Haruna Uchiha: I believe Zuko was about 11 or 12 when Lan was born.

HaloteveCV: Lol, here's the next one! I hope that was quick enough for you!

Thanks so much to: Bonds of Hatred, Sakura02, 030artastic, and AngelaChaos for reviewing.

Yay! I'm glad you all liked the first chapter!!

"Lan! Lan, where are you?" Zuko growled in annoyance. Really, there were only so many places the kid could hide. "Uncle, have you seen Lan?" He asked as he stormed into the cafeteria.

"Not since lunch." Iroh smiled lazily as he sipped his tea.

"I believe I saw her heading towards your room, Prince Zuko." One of the crewman said nervously.

Zuko stomped to his room. Sure enough, there was an oddly shaped lump moving around under his covers. "Lan, I know you're there. Get out now."

A girlish giggle emitted from the bed. "I don't wanna."

"Now Lan!" Zuko stormed over to the bed and yanked the covers off. "You need to practice your firebending."

Lan pouted as she uncurled herself and sat up on the bed. She was slightly taller now. Her hair was much longer, falling to her waist even as it was held in a tight braid. Her amber eyes, however, had not lost any of their curiosity. "You forgot didn't you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I didn't forget today is your birthday." He flicked her forehead at the excited grin on his little cousin's face. "If you don't come up to the deck and practice your firebending, you won't get to have cake tonight."

"I want cake!" Lan cried out. "Do I get seven candles?"

"Only if you go practice." Zuko smirked in triumph as Lan scrambled out of his room and toward the deck. It had been two years now since he had been banished from his home. Two years now he had been desperately searching for the Avatar.

"Grandpa!" Lan squealed as she ran to Iroh. She flung herself at him and hugged him tightly. "Zuko said if I practice, I'll get cake tonight!"

Iroh laughed and picked his granddaughter up. "Oh, is that so? Happy Birthday, Lan."

Zuko came up on the deck when Iroh began teaching Lan different firebending moves. Watching her attempt a flying fire kick and then falling on her bottom reminded him much of himself when he was little like her. But, Lan always smiled even when she messed up and Iroh would always encourage her and praise her.

"Zuko, come play with me!" Lan ran over to Zuko and hugged him.

Before Zuko could respond, a blinding pillar of light appeared off in the distance. Zuko looked at his uncle for a moment before barking orders at the crew.

Lan wandered to the front of the boat and sat with her legs over the side. Her head rested on the metal bars as she stared at the horizon where the light had come from. She glanced up when Zuko stood beside her. "Is that the Avatar, Zuko?"

"It is. I know it is." Zuko said confidently. "We'll capture him and then we'll get to go home."

"Home…" Lan was silent for a moment. For her, her home was wherever Zuko or Iroh was. She didn't really have any emotional ties to the Fire Nation. The two people she loved the most were on this ship with her. But, if Zuko was much happier in the Fire Nation, then Lan would do anything to make that dream come true for him.

Iroh sighed in content as he sipped his tea. "Any sign of the Avatar, Prince Zuko?"

"No." Zuko huffed in annoyance. Suddenly, a flare went off in the distance. Zuko yanked a telescope from one of the crewman. He smirked in triumph.

"What'd you see, Zuko?" Lan looked up inquiringly.

"The Avatar." Zuko answered.

"I wanna go."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"But I love you."

"No, Lan!" Zuko shouted as his helmet was put on his head. "You just stay here and don't break anything."

Lan crossed her arms over her chest. "You never let me do anything."

"Now, Lan," Iroh smiled patiently as he picked his granddaughter up. "you need to let your cousin do what he needs to do. My goodness."

Lan tilted her head to the side. "What?"

Iroh chuckled. "You've gotten so big these past couple of years. I just can't believe you're seven already."

Lan rested her head on her grandfather's shoulder as he carried her to her room. "Do I look like my mommy or my daddy?"

Iroh placed her on her bed and ruffled her hair. "You look just like your mother but you've got your father's eyes. Now, you just stay here while Prince Zuko gets the Avatar."

It had only been ten minutes since Iroh had left Lan in her room and already she was bored. She sighed and cautiously opened her door, looking both ways to make sure no one was coming. As she stepped out, a young boy collided into her. She squeaked and fell on her bottom. She looked up into the grey eyes of a boy with a bald head and a blue arrow on his forehead. "Who're you?"

The boy looked at her. "Um…I'm Aang. Who're you?" He offered his hand to her and helped her up.

Lan dusted her dress off. "I'm Lan. Hey, you must be the Avatar!"

Aang blinked. "How'd you know?"

"'Cause my cousin said he was going to catch the Avatar and I've never seen you on this ship before!" Lan grinned.

Aang was about to say something when he heard shouting coming down the hallway. He grabbed Lan's hand and yanked her towards the deck. "We've got to get away from here!"

Lan blinked. "Why?"

"These people are bad." Aang looked desperately around the deck looking for an escape route.

"But…they're my family. I don't think they're bad." Lan attempted to pull her hand free of Aang's.

"Lan, why can't you just do as your told!?" Zuko shouted as he ran up onto the deck.

"Stay down." Aang gently pushed Lan out of the way as he began to fight Zuko.

Lan huddled close to the edge of the boat, watching as the two fought. She screamed as a giant white creature flew from the sky and landed on the deck. She stumbled slipped through the holes in the metal railing. "Zuko! Grandpa!" She cried as she held onto the edge.

"Katara, help her!" Aang shouted.

Katara froze another firebender by sheer luck before running over to the edge. She grabbed Lan's hands and pulled the small girl onto the deck. "Sokka get her on Appa!"

"Wait! What are you doing? Let me go!" Lan struggled as Katara handed her over to Sokka.

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "You realize this is a Fire Nation kid. That means it's evil. We don't want an evil kid with us."

"I'm not evil!" Lan attempted to gnaw Sokka's hands off. She yelped as he threw her into Appa's saddle. She looked over the edge in time to see Aang fall into water. "Aang!" She was in complete awe as he reappeared above the surface in a spiral of water. She ducked quickly as the water fell down on the entire deck of the ship. She wasn't sure it was safe to get up until she felt Aang and the others climb into the saddle.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang shouted.

"Wait a minute! Where are you taking me?" Lan looked down and saw the deck getting smaller and smaller. She saw Iroh pulling Zuko back onto the deck. With a deep breath, she ran to the edge of the saddle and jumped out.

"Lan!" Zuko ran forward and managed to catch Lan. The two collapsed to the deck at the same time that Aang brought down part of an ice cliff onto the ship. Zuko glared at Lan as he sat up with her in his lap. "Can you just stay out of trouble for five minutes?"

Lan sniffled and hugged Zuko tightly. "I almost got kidnapped!" She wailed.

Zuko glared at the ice littering the ship. "Get this ship fixed now!"

"Um…Zuko…they're all frozen…" Lan giggled at the sight of the frozen crew members. She looked up at the sky where Appa was fading away. She waved her arms in the air. "Bye Aang! I hope we can play together again soon!"

"Lan, just go to your room!" Zuko shouted.

"Grandpa, Zuko's being mean to me!" Lan cried as she ran over to her grandfather.

"Now, now. Let's all have some green tea and some of Lan's delicious birthday cake." Iroh chuckled.

"Zuko doesn't get any 'cause he's being a meanie head." Lan stuck her tongue out at Zuko.

Zuko had to remind himself to count to ten. "I'm going to my room!"

Lan rolled her eyes. "Moody teenager." She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that!"

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and let me know your thoughts.