Disclaimer: FireLadyKatara, happyzuko, cutezuko, and I don't own Avatar! If we did then the war would already be over, Ozai would be dead, and Zuko would be Fire Lord!
It had been a few days since the group had fled Ba Sing Se. Currently, Sokka was out gathering food while the others stayed at camp. Aang was still in somewhat critical condition, but was slowly getting better. Katara was upset, Toph didn't really care, and the Earth King wasn't very helpful.
"I thought that Zuko had changed for the better! I can't believe that he sided with Azula and betrayed his uncle!" Katara said to Toph and the young earth bender could barely believe that Katara said that.
"Why do you care about him? He seems like a jerk." Toph told Katara and the water bender thought for a moment before answering.
"We kind of got along in the cave..." Katara admitted and Toph was kind of shocked.
"Really...? That is weird." Toph replied.
"Yeah... it kind of is." Katara said and they noticed that Sokka wasn't back with their dinner.
"Where is Sokka with our dinner?" Toph asked and Katara sighed.
"I don't know, but he probably got lost." Katara answered right before the Earth King walked over.
"Hello Katara and Toph. Where is Sokka?" The Earth King asked and Toph shrugged.
"Sokka's supposed to be getting dinner." Katara answered and the Earth King walked away. Aang regained consciousness and noticed that Sokka's not there.
"Where's Sokka?" Aang asked no one in particuler.
"I don't know, Aang." Katara answered and the young Avatar sighed.
"How are you feeling?" Toph asked him and he thought for a moment.
"Considering that I almost died? Better then feeling dead." Aang replied very calmly.
"Can I get you something to help you feel better?" Toph asked, concerned for her friend.
"No thanks, Toph. I'm currently fine." Aang replied and smiled.
"We're going to have to find Sokka since he's been gone for hours." Katara said to change the subject.
"Yeah..." Toph said and Katara stood up from where she was sitting.
"Toph, can you stay with Aang while I find Sokka?" Katara asked making Toph confused.
"Sure..." Toph replied hiding her confusion.
"Thanks." Katara said and walked away from camp," Sokka!"
"So Aang... why didn't you tell me the truth, about you not mastering the Avatar State?" Toph asked wanting to know why he lied.
"I did master it in the cave, right before Azula..." Aang trailed off, the memory a little to recent.
"Oh sorry..." Toph said apologetically.
"It's ok, Toph." The air bender said and slightly smiled.
"I was so confused when all this happened." Toph said and Aang was confused, totally forgetting that Toph's blind.
"Why were you confused?" Aang asked his friend, totally confused.
"All I heard was Katara screaming at Sokka to get Appa and leave Ba Sing Se, it is hard when you can't see what is happening around you..." Toph answered and Aang finally remembered that Toph's blind.
In the woods, Katara was still searching for Sokka and didn't see any sign of him. She wondered how far away her brother was or if he got caught. Katara knew that Sokka wouldn't let himself get caught, but then again he could've gotten caught. The water bender wondered where in the world her brother had gotten to.
"Sokka!" Katara called out, but got no response. Little did she know, someone was following her. Someone she knew. Someone she just recently, but not that recently, talked to.
"Sokka!" Katara called out again, and again she got no response. She heard a twig snap and quickly turned around, opening her water flask. Katara got into a fighting stance when she saw the Blue Spirit. She didn't know who he was, but knew a little bit about him from Aang. The Blue Spirit was silent and he put one of his hands in the air, as if asking for peace.
"Do you know where my brother is?" Katara asked still in her fighting stance. The Blue Spirit silently shook his head in the negative and grabbed Katara's wrist, gently trying to pull her farther into the woods. Katara used her free hand to hit the Blue Spirit with a water whip.
"I can help." He said, speaking for the first time, and Katara recognized his voice. She also remembered saying that to Zuko a few months ago.
"How?" Katara asked after a few moments and the Blue Spirit thought for a second.
"Come with me." He replied and Katara was suspicious.
"This better not be a trap." Katara replied and closed her water flask.
"You can trust me." The Blue Spirit said right before he grabbed Katara's wrist and gently pulled her into the deepest part of the woods. Katara had no other choice than to follow the Blue Spirit.
Sokka had just returned to camp and saw everyone, except Katara. He wondered why his little sister wasn't at the camp. Sokka was more worried for his sister then angry that she left camp.
"Where's Katara?" He asked, voice full of concern. Aang and Toph looked at their friend, not realizing he had returned until he had spoken.
