I hope you like this. It's my first story in a long time but it does get better as the chapters go on. Now stop reading this part and get to the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or any of its characters! I only own the stories I write. XD

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Good, the boys are still sleeping. Maybe I can get some alone time to think.

Katara wandered through a clearing she had found near their current campsite before they left again. There was a big cliff that hung over the ocean that she sat on to watch the sun rise. She loved to watch sunrises. She didn't get to see them often living where she lived. When the sun was fully risen, she stood up. She could hear Sokka and Aang walking around to find her. She started back towards their voices when the land underneath her started to give way. She tried to jump, but she was already falling. Suddenly, a great pain split her wrist and she felt herself being pulled up but couldn't look up to see who. Her eyes where focused on the ocean and rocks far below her. She got back on the ground and sat there looking up at her savior.

She looked at him confused. "Why did you do that? You hate me, remember?" She watched as he shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't mean to." Zuko's amber eyes looked away from her before she could see feelings lingering about in his eyes. He took a second to regain his former self, all thoughts lost in the back of his mind, face blank once more.

"Oh.." Katara looked down the side of the cliff she had been dangling off of just moments before. I could've died, she thought. Zuko, the Fire Nation Prince, my enemy, just saved my life.. but why? She couldn't quite figure it out, but she was glad he was there. "Well, thanks anyway."

"What are you doing out here by yourself anyway?" he asked. He missed Aang and Sokka hanging at the edge of the woods he had just come from, just waiting for him to try something. He didn't. He was actually being half decent.

"I was just taking a walk, stretching my legs before we.. I mean, I head out. I was looking at the view, then the ground just fell out from under me and that's when you caught me," she said, rubbing her wrist painfully. Despite the pain, she had a small smile on her face when she looked up at him. "It still kinda hurts."

He looked down at her, wanting to apologize, but that would be soft and he couldn't let that side of him be seen.. especially by a Water peasant. A beautiful Water peasant. He quickly shook that thought away when he realized she was staring at him, studying his expression, trying to see what he was thinking about that he had to concentrate so hard on. "Well, you should be more careful. Where is the rest of your little gang?"

She stood up, a little wobbly at first but regaining her balance. "Yeah, I was waiting for that."

"So where are they? Where is he?"

"I've told you a hundred times, I'll never tell you." She spotted Aang and Sokka over Zuko's shoulder on the edge of the woods and motioned for them to hide. Zuko didn't notice.

Zuko forgot about his actions earlier and began to get frustrated with the Water girl. "Okay then, but I must point out that the ocean is too far a reach, meaning there's no water near enough for you to fight with so I'd rethink this."

"I don't need water to fight you, and I'm not giving him up."

"Fine! Have it your way." Zuko got into his stance and Katara in hers, even though there was really nothing she could do but dodge.

Zuko extended the hand holding the fireball towards Katara and she braced herself in case she couldn't dodge it in time. He shot it right past her, obviously on purpose. In the woods, Sokka tried to run out there to help his sister but Aang held him back. "She told us not to help. She knows what she's doing."

"Yeah, but he could really hurt her! I have to do something! I won't let that Fire Nation scum touch my sister!"

Zuko turned at the voices, giving Katara the advantage she needed. She struck him in the ribs, causing him to fall to his knees doubled over in pain. She tried to run, but he grabbed her foot making her fall to the ground and spraining her already sore wrist. Katara kicked him in the chest, knocking him the rest of the way to the ground breathless.

"Aang, Sokka, run! Leave me, I can handle him!" she yelled at the boys. Aang turned to leave, but Sokka tried to go after her. "Sokka, no! Just go!" He stopped and looked at her pleading eyes before turning to follow Aang.

"We won't leave you, Katara. We'll come back for you!" Aang yelled as they disappeared.

Zuko finally stood up and caught his breath, glaring at Katara lying on the ground reaching with one arm towards the woods her friends had just run off into, the sprained arm buried under her. "I guess you're coming with me then," he said, with a hint of glad in his voice. Katara took no notice and finally got to her feet. Zuko grabbed her hands and pulled her along, careful not to hurt her wrist anymore.

