Zukka What could have been

Hello, Zuko here (3)

guess what? another time skip, but thats okay. We are just gonna skip on over to the eastern air temple. Also this took forever because I had to listen to the original episode and keep pausing it to write it down. I give all credits for this scene to the original writers. 

(3rd POV)

"Hello, Zuko here," Zuko said awkwardly, scratching his head as Sokka, Katara, and Aang stared at him in confusion and rage.

"Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there, so, I just thought I'd wait for you here." 

Appa then walks over to Zuko and licks him.

" I know you must be surprised to see me here."

"Not really, since you've followed us all over the world." Sokka said sarcastically. 

"Right. Well, uhhh ... anyway ... what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uhhh, I'm good now, and well I think I should join your group, oh, and I can teach firebending to you." 

The Gaang looked shocked 

"See, I, uhhh ..." 

"You want to what now?" Toph exclaimed. 

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?!" Katara said

"Yeah, all you've ever done is hunt us down and try to capture Aang!" Sokka said

Zuko flinched, he was hooping he would at least get Sokkas approval, after all they did spend that time in the cave, and although Zuko promised himself he would never admit it, he started to grow feelings for Sokka. 

"I've done some good things! I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something!" Zuko said, grasping at straws. And much to his surprise, Appa licked him again. 

"Appa does seem to like him." Toph said 

"He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it." Sokka stated. 

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past." Zuko said, beginning to apologize. 

"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka said, bitter about losing the fight, but quickly regretted it when Zuko looked guilty.

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Katara yelled. 

" Look, I admit I've some awful things. I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. [Toph and Sokka's eyes widen with shock.] I'm going to try and stop-"

"Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka said, moving past his moment of guilt and pulling out his boomerang. 

"Well, that's not his name, but-" 

"Ohhh, sorry. I didn't mean to insult your friend!" He yelled sarcastically. 

"He's not my friend!" Zuko yelled back. 

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph yelled. 

Zuko looked to Aang, "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me."

Katara glared at Aang. 

"There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us." Aang said after looking away from Katara and Zuko, feeling conflicted. 

"You need to get out of here. Now." Katara stated

"I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!" Zuko said, 

"Either you leave, or we attack." Sokka said. 

"If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner" he said, kneeling and putting his arms up in surrender. 

"No, we won't!" Katara blasted him with some water,"Get out of here, and don't come back! And if we ever see you again, well, we'd better not see you again!" 

Zuko leaves, tail tucked and embarrassed.

The gaang stared him down as he went all the way back into the woods where his campsite was.   

Time Skip 

At the campfire that night the topic of Zuko came up again.

"Why would he try to fool us like that?" Sokka said angrily. 

"Obviously he wants to lead us into some kind of trap." Katara said. 

"This is just like when we were in prison together at Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings." Sokka said, remembering what happened and trying to see in himself what had really happened. But it was all confusion. 

"He wants you to trust and feel sorry for him so you let your guard down, then he strikes." Katara said. 

"The thing is, it worked. I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused and hurt, but obviously, when the time came, he made his choice, and we paid the price. We can't trust him." 

"I kind of have a confession to make." Aang said suddenly. "Remember when you two were sick and I got captured by Zhao?"

"And you made us suck on frozen frogs? How could I forget? I had a wart on the flap that hangs down from the back of my throat for a month!" Sokka said.

"Sokka, I looked at it, and I told you, there was nothing there!" 

"I could feel it! It's my throatal flap!" Sokka complained. 

"Anyway, when Zhao had me chained up, it was Zuko who came in and got me out. He risked his life to save me." Said aang.

"No way! I'm sure he only did it so he could capture you himself!" Katara countered 

"Yeah, face it Aang, you're nothing but a big prize to him." Sokka agreeing with Katara. 

"You're probably right." Aang lowered his head. 

"And what was all that crazy stuff about setting Appa free? What a liar!" Sokka said. 

"Actually, he wasn't lying." Toph stated, 

"Oh, hooray! In a lifetime of evil, at least he didn't add animal cruelty to the list." Katara said sarcastically. 

"I'm just saying that, considering his messed-up family and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse." 

"You're right, Toph! Let's go find him and give him a medal. The "not as much of a jerk as you could have been" award!" 

"All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly." Toph objected, uncomfortable that everyone was against her except Aang. 

"Easy for you to say! You weren't there when he had us attacked by pirates!"

"Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island!"

"Or when he tried to capture me at the Fire Temple!" Aang added.

"Why would you even try to defend him?" Katara asked. 

"Because Katara, you're all ignoring one crucial fact: Aang needs a firebending teacher!" Toph poked Aang in the chest. "We can't think of a single person in the world to do the job! Now one shows up on a silver platter, and you won't even think about it?"

Toph stamped her feet angrily, shaking the earth. 

"I'm not having Zuko as my teacher!" Aang said. 

"Well, I guess that settles that." Katara said as they all went back to their food. 

"Argh! I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here!" Toph stomped away, into the woods.