DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I don't own anything related to it. I earn no money from this. In fact, I earn nothing from it but my own enjoyment. I make no profit from my writings and don't want to; they're based on someone else's work and I would rather make my own way.

Thank you so much for your reviews! I'll give you replies here.

XxEvilMasterMindxX: Thank you. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

AnnaAza: Thank you!

sokkantylee: Thank you so much for your review! I remember watching the Southern Raiders episode, and they distinctly animate Zuko's eyes widening. I think he'd be very curious about what had happened, so I had to put it in. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

Untilthemoonrises: Thank you! I'll make sure I post the chapters about once a week, as long as I have them done.

This chapter isn't quite as long as the first, but I hope it doesn't disappoint. This is still during the Southern Raiders episode.

Please enjoy.

Change

Chapter Two

When Katara woke, she was much warmer than she thought she should be. She was also propped up, and lying on something very soft. And something was around her. Something warm, and comforting. It took her several minutes to stir, but then, she realized she could hear breathing in her ear, soft and even, but deep. She focused, not wanting to move, and possibly wake whatever was holding her. It was obviously a human, she was realizing. She could feel the person breathing. It was a man, she could feel, because he was strong, his muscles well-developed. His breathing was so deep that she could feel each of his muscles contract and expand with the movement. He felt strangely warm for a human.

Her memories began to come back. Slowly, but surely, she began to realize what was going on. She was asleep on Zuko's lap, wrapped gently in his arms. She was frightened, at first. Did he know she was awake? Was he awake? His breathing was too even for him to be awake, wasn't it? Deciding she was safe for now, she laid there in his arms, secretly enjoying the moment. She had shattered in front of him and, instead of pushing her away, he comforted her, took care of her. Instead of going back to pilot Appa, he had sat there, and let her cry herself to sleep.

…Maybe Zuko wasn't the man she thought. He hadn't run from a sobbing girl. He had taken care of her.

…He had cared for her.

He was strong, and warm, and it was just what she needed to get over the headache that had formed the night before. She stayed there for several minutes, relishing this perfect silence with only his breathing in her ear. It was a moment she enjoyed deeply. She didn't understand, but she knew she liked it.

After several seconds, she gently shifted each of his arms away from her, and softly climbed from his lap, and she took the time to watch him for a few moments. In his sleep he looked young and vulnerable, not the strong, stubborn man she had come to know over the past several months. From the time that he had first captured the Avatar he had shown strength and stubbornness and absolute anger. He had calmed down immensely since then.

But this was different. In his sleep, Zuko was a different person completely. He was perfectly calm and smooth, but there were lines on his face. Worry lines. Age lines. He was older than sixteen. Perhaps not bodily, but in experience, absolutely. She lingered there, watching him for just a few more seconds, and then took over directing Appa.

Perhaps she shouldn't have stayed in his arms, or watched him. Now, there was something new that she had to think about. …Zuko could really, in fact, be good now. It was a very real possibility.

She sighed quietly and shook it out of her head. She wouldn't think of it now. She had something much more important to think about.

He allowed himself to "wake" after she had left the saddle for a few minutes. He'd been awake since she had. He almost always rose with the sun. Firebenders did that. He stirred a little bit, rolling out his limbs and loosening the tension in him, and he sat there and watched her for some time. She was…a lovely girl, really. And maybe he liked her just a little bit, even if she was ultimately frightening.

Then, finally, he climbed toward the edge of the saddle, sitting near her in silence.

Neither spoke until they arrived, stalking Yon Rha as he left the marketplace. A storm was gathering now and the rain would give her more water. She was a powerful young woman and so much anger, so much rage had built up and she was ready.

He turned to attack a bush, and Zuko was the first to step out, using some mild fire to show him that no matter what he did, there was no fire that could fight them.

Katara attacked him verbally and physically, but she never actually hurt him. Perhaps his feelings, but a man like him deserved it. She wanted to kill him.

But she couldn't.

She didn't know if it was because she was too weak to do so…or too strong to do something so evil.

On the ride home, Appa knew the way, so Zuko made sure they were well on their way, and then he went back to Katara once more. He took her hand, and only tightened his when she tried to pull away. "You did the right thing."

"No, I didn't." She said it with such anger that his hand loosened just slightly, but she didn't pull away. Not yet. His reflexes were fast and she was sure that he would feel her start to retreat and keep her there. "He's a monster and he deserves to die. He ruined the lives of so many. He killed my mother, Zuko! He killed her, and she was protecting me!" There were tears again.

Zuko fought himself for a moment, debating. But he knew one very good way to shock her in to silence and blank her mind. It was a trick he'd learned because he'd had it done to him. He lifted his hands and softly cupped her cheeks and he leaned in, just barely brushing her lips with his.

It effectively cut her off and her tears stopped. She had a very blank expression on her face, but he could see the beginnings of a soft blush surfacing. He dare not let his lips twitch and leapt in to speech so that she would have to listen to him while she was still in shock. "You did the right thing, Katara. Would your mother want you to kill someone for her? Would your mother be proud of the fact that you let your anger get the best of you and, instead of being the sweet, strong girl she raised, you let weakness and rage take over?" He said it rapidly, enough that she had to really focus to catch it, and when he was sure he had her attention, he slowed down. "Would your mother want you to become a murderer, Katara? And especially in her name." His voice had softened now. It was gentle, even. "You might not be able to forgive him, but think on what I said."

He stood up to go back to Appa's head, but she grabbed his hand gently. It was a grip that was too light to hold him there but strong enough that he noticed it in time. He turned back to her, and she pulled softly on his arm. He settled on his knees again, and she looked him right in the eyes. "Don't tell anyone." Her voice was soft, and she leaned in, kissing him softly in return. It was only a brush, but to Zuko, it said much, much more than words ever could have.

He'd made an impact on her and she felt better, if only a little bit. It was not an intimate kiss, but one of thanks where her words would never form. It was such a gentle thing that, for the first time, he really realized that she was, in fact, just a girl. She was younger than he, and full of experience with everything but boys. It was a shy thing and she didn't want anyone to know, obviously.

He didn't push his luck with the kiss, but instead squeezed her hands with a small smile on his face. "I won't."

She watched him go back to take Appa's reins, feeling much better than before. He was right about one thing. Her mother would never, ever want her to kill, especially in her name.

She did make the right choice.

When they finally arrived, Zuko obviously told Aang that she hadn't killed the man, because he ran toward her, practically cheering. But she told him that she hadn't forgiven the monster, not at all. Then, her eyes had turned to Zuko. There was a moment of silence that Aang thought meant much more than he read from it. But soon, she said, to his astonishment, and apparently Zuko's, too, that she would forgive him, at least. She threw herself at him in a rather tight hug, and Zuko didn't react for a few seconds, before, finally, his arms settled very softly around her tiny waist.

She lingered there for a few extra seconds, whispering softly in her ear. "Thank you again, Zuko." Her voice was soft, breathed, only for him.

She ran off after that. He lingered there, staring after her. Aang did, too. Zuko finally spoke. "You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer."

This prompted what was, quite possibly, the most important question that Aang had ever been asked. What would he do when he fought the Fire Lord, when Aang didn't truly believe in violence?

Aang was left standing alone on the partially-broken dock, confused, and too thoughtful for his own good.

What would he do? What could he do? Aang couldn't hurt someone! He just couldn't. He only fought when it was for his own defense. He never attacked just to attack. He never ate meat. He was a vegetarian. He respected and cherished all life and…

He just could not kill someone. He couldn't.

End Chapter

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Thank you so much for all the reviews so far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.