Okay, so the first thing I have to say is, Sorry guys! I realised that even though I am following the show in this, I have stopped taking quotes from the show, and the chapters don't make a lot of sense if you had not recently watched that episode… which I had… and so I just presumed everyone would remember… I will try not to do that from now on ^^;

Finding June was easy, after all, she needed people to know how to find her, otherwise how would she ever make money? But it also had it's downside, that being attracting undesirables, and it was during one such encounter; that the group had decided to enter. Admittedly Zuko was impressed and at the same time worried about the impression June gave as she flippantly destroyed the man that was trying to attack her without so much as spilling her tea, but Toph's exclamation of 'I don't know who this woman is, but I like her!' Helped him to relax a little.

Though as soon as June spotted them, he found himself right back on edge, all because of her saying "I see you worked things out with your girlfriend" He flushed bright red, and Katara beside him went a similar colour, but it was Sokka that made it worse by shouting "HE is NOT her boyfriend!" this made Zuko look at him with a slightly widened gaze, he never thought about how Sokka might take it, not that there would be an it… Katara already decided on Aang… but it seemed June was not done with him "Really ponytail? Cause I don't hear them complaining" it was only when she said that that Zuko looked at her and he and Katara both let out half hearted protests "Okay okay, sheesh, I was only teasing, so what do you want?" Zuko had to take a breath to calm himself before he said "I need your help finding the Avatar" Junes usual uninterested reply of "Hum, doesn't sound to fun" only led to the calm being broken and he found himself shouting at her "Does the end of the world sound like more fun?!"

They made their way outside, but Katara pulled him back a bit as the others filed out "Look Zuko… about"-"Forget it Katara, look, you are right, I mean… even, even if this isn't an accident, and Aang did leave because of… because of us… it would only make things worse if we did get together right? So… so I should be the bigger man and let you do this… no matter how I feel… it's what I promised you" He walked out before her, not wanting to stay and let her see how hard it was for him to say those words, and as he went outside, he focused hard on Naila, not wanting to think, yet thinking was happening, and all that was going through his mind was how he wished his Uncle were here to help him, he would know what to do in this situation….

Yet his pondering was broken as June stated that Aang just simply did not exist, it was hard to even imagine it, how did someone just not exist anymore? Sokka asked just what he had been thinking, and June just shrugged it off and made to leave, a panic set into him then, he had to do something, and so he stopped her "Wait! I have another idea!" His uncle having already been in his thoughts, came right back to him in an instant, but he could not tell the group that finding him would help him sort out his love life, or lack there of, but thankfully, another good reason was in place "There is only one other person I can think of that might be able to help us defeat my father, I will be right back with a smell sample"

Granted it was a bit odd now that he thought on it, that he had kept the sandal for so long, but it was the only thing of his uncles that he had left. Toph seemed to understand the sentiment, and he smiled slightly at that, but it seemed he would not be able to explain it to the rest of them, as June took off, they were a full day travelling as they followed the scent, and they took shifts in watching. When it was Zuko's turn, he found himself joined by Katara, and he had the urge to throw himself off the bison, it just… it was too hard now being so close to her, and he wished he had never realised his stupid feelings.

She just sat there quietly, but after a few minutes Zuko felt himself breaking..."Look if"-"Zuko…" The tone of her voice broke him, and he turned to look at her, and then back to the rest of the group who seemed to be sleeping, yet she pulled him back to looking at her by taking a hold of his hand, he first looked down to it, and then up to her "Zuko… I know you're angry… and… I'm sorry… I really do want to… to stay like this… with you… and I know that… That Aang would forgive us eventually… but…" Zuko broke then, he raised her hand up in his so she would look at him too, he could see the hurt in her eyes and he felt he would do anything to help take that look away. "Katara. Look, you should choose what you want. You were going to him so he would fight my father, but he is not here now, we have to do whatever we can in the here and now… perhaps we were wrong too, to be putting so much on Aang… I faced my father once, and for you… I would do it again"