Katara wouldn't let him see her smile at the thought of them alone. She was daydreaming about what could happen between them if they weren't mortal enemies, if maybe he liked her as much as she had, for some reason, grown to like him. His shirt stuck to his body, sweat from their earlier fight presumably. He was sure built. I suppose he has to be. She could see every ripple in his back, every muscle moving as he walked. She even somewhat liked the grip he had on her wrist. Strong was definitely a change from the other boys she traveled with, though her brother tried. She smiled at her thoughts before realizing they had stopped and he was staring at her with a confused look on his face. "Why did we stop?"

"It's a river, we stopped for water. Why do you smile all the time? You've been captured, but that smile hasn't left your face." He was studying her intensely. She realized she was still smiling and quickly fought it back.

"I was just thinking about stuff," she finally replied after a couple minutes. "Why don't you ever smile? I bet you'd look better if you smiled." Oh God, did I just say that? she thought. She looked at him to see what kind of expression was on his face, but it was blank as usual.

He stared at the water in the river in front of them, filling his canteen. "When you've been through as much as I have, you find it hard to smile about anything." He could feel her soft blue eyes studying him, from his short, apparently new haircut to the scar on his face to his ragged, worn shoes. She wanted to ask what happened to his ponytail, but thought it better she wait on it. He stood up with his canteen now full, ready to press on.

Katara thought for a second, then finally replied, "If the Fire Nation banished you, why are you still chasing us? You should join us and help us fight to end this war. I mean, that's how you got that scar isn't it? Speaking out against the war?" She stopped, wondering why she just said that and realized she was right.

"We should get back to my camp before dark, my uncle is waiting for me there," he said, completely avoiding the question. That was Zuko though. He didn't want to confront his past, but focus on the future. His past held too much pain. But her words danced around in his head.

"I hope Katara's okay," Aang worried. Sokka just glared ahead, wondering why he stopped himself from saving his sister. For all they know, Zuko had killed her already. "How are we going to get her back?"

"I don't know Aang," Sokka finally replied. Thoughts were racing through his head so fast, he didn't even notice the tree in front of him and crashed. Aang laughed. Momo jumped off of Aang's shoulder and hopped over to Sokka and jumped up on him. "Yeah, yeah. We need to get back to camp and prepare for tomorrow. We have to hunt down that Fire Nation slime and get her back. I'll hurt him if he touched her."

Aang just looked at him, a smile still on his face, and said, "She'll be okay, Sokka. She's tough, she can handle herself around him. You've seen her fight him before."

"Yeah, I guess.. but I'm still worried. There might be more with him, who knows what they'll do!"

"Katara wouldn't want us to worry, she'd want us to stay hidden, but that's not what I'm going to do."

"Finally!"

"We're going to camp here tonight, then we're going after her tomorrow."

"Wait, I wanted to go after her today! Right now! He'll be long gone before we go after them tomorrow!"

"No, he won't. He's after me, not Katara. He won't leave until he has me. We'll wait until tomorrow, then we'll go."

Aang stopped in a small clearing in the woods to start a fire while Sokka and Momo went to find some food. Momo gathered a few nuts, but Sokka couldn't find anything more than a rabbit. Too bad Aang doesn't eat meat, he thought. That would have to do until they got Katara back and found a village for supplies. Aang jumped on Appa's saddle and got the supplies down and started to set up camp. In one of the bags he found a couple apples and supposed that would have to do for him.

"I'm sorry we don't have anything for you, Appa," Aang said apologetically. "You might be able to eat the leaves off some of the trees if you want." Appa just looked at him, grunted, and laid down.

Sokka and Momo came back to camp with their food and they ate in silence, except for Momo who was chomping and breaking his nuts on the rocks. When they were finished, Aang cleaned up and Sokka got the sleeping bags out and ready for another night's rest, but he wouldn't really rest until his sister was back. "Hey Aang, do you think Katara's okay?"

