Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the song "Something Wonderful" from The King and I, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

Author's Note: I didn't get much reaction to the last chapter, but I'm right back at you with another! This is another song I really like, and it seemed just perfect for Zuko. A character study from the perspective of four women who have loved or at least shown affection toward Zuko. The end does take into account the Season 3 teasers.

Something Wonderful

This is a man who thinks with his heart;
His heart is not always wise.
This is man who stumbles and falls,
But this is a man who tries.
This is a man you forgive and forgive,
And help and protect as long as you live.

Ursa was the first woman to love Zuko. From the moment he was first laid in her arms as a squalling infant, he was special to her. She didn't think it was just because he was her first boy, although that was certainly part of it. She knew that he might be in line for the Fire Nation throne someday, and that worried her, although she could hope that Lu Ten would continue Iroh's line and make that possibility less likely. Whatever the reason, she and her son shared a bond that Ursa could never quite accomplish with Azula.

As Zuko grew, Ursa's urge to protect him did not wane. Rather, it seemed to become stronger in direct proportion to Ozai's increasingly evident disappointment in him. Zuko was not the firebending prodigy that Azula was, but he kept on doggedly trying. In a way, Ursa felt that this had the potential to make him a far stronger person. It was strength in a way that neither his father nor sister would probably recognize, but Zuko had to fail and learn from his mistakes, picking himself up every time that he fell. He had to learn the value of perseverance. He also had a good heart, and Ursa did her best to nurture that, preventing the influence of his father and sister from having too strong a hold on him.

Finally, the time came when she had to leave her boy. When Ursa discovered, in the middle of the night, that Azulon was dead under mysterious circumstances and that Ozai planned to usurp his brother's birthright, there seemed to be no other option. She hated to go, and she woke Zuko quietly to tell him, in her own cryptic way, goodbye. She didn't show any of her worry to the child, but she cried later, fearing what might happen to him without her. At least, as Ozai's only male heir, she believed that he would remain alive, despite other hurts and indignities that might be heaped upon him in his father's varied efforts to "toughen" him.

Raising her head to the sky, Ursa disappeared into the night. As painful as it was, the best way for her to protect him right now was to be gone.

He does not always say
What you would have him say,
But now and then, he'll say something wonderful.

The traveler called Junior said little when he walked briefly into Song's life, but she felt an instant connection to him. It was partly because of the scar, of course, evidence that the Fire Nation had hurt him the way that they had once hurt her.

Later, during dinner, he revealed that he had not seen his father for years because he was fighting in the war. Song felt even more drawn to him at that, having lost her father to the war as well. She even showed him her own injury so that he would know she understood his pain. This occasion was one of the few times he allowed her eyes to meet his, and the mixture of things she saw there was confusing. He seemed almost horrified, but under that lay an inexplicable determination and a deep sense of loss.

It was only later, when she watched him taking their ostrich-horse, that Song realized she didn't understand the depth of his pain after all. Closing the door quietly, she wondered if she ever would.

The thoughtless things he'll do
Will hurt and worry you,
Then all at once he'll do something wonderful.

Jin was not terribly bothered that the young man in the tea shop spoke little; it was partly his reticence that drew her to him. Well, that and the scar, which gave him an air of danger and mystery but did not completely obscure his handsome features. She even tried not to worry that it was his uncle rather than him that accepted her offer of a date.

In truth, Li was not a particularly good date, even shouting at one point that Jin was not his girlfriend. Although this was certainly true, such a vehement denial didn't go very far toward encouraging Jin in her affections. Still, she struggled on gamely, taking him to her favorite spot in the city.

The ending of the evening was simply magical, leading Jin to believe that he really had been in the circus, after all. She didn't know how he did it, but he managed to light all of the lamps so that she could share with him the beautiful reflections off the water. Then, when she kissed him, he actually kissed her back! Even when Li rushed off so quickly, Jin retained the hope of experiencing future surprises from him. She held the tea coupon like a prize, knowing that it would give her the excuse of seeing him at least once more.

He has a thousand dreams that won't come true.
You know that he believes in them,
And that's enough for you.
You'll always go along,
Defend him when he's wrong,
And tell him when he's strong, he is wonderful.

Mai didn't talk much to Zuko when he came to stay in the palace at Ba Sing Se after the fateful events under the city. Instead, Mai watched. She searched to find the boy she once knew inside the young man he'd become. There were familiar glimpses, but mostly, she found herself getting to know who he was now.

More importantly, Mai listened. Somewhat surprisingly, Zuko talked to her. It took a little time, of course, but it was quickly evident that he desperately needed companionship. With his uncle imprisoned, to whom he had probably become accustomed to turning over the last three years, and Azula and Ty Lee being who they were, there wasn't really any other choice, and Mai was happy to comply.

Zuko told her everything: his doubts about the course he'd chosen, his concern about his uncle, worries that he should still be looking for the Avatar. If the Avatar were dead, Zuko wondered if that would still mean that he'd failed. He was reluctant to believe his sister's assertion that he'd already earned his honor back, and that Fire Lord Ozai would accept him now. He also talked about his mother and expressed wishes to find her after all these years.

Mai didn't know what Zuko would end up deciding to do, but when he kissed her as they sat near each other one day, Mai knew that she would follow wherever he went, whether he asked her to or not. No matter what happened, his road was now hers. After waiting since her childhood, she wasn't about to let him go now. She loved him, and he appeared to need her. That was all she needed to know.

He'll always need your love,
And so he'll get your love.
A man who needs your love can be wonderful!

--

Author's Note: I've been working on this one for an unbelievably long time, when you consider how short it is. It's always been interesting to me how some viewers really hate Zuko, while others practically worship him. I like to strike a balance between idealistic fantasy and cynical derision, highlighting both his good and bad points. To quote another musical (Carousel, also by Rodgers & Hammerstein): "What's the use of wonderin' if he's good or if he's bad? He's your fella, and you love him – that's all there is to that!"

joehalo15: You might like my Boys & Girls collection. I had a Suki fic there somewhat similar to the last chapter, except it was more detailed and sad. I'm not familiar with the musical you mentioned, but I'll look into it.