Hey. Long time no see. Well, I thought I should update this story before it gets too long. I've been really busy with volleyball and school, but November should be a slack off month for me. I should get more stories in. So here you go.

A Rough Welcome

The Fire Nation ship made its way towards the Southern Water Tribe village as far as it could, but the ship was soon stopped by a sheet of ice. Before, Zuko had been able to cut through the ice with his ship, but this time the ice was just too thick. He sighed as he turned to his uncle.

"I'm going to take Katara on the emu. It'll be faster if we go by ourselves. If you see any trouble at all, send up a flare and I'll come back to help. I'll do the same if something happens to us." Zuko was about to go get Katara when he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't need us to go with you?" his uncle inquired. Zuko smiled and shook his head.

"I know you are worried, but Katara needs medical attention as soon as possible. The crew would just slow us down. Besides, we need someone to alert us if Zhao comes after us. Tell the men to prepare the emu and a sled for Katara. I'll meet you in the hull with her." Zuko disappeared into the door as Iroh smiled to himself. Zuko had learned to open his heart to someone besides his uncle, and he was committed to protecting Katara. He wanted to be with her more than anything in the world. Iroh just hoped everything would work out for them.

Zuko walked down the hallway thinking about how he would enter the Water Tribe village. He knew that the waterbenders wouldn't welcome a firebender with open arms, especially the prince of the enemy. He remembered how much damaged he had caused to the village when he was hunting the avatar almost a year ago. He felt bad for causing so much pain to them, but that wouldn't change the past or help Katara. He needed to concentrate on getting Katara the best help there was.

Just then, he was brought out of his thoughts by a raspy cough. He continued to follow the coughing until he got to Katara's door. It didn't sound good at all, so he rushed into her room, only to find her on her knees against the wall coughing away. Zuko quickly ran to her side and leaned her against his body. She smiled when she saw him hugging her.

"Zuko, I just wanted to get a look at the village. Are we there yet?" Katara sounded so weak as she continued to cough. Zuko looked at her with worry. She had a dangerously high fever, her eyes were bloodshot, and her face had lost almost all its color. Zuko finally realized that she was having trouble breathing, so he picked her up gently and carried out the door.

"Katara, you shouldn't be up. You're only making yourself worse. I told you that!" Katara smiled again at his scolding.

"You worry too much. I just wanted fresh air. That's all I need. I just want…" She was interrupted by coughing again, only this time when she pulled her hand back it was covered in blood, her blood. Zuko's eyes widened when he realized just how sick she was.

"We need to get you a doctor. Just hold on, Katara. You can make it."

"I can't wait to see Gran-Gran again. Maybe Master Pakku will be there, too. Just wait until I introduce them to you. The whole village will love you, Zuko." She tried to stay conscious, but her fever soon put her to sleep. Zuko quickened his speed to the hull, hoping he could save his love.

Zuko ran his emu as fast as it could go without tipping over the sled that Katara was in. The village couldn't be that far. He tried to remember where it was, but everything looked the same. Just snow upon snow and sheets of ice. He looked back at Katara underneath the blankets. She had stopped coughing, but she was twitching and gasping in her sleep. How he hated seeing her in such pain. He couldn't let it continue any longer. He had to find the village.

Just as he said this, he came over a hill, and at the bottom was the village. It was different though. It was bigger. It had a giant wall surrounding the village, which was more like a city now. It was of similar structure to the Northern Water Tribe, but without a giant castle in the middle. He smiled as his hope grew. He sped down the hill as he prayed to Kami that Katara would survive just a little longer.

He finally reached the walls, hopping off his emu and knocking on it. No one answered. He tried it again with some yelling.

"Open the gate now! My friend needs your help!" The gate soon opened, but Zuko's relief turned into dread when he saw five waterbenders ready to strike. "Please don't. My friend needs…" They didn't even let him finish before they attacked. He quickly dodged the water whips, but he was caught off guard when they latched streams of water to his legs and arms, rendering him useless.

"Firebenders are not welcomed here," one waterbender stated. "You're punishment will be death."

"I don't care what you do to me, but Katara is sick. She could die!" The waterbenders wouldn't listen to the prince. He was as good as dead. They were about to kill him when on yelled at them to stop. He walked forward and removed his hood. "Master Pakku!"

"Prince Zuko, I didn't recognize you without your ponytail. Release him at once." The waterbenders did as they were told and released the prince with grumbling. Pakku immediately went to shake his hand, letting Zuko know he was welcomed. "You must come in. We will have a feast in your honor."

"First thing first, Pakku. We need to get Katara to a healer. I don't know how long she will last." Pakku quickly ran to Katara and gasped. She had grown paler, and she was constantly coughing. "Please, Pakku. You have to help her. I can't lose her." Pakku smiled as he signaled his men to take Katara away in the sled.

"Don't worry, son. She will be fine. She's in good hands now. As for you, you might want to keep a low profile. The people in this village still remember what happened seven years ago. But for now, let's get some tea."

Great, Zuko thought. Another Iroh to deal with. Please hang on, Katara. Don't give up.