Aang didn't hesitate. "Of course she's okay, she's your sister! She's tougher than you are, I think she can handle herself until we come to get her."

Sokka gave him an evil glare at that remark, but his worries died down a bit. "What do you think she's doing right now? What do you think he's doing to her right this minute?"

"I don't know Sokka, it's Zuko. I don't know him all that well, but he is Fire Nation. I don't want to think about it."

"Okay, we'd better get some rest if we're going to find her tomorrow." They crawled into their sleeping bags, but neither could sleep until their team was back together.

Zuko and Katara were walking through the woods. It was almost dark out, which meant they should hurry. They were hearing strange noises all around them, but Zuko knew they were getting close to the camp. He could at least see the clearing they had set their things. They made it through the last patch of trees to the campsite, but Zuko's uncle Iroh wasn't there.

"Uncle!" Zuko called. He had expected to find him brewing tea or eating, instead he was nowhere to be found. "Stay here, I need to find my uncle."

"I can help you find him."

"NO! Just stay here!"

He grabbed some rope and tied her hands to a tree, leaving enough rope for her to sit down on a nearby stone, then he left her. She could hear him calling for his uncle for a few minutes, then the calls stopped. All of a sudden there was a loud yell and lots of noise from that way, like someone running through bushes. Then Zuko came running back into the camp, carrying his uncle.

"Can you help him?"

Katara looked surprised that Zuko was asking for her help and was momentarily speechless. Then, "Untie me and get me some water, I can heal him." She stared at Iroh as he lay unconcious, blood streaming slowly from his head. It looked like someone attacked him from behind and just left him, but who would do that? Especially to an old man like him?

"I filled up before we left the river, is that good enough? Please hurry!" Zuko sat with his uncle's head in his lap, eyes almost to the point of tears. Katara pulled the water out of the canteen into her hand, then put her hand to Iroh's head where he was bleeding. "Is it working!" Zuko asked frantically.

"That's all I can do for now, he just needs some rest and he'll be back on his feet in no time." Katara looked up at Zuko, now hovered over Iroh. "You really care about him, huh? For a while there, I almost thought you heartless."

"He's the only family I have left now," Zuko said, not looking up from his uncle. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to, but she's not supposed to see emotion in his face. Well, I guess she's seen enough anyway, he thought. I have to look at her, I have to thank her. He slowly lifted his head to meet Katara's big blue eyes, the ones he had gotten lost in on more than one occasion. "Thank you, Katara." He slowly stood up, making sure not to let Iroh's head hit the ground, and walked to her. She almost looked scared, she didn't know what to expect but what he did was the farthest thing from her expectations. He hugged her. "Is your invitation still open?"

She pulled away for a second. "What invitation?"

"To join your group. My uncle, he needs more protection than he's getting from me. You saw that today. Please, for him."

"Of course you can join, just promise me you'll stop trying to capture Aang. He still needs to master firebending, then we can take on the Fire Nation and stop this war. Will you help him?"

"I'm still learning myself, but my Uncle Iroh would be more than happy to help."

"Thank you, Zuko!" Katara hugged him again, this time harder. Zuko hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist, both of them secretly enjoying this moment.. and for the first time in a long time, Zuko smiled. He was happy with just a hug, but she pulled away enough to grab his face and kiss him.. and it was a good kiss, very intense for two people who didn't know the other did really like them.

"You know, Fire and Water are almost perfect for each other for they cancel each other out, but you know what they say. Opposites attract."

Zuko and Katara pulled away quickly and turned to see Iroh had woken up and was grinning at them. They were both blushing and embarassed, but happy that it happened. Iroh was putting on a pot of tea and rubbing his head where the blood was.

"Uncle, what happened out there?" Zuko rushed over to his uncle.

"The late Admiral's people found me while I was picking some berries to add flavor for my tea, they asked where you where, and next thing I know I'm waking up here to a.. completely unexpected sight."

Zuko looked at Katara and they both blushed. "We're joining their group. You're going to teach the avatar firebending, then we're going to defeat my father and stop the war."

