A/N Hello precious pumpkins! Sorry i haven't updated as soon as fast i wanted to I finished this a month ago but i didn't save and and kind took a long break between school and stuff so i hope you guys like this chapter! And please review that will always help with my story okay enjoy!

Disclaim: Pfft you think I own atla plz...


Katara woke up the next morning thinking that she was still at the fire palace, she first got dizzy from the water moving not realizing she was on a ship and tripped over herself. Katara cursed inside her head as she hit the groud face first.

Someone snickered, Katara hadn't realized Zuko was at the door. He helped her up and told her, "Breakfast is ready. Can you walk down there yourself or do I have to help you." He teased at her Katara rolled her eyes and pushed him away, "I can walk by myself thank you." Zuko watched her wobble like a baby giraffe and make it to the door where she took a deep breath and went right, "The dining room is on the left." He said smiling at her stubbornness, and she walked the other way not saying a word. Zuko just laughed and shook he's head he loved how she always fought to stand on her own.

As they both reached the dining room Katara's nose scrunched up, "It smells like wet polar-dogs in here."

Zuko smiled, "Well sorry, I forgot to tell the crew that a girl was on 's best that I hadn't though some of these men are prisoners doing time off, some of them are just plain bad, but is good at work, and not to mention the fact that they all work on a ship and haven't seen a women in a while. Not trying to scare you just be cautious." Zuko stated and started to walk away to get food, and Katara ran up behind him. Those men were looking at her smiling with missing teeth they all were sweaty and huge, Katara grabbed on to Zuko's arm. He looked down at the small strong woman, "Guess she realized she can't take on a thousand men."


When Aang woke up he asked for the servants not to wake Katara up because he wanted to, so he got flowers picked and got ready to see Katara but Toph slowed him down when she heard him in the hallway and pulled him to the side and kissed him. Aang smiled then frowned and grabbed Toph's hand, "We can't sneak around like this, trust me I want to kiss you but now is not the time."

"I know Twinkletoes, I just wanted to repay you for the kiss yesterday." She smiled and then left him there bewildered.

Then Aang remembered why he got up, now he felt all guilty and wanted to really talk to Katara, but when he walked inside her room she was gone and so was all her packaging. "Katara?" he yelled into the room no answer, "Maybe she's already at breakfast."


Katara looked at her food, if that was what it was. "Blech! How do you guys eat this stuff?" she asked.

"Like this" Zuko demonstrated by putting the food in his mouth.

"You would've thought they would have more class knowing you're the firelord." Katara pushed her food away.

Zuko grinned, "You don't remember do you? This ship is the ship my father banished and disowned me away on, it's also the ship I used to try to capture the avatar."

Katara laughed, "That's why it looks so old."

" Yeah I wanted to use this ship because they don't treat me any different than I did when I was a kid, I think it's payback for having to put up with my bratty self, but I like the low class living from time to time." Katara raised an eyebrow, and then decided to give the food a try, but it didn't last longer than 2 seconds in her mouth.

Zuko shook his head, "I do have my high class servants though on this ship too, I'll get them to make you something." Katara rolled her eyes. "Hey by the way Katara, why did Aang only want you to come?" Zuko still hadn't known she snuck away onto the ship.

"Oh well I told him that I haven't seen you in a while and wanted to go with you to have more time together." Katara lied, Zuko thought that all didn't fit together, but before he could retaliate Katara sucker punched him back with another question, "How's Mai by the way?" Katara smirked.

"Well to be honest I really don't know, and I'm actually kind of happy. You can call me a jerk or whatever but, I think I never loved her I think I just told myself I did because she loved me." Zuko said truthfully. "Yeah I understand."Katara thought.

They both sat in comfortable silence until Katara heard some yelling and cheering from the other side of the cafeteria. "What are they doing?" she asked him.

"Arm wrestling. It's their way of showing strength especially when there's a new crew member, like the new boy." He nudged to the boy wrestling a huge man that looked like a bear.

"Why would he want to be on a crew like this? He's so young he should have better goals." Katara winced as the boys arm slammed down on the table and the men cheered. That had to be painful.

"Yeah I know he's only 14, but he doesn't have a father and he's mom is very sick, and council decided to give him this job, it pays well." Katara frowned as he got back up and challenged the bear man again, and once again humiliated and was grounded into the floor again. That's when Katara got up and walked over. Zuko saw her get up and he quickly followed after her.