A look of wonder came over her features, and something just felt right in that moment, he began to lean into her, and she to him, he saw her eyes closing and he was about to follow suit, but then he saw Sokka stirring, he slowly pulled his hand back, just in time too as the warrior looked over to them "Katara, you should get some rest, your falling asleep sitting up" at the words her eyes snapped open and she had gone bright red, but Sokka didn't say anything about it then, but as she went to the back of the Saddle he whispered to Zuko "You know… saying you'll face your dad for her… you must be pretty serious about this…"

It was Zuko's turn to go bright red, in the end he just nodded silently to Sokka, not really knowing what else to say, after all, it had only been a few days since he had discovered his feelings for Katara, so this want to please her seemed strange, even to him… but then he realised something… "I have liked your sister… for a very long time… but… I think I was too stupid to see it till now… I have wasted too much time… so now I"-"Yeah yeah, dramatic monologue aside, as a brother it is my duty to inform you that if you hurt her… I hurt you"

To this Zuko smiled and nodded his head again, and it was only seconds after that that they landed, June did not hang around, but seeing as she had no bending skills, it was possibly for the best, and Zuko just turned to the group and suggested they make camp, after all, it was rather late, and he was rather emotionally drained, facing his Uncle right now would be too much. The group didn't protest either, and they settled down quickly, he knew they would have to be quick tomorrow, time was running out after all.

Sleep came to him faster than he thought it would, yet it was not to last long, he leapt to his feet as they became surrounded by a ring of fire, His first thought was to try and remove the obstruction, but then a strange laugh permeated around them, he looked up to see a strange old man, but then he saw others he did know, the Water bending master Pakku, The outlawed firebender Jeong Jeong, though he had only ever seen illustrations of him before, and of course Paindao The man he learnt sword fighting from, and he discovered in due course, that the first man was Bumi, and as he thought about it, the Actor from the play had got him spot on, Zuko could only follow the mad king in a dazed sort of shock at his complete and utter lack of care to Aang's disappearance.

Yet on the walk to the camp, he found that crazy as the king was, he was also pretty awesome, Bumi told them the story of how he, or rather everyone else, escaped from Omashu, he was very colourful in his story telling, yet Zuko found himself believing every word of it, yet when the king asked them if they did anything interesting on the day of the Eclipse, he found himself looking to Sokka and just said "Nah" And Sokka echoed him with "Nah not really" They shared a hidden smile with each other, and he heard Katara chuckle softly from behind them.

The journey was over before they knew it, and suddenly he found himself facing the prospect of seeing his uncle for the first time since the Palace, he looked at the door of the tent and thoughts began racing through his mind, what would he say? How could he tell his uncle that he only came to find him after he lost the avatar because he had fallen for the girl that Aang also liked? How could he tell him that even after vowing to help Aang defeat the firelord, he screwed it up by… by… by liking Katara…

He sat to the ground in front of his uncles tent, and within second Katara was beside him saying "Hey, are you okay?" He looked at her, and then back to the door "No, I'm not okay, My uncle, he must hate me, I know it, I betrayed him, and now I come back here to ask him for help, he loved and supported me my whole life, and I have done nothing to repay him… how can I expect him to forgive me" Katara touched a hand to his shoulder and smiled softly "Zuko, he'll forgive you, he will. Go into him" He smiled a bit to her and stood, just touching her shoulder softly in thanks, he doubted she would ever know how much those few words helped him.

And he smiled as he realised something else, it was in her forgiveness, that he found the strength to seek his Uncles.

Thanks as Always to my Awesome followers who are reading this, and Thanks to Goodmorningflower who has been here from the start ^_^

Next Chapter Katara's POV? Or stick with Zuko? On to replies!

Goodmorningflower: All good things have to end sadly, but who knows, I might do a follow up after, but need to finish the other stories first, plus I have a coupe other ones in mind too…. Do you like Samurai Champloo?

Eeveechaaaan: Thanks very much hun! It is odd to think I have a writing style, but the more I read other work, the more I realise how mine is all me ^_^ keeping it to the storyline while making it Zutara was a challenge for me, I am not going to lie, but I am happy with how it is shaping up.

Again, thanks to all my readers, and please, drop me a review, or even just a short hello so I can see who all you lovely peoples are and thank you for reading ^_^