Disclaimer- Eh. you know the drill. I don't own it.

Katara was performing the very daunting task of avoiding her brother. She'd been hiding in her room most of the morning, claiming she was having woman problems in an attempt to get Sokka to leave her alone. She had yet to tell her older brother that she would not be leaving with him and Suki on the boat headed for home.

At the present moment she was pacing back and forth in her room, listening to the preparations being made to send off Sokka and Suki. She had until noon before Sokka would come to take her bags, bags that were not packed. Noon was only a few short minutes away.

Katara heard footsteps coming down the hall and towards her room and made a quick dive for her bed. She quickly pulled the covers up and curled in a fetal position, she had to act convincingly.

There was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in," she moaned, in what she hoped was a pained tone.

Her door opened and she saw Zuko walked in, "No need to act sickly on my account," he teased, "I take it you still haven't let your brother know that you aren't going with him."

Katara climbed out of her bed and quickly straightened her crimson robe, "I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to say."

Zuko rolled his eyes, "How about the truth? 'Zuko asked me to help him find his mother and I agreed.'"

"WHAT?!"A loud angry voice cried out.

Katara winced, seeing her brother standing in her doorway, "I was going to tell you…"

"Yeah? When Suki and I were on the boat?" Sokka exclaimed, limbs flailing angrily.

"Well of course not," Katara stated hands on her crimson covered hips, "I was going to tell you at some point in the next few minutes…"

"You aren't really having female problems are you?"Sokka asked accusingly, pointing a finger at her.

Zuko let out a chocked laugh, "So that's why you were just standing outside her door?"

"You knew he was out there?" Katara exclaimed and then scowled, pointing a finger at the Fire Lord, "You did that whole 'Zuko asked me to help him find his mother and I agreed,' thing on purpose. You knew Sokka was standing out there."

Zuko nodded, "Of course. I knew if I didn't say something Sokka would be on the ship and you'd be yelling at him from the shore."

Katara opened her mouth to make a retort and then promptly shut it.

"I guess I should leave you two to talk," Zuko said, "I'll come see you after your brother and his girlfriend leave."

Katara glared after his retreating figure and then turned to look at her brother.

"So you aren't going home with us today?" He asked sadly.

Katara shook her head, "No. I already promised I would help Zuko."

Sokka frowned, "Doesn't he have a girlfriend to help him with this? Why did he ask you specifically?"

Katara snorted at the mention of Mai, "Sokka, have you met Mai? She would rather not risk her neck to find her boyfriends' mother. I don't really know why he picked me."

"So you would risk your neck to save his mom?" Sokka asked with his eyebrow arched.

Katara flushed, "Of course I would. If his mother is alive I will do anything to help him find her."

Sokka stepped forward and pulled his sister in for a hug, "You just can't turn your back on people that ask for help can you? Well he better take good care of you. The Fire Nation 

doesn't need to lose the first good thing that's happened to them in a century to a well-placed whale-shark bone club to the head."

Katara laughed and hugged her brother back, "I can take care of myself, Sokka. I'm a big girl and a master waterbender."

Sokka pulled away from the hug and looked into his sisters' eyes, "That's not what I mean."

Katara archer her eyebrow, "What do you mean?" She asked.

Sokka coughed and turned to leave, "Well I better go make sure Suki is ready. The ship takes off in a few minutes. Are you coming to see us off?"

Katara watched her brothers retreating figure, wondering just what was going on in his head. She grabbed a pair of shoes and followed him a few moments later.

She wandered down the hall meeting up with Suki on the way out of the palace, "Hey Katara," Suki smiled, "Sokka told me you weren't coming home with us. That's too bad; I'll have to meet the infamous Gran-gran on my own."

Katara grinned as they made their way through the gardens and towards the port, "You'll just have to tell her hello for me. I'm positive that she'll approve of you."

Suki laughed, "That still doesn't make me any less nervous."

They came to a stop a few feet away from the giant Fire Nation ship meant to take them home. Suki turned to Katara and gave her a hug, "I'm going to miss you. You take care of yourself."

Katara returned Suki's hug, "I'll miss you too. And don't worry, Gran-gran really isn't too terrifying."

Suki laughed and walked over to where Sokka was waving frantically standing next the Fire Lord, "Well I guess we better head over there."

Katara followed and noticed Sokka whispering something in Zuko's ear. Zuko in turn paled several shades and gulped.

Katara eyed her brother suspiciously before giving him a hug, "I'll miss you, big brother."

Sokka smiled, "I'll miss you too little sister." He turned and retreated onto the ship, Suki following.

Katara and Zuko stood waving until the ship slowly disappeared on the horizon.

"So…What did my brother say to you?" Katara asked once they finally started making their way back to the palace.

Zuko flushed, "Oh…nothing."

A/n: Finally something actually new. Let me know what you think! I already have a lot of the next chapter written so if you show the love I'll have it up soon. :D