For All Time

Chapter 9 Sea voyage part 2

Katara pov

When night fell Zuko and I wished Suki and the other passangers on the ship a good night, and we departed to our cabin. I found myself yawning more than usual and at one point I leaned on to Zuko as we walked, he just chuckled and put an arm around my waist to help me stay up.

Shutting the door behind us, I looked again to our single bed, oh boy. "So should we share or..."

"We just have to share, there is no way I am sleeping on the floor, and there is no way I would make you sleep on the floor. Besides it would kill our backs to sleep on the floor" He said pulling his shirt over his head. I looked at him with my mouth wide open. Not only was he handsome, but he had the most muscular body I had ever seen. And believe me ladies I love muscular men.

Looking away with a tomato red blush, I opened my bag of clothes and pulled out my night dress, of course it was the only sleeping attire I had brought. It was spaghetti strapped, a light powder blue with a little white lace along the collar, and it fell to my knees.

"Umm can u turn around so I can change?" I asked when I saw him looking at me, he smirked and turned around to face the wall.

"Finished" I said pulling back the covers and climbing in bed.

Zuko Pov

"Finished" She said in a soft voice, I turned around in enough time to see her in her little night dress, which hugged her frame nicely...wait what was I thinking, she is the princess, I had no right to look at her that way, besides she was a friend and that was it.

Climbing in bed beside her, I face the wall with my back to her, "good night princess" I said over my shoulder

"Good night Zuko" She whispered quietly, and I bent out the candles that lit the room and fell into a peaceful sleep.

When dawn arrived, I rose with the sun, trying to sit up I noticed that there was a slight weight on my chest. Opening one eye, I looked down and saw Katara sleeping peacefully on my chest. Her hair was spread out framing her face, and her breathing was even. I felt my breathing hitch, when she began to stir.

I closed my eye and waited for her to wake up fully. I felt her look up at my face than lay her head back down on my chest, I did not expect that.

"He is so soft and warm" I heard her say to herself snuggling closer to me and I could not help but smile

"Well thank you" I said finally, surprising her. I pulled my arms around her waist and hugged her close. She tried to sit up a little but I held her in place.

"Zuko?"

"Yes?"

"It's time to get up" She said smiling and pulling away to go get dressed. I just groaned and stood to pull on a shirt.

The days dragged by slowly as was to be expected. The day before we docked in the northern part of the earth kingdom, a ship was fast approaching ours. After a closer look Katara recognized it as a northern water tribe ship.

"What if its Kato?" She said with fear written all over her face.

"Kato? Who's Kato?" Suki asked from where she stood beside us

I looked to Katara to see what we should tell her and she just shrugged, letting out a sigh Katara began to speak, "Kato is my fiancé, and My name is really Princess Katara of the Northern Water Tribe"

"Oh I see you are being forced to marry this Kato guy, but you love Zuko and you ran away to marry him, am I right?" She said with a smile

I found myself blush like mad, and together me and Katara said, "NO!"

"Katara, came with me to find my birth mother" I explained trying to hide the blush on my face.

"Oh sorry, I just assumed you know because you guys are so close." She said blushing herself at her mistake. "Any way it is that Kato guy on that ship what are you guys going to do?"

"I don't know" Katara said sadness written in her eyes, I hated that. I hated Kato, I hated her family for putting her through this, and I hated myself for not doing anything about it.

"I'll tell you what I am going to do, if it is Kato I won't let him lay a hand on you" I growled feeling my inner fire roar to life.

"Zuko" She said putting a hand on my scarred cheek and I felt myself calm the slightest bit. "That means a lot to me, but I don't want you getting hurt because you tried to protect me."

"The ship is getting closer you two should hide" Suki yelled to us from were she stood by the railing of the ship. "Go hide in those barrels over there, they should be empty."

I grabbed Katara's hand that was on my cheek and pulled her to the empty barrels. When she was hidden safely in the barrel, I hid in mine.

After the motor of the our boat and the other boat stopped, the sound of people boarding could be heard.

