FicWad

Katara was frustrated. Not that anyone knew just why she was frustrated. Aang and Sokka probably just assumed it was a result of feeding so many or, as Sokka sagely informed Aang one day not too long ago, "Woman Issues." He'd not repeated the supposition in her hearing again. Toph merely smirked at her when she felt her frustrations rise. No, no one knew for sure what the source of her frustration was except for possibly Zuko, but he kept his head down. The occasional side-long glance he gave her sent her heart racing.

After Zuko left her in the make-shift kitchen, she'd been unable to get a moment alone with him. It seemed like the world was conspiring against them. As soon as she'd find the firebender alone, it seemed inevitable that Aang or her brother would come along within moments. Even Toph would amble along and complain of boredom.

And so, the rest of the day passed and it was with some relief that the others turned in for the night. She'd be able to be alone by herself at least. She found an overlook a distance from the dorms so she wouldn't disturb Toph if she decided to practice bending and gazed out at the moon shadowed cliff across from her. A cool night breeze tugged at her hair and the sound of crickets singing was relaxing after a long day.

Zuko loved her.

The giddy feeling from earlier welled up again and she giggled. Days of pretending nothing was wrong and everything was perfect had worn her down. If the frowns Zuko had sent her way, she probably wasn't as good at pretending as she'd thought. Still, she didn't think he'd actually confess such a feeling to her. Not after she'd tried and he'd told her it was a mistake. Boys. A soft scuff on the stones behind her warned her she was no longer alone and she whirled in surprise. Zuko retreated a few steps, expression anxious.

"Oh! I didn't know you were still up."

She was grateful for the darkness. He couldn't see her blush. Zuko shifted on his feet, hesitating. "I can leave…if you want."

She shook her head. "I was just surprised."

He approached cautiously, stopping in front of her with a shy smile. "Hey."

"Hi."

Katara smiled at him and saw his cheeks darken before he tucked his chin and looked away. She slipped her hand into his and stepped into his side. His hand was warm around hers and she could feel the callouses on his palm. Hesitant, she stepped closer and breathed, "I missed you."

A light squeeze of his hand assured her that the quiet sentiment was shared. "Your brother is persistent. He wanted to have a plan ready."

There was an undertone of anxiety beneath his words. It was strange that she was so attuned to his feelings and she wondered if she was the one to change or if he was. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

His shoulder moved in a quiet sigh. "We're leaving in the morning." He paused and she let him gather his thoughts. "We're going to meet up with the others." His voice dropped to a near whisper, "We're going to see your father."

It took a few heartbeats for her to understand what he was saying. Her brow furrowed and she pulled away, tugging him around to face her. She peered up at him. "You're worried about Dad? Why?"

The idea was bewildering to her. She never imagined her father as someone to be afraid of. Zuko grimaced. "He's the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. I am—was a prince of the Fire Nation. He's your father, Katara."

She scowled. What prompted this breathy fear? It was true that there might be some suspicion among the warriors because of Zuko's parentage, but it sounded like he was more worried about her father's relation to her than his status as Chief. Her father was an understanding man. "Has Sokka been telling you wild stories?"

"No," Zuko denied with a shake of his head. "He hasn't said anything, but he's worried."

He bit his lip, looking momentarily as if he'd betrayed a secret. Katara released his hand, reached for him, hesitated and then slipped her arms around his waist and hugging him tight. He jumped at first before holding impossibly still. "Don't worry. Dad's a good guy. You'll see. I don't know what's going on between Sokka and Dad."

Tense muscles relaxed and his arms closed around her. A warm sigh tickled the hair at her temple. "I don't have the best experience with fathers. And you've…never spoken of him."

Katara frowned, feeling a flash of guilt and half remembered anger. "I was mad. After mom — he left us to — it was stupid." A shuddering breath. "I just wanted him home."

His hands moved in an awkward, out-of-practice motion of comfort against her back that made her shiver. The motion halted immediately and Zuko rested his chin on the top of her head. "He was trying to protect you."