"Katara what are you doing?" he asked all concerned.

"I'm going to go prove my strength." Katara said as she just casually walked over there.

"Uhh Katara I admire the initiative your taking but I don't think it's a good idea."

"Oh you think I can't do it, as I recall I kicked your butt not too long ago do I have to remind you?"

"Yeah, and I saved your ass not too long ago, and I don't want to have to do that again, do I have to remind you oh that's right you don't remember." Zuko thought as he watched Katara confront the men.

"Good morning gentlemen!" Katara cheered, they all looked at her and then continued to manhandle the poor little boy. Katara grabbed his arm and pushed him behind her.

"I'll take this round instead of the boy." The man looked at Katara and started laughing.

"Firelord Zuko you better get your girlfriend."

"Yeah let's go Ka-" Zuko started to grab her and walk away, but she pulled her arm away and interrupted him.

"First of all I'm not his girlfriend, and second of all I don't need anyone to protect me I can stand my own."

The man smiled looked her up and down, "I bet you can." He mumbled. "Okay take place of the boy." He gestured at the chair in front of him.

Katara sat down and grabbed he's hand and looked him in the eye and took in a deep breath. "One, two…" Katara closed her eyes and felt the pull of the water and the moon, and felt the energy pull on the waves. It was hard to find the energy since it was morning but she found it, she could feel all the water in the room. At first Katara was losing but then she was regaining strength, everyone in the room was shocked, as his hand was pushing more to the opposite side. Zuko at first covered his eyes but he slowly moved his hand away and stood there in awe. "What? What are you doin little girl!" He tried and tried with all his strength to pull back over but there was something no letting him.

"Pick up your game the girls beatin ya!" someone yelled out from the crowd, "Ya! What's goin on!" someone else yelled.

"I- I-c-can't it's like somethin' holding me back I can't feel my arm!" The man yelled, but then suddenly Katara slammed his arm down. "Awww!" everyone groaned. Katara smiled, "Now leave the boy alone." She smiled at the boy and winked.

"Good day gentlemen!" Katara said as she left with huge grin. She started to wobble again and trip. "Katara that was amazing! You're just… breath taking." He slipped, but before Katara could say something back he asked, "How'd you do it?"

"Water-bending, I'll explain later." She said as she walked slowly with her hand on the wall. "Man that took a lot of my energy."

"Katara are you okay?" Zuko asked as he tried to help support her. "Yeah I'm fine, just I little dizzy, took a lot of energy from me but I'll be okay." She reassured him, the walked away on her own but fell and hit the wall.

"Katara! Here come on I'll help you to your room." Katara couldn't even respond because she was half asleep.


As Aang sat down for breakfast he noticed Katara wasn't there.

"Hey Sokka!"

"Aang! It's so nice to see you glad your back!"

"Thanks but have you seen Katara?" Aang asked looking around the room for her.

"Umm nope I really haven't been keeping track of her, after all Suki is here, and Katara's a grown woman. She's probably hanging out with Zuko or something." Sokka said as if he could carless that his sister was gone.

"No she can't be with Firelord Zuko, he left last night I've been wanting to announce it to you guys, but Zuko left to go find his mother." Iroh intervened.

"Well then where's Katara?" Aang asked again.

"Katara's missing?!" interrupted Suki, "What Katara's missing?" Hadoka asked as he walked in after Suki did.

"Yep apparently she left and Zuko's gone too." Toph said as she came around the corner. Then a big ruckus began everyone confused and an angry Hadoka demanding where his daughter was when Iroh walked away, grabbed a usangi, came back inside, took a deep breath and blew as loud as he could into the horn. Everyone hunched over and covered their ears.

"Now everyone, bickering will not help us find Katara, I'm sure she is fine."

"I don't know she usually just doesn't skip breakfast without saying anything we need to find her." Aang said. Toph looked at Aang with confusion.

"Okay we all will look for her in the palace, Aang, and Toph come with me to the west wing, Sokka, Chief Hadoka, and Suki go to the east." Said Iroh. So they began a huge search for Katara.

