Chapter 6: The Southern Raiders
Much of the group was awakened by booming noises in the temple. Katara ran out to the open-air courtyard and stood with some of Team Avatar, trying to figure out what was going on. There was a Fire Nation airship attacking them. Suddenly a portion of the ceiling roof began to crumble and cave in. The seconds passed too quickly as Katara realized she was standing directly beneath the crumbling ceiling. She looked up, alarmed, only to be pushed from a source beside her. "Watch out!" she heard Zuko say as he pushed her, his arms enclosing her as he forced her out of the way of the crushing rocks.
Then his body was flush against her back, his arm wrapped around her, dust flying in the air from the rocks that had settled. Something inside of her seemed to awaken at the closeness of his body. It frightened her. She quickly extricated herself out from under him, feeling warm all over. She helped pull him up, and they stared at each other for a moment. She wondered if his mind felt as muddled as hers. "Thank you Zuko," Katara said.
"Don't mention it," Zuko said cooly, starting to turn away from her.
"Come on!" Toph said, pointing to an exit that she and Haru had created with their earthbending. "We can get out through here!"
Katara grabbed Zuko's hand and started to pull him after her, but Zuko quickly pulled away from her grasp. "Wait," he said.
Katara stared at him questioningly as Zuko turned to face the airships. "What are you doing?" She said.
"Go with the others." Zuko said. "I'll hold them off. I think this is a family visit." Zuko started to run off toward the airship.
"Zuko! No!" Katara said as Aang, Sokka, and Jet ran up to her.
She started to go after Zuko, but her brother grabbed her arm. "We've got to get out of here!" Sokka said. Katara frowned as Zuko ran off into the distance. He always threw himself into things without thinking … though they seemed to have that in common a lot of the time. "Come on!" Sokka said, tugging on Katara's arm.
"Zuko's probably the one who sent this ship anyways," Jet said.
Katara glared at him, "They're attacking him too!"
"We'll see," Jet said.
Aang, Katara, Sokka and Jet began pulling the reins, trying to make Appa move into their escape tunnel. Appa would not budge, so the group made the difficult decision of splitting up. Hakoda hugged his children before splitting off into the tunnel with the others. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Jet got on Appa and took off, a shield of rock covering Appa as he broke through Azula's fire, the rock disintegrating from the blast. Zuko was facing off with Azula. As Appa flew, he dodged fire blasts, Katara deflecting several large whips of fire with her waterbending. The group rose above the airship to avoid more fire. Suddenly Katara saw Zuko falling toward them, and she reached out to grab his hand and pull him into the saddle.
ooo
Azula continued falling, and Zuko said, "She's … not gonna make it." Then Azula used her firebending to propel herself toward the wall, stopping her fall with her hair pin and saving herself. "Of course she did," Zuko said."
"I don't know if I should be turned on or terrified," Jet said.
A moment of silence passed between the group, and then Zuko suddenly exclaimed, "That's my sister!" Several people made disgusted noises in response to Jet.
"Yeah," Jet said, "so? She just tried to kill you."
"… Exactly!" Zuko said. "What is attractive about that?"
"She wants to kill you. I want to kill you. We have a lot in common," Jet said.
Sokka made a choked noise, "Azula? You hate the Fire Nation, Jet, and she's the princess."
"Gosh you guys, I didn't say I want to propose to her!" Jet said.
Toph punched him, "Quit being such a hog monkey and maybe everyone will like you more, Sugar Glider."
Sokka spluttered, "Sugar Glider?" He was doubled over laughing at Jet's irritated face.
Aang yelled loudly over Sokka's laughter, "Guys, quit fighting on Appa! It makes it harder for him to fly!" The rest of the ride was filled with an awkward silence, a grumpy Zuko and Jet both with arms crossed staring off into the horizon.
As Zuko looked at the sky, he was replaying back the conversation. If Katara and Jet were dating, wouldn't she have been upset at Jet calling Azula attractive? Or were they playing it cool, trying to pretend they weren't together? He really needed to ask her about it soon, it was driving him crazy.
ooo
That night they found a site to set up camp. They were all outside together around their campfire, having just finished eating dinner. They had decided to regroup and figure out where to go next.
It hadn't escaped Zuko's notice that Katara sat next to Jet at the campfire, or that they had seemed to grow closer since Zuko had been away so many days. He had wanted to ask her about dating Jet, but he hadn't found the right moment. At this point, the two of them were flirty with each other, and Zuko started to wonder how no one else knew they were dating.
"Wow, camping ... it really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" Aang said.