Katara sighed. Some part of her knew that, but the hurt was still there. She'd lost her mother and then her father was gone. After seeing the war herself, she could better understand what her father was trying to do. She was so tired of war. "Do you think we'll win?"

She felt him tense and a moment later he pulled back, catching her hands as he stepped away. "Come on, it's late and we're leaving early tomorrow."

The absence of his comforting heat made her realize how cool the late spring air felt. He left her at the door of the room she and Toph had chosen, brushing hesitant lips against her cheek. It was only after she'd settled into her bedroll that she realized he hadn't answered her.

.............

Zuko felt like his stomach was tying itself in knots. He'd barely been able to eat the cold breakfast Katara had passed around and, after a few bites he'd had to force himself to swallow, passed his portion to Sokka. He avoided Katara's concerned looks, hoping he didn't look as exhausted as he felt. Sleep hadn't come easily that night and he'd fallen asleep just before dawn. Aang had shaken him awake what felt like minutes later, gray eyes wide and concerned, to tell him that he'd missed bending practice and Katara had breakfast ready.

They'd cleaned up the area after their hurried meal and then climbed into Appa's saddle. That had been hours ago and, if anything, Zuko felt even worse. He was walking to his death. Well, flying actually. Nevertheless, he was about to willingly put himself among battle-hardened men who all had a legitimate reason to hate him. He pulled his knees to his chest and let his head fall against them with a groan.

"There they are! Aang, do you think Appa can land on the deck?"

The wind tore away the rest of the conversation and Zuko hugged his knees tighter, trying to calm his breathing. This was it. Appa flew lower and his stomach swooped. He was going to be sick. A hand fell onto his back and a soft body pressed close. "You'll be fine, Zuko. I promise."

He grunted. That was easy for her to say. Zuko knew what these warriors first reactions would be. If he survived that, there was a chance he'd live to see tomorrow. Katara tugged on his sleeve. "Sit up. Be confident. You don't want them to think you're a coward."

He groaned, but unfolded and straightened. If he was going to die, he might as well go looking death in the eye. Katara smiled at him encouragingly and then Appa landed. Toph was over the side of the saddle with a small cheer and for a moment it looked like the small earthbender was going to embrace the deck. Tanned skinned men dressed in various pieces of the Fire Nation naval uniform spilled onto the deck. Greetings were exchanged, most of them directed toward Sokka. A man moved through the warrior and they quieted. Sokka's cheerfulness seemed to drain away and he dropped to the deck from Appa's head. Zuko started to stand, but Katara put a hand on his arm saying quietly, "Maybe you should wait. You don't want to surprise them."

The worry in her expression as she watched Sokka approach their father. Zuko went over the back of the saddle, reaching up to help Katara down. She slid into his arms while Aang greeted the gathering warriors cheerfully, giving the man who stepped forward a more formal bow. "Hello, Chief Hakoda."

"Avatar Aang."

Zuko got his first look at Katara's father. He was tall, was Zuko's first thought. Not as tall as his father and stockier. He looked…weathered. The stern expression he turned on his son seemed at odds with the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth. "You bring news, Sokka?"

"There's been a change in the invasion plan," Sokka started.

Hakoda's eyes narrowed. "What led to the change?"

Sokka shifted. "We — there were some problems with the plan that…someone pointed out."

Zuko saw the suspicion enter his expression. Sokka was not good at deflection. Hadoka warily took note of the new arrivals, finally spotting them where they'd hung back from the others. His eyes halted on Zuko and his mouth twisted angrily. Sokka cringed under his father's glare and Zuko tried not to do the same.

"A firebender. You brought a firebender to my ship?"

Sokka stuttered and the gathered warriors reached for weapons. Toph smirked, drawling, "And not just any firebender."

A dozen or more eyes swung toward Zuko and he heard Katara's quiet, irritated hiss. Silence followed that statement and Zuko lifted his chin as they examined him with greater scrutiny. Hakoda's eyes flashed. "Of all the foolish, reckless things you've done, Sokka, this is the worst." He motioned to two of his nearest men. "Take Prince Zuko to the brig."

