Here's the next chapter. I'd like to point out that it's a pretty calm chapter. Our three new character's elave and another comes in.

Toph sighed. "I'm getting tired of water and air"

Sokka looked around. "well I doubt you'd like fire to much and we should be there soon"

"You said that an hour ago" Zuko commented dryly.

Sokka peered at the map and traced the rout again. Sensu looked over his shoulder. 'We should be going this way" he said

Sokka looked at him accusingly. "No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

Zuko snatched the map from them. "HEY!" the other two boys exclaimed. Zuko ignored them and cringed a bit, getting the shock from the sudden movement. He looked over the map.

Zuko moved closer to the other boys. 'It this where you were pointing?" the two nodded. "You two have been looking at it upside down!" he exclaimed.

"So we passed it?" Katara asked.

"Yeah" Zuko said.

"Zuko get's to keep the map" Toph voted

"Hey. I have more experience. I was ALWAYS the map guy" Sokka protested

"How long did you command a ship?" Toph asked sarcastically. Sokka groaned and gave up the map.

'Look. It's getting dark. Why don't we get some rest?" Katara suggested.

After a while everyone settled down and took a spot. Zuko sighed, once again unable to sleep. Apparently sometime in the night he was able to because when he opened his eyes Katara was inches from him on one side and Toph was clinging to him on the other. Sokka was flying Appa.

Zuko looked at the two and smiled. He did not mind being this close to Katara and Toph was the little sister he never had. Okay the little sister that didn't want to kill him he never had.

Sokka turned around and scowled at the site of how close Zuko and his sister were. But after a moment he decided that if they ever wanted to be together they would have his blessing. Not many guys would jump in from of a lightning bolt for Katara and any that would definitely was worthy. Besides, it might be fun to have Zuko as a brother in law.

Katara's eyes fluttered opened and she found herself blushing. Zuko had fallen back to sleep. She stayed a moment, embraced by the close proximity. Sadly though Zuko wasn't a light sleeper, and as she moved closer he woke up.

Katara smiled at him. "Morning" she said softly. Zuko looked up. It was definitely not morning. Katara giggled. "I know. I know"

Zuko sat up, in taking sharply. "Want a healing session?" Katara offered. She quickly checked to make sure everyone else was asleep and luckily they were.

Gently she opened Zuko's tunic and slid it off. She unwrapped the blood-soaked bandages over his chest and arm and coated her hands with water from the ocean below. The water glowed as she applied it to his chest. Zuko bit down on his lip and Katara stopped.

"Want me to continue?" she asked shyly. When was she this shy around Zuko?

Zuko nodded and she continued, working softly on the lightning wound before moving up to his arm. She was easily able to close up the gash with minimal scarring. Zuko really didn't need another one of those.

She looked at the other bandages wrapped around Zuko's leg. It wasn't to high up to be in an awkward position but she hesitated none the less. She looked at Zuko who merely shrugged. Still a bit uncertain, she unwrapped the bandage above his knee. The gash and bite there had been much worse, probably why he was having such a hard time walking.

Again she brought her water over, causing tension before ease. They could tell the others wouldn't be waking up for at least an hour but in order to prevent awkward situations they stopped there. She slid over Zuko's shirt, the injury now visible through the hole in the fabric.

Katara couldn't help but notice how quiet he was being, even for Zuko. Unable to halt on her motherly nature without prying she looked up. "What happened on the island?"

"Nothing" Zuko said. "Well besides finding them and the bugs and stuff" he added quickly.

"You really are a horrible liar" Katara said, putting an arm around his shoulders. "If something was wrong you'd tell me, right?"

"Maybe later. It something is wrong I'd deal with it my way and eventually you guys would pry it out of me" Zuko said

"If you told us in the first place we would be prying" Katara commented.

"Yeah, but that would go against everything I've known" Zuko sighed.

"But things were different then. You didn't have you. You didn't have me" she realized she didn't want to say more. "Just promise me that if anything is wrong you wont do anything stupid"

"How'd you-" Zuko stopped.

Katara smirked. "Instinct" she dropped her smile. "But really, promise me. I know you don't' get upset over little things"

"I promise Katara" Zuko said. Before she could respond Toph's eyes snapped opened and she felt around.

"Where is everyone and what time is it?" she asked.

Zuko moved towards her. "We're all here and it's still dark"

Toph shivered. "It was so much warmer when I was sleeping"

Katara giggled. "That's because you were leaning on Zuko"

Toph blushed and backed up a bit. Katara smiled even bigger. "Don't worry. I was too"

Aang woke up and sat next to the others. "You guy's are up early" he commented.

