Katara walked through the clearing alone. She could see Aang playing with Appa. Toph was laying on the ground chewing some old grass, and Sokka was sharpening his boomerang. Normal stuff as if she wasn't gone. That was a good sign. Maybe...just maybe they would take this well. Well most of them. Sokka was going to be a problem she just knew it. She took a deep breath then stepped out to the clearing.

Toph noticed her entrance. The boys didn't even flinch when she stepped through. Toph gazed at her with her unseeing eyes. Sokka followed her 'gaze'.

"Katara!!" He jumped up. Aang came over too a wide grin on his face. It was a contemplating grin. They were all curious about what happened.

"How'd you get away from Zuko?" Sokka asked. This caught her by surprise. How'd they know?

"Well Katara?" Aang asked.

"You knew I was with Zuko?" Katara asked them. The way she worded this caught their attention. She said not as if she was captured but as if she'd willingly gone with him. Which was partially true, she went with Blue Spirit not the actual Zuko.

"Toph could tell you were and Aang knew he was Zuko." Sokka answered.

"You knew he was him?" Katara asked Aang. The wording sounded wrong, but she knew he knew what she meant. Wait this isn't what she was supposed to be doing.

"Yes that day you and Sokka were sick I found out. I guess I never told you." Aang told her. He seemed embarrassed.

"Well I have something to tell you now..." She paused how would she do this. She could start from the beginning, but she didn't want to keep Zuko waiting at the edge of the meadow for long. She couldn't start any other way though.

"Do you..." She stopped. Then started again differently. "If we had an enemy, but they changed and wasn't bad anymore, would you consider letting them join us?" Katara wasn't even sure if she understood what she was asking.

Sokka's and Aang's expressions were confused. Toph stood, one eyebrow raised. Was there a chance she knew Zuko was standing at the edge of the woods? Yes, yes she knew. Katara just hoped she wouldn't reveal it before she had a chance to explain.

"Aang would you consider doing firebending again? If I found you a teacher?"

"You're not talking about Zuko are you?!" Sokka yelled. Why oh why was this his day to pay attention and act smart.

Katara surprised herself by being defensive. "Well, and what if I was?" They all seemed taken aback. Toph mearly had an expression that showed she didn't think Katara would come right out and say it like she did.

"So that's what you mean then? Zuko has become...good?" Aang seemed hesitant as if he weren't sure the words fit together in that order.

"Yes he has." Katara mumbled, eyes cast to the ground. "When we were split up before, I ran into Zuko. More like rescued him. He was the one I was with the whole time out in the desert when we were seperated. He's changed I know he has." She looked at them, begging with her eyes for them to give him a chance.

"Katara." Sokka began. "This is probably what he wants you to believe. He just found a new way to capture Aang. He's making you fall in love with him."

Katara glanced up in surprise. "What are you talking about, Sokka?"

"Please Katara. I'm your older brother I know these things. I can see it all over your face. That same expression that you had when we met Jet."

"Who's Jet?" Toph asked, interrupting him.

"It's not important right now." Sokka told her. He wasn't angry yet, but Katara knew he was getting there.

"Please. Just give him a chance. Trust me?" Katara pleaded with them.

"I trust her, Sokka." Aang said quietly. He was looking at the ground at his feet, and he seemed dejected in some way.

"What!?" Sokka wailed, whirling on him.

"I don't have a problem with it either." Toph told him, turning his attention to her. "I mean we thought his uncle was bad, but we were wrong about that, apparently, seeing as he was so nice to me when I left and was alone. Besides Katara truely means it. She says he's changed and I believe her."

"But...but..."Sokka seemed at a loss for words. Katara looked relieved at the others support. She hadn't hoped much for Sokka anyways.

"Give it up, Sokka. You're out voted." Aang said quietly his eyes still at the dirt beneath him.

"You want to have Zuko," He sneered his name. "join us?"

"I do have to learn firebending. Him and his uncle can teach us." Aang told him, finally looking up at them. "I can't kid myself. I need to know what the Fire Lord knows in order to beat him. I can't plunge in on sheer luck alone. I have to learn all of the elements."

