Spoilers for everything up to The Boiling Rock Part 2

Rising

Chapter 1

Southern Raiders

Prince Zuko never expected to escape from the Boiling Rock. He had expected the Water Tribe boy to turn back once he caught a glimpse of the prison emerging from the fog. He had expected the Water Tribe boy to leave the minute he saw the Warden. He had expected the Water Tribe boy to leave when he had the chance. He had expected the Water Tribe boy and he, the Crown Prince, to die at Azula's hand.

But Prince Zuko was never to good with guessing.

They had returned safely to the Western Air Temple, barely scratched and with two new members. The welcome they had gotten was enthusiastic and the touching reunion between father and children had lasted most of the day. Zuko and Toph had stood awkwardly to the side as Hakoda and Suki were introduced to everyone.

The sickle moon hung in the sky as the firebender and waterbender sat around the fire. They were sitting around a fire alone; the others had long forsaken them for bed. Badgerfrogs croaked loudly and Appa's snoring coupled with Momo's purring filled the night's air yet a different silence stretched between the two people.

"Thank you." At first Zuko thought he was hearing things. He looked round to see Katara gazing at him. She repeated the words, "Thank you." It was the first thing she said to him that wasn't scathing. He smiled and she looked away from him resolutely. He didn't mind, her coldness could only be expected.

"For what?" His voice cracked, and she turned her blue eyes on him. They glowed in the light, more fire than ocean.

She stood up, yawning and pushing her brown hair behind her shoulders. "Thank you for saving my father."

With that she turned her back on him, leaving with no company except a warm feeling in his stomach.

Zuko was always the first to rise in their small group. He was always the one to start the morning breakfast fire. So when the father they had gone to such lengths to save was already up and making breakfast he could only gawk blankly.

"Good morning." The warrior said in a rough voice. "Did you sleep well?"

This was too weird. "Alright." Zuko replied curtly, watching the Water Tribe chief with something close to wariness in his eyes. Chapped lips smiled and Hakoda did not press the quiet prince anymore.

Slowly other members of their group woke up, joining Zuko and Hakoda. First were Haru, Teo and The Duke. They all greeted Hakoda with loud 'hello's and handshakes as he explained who he was. Zuko watched them from the sides, wondering if he should've greeted the chief with more respect.

Sokka and Suki came in next, holding hands. Toph was not far behind them and Zuko noticed that Toph sat down right beside Sokka even though his attention seemed to be focused on Suki.

Aang and Katara were the last to join. Katara gave her father a swift hug before taking the steaming hot bowl of rice he was offering her. The bowls were passed all around the group and soon the early morning talk was replaced by munching.

Aang took a seat beside Zuko, holding out a bowl of rice. "Zuko…Zuko?" He asked when his firebending sifu didn't take the food.

"What?" Zuko said, snapping out of his reverie. Toph and Sokka were talking now while a brooding Suki watched them out of the corner of her eye as she poked at her rice half-heartedly.

"Breakfast." Aang's big grey orbs smiled as he shoved the bowl into Zuko's hands then started to happily eat his own rice.

The sun slowly began reach it's peak in the sky. The Western Air Temple was filled with warm light and shadows growing and shrinking with each moment. Zuko and Aang had just returned from their daily training to find Sokka and Katara on one end of the fire while their father stood at the other. The Water Tribe siblings had their arms crossed while Hakoda seemed to be pleading. Suki, Toph and everyone else watched the confrontation from the sideline with wide eyes and tight lips.

"Why did you never tell us before?" Katara demanded, stomping her right foot and bringing her arms down to her sides so violently that the soup simmering in a nearby pot shuddered and sloshed over the edges.

"Because it never mattered." Hakoda said, though from the way his voice wavered it was obvious that he was lying.

"Yes it did! You said she died in a raid! And know you tell us that she didn't?!" Sokka yelled, his volume matching Katara's. No one had ever seen Sokka angry and even Toph's normal hard face was tinted with something close to apprehension.

"I never meant to hurt you Katara or your brother."