"If you really want it to feel like old times, I could, uh ... chase you around a while and try to capture you," Zuko said. He smiled as the rest of the group laughed, except for Jet.
"Ha ha," Jet said sarcastically. Katara shot him a look. He had been so hostile toward Zuko ever since joining the group.
"To Zuko!" Sokka said, holding up his cup. "Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today he'd be our hero?" The rest of Team Avatar held up their cups, yelling "hear, hear!" Aang nudged Zuko with his elbow, and Toph lightly punched him.
Zuko smiled and said, "I'm touched." He stopped smiling and quietly said, "I don't deserve this."
"Yea, no kidding," Jet said. Katara smacked Jet on the arm, giving him another look. Zuko's heart lurched as he watched Jet smile and wink at her. She rolled her eyes at him. Katara started to whisper something in Jet's ear, and Jet chuckled in response. Zuko looked down at his tea cup in alarm, suddenly dropping it. He had apparently firebended the cup hotter and hotter, to the point the tea was almost boiling, his hand burning from holding it. As Zuko stared down at the spilled cup, he could hear his uncle say, 'I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but it's just so sad.' He missed that man. He had thought he found a friend in Katara, and it really hurt to see her getting friendly with Jet, most likely even more so when they were alone.
"Zuko," Katara said, her voice concerned. She stared down at his spilled tea. "What's wrong?" He looked up to see her blue eyes staring at him, worry on her features. Everyone was staring at him now, and he felt embarrassed at the attention.
ooo
"I'm fine," Zuko said. "My hand slipped." He bent down to pick up the cup.
Katara could tell that he wasn't fine. Zuko had been stiff with her lately. It hurt, because she had thought they could become friends after what they'd been through together. He had been gone on trips a lot, and she didn't know how to get back the easy camaraderie they had developed when he first arrived at the air temple.
"Did your hand slip when you attacked Katara's tribe? Or Suki's village? Or the North Pole? Or when you got me imprisoned at Lake Laogai?" Jet said angrily. "Is that what he told you guys? How can you be thanking him after all of that? I'm tired of living with this firebending scum, and you guys being so friendly with him."
"Jet!" Katara said, turning angrily toward him.
"No he's right," Zuko said, his voice low and raspy. "I don't deserve anyone's gratitude after what I've done."
"Have you all lost your minds?" Jet said. "He's the Fire Lord's son, spreading war and violence is in his blood! I bet he's just waiting for the chance to off one of us." Katara stood up at the same time Zuko did. She could see the hurt on Zuko's face.
"Jet, you're way out of line," Toph said.
"I trust Zuko with my life after what he did at the Boiling Rock," Sokka said passionately. "He's a wanted man, and he walked into that prison to help get my dad and Suki out. He's a hero in my books. If you've got a problem living with him, you can leave Jet."
"Zuko saved us in Ba Sing Se, and again with Azula today. He's also been a great firebending teacher," Aang said.
"Jet, I've told you," Katara said angrily. "Zuko has gone off alone for days with Aang and Sokka, and has proved himself multiple times! You just can't see past your prejudice!"
"Like you care," Zuko said.
"Of course I care," Katara said defensively. It shocked her to hear Zuko turn this on her, when she was on his side.
"Sometimes actions speak louder than words," Zuko snapped.
ooo
Zuko couldn't take it anymore. He hated seeing Katara defend him to her boyfriend. Jet had to have talked to her about this before, and she must agree with him on some level to still be dating him. It was a bit two faced for her to act one way with him and the group, and another behind closed doors with Jet. Zuko started to walk away, saying, "I need some air." He knew they were outside already, but he really needed to get away from the group for a bit to calm down.
ooo
"What's with him?" Sokka said after Zuko walked away.
"I wish I knew," Katara said. She started to follow after him.
Jet suddenly stood up. "Katara," he said.
She turned to glare at him. "Do not follow me," she said. She ignored the hurt look on Jet's face as she walked away.
As Katara left, Sokka said, "What's with her?"
ooo
Katara slowly approached Zuko on a grassy cliff overlooking the ocean. "Zuko," she said softly as she walked up next to him.
He turned to look at her, his face blank. "What do you want?" he said.
Katara stared at him, confused. "I … don't understand why you seem so mad at me. I've been nothing but nice to you."
Zuko frowned at her. "How could you date Jet after what I told you about him in Ba Sing Se?"
