Ch. 2

Zuko shuffled down the stairs and through the hallway muttering to himself and running a hand through his hair. At the door to his room he didn't hesitate or knock and unlocked the door and walked right in. He stopped when the tan girl on his bed looked up at him from the book in her lap. He had completely forgotten she was being held here. He staggered to a stop just inside the door, staring at her dumbly.

"Hello." She said shyly as she tucked her loose hair behind her ear and set the book aside. He noticed she was wearing one of his shirts and admired how her dark skin complemented the color. A few moments of silence passed as she waited for him to respond. "I'm Katara. What's your name?" She offered him a friendly smile, something he was not accustomed to.

"Zuko."

"It's nice to meet you Zuko. You're the only other person I've seen aside from Iroh." He gave a slight nod at that and she noticed he seemed uncomfortable. "Uh what brings you here?"

That was when Zuko got over his surprise and remembered that Uncle had sent him to find his missing pai sho piece. "My uncle asked me to check here for his lotus tile." He said while closing the door.

Katara suddenly warmed and drifted to his side. "So you're Iroh's nephew! I've heard so much about you."

Zuko quickly withdrew from her bubbly welcome, stepping away. "He's been talking about me?" He asked stunned. His heart raced. 'Uncle you idiot! What have you been saying about me? You're supposed to be getting information out of her, not chatting over tea.' He thought angrily.

"He says very kind things about you." She raised a hand towards his face and halted. "May I?"

Zuko stared at her as if she were insane. The only thing he'd witnessed from this girl before was raw hatred and anger. And yet her eyes were pleading and her facial expression soft, warm and inviting. He felt himself compelled as he slowly leaned into her hand. She gingerly brushed his hair aside and ran her cool fingers over the ravaged skin that was his left eye.

Suddenly he jerked back and caught her wrist. This was the Avatars water bender after all. He needed her as bait and bait only.

"Sorry." She whispered chagrined. He quickly dropped her hand and turned his back. "You're uncle told me about… it." Zuko turned his head so he could watch her out of wary eyes. "I'm so sorry Zuko. That sounded so horrible. I don't know how he could have done that to you. I-"

"Enough." He snapped.

Katara bristled, but she was determined to make a connection. Was it for his sake? To help bring him back to the path he once trod according to his uncle? Or was it a more selfish reason? Was she so eager to connect to him because she was so lonely?

Zuko had taken to searching around the table for the missing pai sho piece. Katara watched him from across the room, lightly fingering her mother's necklace. She wavered.

My mother's gone too." She watched his back stiffen and he slowly rose from his crouched position under the table.

"What?" His voice came out breathlessly. So quiet she wasn't sure if she had even heard him.

"My mother. Your uncle told me yours left. Mine's gone too. She died protecting me."

Zuko stared at her long and hard. It was uncomfortable and Katara shifted uneasily under his gold penetrating gaze. She quickly dropped her gaze and continued fumbling over her words. "I know it hurts. There's not a day that goes by where I don't think about her. Even now, I can't remember my father, if I had any brothers or sisters…" Her words were coming out choked now. She took a deep breath before continuing. "If you ever want to talk…"

"No." His tone was quiet, but he sounded set and determined. Clearly he had no interest in her, wanted nothing to do with her. He quickly went for the door, Katara's words following him on his way out.

"It was nice to meet you Zuko." The door slammed behind him and there was the sound of a key scraping in the lock. Katara slumped miserably on the bed. "Well that was a waste…" She rolled over to face the wall thinking. There had been something in his eyes. When he let her touch his scar, he had trusted her, and then something flashed through his eyes. They had become cold and distant, much like himself. Then there had been when she brought up mothers and he had just stared. She could still feel the weight of his golden eyes on her. Something had changed again. His face had lost some of its tension, but she wasn't a mind reader. She wondered what had been going on.

Zuko had to stop outside his door and regroup. Something about that girl had scattered his wits. He had never seen her like that before, kind and vulnerable… He shook his head. No. She was the enemy. How dare she bring up his mother and father. How dare she feel sorry for him! Fueled with a new rage he stomped up the stairs to the open deck.

"Ah, there you are nephew. Look! I found the white lotus tile!" He waved the small game piece before him. "It was caught in my sleeve the whole time."

