, and with one last defeated glare, the soldier scrambled up and ran off into the woods.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Sokka asked incredulously as he stepped away from Zuko as though he had some sort of deadly disease.

"Sokka!" Katara said in disbelief at what her brother was insinuating. Koru had just fought off a Fire Nation soldier that might have been a potential problem. She turned to Koru, "I'm terribly sorry, my brother can be a bit paranoid sometimes," she shot a glare at Sokka.

"I'm just saying if he could fight that well, how come he got ambushed?" Sokka defended himself as he shot another accusing glance at Koru.

Zuko clenched his fists behind his back. He had thought the girl would be trouble at first, but this idiot was getting on his nerves.

Control your temper. Be a good leader. Have control.

"I think you're overreacting, too," Aang agreed as he jumped down from the treetops. Of course, he would always agree with Katara, his secret crush.

"Fine," Sokka gave up. "But I still don't trust this gu-"

"Over there! Those are the ones that attacked me!" a voice cut Sokka off.

Katara eyes widened when she saw who it was. Heading their way, was about 20 soldiers, being led by the soldier Koru had taken down before.

"Run!" Aang shouted as he and Sokka took off in the other direction. Katara quickly followed them, but stopped when she noticed that Koru had not followed. She turned around, and noticed Koru standing in a fighting pose. Did he really think he could fend off that many Fire Nation soldiers! He was bold, Katara would give him that, but right now, he was acting foolish. The better option was to flee.

"Come on!" Katara yelled at him, tugging at his arm, but he wouldn't budge.

"I will not be intimidated by these pathetic excuses," Koru growled out.

"Don't let your pride take over you!" Katara shouted at him, baffled at why he would possibly want to stay and fight.

"I will not lose my honor or dignity," was Koru's harsh reply. Katara stopped tugging. That sentence, that voice. Where had she heard it before? It was so familiar, yet she couldn't place it. "They will think me a coward if I run," Koru's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"If you don't run, you'll get killed!" Katara tried to reason. "We have to go!" The soldiers were advancing and were charging at full speed. Even from far away, Katara could see the evil grin on the soldier that had been beaten by Koru before.

Koru smirked at her, as though he knew something she didn't. "Trust me, they will be no match for me."

They were only a few yards away, and Katara realized, that even if they ran now, it would be too late. They had to fight. She sighed, and took a fighting stance next to Koru.

Zuko glanced down at the water tribe girl. He was briefly surprised that she was standing next to him, ready to fight. Stupid girl he thought. You were supposed to run! Indeed, he had planned to inform the soldiers about his plan and tell them that he was actually Prince Zuko. If this girl stayed, he couldn't reveal his secret to his soldiers! This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out. Yet, he had to admit deep down inside, he admired her courage to stay and fight along side him.

The soldiers' bodies slowly became larger and larger, and before Katara knew what was happening, Koru had sent out a flurry of punches that sent five soldiers to the ground, either unconscious, or moaning in pain. Katara stood, shocked, as she had a few minutes before, when Koru had first shown off his skill. She had known he was greatly skilled, but she didn't expect him to take down that many people at once. Seriously, where did the guy learn to fight like that? She couldn't ponder on her question now, she had to help him.

Bending out a water whip, she slashed it across the face of the nearest soldier next to her, which happened to be the one that Koru had beaten before. He turned on her, with a wild look in his eye.

"Didn't know you concubine could fight also," he mocked at Zuko, who had just finished knocking another seven soldiers unconscious. Zuko turned on the soldier, with a look that said mess with me one more time, and I'll kill you. Before Zuko could do anything however, a punch had hit directly in the jaw of the soldier, sending him flying to the ground. There was a sickening crack, as the soldier let out a yell of excruciating pain, anger, and surprise.

Zuko looked up, and saw Katara standing over the soldier. Her whole face was that of anger, and if looks could kill, the soldier would be long dead by now.

"Never, ever, insult me like that," Katara breathed, trying to keep her voice under a yell.

Zuko chuckled when he noticed the red knuckle of the girl. She wasn't trained like him, and it probably hurt hitting the soldier so hard. Seeing that she could take care of herself, he turned his attention to the rest of the soldiers. It seemed most had run off, and besides the unconscious or injured ones on the ground, only a few brave soldiers remained. Either they were very courageous, or they were egotistical idiots. Kinda like me, Zuko suddenly thought as he charged at the remaining Fire Nation soldiers. He dismissed that thought; he had stayed in fought for his honor, which mattered the most to a Firebender, especially royalty.

Zuko delivered the last punch to the last soldier, which knocked him out cold immediately. He would leave them here, after all, it was Fire nation territory. He looked up to see how the girl was doing, and saw her sitting on a nearby rock, staring off into space. The soldier that had commented about her before was also out cold on the ground, with a very deformed jaw. Zuko inwardly cringed, wow. He involuntarily smirked when he saw the girl staring at him. "Were you admiring my fighting skills the whole time?" he asked.

