A/N: Hey, this is my first Avatar fic and i think it's ok but its also based on a plot that i've read a number of times but i've added my own sorta thing to it. so here's hoping you like it...

He leaned against the rail of his ship and breathed in the briny air. His eyes focused on the belch of smoke on the horizon which was the only sign of his sister's ship. She would be keeping a very close eye on him and would probably kill him without a second thought if this went wrong. His little sister had requested his assistance on a most difficult and dangerous task that apparently only he had the 'caliber' to do. He guessed he probably could have felt a little proud but mostly he felt like crap.

He turned his head slightly and out of the corner of his eye could see his uncle sitting placidly with his hands folded in his lap, gazing out across the open sea. For once the tea pot and jars of tea leaves of different varieties he had provided him with went untouched. There were shadows deep within the old man's eyes that had not been there before the events at Ba Sing Se.

The newly reinstated prince lowered his head slightly willing himself not to go there.

His uncle, he knew, was feeling betrayed, hurt and upset. It was exactly how he felt when his father had banished him from the Fire Nation.

Zuko let out a heavy sigh and pushed himself away from the rail, ignoring his uncle as he went down to his cabin.

As he walked down the empty halls he was reminded of a similar ship with a similar crew with him at the head, hell bent on capturing the Avatar. Somehow he didn't figure that almost a year later he would be doing the same thing. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes briefly. One thing was different. His uncle had been on his side then.

He groaned and kicked the door to his room open and slamming it shut.

Why couldn't he just sit at home at the palace and feed the turtle-ducks and hang out with Mai? No Avatar to chase, no Azula to be chased by, and overall be bored. That's what princes were supposed to do, right?

Zuko had to admit though as he pummeled his pillows, lying on his stomach, those days of sitting in the palace, at home, was frankly not what he'd thought it'd be. His father acted as if his son had not been gone almost four years and it was exactly as if he had not been banished at all. The servants had been helpful, the cooks working to cater for his exact tastes, the guards traipsing around him for his protection even though he didn't need it and there weren't actually any threats. Everyone thought the Avatar was dead.

Except Zuko. And now Azula. Frankly speaking he guessed that she knew he was still alive when she asked him about it. No point lying to the queen of liars.

And Zuko had sent that assassin after the Avatar. So if he wasn't dead now he would be soon although Zuko did not underestimate the child and his devoted friends. Definitely not that Water Tribe peasant.

Her earnest blue eyes filled his head and he could almost feel her cool fingertips brushing against his scar. She was the only one he'd ever let touch the sensitive mark.

Scowling, he rolled over onto his side facing the blank wall and tried to fall asleep although it was the middle of the day. He tried to push all thoughts out of his head; the young Avatar, his betrayed uncle, his smirking sister, the innocent Water Tribe girl…

An incessant banging on his door jolted him out of his stupor.

"What?" he growled thickly, his mouth dry and feeling as if it had been stuffed with cotton.

"The captain believes he's spotted the Avatar's bison, your highness."

Zuko sat up, immediately alert and he trudged to the door and wrenched it open. The guard behind it looked a little nervous as Zuko faced him.

"He's sure?"

"Yes, your –"

The prince ignored him and began running up to the deck. His uncle was still sitting there, expression blank but he wasted no energy with him, turning to the ship's captain.

"Well?" he demanded.

"The bison, sir, we've spotted it."

"And?"

"It's heading north, sir."

"Follow it," Zuko ordered turning back around. "And do not lose him."

Toph threw herself on the ground and immediately sheltered herself within her standard rock tent. Her three other friends went about setting camp, which in Sokka's case meant throwing his sleeping bag down and crawling inside it.

"So…tired," came the sleepy groan.

Katara and Aang both mumbled something in response as they all settled down for the night, glad to have put some distance in between them and 'Combustion Man'.

Aang undid his head band and wrapped it around his wrist, pulling off his outer shirt and balling it up to use as a pillow. He was asleep in minutes.

Katara took a little longer, watching her three friends sleep (even though she couldn't see Toph). She felt worried; 'Combustion Man' seemed to be a different sort of opponent than they'd ever faced. Travelling with the Avatar had landed Katara in more trouble than she'd ever dreamed possible in the vast and lonely South Pole. However, she'd also had more fun than ever and would never turn back on it. Helping people, saving them, learning different cultures, meeting the strangest folks, had shown her how much of the world was out there trying to live normal lives while the Fire Nation went around spreading war.

Stupid Fire Nation she thought rolling onto her side. It was warm that night as it had been for the past few nights which was unsurprising really, considering they were in Fire Nation territory. Stupid heat. Although it was nice not to be wearing furs and heavy parkas…she just wanted a reason to hate the Fire Nation. Ah, Fire Lord. He was easy to hate. And even easier – Azula. Stupid psychotic princess. Stupid lightning. Stupid fire bending. Stupid…Zuko.

