First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you write me a message to tell me about them, I will correct them as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and I don't earn my money with these stories.

The Spar Fight

Zuko was a part of Team Avatar. It had taken his banishment and then his exile in the Earth Kingdom, parred with the wise words of his uncle, to finally realise that the Fire Nation was not the bringer of good into the world, but instead a despotic destructor of other cultures and people. This was wrong and Zuko was proud that he had been brave enough to face his father. Yes, it had been during a solar eclipse but that meant that his father had to listen to him and couldn't just throw him out.

Afterwards, Zuko had taken one of the smaller war balloons and followed the flying bison all the way to the Western Air Temple. It had taken some time, many words, and a brave deed to finally convince Aang and his friends to let Zuko join them and teach the Avatar firebending.

In the end, all had depended on Katara's choice. She had glared at him, always glared at him, and he knew exactly why. Back in Ba Sing Se when they had been in prison together, they had bonded over the tragic stories of their mothers and Katara had shown him mercy, even almost forgiving his horrible actions of the past when she had offered to try and heal his scar with very special spirit water. But in the end, Zuko had once more sided with the Fire Nation, this time with his sister, and had tried to defeat Aang and thereby also Katara. The dream of finally returning home had been too strong.

Now Katara was right to hate him for his betrayal back then. She had agreed, though grudgingly, to let Zuko join their group only because Aang had deemed it a good idea.

Now Zuko was a part of them, but not really. He was tolerated. He was allowed to sit in their circle, eat their food and occasionally join in the conversation, but everyone was still reversed and apprehensive around him as if they feared that any moment he might change back. Zuko knew that these fears were ridiculous – after everything he had gone through, he at last knew who he was, where he belonged, and what his destiny was to restore his honour. But it would take time to convince the others of his new identity.

Aang was the first to forgive him, being the good-natured monk that he was who always believed in second chances. Toph had been open to him from the start, probably because she hadn't been with the team when Zuko had constantly attacked them and their allies. Sokka mostly ignored him which was fine by him. But Katara... She had come to him on his first night in the temple and threatened to kill him if he ever slivered in his morals again. It had hurt so much to see her hate.

Zuko had never admitted it to anyone, and it had taken him months before he had been able to admit it to himself, but he was in love with Katara. At first, she had been nothing more than a filthy peasant, a stupid water tribe girl with stupid waterbending abilities and a thorn in his plans to finally go home. But with time he had seen her adamance to help her friends, her sweet caring side, her immense bravery, and her impeccable waterbending skill, and he had started to admire her.

During his months in the Earth Kingdom, his thoughts had wandered to her more often than he wished, and he kept wondering where she was, if she was okay, and if they ever met again. They had met only once between their battle at the North Pole and their imprisonment in Ba Sing Se: in an abandoned village near the desert where Azula attacked Uncle Iroh. Katara had offered to heal him, but Zuko had been too shocked to see her again and what the sight of her did to him that he had attacked them. He often wondered how his life would be if he had allowed her this act of kindness. If they had become friends then.

It was later in Ba Sing Se that he couldn't deny his feelings for her anymore. And when her soft hand touched his scar because she wanted to heal it, his heart had been beating so fast he was sure she would be able to hear it. He wanted to kiss her so badly...

And now... She was here by his side every day and she had never looked better or had been more formidable. She truly was gorgeous, outer and inner beauty, and he just wished that once she would smile at him or laugh with him as she did with her friends. That one day she might forgive him. But every time their eyes met, she frowned at him and all merriment left her face.

When he had joined Team Avatar, he lost his firebending because he couldn't fuel it with hate and anger anymore. Fortunately, he and Aang found the sun warriors and discovered the true purpose of firebending. In the evening, they showed a firebending routine they had learned from statues to the others and Zuko was glad he had his power back. Sokka laughed that it looked like a dance and at first Zuko had been angry but when he saw that Katara laughed, he smiled. For her, he would endure anything.

Katara opened her eyes, still laughing for a moment, but her laughter died when they locked eyes. Instead, she started to smirk. "Great, now that you have your firebending back, come with me. I need a new sparring partner."

Zuko gulped but followed her. She was a waterbending master who hated him and would surely leave out all her anger on him – this battle would be anything but sparring. But he wouldn't deny her anything, so he kept following.

Katara walked up the stairs from the temple to the forest and found a clearing that would be wide enough for their fight.

He looked around. "There's no water here." No stream or river or even pond.

Katara smirked once more and put her arms in a fighting position. "Oh, don't you worry about my water."

Zuko copied her position and waited for her to start.

For a moment she just glared at him, then she moved her arms swiftly and the trees next to her burst open and a heap of water came towards her. She instantly shot the water at Zuko who just in time used his fire to divert the force.

He had been right: she was a great bender these days and this was not a sparring match. Blow after blow she hit him, and he had no time to attack because he was constantly defending himself. Her ice cut his arm, and her hot steam burned his legs, but he kept on because he could feel that she needed this, to let out all of her anger at him and if he got hurt in the process so be it. But he could see she was weakening, her breaths were in pants, her arms seemed to get heavy, and her leg work was terrible.

Zuko waited for his moment and then struck forward. Katara could just defend herself but when she wanted to attack him, she stumbled.

"Katara, stop!" Zuko put down his arms and the fight ended.

"What's wrong?" she panted. "Do you already have enough."

"Katara, stop. This is wrong." His voice was calm, and he slowly walked towards her. "You're out of balance." His uncle had taught him the signs.

Katara tried to raise her arms with water but instead fell onto her knees.

Zuko knelt next to her, one hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know what's wrong with me these days," she told the ground, her fingers gripping the grass. "I just feel angry all the time."

Zuko had a sudden déjà vu at a certain beach on Ember Island. "There is a question you need to answer then: Who are you angry at?"

Katara looked at him surprised, then back to the dirt. "I don't know. Everyone. No one."

"Is it me?" That would make sense.

"Yes, but that's not all."

"Are you angry at your brother? Aang? Toph?"

But Katara shook her head.

"Katara, answer the question: Who are you angry at?" She still shook her head, but Zuko kept on, knowing how important it had been for him to admit what he was feeling. "Answer me!"

"I'm angry at myself!" Katara yelled and the grass under her fingers turned to ice.

"Why?"

"Because I am feeling things I shouldn't be feeling," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "And I don't know to stop them!"

"What are you feeling?"

Here she looked up at him with her beautiful blue eyes, now engulfed in tears. "I love you," she whispered. "But I shouldn't."

Zuko blinked at her surprised. But all he asked was: "Why not?"

She snorted. "Because I swore, I would never have anything to do with someone from the Fire Nation. You chased us half around the world and tried to capture the Avatar for your own personal gain. You hurt me and my friends. How could I love a person like that?"

"Katara, please listen! You know how awful I feel about all of that. I know I made so many mistakes, and I know I will have to apologise for them for the rest of my life. But I'm not that person anymore." He once more put his hand on her shoulder and waited for her to look at him. "I'm not."

Katara then fell into his chest and started sobbing.

He put his arms around her and held her close. "I'm so sorry, Katara," he said, his own tears falling freely now. "I have caused so much pain and even now the girl I'm in love with still cries because of me."

Katara gasped and looked at him. "Do you truly mean that?"

Zuko nodded. "I have admired you from very early on and over time this admiration turned into... love."

She smiled at him and though they were both crying, she kissed him. Their first kiss tasted of salt, but Zuko was still glad they had taken that step. Katara's head fell back against his chest, and he stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, I cut your arm," she mumbled.

He chuckled. "Don't worry. My girlfriend's an excellent healer."

THE END.