Katara's eyes snapped up as she become conscious of the fact that Koru was smirking at her. A light shade of pink appeared on her cheeks as she looked away. "Perhaps you would like a jaw to match that soldier on the ground," she snapped back weakly.

"I don't think you could give me one if you tried," Koru replied, the smirk disappearing from his face, and returning to his ordinary unemotional appearance.

Katara sighed. As much as she wanted to prove him wrong, she knew that there were more important things to do, like finding Aang and Sokka. "Let's go," she said as she started heading towards the direction that her two companions had run off in.

Zuko stared after the girl as she disappeared into the thick trees. He gave one last look to the soldiers on the ground, and followed after her. His plan had better work.

"Okay, I think that's far enough," Sokka said as he and Aang stopped. "C'mon Katara, hurry up back there!"

"Katara?" Aang asked as he looked around. "Wasn't she with us?"

"Yeah, she was behind me when I last looked back," Sokka said. "Where is she? And that Koru guy?"

"I think they fell behind!" Aang suddenly gasped out as fear quickly covered his expression, "What if something happened to them!"

"We gotta go back!" Sokka said as he and Aang started running back to the clearing they had been in before.

"Hurry up Aa-" Sokka began as he crashed into something, or someone. There was a loud 'oomph.' He looked up and saw his sister on the ground, rubbing her head.

"Hi Sokka," she said irritated.

"Katara!" Aang said as he appeared behind the water tribe boy and hugged Katara.

"You could have been killed!" Sokka scolded as he helped Katara up.

"I had to stay!" Katara protested, "Koru had decided to stay and fight and I couldn't just leave him there. He was amazing, you should have seen h-"

"You!" Sokka yelled as Koru appeared behind Katara. "You almost had my sister killed!"

"Hey!" Katara defended him, "it wasn't his fault! I decided to help him fight!"

"You should have ran, but no, you and your stupid pride got in the way! What if the soldiers had beat you!" Sokka continued yelling at Koru.

"Shut up Sokka!" Katara yelled back before Koru could retort at Sokka's statement. "We won! He beat them all! Drop it!"

"C'mon, Sokka" Aang said, trying to calm him down. "Just let it go,"

Sokka opened his mouth as though he were going to start yelling again, but his shoulders slumped and he turned around and started walking in the other direction. "I still don't trust him," Sokka muttered to Aang. He and Aang were up ahead as Katara and Koru were behind them. "I don't like Katara hanging around the likes of him. He reminds too much of Jet."

"Don't worry, Sokka," Aang assured like he was babysitting a two year old, "I'll keep an eye out k?"

"Whatever," Sokka grumbled.

"I'm sorry if my brother is causing you trouble," Katara said meekly to Koru.

"It doesn't matter," Koru responded, his tone completely devoid of any emotion.

"Well, you must be mad! I mean, I can't even stand him sometimes!" Katara said, trying to make a conversation getting started.

"I'm fine," Koru replied indifferently.

Gee, I guess you don't talk much. Katara thought as she stared up at the mysterious boy in front of her. She had a feeling he was holding some sort of secret, but she felt she could trust him.

"You really taught those Firebenders a lesson today," Aang said as he, Katara, Sokka, and Koru sat around a campfire. They had been walking most of the day, and even though Zuko knew his way around the forest, he couldn't guide them because he was supposed to be some poor pathetic civilian of the Earth Kingdom.

"It was nothing," Zuko replied coldly.

"Where did you learn to fight like that anyway?" Katara queried innocently, and Sokka's ears immediately perked up.

Zuko shrugged in response, and replied, "I have a master back in my city."

"Hmm," Sokka grunted. He didn't trust this guy at all. At first, he had, because he had thought that this Koru had no skill whatsoever. Even if he was a threat, he wouldn't really be harmless. But then, Koru had revealed his amazing fighting skill and Sokka suddenly became more aware of how much this guy reminded him of Jet, and Jet had been very bad news.

"We better find a way to get off this place soon," Katara was saying, "Who knows what dangers lie in this place. Not to mention, I saw Prince Zuko in Shoyun today."

"The stupid brat just can't seem to take a break can he?" Sokka grumbled, while he grabbed a cooked fish and tossed it in his mouth.

Zuko tensed up and chewed harder onto his fish, trying to keep calm.

"He is so spoiled and arrogant and stupid," Sokka was rambling on. "I don't understand why you didn't just leave him in the blizzard at the North Pole, Aang."

Katara glanced at Koru and noticed that he had stopped chewing vigorously on his fish and was now staring at Aang.

"He was your enemy wasn't he?" Koru asked. "Why did you save him?"

"I don't know," Aang replied honestly.

"There must have been a reason!" Koru responded. Katara wondered what was wrong with him. Why did he care so much for the reason why Aang rescued Zuko? He seemed so frustrated all of a sudden.

"Why do you care so much?" Sokka retorted, asking what Katara had been to afraid to ask, except with a harsher, more accusing tone.

"I-" Koru shrugged and seemed to calm down. "I just can't understand how anyone could feel sympathy for Firebending scum."