"Well why didn't you tell US?! Did you want to 'protect' us? Thought our little heads would explode if we found out the truth?" Water materializes from the air as she waves her arms furiously and subconsciously the water flies right into the fire, extinguishing it with an angry 'hiss'.

Hakoda's voice suddenly went quiet. "She told me not to tell you."

"Who told you?" Sokka asked.

Their father took a deep breath before answering, "Your mother did."

Katara and Sokka both stared at their father open-mouthed. No one spoke, no one moved. The tension building between the Water Tribe family was building.

"Maybe I should make some of uncle's calming tea…" Zuko suggested, trying to placate the awkward situation. When no one objected so he wandered over the smoking fire and with a quick jab of his hand the fire was crackling again. Zuko smashed the dry leaves in his hand and dusted them off into a teapot. He turned to the water pot but found Katara was already there. Wordlessly she bended water from the large jar into the teapot then settled herself beside her brother.

The tea started whistling and Zuko poured everyone a cup. Toph, Suki and Aang mumbled 'thank-you's. Katara and Sokka took their cups without seemingly registering that someone was handing them the cups. Hakoda bowed his head slightly as Zuko passed him the steaming drink.

Once everyone had sipping their tea they all looked at Hakoda expectantly. He stretched before turning to the children all staring at him. His voice was husky as he said, "It all happened about eight years ago…"

Act 2

"Katara, stop squirming." A tall woman dressed in the deep blue robes of the Water Tribes attempted to braid her young daughter's hair. She was clucking her tongue disapprovingly as she forced a white comb through her daughter's unruly chocolate curls.

The girl squirmed under her mother's prying fingers. "But mom! I want to go play with Sokka!" she said, turning big blue eyes to stare at her mother.

"You'll look nice for your birthday whether you like it or not, your Gran-Gran is coming over tonight." Katara nodded violently and tried to stand as still as she could while her mother finished braiding her hair. Once the hairloopies were attached to a tiny bun at the back of her head she squeezed her daughter's shoulders. "Okay, you can go."

Katara gave her mom's midriff a quick hug before running out of the house at top speed, no doubt to go find her brother and get into all kinds of trouble. The mother leaned against the doorframe, a grin on her face, as she watched her daughter run off

She went about her day normally after that. Cooking stewed sea prunes, Katara's favourite, preparing for Katara's birthday and fixing a few ripped pants, which were courtesy of Sokka finding out that tigerseals were not toys.

As she continued her day she did not notice the tall stack of smoke looming closer and closer to her village.

"SOKKA! KATARA GET AWAY FROM THE WATER!" The mother looked outside the window to see both her children being carried by Hakoda, behind him women and children were running for cover while the men were preparing for battle, spears being sharpened and battle cries being tested.

"What's going on?" She demanded of her husband.

He put the children down and kneeled in front of them, ignoring his wife's question. "Dad's just going out for a moment, okay? Stay here with mom. Whatever you do don't leave the house." He caught his wife's eye for a moment. She opened her mouth to speak but he shook his head and giving his children a last hug before running from the door. He turned to his wife, watching her hand clasped at her chest and he muttered so she could barely hear, "Fire Nation Navy. The Fire Lord is leading the raid."

"Mom, where's dad going?" Katara asked, pulling the bottom of her mother's coat. She gathered her children into a corner, doing her best to remain calm as the sounds of yelling, flames and clashing grew. Once they were hidden from view she made sure a weapon was within arm's reach. No one was taking her children without a fight. "Mom, where's dad going?" Katara repeated her question but her mother placed a hand over her mouth. Katara's eyes began to water and Sokka's blue eyes were looking between his mother and the sounds of battle.

"How about a lullaby?" She wrapped her arms around her children, pulling them close. Her voice shook with each line and occasionally it broke when a particularly bloodthirsty yell was cut short. She sang of happy times. She sang of fish who couldn't find their way home, only to be found by their true family. When her voice was hoarse from singing she was reduced to humming melodies.

She sang until the blood had been cleaned from the pure white snow and the bodies had been disposed of.