Katara had not expected him to say that at all. Her eyes widened in shock. "Date … Jet? I dated him in the past when we first met him at his camp near Gaipan village. But I told you, he used and manipulated me. I wouldn't date him again after that."
ooo
Zuko stared at her in surprise. They weren't dating? He didn't even know what to say. That meant that Jet … must have lied to him. Of course he had. What a scumbag. "I'm sorry Katara," Zuko said. "I thought you were still dating him." Now he felt guilty for being so rude to her. He wasn't even sure why he'd cared so much. It wasn't really his business who she dated anyways. But for someone he'd started to consider a friend to be with someone like Jet had annoyed him to no end. "He's not a good guy," Zuko said. He considered telling her about Jet's lie, but wasn't sure he wanted to involve her. She'd been hurt enough. He would talk to Jet about it later.
Katara frowned. "I know," she said, "but I always try to see the best in people. I've slowly realized that can be a weakness. Sometimes I can be too trusting."
Zuko stared into her blue eyes. His voice got caught somewhere in his throat. "It can be a weakness, or it can be a strength," he said, his voice raspy. "If you hadn't tried to see the best in me in the crystal catacombs, who knows where we would be now?"
Katara shyly said, "I know we talked a lot but … you … helped us because of me?"
Zuko blushed at the way she was smiling at him. "Well I mean that was a big part of it," Zuko said. "Being around my uncle for so many years slowly started to change me too I guess. I started to realize that what I was taught about the Fire Nation was wrong. The world hates us."
ooo
"I used to hate you … hate the Fire Nation," Katara said. "But our travels have made me realize that not all of the Fire Nation is bad. Staying here for several months, I've met a lot of good people. But the Fire Nation does need to change. They've killed and stolen and destroyed so much. Destroyed my tribe. Killed my mother," Katara grasped her necklace at this. "I can never forgive them for that. The man who took her away from me is a monster." Katara's voice broke. She turned away from Zuko, a sudden wave of emotions overtaking her. How could she stand to be around him? She knew Zuko hadn't killed her mother, or been any part of it, he was too young at the time obviously, but he was the Fire Lord's son. He had been raised to be just like them. Murderers. Thieves. They'd stolen her childhood from her.
'No', she said to herself. 'Not Zuko'. He was different right? Wasn't he? He'd saved her and Aang. But she saw flashes of the past in her mind. Zuko on his huge Fire Nation ship, running straight into her village, demanding they hand over the Avatar. Another, Zuko dangling her mother's necklace in front of her, taunting her. Then, Zuko fighting her at the North over Aang, then stealing him out from under her. And just now, her defending Zuko to Jet, and Zuko getting angry at her for no reason. He had done so much good, and so much bad. She found that she couldn't quite look at him.
ooo
"Katara?" Zuko said. He was surprised at her sudden shift, but he understood the pain of losing a mother. "I'm so sorry about your mother. I wish I could do something to help." He reached out to touch her arm, but she jerked away from him.
"Like you said Zuko, actions speak louder than words. Maybe when you're Fire Lord you can bring her back," Katara said as she walked away. He saw tears running down her face in the moonlight. He had never seen her so upset with him since before he helped her in Ba Sing Se. It was his fault. He shouldn't have assumed that the lie Jet had told him was true. He shouldn't have been so cold to her lately. He felt like they had taken several steps back. As he thought about it, Zuko realized he needed to understand what had happened to her mother to make things right with Katara. It seemed like she'd suddenly started to project her anger about her mother's death at him. He wondered if she'd ever truly grieved her mother's death before. Katara seemed so strong, but every time, even just mentioning her mother broke her down. He turned toward Sokka's tent.
ooo
The next day, Katara walked out of her tent to find Zuko waiting outside of it, sitting on a rock. She noticed dark circles under his eyes and the unruliness of his hair. "You look tired," Katara said.
"I waited out here all night," Zuko said.
Katara started brushing her hair. "Why?" She was surprised that he would have sat on a rock all night just waiting to talk to her. This must be serious.
"I know who killed your mother," Zuko said. Katara abruptly stopped, shocked at his words. "And I'm gonna help you find him."
ooo
It was mid-afternoon when Katara and Zuko approached Appa, Zuko carrying a sack over his shoulder. Aang was feeding Appa hay, Sokka was lounging nearby against a rock playing with a lei he was making, and Jet was sitting a few feet from him, lounging with his wheat in his mouth. "I need to borrow Appa," Katara said.
"Why?" Aang said jokingly. "Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?"
"Yes, it is," Katara said.
"Oh?" Aang said, surprise evident in his voice. "What's going on?"
"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me," Katara said.
Sokka stood up surprised. Zuko said, "Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it and I know how to find him."
"Um," Aang said, "and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?"
