Chapter 2 Things have changed

Katara couldn't help but smile at the fact Zuko was back. For two whole years she was worried that the worse had happened to him. She so proved Sokka wrong again. She led Zuko over to the bed and sat down.

"Where have you been all these years?" She asked.

"I've been on the run from the Fire Nation. As far as they're concerned I'm dead." Zuko replied laying back on his bed. "Oh wait that's not the answer you wanted right?"

Katara chuckled. "Yeah, oh I was so worried about you."

Zuko smiled and walked over to his dresser and took out his armor. He slipped it on and placed his training suit in its place. He then walked over to his desk and opened a desk drawer and took out a package of tea.

"Uncle, you look old." Zuko said looking up from his task.

"I'd imagine so. After all I've aged over the two years you've been gone." Iroh laughed.

Katara fell back onto the bed. "Tell me how you survived." Katara demanded.

Zuko sighed and sat next to Katara. "Fine you guys need to know the truth anyway." Katara scooted closer to him and began to nuzzle his neck. "Katara don't do that you're hitting my cut." He lowered down his collar revealing a fresh cut. Katara took off his armor and shirt and began to tend to his wound.

Flashback (Zuko's POV)

It was just soon after I told Katara to leave. I had just told off my father for being such a bastard. My brother had started using sloppy attacks. Well it didn't help that he was missing an arm. Oh and half of his face was disintegrated either. I wasn't sure if you guys had left the castle yet and I was worried whether or not you'd die. So I waited while I found a sign that you guys left. I stalled giving you guys a chance to get out of there and giving me a chance to restore what energy I wasted on destroying half of Ruko's face.

I finally saw you guys leave the castle by the way my brother trapped me into a corner. I launched an attack at my brother who kicked it back towards me doubling it with his power. I blocked most of it as best as I could. So much was going through my head at that time. I was worried about my safety at that point in time. But then I turned back to thinking about the safety Uncle and Katara. Of course there was the Avatar and that sissy boy's safety too. After I knew you were on the ship I decided it was the best time to stall just a little more in case Katara had tried to run back.

Ruko had hit me in the chest earlier but I didn't let it bother me. After about five minutes of having that injury I started having chest problems. I let my guard down at that time, biggest mistake that had ever happened. I had tried a basic move on him before and it kind of worked well he had tried that attack on me the only difference was that he lit his whole hand on fire and shoved it through my chest. I took advice from my mother and decided to just release the rest of my firepower.

I launched my attack destroying the whole roof. We fell through the ground and it continued to fight. I was losing blood quickly. He launched two attacks at me I dodged one easily but the second on hit me in the leg. I finally allowed my temper to run the match. I unleashed my last attack causing the whole castle to come down. Something I didn't expect was the magma that followed the attack. I became scared and thought I was going to die.

I had some issues getting out of there. Come to think of it I really didn't know how I gout of there. But I do know that my note and mask was found. I don't know how my mask got where it did but I was lucky that you did find it.

From there I began my training to recover. I made my way to an earth-bending city that I knew would allow to accept me. I hid myself in that city after making my way out there. It took me about a couple of weeks on foot. My injuries were becoming infected before I had a chance to do anything about them. I collapsed about three days later just outside the city. After I came around it had been about a couple of weeks. That's when I began to just stay around the city, training on my own and keeping an eye on Katara and Iroh.

Admiral Zhao caught me shortly after words. It was something that I regretted though. He ran off to my sister who some how survived. After that I had to make a run for it again. That's when things turned for the worse. I was injured once again due to my own carelessness. I came across a group of rebels that were still upset over the defeat over Ruko. I took a slight hit to the neck. It was then when I decided to head back where people cared for me. Of course that was cut short when a death warrant was placed on my head. I caused myself another little accident again faking my own death.

I stayed in hiding for two years, only traveling at night. That's when I got sick. I was out for a couple of months and then some. Since I was taking care of myself it took me longer to get better and I just ended up getting sicker. I finally came the point where I stopped off into a town that was unaffected by the Fire Nation. I stayed there for about six more months. I made my way towards any lead I had of Katara and my uncle.

I was wandering a forest just outside of the city when a group of kids attacked me. I took out their leader but not before taking a dagger to the neck. I had heard from their leader that the Avatar was heading out to a fire bending ship so I followed the Avatar.

End flashback (Normal POV)

"You must have come up against Jet." Katara said then checked the wounds on his back. "I'm not surprised on everything you've done. After all you look a little stronger." Katara kissed one of his cuts.

"Prince Zuko how could you be so careless?" Iroh asked then noticed that Zuko was a little red in the face. "You wouldn't happen to have a fever would you nephew?"

"Uncle there is nothing to worry about just hormones." Zuko replied. "Katara what is that ring on the floor over there?"

"My engagement ring." Katara replied turning away from Zuko. "Sokka decided to have me marry Aang."

Zuko put his arm around Katara. "I don't think so." He turned towards Iroh. "Uncle, get out of here." He motioned towards the door for Iroh.

"Yes I understand. You have a lot to catch up on." Iroh winked leaving the room.

Katara stood up and walked away from Zuko. She couldn't stand to look at him any more. She couldn't even talk to him.

"Katara what's the matter?" Zuko asked standing up.

"Why did you do that? Why did you leave me and tell me that you loved me threw a note?" Katara asked turning around. "Did you know you hurt me doing that? And now look. I'm getting married to Aang."

Zuko turned his head. "Katara…"

"No I don't want to hear about how you wanted to protect me. I want to know the truth." Katara yelled.

Zuko glared at her. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you." The candles began to flicker dangerously. "You can't even begin to imagine what I did…"

Katara hit him across the face. "You disappear for two years and come back and you automatically expect me to welcome you back with open arms?" Katara yelled tears rolling down her face. "I was worried. Everybody kept telling me you were dead. I didn't listen to anyone."

"Now whose fault is that?" Zuko asked. "Surely you can't be blaming me. Look just because…"

"I don't want to hear your voice any more. Forget everything we had." Katara sobbed. She crawled up into her bed. "Zuko…"

Zuko crawled up next to her. "Katara look at me." He grabbed her chin and pulled her into a deep kiss.

Katara pushed him away. "Zuko, things are different now. We can't have this kind of thing any more. I'm getting married." She turned over and cried herself to sleep.

Zuko wiped her tears away. She meant everything to him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. She didn't understand how much she meant to him. He looked over his shoulder and saw her curled up into a ball. He crawled up next to her and pulled the covers over her. There had to be someway to keep her from marrying the Avatar. It was then when he remembered that his sister was still after him.

K15: I still think it's funny you all thought I killed Zuko. Okay Zuko and Katara are my two favorite characters to mess with. ANyway I'll update this as soon as I can. Yup. Okay so keep reviewing I promise this story will get better. Later. K15