She sang until the Fire Nation boats left their shores and the moon had risen bringing a blanket of night.

She sang until her husband returned, shaking from exhaustion and her children had fallen asleep, innocence still untainted

The tea had long gone cold by the time Hakoda had finished the first part of his story. The positions of the group had shifted as the tale progressed, Hakoda sat on one side of the fire while Aang, Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Toph and Suki sat on the other side. Katara and Sokka were close and the brother had placed a hand on his sister's shoulder his other resting on his boomerang, which he had moved from his back to his lap during the story.

Katara was watching her father with stern eyes, arms folded across her chest. Obviously she was still angry that her father had kept this a secret from her for almost a decade.

When Zuko noticed that Hakoda needed a break he asked. "My father has been to the Southern Water Tribe?" This had been bug Zuko

It took Hakoda a moment to answer. "Yes, he came twice more. The first was a kind of showdown." Sokka shifted slightly but never moved the comforting hand from Katara.

Zuko was almost afraid to ask the next question, he feared that he might insult the Water Tribe Chief. "And the second?" He couldn't help swallowing loudly as the piercing blue eyes stared at him.

"Was at our request." Hakoda's eyes grew cold as the first hand account of the second raid of the Southern Water Tribe was told.

"Hakoda of the Water Tribe! We do not want to fight, we call an armistice!" The Fire Lord was wearing robes of deep red with a large black fur cloak draped across his shoulders. Elite guard lined his path while two followed behind him. The Water Tribe warriors watched the soldiers with wary war-painted eyes.

With each step Ozai took hands tightened around clubs and spears. Hakoda didn't hesitate to step forward. "Fire Lord Ozai. We accept your temporary truce. What do you wish to speak of?"

"Maybe we could discuss my demands over a cup of tea?" Hakoda looked stunned as Ozai raised a hand and three servants descended from the ship's bow, carrying a table of tea. The Fire Lord knelt onto a small pillow and began to pour the tea and indicated that Hakoda should take the seat across from him.

Red watched with excitement as their Fire Lord poured tea for the simple Water Tribe Chief.

Blue watched with apprehension as their chief drank the tea from the cunning Fire Nation leader.

"What do you want?" Hakoda asked bluntly when the Fire Lord did not say anything. His spear was placed by his left hand but his club never left his lap.

He took his time to answer, watching Hakoda over the rim of his cup while sipping the fine tea. "The Avatar."

"What?"

"You have children do you not?" Ozai asked.

The question was so out-of-the-blue that Hakoda narrowed his eyes and his hand tightened on his club. "Maybe I do. Maybe I don't."

"Well, surely you've told the story of the Avatar to someone before?" Hakoda nods. The Fire Lord's voice suddenly became cold, mocking even. "Then what don't you understand? I need the Avatar. He's not Air Nomad as we killed them all so the only other logical conclusion is the Water Tribes. Now answer my question. Where. Is. The Avatar?"

Icy wind blew over the scene, causing loose snow to dance in the breeze and to hurl itself onto the already frostbitten cheeks of the solders. Everyone shuddered but the two leaders who continued to stare at each other.

Warm, golden eyes of the mendacious dragon gazed contemplatively at the cold, blue eyes of the honest wolf.

"I think you should leave now." Hakoda's voice growled quietly.

Without a word Ozai stood up and turned around walking towards his ship. The elite guard all bowed as their leader's robes dragged across the snow.

"HIYAH!" The voice echoed around the buildings and everyone attention was drawn to the little boy who had just burst out of the sea of knees, a boomerang held high as a tiny Sokka of the Water Tribe charged the Fire Lord.

"Sokka wait!" Hakoda's hand reached for his son. Katara also shoved her way out of the knees, following her brother loyally. "Katara! No!"

In one swift move Ozai disarmed the young boy and grabbed the wrists of the two Water Tribe children in his hands. Collectively there was an uproar, warriors on both sides let out cries of surprise and the truce was about to end until a voice called out above the war cries. "STOP!"