Katara POV

"Excuse me, but I am looking for my sister Princess Katara of the Northern Water Tribe, you haven't seen her have you?" Sokka? I peaked out of the barrel at him standing beside another soldier, that looked like my father's friend Bato. He was helping Kato look for me. Of all people, I thought Sokka would hate Kato as much as I did.

"No I am sorry, I have seen no one who resembled the princess" Suki said smiling sweatily at him.

"Thank you I will take your word for it, we will let you get along than" Sokka said I could hear the sadness in his voice.

Before they departed from the ship, Sokka and Bato stopped and I heard Bato whisper, "I'm sorry we did not find her Sokka"

"It's fine Bato, I would rather her run off with the stable boy than have to live the rest of her life with that creeper of a man, but it would have been nice to know she was safe." He growled

"I agree with you my prince" Bato said patting my brother on the shoulder. They both stepped onto the plank to cross over and I jumped out of the barrel.

"SOKKA!" I yelled, he turned around in shock, he was breathing heavily, tears in his eyes.

"Katara?" He said running at me, as I ran to him. He swooped me into a brotherly hug.

"What are you doing here?" I asked

"Kato thinks I am out here looking for you so I could bring you home. Really I am out here making sure that bastard doesn't find you, but why did you leave?" He asked his eyes going to Zuko who had climbed out of his barrel. He scowled at Zuko like it was his fault I had run away from home.

"I promised Zuko I would help him find his mother, but than...Kato...hit me" I said remembering the stabbing pain in my arm when he threw me against the vase.

"What!" Sokka hissed, looking to Zuko, "is this true"

"Yes, She came to me after with blood dripping down her arm and bruises" Zuko hissed at the memory. Bato, who stood beside Sokka, hit the wall of the cabin. I could tell Bato was pissed off to.

"Hakoda is going to hear about this" Bato growled, cradling his now swollen hand. Calling on the water I healed him.

"Katara, you forgot this when you ran away" Sokka said pulling a small object from his pocket. Dropping it into my palm, I saw Zuko's ring shining up at me.

"My ring" I said putting it back on my finger. Zuko watched my movements, and I saw a small smile on his face when the ring was in place.

"Bato, run and get me a massager falcon" Sokka said quickly, "I have a message I want to send to that bastard."

"Sokka your not going to tell him you found me are you?" I asked out of fear, Sokka gave me a look that read are you kidding me? Bato returned with a piece of paper, a pencil (they don't have pencils in the show...do they?), and the bird.

Looking over Sokka shoulder Zuko and I read what he wrote,

Kato, I have seen no sign of my sister. I am returning home, If I know my sister I know she will return home when she feels the time is right. I love her to much to force her home against her will. I will not spend all my time looking for my sister, for your lazy ass ~Prince Sokka

When the bird was flying away with the message in it's holder, I looked at Sokka, "Thank you brother"

"I have to return now Katara, you will be safe from here?" He asked pulling me close into a hug.

"Trust me Sokka, I wouldn't let anything happen to her, you can trust me" Zuko said putting a powerful hand on my brothers shoulder.

Nodding to Zuko's comment, Sokka turned back to me, "oh Sokka there is someone Zuko and I wanted you to meet." I said turning towards the captions corders

"SUKI!" I called, she came walking out a moment later, and look at me questioningly, "Sokka, this is my friend Suki" I said pushing her towards my brother.

"Hi" She said blushing a little bit.

"Hello" He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Look me up when I get back to the water tribe?" She said blushing more

"Definitly" His blush matching hers.

"Kay, Bye" She said walking away quickly

"Bye" He said waving as she walked away a goofy smile on his face.

"Your welcome, big brother" I told him smiling evily

"You are officially the best little sister ever, not only did you let me tell off your evil fiancé, but you got me a date as well" He sang giving me a slobbery kiss on the cheek.

"Woah there big brother" I said shaking my head

"See you later sis" He said hugging me a final time and walking on board his ship, Bato hugged me close than followed Sokka. Boy was I going to miss my brother!

~~A LONG CHAPTER JUST FOR YOU! REVIEW PLEASE!