A/N: This is my first attempt of a fanfic. Jeebus christ, I am on edge here. I was always iffy about publishing something. Well, I am experimenting and so here is my wacky concoction! Gimme some feedback, I would love to hear what you guys think :D

Seriously, I was so torn as to whether I should publish this or not. If it's a piece of crap, it's ok. Tell me. I won't bitch you out...maybe. Haha, cause honestly, I think it's crap too. ;D

Ok I'll stop blabbing. Here is my disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. There.

Chapter 1

The plants were beautiful, broad green leaves with intricate branching veins followed by a long, thick stem. Little blossoming flowers decorated the growth. Grace's eyes widened with wonder as she watched a butterfly sit upon its pistol, picking up her pencil and absentmindedly biting her lip.

Snatch!

"Hey! Gabriel give it back!" screamed a young Grace Augustine as she chased after her older brother around the greenhouse. The little girl seemed to be 8 years old at most, fiery red hair a ruffled mess.

"C'mon Gabe. Give it back to her," Luther Augustine scolded.

Gabriel dejectedly gave Grace's sketchbook back. Grace took in a huff of breath as she grabbed it and glared at Gabriel. She quickly scanned through the pages looking at her drawings with criticism.

A pout appeared across her lips as she gazed at the picturesque growth before her, comparing her amateur sketches. She could never capture the perfect detail of any flower to her drawings and it annoyed her to no end.

A hand on her shoulder made her look up, "Hey Gracie. Mom's calling us to eat. Lets go."

Grace stared up into dark hazel eyes that mirrored her own. Her eldest brother, Luther, gave her a half smile and patted her shoulder.

"Gracie what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sighed. She tossed her sketchbook to the side and started to walk towards the house.

Luther picked it up and looked through it, searching for the meaning of her sullen mood.

"Grace your drawings are really good. Why are you so sad about 'em?" Luther brushed off some dirt that had collected on it.

"Cause they suck! I suck at drawing! It probably doesn't even look anything like a flower…" The 8-year old's cheeks puffed in anger.

"Heck yeah it looks like a flower. It's the best flower I've ever seen."

Grace strengthened her posture, a vague smile appearing.

Luther gave her a sly wink, "Hey, maybe someday you'll be as good as Da Vinci, huh?"

Grace entered the dining room giving a radiant smile at her mother. As she looked around she saw that her brother Gabriel had arrived before her, his brown sun bleached hair sticking out in all places. He had his elbow propped up on the table, his face cradled boringly in his small hands.

"Sit down sweetie. We're about to say our prayers," a woman with red wavy hair and intelligent gray eyes smiled warmly at her young daughter.

Grace obediently folded her hands, bowed her head, and shut her doe eyes listening to the words of her mother.

"Thank you Lord for the bounty we are about to receive, Amen."

"Amen," the family chorused.

Silence filled the air, the clinking of utensils echoing in the background. Grace stared a hole into her cauliflower.

'I hate cauliflower.'

"So Gabriel, how was soccer practice?" A man in his thirties asked, placing his coffee tinted eyes at his son.

"It was alright…"

Grace drowned out her brother's babble, picking at her cauliflower monotonously. She perked up when she heard her other brother, Luther, mention something about Pandora.

"Our geography teacher's giving us a test on the wildlife of Pandora on Friday."

Grace shot her head up, her hazel eyes brightening looking up at her brother with interest.

'Pandora's where all the pretty flowers are. Mom loves flowers too, which is why we have our own greenhouse, but Earth is getting less and less greener each day. They just mowed down the local park for a new shopping mall, which sucks! There isn't any greenery in a 100 mile radius. It's all cold gray concrete.'

Grace's red locks blew gently with the wind as her swing went higher with momentum. She drug her feet on the ground, halting the swing as she watched her father, still in his police uniform walking towards her.

Daniel Augustine smiled at his daughter. He took in her dirt stained dress and pink sun battered cheeks. Her bandaid and scabbed legs contrasted against her delicate appearance. He shook his head and looked endearingly at his daughter, noticing how her eyes turned a jade green in the sunlight. He felt a pull at his heart as he noticed some resemblance of him in her. This is her daughter, his blood…

'She's growing up so fast.'

Grace raised an eyebrow as she noticed a package behind his back.

"Hey princess!"

"Ew. I'm not a princess," he crinkled her nose.

He ran a hand through his hair, "Well, I got something for you!'

Grace looked at the package curiously, then back at him a questioning look in her bright eyes.

'It's a new sundress! It's really cute...' He took a pink dress out, showing it off with a goofy grin on his rugged face.

"Oh," she scratched her head, "um, thanks Dad…I think."

Dan glanced at the swing beside her, trying to break the awkward silence, "You mind if I swing with you?"

"Actually," Grace hopped off straightening her skirts, "I'm gonna go see Mom. See ya!"

As airy and casual as that sounded, it felt heavy in his heart, "Ok?…" Dan let out a defeated sigh as he leaned against the rough support of the swing.

Grace walked up to her mom hands clasped in front of her.

"Hey mommy! Watcha doin'?"

Elizabeth Augustine looked up from where she was sitting. She slowly stood up, popping her back in the process. "Oh just looking at some flowers," she sighed wistfully, "they smell wonderful."

Grace picked a random flower, "Oh! Here's one!"

"Gracie you shouldn't pick flowers. They would die without dirt to live in."

Green hazel orbs widened in horror, "Oops! Mommy- I didn't mean to!"

Elizabeth immediately went to her side, "Shh. It's okay. Just put it in your hair. See, it looks pretty."

Grace poked at the flora peeking through her auburn waves. She giggled and smiled at her mom with distinct admiration.

"Sweetie, you should wash up for dinner now."

Grace nodded and skipped to the house, joyful for the little trinket she encountered. She came to a slowing stop as she heard hasty muffled talking behind her.

"I don't get it Liz."

"Get what?"

"Why does Grace seem like she's avoiding me?"

The female voice sighed, "She's not avoiding you. Probably just confused."

"How? Why?" The baritone voice went edgy with irritation.

"Cause you're never home! I know being a police chief is difficult, but she can't help but wonder why her father isn't there for her when she needs him."

"But I try to spend time with her-"

"Yeah, but you can't win her affections with gifts!"

There was an uncomfortable stillness. Grace held her breath trying to inch closer behind the bushes for better hearing access.

"Look," Elizabeth's warm gray eyes searched his, "she'll warm up to you eventually. Give it time. Just be sure to tell her that you're there for her. No matter what."

"Of course."

Her father's voice pulled Grace out of her reverie, "Grace honey, you haven't touched your food. Everything okay?"

She looked down at her plate, eyeing at her cauliflower with disgust.

"Yeah. I just hate cauliflower."

A/N: Alrighty then, there's more where that came from! And sorry for bringing religion into this. I have a good enough reason for it though! And that reasoning will come through in the next few chapters or so...if I have any confidence and motivation to continue this. -Wink wink, nudge nudge-