Katara looked at Sokka, waiting for his reaction. He seemed satisfied and turned his attention to cooking another fish. But of course, anything was okay to Sokka if it had something to do with insulting the Fire Nation.

Zuko winced inwardly when he said Firebending scum. It wasn't everyday he had to insult himself. He tried to force out the next words as calm as possible, "Just answer me avat-Aang. Why would you save the enemy? Please," Zuko added as an afterthought.

Aang looked away. "I guess I was returning him a favor," he replied weakly.

Zuko's blood froze. He ignored the confused glances of the avatar's two other companions and thought about what the avatar had said. I guess I was returning him a favor. Those words chilled him. Although the other two had no idea what he avatar was speaking about, Zuko knew precisely what he had meant. The Blue Spirit. He thought. I saved him, and he saved me.

"What do you mean returning the favor!" Sokka asked, expressing his confusion and frustration by shouting, "What did he ever do for you!"

"He-"Aang hesitated, debating whether or not to tell Sokka and Katara about Zuko being the Blue Spirit. "I just couldn't leave him."

"We should all get some sleep," Katara cut in before Sokka could ask for any more details. She could see Aang was highly uncomfortable on this topic, and it had been a long day. They should all get some rest, they needed it for the long trip tomorrow.

"Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted," Sokka agreed, completely forgetting about questioning Aang more about Zuko. "We should hit the hay."

Twenty minutes later, Sokka and Aang were fast asleep. Katara was still cleaning up, and when she looked up, she noticed Koru staring into the flames. He seems so distant from us Katara thought I wonder why?

Zuko watched the flames flicker back and forth, rising and falling as if it were breathing. He really wanted to firebend, to let out the fire inside of him, but he knew if he wanted his plan to work, he would have to keep his identity hidden. The most he could do now was stare at the flames. His hands twitched up, and the flames rose slightly into the air they fell back to the ground, and the flames lowered.

"Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?" a voice suddenly said, startling him from behind.

Zuko didn't have to look back to know it was the water tribe girl. Quietly, she took a seat next to him. "What makes you wonder," he replied monotone.

"The flames," the water tribe girl replied. "Makes you wonder what it's like to have fire within you, to have something almost living reside inside your soul. We once met a great Firebending master along the way. His name was Jeong Jeong, and he had at first refused to teach Aang Firebending. It made me wonder why? Why was learning Firebending so dangerous? Like Master Jeong Jeong said that Earthbenders and Waterbenders can see the objects they bend, that the objects they bend will not move without a force pushing it. He explained to Aang how fire will spread even though there is no body bending it, like it has a mind of its own. I could never understand the complexities of a Firebender." She paused. "But, you must think me crazy, thinking so much about the enemies." She let out a soft laugh.

Zuko stared at the girl, "I do not think you foolish, but understanding."

He watched as the girl's eyes snapped up and stared back at him with confused eyes, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"When people hear of Firebenders, they think of evil creatures who only live to kill. They do not think of them as humans, but savages." Zuko stated solemnly. "It takes a truly understanding person to realize that they will never truly understand everything about a certain person or persons."

"You speak as though you were on their side," Katara joked, to lighten the mood. She was surprised when Koru just looked at her, and turned his head back to stare at the flames. She cocked her head to the side. He was so confusing.

"It does not matter whose side I'm on," Koru suddenly spoke out. "It is the right that every person deserves. Nobody should be stereotyped and be judged based on assumptions and false conclusions."

Katara did not reply, but she understood what Koru was trying to explain. She found a new gained respect for him. She too turned her head to the flames. Night had befallen the sky, and the two sat silently, staring into the fire, with the cackling of the flames and the sound of the tree leaves rustling in the wind. Katara found herself drifting to sleep, so she scooted away, climbed into her sleeping bag, and immediately fell into slumber.

Zuko watched as the girl's eyes closed almost right after her head hit the pillow. He felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, but he quickly forced it back into a tight line. He realized that he should also get some sleep. He would have to wake up before all of them to go take a bath, where he could drop the potion in when no one was looking. He didn't need a sleeping bag or any type warmth. He lay down on the ground, and forced himself to drift into sleep. His last thought was that he missed his bed on his ship.

Yay! The chapter is done! Okay, I know people will probably think I am making Katara OOC since she is immediately kind to Zuko. Well, actually, I don't think I am making her OOC cuz if you watch ATLA, Katara is actually quick to befriend almost anyone as long as it is not a firebender. She doesn't know Zuko/Koru is a firebender, so I think it wouldn't be OOC if she was kind and trusted Zuko/Koru. I tried to but subtle fluff into this chappie…though I think I might have gone a bit overboard in some parts. If you think I'm taking the whole Zutara thing too quickly, please tell me and I will try to change my writing….haha…

I'm sorry if I put too much dividers in this chapter...I wanted to let the readers know that I was switching points of view. When katara is thinking, when Zuko speaks, it says Koru. When Zuko is speaking, Katara, is described as the water tribe girl. Get what I'm saying? I'm sorry if you're confused...Please Review!

Please review! I will update ASAP!