ALOHAZ! I'm so hyper right now! And I'm mega happy cause when I got home from school, and went to check my email, I found 13 reviews! for one chapter! In one day! and more came! is that sad to you? La la la! and I did really well on my play this morning, kool! Okay lets just get to the story!

Dedication- darkavatar13

(heh, again)

I do not own Avatar: the last airbender.


Chapter 18

(wow)

Despite not getting any sleep, worrying about what would happen to her, Sokka, and Aang once they arrived at the fire nation, their escape plan, and totally confused about Zuko, Katara actually felt happy today. She woke up feeling completely regenerated. She didn't know what it was, but something about today felt good. She got up from her bed and left the room. She walked to the door leading to the deck and opened it. As soon as she opened it, she felt miserable. It was raining. Not only raining but pouring. Although this was a good thing for her waterbending, this definitely didn't make her feel better. Last night the sky was so clear of clouds, how did it start raining!

"Katara! I'm guessing your feeling much better?" Iroh said coming out behind her.

"Oh dear, not exactly a sunny day is it?" he said. Katara bended the water so it would not fall on her or Iroh.

"Why thank you my dear. Is something wrong?" he said noticing the dour look on her face.

"No, I just woke up feeling a little happier than usual, and I was hoping to spend time in the sun." she said looking at the metal floor.

"Hmm... I know just what to do! Follow me please." Iroh said grabbing her hand and leading her down the hall to a familiar door.

"Sokka!" she cried in excitement, and ran to embrace him in a hug.

"Katara! I'm so glad to see you! Do you feel better? Do you still feel sick? Do you feel faint?" Sokka said bombarding her with his usual questions when he saw her.

"No, I'm feeling much better now." she said with a smile.

"You really had me worried."

"I know Sokka, and I'm sorry. I was just under a lot of stress."

"Well I'm glad you're feeling better. Just don't put so much stress on yourself next time."

"Thanks for worrying about me." she said hugging him again.

"yeah, yeah. Are we gonna see Aang or what?"

"Oh! Yes, Iroh could it be possible if you took us to Aang?" she said giving him a puppy dog face.

"Of course. Follow please." he said motioning for them to come. He led them to the door and let them in.

"Katara! Sokka! Katara are you feeling better?" he said at once when they entered, and ran to them to give them both a tight hug.

"Yes Aang I'm fine." she said releasing herself from his choking hug.

"Um... Iroh? Could you give us a moment alone please?" she said pleading.

"Certainly. I'll be outside." he said leaving and closing the door behind him.

"Okay what do we need to work on so far?" she said as soon as he closed it.

"Well, I've been thinking about it, and I think I know what we could do. Katara since your allowed to be out of your cell, think you could ask Zuko to let you take lunch to us?"

"Yeah, I think I could do that, but he would make me take a guard along."

"Oh."

"Well we could just escape now. I mean it's only standing Iroh standing guard right?" Said Sokka.

"I don't think that would be much different than our last attempt. We should do it when It's dark and the guards are all asleep. And I don't think I could do that sort of thing to Iroh, he's been to kind to me."

"Katara! He's a firebender! He could fry us in a split second!" Sokka yelled.

"No Sokka, Iroh isn't like that. He's really nice, and if it weren't for him we wouldn't be having these little 'meetings'."

"Pfft. Somehow I doubt that." Sokka scoffed. Katara gave him a quick, but efficient death glare that shut him up immediately.

"Guys please don't fight, we need to think of something." pleaded Aang.

"Your right Aang, we're sorry."

"Okay, how about if we just stick to our original plan, and knock out the guards when they come to give you your meal, but lets just hope that they come at the same time for each of you. So Aang, you can use your bending, and I could just be at the deck waiting, but Sokka I don't know about you. You don't have bending skills and they took away all your weapons when we were captured."

"Hey I could get out of here just as easily as Aang can!" he said, but he knew that not having any weapons would make it ten times harder for him to escape.

"Sokka don't lie to your self."

"I wasn't lying!"

"Yeah, whatever. Okay, what about if Katara takes the key from Zuko! You could race down here and let us out and we would all escape!" Aang suggested.