"She went to find you." Aang replied and then Toph decided to say something to try and calm Sokka down.
"Don't worry, she'll be back soon." Toph told Sokka, who was slightly angry.
"How could you just let her go alone?" Sokka asked, some anger in his voice.
"She told Toph to stay here." Aang replied and Sokka was angry.
"Ugh... I got to go find her!" Sokka said and started to walk into the woods. Toph just remembered that Sokka didn't bring back any food.
"Wait, where is our food?" Toph asked, Sokka grumbled and continued to head into the woods. Aang laughed while Toph smiled.
Katara was lead to a pond with turtle ducks and firefly's. She looked around then at the Blue Spirit. The Blue Spirit was silently observing and wondered if Katara was going to hit him with water.
"Why did you bring me here?" Katara asked, ready to fight him if need be.
"Do you know who I am?" He asked and Katara was slightly angry.
"Yes, I know who you are, Zuko!" Katara said, anger evident in her voice. Zuko took the Blue Spirit mask off and looked at Katara. He wasn't going to fight her, just talk to her.
"Katara, I need you. You are the only person that gives me hope, and makes me feel right." Zuko told her and Katara looked skeptical, but she was shocked that he knew her name, "I'm sorry about my horrible past, and I want to make it up to you, just tell me how."
"You betrayed your own uncle!" Katara said, anger still evident in her voice, and her eyes narrowed a little.
"That's why I need you! I need your help! I want to save my uncle!" Zuko exclaimed and Katara thought for a minute. She finally came up with an answer.
"How can I help you save your uncle?" She asked, now calm.
"I have a plan... for the day of black sun. and I will need the avatar, the young earth bender, and your brother." Zuko said, but Katara needed to know his whole plan.
"I won't help unless you tell me your plan." Katara said and hoped that this wasn't some sort of trap.
"Of course. Here's what we do I 'capture' you and the rest of your friends then you help me 'capture' all your rebel friends, that I'm sure you've met in your travels, and bring them in to be 'punished', but really to help stop the madness my father has created." Zuko replied and Katara was kind of believing him.
"How do I know that this isn't a trap?" She asked him.
"Katara, I am sorry about the way I've acted in the past but I need you to trust me, you're my only hope to help the Avatar save the world." Zuko replied and Katara thought for a minute.
"Fine, I'll talk to the others." Katara said and Zuko respectively bowed.
"Thank you Katara." He said.
"You're welcome." The water bender replied after returning the bow. Sokka walked through the thicket and saw Katara, not even seeing Zuko.
"Katara I..." He started and saw Zuko, "Katara! What are you doing? Get away from that traitor!" Sokka said, being protective of his little sister.
"Sokka, calm down." Katara said, hoping to calm Sokka down. In response, Sokka got into a fighting stance with boomerang in hand. His sister lightly hit him with a water whip.
"Katara?!" Sokka said, obviously confused.
"I better go..." Zuko said after a minute, but the siblings didn't seem to hear him.
"Sokka, Zuko is not the enemy!" Katara informed her brother.
"Katara, the Fire Nation is not our friend! They killed our mother!" Sokka reminded his sister and tears formed in her eyes. Zuko looked at Katara with compassion in his eyes.
"I know that, Sokka." She paused, "The enemy is the Fire Lord."
"I know how you feel..." Zuko said and the siblings looked at him. Katara had an understanding expression, while Sokka was angry.
"How can you say that? You have no idea what we've been through!" Sokka said and Katara froze her brother in place.
"Sokka, you have no idea..." She quietly told her brother and Zuko looked at her.
"I should go now, you need to discuss this with him and the others." Zuko told Katara and she slightly nodded.
"Goodbye." Katara said and Zuko put the Blue Spirit mask on.
"Bye." He said and walked away. Katara unfroze her brother and glared at him.
"Katara, I don't understand! What could you guys possibly have in common?" Sokka asked his sister and she sighed.
"We both lost our mothers..." Katara told him and Sokka looked at the ground.
"Well... we should probably go back to camp." The young warrior said and Katara looked at her brother.
"Did you remember the food?" Katara asked her brother and he grumbled as he started to walk back to camp. The water bender giggled and gathered some fruit as she walked back to camp.
Author's Note: Love it? Hate it? Mad at me, musicvidnut98, for being a procrastinator? Well, better late than never! This story will be updated on a weekly basis! Please review!