Hello! I am writing this piece beginning where Zuko joins in book three! I hope you enjoy!

Zuko had paced a trench into the dirt. What was he supposed to say to the avatar and friends for them to take him in? Would he let someone like him in? Would he be able to forgive his own past mistakes? He gritted his teeth. He had to try. That's what it boiled down to. He had to try. It was his destiny to teach Aang firebending. He knew it. He turned towards the Western Air Temple.

Well, it was time to try.

He'd lowered himself onto the main platform when he'd heard various "whoops" and "yipees" coming from the air. He spotted the Avatar flying throughout the air, his bison not far behind. He was close enough to see their mouths moving, but he could not hear what was being said. His eyes fell to the saddle on the bison's back, he felt his heart race.

Katara.

He thought of the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. She'd stood so close to him he could smell the jasmine in her hair. The way her cool hand felt on his scar. No one had touched his scar. No one. And she hadn't flinched. He continued to stare, it finally occurring after a few moments that they were getting closer. She was getting closer. He gulped, everything he'd rehearsed fell from his brain.

The bison landed in front of him, he heard something about a giant Pai Sho table and an all-day echo chamber. Oh yeah, his uncle had quite enjoyed that…

"that's going to have to wait."

Wait, what?

The large bison moved, revealing the group. They readied themselves. Zuko almost lost his breath at the fire behind Katara's eyes,

"H-hey, Zuko here!"

###

"Okay, this is really weird."

Zuko had to agree with Sokka. It was weird. It felt weird. His stomach was twisted in ways he couldn't explain.

He held his painting of his Uncle is his hands. He had been right; destiny is a funny thing. He smiled to himself, would his uncle be proud of him now? Would this make up anything to him?

He frowned as he sensed someone behind him. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Katara. He couldn't help his smile and he was about to speak before,

"You may have everyone else here buying your 'transformation,' but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past. So let me tell you something right now; you make one step backwards, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang and you won't have to worry about your 'destiny' anymore. Because I will make sure your destiny ends, right then and there. Permanently."

Zuko stared after her. Hurt on his face. How could he think she'd forgive him so easily? Why didn't he just take her hand in Ba Sing Se? Why couldn't the avatar had been a second later? Why didn't he just fight by her side?

She had been so kind to him. The kindest anyone had been in a long time. She'd given him a chance to redeem himself. She'd given him a chance for his honor laid out before him like a buffet, and he'd turned his nose up at her. His stomach clenched with guilt. He took a deep breath,

He knew why. He'd been there. He'd… felt what he felt. Katara stirred something in him. Something powerful. And it'd scared him. He'd felt the desire to be… whatever she'd want him to be. He almost renounced his home for her… and that scared him… deeper than he'd ever imagined possible. No one had ever awoken such feeling in him. Not the avatar, not his uncle, not Mai or Azula. Not even his father gave him as strong as this feeling. He felt such a pull to her, that is began tearing him apart when he was home. He'd known he did something so incredibly wrong, just by picturing that look in her eye.

He sat on his bed and clutched his hair. He'd made the wrong choice then. He'd chosen the wrong side. He knew that.

He'd stupidly thought… that she'd come to… He didn't even know what he thought.

He rubbed his lips together. He knew what he'd thought. He just couldn't admit it to himself.

Suddenly he heard his door open. He stood quickly begging for it to be Katara. An unfamiliar face walked in. By his attire, Zuko could tell the man was an earthbender,

"hey, I'm Haru. I don't think we've met… um… lunch is ready."

Zuko nodded, "okay. Yeah. Thanks."

He followed the young earthbender to the main platform. The group was sitting around a small fire. Zuko rubbed his lips together at the awkwardness. There were a few faces that he did not know, but he figured introductions could be made at a less awkward time,

"uh, the next time you need a fire, I can make it if you'd like."

Katara took a deep breath, "thanks. I've gotten pretty okay at it though. I-I'm sure it will come in handy."

He nodded.

Okay. That made sense. Katara was going to be pretty neutral in front of the others. It made sense, and a part of him was actually grateful for it… but he also wanted the real thing. He wanted her to like him. She barely made eye contact as she handed him his bowl of food. He gritted his teeth,

"So Sifu Hotman, when are we going to start my lessons?"

Zuko turned his attention to Aang, "I mean, we could start whenever you want really. Today would be okay."

Aang looked nervous, Zuko then remembered him saying he had burned Katara.

A heat sparked in his stomach. Anger? Why was he so angry? He shook it off,

"or, we can start tomorrow morning, if that makes you more comfortable."

Aang nodded but Toph spoke, "yeah, Twinkletoes promised to work on earthbending tonight anyway. Time to kick his but into high earthbending gear!"
The look that fell over Aang's face was almost comedic, but Zuko found himself watching Katara. Every once and a while she would look over at him with a side glance, but she mostly talked to other people. He longed to have a second alone to talk over things with her. It was obvious that there was a lot to work out between the two.

He took the first bite of his stew, he couldn't control the surprise across his face. He heard Sokka laugh,

"oh my spirits! Look! He doesn't like it"

All eyes turned to him and a blush crept across his cheeks. He looked to Katara who had hurt across her face,

"no! No! It's not that! I promise!" He put a hand up and desperation crossed his features, "we just… we really like spice in the fire nation, and the last time I had food that didn't… that didn't try to burn m tongue off was with Uncle."

