Disclaimer: No, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender...yet. ;)

Chapter Ten: Clearing The Air

Then next morning, Iroh was up at sunrise. He walked towards the mouth of the cave, then he saw Zuko. He was sitting up with his back against the wall of the cave. His head was leaning forward.

"Zuko, I thought you rose with the sun?" Iroh said, loud, but not enough to wake the others.

"Uncle, sorry…I." He looked around and let his eyes adjust to the light.

"Don't be sorry. Prince Zuko, when was the last time you had a firebending lesson?" Iroh asked. Zuko smiled.

Katara sat and stretched. She didn't sleep well last night. She just wanted to get back to the temple and see Aang. He was like her little brother, her family. She missed his optimism. She sighed.

"Morning, Sugar Queen." Toph said as she yawned.

"Do you just sit and wait for me to wake up before you do?" Katara asked. Yes, she was very irritable today.

"No, I just wait until you go to sleep before I do. I must say, that was quite a show last night." Toph smiled.

Katara walked to the mouth of the cave.

"Ty Lee, Mai." It was sunrise, Zuko was sure to be awake. She couldn't let them get any more ground on her.

"Yes, Azula?" Ty Lee asked. She was an early riser, even though she wasn't a firebender.

"We're heading out. I know where we're going. Zuzu won't get far. Let's go." Azula smiled.

"Azula, I'll just stay here. I'm tired and didn't sleep well." Mai said. She couldn't watch her best friend make Zuko suffer. It was too much.

"Oh, but Mai, don't you want to see Zuzu?"

She knows. She knows I saw him, and talked to him. She already has my punishment planned out! I hope it's not what I think. Mai thought.

"I do. I'll go with you." Mai couldn't let Azula know what she knew. But she couldn't let her kill Zuko. She would try to beat Azula at her own game.

"Good. Follow me." She's up to something. I just need to find out what. Azula thought as she led the way through the trees.

"Prince Zuko, calm down. You seem angry. Is something on your mind?" Iroh was sparring with him. Though he was stronger now, Zuko was still quite a fight, especially when he was mad.

"No, Uncle, no more small talk!" Zuko yelled as he shot a wall of flames at him. Katara came out just in time to see it. What was going on?

"But Zuko, I have your best interest at heart. Just tell me, is it about Miss Katara?" He divided the wall of fire as he spoke.

"NO! NOW FIGHT! STOP GOING ON THE DEFENSIVE!" Zuko yelled.

Is he attacking his uncle?

"Very well." Iroh shot a stream of white fire. It looked like Azula's but it was white. Zuko redirected it almost immediately.

"Ah, my teachings have done you well, my nephew." Iroh smiled. "Really though, what is bothering you?"

"NOTHING!" He was really mad about last night. Why did she need to know everything? And he told her everything and she got mad. She promised she wouldn't, and she did!

"What's going on?" Katara asked, making both of them look at her. They were so caught up they didn't even realize she was standing there.

"We were sparring, Miss Katara. My nephew hasn't had his own training in a while." Iroh said, then he smiled. It irked Katara.

"But I am getting old, I need my rest. Miss Katara, do you want to spar with Zuko?" Iroh said as he dramatically sat down.

"Uncle, we've barely been sparring for a half hour! You aren't weak!" Zuko yelled at his uncle.

"Zuko, I have had a rough few weeks. Are you afraid of Miss Katara beating you?" He couldn't hide his grin, as much as he wanted to. He knew how to get Zuko to do what he wanted.

"No, why would I be afraid of her?" he said in a low, raspy voice.

"Why wouldn't you be afraid of me?" Katara asked. She was angry at him. Getting him to spar with her might be the way to lash out her anger.

"It's my time. It's only a little past sunrise. I could easily burn you to a crisp." He replied, no smile, not even a smirk. He was dead serious.

"Let's find out then!"

"You really want to do this?" He was confused now. He wouldn't kill her, but he surely could. Did she know he would never want to hurt her. Well, except when he wanted to bur her to a…crisp. He didn't realize how harsh that sounded.

"Let's go to the lake!" Katara yelled.

"You're on, Peasant!" Zuko yelled. They both stormed off.

"Toph, would you like to accompany me in watching?" Iroh said as he held his arm out.

"It'd be my pleasure." Toph wrapped her arm around his and they were off.

They had been at it for at least an hour. Katara was growing tired, but didn't show it. Zuko ribs, which had healed pretty well but weren't fully yet, were starting to hurt. In all honesty, he wanted to fall to his knees and admit defeat. But that would mean swallowing his pride and admitting she beat him, which he wasn't about to do.

