Note: Thank you for the support – I've noticed the review(s) and the favourites! This is my first Zutara fic so please let me know if I can do anything to make it better or if you have any thoughts.
-xoxoZutaraGirl

…I mean PurpleRose69

Chapter 6: Family

"Welcome home!" Kanna gave Katara a large hug as soon as they entered their camp.

"Where the heck where you? We were all looking for-" Sokka's jaw dropped. "Zuko? Zuko my man you are here? What are you doing with my sister?"

"He saved Katara's life, and he is about to help save ours." Hakoda nodded to him.

"I'm doing what I must. I have to take some responsibility for the mongrel strays of my country."

"You saved Katara's life?" Sukki's eyes widened and shot to Katara. She seemed to be slightly absent. "Katara, what happened?"

"He protected me from an arrow. The Idiot."

"I'm not sure it would have actually killed her anyways…" Zuko seemed to share that same air of awkwardness.

"He's probably being humble, aren't you?" Sokka's face pulled into a keen wide smile and punched Zuko in the shoulder. "I bet that shooter didn't even know what he was missing…" Pointing his thumb to Katara.

Zuko looked at Katara. He wasn't sure if their gaze was a mutual annoyance of Sokka's weak pun or whatever had been hanging in the air since their arrival.

"But I guess that you know archery does have a lot of draw backs…" Sokka smiled larger.

"Oh, come on they don't need that." Sukki shook her head, dragging Sokka by his ear back to the outer circle.

"So, what is this danger we are in?" Kanna looked to Hakoda then to Katara and Zuko.

"A rogue group of Fire Nation men according to the Fire Lord." Hakoda motioned to Zuko.

"I have been hunting them down to infiltrate them. I am hoping on finding their leader and snuff things before it gets worse. Whatever man wishes for what my father aimed for does not deserve power."

"So what can we do?" Sukki asked.

"Fight them…right?"

"Perhaps not completely." Katara shook her head at her brother. "If we follow the path of the lunar cycle, the same way most of the animals migrate, we will walk into them. However, if we diverge and hide during the upcoming storm and use it to our advantage, we might be able to sneak away. Only a few might be needed to protect in a fight. Even with our benders, nobody needs to put themselves in a position for danger."

"She's right. These men are not trained soldiers, but they do likely fire bend. They also have gone after a few smaller groups from other bending nations and caused some damage. I won't have them doing any more damage. My people had once done enough of that for more lifetimes that exist." Zuko agreed.

"It is good to see a leader with that much care and remorse for those he leads and those he has lost." Kanna commended him, looking keenly to Hakoda.

"We have all lost enough. We will not lose more. However, our strongest benders and our strongest warriors will take up our sides." Hakoda nodded.

"They don't and won't attack until the moon is at its weakest. So, you need to take them off guard before then." Zuko appeared to be putting on his warfare face as if it was natural. Katara wondered if he had always been that way, or if the last few years had taught him how to take charge.

"We have a few nights then. A moon is better than no moon." Katara nodded.

"Then we will rest here as a family before we continue." Hakoda nodded and to their camp.

Zuko felt strange. He referred to everyone as family. It had been a long time since any remanent of a family had felt normal to him. And yet this tribe was so close knit, it was almost like a family. His only family had really been the Avatar and Katara and Sokka. Before it had been Mai, but now, having alienated what they had for a divergence in their perspectives on…well on most things, he realized the Water tribe had something that the Fire tribes aimed for. What he hoped to bring to their old ways.

"What is up with you, you seem a bit dazed?" Katara interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm thinking we need to be more like you guys."

"Uhm, explain?"

"Your tribe is like a family. My nation is still stuck in its old ways which don't help the attitudes that once made us toxic. We could learn a lot from you."

"You've become a lot wiser over the years."

"Huh?"

Katara almost blushed. "I just mean, you seem to care more than ever. I think you see things from multiple places now, and that kind of perspective is important. I don't think I do."

"You commend me more than you ever have. Perhaps I do have some strengths that came from my experiences, but I owe many of them to you. Perhaps you need to see that you are just as impressive."

Katara was warmed by his comforting words as well as abruptly surprised.

