Chapter 8:The chase

Katara was waterbending on the back of the ship when Zuko came out with a telescope in his hands.

"What's going on?"Katara asked Zuko dropping the water she was waterbending from lack of attention.

"Zhao is coming to get you back"He said with a harsh yet protective voice.

"Oh God.Does that guy ever give up?"

"No He doesn't believe me I've tried to stop him."

Iroh came out and told them some news.

"There is an island over there about a mile away.You guys have to swim over there while I hold them off.It's big enough to hide on.

"Wait both of us?"Zuko said harshly.

"Yes otherwise Katara may die."He said with a calm yet worried voice.

"Fine"Zuko said not as harshly but like he was bored.

They went to the front of the ship.

"Grab onto me."Katara said.

"What?"Zuko said surprised.

""JUST DO IT!"She screamed.

He grabbed onto her arm..

She waterbended the water into a sort of bridge and she jumped onto the water then made it form with her body with him on her arm.She shot towards the island but made sure to stay low enough so that Zhao wouldn't see them.

"Hold on tighter you're slipping!"She yelled over the roar of the water around them.

"Don't tell me what to do!"Zuko said with a mouth full of water.

"DON'T START WITH ME ZUKO I CAN DROP YOU IF I WANT!"

When they reached the island she lowered them down towards the shore.

She waterbended the water off of her.

"A little help over here?"Zuko said pointing at his clothes.

"Can't you firebend the water into drying?"

"I would burn myself probably."He said his temper rising...AGAIN!!!!!!

She waterbended the water out of his clothes then she transformed it into a waterwhip and she hit him across the face with it.

"What was that for?"he said his temper rising...AGAIN!

"You didn't say please"She said simply.

Zuko's temper rose even more.

They started to run into the forest to look for somewhere to hide.

They found a cave a little after dark.

They heard Zhao talking not far from the cave.

"I'm going to go and try to rediret Zhao away from here."Zuko said getting up.

"What?No!Don't leave me here in the dark!All I have is my waterbending!

"Fine I will be right back."Zuko said leaving.

He came back with his arms filled with wood.He set it down lit it with his firebending.

"Better?"He asked a little annoyed.

"No!If you go out there you will die!and I don't want that."she finished quietly.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I just do."Katara said even though that wasn't what she WANTED to say.

"I won't die,I promise.I'll be back."Zuko said with a calm voice.

Katara started to cry.She couldn't hold it in anymore.s

"I've gotten a little too close to you I know it,but now I can't let go.Everytime I care about someone they vanish!My mother, my father, my brother,Aang, now you!"she said between sobs.

"Wait what happened to your father?"Zuko asked interested.

"He went to fight in the war.I haven't seen him in three years."

"Yeah but still it isn't right.I shouldn't have feeling towards you.Your my mortal enemy.It's not suppose to happen!"

Zuko hesitated for a moment then hugged her realizing he had feelings for her too.

"It's ok Katara.I will be back.Soon."

She looked up.

"You called me Katara?"She asked surprised Yeah glad he said her name.

"Well of course that's your name right?"Zuko said in a warm voice.

"Well yeah but that's the first time you ever said it."Katara said.She stopped crying."I still don't want you to leave"she said hugging him tighter."

"I know"

She lookup up at him.They looked up into each others eyes.They're faces moved closer together.Just then Zuko turned away.

"I'm going to go now.They're close."Zuko said looking away from her.

Katara just stared at him.

"Zuko please come back alive."She said as he was turning away.

"I will I promise" he said not looking at her.

"Bye zuko"she whispered to him but he didn't hear.

He was gone.

"I can't believe I'm in love with Zuko"Katara thought.She knew he was thinking the same thing.

After a 5 hours she started to worry.She wasn't sure if he was ok or if he was dead.This scared Katara a lot.

"Where are you Zuko?"She said silently.

Just then she heard a noise.

"Zuko?"she whispered.

"Katara?"Said a low cracked voice.

"Zuko!"

Katara rushed over to him and helped him over to the fire he had made 5 hours ago.He was limping and he was bleeding oh his chest,upper arm,and lower lip.

"Oh Zuko!You're hurt!"

"No really?"he said sarcastically.

"We need to get to some water.I'll be able to heal you."

"Waterbenders can heal?"Zuko asked surprised."I thought all you had was just bending the water."

"Yeah,I can heal wounds,scars,and cuts."

"Scars?"He asked with little hope in his voice.

"Yeah why?"She asked.Then she caught on."Oh I can with the water I got from the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole.But later.I have to save your life."Katara said.

"I'm not worth it"Zuko said.

"What?"

"I'm not worth it."Zuko repeated.

"Yes you are!"Katara said surprised.

"Well I have realized that my father does not care anymore so I'm not going to chasing the avatar anymore.Zhao did this to me and that's what he told me."

"Zuko thank you."She said with a relieved voice."We have to get to shore"

It was dawn now so they could see better.

She propped him against her and was supporting him as they walked.

"I will save you Zuko,I promise.You kept your promise,It's my turn."

"You have kept your promise"He said."You kept my secret"

"That didn't count"Katara said."I had to.I thought you would kill me if I didn't."

"Oh yeah sorry about that Katara,"He said.

"It's fine,you hated me then rememeber?"She asked with a little jump of heart when he said her name.

Zuko didn't speak after that.

Katara kept saying things like"It will be okay"and"You'll be fine".It seemed to settle her nerves more than his.