A/N: Ok guys you know the drill. I tell u how sorry I am I haven't written in months and then I tell u how I'll write more. But I really am sorry and I have the story basically planned out now which means there's a 98 chance it will get finished. Hope you still like it and are glad I started back. If not that's ok, ill just go cry in a corner lol. Anyway here you go. It should get good very soon and I will write as fast as I can. Thnks for all the reviews, you guys are awesome!

Chapter Ten

Katara had barely set foot on deck when she was tackled by a flying bald headed boy.

"KATARA! Katara, Katara, Katara! You're safe!" Aang yelled as he grabbed her in a bear hug.

"Oomph! Yes I'm safe." Katara laughed as Aang attempted to pick her up only wasn't strong enough so had to settle for hugging her so hard she could barely breathe. "But not for long if you keep crushing my lungs like this."

Aang let go and grinned up at her. "I missed you Katara." He said seriously.

"I missed you too Aang." She said, smiling back. It was good to be back among friends.

"What happened?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Katara countered as he finally let her go. "You and Sokka showing up in the middle of the ocean on a Fire Nation ship is not exactly something that happens everyday."

"You floating in the middle of the ocean in a tiny canoe after getting off a Fire Nation ship is not exactly common either." Sokka said coming up behind them after putting the boats below deck.

Katara laughed. "Ok fair enough. How about we get something to eat and then tell each other everything." She paused, glancing suspiciously at Sokka. "You did bring food with you didn't you?"

Sokka's face turned red. "Of course we did! What kind of men do you think we are that we have to have your help just to remember to bring food! That's so sexist Katara! I never would have expected it from……..ok yeah we forgot the food." He finished sheepishly.

Katara laughed like she hadn't it weeks. It was a wonderful filling to be needed.

Much later that day Katara lay down in her new bed and sighed contentedly. They had caught some fish for supper and had spent the rest of the day telling about their adventures. Katara had told them all she had learned, being careful to leave Prince Zuko out of it.

"He eventually found out that I was a spy and he kicked me out in that little boat, I guess hoping I'd drown or something. He said the only reason he didn't kill me was because I'm a girl." She had thought this story up while she was talking and decided it was the best explanation of what had happened. "And that's when you guys found me."

"Well it's a good thing we did." Sokka had said grumpily. Katara could tell he was mad that he hadn't got to do any of the fighting and she hid a grin.

Now she was lying in her hammock bed below deck while Sokka and Aang took turns as look out above. They had insisted that she rest and if she really wanted to be a look out she could the next night.

I'll never be able to sleep. I'm so used to getting little sleep from training. She stood up and walked up the stairs to the deck above. She smiled as she saw Aang asleep on the deck while Sokka peered out over the calm waters of the ocean. She leaned against the door frame at the top of the stairs and watched them. They looked so peaceful. She couldn't imagine the worry she must have put them through when she ran off.

Suddenly a pang of hurt went through her. No Katara! Don't think about him! Don't- oh to late. She sighed quietly, thinking back to the night she left. She didn't want to think about Zuko, she didn't want to remember him but it was like trying to forget that she had posed as a Fire Nation trainee. Every time she forgot for even the briefest of seconds, she would glance in a mirror and see the jagged scar across her cheek or run her fingers through her hair only to realize it didn't even reach her shoulders anymore.

"Zuko…" she whispered. She shook her head and stood up straight. What am I thinking? I can't go back. No matter how bad I want to, there's nothing I can do. We're fire and water. We don't mix at all.

She sighed and turned to go back below deck.

"Hey Katara!" Aang called, waking as he heard her soft footsteps about to leave.

"Yeah Aang?" She asked, turning back around.

"I'm glad you're back."

"Me too Aang." She smiled slightly at her friend.

"We should reach land by tomorrow." He said, sitting up from where he was lying on the deck.

"Land?" Katara realized she hadn't even thought to ask them where they were headed.

"Yeah. Didn't Sokka tell you? We're headed for the Fire Nation."

"What?" Katara looked at him in surprise. This was the last thing she wanted to hear. She had just escaped that nightmare and now they were going straight back into enemy territory barely a day later. Would it never end?

"Yes. Sokka didn't want to go but we really need supplies. And we're almost out of fuel. Besides, what better way to find out what's going on with this thing that can supposedly destroy my powers? Without sneaking off to join their troops I mean." He cast a playful grin at Katara. "And since we're sailing in on a Fire Nation ship, I don't think they'll realize we're not Fire Nation."

Katara sighed. She didn't feel like arguing. Besides, what choice did they have anyway? A tiny voice in the back of her mind was saying, And maybe you'll see Zuko, but she quickly pushed this thought away.

"You're probably right. This ship is the best disguise we could have. I'm going to bed now. Wake me before we get there, I want to have time to change so I'm not quite as recognizable."

"Ok. Night Katara." Aang answered.

"Night Aang." She said, and with a heavy heart, went below deck and fell into a restless sleep.