"Good plan! Why didn't we think of that before we spent months chasing them across the world?" Iroh joked. He looked happy that the chase was finally coming to an end.

"What about Azula? She's still chasing us, isn't she?" Katara asked shyly.

"Don't worry about Azula, I know how to handle that royal brat," Iroh said confidently. He poured a cup of the tea he had been making, offering some to Zuko and Katara who accepted. "Now, tell me what's going to happen with you two." He chuckled at the sight of them blushing again. "Don't be embarassed, it's good to see my nephew happy again. It's good just to see him smile again. Young water bender, you could be the answer to his prayers." He chuckled again, holding his belly. "And when this war is over, we and your friends will bring the nations back to harmony and you two will rule the Fire Nation together."

Katara looked down into her now empty cup, still blushing. "This is very good tea," she said politely, trying to change the subject.

"Yes, it is good. Did you do something different, Uncle?" Zuko was helping Katara get the attention off of them.

"No, I think you did," the old man chuckled again. He wasn't letting them off that easily. "Well, I've had a long day. I think I'm going down for the night. You two should do the same. We have to find your friends in the morning, right?"

Katara looked up. "Yeah. I hope they haven't gone too far."

"They wouldn't go far without you," Zuko whispered to her while his uncle set up his sleeping bag. He wasn't aware that his uncle could hear them, even when they thought he was asleep. They sat around the fire for a while and just stared at each other, Iroh pretending to snore in the background.

"Um.. maybe we should get some sleep too." Katara looked over at Zuko, studying his expression once again. She knew what he was thinking and was wondering if she should think the same.

"Oh, yeah, we should," he replied quickly, standing up quickly to get his things ready. "Since you don't have anything here, you can have my bed tonight."

"I think we're old enough to share." She looked at him with a slight smile on her face, at the same time hinting to him that nothing would happen.

Zuko set his sleeping bag up and got in, leaving room for her. They laid there all night together, his arms wrapped around her, both with smiles on their faces, both knowing that that's what they wanted from now on. Iroh knew his work was done already and smiled before drifting off himself.

The next morning, at first light, the firebenders were up and about, being sure not to wake Katara. Zuko and Iroh had already packed everything when she finally did wake up and they were ready to head out to find her friends. Katara figured since the boys knew Zuko would take her the opposite way, they should go back the same way they had come and meet them in the clearing of the cliff she had almost died on. Surely they would think to go back, she thought.

"Are you ready, boys?" she asked. "Let's go back the way we came, Zuko. Surely they'll be heading this way to find me anyway. When we find them, though, let me talk to them first so they don't try to attack you, okay?"

Zuko looked her over and nodded in agreement. Iroh was washing the last bit of dried blood out of his hair before they set off, back the way they came. Zuko wasn't sure about listening to a girl, even one he liked as much as her, but he wanted to trust her.

"Okay love birds, let's hit the road," Iroh chuckled. "The sooner this Avatar learns about firebending, the sooner we can end the war."

"How much did you hear last night, Iroh?" Katara had to ask.

"I heard enough to know that you two were somehow meant for each other, no matter that your elements are opposite."

Zuko watched Katara use her water-bending to amazingly cross the river and tried to urge him and Iroh to let her help them cross. Zuko, being stubborn, waded through like he did the night before, but Iroh let her carry him on the water. "Your girlfriend is very talented, nephew." Katara blushed right as Zuko fell into a hole in the river. She lost her concentration laughing and Iroh fell into the river. Luckily he was right at the shallow edge. Iroh then joined her laughing as Zuko stood up soaking wet and trudged the rest of the way to the other side. Katara used her bending and got most of the water out of his clothes and they continued on.

Sokka and Aang were up when the light hit their faces. They packed everything up on Appa and hopped on.

"Where are we going to look?" Aang asked. "I mean, did you see which way they went?"

"We'll start to look the opposite direction that we went, he's following us so he has to be camping behind us somewhere. We'll go back that way. With some luck, maybe she'll have gotten away and is waiting for us in that clearing."

