Disclaimer: I do NOT own "Avatar: The Last Airbender" or anything pertaining to it. The following is based off of characters and concepts from the show.

Okay, I’m so distraught and bugging out from the season II finale that I HAD to write a one-shot showing my Zutarian hope. Kataang is dead. It will never again rise from the ashes. But Zutara…Zutara still has its fighting chance. I’ve picked out every indicator of this that I can think of, both the obvious and the subtle, and shoved them all into this Katara introspective.

Zuko betrayed her. Can Katara learn to forgive and forget?

Read and review please. Enjoy!

Katara stared up into the star-filled sky; Sokka, Toph, and the Earth King sat at Appa’s reins, and Aang was sleeping soundly nearby. As she watched the glittering spheres turn overhead, she was reminded suddenly of the Firebender, Prince Zuko. Her eyes narrowed, and she was brought back memories of anger and betrayal.

He’d betrayed her. She gave him her trust, and he betrayed her. She thought he’d really changed…from what she could tell in the cave, he had. But his sister, Azula, had somehow stirred something him, brought back some dark memory. Just before the fire blast flew, when Zuko was at his critical decision, when he still didn’t know whom he sided with, she’d caught a look in his eyes…something she couldn’t identify. Was it regret? Anger? Uncertainty? It could have been any, all, or none of them. She honestly didn’t know. But somehow, Katara knew that there was some good left in the prince. Her face softened as the possibilities ran through her mind.

Azula was a manipulator. That was undeniable. She’d turned all of the Dai Li against Long Feng in less than a day. Azula could get what she wanted, no matter what it was. She had some way of changing a person’s consciousness around. Katara didn’t know what Azula had done to Zuko, but she’d just made something click in his head, and pushed him back to square one.

Katara was certain that there was something different about Zuko, something good. He wasn’t the same person she’d known before. Yes, people can be deceiving, but one cannot lie about their own nature. She had no doubt that everything he had told her in the cave was true. His mother’s disappearance, the Agni Kai, his scar. It was all true.

His scar… Katara couldn’t help but wonder how things might have turned out differently if she had been able to heal the scar. She’d gotten along well with the Firebender, after she’d realized what made him the way he was. And all evening, the thought had been nagging at the back of Katara’s mind that Aang had interrupted her ridding the young prince of the mark.

“I used to think this scar marked me,” Zuko said quietly. “The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately I’ve realized, I’m free to determine my own destiny, even if I can’t be free of my mark.”…

Katara’s eyes widened when reality struck her, and she stared back up at the sky again. That was it! Zuko still thought of the scar as his “mark”, his brand as a traitor. He thought that his honor could never be restored unless he helped Azula and the Fire Nation! Now everything was clear! He was simply trying to bring back his honor. But what Zuko didn’t realize was that he’d never lost it…not until now.

Katara understood the prince’s thinking. He was very wrong…but she understood. And if she’d learned anything about him when she was alone with him in the cave, it was that nothing hurt him more deeply than his uncle’s disappointment or disapproval. Zuko had betrayed Iroh as well. It wouldn’t be long before that ate away at him. Besides…Azula would not be willing to cooperate with Zuko for long. From what Aang had told her after they’d first encountered Azula a couple of months ago, the two siblings didn’t get along well in the least, and Azula was power hungry. The right to throne was Zuko’s, but Azula would try to take it from him. It would fall apart.

Katara’s mind wandered back to the battle a few hours ago. When Iroh had arrived, Zuko had not fought back. He stood still and watched with an odd expression on his face. Zuko was sorry. Katara knew that. Perhaps he would not admit it to himself, not just yet, but she knew. It wouldn’t be long before she must encounter him again.

Katara would have to speak long with Zuko, the next time they met on better terms.

I would like to point out that Azula has already predicted her own downfall. She said that “the divine right to rule, is something you’re born with”. She wasn’t. ZUKO was born with the “divine right to rule”. He will always be heir apparent. This will present a problem in the future, and Zuko and Azula will part ways on bad terms. Zuko and perhaps Iroh will HAVE to join the gaang. Don’t ask me how he’ll get their trust back, because I honestly haven’t figured it out. Katara pretty much hates his guts now.

OH MY GOSH!!! IDEA STRUCK ME!!! Maybe Azula will kill or attempt to kill Iroh (we’ve already seen that she’s stupid enough to try and kill Aang) and Zuko will be infuriated and turn on her! Or maybe he’s just a really good actor and this is all a plan he made with Iroh before he went to the crystal chamber…wishful thinking…