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. Neither do I own the song “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins.

Summary: Song fic to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be In My Heart”. Katara and Sokka have an argument, and Zuko helps Katara see that it doesn’t matter what the others think. A bit of pointless Zutara-ness for your enjoyment.

Song fic. I know you all associate this song with Tarzan and his mother, but if you actually read the lyrics, it can very much be applied to Zutara. I’m writing this basically because I’m trying to pass the time until “The Earth King” premieres in…an hour.

Read and review please. Enjoy!

Come stop your crying,

It will be all right.

Just take my hand,

Hold it tight.

I will protect you from

All around you.

I will be here;

Don’t you cry.

“Katara?”

The Waterbender looked up suddenly, wearing the expression of a startled animal. Zuko’s voice had caught her off guard. She quickly looked away again, wrapping her arms around her knees and hiding her face from his view.

“Katara, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she replied, unconvincingly. She sounded as though she’d been crying. He approached her cautiously, unsure what to do. They hadn’t known one another for very long; he’d only started traveling with them a number of weeks ago, but Zuko had bonded with Katara more rapidly than any of the others. They’d found when they’d first met, actually met without trying to kill each other, that they shared common ground, a kind of kindred spirit. And he’d always noticed that Katara was the only of them who ever looked him directly in the eyes.

“Katara?” he said again. She didn’t reply or even look at him, she just turned further away with a violent jerk. “Katara, look at me.” He didn’t raise his voice, but the quiet intensity of her spoken name made her turn to face him.

Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and her cheeks were flushed a hazy rose.

“Katara,” the Firebender began, at a complete loss for words. He’d never seen her cry.

For one so small,

You seem so strong.

My arms will hold you,

Keep you safe and warm.

This bond between us,

Can’t be broken.

I will be here,

Don’t you cry.

Zuko knelt down beside her; she diverted her eyes in an effort to avoid meeting his gaze or acknowledging him, but she didn’t turn away.

“What happened?” he asked quietly. She remained in obstinate silence. “Katara, tell me what happened.”

At last, she turned and looked at him with misty eyes, her face tear-washed. Suddenly, unexpectedly, she broke down and sobbed into his shoulder, clung to him for dear life. Zuko, having no idea what to do now, did the only thing he could think of. He allowed her to cling to him and, after a long, awkward moment, put his arm around her comfortingly.

‘Cause you’ll be in my heart,

Yes, you’ll be in my heart,

From this day on,

Now and forever more.

You’ll be in my heart,

No matter what they say.

You’ll be here in my heart,

Always.

“What happened?” the Firebender persisted after a while, when Katara began to calm down again.

Once more, she avoided answering. Zuko didn’t need to know what had happened.

It would hurt him just as badly, she knew, though he wouldn’t show it. Sokka’s words had stung her deeply. Her brother didn’t know what he was talking about, didn’t realize what he was saying, but it had pained her, all the same. How could he say such things about Zuko? The young Firebender, the newest addition to their group, though she admitted he could be…standoffish at times, had proven himself nothing but honorable. How Sokka could possibly think that he would betray them, or still hold his blood against him absolutely blew her mind. Sokka’d been hurt by the Fire Nation; they all had, including Zuko, but that was no excuse for Sokka’s attitude toward the young man. The Waterbender had defended the Firebender prince, and Sokka had been unwilling to hear her.

Why can’t they understand

The way we feel?

They just don’t trust

What they can’t explain.

I know we’re different but,

Deep inside us.

We’re not that different at all.

And you’ll be in my heart.

Yes, you’ll be in my heart,

From this day on,

Now and forever more.

But what Katara didn’t know was that Zuko was already aware of everything that had happened. He didn’t know that that was whyshe was crying, but he knew what Sokka had said about him; he’d heard it all. But Zuko didn’t grudge the Water Tribesman his hostility. After everything that had happened since he’d first encountered the Avatar and his friends at the South Pole, the Firebender didn’t blame him for being doubtful. Trust was something fragile, and Zuko would have to start earning it all back.

At that instant, Katara looked up at Zuko who still held her comfortingly, and her eyes locked with his. He was a Firebender. But sometimes he looked so cold to her, as though his emotional strength was only a guise, only icy rage hidden behind fiery eyes. Those eyes…They were stern, but not unkindly so. Perhaps “stern” wasn’t the right word. Focused. Yes, that was it. He was so focused on everything that he did. His eyes burned with the same fiery intensity that was in his soul. None of the others seemed to see that. Katara knew that she was the only one who ever looked Zuko straight in the eyes. His eyes were just like his soul, like fire…beautiful, but difficult to look directly into. Though, to do the others justice, Katara had to admit to herself that they weren’t concerned with Zuko’s pretty eyes…that was an interest of hers, and hers alone.

Stillness reigned for a long, long time. Zuko didn’t ask Katara’s reason for tears again, but after a lengthy moment of silence, the Waterbender seemed to have decided to tell him on her own.

“It’s just Sokka,” she muttered, burying her face in his shoulder once more.

“Oh.” Zuko nodded. He understood now. Though he didn’t understand why her brother’s insults toward himself would possibly upset her so much. “Don’t listen to him, Katara. You know he didn’t mean anything.”

Don’t listen to them,

Cause what do they know?

We need each other,

To have, to hold.

They’ll see in time.

I know.

When Destiny calls you,

You must be strong.

I may not be with you,

But you’ve got to hold on.

They’ll see in time.

I know.

We’ll show them together.

Katara didn’t speak for a moment. Without any conscious thought, she relaxed the death grip she had taken on his shirt, having been calmed by his words, but her head still rested on his shoulder. The Firebender’s hand absently caressed her hair in a soothing gesture.

Suddenly, without thinking, impulsively, Katara leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Zuko,” she said lightly, but sincerely.

Zuko stiffened. He slowly, uncertainly lifted his hand and touched the place where she had kissed his cheek. After a moment, he pulled his hand away and stared at his palm with an odd expression, almost as though he’d half-expected the kiss to be something tangible that he could see or hold.

The Firebender glanced down at Katara, whose head was still resting on his shoulder, and smiled slightly.

“You’re welcome,” he said quietly, almost inaudibly.

‘Cause you’ll be in my heart.

Yes, you’ll be in my heart,

From this day on,

Now and forever more.

Oh, you’ll be in my heart,

No matter what they say.

You’ll be here in my heart, always.

Always.

THE EARTH KING PREMIERED WHILE I WAS WRITING THIS!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! THE ZUTARA-NESS!!! Oh my gosh, THE ZUTARA-NESS!!! Can’t you just sense it? It’s going to happen soon! And Aang’s OUT OF THE PICTURE, for an episode or two anyway, just enough time for the cave scenario. AND THE COMMERCIALS!!! THE ZUTARA-NESS OF THE FINALE TRAILORS IS SENSATIONAL!!! MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (evil, Zutara plotting in progress)