It was the truth. Sure he left out that some of the spice he really liked. But that didn't mean that Katara's food wasn't good! In fact, it was a lot better than some of the food actual chefs had made him. It was just so rustic, and undeniably homemade… it warmed him in a strange way.

He heard Aang chuckle, "oh yeah! I remember my friend Kuzon would put spice on everything. Sometimes it was unbelievable! Firenation food is so spicy! It warms you right up everytime!"

Sokka rubbed his chin, "I did like those fireflakes."

Katara arched her eyebrow, "you complained about a stomachache all night?"

Sokka wagged his finger, "that doesn't mean it wasn't good!"
Zuko laughed, "fireflakes are incredible. We used to get them anytime we went to festivals."

Katara worried her lip, "okay, if you guys think that would be better… I can try to find some more spices."

Zuko's eyes widened, "no! I'm sorry that's not what I'm saying-"

Aang jumped up, "we need to find grandi peppers!"

Toph shook her head, "what the hell are those?"

"they're the spiciest peppers in the world! Kuzon could breathe fire with them!"

Katara smiled, "if you can find them, I'll tr to cook with them. I'll admit, I don't know much about Firenation cooking." Though her face fell when she looked back down to her bowl.

Lunch continued with indistinct conversation. Zuko fought harder to keep his eyes off of Katara, who now looked forlorn. He hadn't mean to suggest that her cooking was anything other than delicious, especially during his first meal with them. He couldn't understand why every one assumed he'd disliked it. It was just so different to have someone who wasn't strictly a cook or chef, or a stranger make him something. Other than uncle that is. His thoughts turned to Uncle. How would he tell him to get through to Katara?

Before he knew it, everyone was standing, handing Katara their bowls, and dispersing. He watched her walk away,

"hey Zuko, you have to give Katara your bowl so she can wash it."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at Aang, prepared to ask him why no one was helping her. He stood silently and walked after the waterbender.

It wasn't long before he caught up to her. She'd climbed the steps to the upper part, the forest part, of the air temple. He caught up to her as she kneeled by the river,

"I'm sorry. I forgot to give this to you."

She turned to look at him, her eyes strangely emotionless, "that's fine. You can put it there."

He did as he was asked, but continued to stand there as she began washing, "did you need something else?"

He gritted his teeth nervously, "yeah, sorry. I was wondering if you… maybe uh… needed help?"

She turned to him, he could barely detect the surprise in her eyes, "you want to help?"

He nodded.

"Okay, yeah thanks. Would you mind drying?" she handed him a clean rag and he took it, kneeling beside her.

A few beats of silence passed,

"do you, uh do you think we could talk?"

Her movements only stopped for a second, "what do you want to talk about?"

"Ba Sing Se."

The bowl she was washing almost slipped through her fingers, "what about it?" The fire in her voice returned and he smiled at the familiar edge. He took a breath and composed himself,

"I need to apologize to you personally."

She did not speak, but she handed him another bowl which he began drying,

"You… you offered me my honor and the perfect choice right there. It would have been so easy so… nice to join you."

"Why didn't you?" The chill in her voice nearly froze him out,

"I don't know. I was scared."

"Scared?"

"There was just so much… I would have to give up my home, what I know… I was scared… to lose myself." In you. He added mentally.

"Your fear almost killed Aang. It did kill Aang."

"And you brought him back. You're strong. Stronger than me at least."

Katara's chest tightened, "thank you, thank you for apologizing. I… a part of me really wants to forgive you…"

He eyes turned hopeful, "really?"

She looked at him. The hope in his eyes pulled at her heart, "and I'm going to try to forgive you… but I just… I have to mean what I said earlier, Zuko. If it seems like you're going to… make the wrong choice again… I can't think… I have to act."

He nodded. It was fair, it was more than fair, possibly more than he deserved, "I'm going to try to earn it, Katara."

Her face reddened, "what?"

He smiled warmly at her, "I'm going to try and earn your forgiveness, no matter how long it takes!"

Her breath left her, and she handed him another bowl.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think the prince of the Firenation would work so hard to win her forgiveness. It confused her. Everything would be so much easier, it would have all made so much more sense if he's just been on her side in Ba Sing Se.

"Spirits, if I could go back, we would've kick Azula's ass." He chuckled darkly, and a smile played on her lips,

"thank you, for helping with the washing by the way. No one's… no one's really offered before."

He turned to her and raised an eyebrow, "you're kidding me, right? What do those guys do?"

She bit her lip, it felt almost cathartic to talk about this. But to talk badly about her friends and brother to Zuko?

She sighed, "different things. Making camp, starting the fire, gathering wood, gathering food if necessary."

"Seriously, I call making the fires from now on."
She let out a breathy laugh and handed him the last bowl.

"I am really sorry about lunch; you're cooking is really good. I just… I meant it, the last meal not made for me by a stranger was made by my uncle…"

She tried to hide her blush by leaning forward and washing her hands, "thank you. If you know any Firenation recipes… I wouldn't mind… learning."

His eyes widened at her, "I do have some. Yeah… I'd like that… A lot."

Katara bent and was about to pick up the box of the clean dishes, but Zuko beat her to it, "I got it."

They walked beside one another in a comfortable silence for a while until they came upon the edge of the upper platform, looking over the vast nothing,

"I do really love it here, you know that?"

Zuko looked at her softly, "yeah. I do too."