Zuko tensed, still not sure if he was going to go quietly and put up some kind of resistance. Katara stepped in front of Zuko, spreading her arms wide and demanding, "Stop this!"

Hakoda jerked, turning in surprise. "Katara?"

Somehow he'd missed his daughter's presence at the firebender's side. The warriors paused, a murmur rising among them. The waterbender turned large eyes to her father. "When did you lose your compassion? Zuko's come in peace yet you'd treat him like a criminal."

Hakoda flinched. "You don't—"

"I know exactly who Zuko is," Katara interrupted. "He's protected me for months when — He's not our enemy, Dad."

"He's pointed out weak spots in our plans. He's right. We can't win with the plan we have now," Sokka spoke up.

"He's been teaching me firebending!"

Toph shrugged. "He's an okay guy."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at the earthbender though the look was lost on the girl. Aang was clutching his staff and looking anxious. It'd probably never crossed his mind that one of his friends wouldn't be welcome. The thought made Zuko pause. Was he even considered a friend?

"Please," Katara breathed. "Give him a chance."

A wave washed against the side of the ship sending sea spray over the deck in a fine mist. Zuko let the tips of his fingers brush against her shoulder, silently telling her to breathe. Gradually, Hakoda's posture relaxed and he jerked his head at his warriors in a curt dismissal. "Very well. One chance. If I suspect any — anything," hard blue eyes stared Zuko down, "the brig will be the least of his worries."

Katara's breath rushed out of her in relief. "Thank you."

A smile crossed the older man's face, softening the hardened features. The tension eased and even Sokka looked more relaxed. Hakoda lifted his arms in a clear invitation and Katara rushed forward, throwing herself into her father's embrace, sobbing, "Dad."

Zuko hung back, feeling awkward and out of place. Emotional reunions and displays had never been a part of his life. Not even before his banishment. His mother softened the rough edges of life in the Fire Palace, but she was gone and his life became a cutthroat existence. Especially with Azula for a sister. Zuko quickly averted his eyes when he thought he saw the sheen of tears in the older man's eyes, closely examining the deck beneath his boots.

"I thought you were lost," Hakoda said brokenly, holding her at arms' length and looking her over. "Sokka said — well, no one's ever been seen again. How did you get away?"

"I was sold," Katara started to explain.

Hakoda swore quietly. "How'd you escape?"

"I didn't."

He looked down at her in confusion then shifted his attention to the firebender hanging back and trying to remain unobtrusive. Katara followed his thoughts and turned to smile at Zuko. She motioned him forward, introducing, "Daddy, this is Zuko. Zuko, this is my father, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko stepped forward, bowing formally. "It's an honor to meet you, Chief Hakoda."

He waited nervously until Hakoda stepped forward and offered his hand. "I understand that I owe my daughter's safety to you, Prince Zuko."

Zuko felt his cheeks heat and he hesitantly reached to take the offered hand. "I—I couldn't leave her like that."

Hakoda's hand bypassed his and gripped Zuko's forearm, holding firm when the firebender flinched minutely. "I owe you a life debt."

Zuko darted a quick look at Katara before meeting the older man's blue eyes. "There is no life debt."

A wide smile crossed the chief's face and he gave Zuko's forearm a firm squeeze before stepping back. Katara moved to Zuko's side, smiling broadly. Zuko felt like he'd won some kind of approval he hadn't known he was trying to obtain. Hakoda released his daughter and took in the group, motioning for them to follow him. "I suppose you lot are looking for something to eat."

Aang hurried forward eagerly. "Yeah! We had cold rice and mushrooms this morning before we left. I'm starving!" His eyes caught Katara's and he quickly added, "Not that it was bad. It was delicious."

Toph snickered, grabbing Aang's arm and pulling him along, rolling her eyes. "It was fantastic. Hard to mess up a cold meal."

Hakoda laughed. "Well, we've got a hot meal for you. We'll have a meeting after lunch to discuss the changes in the plan."

.............

"It's not fair! You can't leave me behind!"

