A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long. It's just school has started for me now, so I'll only be able to update about once a month. Well, here's chapter 9. Thanks for reading and reviewing.
"Who's going to steer the boat?", Katara asked.
"I will.", Sokka and Zuko both said at the same time.
"How can we trust you not to take us to prison?", Sokka asked again. "Or that if you're forced to, give us up?" Zuko rolled his eyes.
"Do you really think, after going through all that trouble to get you out of prison, I would just try to get you back in?", Zuko asked, smirking slightly.
"Really, Sokka. I think you should have a lot more faith in Zuko. Like I said before, he's changed.", Katara complained. Sokka shrugged.
"Whatever. I still don't trust him, though." Katara playfully punched Sokka on the arm. Zuko eyed them jealously. He wished somehow he and Azula could have been like that. Siblings and friends, the way Katara and Sokka are. But Azula was dead, and even if she was alive, she still wouldn't have respected Zuko enough to be nice to him.
"Sokka, stop it! I would trust Zuko with my life.", Katara said seriously. Zuko smiled tauntingly at Sokka.
"Well, I guess if Katara has a good reason to trust you I do too.", Sokka said skeptically.
Zuko stepped closer to Katara.
"Thanks.", Zuko whispered to her. Suddenly, Sokka yawned.
"I'm tired. Where's my room?", Sokka asked.
"It's the first room on the left. I'll wake you up in about 8 hours or so.", Zuko said to Sokka.
"Ok. Thanks.", Sokka said, walking to his room. When Sokka shut his door, Zuko turned to Katara.
"Did you really mean that? About trusting me with your life?", he asked.
"Yes, I do Zuko.", she replied, smiling slightly. Zuko sat down at the captain's chair and begun to sail the boat. Katara pulled up a chair and sat down next to him.
"I can't believe we're going back to Ba Sing Se." he told her. Katara nodded.
"I almost miss it.", she replied.
"I guess Ba Sing Se is really where everything started.", he told her. They both smiled, lost in their memories.
"I miss Aang, Toph and even Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. I wish this could have ended differently." Katara sighed longingly, "I would do almost anything to bring them back."
"I know what you mean. I miss them too. I wish I could have gotten to know them better. I think, in another time, Azula and her friends, Aang, Sokka, Toph, you and I could have all been best friends.", Zuko told her softly. Katara smiled at the idea. She could not picture them all being friends.
"Sokka is your friend now . . . and we're more than friends.", Katara said blushing ever so slightly.
"Speaking of your brother, how are we going to tell him about . . . us? I mean, he hasn't figured it out yet, but he will eventually. I'd rather one of us tell him before he figures things out on his own."
"Agreed, but when he finds out, I think you need to be careful to make sure he doesn't kill you.", Katara said with a small smile on her face.
"Just point out if he does kill me, then he'll start another war.", Zuko pointed out.
"I don't think he would really hurt you, unless you provoke him.", Katara told him.
"I won't provoke him unless he provokes me.", Zuko said childishly.
"I think it's almost time to wake Sokka up.", she noted randomly. The sun was starting to rise.
"I'll go wake him up. Can you take over the boat for now?", Zuko said, standing up. Katara nodded and took the steering wheel. Zuko left to go wake up Sokka.