"Zuko's fault" both girls responded together. The boys exchanged wary glances.

"We should start flying again" Aang said, moving towards Appa's head.

Everyone else slept through the ride and finally, tanks only to Aang and Zuko, they were at the port.

Toph smirked and went next to Tao's ear and screamed. The teen girl almost jumped in the water.

Sensu, Lee, and Tao bid farewells. "We'll try to contact you if we set up an invasion" Sokka said.

"I'd love to get taste of the fire princess's style" Tao commented

"No you wouldn't" Katara and Zuko said together. Tao shrugged and waved as she followed the two boys.

"Since we are now here" Zuko pointed on the map. "We should be at your home within an hour or so" he stopped. "Unless Sokka decided to navigate again"

"It was an honest mistake" Sokka said

"An honest mistake that would have led us to the fire nation capitol!" Katara said looking at the map as well.

"Guys" Aang said pointing forward. "The Southern Water Tribe"

Katara and Sokka's faces lit up as the got closer. Aang landed them on the snow and Toph jumped off first, ready to 'see' again. She fell.

The young girl scrambled back to Appa. "Not earth" she muttered

"No" Sokka corrected "Snow"

"We're home" Katara said, equally mesmerized.

Katara grabbed Toph's arm while Sokka helped Zuko towards the village.

"It's freezing" Toph muttered

"You'll get used to it" Katara said

Toph shook her head no but Katara didn't see.

Finally they were at the village.

As the five trudged in the villagers smiled in reorganization. "Sokka! Katara!" a bunch of kids screamed.

The villagers, much more then Sokka and Katara remembered all went into the main area. Dej`a-vu or what?

They were joined by the water tribe warriors. "DAD" Katara and Sokka ran up and embraced them.

One of the younger warriors, maybe a year older then Katara, pointed a weapon at Zuko. Instinctively the fire bender's hand drew to his swords. "He's fire nation" the warrior said.

Sokka immediately got defensive. "Yeah. He's the avatar's fire bending teacher."

The kid drew back cautiously. "Oh"

Hakoda smiled. "This is Mizu, our newest warrior"

Toph motioned for Zuko to bend so she could whisper in his ear. "Does every island have someone you don't get along with?"

Zuko ignored her. "What an honor to have you all back" said a voice from behind that Katara immediately recognized.

"Gran-Gran!" she ran and hugged her with Sokka quickly behind.

"Hello again Avatar Aang" Hakoda said.

"You're the avatar?" Mizu asked skeptically.

"Yup" Aang smiled.

"So what being' you here?" Hakoda asked, catching on it couldn't be the best of times.

Aang stepped back. Zuko immediately decided to step in. "We need a place to stay while preparing for our next attack.. We weren't successful on Sozin's Comet"

Hakoda nodded. "What exactly went wrong?"

"I honestly can't answer that. Katara and I went to the capitol to fight my sister while the others saved the earth kingdom. We were just reunited after some…uh….unfortunate obstacles"

"You and Katara weren't successful?" he asked. Luckily Katara was just walking back and decided to answer the question herself.

"No. We'll we should have been. Zuko and Azula were having an Agni Ki and Zuko was winning but Azula decided not to play fair and she shot at me." she stopped. "She shot lightning at me" seeing the wound on Zuko, Hakoda knew what happened next so he wasn't surprised to hear what the boy had done.

"Thank you" Hakoda said to Zuko. If he had lost Katara…

Hakoda knew Zuko was a strong and capable warrior from the moment they met. He also knew the teen was honorable. To that extent though Hakoda was surprised.

He looked back at Zuko. "Are you alright?" Hakoda assumed getting shot with lightning was something deadly. Zuko nodded to which Katara rolled her eyes.

"He's not. But he's to stubborn to admit otherwise" she said.

"Let's get you all someplace to stay" Hakoda suggested, deciding he'd asked enough questions for now. Both his children were fine and so were there friends. He didn't worry about Zuko much. Hakoda could tell he had suffered worse mentally than physically.

The group was led to a hut. There were three room. "Who's sharing?" Hakoda asked.

"I call my own room!" Sokka yelled, meaning Toph and Katara would share as well as Aang and Zuko. The others weren't to happy about it, but at least none of them had to put up with Sokka's snoring.

I didn't end with a problem or negitive note!!!!

In the next chapter prepare to get an update on how the fire nationg girls are doing and don't forget Pheonix King Ozai. XD

I put a bit of Zutara hints in there. Romance is blooming. XD

And Sokka's room line is not mine. Competely stolen from my friend's desk selection on the first day of school.

I don't know how well i did with Hakoda but i imagined a bit of suspision and curiosity.

Please review

XD