Zuko cringed at the shout, cringing again when Katara shot to her feet. "You're not ready to face the Fire Lord, Aang."

Aang's cheeks puffed out and his face reddened. "I can firebend. I nearly have it mastered."

"But you don't have forty years of experience. He'd crush you and it wouldn't even make him blink."

Desperate for support, Aang turned to the firebender in their group. "Zuko?

"You are needed here," Zuko said quietly. "When the war is over, the world will need your help." He looked into gray eyes. "This isn't your fight."

The look of betrayal in Aang's eyes hurt, but Zuko would not give in. He had trained the Avatar, but not so he could go before his father as a lamb before slaughter — and Zuko had no doubts that Ozai would be ruthless. Toph touched Aang's arm, murmuring something so quietly that Zuko couldn't hear, and the airbender deflated, collapsing back into his seat and refusing to meet anyone's eye.

The plan was rather simple. Zuko and Katara would slip into the Fire Nation capital during the skirmish on the day of the eclipse while the Fire Nation's troops were occupied with the idea of a possible invasion during their weakest moment. They would then meet up with Iroh at Piandao's city home and then wait for the right moment. The right moment was still undecided since that would depend a lot on how the rest of the plan fell into place, but it had to happen before the Solstice. Once they received word, Iroh would distract his niece while Zuko and Katara sought out the Fire Lord.

Zuko sighed. He was sure the plan would be shot to hell in moments and it would all turn out much more complicated than it currently was, but apparently the strike team — as Sokka had called them — didn't need to know the exact details. They just had to win.

Plan set, the council had broken up and Toph had dragged Aang off somewhere to "practice cool earthbending secrets." The meeting was far from reassuring to Zuko and Katara's mute concern did little to change that. He stood to follow her to the door when Hakoda cleared his throat. "If I could have a moment of your time, Prince Zuko."

For a moment all Zuko could hear was a rush of blood in his ears as his heart skipped a beat. A quick glance at Katara for guidance which she only offer a shrug. Taking a deep breath, Zuko nodded. "Sure."

Hakoda gave his daughter a pointed look. "Alone, Katara. It will only take a minute."

Clearly reluctant, Katara left the conference room, pulling the door closed behind her. Several seconds passed under Hakoda's penetrating gaze had Zuko shifting restlessly. Knuckling his lips, Hakoda sighed and took his seat, motioning for Zuko to do the same. "I wanted to ask: are you sure you're up to facing your father? I know it will be difficult."

Zuko looked away. "Not as difficult as you would think…sir."

Hakoda steepled his fingers, resting his chin on his thumbs as he regarded the firebender. "I didn't want either of my children in this war. I thought, if I left them, they would remain untouched. Aside from what they'd already experienced. I never dreamed they'd find their own way into it."

He paused and Zuko waited. Finally, Hakoda dropped his hands and leaned toward him. "I didn't want them here, but they are. My baby girl is about to go into the heart of danger and I know I can't stop her. She inherited too much of her mother's spirit," he mused ruefully. "Look over her. Protect her."

"With my life," Zuko promised solemnly.

For a moment it looked like Hakoda would add something else, but he changed his mind and merely shook his head. "Thank you."

Taking that as a dismissal, Zuko stood and took a few steps toward the door before pausing and turning back. When he hesitated, Hadoka lifted an enquiring brow. Zuko frowned. "Sokka — he tries."

The hard lines of Hakoda's face softened and his mouth curved with a slight grin. "I still love my son, Zuko. A father doesn't just stop loving his children." He rose and folded the map, tucking it away for safekeeping. "You should go before Katara decides I'm doing something dreadful to you."

Katara was waiting outside the door when he opened it, retreating several steps so she wouldn't crowd the doorway. She glanced into the room as Zuko stepped out. "What did he want?"

A deep chuckle behind him made his ears burn and he decided to put as much distance from the room as he could. "It was nothing."

Katara looked doubtful and Zuko thought he felt much the same way.

.............

