I woke up about an hour later. What an amazing sleep it was. An actual bed to sleep on, instead of my usual cold and hard floor! I was actually kind of grateful that Zuko allowed me to sleep on his bed. But why? Why not put me on the floor with the others? Whatever his reasoning was I was going to find out. Standing up I made my way out the door. Stepping down the stairs I heard a yelp.

"Ow!"

I look down and find Zuko resting on the third stair.

"Sorry, didn't see you." I step over his leg and take a seat below his stair. While his back was resting on one side of the wall with his legs stretched out upon the stair, I mimicked his position but faced opposite of him. I pondered for a second. Now how to bring this about? I'll start with a proper greeting I suppose. "Goodmorning."

His voice came raspy. "Goodmorning." Zuko ran his hand through his hair and looked down at me wondering if I was going speak more. Those eyes of his, they always drew me in. I think Zuko is the only person I know who's eyes could be so intense, concentrated, mesmerizing.

"Um. Er. How did you sleep?" You're losing you're point Katara! I bit my lip. Wait what if he didn't even want to speak about it? Well he can't expect me not to ask questions.

He yawned before speaking to me, then sat up from the wall his back was resting on to rub it. "Sleep on these stone stairs then come talk to me."

Oh man. Did he seriously sleep on the stairs? He could have slept on the floor.. not that it's much better but still. "Yeah, about that. You carried me back to your er room right?"

I received a simple nod. "You started to drift off on me, and frankly I was getting tired too. I thought I would give you a few minutes to wake up but you really looked exhausted and basically fell asleep on me so I kinda just carried you back to my room."

Tilting my head to my left I nod twice. Makes sense. "Not trying to sound ungrateful but why your room? Why not drop me off with the group where I usually sleep?"

Zuko laid his head against the wall. He was looking up at the ceiling. "Well it didn't seem right to just drop you on the floor like that. Besides everyone else was sleeping so I didn't want to make any more noise than I already was."

"Very considerate you are." I say smiling to him.

That got a chuckle out of him. "What? I'm not a total jerk you know."

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that. Thank you." I tell him quietly.

He looks to me with a truly genuine smile. "Don't mention it."

I stand up from the step and begin to walk down the remainder of the stairs to check on the others but before I made it all the way down I tried to steal one more glance at him over my shoulder but he had been watching me make my way down and gave a simple, single wave with a small smile on playing on his lips.

The fire was crackling between the group. Everyone was sitting around it and enjoying the warm soup I had made as Zuko passed out tea.

"Would you guys like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?" Zuko asked.

"Sure." I say.

I head Toph say "Bring it." Which is followed by Aang saying "I like jokes."

Zuko makes his way towards The Duke and Haru to give them tea and begins the joke. "Ok, I can't remember how it starts but the punchline is 'Leaf me alone I'm bushed.'"

Our group is silent and all eyes are our on him. His attempt is cute but I won't let that allow my retort to slide.

"Right, maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing." I tell him.

Laughter erupts and I can see that Zuko even wears a noticeable smile as he makes his way to Sokka.

It hadn't occurred to me that Sokka was being so quiet until I heard him quietly ask to have a word with Zuko. He stood up and followed him away from us and I could only wonder what he wanted to talk about with the firebender.

Another great night of sleep. I awake to see the others are starting to greet the morning as well. I see The Duke carrying a large stack of hay for Appa and I'm walking over to help him when Toph and Aang join my side as well. He's already planted the hay in front of Sokka, oh well. Wait what is Momo holding?

I pick it up. "It's a note."

Aang looks over my shoulder and Toph asks what the note had said.

"Need Meat." Typical. "Gone fishing, be back in a few days. Sokka and Zuko." Aang yawns and lies on the floor. "One more thing, Aang practice your firebending while I'm gone. Do twenty sets of fire fists and ten hot squats every time you hear a badgerfrog croak. Zuko."

"At least badgerfrogs usually only come out at night!" Aang says cheerfully.