"Okay, we'll go there and look first. If she's not there we'll keep going that way and look for smoke from a fire or something. Appa, yip yip!"

Appa groaned and took off in the direction of the clearing that Katara was now heading for with her new friends. They got there first and started looking around for her with no luck. Then Sokka heard a noise off in the direction they were headed for next and Katara jumped through and ran to her brother.

"Katara, you're okay! What did they do to you? Did he touch you? I'll kill him! How did you escape? Where is he?" Sokka went on and Katara finally stopped him.

"He's not so bad-"

"Not so bad! He's Fire Nation, he kidnapped you, and he's not so bad!"

"Sokka! They want to help. Zuko and his uncle want to travel with us, they're going to help train Aang in firebending so we can defeat the Firelord and bring peace to the nations."

"Really?" Aang piped up, "That would be great!"

"Look Sokka, Zuko's uncle was attacked last night by the people that traveled with Admiral Zhao before he was killed, I healed him and now Zuko thinks it best if we travel together to help protect each other, especially his uncle."

"Come on Sokka, we have to help them!" Aang was jumping up and down in.. excitement? Anxiousness? Either way, his heart was in the right place and he sincerely wanted to help. Anything to get another enemy off of his back.

Sokka thought for a minute. "I don't know, I still don't trust them. For all we know, Zuko did that to his uncle!"

"Zuko wouldn't do that, his uncle is the only family he has left."

"Wait, how do you know all this?"

"I talked to them for a while last night. His uncle made us some tea and we talked everything over. They're waiting at the edge of the forest for my signal so you don't attack them. Can I call them over safely now?"

Sokka looked over Katara's shoulder and saw Iroh pacing, saw how old he looked, and decided, "Okay.. but I still don't trust them!" Katara wizzed around and waved to them and they slowly walked over to the little pow wow in the middle of the clearing. Aang, being the good soul he is, rushed over to greet the firebenders.

"Hi! It's great that you're joining our group! You must be Zuko's uncle!"

Iroh laughed at the young airbender's good spirit and introduced himself, "That's me! You can call me Iroh. It's good that the chase between us is over, now we can focus on getting you prepared for the upcoming battle, young one!" Iroh glanced over at Zuko only to see him watching Katara talk up a storm with the brother that hates him.

"Uncle, I'm kind of uncomfortable being around him.. Katara's brother, I mean." Zuko said.

"Oh, Sokka?" Aang jumped in. "He's harmless. Why are you uncomfortable around him? You're a firebender! If he tries to attack you, just burn him." Aang giggled out loud making Sokka look their way and wonder how they're getting along after Zuko tried so many times to capture him.

"Well, it's just that.." he looked to his uncle for help. He's not quite ready to share their secret just yet.

"It's just that he hates all firebenders, meaning he already hates us," Iroh jumped in, saving Zuko. "Would he even give us a chance?"

"Would you be out here if he didn't?" Aang pointed out. "Just let him get to know you, he'll get past the firebender part in time. You might actually be of some help, I mean besides helping me train."

Katara ran over to join them, carefully avoiding Zuko's eyes in case Aang caught a glimpse of something he wasn't supposed to. "Okay guys, let's get going. We need to leave before Azula and her little team catch up to us."

"Good idea, Katara," Iroh said as they all started walking towards Appa. "We had better leave now." Aang jumped up on Appa and when everyone got settled, they took off into the skies. Zuko was holding on tight, he hoped to never have to fly because he hated heights. Sokka looked back at the clearing just behind them, growing smaller, but right before it went out of sight he saw 3 tiny figures run out into it and a blue bolt of lightening that didn't quite reach them before they disappeared into the clouds.

"So.. Zuko-" Sokka started before being cut off by Katara.

"Sokka, I told you, don't start. They are here to help."

"You have an awful lot of rage for someone you hardly know, young warrior," Iroh said, trying to get in on his good side.

"Well, you would too if they killed your mother," Sokka snapped.

"Well, was it Prince Zuko himself that killed her? Or me, perhaps?"

"..No, but it was the Fire Nation."

