OK, before anyone gets into these two chapters, I need to make something clear about the pairings involved. I have no problem with the idea of Zutara, and if it happens in the show, great, but it isn't going to happen here. Frankly, all the Zutara stories seem to follow the same pattern, and the only evidence anyone has ever been able to present is that one time in "Bato of the Water-Tribe" when Zuko held onto Katara when they were on the animal-thing.

The thing that I really hate with shipping is when people make pairings with the barest of evidence from the show and then can't give any kind of reason to back it up. Even the Sokkla people, which is probably the second craziest paring I know of, made a better case for their pairing. Frankly, I think Kataang is more likely to happen, and that's what is eventually going to happen in my stories. Now, I hope I haven't offended anyone, but that is just how I feel about it. And believe me, when my story is over, I won't be able to write anything Zutara even if I wanted to.

Chap. 11

Admittance, Regret, and Betrayal, Part 1

As the Knights berated Sokka while Iroh and Toph watched, Katara helped Zuko into the house. Aang had already retreated to the space that was serving as his room, so Katara took it upon herself to aid the former prince.

"Really, I'm ok. You don't need to do this." Zuko said, as Katara helped him onto the sofa and handed him his shirt.

"Maybe, but I'd feel better if I did." Katara answered, in a somewhat motherly tone, as she moved over to the fire pit. Sorting through Fuego's assortment of herbs, she asked, "You don't want anything to eat, do you?"

"No that's ok." Zuko said, as he put his shirt back on and tried to get up off of the sofa.

"Hey, get back down!" Katara yelled as she turned her head. Sheepishly, Zuko obeyed, though he rolled his eyes the second Katara's back was to him.

"Ah, here we go." Katara said, as she pulled out some long, teal colored leaves. Moving over to Zuko, she said, "Here, eat these."

"What are they?" Zuko asked.

"Tenaberry leaves. They prevent infection, and you did fall on the ground with that wound. Besides, I don't really know how to heal infections."

Zuko took the leaves, though he wondered if Katara was making up the part about her healing abilities. Opening his mouth, Zuko tossed the leaves inside his mouth and began to chew. A second later though, his eyes bugged out of his head as the leaves' bitter juices flowed over his tongue. But as Zuko's face went through every contortion imaginable, Katara slapped her hands over his mouth and said, "Come on, chew and swallow!" Unable to spit out the leaves, Zuko managed to force them through his mouth and down his throat.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Katara said, as she pulled her hand away. "Now, I'll just make some tea for you." As she walked away, Zuko frantically began to drag his tongue over the sofa's arm, in an attempt to rid himself of the nasty taste of the tenaberry.

What is with this girl? Zuko wondered as he finally wiped the last of the taste from his mouth. Looking over at Katara, who was bent over the fire-pit, making some of Iroh's jasmine tea, Zuko thought, Why is she being so nice to me after everything I did? I can't remember anyone being this worried about me, not since….. For a second, Zuko actually smiled, as he recalled the time as a child, when he'd come down with a slight fever. He'd been all right in a few days, but his mother had been there every second, comforting him with hot tea, kind words, and more terrible tasting medicines then anyone would have thought existed. Zuko smiled at those pleasant memories of his mother, and as Katara came over to him with his tea, he thought that Katara was more like Ursa then he'd realized.

"Hope you like it." Katara said, as she handed Zuko a warm cup.

"I'm sure I will 'Mom.'" Zuko answered teasingly, as he took the cup.

"Hey I'm just trying to be nice." Katara said defensively, putting her hands on her hips.

"And I appreciate it." Zuko assured her, as he placed the cup down. "But if you don't mind, I'm curious as to why. We were enemies for a long time."

At that, Katara's gaze turned downward, and she said, "I know. And I'm sorry about it."

"You're sorry?" Zuko asked in surprised. "I was the one who chased you."

"I know, but… well….. Fuego told us about what happened with your father and the Agni Kai." Now it was Zuko's turn to cast his eyes downward.

"I felt horrible that it happened to you. But I also felt bad for not trying to understand you. Sokka and I just saw a kid in Fire Nation armor trying to hurt us. I didn't care about why you tried so hard, or how you got scarred. I just saw you as the enemy, and it made it easier to hate you."

