Please note: Although this fits the 'It's like this' structure, it's basically a throw-away from the series. Because the series focuses on seeing inside the mind of characters and maintaining a high level of canon, whereas this is speculation of what could happen, and thus not canon.

It's like this: People will surprise you. Nothing more, nothing less.

"What do you want?"

Katara winced.

"Why are you still up?" She said, sitting down next to Zuko hoping to let the comment slide.

"Why are you up so early? Dawn's in a few hours."

"I haven't been able to sleep. Though I suppose I could ask the same question of you."

"I was thinking."

"A rare occurrence."

Zuko stared at Katara for a moment, uncertain. Katara smiled grimly.

A joke.

"Why weren't you able to sleep?"

"For the same reason I guess. I was up thinking."

Zuko nodded, continuing to gaze at the other side of the canyon.

Katara looked up suddenly.

"I..." she faltered, then cleared her throat. "I don't think you should be out here."

"Why?" Zuko said tensing. "Because you think I might try something?"

"No!" Katara shot back, then sighed. "I just mean I think a storm's coming."

"Okay."

When Zuko didn't move, Katara glanced at him.

"You're not leaving, are you?"

"No."

Katara sighed again, something that was becoming more and more regular.

"I'm sorry." Zuko said, nudging a pebble off of the balcony.

"No, I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, I can't forgive you."

"Oh."

They sat in silence.

"I can't heal your scar, either."

"I...I know. You had to use it on Aang."

"How?..."

"I just guessed."

"Zuko?"

He looked up.

"How did you get it?"

"Get what?" He said irritably.

Katara reached up, and turned his face towards hers, gently touching the raised flesh.

"Your scar Zuko. How did yo-"

"You love your father, right?"

"Of course."

"And he loves you?"

"Zuko, what does this have to do wi-"

"-Does he love you?"

"Yes."

"Consider yourself lucky."

"You don't mean-" Katara stopped, bile creeping up her throat in a fit of nausea.

"I was in a war meeting. One of the Generals suggested putting new recruits on the front line. Against a formidable enemy, with better offenses and defenses. They would have all died, to gain an advantage for the other divisions. I spoke out of turn. Insulted the General, and by that respect my father. I was challenged to an Agni Kai; a fire duel. I thought...I would have to fight the General. I accepted. My father burned me when I refused to fight him, then banished me. I was told to find the Avatar, or not come back at all. And, then, I was forced to leave the Palace."

More Silence.

"Uncle took me here. We stayed for...awhile. Then I began to search."

Katara looked down, unsure of why she suddenly felt ashamed around someone she despised so much.

Thunder began to growl into the distance and the wind started to ruffle Katara's hair.

"Katara?"

"I...I can kill people. I can make them my puppets and move their own bodies against them. I can make people die slowly from the inside. "

Was she stating fact or reassuring herself around her long-time sworn enemy?

The temperature began to drop furiously, and any indication of daylight coming was now hidden by large and looming clouds.

"I don't want to be that...I don't want to be evil. I don't want to be like him."

She drew her knees to her chest and hid her face. She didn't want him to see her cry, not now, not ever.
She didn't trust him, didn't like him, and wanted him gone, but here she was confiding to him.

It was her trembling shoulders, and not her unusual silence that gave her away.

Zuko looked at her for a moment. Unsure, and hesitant he leaned over and encased her in a hug radiating with heat. He then draped his cloak around the two of them.

She tensed, then relaxed ever so slightly.

"You are nothing like him."

Perhaps for a moment she did forgive him, perhaps she forgot her hatred, her betrayal long enough to realize she needed comfort too.

Perhaps she was just tired.

Zuko and Katara stayed together on the balcony. It was seconds, minutes, hours, who knew how long?, of leaning against each other.

Of just being.

It rained relentlessly.

They were both completely soaked, and then Katara turned leaning back to fully see Zuko's face. To gaze at the unmarred ivory skin, blue lips, and brown hair plastered against his cheek.

She laughed, a sound barely heard and barely made over the wind.

"You're going to catch a cold."

"Fire benders don't catch colds. I suppose you wouldn't know that though, being a peasant and all."

"You only assume that because you're a spoiled brat."

They remained leaning against each other.

Katara looked down at her shoes.

"If you catch snow sickness, or if any of your fingers fall off, it'll serve you right."

"Fire benders don't get sick from the cold. We have internal heaters."

"I'm soaked. I'm going inside."

"I thought water benders liked rain."

"I do like rain. I just don't like thunder. It's loud and annoying."

"Are you...scared?"

"No!" She said furious.

The sky tore apart with a huge crack on the other side of the canyon, and although she didn't scream her whole body jolted slightly in fear.

"You're afraid of lightning."

"So what if I am?" she snapped. "I bet you're afraid of something equally stupid like-"

Zuko stood up to meet the light, and his hair stood up on end as he stole the lightening from the air and pulled it across his body, through his stomach, and out the other side. It vibrated through his bones and echoed when it hit the other side. Katara stood up and then retreated back into the temple, reminding her self sternly to not be as shocked or impressed as she was.

He was still a liar.

He was still a threat

He turned and followed her inside.

"I'm afraid of owl-snakes. I had one bite me once, and I nearly died. Azula thought it was the funniest thing ever. I wouldn't be surprised if she had set me up." Zuko said.

Katara ignored him, and any thought of a smaller Zuko fleeing from a baby owl-snake; as she pulled water from her dress. She turned to do the same for Zuko when she realized the water was coming off him as steam.

She sighed one last time, and headache building behind her temple at the thought of spending the next day inside with so many other restless people.

"Good night Katara." Zuko said, leaving her with his cloak still wrapped around her.

"Zuko, Wait..."

He turned back.

"I still can't forgive you."

"It's okay." He walked away.

"Zuko!"

He stopped once more, and looked back.

"But...I will." She looked down. "Forgive you, that is."

She looked up, steely eyed.

"I want to forgive you."

"I want..."

He was dangerously close, and had bright gold flecks in his eyes, and Katara noticed the comet-shape his scar took when it disappeared into his hair.

How Ironic.

He looked back at her, something in his eyes she couldn't read, but something that made her unwilling to look away.

"I want you to be able to forgive me."

She nodded, and he turned and left; and she exhaled slowly. not realizing she had been holding in any air at all. That she had been holding in the air he breathed.

They weren't much, and they were still tense. But maybe, perhaps one or the other now understood.

Someday they would be more than past enemies.

Some day they would move in harmony.