Katara shook her head in dismay. She shouldn't have been surprised by Aang's reaction. He was always preaching about peace and non-violence, but sometimes people did things that were so awful that they needed to face justice. "Ugh, I knew you wouldn't understand," Katara said beginning to walk away.
"Wait! Stop! I do understand." Aang said. "You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"
"She needs this, Aang. This is about getting closure and justice," Zuko said.
"I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge," Aang said.
"Fine, maybe it is!" Katara exclaimed. "Maybe that's what I need! Maybe that's what he deserves!" she was throwing her hands around her out of anger.
"Katara, you sound like Jet," Aang said.
"Hey!" Jet yelled.
"Uh…Jet before he changed I mean," Aang said sheepishly.
"It's not the same!" Katara said. "Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a monster."
"Wow," Jet said dejectedly. Everyone ignored him except for Zuko, who shot him an annoyed look.
"Katara, she was my mother, too, but I think Aang might be right," Sokka said.
"Then you didn't love her the way I did!" Katara said angrily. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew this was too far, but she didn't care. They were trying to stop her from doing something she really needed to do, and it just hurt her too much.
Sokka sounded so hurt when he said, "Katara!"
"The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat viper," Aang said. "While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself."
"That's cute, but this isn't air temple preschool," Zuko said. "It's the real world."
"Now that I know he's out there ... now that I know we can find him, I feel like I have no choice," Katara said.
"Katara," Aang said, "you do have a choice, forgiveness."
"That's the same as doing nothing!" Zuko said.
"No, it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive," Aang said.
"It's not just hard, it's impossible," Katara said. She turned to walk away from them, and Zuko followed her.
ooo
Later that night, Katara and Zuko were in black cloaks, and Katara was tying her hair into a ponytail. She had to be ready for anything they might face. Suddenly Aang and Sokka emerged to confront them from behind a rock.
"So, you were just gonna take Appa anyway?" Aang said.
"Yes," Katara said simply.
"It's okay, because I forgive you," Aang said with a pause. "That give you any ideas?"
"Don't try to stop us," Katara said.
"I wasn't planning to. This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man." Aang said, as Katara situated herself on Appa's head. "But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him."
"Okay," Zuko said sarcastically, "we'll be sure to do that, guru goody-goody." He climbed aboard Appa, settling on the saddle.
"Thanks for understanding, Aang. Yip-yip," Katara said. Appa flew, taking them away from her brother and Aang. If nothing else, she would enjoy this time away from their judgmental opinions. Everyone always tried to control her and tell her what to do, especially the men in her life. It was strange that the only person who currently understood her used to be her enemy.
ooo
As Katara and Zuko flew away, Sokka said to Aang, "You know, you're pretty wise for a kid."
"Thanks Sokka," Aang said with a small smile.
"Usually it's annoying, but right now, I'm impressed," Sokka said.
"I appreciate that," Aang said, his smile disappearing.
"So, can I borrow Momo for a week?" Sokka said.
Aang relied, his voice surprised, "Why do you need to borrow Momo?"
Sokka shrugged.
ooo
After Katara and Zuko confronted Yon Rha, they sat on Appa, and the ride back to the group's camp was silent for a long time. Zuko knew that Katara probably needed the silence to collect her thoughts, and he wasn't about to interrupt it first.
"You didn't have to come do this with me," Katara said, sitting atop Appa's head, looking out across the sky.
"Of course I did," Zuko said.
"But why?" Katara said, turning to look at him. "I was so rude to you the other night. I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that."
Zuko shrugged. "I do deserve it, after everything I did in the past. And you were right Katara, my people have really made a mess of the world. If I can help bring you closure in some way for what the Fire Nation has done, of course I'm going to try." They were silent for a few moments, Katara looking thoughtful, then Zuko said nervously, "Hey Katara."
"Yeah?" she said curiously, turning her whole body to look at him, her arms leaning on the lip of Appa's saddle, her chin resting on a fist.
Zuko blushed a bit, cursing himself in his head for being so bad at talking to people like this. "I talked to your brother about this, and he thought I should talk to you about it too," he paused and took a deep breath. "I really do regret my past. The only thing I'm proud of myself for doing in the last few years, is helping save you and Aang back in Ba Sing Se. If I could go back, I would change so many things," he said, his voice stern and full of conviction. They stared into each other's eyes, and it was like they were back in the crystal catacombs and there was no distance between them, as though her palm settled against his scarred cheek like it did that day. He saw her face soften a bit as he continued. "But I think I needed to go through it all. I needed to feel that regret to end up here. I needed to end up in that Fire Nation prison feeling alone, and hated by the people who were supposed to care about me the most. I needed to go through everything I've been through with my Uncle to choose what I knew was right in my heart all along. Being in prison after sacrificing myself for your cause is the most at peace I had ever felt. My whole life I was taught that the Fire Nation was right, but I knew deep down that this war was wrong, especially when I traveled around the world and saw how it affected people. I've never been more at peace with myself than I am now, with the Avatar, with you."