"And we were banished from the Fire Nation in case you've forgotten, so maybe you could give us a chance?"

"Uncle," Zuko jumped in, "If he wants to hate us, let him. I don't want to force him to like us, let him make his decision about us on his own terms."

"You are right, Prince Zuko." Iroh looked over the side of Appa's saddle at the clouds beneath, every once in a while catching a glimpse of the water below them and what he thought was a small fishing boat trailing off behind them.

Sokka was silent for a second, studying Zuko as if he were trying to see if he was being honest. "I guess I can try, for Aang.. and Katara."

Zuko looked up quickly into Sokka's eyes at the mention of his sister's name to see if he knew, but luckily he didn't. His eyes shifted over to Katara, leaning over the front of Appa's saddle, her long hair flowing in the wind, her blue eyes shining bright, that beautiful smile spread across her face. He couldn't remember the last time he was as happy as he was with her. She was.. different. A hard elbow to the ribs from his uncle brought him back to reality, where he realized he had been staring at her with a smile on his face, one that quickly disappeared as soon as he came back. Sokka had taken notice, but didn't say anything. He figured something was going on that they didn't want him and Aang to know, but maybe they would be okay with the firebenders as long as Zuko liked Katara.

Does she like him too? he asked himself. Nah, my sister has better sense than that. She knows how I feel about them. Besides, she couldn't do that to Aang, right? She knows Aang likes her, I think everyone does, he makes it so obvious.

Sokka was so lost in his thoughts he didn't even notice that Katara had crawled over to join Zuko and Iroh. They were chatting up a storm before he snapped out of his little world.

Wait a second, thought Sokka, does he have his arm around her? Nah, he's just leaning back. See? Iroh has his back there t- is he playing with her hair! I'll kill him! No, no, keep cool, she's your sister, she can take care of herself. I have to take my mind off of this. I'll go up there and talk to Aang, see what he thinks of all this nonsense. He climbed up there to where Aang was sitting on Appa's head.

"Hey Aang, what do you think of all this? I mean, firebenders joining our crew and all."

"I think it's great! I have less to worry about and I can finally learn to firebend! And his uncle is the one teaching me. I think that's cool because that's who Zuko learned from. I'll be as good as him!"

"Am I the only one who doesn't approve of this?"

"Come on Sokka, they're not all bad. Just give them a chance. See, we're all running from Azula, we have common ground. Get to know them first, like me."

"How can you give them a chance, they've been hunting you for months! They were going to turn you in to Firelord Ozai!"

"I don't know, I'm a monk. I guess it's just in my nature to be good. Please Sokka, I need this. This could be the only chance I get to really be able to defeat the firelord. They can help us. Just be okay with it until after all that happens, for me."

"Okay Aang, I'll try. For you. And Katara, apparently." He glanced over at Katara sitting between Zuko and Iroh. "She's right at home with them now, even after all the confrontations between her and Zuko." He paused for a second, then, "Hey, do you suspect something between them?"

Aang laughed at that. "Between Zuko and Katara? I don't think so. They hate each other, well, did I guess."

"Well, I caught him staring at her earlier.. and he was smiling."

Aang looked shocked at that comment. "Smiling? I've never seen him smile before."

"That's why I'm worried."

Their conversation was interupted by the most unusual of noises. Zuko was laughing. Katara must've said something very funny because they were all 3 rolling around laughing so hard they were holding their stomachs, even Zuko. I haven't seen her laugh so hard in a long time, Sokka thought. I guess if she's happy, I can try.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Sokka butted in.

Katara stopped laughing enough to tell him about what happened in the river earlier that day, then started up again even harder. Frankly, Sokka didn't see why Zuko was laughing, it was him that it had happened to. Then he thought maybe he was laughing at the part where Iroh fell in too. He didn't find it all that funny himself, but laughed a little anyway, just enough to show Katara he was trying.

Aang noticed land ahead of them, then saw a village. "Hey, there's a village up ahead, should we stop?" he yelled from the front.