Then as if by cue a badgerfrog croaks and Aang sighs. "Aw, no one else has homework," He stands up as Toph and I walk away I hear counting his squats. "One hot squat two hot squat…"

A few hours later I spot Haru by himself by the fountain. We haven't entirely had a chance to catch up with everything that has been going on and I see now is the perfect chance.

"Mind if I join you?" I ask him

"Of course not." He's cheerful and has a very sweet smile when he says this. I sit by him eager to ask about how he and his father encouraged the people of their village to take it back from the firenation soldiers who had invaded it and forced horrible taxes on them, and worst of all taking away any person who was caught earthbending.

"I know this is kind of random but how have you been?"

"I've been doing fine thank you. You're meals also help to put me in a better mood to." He compliments.

It makes me blush but I bet I look like an idiot just looking away from him right now so I just thank him. "Hey you never told me what happened when your father and yourself returned to the village! Did you run the firenation out?"

He places a hand over his heart and his expression is priceless. Haru pretends he is offended and has his mouth open in 'shock'. "Katara I didn't realize you doubted our power and will to take our village back."

The way he talks makes me laugh. "I should be the last person you should be telling that to. I did inspire all of you after all." I now place my hand over my heart and bat my eyelashes playing innocent.

He chuckles. "Yeah, we took it back. My mother, she was so glad to see us return home. After we told her of our plans she was terrified and my parents fought about it. She didn't want us to be taken away again if this rebellion failed. But it didn't, we told out village about you. How devoted and strong you were. We also retold the speech you said to us to them. The next day the fight was on, luckily only a few were injured but we drove them out!" He smiles down at the memory.

"I'm glad to hear that."

It's been three days since Sokka and Zuko had been gone, and I know their note said they would only be a few days but I was beginning to worry. It was nightfall now and I suggested we go and take Appa around the closest watersource from the temple to see if they were anywhere in the area just to be safe but right as Toph, Aang , and I make our way towards Appa we notice a strange airship has landed and Zuko and Sokka step out.

"What are you doing in this thing? Where's the war balloon?" I ask them in bewilderment.

"It kind of got destroyed." Zuko shrugs.

"Sounds like a crazy fishing trip." Aang takes the words right out of my mouth.

"Did you at least get some good meat?" Toph asks.

Sokka nods. "I did. The best meat of all. The meat of friendship and fatherhood."

First I see a rather large man step out followed by Suki, and then.. my dad.

"What's up everybody I'm new." The strange man says. I don't even care for him at the moment.

I run towards my dad. "Dad?" I'm overjoyed, and my eyes begin to tear up.

"Hi Katara." His voice is husky and he pulls me into a hug.

When the hug stops and I begin to ask questions. "How are you here? What is going on? Where did you go? What did you..?" I look to Zuko and he has one of the biggest grins I have ever seen. Teeth and all. I smile and him and then to Sokka.

"We kind of went to a Fire Nation Prison." Sokka tells me.

My dad pulls us into another hug and we all laugh when Toph begins to talk.

"Seriously? You guys didn't find any meat?"

The group now made up of 11, sits around the fire hearing the story of how they rescued my father and the others. The large man's name was Chit Sang, he came along because he overheard their plot to escape and wanted in. And after Azula came across Suki and her other kyoshi warriors they battled it out and unfortunately lost and because Suki was the leader she was sent to the prison and obviously my brother wouldn't leave his girlfriend there so that is why she's here. I'm happy she's here though. Another girl finally! Toph was wonderful don't get me wrong but I would finally have a girl her who understands me and doesn't enjoy picking at her toes. Zuko is now telling part of the story and when he finished our group begins to laugh again. I catch Zuko's eyes and mouth 'thank you' to him. He makes out what I say and mouths what I believe is 'no problem'. Lately it seems like all I've been doing was thanking him, but what can I say? He deserves it.

I'm proud with how this chapter came out! It was easy for me to write so that's why the update was a lot faster. Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Reviews help motivate me so if you have the time please leave one! Thanks!