A/N

So, I've gotten a few reviews saying I should keep on with this story so here goes...

Oh and just to clear some stuff up:

Zuko betrayed them in Ba Sing Se, and he went back to the Fire Nation, but he's still the Blue Spirit.

Enjoy!

"You're terrible person! …You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me personally- the fire nation took my mother..."

Silence.

"I'm sorry."

I looked up shocked, my tears drying instantly. Did he, Zuko-evil, honor seeking, monstrous, fire breathing prince- just apologize? To me?

"I guess that's something we have in common," he went on to say.

I turned around and went to him, stood right in front of him. For the first time, we weren't fighting, or facing off. We were just there.

He tells me about his scar. I offer to heal it, but he says you can't heal a scar. I pretend not to hear the overwhelming sadness in his voice. Instead I place a cool, tan hand on his warm pale face. My thumb rests right on his lip.

His eyes are closed. I can heal him. I will heal him...

She sat straight up, eyes wide. Shocked. Breathing hard.

In the sleeping bags next to her, Sokka stirred. Aang rubbed his eyes sleepily, half awake.

"Are you ok Katara?" he asked worriedly. She rarely had bad dreams.

"I'm fine Aang." she told him. "Just a little nightmare."

"Well if you want to stay up and talk.." he said, half hoping she would say yes, half hoping she would go back to bed.

"No, it's ok. We still have a few more hours of sleep." she said with a reassuring smile.

He nodded and quickly fell back into his deep slumber. Katara sighed and scooted back down in her sleeping bag as well. If she ever got back to sleep, she hoped she wouldn't dream the same dream.

…

When the noblewoman Mai returned from her trip to Omashu, she found herself bored as ever.

She sat at her vanity, in the middle of putting her blades and shurikens in the pockets of her sleeves, when the pink clad acrobat sailed through her open window and landed gracefully on her feet.

"What do you want Ty lee?" was her way of greeting her childhood friend.

"Good afternoon Mai!" she chirped. She was practically bouncing, happiness radiated off of her. She watched Mai for a few minutes before Mai set her comb down and turned to Ty lee.

"Spit it out." she said in her deadpan voice. "What's this exciting news you must have?"

"Oh Mai, what makes you think I have news?" Ty lee said with a nervous giggle.

"I've known you since we were eight. I think I can tell if you have something to say."

Ty lee steeled herself for a moment, not knowing if she wanted to make it a surprise or not. "So, are you going to visit Zuko today?"

Mai turned a faint shade of pink. This was usually her reaction when someone mentioned Zuko. He had finally returned home and the two of them had finally taken things to the next level.

"I might." she replied. Of course I am, she thought to herself.

"Well, I should warn you, when you see him, he might be a little..." Ty lee paused as if trying to find the right word. "Different."

"Different?" Mai repeated. She ran her fingers through her straight, black hair.

Ty lee nodded and took a seat on Mai's bed. "Yes. Different. When you see Zuko. I mean, he's still Zuko but he's not Zuko. Well, he is Zuko, just different. Because he's changed. So now he's different."

Mai stared at her for a moment. "What, did he change his hair?"

Ty lee gave a little laugh. "Oh gosh no. I mean, can you imagine the looks he would get if he shaved his head again but kept that silly little ponytail? Jeez, he'd have to lose a bet to go that far. But he does spend more time in the library I hear."

Mai sighed. "Fine. Don't tell me." she got to her feet. "I guess I'll just go see for myself."

Ty lee but her lip. "Um Mai, you should know that Azula isn't too happy about his transition."

Mai turned back and nodded at Ty lee. "You're not coming?"

"I'd rather not be there again. Azula might still be tossing around lightening."

Mai nodded again and left her room. She wondered what Zuko could have possibly done this time to upset Azula so much. Then again, his very presence seemed to piss her off.

…...

"Ok Team Avatar," Sokka said as he paced in front of his very sleepy and irritable companions. "The eclipse is in four days and we have some last minute plans to go make."

"Like what?" Toph spat on the ground and stared blankly in front of her.

"You know," Sokka scratched his chin. "stuff."

"Sokka, we have everything together." Katara assured him. "We'll get to the rendezvous point by sundown and then we wait until Dad comes with the rest of the troops."

"But what about-"

"Save it Sokka." Aang said with a wave of his hand. "We're done for now."

"For once, I agree with Twinkles." Toph shrugged. Sokka gave a defeated sigh and went to load up Appa's saddle for the journey ahead.

Aang waited for Sokka to be out of earshot before he approached Katara who was busy mending a pair of Sokka's pants.

"Hey Katara," he said uneasily.

"Hi Aang." she said without really looking up from her work.

"I was just wondering if you were ok? I mean I know it was just a bad dream but you seemed really upset so I was just making sure..."

