Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Katara walked around the large cave that was being used as her prison cell. The cave was large and dimly lit from the green glowing crystal stones coming out of the hard gray rock. She was quite upset about the whole situation but knew Aang and Sokka would be coming any minute for her. She paced for a few minutes when she heard the trap door start to shake and open.

"You've got company" Said one of the Dai Li agents as they threw a poor looking boy down the slopped entrance to the cave. Katara recognized the man immediately and was shocked to see him.

"Zuko!" Katara said shocked but already forming her her face into a nasty scowl. Zuko picked his head up for the floor and sat at a kneeling position in-front of Katara with his hands on his knees and looking up at her confused for a few seconds before stand up brushing dust off his dark green earth kingdom pants and turning around and sitting in the same kneeling position, this time with his back to Katara. He sat there for a long while before Katara started yelling and walking around the room gesturing wildly.

"Why did they throw you in here? Oh, Wait let me guess its a trap, so that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little fire nation clutches." Katara said. Zuko said nothing but looked back at her for a second glared and turned back around. He couldn't explain why but he felt his heart break a little as Katara spoke again.

"You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us hunting the avatar, trying to capture the worlds last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war, and violence and hatred is in your blood." Katara said as Zuko felt a wave of anger rushing on.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" He said when Katara opened her mouth again.

"I don't, how Dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through." She Said banging her hand against her chest and sitting down in the same position he was in except tears formed and fell in her eyes.

"The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." She said the tears now falling and she grabbed her necklace. Zuko didn't know why he said what he said next he wants the one who killed her mother but seeing Katara so sad hurt him. She stared crying harder.

"Im sorry." He said voice dripping with sincerity. "That's something we have in common." he said as he started to get up and move toward her. She looked up from her crying and looked at him. They both stood up and walked toward each other stopping about 5 or 6 feet apart. Katara suddenly felt bad about what she had said earlier.

"Im sorry I yelled at you before" She said voice quiet. Zuko looked at the floor.

"It doesn't matter." He said voice chill.

"Its just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy," She took a brief pause the silence thick enough to cut with a dull knife. "It was your face." She looked up at Zuko with those big cerulean eyes it did things to him he wouldn't even admit to himself.

"My face, I see." He said Turing away covering his scar, insecure of the burned flesh.

"No, No that's not what I meant." She said feeling horrible about her choice of wording. She walked about a foot closer to him.

"Its okay." He said still touching the burned flesh.

He lowered his hand from the large scar. "I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, Iv'e realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if it means i'll never be free of my mark." He didn't know why he was opening up to this water tribe present, his enemy, the avatars supposed girl, but he was, and for some reason he sort of trusted her.

Katara looked at Zuko and began to speak, "Maybe you could be free of it. Katara said holding the spirit water vial in her hand.

"What?" Zuko asked looking at her confused.

"I have healing abilities." Zuko was not convinced it could work.

"Its a scar, It can't be healed."

Katara took the vial off the necklace and said, "This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole,It has special properties so I've been saving it for something important. I don't know if it would work but..." She walked over to him no more than 5 inches from his face. Zuko shook his head and she placed a slender tan hand on his scar. She was bout to open her vial when he grabbed her wrist. "Actually I don't want it healed its....Apart of me now." He said still holding her wrist.

"Okay then." Katara said stepping back from Zuko and putting her vial away. Zuko felt his hand grow a little cold s there was no longer a beautiful brunettes wrist there. They were still close but not as close as before Zuko went to open his mouth when, CRASH! Rocks shattered crystals flew, a cloud of dust formed. After about 5 seconds the dust walked away reaving th source of the crash, Standing there was Aang and Iroh.

"Aang!" Katara shouted happy to see him. She hugged him tight. Meanwhile Iroh had Zuko trapped in a hug Zuko locked eyes with Aang who was glaring into his soul. Zuko glared back.

Zuko was confused his uncle hanging with the Avatar, WHAT! Zuko went to walk over to Aang when his uncle stopped him.

"Zuko, No, we must work as a team."

Zuko sighed but in his head he wasn't all mad it would be a little nice to see Katara a little longer. He went to walk up to her when a blast of lightning cracked through the room. Zuko shot back a blast of fire. Azula Stepped forward shooting off more fire.

Iroh, Zuko, Katara, and Aang drawer up there Lent and began to fight off Azula. The 4 elements swirled around the room Azula's blue fire hitting Katara's water, red and blue fire clashing. The battle ragged on, Azula kept up against 5 others her power impressive. Katara sent a wave at Azula but Azula shot a tip of fire at Katara. Katara lost her footing and slipped, before she new it a mother fire wip was thrown at her.

Aang was furious. He felt such strong emotion. His eyes and tattoos glowed. He was no longer in control he was in the avatar state. He fought Azula with equal furry. She was no match for the Avatar. That was until Azula shot a bolt of fire at Katara and Katara screamed. Aang heard Katara screamed and rushed towered her but in doing so got struck with a bolt of Azula's lighting. Aang fell to the floor Katara catching him. Iroh then fought of Azula.

"Go, Katara Zuko get Aang to safety. Zuko helped Katara walk and Katara carried Aang.

"Come with us." Katara said.

"I don't know wouldn't I scare the Gaang."

"Please Zuko when Aang heals you can tack him fire bending and you will have friends." Zuko was not convinced but had trouble saying no to a certain water bender.

"Alright." Zuko said.

Chapter Text

Katara, Zuko, Sokka, Toph, and Aang's alive but unconscious body sat on Appa. Nobody dared move or even breathe. Zuko sat on the far side of Appa's saddle sitting just a few inches from Katara.

"So we're gonna pretend the angry jerk who chased us around the world isn't sitting on Appa with us right now!" Sokka said gesturing wildly with his hands.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed shooting him a glare that alone could alone shut him up.

"Okay, Okay but still why is he here?" Sokka said throwing his hands up in defense.

"Uh, Zuko here nice to meet you!" Zuko said awkwardly shifting and looking at Sokka with an innocent smile.

"Yes Zuko you've introduced yourself about five times now." Katara said giggling but holding her hand over her mouth.

"Yes, Right..." Zuko said awkward, embarrassed of Katara's laughter at his awkwardness.

"So sparky you....let me get this right, helped Katara and Aang fight off Azula." Said Toph raising an eyebrow.

"Um...Yes." Zuko said looking at Katara so she would step in. Lucky for him she did.

"Zuko agreed to teach Aang fire bending! Isn't that great!" Katara said looking at Zuko smiling.

"Katara you asked the man who chased us around the world to join us, to live with us, to teach Aang fire bending all because he did one good deed in a life time of awful deeds?" Sokka asked ashamed of how quickly his sister could trust.

"I guess but he's changed I can tell!" Katara said looking at Sokka ashamed of how it sounded out loud.

"I really have changed I hope I can prove it to you, I know it will take time and be hard, but overtime I hope you will begin to trust me." Zuko said hopping he sounded somewhat smart like his wise uncle.

"Fine sparky but if twinkle toes here doesn't want you as his teacher you're gone." Toph said deadpan.

"Understood." Zuko said. The Gaang flew for about another hour not knowing where to go. Until Zuko suggested they use one of his Fire Nation ships. They flew to a ship where Zuko had left it. They got on the ship realizing Hakoda, pipsqueak, The Duke, and Hakoda southern water drive warriors were on the ship already. Shocked to see Zuko they started to fight until Katara explained the predicament.

"Ahhh I see well welcome aboard then Katara help me find Aang a place to rest."