They all sat staring at one another, trying to decipher what the other was thinking. Sokka opened his mouth to object again, but Toph's opinion came quicker.

"It's settled then!" Toph said, beaming. "Katara go get your fire prince and join us!"

Katara blushed at her description, but walked out of the clearing anyways. She could hear Sokka mumbling something about "Prince Scarface" behind her but she ignored him.

When she came up to Zuko, it was hard to determine his expression. Not that it was ever easy to, of course. He seemed trapped between annoyance and amusement.

"Well, I suspect you heard all of that?" Katara asked shyly.

"Yeah." He said curtly. Annoyance seemed to be winning out as his dominant emotion.

"If you want to wait a bit before coming, I understand." Katara said, trying to mask her sadness at the thought.

Zuko glanced down at her, studying her for a moment. "Don't be ridiculous. I told you I was coming." He told her, but he was gazing off into the distance as he said it. He seemed trapped in his thoughts.

"All right." Katara led him from his concealment, grasping his hand. He removed it quickly, throwing a glance towards her friends at the campsite.

"Not a good time." He mumbled to her, letting his arms swing limply at his sides.

Katara tried not to show her hurt at his action, but nodded leading him to the middle of the clearing.

Sokka immediately got up, stomping off to the woods with a mutter of something about firewood. Katara watched his retreating figure.

"Don't worry about him!" Toph piped up, offering a hand to where she somehow knew Zuko was standing. "I'm Toph. Nice to meet you." She flashed him one of her trademark grins.

He studied her hand seeming to contemplate whether to take it. He made up his mind, grasping it firmly and shaking it a bit before releasing. "Zuko." He told her.

Aang glanced up at him, although it was probably completely unnecessary he offered his own hand to Zuko. "Aang." He told him, though Zuko clearly knew exactly who he was.

Zuko shook his hand as well, nodding at him in replace of a hello.

"Well Zuko." Katara said to clear up the awkward silence. "I think we have an extra sleeping bag since you don't have yours yet. We had to get one in case Sokka lost another of his." She gave a weak laugh then walked over to Appa where their stuff was laying. She protruded a blue water tribe sleeping bag to him. He had followed her over and now stood quite close to her.

She gave a quiet "oh" then stumbled back and nearly tripped over their things. She found herself still upright and looked up. Zuko had caught her. He was looking silently at her. He set her lightly on the ground, taking the sleeping bag from her arms.

"Thank you." He said in his rough voice.

He walked away from her, laying the sleeping bag out quite a bit from where the others were set up. Katara looked sadly at him. He was so out of place here. She hoped he could some day fit in.

She looked up at the woods as she heard Sokka coming back. As she suspected his arms were completely empty. Instead of teasing him about it she let him pass by. The look he gave nearly made her start to cry. He was mad. No, furious was the appropriate term.

She walked to her sleeping bag which was sitting by itself near the edge of the woods. Aang and Toph were already going to bed, as was Sokka she could tell by the covered lump in his bag. He had buried himself in, apparently not wanting to talk to anyone. He was asleep within minutes, as soft snores issued from his bag. She could only assume the others were as well.

Just as her eyes started to drift close she heard an odd scraping sound. She looked up and over her shoulder. Zuko had dragged his bag next to hers. As he flopped down next to her, she couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Hey." She whispered to him.

"Hi." He whispered back. He stared at her for a moment, then pointed quietly to her necklace. "People would think you were engaged."

Katara was sure he was just making a point, but his expression revealed that there was genuine curiousity behind the question. "Of course not. This was my mothers own engagement necklace. I received it when she died."

"Oh." Zuko said simpley, but he sounded relieved. One of his hands reached towards her. Katara couldn't help noticing once more at how pale he was. It was like he was sick. He seemed to hesitate but then placed his arm gentley over her. "Thank you, for trusting me." He told her.

She stared into his eyes, before going to sleep. His arm around her as an unasked for protection.

I know I know, but please no flames. I was grounded for a month and otherwise...well I was working on mi story I'm writing on mi own so...but yeah I liked this chapter. It was long too. or well moderately long. well review please even if you are mad at how long it took. Thanks in advance for your patience.