Zuko din't knew where he was running but he didn't cared. The only thing he wanted was to get away from the others.

Zuko couldn't believe how stupid he was. What was he thinking about grieving over his mom while his friends were near him. If there was one thing Zuko hated then it was pity. The others didn't understand and they will never undestand.

The sight in front of him became blurry because of his tears. Some branches hit him in the face, but he didn't really cared. Everything was just brown and green in front of him. Suddenly his feet tripped over something and he fell.

"Gah!" he cried as he fell onto the ground. A feeling that he only knew to well, not only physically but also mentally.

Struggling he wanted to stand up but he found no power to stand up. Angrily he picked up a stone from the ground and threw it against a tree. "Damn it!" he cried out of frustration. What was wrong with him?

Instead of standing up he sat on the ground hugging himself. The tears did not come out, he was stronger than that. He would not cry, he told himself.

Cries of birds echoed over the forest ringing in his ear. Suddenly the first raindrop came down. Great, just great. It's like nature hated me. He thought bitterly.

The rain went down faster now. Almost as if he was under a waterfall the raindrops fell onto him mixing with some of his tears. He felt weak, pathetic, something he was almost used to it.

"Zuko?" a voice behind him asked softly. Zuko knew that female voice. It was Katara's. She was the least person he expected to go after him.

"Go away Katara." he said in a muffled voice. He simply didn't had the energy to shout at her anymore.

Zuko heard how her footsteps approached him. Just seconds later she was sitting next to him in the mud smiling. "Zuko, it's okay to get upset about something. We are your friends, we wouldn't have said anything."

Zuko glared at her. "You don't understand. You never will." he told her.

Katara glared at him back, but sighed. "You are right, I don't understand, but that doesn't mean I can't help you. I lost my mother too you know." she said softly.

Zuko nodded. "I know, I helped you find your mother's murderer, right?"

Katara smiled at him. "That you did and I am forever grateful for you." she said laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Zuko, please talk to me."

Zuko shook his hair. The raindrops spread into all directions. "Why do you care? You should hate me for all I did." he mumbled.

Katara frowned at that. Her eyes sparkled in the rain. "I already forgave you for that. Besides listening to your story made me realize that you had a much tougher life than all of us. It should be me who should apologize." she said.

Zuko turned around to her slowly looking at her in pure shock. "You? You of all people? Why?"

Katara looked down. It was clearly to see that she felt ashamed. "I shouldn't have judged you in this way. True, you betrayed me at Ba-Sing-Se, but you came back. It was never easy for you, I just realized it. I feel bad for making I even harder for you."

Now Zuko was frowning. "That wasn't your fault, I..."

"If it wasn't my fault, then you shouldn't blame yourself either." Katara cut him off. She took a deep breath. "Zuko...what has the Fire Lord done to you?" she asked visibly shaken.

The words hit Zuko. Memories of his father beating him up came again. "Nothing...just some lessons." he mumbled.

He could already feel Katara's glare at him even if he didn't saw it. "Zuko, Zuko, look at me!" she cried.

Zuko hesitated. He didn't really wanted to have this conversation. Sighing he turned around slowly.

"How did you get your scar?" she asked softly. In her voice was deep concern.

Zuko flinched a bit. She could never know this, nobody could. "I...I had an accident. I was kind of clumsy." he said.

Katara frowned at this. "Don't lie to me. It has something to do with your father hasn't it? We overheard you Zuko." she told him.

Zuko glared at her. "This is none of your business." he said as thunder roared above him.

"It is my business!" Katara shouted almost hysterically. "You are a friend and it is my business when you are hurt!" she cried.

"Maybe I am fine and don't need your help!" Zuko shouted at her standing up.

Now Katara stood up too. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?! I am only trying to help you and you lash out at me like this!" she said glaring at him.

"You can't help me, that is it!" Zuko shouted at her tears coming out of his eyes. "I cannot be fixed anymore okay? After I betrayed my uncle, I don't deserve to be fixed!" he cried wiping away some tears.

His words made Katara shocked. Her jaws dropped at his words and some tears were coming out of her eyes. Zuko flinched at the sight. He messed up again.

"Katara..." he began, but she cut him off with a bear hug.

"You are wrong." she whispered into his shoulder. "Your father is not fixable anymore, your sister is not, but you….you risked your whole life and honor just to help us. You already fixed yourself." she said softly.

