Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, The Last Airbender
"Zuko, did you see where Katara went?" asked Aang.
"She went over there," he gestured to a group of trees. "I don't know what she was doing."
Toph threw a piece of jerky at Aang. "Well go get her while twinkle toes makes dinner." Aang snorted ina nger and retrieved the piece of jerky on his lap.
With a groan Zuko stood and walked slowly past a sleeping Iroh. Before he left the wide clearing, he threw a glance Sokka's way. The young man was silently poking the fire, his face stern and cold. Ty Lee lay in a mangled mess next to him, trying to nap. Sokka turned and glared at Zuko before he went out of sight. For a moment life seemed to freeze for the two teens, both giving cold terrifing gazes to one another.
Katara lounged lazily in the warm water, letting out a sigh as it tingled her skin. It had been so long, she thought, since she had taken a bath. It felt so good. The small pond was fairly deep and wide, but nothing occupioed it aside from the occasional toad. She was so relaxed and peaceful all by herself.
She suddenly panicked as she heard the snap of a twig. Her gaze darted around the trees, looking for the source. "Katara!" She panicked even more. Of all the people to come find me they send Zuko!
Katara opened her mouth to speak when he stumbled through some branches. Zuko stood and dusted himself off, not noticing the very naked Katara in front of him. She froze when he lifted his head and his eyes fell over her, lying helplessly in the water. Zuko's eyes widened and his face suddenly flushed red. The two did not move for a good thirty seconds before Zuko turned away so embarrased he wished he were dead. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were bathing I just-"
"Zuko, don't worry about it," Katara climbed out of the water and began putting her clothes on. "It was just an accident, I'm not mad or anything."
"Still I should have guessed, please forgive me." He kept his gaze away from her even as she finished dressing. Katara sighed as she bended the water from her soaking hair.
"Why are you so hard on yourself? It was no ones fault." She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he was visibly surprised. Slowly Katara turned him around to meet her gaze. "Zuko, you really are good at surprising a girl. First when you constantly always seem to show up at the worst time possible when you chased us. Then when you saved Appa and asked to join us, and third when you managed to defeat Azula with the one of the most powerful displays of bending I've ever seen."
Zuko winced visibly at her last observation. No one had aproached him about the subject since it happened. "And now you're ebating youself up for something that was a complete, almost unavoidable accident."
With a sigh he looked up into her eyes, her cold blue eyes. He had enver seen such beautiful eyes before, and they always seemed to calm his spirit. "I suppose you're right. It's over anyway, we have to go back to camp."
Katara nodded followed him into the trees. The two walked silently for a minute or two before Katara stopped. She looked around the trees for a moment. "What's wrong?" She turned to see Zuko looking back at her, ready to withdraw his swords.
"Nothing, I just thought a heard-" she stopped and looked around again. "Do you hear that?"
Zuko closed his eyes and listened carefully to the sounds of the forest. Among the gusts of wind, chirping of birds, and the stir of life, he knew he heard crying. The crying of, a baby. Wihtout a word to Katara he ran in the direction of the sound. She followed right on his heels, curious to what it could be.
As they ran on, the crying of a baby became dominent and they both knew thats what it had to be. Zuko stopped in a dense section of the patch of trees, and started looking around the bushes. Katara did the same, following the sound as best she could. She came to a small bush, and tore it away. Sure enough, and to her complete surprise, a small baby wrapped in blankets lay in the dirt, tears streaming down its face. Katara gently lifted the infant into her arms and stood.
The small child had a small patch of hair on its head, and chuberic featurs along its face. She was postive it was a boy, and his little hands waved frantically with the rythym of his crying. Katara craddled him into her arms and rocked him back and forth. "Shhhh, its okay little guy."
Zuko came up behind her and looked at him. The baby started calming down with Katara's motherlike words, getting quieter. He opened his eyes with the last pouts and observed his rescuers. Katara gave him a warm smile, welcoming his gaze. Zuko tried to avoid it, and tried to hide his scar, confident he would start crying again. For the first time he saw the infants eyes, a golden rust that sparkled witht he sun.
"Why is he out here?" Katara asked.
Zuko watched the little boys eyes as they bore into him. He quickly realized the sad truth. "He was probably abandoned."
"You poor little thing, well you'll just have to come with us won't you?" Again Katara smiled at him and the little boy laughed. "He's so cute, and look!" she nodded towards his head. "He's got your eyes Zuko."
The two walked back to camp, completly surprising the rest of the group with their guest. Everyone agreed that they would keep the child until they found a home they could leave him in. That night everyone went to sleep but Katara, who tried to put the little boy to sleep. He cried abysmally, his sobs breaking her heart. "Need some help?"
She looked up to see Zuko walking towards her. "He won't fall asleep, I don't know whats wrong." she rocked him back and forth, trying to calm him.
Zuko watched painfully while the boy cried. It was really sad to see him cry like that. He glanced up to Katara, tired and worn out from trying to get the baby to sleep. With a sigh he looked around and then back at her. "Hand him here." Katara gladly handed him over.
"I need you to promise you won't tell anyone what I'm about to do." Katara gave him a questioning look, but then nodded.
With a sigh Zuko began to gently swing the baby. He began to mouth something, but Katara wasn't quite sure what he was saying. He got louder and louder with every word, and slowly she began to make out the words of a lullabuy.
Leaves from the vine,
Falling so slow,
Like fragile, tiny shells,
Drifting in the foam,
Little soldier boy,
Come marching home,
Brave soldier boy,
Comes marching home.
Soon the weeping child was softly asleep. Katara was dumbfounded. She looked up at Zuko who was smiling softly to the child, watching him dose off. He's so sweet. "I can't believe you just did that."
Zuko suddenly frowned and flushed red. "Uh, well it worked didn't it?"
"No I mean, that was so sweet. I never knew you had a way with children Zuko." She smiled at him. I'll have to keep that in mind.