Katara's eyes went wide with shock, and her face was full of something at his speech … was it admiration? "Thank you for telling me Zuko," Katara said, her eyes welling up, and she turned away from him. "You probably think I'm some emotional crybaby for how much I've gotten upset lately," Katara said, sounding embarrassed. "I guess I'm still feeling a bit high-strung after what happened, but what you just said really means a lot to me."
"There's nothing wrong with being high-strung, or passionate, or with feeling things strongly. In fact, I like that about you," Zuko said with a shy smile.
Katara turned to him suddenly, wiping tears from her cheeks, and a clear look of shock on her face. She sat frozen, and they evaluated each other for a moment more. "Almost every time we've talked, it gets deep and I end up crying or yelling at you," Katara said.
"You say what's on your mind. It's refreshing after growing up in the palace court atmosphere my whole life, believe me," Zuko said. "Everyone has a poker face and lies to get on your good side. Imagine growing up with a sister like Azula," Katara visibly shivered in disgust at this, "who's always lying to your face. She hasn't changed much. You and the rest of Team Avatar aren't like that. You guys are all real people, and I can tell you genuinely care. That's rare to find," he said moodily.
Katara looked at Zuko from the corners of her eyes, a sly look on her face. "If you like passionate people, why would you date that gloomy knife girl?" At the look on his face she added, "Sorry, Sokka talked to me all about your trip to Boiling Rock," Katara smiled.
Zuko choked out in shock, "I …" his mind was blank.
"Zuko, I'm just teasing you," Katara said with a smile. "You asked about my past with Jet, I've got to ask about yours."
Zuko couldn't wipe away his frown. "I don't know," he said in response to her question. "Mai saved us at the Boiling Rock. But you're right. We mostly were interested in each other because that's what was expected of us. Our parents kind of … planned it I guess."
It was Katara's turn to be surprised. "So, you're betrothed?" she said.
"No!" Zuko said quickly, an embarrassed flush appearing on his face. "The Fire Nation doesn't really do arranged marriages anymore. But it is true that noble families introduce their children from a young age with that intent."
Katara frowned. "It must be hard practically having your life planned out for you like that. My Gran-gran fled the Northern water tribe because of an arranged marriage. Then she married for love in the South."
Zuko smiled at that and said, "That doesn't surprise me at all. Your family raised you to be strong. I can see where you get it from, your father Hakoda is a great man."
Katara blushed and said, "Zuko, stop it. You already made up for the past today, you don't have to flatter me anymore."
"Maybe I want to," Zuko said with a shy smile.
Katara had an embarrassed look on her face, and she turned away from him suddenly. Her whole face and neck had turned a shade of red. The rest of their trip was spent in companionable silence. Something powerful had shifted between them. Zuko was almost sad when they got back to the group's camp, and Katara took off suddenly.
ooo
Katara was on the boardwalk overlooking the water. She sat on the edge of the dock, her eyes closed, paddling the water with her feet. She opened her eyes sadly as Aang and Zuko approached her.
"Katara? Are you okay?" Aang said as he ran up to her.
"I'm doing fine," Katara replied.
"Zuko told me what you did," Aang said. "Or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you."
"I wanted to do it," Katara said. "I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or because I'm strong enough not to."
"You did the right thing," Aang said. "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing."
Katara rose from the dock saying, "But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him." She smiled at Zuko and walked up to him. "But Zuko, will you forgive me?" They stood there staring at each other for several moments.
Zuko said, "Only if you forgive me too." She rolled her eyes and he grinned.
Then suddenly she was reaching her arms out to him in invitation for a hug, and Zuko moved toward her, their arms encircling in an embrace. It only lasted a few short seconds, but Zuko felt any tension they had left with each other release. She pulled back and held her hands on him for a moment, their eyes saying everything they couldn't. Zuko felt himself smile back at her. He watched as she turned and walked away.
"You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer," Zuko said.
"It never is," Aang replied.
"Then I have a question for you," Zuko said, turning to look at him. "What are you gonna do when you face my father?" Aang's expression turned worried. He had no response for that.
Author's Note: Sorry it's a bit late this week. I'd rather be happy with it before I post than just push it out for a deadline! Thank you for reading and reviewing!