Ozai's voice echoed around the warriors. By now Katara was crying and Sokka was staring opened mouthed at the Fire Nation leader. "Fall back." He muttered, letting go of the Water Tribe siblings. Sokka grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her back to the safety of their fighters.

A Fire Nation solider stepped out of line and asked tentatively, "Sir?"

Ozai turned cold eyes onto the man. "Go back to the ship. Hakoda of the Water Tribe, this ceasefire hold true until the sun rises."

Hakoda gave a nod and Ozai, his soldiers and the servant carrying the tea table all returned to their ship, which pulled out of the ice, leaving a large piece missing.

When Hakoda returned to the main building he found a large hawk with the Fire Nation Emblem worn around its neck. On it's back sat a burgundy, leather tube. The bird squawked as he entered.

Curiously the chieftain opened the tube and pulled out a small scroll. In tall, black, letters it read: In case you decided to surrender before we wipe out your people, send the bird.

Hakoda burned the note the first opportunity he got.

"He actually left a note?" asked Suki in a tone close to complete revulsion.

"Mhm. But weren't going to use the messenger bird, well at least I thought we weren't. We were prepared to die defending our land. We had started making plans that night to send the children, the elders and a few select warriors to our sister tribe in a faint hope that they would survive." Hakoda explained. His eyes flicked to Zuko for a moment, who could not read the expression that was between blame and pity so he looked away, pretending to be suddenly absorbed with Katara's ear.

As Zuko watched the girl beside him her tanned hand drifted up to touch her mother's necklace. He realized that this was all she had left of her mother. And he had tempted her with it and yet she had still not folded to his will. At that moment he found new respect for the waterbender.

Hakoda voice stole Zuko's attention away from the heirloom and back onto his story. "But your mother had a different plan. When I asked her what it was she refused to tell me but I organized a meeting between Ozai and ourselves again…"

"Mommy." A tiny Katara wandered into the kitchen. She rubbed her eyes, just having arisen from an afternoon nap.

Her mother wiped away a few tears quickly and turned to her daughter. "Yes, Katara?"

"Why were you crying?" For one so young, Katara's ability to sense the feelings of others around her was astonishing.

"No reason." The mother kneeled beside Katara. She stared at her daughter's eyes, so similar to her own. "Can you keep a secret?"

Of course, the word 'secret' made Katara's eyes instantly harden and her voice had an added edge of uncharacteristic maturity. "Yes."

"I'm going to give you something very special. But don't tell your father, okay?"

Katara nodded then asked, "Can I tell Sokka?"

Her mother smiled tenderly. "Yes, you can tell your brother. Are you ready? I want you to close your eyes." Eyelashes fluttered as her daughter closed her eyes tightly. The mother's hands went to a clasp at the back of her neck and with a small 'click' the silver fastener unlocked. The engagement necklace Hakoda had given his wife slipped off her neck and into her hand. Her neck felt bare without the navy silk rubbing against it. "You can open your eyes."

Her daughter obliged and when her eyes saw the icy-blue stone sitting in her mother's hand they grew wide. "Mom?" She could only ask weakly, her formalness that she had displayed seconds ago was now replaced by outright wonder.

"I want you to have this." She placed the pendant in her daughter's petite hand. "Could you keep it safe for me until I come back?" Her voice was slowly breaking with emotion, each word, each lie and each fabrication weighing heavily on her soul.

Katara's face fell. "Where are you going?"

Her mother tried to smile again but her eyes betrayed her true feelings, letting a deep melancholy shine through. "I'm just going on a little trip. Don't worry, I'm coming back."

"Promise?" Katara asked. Her mother grabbed the necklace from her hand and made her turn around so she could secure it on her neck. She told Katara it looked wonderful and reminded her that she needed to keep it a secret.

Her mother never promised.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Hakoda asked his wife. He was trying to hide the emotion in his voice and was failing miserably.

She turned to him. "It's the only way."

