Slight changes in the wording, Added parts at the start and end and a different focus of some things, this one is staying with Zuko's POV, hope you enjoy!

After Katara had hugged him and announced to the group that she had forgiven him, things seemed to get a bit easier for him, he did chores as best as he could, and more than once found himself laughing along with the group without any snarky remarks from Katara, but it was the reason for the remarks that kept his mind preoccupied as late, he did not let on about it, after all, she seemed to think he was still going out with Mai, and though he wasn't, part of him felt he should not say it to her…

His reason for this, Aang was in love with her, it was as clear as day, and he did not even want to think what would happen if Aang thought that they liked each other. His eyes widened as he thought that, liked each other? Did it mean he liked her back? He looked over to her direction and then lowered his head slightly, in avertedly a small laugh came to him as he remembered something from his journal, and he muttered to himself 'she could be my girlfriend' once more he ended up shaking his head slightly, it was a stupid thing to be thinking, even if she did like him that way, and even if she was… was perhaps the prettiest girl he had met in… in… like… well, she was really pretty…

His cheeks were flushing and when Aang came over to him to ask him if he was okay, he half stuttered half choked on his words as he tried to say calmly that he was fine, this just resulted in them all looking to him and him suddenly needing to leave in search of fire wood, even though it was the summer and they were sleeping in doors. He walked through the halls and then took a detour back to his old room, it was nice to have a room to himself again, he would admit it freely, but as with any time he had his own space during this journey with them, it did not take long till the blue eyed girl was knocking on his door

"Come in"

Katara walked in without hesitation, and he moved to make it look like he was busy "somehow I don't think you will find 'fire wood' in here" He turned to look and her, and then he just smiled and looked away "I guess it was really a lame excuse" she laughed and he just sat to the edge of his bed, smiling again at how familiar this scene was becoming. "I just… I remembered something that happened before… and it was a bit embarrassing" Katara was raising her brow as if to tell him to share and he just shook his head a bit, and though before she would get annoyed at him, now she just chuckled and sat beside him.

"Hey Zuko… about before…" He felt himself growing red again and the sense of panic rose in him, so before she could continue he felt he had to cut her off "it's okay Katara, I mean, I was angry at Mai when guys liked her too, but she was not telling them to back off, and we were dating, so I don't think it is the same, but… well, it's not like we… you… I mean…" He scratched his head in frustration and then stood up to look at her "being friends, that was all I ever hoped for, so…" Katara was smiling and shaking her head too "Zuko… it's okay, I meant what I said, I was being unfair too you, I know you don't think of me like that… so… it's okay"

For a brief second he wanted to deny it, he wanted to tell her that it wasn't true, an that he did like her like that and possibly had since the day she handed his ass to him in the north pole, maybe even before that, but instead he looked down and nodded… "I am meant to be training Aang right about now… I should go" She followed him part of the way down, and when he reached Aang in the courtyard, he asked where Suki and Sokka were, Aang told them that they had gone to town to have a look around, and he just nodded, though he thought it was more to have some alone time, his eyes shifted over to Katara then as she just stepped out with Toph, it seemed that the girls were going to watch them train, and while he did not mind it too much, he suddenly became a bit self conscious as he stripped down his upper half.

Yet Katara seemed unfazed by it, perhaps she really was okay with them just being friends? Perhaps he should be okay with it too, after all, wasn't that what he wanted? It was… right? He began to drill the sets with Aang as he tried to clear his mind of those thoughts, He should be happy just to have her on good terms with him right? So nothing to be annoyed over, nothing to be embarrassed by, and nothing to worry about, only the fire and the flow of energy and the mixed feelings he had been having were all but gone by the time Suki and Sokka came back, though this brought about a different memory.

