This one is a little shorter then the last but I had to make it a cliffy. It wouldn't have been fun otherwise.

Katara kept her hand tight around the necklace in her pocket. She didn't know when she had dropped it let alone when Aang had found it. She knew the little lie was a stupid one but it did tell them in a rather subtle way to back off. But another thing was worrying her now. She was going back to the village where everone thought she was married, not only that but married to the exiled prince of the Fire Nation.

She dared a glance back at her brother who was walking behind her eyeing her suspiciously. She almost felt like she was leading them into a trap. It may have been a village run by the Fire nation, but she had no reason to feel that way, Zuko was long gone.

Her heart tightened up and an almost overwhelming sense of resentment set in. He had left her. Just left her in a village where she didn't know anybody, no one was her people, and she had no idea where to go. He just left. He didn't care how attached she was to him, or his son, or Uncle Iroh. He didn't care how much she loved him. How she thought of her self as Riyo's real mother. He didn't care about any of that, he only cared about capturing Aang.

She frowned. She was going to make her self go completely insane, or deeply depressed, if she didn't quite worrying about that man.

She wasn't only worried about Zuko. Sure the man could argue his way out of a paper sack, but the time she was on the ship he was rather dependant on her. But she was more worried about Riyo. He was only a baby and his father had gotten rid of the only mother he had ever known. Let alone the only woman.

She also worried about Iroh. As funny as that sounded, she truly did. He wasn't a young man like the rest on the ship. He was much much older, and well on in his years. He hadn't talked about his health and that rather worried Katara. She didn't know if he was a healthy man or otherwise.

She turned and looked back at Sokka once more. A dark cloud had seemed to set over the two since her little fit about her necklace. They knew she had lied.

"Aang, you should find a place to settle Appa. We are almost there." Aang nodded and led Appa off to find a clearing big enough for the giant bison. Sokka waited till Aang was out of ear shot then ran up to his sister, grabbing her by the arm.

"What is the deal?"

"What do you mean?" Sokka frowned. She knew damn well what he meant but she was going to play dumb and innocent.

"You know what I mean. First you appear out of nowhere after dissappearing off the face of the planet for three months. Then you won't tell us where you were or what happened. You've been overly quiet and then you lie to us about that necklace! You've got a lot of explaining to do, and I suggest that you start." Katara glared at her brother.

"Sokka, I don't have to tell you anything. I would if I could but for your safety and Aang's I can't." Sokka stared at her as she started to turn and walk away. He swung her around.

"Now you have to tell me."

"I can't"

"You have to." Katara frowned her eyebrows making deep creases in her forehead.

"I'm not going to tell you anything now. You aren't my boss, you are only my brother."

"Yeah I'm you're big brother and you have to do as I say!" Katara growled at him.

"You aren't Mom or Dad. I don't have to do anything you say so back off! " Sokka stared at her with wide eyes. She had never talked to him like that.

Zuko stood outside the doctor's door watching the villagers milling about. Everynow and then one would recognize him and bow and show their respects.

He watched the villagers with a half hearted attention. Riyo was asleep and his uncle was enveloped in a conversation started with the doctor over tea. And it wasn't like he could train much. He could go down to the bar, but what good would come of that. The old barkeep was already so afraid of having his head cut off that he would make a fool of himself.

"Dammit." He muttered for no reason and pushed himself up off of the wall. He walked with his head held high down the small make-shift roads of the village making his way to where all the vender's were selling and haggling. He was going to take this unwanted opportunity to buy his son some clothes that befit a prince's heir.

"Hey there, remember me?" Zuko scowled and turned around to look at a very...well she wasn't nice to look at at all. The woman had roll after roll of fat around her middle and at least three chins.

"Should I?" He said snurling up his nose and turning to walk off.

"Yeah. I was your first wife...Have you already forgot?" Zuko growled and turned to look at her.

"Go away. I don't know you, I don't want to know you..And I am very certain that I would remember someone that looked like you." The girl frowned her face squishing together.

"Learn how to take a joke." Zuko was mad. He could set this girl aflame, but why waste his energy.

Aang finally caught up with the siblings and noticed that Katara was mad. Which wasn't unusual when it came to Sokka. Aang ran up and looked over at Katara with curious eyes.

"What kind of berries?" Katara shot a glare at him that mad him stop. That was a very frightening look. The small monk turned and looked at Sokka.

"What did you do?" Sokka shurgged with his eyes just as confused as Aangs.

"I think she maybe on her monthly.." Sokka stopped mid sentence as a shoe hit him on the forehead. Katara stomped over and picked her shoe back up and glared at her brother.

"Why do you blame everything on that!" She huffed and continued walking.

She looked down at the ground as they walked through the gate to the village. She looked at the guards out of the corner of her eyes and was relieved when she didn't recognize them. She looked up and stopped, waiting for her brother and the avatar to catch up.

She looked around the hustling crowd. The gates were just at the begining of the market. She could see it now in the light and the village seem rather smaller then it had the night before. Aang saw something, as soon as he walked through the gate, that he wanted to look at, and just like typical Aang took off to look at it.

Sokka stopped by his sister and looked down at her.

"I need to get a new leather stap for my boomerang." Katara nodded and handed him a few coins.

"You do that. I'll go get the food and rest of the supplies." Sokka stared at the money. He had a few coins and hadn't expected her to have anything.

"Where did you get these?" He ask folding his hand tight around them.

"I found them." She shrugged and walked off. Sokka frowned. She was lying again and it was really starting to tick him off.

Katara picked up a small fruit and looked over it. Then put it back picking up a couple of smaller ones.

"Oh miss?" Katara turned with a smile to see who greated her. A young boy was looking up at her.

"Yes?' She ask in a sweet voice.

"You're the prince's wife aren't you?" She stood up straight and stared at the little boy. Wow, good news travels fast.

"No, sorry." She turned and started to walk off. As she turned and her eyes looked ahead of her she froze. About thrity feet from her with his back to her was Zuko. She didn't know whether to approach him or start running to other way. Her feet began to move, her mind had yet to catch up with what her eyes were seeing and what her body was doing. Her heart was urging her towards him. All of the sudden her mind screamed! NO DON'T But it was to late. Her heart had made her decision for her. She was standing right behind him. She didn't know which emotion was going to take control. Rage or Love?