The small canoe barely formed a ripple in the great sea. Their breaths came in small clouds but otherwise the night was clear, the moon shined down on the world, making the icebergs shimmer so brilliantly they rivalled the stars.

As they floated towards a wall of fog a large motorboat emerged from it like a black ghost. On it's bow sat Ozai, even more furs wrapped around his body now.

"Fire Lord Ozai." The mother said, bowing slightly.

"You say you know where the Avatar is?" Ozai asks the excitement in his voice plain.

The Water Tribe woman nodded. "But you will have to leave my village alone and you, or any of the soldiers on this mission, may never set foot there again. Even if the location of the Avatar is wrong." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions. "Do we have a deal?"

Ozai put his hands together in a respectful gesture before bowing deeply. "Fire Lord's Honour."

Hakoda grabbed his wife's arm, turning her around and pulled her into a tight hug, letting tears fall freely from his eyes. The hug barely lasted a minute when it should've lasted an eternity. Husband and wife looked at each other, determination he would see again in his daughter's eyes blazed in his wife's. Slowly, reluctantly, unwillingly, he let his wife go.

"Tell Katara and Sokka I died in a raid." Tears were also rolling down his wife's face as she said this.

"Why?"

"They're too young to understand the truth of sacrifice. Maybe one day they'll understand…but that day isn't anytime soon. Goodbye."

Act 3

"And that's how your mother saved our tribe…" Hakoda finished, his voice drifting into nothingness as he wiped away a few tears with the back of his hand.

The whole temple was silent. Even the fire had quieted only crackling weakly in the sun's final rays. Katara's hand had not left her necklace and water was gathering at the corner of her eyes. Sokka was looking at his father with something in his eyes Zuko couldn't identify.

Suddenly Katara stood up and walked off. Aang made a move to follow her but Sokka's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. The Avatar looked at Sokka, who shook his head slowly.

Suki said something about going to sleep and she left without another word. Aang soon followed, though obviously depressed that Sokka did not let him go comfort Katara. Hakoda also drifted away without a goodbye, most likely to wander the temple until his feelings came back under control.

Thus only Toph, Sokka and Zuko remained. The earthbender said something very quiet to the boy beside her.

"What was that Toph?" Sokka asked.

Toph was blushing slightly. "I can see why you miss her. She sounded great." From Toph's tone and the look Sokka was giving her, Zuko could tell they were talking about Sokka's mother.

Sokka stood up and offered a hand to Toph. "Thank you." He said and, after giving her arm a small, grateful squeeze, he left with Toph in tow still blushing a dusty rose.

Zuko looked at the direction where Katara had gone. He really shouldn't follow her but he needed to say something to her. His footsteps were quiet as he shuffled towards an overhang.

Katara was standing with her back to the temple, staring out into the cliff, arms hanging loosely by her sides. A breeze picked up and her hair fluttered in it. Zuko's will faltered slightly and he had already started to back away until the waterbender turned around. Her blue eyes were sparkling with held back tears.

Behind her the sky was a cool peach while clouds of lilac and yellow glowed in the sunset. A blood red halo shone around the sun and a cool dark night sky was starting above, chasing the sun lower and lower into the cliffs.

"Katara…I…" He had lost the use of his voice. His rubbed the back of his head nervously. Why couldn't he just say it? He had the words in is head but it was getting them to come properly was the challenge. He took a deep, calming breath, by now Katara was staring at him with expectation on her face. "I'm sorry about your mother."

This apology was so pure, so unexpected, that Katara's resentful feelings towards Zuko almost disappeared entirely for that one moment.

She had a small smile on her face as she reached out with her arms and pulled Zuko into a hug.

It took him a moment to realize that she wasn't trying to kill him; once this conclusion was reached he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer.

"Thank you." She said and when she let go Zuko saw that two wet patches ad appeared on the shoulder where her head had rested.

Author's Note

Though this may seem to be Zutara, it isn't. There may be a bit of a onesided love but the official ship of this story is Kataang. But this isn't focusing on ships so...

This is a huge project for me. I've never taken on something like this, but I hope some people will join my on the trip :