The Forgiven (Zutara)

The New and The Old

Someone came knocking on our door not long after Zuko and I had finished, the both of us were dressed again so he didn't hesitate to open the door. It was my father. I was sitting on the edge of our bed, with a book in my hand, reading it. "Katara." My father said. I looked up at him, his voice was a giveaway, letting me know I was in trouble.

"Uh oh?" I mumbled.

"The General is screaming in agony. I don't want to listen to that all night." He seemed more upset than angry with me. I nodded.

"Right, sorry. I kind of forgot about him, I'll go deal with him right now." I replied pulling up the mask and fixing my bun. I slid in between my father and the doorway but he grabbed my arm stopping me.

"Kid, you're not telling me everything. Even if this was your mother's killer, you're not like this, you don't do these things." He said.

"If? If this was my mother's killer? Why are you usure?" I asked. He sighed.

"That's not what I meant." He replied.

"I am like this father, that's my mother's killer and he will pay. What's so wrong about that?" I growled.

"No, Katara! You're not like this, okay? It's not your place to be like this! You're not the one who's supposed to take care of these things!" My father said, this was taking a toll on him, that much I could see. "You're still a kid Katara! Yes, you've grown, but you shouldn't be the one to take care of these things, I should. You didn't even hesitate to get up and deliver to him whatever fate you're going to give him!" He continued. I furrowed my brows at him.

"Dad?" I asked. He looked lost. "What do you want me to do? Set him free? He will just do the exact same thing to someone else's mom. Kill him? Give him the easy way out? He tortured mom before he killed her, why shouldn't I give him the same fate?" I asked. He looked at me confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked. I realized what I had said. I pulled my arm away from him.

"...I forget. I'm sorry." I replied as I was walking away. I walked into the cell, closing it behind me.

"No..Not you again, please no. I'll do anything." He begged. I bended some water onto each of his limbs healing them, it was a process that took a minute because he was so broken. "Why are you doing this to me?" He asked as I was about to turn and leave. I faced him and pulled my mask down.

"Because of what you did to me and my mother." I replied. His eyes widened.

"I knew I should've killed you." He growled. I scoffed.

"Yeah, you should've. But you didn't, your mistake, and now, now you're going to pay for it." I turned to walk out again but he stopped me.

"It was worth it you know. Your mom...Eh. She was alright, but you, man, if I would've known then that nothing would've ever felt like you did I would taken you then and kept you as my slave. What a good little slave you would've made too." He said. I turned to face him raising my hands to bend his blood then stopping myself, realizing what he was doing.

"Oooh. That's what this is about. You're trying to make me kill you. I have to give it to you, it almost worked. Now the men on this ship work hard, you'd do well to keep your mouth shut otherwise I'll torture you and this time I won't heal you. Do keep in mind I'm the only one on the ship who can heal." I growled and turned around, leaving. The second I closed and locked the cell, I turned to walk back down to my room but my father was standing right there. My eyes widened.

"How much did you hear?" I asked. His eyes filled with tears and he turned his head, unable to look at me.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"I-I. It was easier not to. The less people knew the easier it was." I replied.

"Who all knows?" He asked.

"Just Zuko And Freya." I replied.

"Why did Zuko know when I didn't?" He asked.

"I-I'm courting him. It's different. He's got a right to know who's sleeping next to him." I shrugged.

"Oh really? And I don't have a right to know what's going on with my daughter? Or about my wife's death?" He asked.

"It was an unnecessary heartache. You can't change it. I didn't figure telling you about it would do anything except make you miserable, angry, and guilty." He didn't t look too pleased with my answer.

"You could've told me you know." He said. He still couldn't look at me. I bit my lip to stop myself from telling him how hurt I was by it. Was I truly that disgusting now?

"Really? Because now you can't even look at me." I said squeezing past him and walking into mine and Zukos shared room. He was in the middle of changing when I closed and locked the door behind me. "Sorry." I said. He shook his head. Freya was laying on the corner of the bed sleeping but she woke up when I came in.

"What's wrong?" They asked at the same time. I sighed.

"Well my dad found out, the guy was talking about it...My father was waiting outside the door listening. He couldn't even look at me." I said. "I mean I know I've always felt disgusting because of it, but I always figured it was something I would either get over or ignore. But...Am I truly that disgusting?" I asked Zuko looking up at him. He walked over to my and gently held my chin, it was a gentle gesture. I could break free if I wanted.

"No you're not. I don't think he's ashamed in you I think he's ashamed in himself. I don't think he thinks you're disgusting." He said. I sighed. Freya jumped up and rubbed her head on my leg. When I gave Zuko a quick kiss, and bent down to pet Freya, who gave me comforting words.

"I've really misssd you. It seems like we've seen so little of each other." I said. She nodded and rubbed against my cheek affectionately. I looked over at Zuko who was just now taking off his shirt. I walked over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder, placing a small kiss on it before resting my chin on it.

"You look like a little lost puppy." He sighed. He turned to face me.

"It's really not you. I don't know what it is your dads going through but I really don't think it's you." He said.

"Perhaps you're right." I sighed.

"As much as I would love to stay here with you, I'm going to do a small night shift, I like to steer from time to time, I'll be back in,in a couple hours." He said hugging me from behind. I leaned into it enjoying his touch.

"Fine but only if you get the fire going. I could do it but you do it much easier. And I'll freeze if someone doesnt." He smiled and chuckled at me throwing some wood in the fireplace and lighting it.

"I could send for some food if you'd like?" He asked. I nodded.

"Food actually sounds great, if you don't mind?" I asked he smiled a sweet smile and me, kissing my forehead.

"Not a bit. Go ahead and lay down, the food will be here soon. I'll be back in just a while." He pulled on the coat that I made him and turned to leave.

"Zuko." I said, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to face me. "I love you." I said.

"I love you too. Just try to relax." He left without another word. I got dressed sleeping clothes, consisting of one of Zukos shirts and a pair of my leggings. There was a knock on the door, not too soon afterwards. I opened it and happily accepted the tray of food a servant handed to me, thanking them before closing the door and eating it, giving Freya some of it. I let my hair out of its bun, it fell down my shoulders, going all the way down to my bellybutton. When I was done I set the tray on the table and blew out the light, curling up next to Freya and falling asleep, waking only once when Zuko came back in.

"Sorry for waking you." He smiled. I shook my head.

"That's okay." I replied when he crawled in bed next to me, pulling me into his arms. Freya was still sprawled out across my legs, I was in Zukos arms. Everything seemed okay again.