I know how long its been since I updated. I did not expect to update again. But I read over all your old reviews and I had to. I hope to update frequently now and finish this story which is so well loved. Please forgive me for not doing so in a long time. Things have taken up time in my life and I'm sorry to say my writing has suffered because of it. I'm not sure this chapter does the story justice, but read it anyway and tell me what you think.

ANgela

KPOV

"Come again?" said Sokka, his rage barely contained. I blushed and buried my head into Zuko's chest, yet I was not unable to look my brother in the eye.

"I love him," I said again, without hesitation and without regret. I pulled away from Zuko, but only by half, and I beckoned toward Aang with two fingers, a pleading expression on my face. Aang approached, but with slow steps and extreme caution in his eyes. "Is all this really true, Katara?" he asked, with utmost kindness and wariness in his eyes. The old innocence was gone, replaced by a certain dersion towards the world and its winced when I said, 'Yes,' and stopped his approach. Aang said slowly, "Does Zuko love you too?"

Zuko pulled me close and didn't loosen his grip, even when I squirmed at the uncomfortable tightness of his embrace. "I love her with all of my heart." There was no hardness in his voice - only complete love and certainty. I let myself melt into his arms, to show him he was doing the right thing.

Aang, no longer hesitant, looked back at Sokka. "He truly loves her Sokka. I can see it. We need to give him a chance," he said sincerely. I smiled and looked up with Zuko with relief in my eyes and in my heart. Then Sokka spoke.

"Give him a chance? Give in a chance! He's lying! She's brainwashed. The damn bastard brainwashed her mind and then got MY SISTER PREGNANT AGAINST HER WILL! And you expect me to give him a CHANCE?" Sokka's chest heaved with the exertion of his speech. He took a few angry steps towards Zuko and me, but, to my immense surprise, Aang stood between us.

"No, Sokka!" Aang used the force of wind to hold him back, and Sokka looked betrayed. "I can see the truth in their faces. This is not the Zuko that chased us around the world. I don't recognize the man with his arms around Katara. He's changed. But I do recognize Katara. And the Katara I know would never love the man zuko was. If Katara trusts him, I trust him." Aang's voice was solemn as he made his speech, but he was also resigned. Aang was close enough that I was able to pull one of my arms out of Zuko's hug and touch Aang's shoulder in reassurance. Aang smiled weakly back and me and gave a nod to Zuko. Sokka's mouth hung open at Aang's words and our exchance, and his face turned beat red. He breathed hard and puffed up.

"Aang..." Sokka said brokenly, dejectedly. He turned his eyes toward me. "Katara...?" I looked away for a moment, and Zuko wiped the tears from my eyes. I looked back at my brother and begged him silently to come around, to see in Zuko what I saw, what Aang could see so easily - simply because he was Aang. But he couldn't see it.

Suddenly, in a movement so fast I couldn't track it, Sokka rushed toward Zuko, boomarang in hand, and made a slice towards his chest. I screamed as Zuko moved deftly away from what could have been a horrible blow. Old memories came back to me, and I feared that Zuko would lash out, as he used to. But he did not. I watched with love and horror and my brother and Zuko fought, my brother trying his best to kill Zuko, and Zuko trying his best to stay alive. Aang tried muliple times to intervene, but he too had to jump away from Sokka's wild slashes.

Finally fading, Sokka stopped and lowered his boomerang. Zuko paused too, in a pose ready to defend at a moments notice. Sokka turned slowly to me, and said, "Why, Katara? Why can't you just come with us? Why did it have to be him."

I looked at Sokka for a moment. This angry man was not the brother I knew. "Because he saved me, cared for me, and loved me. He's changed, and wherever he goes, I will go. That's why I cannot go with you." I rushed over to Zuko as much as my distended belly would let me. Zuko wrapped his arms back around me and kissed my forehead.

"But we can go with them..." Aang said, realization in his now breathless voice.

"No!" Sokka screamed.

"Oh Aang, would you?" I said joyfully.

"Yes...Aang, would you join us." Zuko stepped forward regally proudly, and then he got on his knees, formal before the Avatar. Zuko bowed his head. "I would formally pledge my loyalty and my honor to you Avatar." He said the world Avatar, no longer with distain, but with respect.

Aang actually smiled. "I would be honored to accept you and your honor Prince Zuko. May I please join you and your crew on your ship, if they are alos loyal?" Aang said, voice full of caution.

Zuko smiled. "The crew are loyal to me, and I believe they are even more dedicated to katara. They will follow you, Avatar."

Aang smiled back. "Then we will join you."

"Oh no we won't!" Sokka said.

"Sokka, we have to believe Zuko's changed. If Katara trusts him, I trust him."

Sokka's face hardened. He took one last look at Zuko, one last look at me, and then finally his gaze rested on Aang. "If you choose to follow him, I can no longer follow you."

And with that, my brother left the clearing, and left Aang.

Left me.

ZPOV

I felt I was losing Katara. That night on the ship she would eat or drink anything at dinner. She wouldn't laugh at he crew's jokes and antics. When she looked at me he eyes held love, but they lacked a smile. When we were once again alone in our room, Aang safetly next door and Zhao still safetly in the brig, I put my arms around Katara and held her close, a pose I'd long grown accustomed to.

"Talk to me, Katara."

She suddenly burst into tears, and they fell so fast that I was helpless to wipe them away. He tears soaked through my shirt and into my heart, and I nearly cried with her, to see her in so much pain. "I'll never see him again!" She said into my chest.

"Yes you will," I replied calmly. But would she? Her brother obviously was unwilling to believe my honorable intentions towards Katara, and until he did, he'd never join me or Aang. He'd never come back to Katara. And anything that hurt Katara now hurt me, so I couldn't bear the loss of her brother either.

"How do you know," she said.

I rocked her, cradled her, like my mother used to do when I cried. "I just know."

This seemed to calm her a bit, and she moved away slightly, but remained in the circle of my arms. We both wiped her tears away.

There were a few moments of silence, and then she said, "What's going to happen with us?"

I didn't know what to say. What did she just say? What did she mean? "I - I don't understand. I love you, Katara. I'm going to be with you. What do you mean, what's going to happen with us?" I felt honestly concerned. What did she mean? Was she going to leave me, leave me like my mother left me?

My eyes widened in horror. I took her by the arms and shook her gently. "Katara, please don't leave me. I love you!"

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Leave you? I'm not going to leave you. I just meant that now that Aang is with us, are you sure you still want to...be with me? I thought you might want to leave me. I mean, only a small part thinks that, but if Sokka left me then maybe you could."

I stopped her right there. "I would never, never leave you! I love you too much. Besides, we have a baby to take care of. We, not you, Katara."

She smiled and pulled herself up around my neck. But I pushed her away, but just for the moment. She raised her brow as I got down onto the floor. "What are you doing."

I took her hand in mine, completely sure in what I was about to do. I looked into her eyes, and I knew now was the right time.

"Katara of the Water Tribe, will you marry me?"