Her words touched her as he finally let some tears down. All his life he had sought for love, just to lose it over and over again, but now...he had found friends who loved him. He would be ever grateful for that.

"My father challenged me." he said softly.

Katara immediately broke the hug staring at him with an expression of horror. "Wh...what?" she asked thinking she misheard him.

Zuko sighed. "It was after I spoke up against a plan of one of our commanders. I convinced my uncle to let me in one of those military meeting but I was against the plan. They wanted to burn down the whole town. I...it was too horrible to imagine. As punishment I had to fight the commander, but as I got into the arena...it was my father." he said softly.

Katara gasped at that holding her hand over her mouth with tears coming out of her eyes.

"I begged him for forgiveness, but he didn't wanted to hear anything. He told me I was weak…then he did it. He stroke me with all his fire powers. I am lucky to be alive." he mumbled.

At this he was almost tackled down by the force of Katara's hug. Now she was sobbing in his chest which made him really uncomfortable.

"Th….that monster! How...how could he do that to his own child!" she cried out.

"My father doesn't care who it is." he said darkly. "Besides he always thought I am failure. While Azula is born lucky, I was lucky to be born." he mumbled.

Now Katara hit his chest which made Zuko cry out. "What the...what was that Katara?!"

"For being stupid!" she cried at him. "Don't ever think like this!"

"Well it is kinda true." he mumbled not looking into her eyes.

"What?!" Katara cried out outraged. "Where did you get those thought?!"

Zuko didn't answered her and it looked like Katara was going to burst out again, when suddenly a voice came from the behind. "Because it's the only thing you know." said a young voice which belonged to Aang.

Zuko turned around to see the rest of the crew looking at them. They all had horrified faces, they probably overheard them, but they all showed support.

"All your life you were told by your father and sister that you were less worthy than them. You never found love among them." he said calmly.

Zuko stared at him in shock. "That..."

"Is not what the case? Zuko I might be not the best people analyzer, but Aang is telling the truth." Sokka told him firmly. "You might not believe it, but we care about you Zuko." he said.

Suki nodded. "We may not know each other that well Zuko and you kinda burned down my village, but I can see that you are good person with a bad past. And Sokka is right, you are part of out crazy family." she said with a wide smile.

Zuko stared at them with wide eyes, his jaw dropping. "Bu..." he tried to protest, but Toph cut it off.

"Oh cut it off Sparky. You are one of us, accept it. You have helped us all, so it's time to help you. So get out of your moody depressive mood so we can prepare to defeat the Fire Lord so we can kick his ass for hurting you." she said with her typical expression and with a watery smile.

Zuko stared at the blind girl. Zuko couldn't believe how things turned out for him. If it was a few weeks ago nobody would have said anything, but now...he really had a new family.

"Zuko, I lost my tribe ages ago." Aang said softly. "I thought I had lost everything, but these people here." he said pointing at all of them. "that you don't have to be family just because you have the same blood. It is because of them I became who I am. They helped me and we are helping you." he said softly.

He could see Katara looking at Aang proudly as he said that. He looked around. There were no glares at him or expressions that made him feel uncomfortable. Everyone of them had a supportive expression on their face and some tears in their eyes.

"Guys..." he said lost for words. He felt overwhelmed. It had been years since he got so much love from someone.

"We are going to make the Fire Lord pay for what he did to you and all the other people. We are here for you." Katara said smiling.

Then she stepped forward and did something which shocked Zuko again. She embraced him and wrapped her arms around him. "You are safe with us Zuko. Nobody is ever going to hurt you again. You may lost your old family, but you found a new one." she said.

And for once Zuko didn't pushed away. He hugged her back letting the tears out. And for the first time in forever they were tears of joy. Katara was right. He may have lost his old family, bu he found a new one.

Bam! Finally finished the second chapter! Zuko feeeeels! *sobs* Too much! Puh, I really hoped you liked this chapter, I had to do a lot of stuff the past few weeks. I am glad to see that some people here want me to update because they like my story, but you have to see that I am right now studying electrical engineering on one of the top universities in Germany. So I don't have that much time to update. But I am really glad you all like my stories. You guys are the best! Well, review this chapter and tell me how it was. I hope my characters were not too OOC.