"Ugh The ember Island players ruin everything they get their hands on" Katara looked at him and smiled softly "Really?" He looked to her and nodded "My mom used to take me every year, but they butchered love amongst the dragons every time" Katara turned to her brother, and Zuko could only smile at Sokka's reply, time wasting nonsense? Really? But it seemed that they were going to go, good idea or not. It had taken him almost four hours to find a hat that covered Aangs arrow, but he found a hood for himself easily enough.

They got a seat in the highest area, better to stay hidden, he moved to sit next to Katara only to have Aang say he wanted to sit there, he was going to move, as the reason was clear, but Katara spoke up "Just sit next to Zuko, it makes no difference" something seemed to pass through Aang's features and Zuko sank in his seat slightly, this was going to be awkward, The play started and the first thing that struck him was how terrible the casting for Katara and Sokka was, but then, in contrast, the woman playing Aang, actually looked like Aang, much to the airbenders protest, and this got a smile from him, though that was not to last long, as his own doppelganger appeared, Seriously! He did not sound like that! Though as the actor repeated his words he sunk lower in his chair and glowered at the stage. Was her really that bad? Had he always been so grumpy? And why was the scar on the wrong side?

The part with Suki in it thankfully left out how he had been kicked in the face by her, but it again showed him as being incompetent, and he was growing to like the play less and less, though he was learning some new things, first, it seemed what Katara had said about Mai was true, and he leaned over to her and whispered "Did Bumi really do that?" and she nodded to him, he looked back to the stage and frowned, it was true that Katara's character was a bit… over dramatic and whiney, and didn't show her as the strong person she was, but it did capture the essence of her caring side, and Sokka… well… no that was pretty accurate, Aangs wasn't far off either… he found himself looking at his own portrayal and frowning… was it true then? Was this how people really saw him?

Apparently the writer had done his research, this was echoed later by Toph during the interval, and he could only lower his head as he began to reflect on this, he hadn't always been that way, he used to be happy, he used to care… but now? The rest of them began heading back to their seats, and he followed suit, though his mind was not really on the play anymore, he was thinking more about just how much they had researched, and as it rolled into the chapter of Ba Sing Se, it thankfully said nothing on most of what happened, though he did lean forward a bit when Jet apparently died, He turned to Katara then, but even they seemed unclear about it, yet as confused as he was about that, it soon turned to embarrassment as they showed a scene with him and Katara, it was in that moment that Aang got up, and he looked after him, was he the only one who could see it?

Apparently so, as Sokka just asked him for condiments as he walked away, He had a thought then to follow him, but the scene changed again and showed his betrayal, Katara asked him if he really spoke to his uncle like that, and though it wasn't really what he said, the meaning rang true, and so he sighed and just replied with "I might as well have…" By the time the interval came, he was truly sullen, and despite trying to make better of himself, he felt worse now than he had ever had, and yet, a few words from Toph and he found himself smiling again, even after being punched.

A kid ran past him saying his costume was good, but the scar was wrong, and just as he pulled the hood up, he saw Katara storm back to the stalls, he looked at Toph, and she just smiled to him "Go on, I am fine out here" He followed her in and moved t sit next to her, but then paused when he saw the look on her face "Katara?" She looked at him, and he saw a look he was hoping he would never see again, she was angry, and he frowned a bit, just what had he done now? He was about to apologise but she just looked away from him and spoke "It's nothing" He sat down beside her and leant on the hand rail "Must be a pretty annoying nothing…"

He heard her sigh and he turned to look at her, she was still looking away but she was slumped now "It's… it's just… it is true… I do look at Aang like a brother… and what's worse, I feel guilty for it, I mean, I know how it hurt when… well…" Zuko knew what she was trying to say and so said it for her "When I said I wished you were my sister… Katara.. I only meant…" She turned to look at him and he felt his heart begin to race a bit harder, what the hell was wrong with him… he had to stop, to think about something else "Aang… he likes you, but liking him back because of guilt is not fair on you either… you deserve more than that"

Katara looked down then and smiled a bit "this is weird… I remember having a conversation with you about something like this…" He smiled and looked back to the set "Yeah well… I am a jerk, so I don't get to have better… you on the other hand, you should get to be with the person you…" His words faltered as he realised what he was saying, and he looked away to the side as he frowned, but he could feel Katara's gaze on him and he lowered his head to rest on his arms "Katara…I meant what I said in my…" he smiled slightly and continued but used a word he would know would make her smile "in my diary… I really did feel at peace then… with you…" He turned to look at her, but it was at that moment that Sokka and Suki came back, he sat up and the announcer made a final call.