Katara curled up into a ball and tried to forget. However, each time she closed her eyes she saw him, his eyes closed, looking anything but evil for once. She had felt bad for him and had comforted him and he had thrown it back in her face.

"I thought you'd changed!"

"I have changed!"

Some bushes rustled. Katara sat up, alert. A wind blew through the clearing they were camping in, rustling the leaves and grass. She laid back down. She was being paranoid, thinking about Zuko. He hadn't chased them in awhile. Probably lording it about in the palace she thought to herself bitterly. Stupid –

She jumped to her feet. This time she definitely didn't imagine it. The wind didn't snap twigs.

"Who's there?" she called out, sounding braver than she felt. She picked up her water skin and bended all the water out. There was silence. She squinted into the darkness, turning her head left and right, an unsettling feeling in her stomach.

"Hello?" she called out again. Aang's eyes snapped open and he looked up at her.

"Katara, what –"

She screamed.

Five fire blasts emerged from the trees, flying towards them. Aang leapt up and kicked out, sending a burst of air to extinguish them.

"What the hell?" Sokka yelled grabbing his sword and jumping to his feet. He rushed towards a figure running out from the trees, hands glowing. He swung at their head which they ducked and side stepped again as he took another swing.

The ground trembled beneath them as Toph stood. She stamped her feet and dug up two boulders from the dirt, sending both flying towards the fire benders running out from the tree.

"Katara, behind you!"

The water bender swiped her hand diagonally and knocked the guard to the ground before water whipping his fellow behind her. There was a roar of fire to her right and she threw herself on the ground, feeling the searing heat of it as it passed. She scrambled up again and found herself trapped by a fire bender who gripped her wrists tightly.

"Let…go of me!" She kicked out at his groin and he doubled up, his grip slackening and she brought her elbow down on his head. Quickly, she tried to gather the water she had dropped but only managed a handful which she bended around another guard's ankles bringing him down.

Suddenly everyone stopped. The fires burning the grass around the campsite were slowly dying down. A figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

"Bring me the Avatar," they ordered.

Katara recognized the voice immediately.

"No!" she yelled leaping up and clawing at the water in the air. With a sudden burst of strength she spun around bringing a long water arm to meet his face. He blocked with his left arm without flinching, the fire sizzling the water into steam. In the same movement he punched out sending a blast of fire at her, forcing her to draw up a water screen in front of her.

"I'm not here to fight you," he said his golden gaze locking on hers.

"Too bad!" She bended all the water around her into a ball and with a tremendous push, flung it towards him. Unable to block in time, Zuko was knocked off his feet and onto his back, sopping wet.

"Aang!" Katara screamed running towards her friends. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sokka leaping about, abandoning trying to fight the ruthless soldiers and trying to survive while avoiding them. "Aang, let's go."

The Avatar brought the air around him towards him and used it to fly up and out of the circle of fire benders surrounding him. He landed neatly on Appa's head and took the reins. Toph bent a rock beneath her and used it to propel herself up and Sokka ran up the bison's tail onto the saddle.

"Katara!" Sokka shouted pointing behind her. She spun just as a fire whip tripped her up and she collided with the ground painfully.

"Katara," said Aang leaping down.

"No, go!" She pushed herself up with dirt streaked hands, feeling her ankle give way beneath her. "Don't worry about me. Go!"

Zuko drew back his fist as he neared the group at the same time Aang drew back his. The force of the air and fire against each other exploded, sending the two flying in opposite directions, Aang landing on the dirt on the other side of Appa's head and Zuko into a tree.

Sokka leapt down to help Katara up as the fire prince stood, swaying slightly. Growling angrily he sent repetitive flares of fire at them just as Aang flew over and made contact with the ground, sending a tremor through the grass and knocking him back over.

"Get him!" Zuko yelled at his crew. They immediately ran over as Aang landed back on Appa's head.

"Yip yip!" he commanded leaning over to stretch his hand out to Sokka. The Water Tribe boy grasped it tightly with one hand, the other wrapped around his sister. They began to rise slowly in the air, Aang's face reddening with the strain. Sokka's hand began to slip.

"No!" Aang yanked harder struggling to stay on.

"Sokka!" Katara shrieked as she began to slide out of her brother's grip.

"No!"

Appa tipped over to help Aang bring them on board when the fire benders fired. Everyone yelled as the fire flared past them singeing their clothes and Katara slipped, falling towards the Fire Nation soldiers.

Sokka swung himself onto Appa's head and stared in horror as the men below swarmed over his sister's fallen body.

"We have to go back!" he shouted at Aang. He had frozen. He had let Katara get captured. He had let a friend down. He had failed.

A/N: So what did you think? I promise there will be more Katara and Zuko, this was just the intro so don't leave just yet. Please review!!!