"You had a right to." Zuko answered. "I was just a stupid kid in armor. I couldn't accept that my father never wanted me back, and I became so obsessed with it, it took over my life. I stopped caring about anything else, but going home. Besides, after what my people did to your family, I don't blame you or your brother for hating us."

"What they did to my family?" Katara asked in surprise as she turned her head up to look at Zuko.

"Agua told me about your mother." Zuko said gently. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault." Katara answered.

"No, but I'm still sorry about it." Zuko said. "I know what it feels like."

"Yeah. Fuego told us about that too." Katara said.

"How do they know so much about us?" Zuko wondered.

"Well, they are the chosen of the gods. I imagine they have to learn a lot about the people they're sent to protect." Katara answered.

"Or maybe they have nothing better to do with their time." Zuko suggested.

"Actually, that may make more sense." Katara said. "I severly doubt that the gods spend time briefing them; 'This one is Sokka. He's Katara's older brother, and a warrior in training."

"He also thinks he knows everything, and eats more meat then anyone else on the planet." Zuko added.

"Plus, he talks in his sleep and has a tiny stuffed seal doll that he sleeps with." Katara said. Zuko gaped a little at that one, but then he began to laugh, as the image of Sokka babbling in his sleep and clutching the doll filled his mind. Katara joined in, and the two of the laughed like old friends.

Aang sat his room, listening to the laughter with an angry expression. The Avatar couldn't hear what was being said, but the fact that Zuko and Katara were talking and laughing just made him angry. Katara was his friend, not Zuko's. Aang had protected her, and she had protected him. They had grown close together, shared hardships together. All Zuko had ever done was attack them and try to hurt them. What did he deserve from her?

Is that for you to decide, young one? Said a voce in Aang's head, a voice that sounded like Monk Gyatso. Should you not have respect for the Prince, given what he has been through?

"He's trying to take her away from me." Aang muttered.

Is she yours, Aang? Is Katara no more then an object for you and Zuko to argue over? I think that losing Appa has made you fearful of losing anyone else.

At that, Aang was silent. He knew that Katara wasn't an object, and that she had to make her own choice. And yes, losing Appa had made the idea of losing someone else unbearable to the young Avatar. But it was so hard for him. Aang had never been able to get his feelings for her out in the open, and he had no real experience in doing it. But he'd always thought that he had time to express it. Now with Zuko here, possibly moving in on her…

Zuko may do that, or he may not. If he does, Katara will have to make her choice. But Aang, if she is going to have a choice, you must express how you feel towards her.

Aang nodded. Gyatso was right; he couldn't sit here, moping around in the dark anymore. Aang was going to tell Katara exactly how he felt. But as he got to his feet, Aang realized that he had no real idea of what he was going to say. The last thing he wanted was to mess this up, so Aang sat back down and tried to figure out what he was going to say to the girl he loved.

But as Aang pondered his love, and Zuko and Katara talked, someone was making his way through the marketplace of Ba Sing Se. But this was no mere shopper, looking for a good deal. This person knew exactly where he wanted to go, and what he would get when he got there.

Jouku smiled as he made his way through the crowd. It was a smile that most of his tenants had seen on his face quite often, when he had come to get his rent money. Now, Jouku had a chance to gain even more money, and all because of an accident. He had been on his way to do some business in the city, when he realized that he's left his money holder in his room at the inn (a common problem; Jouku always made money, and then lost it). Grumbling, Jouku had made his way back and gotten the holder. But as he had turned to leave, he heard something outside. Looking outside his window, Jouku had gasped in amazement. Some of new tenants he'd gained were in the backyard, and one of them was using Firebending! Pulling back, Jouku had tried to think abuot the young scared boy; he'd come in a few days ago as a guest of some tenants, but he looked very familiar to the innkeeper. Now, after seeing he was a Firebender, Jouku's mind made the connection; the boy was Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation, and the old man he was with had to be General Iroh.

At first, Jouku had planned to go to the government, but then he remembered hearing that the Fire Nation would pay anyone who brought int those traitors quite handsomely, much more then the Earth Kingdom could. Plus, Jouku had heard word that there were some Firebenders at the desert outpost that was beyond Ba Sing Se. It would be impossible for many to reach it, but Jouku knew a few ways to get the Sandbenders to take him across. All he had to do was exit the city and get to the camp some of them kept on the outskirts of the border. Jouku smiled, as he thought of the money that would soon be in his possesion.