As Katara slept her head filled with sweet dreams of a certain guy, who? Wow it's surprising you would even ask. She dreamed of Zuko and her dancing and of many moments with them together, moments that really happened, but then a memory that she was having a hard time to remember came into her head. Katara saw herself lying half naked in a bed with Zuko beside her hugging her body; she wasn't for sure why she felt so hurt by the scene. "Oh, Zuko its okay I'm fine now."She said in the memory, watching Zuko cry over her was too painful to watch. She touched his shoulder, "I'm sorry"… But then she saw him whisper words she would've killed to actually hear,"I love you."Katara gasped, but the dream quickly faded as her eyes flutter open to the Fire Lord sitting in a chair by her bed.

"Zuko?" she whispered she noticed Zuko was asleep, so she got up on her bed and whispered in his ear, "Wake up."Zuko jumped, Katara smiled. Zuko finally woke up and noticed Katara was up, "Oh, I'm sorry…I'll just leave." Zuko started to leave, "No, stay, and uh talk with me. Please." Katara blushed. Zuko sat back in the chair again, "Okay what do you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to ask what happened? That night I got drunk?"

Zuko looked into her eyes and saw an innocent little girl just wondering what happened that treacherous night. "It's not something I want to remember, but if you want to know…"

Katara nodded. As Zuko retold of the night of the party Katara was shocked at how drunk she got. "I can't believe it! How did I get myself so drunk I can't remember?" Zuko shrugged "I really don't know bartenders have a strict rule to stop serving immensely drunkies, no offense."

"It's okay, I was really upset about… Aang." Zuko's gut twisted hearing her talk about Aang.

"I'm sorry, Katara that that happened at least he's back now."

Katara shrugged.

Zuko sighed and cleared his throat."Well I guess I will leave now."

" Zuko!" He turned around, she ran up to him and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, I don't know what I would do if you hadn't of been there." She smiled, at Zuko he was completely baffled.

"Y-y-your welcome." He laughed nervously, "Ah, I'll bring you some dinner later okay, bye." He said as he walked out all awkwardly. Katara just laughed.


Back at the palace Sokka's group couldn't find Katara, nor anywhere outside. Iroh and he's group came back too. "Did you find her?"

"No, but we found a letter."

"She left with Zuko, it doesn't say why; it just says to please wait for her return." Iroh told them

"Zuko!?" everyone said in unison. "I think we should go after them, we don't know what could happen." Aang suggested. Toph was sick of this, "Okay listen people are we forgetting one little fact that Katara isn't 12 she can handle her own liquor for spirit's sake! Not to mention the fact that she AND Zuko are both master benders!"

"I agree with lady Toph, Katara is a woman now, and the ship is guarded with a small military militia." Iroh said.

"I agree too, you guys are stressing over something that we should be kind of happy about I'm mean none of us have to leave! This place is awesome!"Suki agreed.

"I didn't think about that, then heck Katara can play 'where's mommy' with Zuko all she wants." Sokka added.

"Well if it's okay with you guys then we will wait for her and Zuko's return." Hadoka said, everyone nodded and left, but Aang stayed standing still.

"Come on twinkletoes- What's wrong, you don't sound like your usual self?"

"I wasn't talking."

"Exactly."

Aang rolled his eyes, "I just was hoping to at least be with Katara, even if I don't love her like i did anymore she's still my best friend. I just want her to be safe."

"I can understand that, I kind of miss Sugar Queen too. We just have to wait until she comes back. She'll be fine" Toph told him, Aang nodded and walked off with her.


Katara as she walked through the halls guys high-fived her, and saying 'nice job'. She saw Zuko walk towards her with dinner, "I don't know why you said they were scary these guys are awesome."

Zuko laughed, "I only said that to mess with you Katara, what I said was half way true, but they're good guys." Katara nudged him for messing with her.

"So Katara can I asked why that miracle of a wrestling match drained all you energy?" he asked her.

"Well, it's kind of a long story, stay with me for dinner and I might tell you." So her and Zuko ate alone together talking, about blood-bending, Zuko was amazed at how strong she was. Eventually it was late and they both retired to their rooms. They said goodnight to each other and that was it.

In the morning Katara got up and greeted Zuko, "Goodmorni"- BOOM! The whole ship shook. "What was that?"


A/N I hoped you guys enjoyed! Sorry bout the cliffy you'll see... But i love you guys and thanks for reading and Review for the sake of Zutara! let me know what you guys think!