"We're going to need find the Firenation communication tower. There we can find out where the Southern Raiders are, all towers must be informed on where other ships are located." Zuko tells me.

I nod. "So then we'll bust in and take the information we need." I reply from what he just told me.

Zuko sighs. "Not exactly… We need to be stealthy and make sure no one spots us. If they do, they'll warn the Southern Raiders, long before we get there."

…..

An hour passes before we reach the nearest communication tower. I land Appa on a strip of land so that Zuko and I can move on with the rest of our mission. Bending the water into Ice, we ride the waves and jump onto the ship. We see three guards moving towards them and Zuko fights one off while I bend the other two off the ship. Entering the door we see a vent and decide to go inside.

"Here let me give you a lift." Zuko offers.

Nodding I place my foot on his hands and he lifts me up into the vent. After, I grab his hands and help him in as well. They're warm- I don't know why I'm so shocked, he's a firebender after all, I guess it's the difference in our body temperatures is all that startled me as mine are usually cold the heat felt nice. We crawl through the vents and see a woman studying the map of where the other ships are located, and with a whip of my hand I knock the ink that was next to the paper onto it and the woman as well. She gets up and moves out of the room. Quickly we jump out of the vent.

"There." Zuko says pointing with his fingers. "The Southern Raiders, on patrol in Whaletail island." He says looking at me.

"WhaleTail Island here we come."

….

We're soaring through the sky, my eyes growing tired from staying up all night. I hear Zuko stir from his sleep on the back of Appa as he begins to talk to me.

"You should get some sleep. We'll be there soon. You'll need all you're strength." He tells me, his voice rusty from just awakening.

I smile faintly from his concern, but it fades as my anger emerges. "Oh, don't you worry about my strength, I have plenty. I'm not that same little girl I was when they first came."

I tell Zuko of that horrible day that is stained forever in my memories. How the snow turned black. My immediate worry for mom. Running as fast as I could to check up on her, and of course, the man who took her away from me before my dad and I could get there in time.

"But we were too late, when we got there the man was gone… and so was she" I choke out.

"Your mother was a brave women." He tells me sincerely.

Touching my necklace, a single tear runs down my cheek. "I know."

Night falls and as we glide over the clouds on Appa, I motion for him to enter the water so we can stay hidden. I place an air bubble to allow us to breathe for the short seconds we're submerged. We blast up and out of the water as I bend the crew members off the ship. Landing we charge through the door- attacking anyone getting in our way. Finally reaching the head captains quarters Zuko looks at me. "This is it Katara. Are you ready to face him?" He asks me determinedly.

I don't even answer. I throw two water whips at the door with such power, knocking them to the ground. We enter after Zuko kicks fire at the man who dodges it.

"Who are you?" The man asks.

"You don't remember her? You will soon." Zuko spits out.

The man is about to pull a move on Zuko when I stop him. I lower my hands and bend my legs as I bloodbend him to keep him from harming us. I notice Zuko glance back at me, eyes clearly in shock as he notices this strange new bending form he probably never knew was possible. But he quickly looks back to the man.

"Think back! Think back to your last raid on the Southern Watertribe!" He yells.

The man is looking up at me frightened. "Please- I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Liar! Look at her and tell me you don't rememeber!" Zuko shouts.

I bend him higher to my face. My face is holding so much anger, but as I look into his eyes I remember what the real man's eyes were that day. I drop my stance.

"That's not him. He's not the man." I tell Zuko.

"What do you mean he's not? He's the captain of the Southern Raiders." He insists.

I look to Zuko once more with disappointed eyes and walk out.

"If you're not the man we're looking for who is?" I hear Zuko ask.

"You must be looking for Yon Rha. He retired four years ago." I hear faintly.

….

Zuko was able to find out where Yon Rha was staying. It was in a town not too far luckily. We're still flying and I haven't spoken a single word since the encounter with Southern Raiders.

This time it was Zuko flying and I guess we're there because we land on another piece of land. Sighing I hop off and survey the area.

"Katara." He says.

I turn to him. "Hm?"

"We are going to find this man no matter what. I want you to find this man and have your justice served. I just…" He says as I interrupt him with an understanding smile that seems to tell him something of a 'thank you.'

With that we're off.

….

"Here, let me buy us something to eat, maybe we can also find out some information." Zuko says.