"Yeah, we have no supplies, remember?" Sokka yelled back. Then he yelled at the giggle boxes, "We're stopping for supplies!"

"Okay!" Katara giggled out. They finally settled down, their stomachs sore from laughing, but their faces bright with laugh lines all over them. Sokka thought it was a funny look for Zuko, but Iroh it kind of fit. He laughed a lot anyway, even with a prick for a nephew.

Zuko finally spoke up to Sokka. "Look and make sure there's no Fire Nation presence before we land, we could all be captured and then there would be no chance of saving this world."

"I don't see anything, but I'll keep looking just in case," Sokka replied. Hey, I was actually nice to him! I hope Katara's happy now.

Katara didn't even notice, she was busy talking to her new friends. She was trying not to make the 'her and Zuko' thing noticable, but it was really hard. Those eyes, I don't want to leave those eyes. And that smile, did I do that? I made him smile! I can't believe we were enemies, he is so amazing. "Hey, can I try something?" She asked out of nowhere.

Zuko stared at her wondering what she could possible want to try. "Sure, I guess."

Katara drew the water from her canteen to her hand and brought it up to Zuko's scar. He drew back instinctively, but knew what she was doing. "Is this going to hurt?"

"No, it won't. I wouldn't hurt you." She smiled her girliest smile. Not 10 seconds later, the scar was gone. "Now if you go out in public, no one will recognize you because it's gone."

Zuko couldn't help it. He leaned in fast and kissed her. She pulled away just as fast, but not fast enough. Sokka saw.. Aang saw. His poor little 12-year old heart dropped to his feet, but he tried not to show it. After all, he had Toph waiting for him when his adventure was over. He shouldn't be upset. Sokka was furious, but he as well tried not to show it. That asshole firebender kissed my baby sister! I can't do anything, I can't do anything. She's happy, don't ruin it.

Katara looked first at Sokka. She could tell he was mad but he was trying to hold it in. He was doing a rather good job, but she knew her brother better. Then Aang, poor little Aang. He had liked her since she opened the iceburg and found him, now she belongs to his once-was enemy. But she remembered Toph. Hopefully he did too. Zuko slowly turned to face the other two, expecting to see them furious and ready to kill. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. She healed my scar, I was.. happy. It won't happen again." Zuko looked at his lap, then looked back up to see Sokka sitting right in front of him, hand on shoulder.

"She's my sister, and if you make her happy then I guess you're okay by me.. but if you break her heart, I break your firebending neck. Got it?"

Zuko laughed a little. "Fair enough." He turned back to the girl who had ever so recently changed his life around. Then he looked at the avatar for approval.

Aang just watched, unable to speak, then he snapped out of his trance and realized they're supposed to be stopping for supplies. He brought them down just outside of the town and Sokka, Katara, and Iroh went into town for supplies. Zuko stayed behind with Aang, hoping to talk to him. He knelt down beside the young Avatar sitting on the ground next to Appa. "Look, I know you like her. If you don't approve, we won't be together."

"If you make her happy, you should be with her. Besides, I have someone waiting for me. An earthbender. Man, what is it with opposites attracting?" He laughed a little at the thought and Zuko joined him.

"My uncle pointed that out when he found out last night. I thought it was pretty odd too, but you can't help who you love, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. Be with her, Zuko. You're not a bad person, I see that now but I guess that's how I am. I always see the good in people. Now that Azula, I didn't see anything good in her." They both laughed again.

"If you had a sister, you might understand a little of what I'm going through. Well, maybe not. Yours wouldn't be evil." They laughed more. Who would've thought that the banished prince and the Avatar would be sharing laughs. When Katara and the other two returned, Aang took her hand and placed it in Zuko's, giving his approval. They blushed at each other and hugged, happy they didn't have to be a secret anymore. Then they started out again, making sure that Azula couldn't catch up to them.

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I hope you liked it! If there are any mistakes, tell me and I'll fix itcuz I knowthat gets annoying on other people's stories. At least5 good reviews before I put the next chapter up!

-Jenn, waterbender master of the south