"Yeah, but how exactly am I supposed to get the key? Iroh has it now, and I couldn't steal from him."

"Please Katara! I know you'll come up with something! This is our only chance!"

"I- I don't know Aang, what if he finds out I took it before I got down here to let you guys go?"

"But I guess if that's our only idea. But please lets only do that as a last resort."

"What about my idea!" Sokka cried.

"Your idea didn't involve you escaping."

"Well, it was a better idea than endangering Katara by making her steal from Zuko." Sokka replied angrily. But at that moment, Iroh opened the door to lead them back to there cells. They hugged each other good bye and left. As soon as he locked Sokka back in his room he asked Katara a question.

"Katara we are planning to stop at an island soon to pick up supplies, I would be honored if you accompanied me while I shopped, and perhaps you would like to get something for yourself?" Iroh asked her as they walked around the edge of the ship.

"Oh yes I would love to go! But what about Zuko? Did he say it was okay?" she asked over joyed.

"Good question, I should go ask him."

"O-oh." she said, hopes crushed.

"Now don't worry, I'm sure I can convince Zuko to let you come." he told her, but Katara seriously doubted Zuko would let her leave the ship. But then it hit her, this could be their chance to escape! But she would need to get the key from Zuko... that would be hard, not to mention dangerous. And the thought of him catching her chilled her to the bone, he could fry her to a crisp, no he wouldn't do that, but what would happen if he found out?

"Katara are you okay?" he asked looking at her with suspicion. She seemed distant.

"Oh yes I'm fine." she said snapping out of her trance. He nodded.

"Well I must go, I have to make a list of things to get."

"Alright, bye." she said waving to him behind as he went inside. It had stopped raining, but the sky was still cloudy. The sea looked darker and much more restless than it was earlier. How on earth was she supposed to get the key from Zuko? If he found out she took it, he would probably lock her in her room and never let her out. Zuko had been so kind to her the other day, and she couldn't bear the thought of stealing from him after that. It would have been even worse to steal from Iroh, But stealing from Zuko could have even worse consequences than feeling guilty.

"I suppose you could come with us, but you have to stay with my uncle or me, and with at least two guards." said a voice from behind her, which made her jump.

"Oh, uh thank you, I guess."

"Just don't try anything funny. We need to get fuel and other things, so don't expect to get anything."

"er okay." she said. She had never thought he'd let her go, finally she could see a different change of scenery, other than steel, smoke, and water. A few days past, and they were a few hours away from the island. Katara could not hold in her excitement, she barely ate her lunch.

"Now Katara, I hope you're not too excited that you forget to eat. After all, you'll need your energy, I plan to shop most of the day, and your coming with me. I'm sure there'll be something you would like."

"Oh no I couldn't let you spend your money on me! Besides, Zuko told me not to expect anything."

"He tells me not to get anything other than supplies whenever we take these little stops. And I always find at least fifty other things to bring along with us." he said happily. Katara laughed.

"Well, maybe just a little something, but I don't want much!"

"How about a new dress, oh and maybe a ribbon for your hair, and new shoes, and some jewelry, and what about some perfume, and maybe a little make up for you would be nice." he went on and on, and Katara just stood where she was completely blown away by the old man's joy for something so trivial.

"No, no that's okay, I don't need that stuff."

"Don't be shy, besides, it'll nice to shop for someone else other than me for a change." he said with a smile. They arrived at the town a couple of hours later, and made their way into the fairly large city. Zuko was leading the way, followed by four guards, then Iroh along with Katara with six guards behind them.

"Oh that shop looks promising!" Iroh said pointing to a small boutique that had a bunch of fancy jewelry in the front window. For a moment Katara thought Iroh was going to get them for himself, but then realized he was going to get one of them for her.

"Katara why don't you go in there and pick out the one you like best? Don't be afraid to get what you want, I have quite a bit of money."