As I stand waiting, my mind flooded with a million thoughts, I can't help but feel relief that I'm not doing this alone. That if I had found out where this man was sometime in the near future and had decided to go search for him, I don't think I could have done it alone. And I think it would have been strange with Aang, Sokka, Toph, or even any of them. I feel like Zuko understands. He lost his mother as well so I feel like maybe he can relate to how I feel without any judgment added.

Lost in thought he appears with two bowls of soup and we eat it behind a large boulder. As I sip the remaining of the meal I quietly thank him for the purchase but he just waves his hand in the air letting me know it wasn't a problem at all.

"The woman who I bought our lunch from told me he usually comes through this market place everyday in the late afternoon. If we move uphill a bit where all the houses are we can catch him as he comes back."

I'm silent and he looks to me. "Katara. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. It's just- I'm finally going to see the man who did this. Who took her away from us. And this time I can do something about it." I say determined.

He nods. "I got your back."

I look in his eyes. "Let's do this."

…

It begins to rain as we move through the bushes and trees.

"That's him. That's the monster." I say angrily.

"Hello?" We hear him say. "No one sneaks up on Yon Rha without getting burned!" He says firebending.

Not moving yet, he continues to walk when Zuko jumps out of the bush firebending. "We we're behind that tree, and I wouldn't try firebending again."

Yon Rha falls to his knees. "Please I don't want any harm. Take my money." He says frightened.

I walk up to him and pull my mask down. "Do you know who I am?" I ask, my voice deeper than usual.

"No? I don't." He says.

"Oh you better remember like your life depends on it!" I shout. "Why don't you take a closer look." I tell him.

He squints. "Yes. I remember. You're the little watertribe girl!"

He gulps remembering what he did that day.

"She lied to you! She was protecting the last waterbender." I say looking away.

"Really? Who?" Yon Rha asks.

"Me!" I shout, all my anger finally coming out. Holding both of my arms out- I halt the rainfall to a stop creating them into a dome around us I bend it into forceful stream of ice daggers at him until I hold one of my arms out In front of my face. I drop my arm and the daggers turn back to water and fall to the ground.

Yon Rha is on his hands and knees. "I did a bad thing. I know I did- and you deserve revenge! Why don't you take my mother." He suggest with a shaky voice.

I look at him with resentment and angry. "I always wondered what kind of person could do such a thing. But now that I see you I think I understand. There's just nothing inside you. Nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty!" I tell him.

"Please spare me." He cries out.

"But as much as I hate you… I can't do it."

I turn away and hear him sob. Zuko waits for a moment, most likely glaring at such a despicable man before following me.

….

We make it back to our camp in three days time. I had told Zuko that I hadn't really felt like talking the rest of the way back and he completely understood and I'm thankful he didn't try to pester me to talk about my feelings like I have done so many times to the others.

I'm sitting on the dock- feet dangling in the water when I hear Aang running calling my name."

"Katara! Zuko told me what you did… or what you didn't do. I'm proud of you." He says. I can hear the smile in his voice.

Standing up from the dock I begin to talk. Frowning I reply. "I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger out on him; but I couldn't. I don't know if it was because I was too weak to do it. Or because I'm strong enough not too."

"You did the right thing." He says as I notice Zuko behind him. "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing." Aang says.

"But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him." I say.

Looking up towards Zuko, I smile as I walk towards him. "But I am ready to forgive you." I say. Then I almost leap into his arms giving him a hug. I step back, with my hand on his chest and smile.

Walking away I notice that I'm still smiling. I should still feel upset and angry. But instead I feel light and relieved. Almost like a huge weight has been lifted up off of me,

That night, I saw my mother again in my dreams. Smiling and looking so happy. I ran to her and gave her the tightest hug.

"I am so proud of you baby girl." She tells me.

I tear up. "Mom, I miss you so much." I tell him.

"And I you- and your brother and father. You have been so brave and stepped up so much Katara."

"It's been hard mom." I reply as she strokes my hair.

"I know. I know, but I know you can overcome anything, and I'll always be with you." She says as she touches the necklace on my neck. "Take care of everyone my love." She says.

I nod hugging her tighter and then she is gone. When I turn around I see a smiling Zuko standing by her. Like a sign that these nightmares are over. And he was never the one who started them, but yet the one who ended finally ended years of them.

….

It's only 6 months late! Hey guys, it's been awhile. I never meant to go this long but I hit a writer's block and had no idea where I wanted the story to go after this whole anti-zuko arc. Well now we're getting to the real stuff and I can't wait to get some zutara started. Sorry for such a long wait but thanks for reading! Hopefully the next chapter won't be as long of a wait! As always review if you can