She laughed a little. "I'm fine Aang. I just never realized how scary it would be to be chased by a lion turtle."

Aang's face lightened instantly. "Oh is that what you were dreaming about? I thought it was something much worse!"

"Yeah, that was it, just a lion turtle." Katara said and forced a laugh. Aang said something about going to help Sokka and Katara waited until he was a safe distance to exhale. She hated lying to Aang but she had told both him and Sokka that nothing had happened down in the Crystal Catacombs. Sokka tried to press the issue and Aang had acted a little suspicious at first but now they were ok. Toph was the only one who never mentioned it and for that Katara was grateful.

Katara never was one for lying and she couldn't stand trying to cover something like that up. But how could you tell your brother and your best friend (who is in love with you) that you had bonded with the enemy in a twisted kind of way? How would you explain that you felt connected to him in a way that was never, could never, be possible with them? Could you explain to them that his betrayal had cut deeper and stung harder than any blow Azula could ever land?

When Appa was done resting, it was with heavy heart that Katara got to her feet and made her way to her friends who didn't suspect a thing.

…...

Mai walked around the palace searching for Zuko. After fifteen minutes, she finally stopped a guard and asked where the prince was.

The guard gave her a funny look before answering, "Prince Zuko left for the library at dawn. I cannot say if he is still there or not."

She nodded curtly and went on her way. When she reached the large golden doors, she bowed before the image of the fire god Agni and pushed the door open. It had to be centuries years old and yet it didn't make a single sound.

She walked resolutely down the wide isles lined with shelves upon shelves of Fire Nation history. Mai thought she heard the sound of a pages rustling and turned towards the source when Zuko appeared at her side.

Her heart sped up. But not from fear.

"Zuko!" she said, shock coloring her normally monotone expression.

Zuko scar was gone. As in, not there anymore.

"Hello Mai." Zuko replied. He sounded almost depressed. There were hints of black circles under each eye.

"Zuko, you- you startled me." Mai said with a slight gasp. He didn't tease her about expressing her feelings for once. He didn't smirk, or even apologize. His features seemed to harden actually.

"Did I startle you or did my face startle you?" he asked.

Mai's eyebrows shot up. "Zuko, you know what I mean."

Zuko almost rolled his eyes (he and Azula were more alike than they liked to admit) but instead sighed audibly and turned on his heel, walking down one of the narrow isles between two bookshelves. After a second, Mai followed.

He stopped at a small table where a stack of scrolls were strewn about. He sank down into the wooden chair.

Mai picked up a scroll. "Since when are you into Fire Nation legends and whatnot?" she asked, half teasing, the other half mildly curious.

"You haven't heard?" Zuko said taking the scroll from her, "it's all the rage now." he moved some scrolls over and she perched on the desk. While he organized his stuff, she stared at his face. He looked so different. Even more handsome than she thought possible. She stopped herself then. Am I really that shallow? Well, Azula's my best friend. I can't say my standards are very high. Holding a conversation with that girl is immoral. Then she chuckled a little to herself.

"Do I get to hear the joke?" Zuko asked suddenly.

Mai stopped. "Um, it's nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?" he pressed.

"Well," Mai wasn't sure how to say this.. "I was um, just thinking about your scar."

"My scar?" he repeated, his head cocked to the side a little.

"Yeah, and then that led to Azula-"

"Because Azula makes us all laugh right?" he said sarcastically.

Mai sighed. "Let's not get into this Zuko." then she looked him right in the eye. "What happened? I see a scarred prince firebending his ass off and ordering guards around one day, the next day you're scar is gone and I hear you've been hiding out in a library!"

"So I've picked up a hobby." Zuko countered. Mai narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't play this game with me Zuko. What happened?" she repeated.

"So you want me to have a scar on my face?" he asked, a little more than upset.

"No!" she sighed. "I don't. I think you're better off without it. But you seem different. Like, whatever took your scar away took part of you too. I can tell."

Zuko clenched his jaw. He shouldn't have expected Mai, of all people, to understand. He wasn't very fond of his mark himself, but at the same time, that was a part of who he was. Mai was only looking at the exterior. As usual.

Zuko stood up and stood in front of her. She stared up at him. His perfect face.

"Tell me Mai," he said quietly. "What do you see in me now? When there's nothing here?" he pointed to the left side of his face.

"I see the Crowned Prince of the Fire Nation. I see the man who will one day rule this country, and do it with pride. I know you aren't marred by your past anymore so you can it do it better." she reached up to cup his face but he move back a little. Her hand fell limply.

"And what did you see when I had the scar?" he asked.

For that Mai was at loss of words.

A/N

Hope you guys liked this, and please don't freak out,

THIS IS NOT A MAIKO fic, but I've got a plan

and I'm sticking to it.

Zutara coming soon, reviews are greatly appreciated.

-Kye :D