"O-okay." she said walking into the shop followed by a few of the guards. It was a little annoying, being followed by them, but she tried to ignore it. The shop smelled like apples and ginger, and Katara felt at ease there. She looked around the boutique looking at the different types of necklaces and bracelets they had. She saw a beautiful silver necklace with small beaded green flowers hanging around it. She picked it up and looked at the price tag, and put it back down immediately. The next object that caught her eye was a blue bracelet, with similar markings to her own necklace.

"That looks lovely, we'll take it." said Iroh taking the bracelet from her and walking to the shop keeper to purchase it.

"Uh..." Katara began but Iroh led her on to the next shop. He bought her a stunning blue kimono, decorated with white snowflakes and starting from the top of it a dark blue shade and ending it with a light blue shade. It was so beautiful Katara couldn't say no. (AN: please ignore my taste in clothes.) He also bought her some wooden sandals to go along with the dress, and a white hair ribbon. He also bought her some blush, he told her that she didn't need it because she was always blushing when Zuko was around. She choose to ignore that comment.

"Please no more! Thank you so much Iroh, but if you got me any more things I'm afraid couldn't accept them." she said kindly, pushing her hair out of her face because of the wind and having her hair in a braid so much had made her hair all wavy now that it was down. She hadn't been able to see what she looked like yet, but she could tell she must look good considering all the looks she was getting from the guards and the towns people.

"Alright, lets find Zuko, it is getting dark." he said pouting. They walked around the town trying to find Zuko. The guards following them had their arms full of the stuff Iroh bought and were having a terrible time walking. They walked by a shop selling what looked like chocolates. Iroh to hungry to resist, grabbed Katara and ran inside. It smelled heavenly, with the scent of chocolate and fruity smells filling the air.

"I'll take two pounds of the raspberry truffles, and the chocolate truffles. And five chocolate bars." he said to the merchant. (AN: I'm really hungry right now)

"I'm sure your friends would like something sweet, don't you think?"

"Oh thank you Iroh!"

"Not a problem, although, any more stops and we might have one." he said chuckling to himself as they left the store.

"Zuko! We've finally found you! Doesn't Katara look beautiful?" Iroh said as he spotted Zuko. Zuko look amazed at first, but that was only because of the amount of stuff Iroh had bought, then he turned his gaze to Katara and was totally speechless.

"Don't be shy nephew, tell her how pretty she looks."

"I uh... uh... uncle what were you thinking buying all that junk! Grrr... lets just go back to the ship." Zuko said sounding angry, but Iroh could tell what he was really feeling. They arrived back at the ship tired and exhausted and ready to go to sleep.

"Iroh could I please take the chocolates to Aang and Sokka?"

"Of course. I'll go get the key to their rooms. Go wait by your brother's room." Iroh said leaving he in the hallway by Sokka's room. A few minutes later Iroh arrived with the key and the chocolates and opened the door. Sokka was asleep in his bed, so Katara shook him awake.

"Wha..? Katara? What's going on?" he said waking up.

"Nothing, I just brought you some chocolate!" she said handing him the chocolate bar.

"How did you get this? And what are you wearing?"

"Oh um... Iroh bought them for me. Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Uh... Iroh bought them for you?"

"Yes, and just eat it, I have to go give one to Aang."

"Fine, thanks." he said biting into the chocolate. And Katara and Iroh left to go to Aang's room. Aang was asleep as well, but woke up as soon as the door opened.

"Katara? Is something wrong?"

"No Aang, I just brought you some chocolate!" she said with a smile and handed it to him.

"How did you get chocolate? And what are you wearing, uh... I mean you look pretty. By pretty I'm mean prettier than usual."

"heh, Iroh bought them for me. And thank you Aang! But I'm really tired, and I think I'll go to bed now. See you later." she said ending in a yawn.

"uh, Katara wait. I want to tell you something."

"What is it Aang?"

"I um uh... I-I love you."


oh it's killin me cause I told you there would be action in this chapter. I am so sorry! Please forgive me! I can't believe I did that! I was even planning on doing that until at least a few more chapters! So sorry for the long wait! Okay just rate it when you done! This is my longest chapter ever! Lol! Until next time! Love love

The ever cheerful Shojo Butterfly!