"Come on guys, lets pitch the tents." Sokka ran past.

"He's got a good point. Much more comfortable than rock and icy caves." Katara smiled and continued on ahead.

Zuko had finally been set up in his own tent. He, while still more akin to the lifestyle of his castle, was happy to be warmer. He heard a knock on the frame of the tent.

"Come on in."

He expected to see Katara but instead saw Sokka.

"Sokka? What are you doing here?"

"Were you expecting someone else?"

"Uh…no actually but…"

"I am suspicious…"

"Of what?"

"Of what happened with you and Katara…"

"Uhm- what do you think happened?"

"You actually dove in front of an arrow for her? And she didn't destroy you with a lecture after? How do you still have your ears?! Do you know how much guilt she felt for your sister's attack?"

Zuko laughed a bit. "I did. And my ears may be ringing but she saved me from the injury and the hypothermia. And I didn't know she felt guilty…"

"Well thanks man, we can't really survive without her."

Zuko gave him a look to continue.

"Hey, I may be the world's best swordsman and boomerang man, but Katara keeps everyone in check here. She inspires the little benders and reminds us of when we need to focus on what's important. We all knew she could manage whatever the pole here throws at her, but…Fire nation men…"

Zuko nodded.

"Hah! Well, she handles you find so what am I worried for!" Sokka gave Zuko a hard punch in the arm.

"Ahem…she does." Zuko felt his face warm. "You ought to tell her that."

"What, that she can handle Fire men?"

"No, no." Zuko sighed, trying to ignore the implications of what Sokka said, although he flashed back to Katara's ice rink skills with the fire men and could see some truth in that. "What you said about your people needing her. You might think she knows, but it's hard to see the good your own actions some time."

"Have you been drinking too much of your uncle's tea?" Sokka bent over and gave a conspicuous brow to Zuko.

"No, why?"

"Nothing." He said quickly. "You seem very wise, and prophetic all of a sudden."

"Do you mean to tell me you never thought I was smart?"

Sokka shrugged. "Just had a hard time thinking a guy who would chase after an avatar like a blind dog could be. But you've changed my mind. So back at the Spirit thing, eh?"

"Yea. It allows me to not drag my people into this."

"Katara did that once. Tried to be a Painted Spirit to save a town. She wasn't so good at the identity hiding thing, but she ended up stubbornly helping them, even though they nearly condemned her for it."

"So I'm not the only Spirit Vigilante?" Zuko said more to himself than anyone else.

"Nope."

Something suddenly struck Zuko's mind and he let it slip before he could stop the words. "What happened between Katara and Aang?"

"Not sure that's my story to tell. But if you must know, Aang liked her. But I think he was…quick on his call. He'd only liked her because she was the first girl who gave him a chance in our world…our time. There's plenty of reasons why my sister would be a great person for someone to like…or love, but he was a bit naive at times. I think her personality just needed someone who could accept that kind of…"

"Fire?"

"Yea, or like wit she has. You know, to stand her ground. Aang sees the world through these Avatar rose coloured glasses sometimes…and it's not something Katara can always see through too. BUT…that's just what I saw." Sokka let out a puff of hot air from his breath. "Don't tell her."

"I won't."

"How about you?" Sokka gave him a raised eyebrow with a flirty look. "How's Maaaaai?"

"We aren't together. She could not see or perhaps forgot the responsibility I must do more than most Fire Lords do to correct us on the right path. Her father is also likely involved in these rogue bastards, so things are just …not right for us."

"Well there are plenty of other fire nation women out there am I right?" Sokka patted Zuko's back.

"Sokka!"

"Speaking of women, my woman is calling!"

Zuko watched Sokka leave the tent. He fell back onto his bed.

More had happened than he'd planned. He turned to see the Blue Spirit mask staring back at him on the floor. He'd once been called the Blue Devil wearing that. Ironic, he'd never intended on doing anything devlish with it.

But perhaps he was diverging from what he intended to do. Was this frivolous? Or selfish?

A man was going to kill innocents. He was cozy in a tent. As much as it would be nice to stay with the tribe and their family, he owed too many lives to stick around.

Even if a pair of blue eyes would haunt him for leaving.