He watched as she formed another water whip. His bending was causing him too much pain. He had to think fast if he wanted to end it. So he did the last thing she expected. He ran straight at her. There was no fire that she could see.

What's he doing? She thought.

Before she could react, he jumped on top of her. His hand held down her wrists, and the top of his right calf was sideways, holding down both her knees. His other was balancing him. His face was inches from hers and she felt herself blush.

"You wanna call it quits now?" He whispered to her, panting as he did.

"This isn't fair! You were only supposed to bend!" She was panting, too. They were both exhausted.

"Said who? If you're uncomfortable, maybe you shouldn't spar with me." He was smirking now. She didn't have to look at him to know.

"Get off my sister!" Sokka yelled.

"Wow, Snoozles, your up early." Toph said, still focusing on the vibrations. Zuko and Katara were in shallow water, but that still made it hard to pick up what was going on.

"Your letting him touch her like that?" Sokka yelled.

Zuko leaned to Katara's ear. She could feel his hot breath. "I win." He stood up. It was over. He defeated and embarrassed her.

"Hey, Fire Boy! Who do you think you are? Don't ever get that close to my sister again!"

"I'll get as close as I want, peasant." Zuko responded. Everyone's attention was now directed on them.

"Sokka, we were sparring. That's all." Katara was already pissed, she didn't want to hear them fight.

"Some sparring! Your dead!" Sokka said as he ran at Zuko. Zuko grabbed Sokka's face in the palm of his hand and slammed the back of his head to the ground.

"I said I'll get as close as I want. You can't do anything about it, Peasant." He let go and walk off.

"Bravo!" Toph said as she lightly clapped. "This is the best morning we've had since we got here!"

"Shut up, Toph!" Sokka and Katara yelled at the same time, then they stormed back to their camp.

Iroh leaned over to Toph. "I think so too." He said as they both laughed. They followed the direction Sokka, Katara, and Zuko went in.

They left their camp. They all decided they needed to move, Azula wouldn't be far. The group walked in silence, except Iroh. Iroh was in front with Zuko and Toph. Katara stayed further behind with Sokka. Iroh was telling a meaningless story.

"And I was like, how do you not like ginseng tea? You can't beat it!" Iroh laughed at the memory. No one else did, though. "Maybe we should rest a bit. We have been walking for some time. I think we need to clear the air." Iroh said. They argued about it for a little while, but in the end agreed.

"So, what are your problems?" Iroh broke the silence, only to receive no response.

"My problem is Aang insisted we bring the angry jerk with us!" Sokka decided to speak up.

"That's the beast you can think of? Angry jerk?" Zuko asked in disbelief.

"What do you have, Flame Boy?" Sokka stood up.

"You wanna know you fu-" he was cut off.

"Prince Zuko, stop. Both of you, why do you hate each other?" Iroh asked.

"I don't know," Sokka repied sarcastically, "he's only chased us around the world for a year and then he's jumping on top of my sister! He's always negative, and he doesn't respect anyone here!"

"I have respect, for those who deserve it!" Zuko yelled.

"Who do you respect here, tell me, Flame Boy." Sokka was looking him right in the eye.

"I respect my uncle, Toph, and Katara."

"So everyone but me? What the hell?" Sokka was mad.

"Oh, so you respect me but you want me dead?" Katara yelled.

"Sometimes, yes." Zuko was trying to stay calm.

"How is that possible?" She felt her face grow red with anger.

"You said you wanted to know what I said, so I told you and you blew up in my face!" He was yelling now.

"How could I not?"

"You promised you wouldn't get mad!"

"You really want to go over broken promises, Zuko?"

"YOU HAVEN'T MOVED ON FROM THAT! I THOUGHT THAT WAS OVERR!!" Zuko yelled louder than he probably ever had in his whole life.

Azula was walking through the woods with Mai and Ty Lee. Then she heard it. That familiar yell. Jackpot. Was all she could think.

I did like this chapter. Next one will take place right where this one left off. Will Katara and Zuko forgive and forget? Will Toph and Iroh get a kick out of it? Will Azula find them? Find out next time! Please Review! XD

OK, I reached chapter ten! I'd like to thank all my reviewers this far:

pink princess 16, Manola3, Inubaki, peanut26, Harleguin Jade, Lady Padfoot21, Akriloth Warrior, EndlessBlack, romaceaddict3320, zutaralover5, superkawaiifoxy, ju97ju97, and Toph13139.

Your reviews are all appreciated! Please keep reviewing! XD