He'd retreated to the bow of the ship and that's where she found him when she finally decided she could slip away from the ever watchful eye of her father. She stopped several paces back, trying to gauge his mood. He was gazing out at the sea in front of him, his arms folded across his chest. She could almost picture him in his old armor taking up a similar position on his own ship. As she watched, his shoulders fell and he braced his hands on the rail in front of him. To her, it looked like he was trying to come to terms with his thoughts. Or trying to stop himself from running. Well, the only place to go would be the sea.

"There you are," she said as she moved forward, coming to a stop next to him. He didn't look away from the waves. Leaning against the rail, she examined Zuko's expression. "What are you thinking about?"

Zuko shifted, straightening and making room for her at his side. She stepped into the space between the rail and his body, wrapping her arms around him and not caring who saw. There was no privacy on the ship anyway and word would no doubt get back to her father before too long. He sighed, releasing the rail and loosely closing his arms around her as he finally answered her question, "The future."

She couldn't prevent the frown that pulled at her lips. The Day of Black Sun was rapidly approaching and even though it wasn't the end of the war, it was the beginning of the end. There was a lot of unknown ahead of them. "It's okay to be afraid. He is your father."

He blinked, his brow furrowing as if he suddenly had to redirect his thoughts. "That's," he shook his head. "I never really thought about the future. I tried not to think about it. Uncle kept telling me that the future was brighter. I didn't think the future would hold anything better. Or, at least, not something for me."

Her heart broke at the desolation in his words. "Zuko…"

"I didn't know what I wanted. I told myself I wanted my honor back. I wanted — I wanted my father's love again." He swallowed thickly. "I can't even remember a time my father wasn't ashamed of me. Or disappointed."

"Do you know now?" she asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

He was silent for a long time before saying quietly, "I want the love of a wife. In time, I want children. I want — Katara, before we meet my father, there is something you need to know."

Cold dread clutched at her heart. "What?"

Solemn gold eyes looked down at her, tracing her features for a moment in silence. It looked like he was trying to capture the moment. "There will be many guards around my father. They will try and stop us, but once I engage my father they will not interfere with me. You will have to fight the remaining guards on your own. Tradition states that challenges for the throne must be fought one-on-one until one is defeated."

"Defeated," Katara repeated bleakly.

Zuko nodded. "Usually with death. Katara, if I…go down—"

"No!" she burst out, her hands fisting in the back of his tunic and yanking — as if she could pull him from a danger that wasn't there.

"Katara—"

"You can't expect me to just stand around and let you die. How can you ask me—"

"I'm not asking you to watch me die," he interrupted. "I'm asking you to finish what I was unable to. I'm asking you to come with me because, out of everyone here, you are the most likely to win where I fail."

Tears burned in her eyes and her throat. What he was saying — she wouldn't let it happen. It wasn't going to happen. She hugged him tighter, her voice muffled against his shoulder, "But…your uncle…"

The silence that followed her half-formed thought told her that her fledgling hope was in vain. He sighed quietly and she felt a light tug on the ends of her hair. "Uncle abdicated. He cannot issue a challenge."

She squeezed her eyes shut. Zuko wasn't going to lose. The — was it an Agni Kai? — wasn't for a few days more. "You would have a waterbending peasant as Fire Lord?"

"Yes."

There was no hesitation in his answer and the certainty he had in her made her smile. She knew it wasn't that long ago that the idea would've been abhorrent. Zuko shifted, glancing down at her. "So, will you take up my challenge if I am unable to?"

"Only if you don't die."

A faint smile rose on his lips and he pulled her close. There was a loud snort and they quickly broke apart, turning to find Toph smirking at them. "If that was your idea of romance, no wonder it took so long."

Katara laughed nervously, sure her blush was obvious to the earthbender. Zuko kept his back to Toph as if that would prevent her from knowing how fiercely he was flushing. Toph jerked her head back toward the cabins. "Chow's on. I'm supposed to tell you to come before Snoozles eats everything."

"Thanks, Toph; we'll be right there."

The earthbender's smirk deepened and she strolled away, tossing over her shoulder, "Sure. Don't take too long. Your dad will probably hunt you down next."