Finding a Mother

Chapter 2

That night dinner was quiet. Zuko wasn't eating with them, he hadn't even come out to get food, and Hakoda really couldn't blame him. He looked at Katara, who was chatting and laughing with the others. He stood up.

"If you'll excuse me, there is something I need to do." He said politely.

"Okay…" came Katara and Sokka's reply.

Hakoda smiled and turned, before walking down the dark hall. He turned at Zuko's entrance and was about to enter when he heard Zuko's voice.

"I think you would be proud, mom. I know you would have been appalled at the things I've done to these people, what I did in Ba Sing Se, but I think you would be proud of the choice I made. God, I wish you never left, that you were never banished. But, I guess it was meant to be…"

His voice trailed off as Hakoda stepped in.

"Can I talk with you for a minute?" Hakoda asked. Zuko (now changed out of his prison garb and back into what he was wearing before) almost jumped in the air in shock, he then turned around.

"Oh, it's just you."

"Can I speak with you?" Hakoda kept his voice stern.

"Umm…okay…" Zuko fidgeted slightly as he backed up against the wall.

"Calm down, son. I don't bite." Hakoda smiled. "Do you mind if we take a walk?"

Zuko could feel the sweat pour down his back as he and Hakoda walked into the forest. He couldn't help but feel like the man was going to yell at him or attack him. Hell, his daughter would…

"So, Zuko…"

"Um, yes sir?"

"You probably know where this is going, but I just wanted to ask…" he began

Oh crap Zuko thought. He's going to get angry with me…

"…If those things my daughter said were true?" Hakoda finished. Part of Zuko felt relieved, while another part of him didn't know what to do. If he told the truth, the man could go psycho on him. He could lie, but that would be dishonorable. Zuko's mother always taught Zuko that lying to elders was wrong, she told Azula too, but Azula never listened.

"I…I…" Zuko stammered.

"Just tell me the truth. I won't get mad." Hakoda assured him.

After a second, Zuko spoke.

"Yes." He lowered his head in shame.

"And why did you do those things?" Hakoda asked as he sat down. "The way you've acted during this whole ordeal leads me to believe that you are not that type of man."

"Well, I guess I am…" Zuko sighed. "Your daughter is right. I'm not a good person."

"Really, what was your motive? The Fire Nation would want to capture the Avatar for the honor, the glamour, the fame. Was that your motive, Prince Zuko?"

"Yes…and no."

"Explain."

"I was banished. My father told me that it would be the only way to restore my honor and allow me to return home."

"And what would a teenager do to get banished?"

"I spoke out of turn in a war meeting. A general wanted to send untrained soldiers on a suicide mission. It wasn't right! Those men loved their nation, they had families! I spoke out against it. My outburst angered my father and…"

"Continue…" Hakoda urged.

"He demanded that I fight in an Agni-Kai. I agreed, I mean the general was old; I could have taken him. But it wasn't the general I had to fight, it was my father…" Zuko stopped here; his heart couldn't handle reliving that terrible memory. "I can't continue this…"

Zuko got up and was about to walk away, but Hakoda grabbed his hand.

"Try your best…" was all he said.

"I refused to fight and…and…and…this happened." He pointed at his scar. "I thought it was my honor that I wanted, but really all I wanted was for him to actually care about me."

Hakoda stood up.

"Zuko, listen to me. Your father banished you for this, because he thought he showed weakness, right?"

"Yes…"

"Wrong! What you showed that day proved that you have what most of your family lacks: a heart. That is the sign of a strong and powerful leader, and your father banished you because he fears you. He knows that you have the heart and the strength to turn the Fire Nation around. Zuko, when this war is over, you are the person that we need sitting on the throne."

Zuko felt his heart lift and he couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, sir." He said, bowing.

"Please Zuko, call me Hakoda."

END CHAPTER

AN- Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you feel that this chapter was in character. I really wanted to have Hakoda see the real Zuko that we saw after "The Storm". Anyway, please review. It would be great if I could get 5 before I update again.