Zuko strode right past his Uncle in a stony silence. He went to the table covered in maps and charts and began angrily rifling through them searching for some clue as to the Avatars current location.

"Zuko?" His Uncle called after him. "Zuko." Slowly his anger boiled over and he stabbed the compass into the wooden desk.

"What?"

"Did something happen with Ms. Katara?"

"No."

"I see…" His Uncle examined him for a while. "Well then, would you like to join the two of us for dinner?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm too busy and why would I share a meal with a prisoner?"

"I just thought we'd really enjoy your company and maybe you'd like to not eat alone for once."

"No." Was his flat and angry reply.

"Well, you're welcome to join us if you change your mind."

"Don't hold your breath." Zuko huffed as he turned back to his maps.

The scrape of a key sounded and Katara leapt to hold the door open for Iroh as he balanced a tray of dinner.

"Thank you my dear."

"Of course Iroh."

Iroh settled himself in the chair across from Katara and poured the tea. "So anything exciting happen today?" He asked s he slid the tea cup before Katara.

"Oh yes! Your nephew stopped by. He was looking for one of your pi sho pieces."
"Ah yes, I was afraid I had lost it, but I found it caught in my sleeve." Katara nodded. "So what did you think of my nephew?"

"Well…." She trailed off thinking of how to describe her brief encounter with him. "It was… interesting. He just barged in and then when he saw me he just froze. I guess I surprised him. He was acting kind of strange, and I tried talking to him." She stopped and wondered how much she should tell Iroh. Some of it just seemed too personal to share, like when he had leaned into her hand and she could smell wood smoke and rain. "I uh, told him I know what happened to his mom and how mine had died trying to save me. I don't think he liked that I brought it up, or even know about it."

Iroh nodded. "Zuko has had a rough life, but he's strong and proud. He wants to rise above all the things that have hurt him in the past and continue his old way of life."

"He seemed very confident at times, but almost confused at others. It felt like he would start to open up to me, then he'd suddenly shut down and push me away. Was it something I did?"

"No Katara, you did just fine. My nephew is at war with himself with who he used to be and who his father has turned him into. It sounds to me like you got to see a little bit of both sides today."

"Yeah… I hope that's not all I see of him. I did enjoy his company."

"I invited him to dinner but he said he was too busy."

"Oh," Katara's gaze fell to the barely touched food on the plate before her. "Well the next time you see him could you say hi for me? … and possible see if he were available some other time to eat?"

"I will certainly pass it along." Iroh said with a warm smile. "No tell me, how do you like that book?"

That's when Zuko decided he had heard enough of their conversation. He had been listening at the door. For some reason he wanted to know what they talked about. Wanted to hear what they said about him, what she had to say about him. His excuse to himself however was that he was making sure his Uncle wasn't saying too much about him to her. He was irritated as he stomped down the hallway. He wasn't at war with himself! Just a brief slip as he let the enemy get too close. And he was who he was, not something his father had made him become. Besides, as soon as he lured the Avatar into his trap, he could restore his honor and his rightful place at the throne.

He stalked off to the room he shared with his Uncle to meditate. After a while he was joined by Iroh.

"Ah, there you are Prince Zuko. Your presence was missed at dinner tonight."

Zuko grunted a non-committal sound without opening his eyes.

"Miss Katara enjoyed your company earlier today. She was disappointed you weren't able to make it tonight." The flames of the candles flickered unsteadily for a moment. "She and I would like to extend an invitation to you again tomorrow..
The flames flared as his eyes flicked open. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you Uncle. I will not eat with an enemy prisoner."

"Zuko, she is not your enemy and she doesn't even know she's a prisoner. She is just a lonely girl who wants someone to talk to."

"Ugh!" Zuko threw his arms up and angrily stalked out of the room. He found himself on the ship's deck. Zuko was left alone as he slumped onto the railing, watching the ocean ripple and the distorted stars reflection as the ship cut through the dark waters. He inhaled the scent of the warm night and the sweet, salty breeze brought an image of Katara gently reaching to cradle his scarred face. He struck a fist down on the rail, making it clatter loudly from his frustration.

He spent a good portion of his night trying to clear his mind of Katara, his Uncles prodding and reminding himself of his priorities.