For the rest of the play he found himself stealing glances at Katara, and he shot a smile to her as the painted lady part came about, he had to laugh at how excited Sokka was about his sword training, and he leant back and told him that he thought it was pretty cool too, Aang came back just as the invasion started, and he could not help but sit a bit straighter, though at the starting scene, he noticed how sad Katara seemed and he lowered his own eyes in return, this had nothing to do with him really… but… but if she really were to follow her own heart, then it had a lot to do with him.

He looked over to her again, and he realised that if she did, he would be willing, he would be more than willing, but… what would happen then? He turned to look back at Aang, and he could see how depressed the boy was, and suddenly he knew what Katara meant about feeling guilty, but… was that right? Should she really be with him because of guilt? The play went on, and it began to show a prediction of their defeat, people cheered as he died, and he could only look on in astonishment as the play wound down.

Was he really that bad of a person in their eyes? They began to walk out and Sokka spoke about how it was not a good play, but Zuko could only reflect on the people cheering for his death, the same people who no doubt cheered him when he had returned home. When they got back to the summer house, he left the group and went straight up to his room, but as always he was not left alone for very long. Katara entered without knocking, and she sat next to him in silence, for a moment he said nothing, but then he lowered his head "They hate me… even… even if I defeat Azula and my Father… how could I ever take up the rule…" She was quiet, and then he felt arms slide over his back, and her legs fell either side of his, she was hugging him from behind, and he went red at the closeness, but even more so as she spoke "They don't know the real you… they only saw the bad parts, but they don't know how caring you are, or how protective, or shy… or any of the good features that you have… they are your people Zuko, and when all this is over… it is your duty to guide them"

He smiled and took a hold of her hands, holding them where they rested just over his chest, and he knew without a doubt that he liked her more than just a sister, and more than just a friend, a smile reappeared on his lips and he turned to look at her as best he could "I… I could use your help with that…" Perhaps it was the wrong thing to say, as she pulled back from him and moved off the bed, she was almost at the door before he stood up to take her hand "Katara… I" she turned to face him, there was a blush on her cheeks but the look of sadness was back, and he realised that he had possibly made things harder for her by admitting he liked her too "Sorry… Katara… I really am sorry… I wasn't thinking… I just"

She pulled away from him shaking her head slightly "No Zuko, it's alright, it's better I know… thank you… but… can I give you my answer when everything is over?" He smiled and moved over to her, he could see the red on her cheeks growing as he leaned in closer, and she closed her eyes, but as tempting as it might have been to kiss her, she had just asked him to wait, and so he placed a soft kiss to her forehead and whispered softly "I can wait, take your time Katara, whatever you decide, I will support you" This seemed to be the right choice, as she nodded and moved away slowly, but she was smiling.

As he moved back to his bed and lay down on it, he smiled to the ceiling, he was telling the truth, he would support her, no matter who she chose, after all, June had been right, she really was way to pretty for him, not to mention to good for him in general, so he should just be thankful that she had shown interest to begin with… but it did not stop him from hoping.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are always welcome!

Goodmorningflower: Thanks! I have moved in and I am all settled, though paying rent sucks XD oh well, maybe I will win the lotto… hurm… perhaps I should start playing the lotto in order to win… I will be a bit sad to finish this up myself, I am starting to love writing it again, and now that I am changing bits, I am beginning to love Avatar once more.