The Begging of the End

She sobs uncontrollably on the shoulder of the boy who was once her enemy. The smell of sandalwood, ash, and blood fill her nostrils. She tills her head to look around, and all she can see is chaos. Bodies broken and burned. Buildings smashed and smoking. And in the middle of it all lies a girl, no older than she, whose eyes look straight into her soul. Eyes which once burned bright gold with determination, hate, and a pound royal heritage. Eyes which have now turned a pale yellow in the shadow of deaths embrace. She knows those eyes will haunt her for the rest of her life.

As she looks around she barely registers that a hand is on her face, thumb stroking her cheek. She leans into this touch and closes her eyes as more tears being to fall. He's trying to talk to her, but she can't hear his words. She opens her eyes and slowly looks up and into his. They are the same molten gold orbs that use to be the center of her nightmares. The same eyes that when seen would cause her to fill with such rage she would see red. The same color as the once proud girl lying dead just a few feet away. But now those eyes look just as hurt and confused as she is.

"It will be alright Katara." he says. But she can hear his pain under his normal raspy voice, and she's pretty sure he is saying that more for his sake than hers. Nevertheless she knows it won't be alright. It never will be. She wishes she could turn back time, or at the very least to the beginning of the summer. She wish they could go back and plan more, train more, and to just be all around prepared more. But then again, all the preparation in the world wouldn't help a bunch of kids and teenagers try to stop a war.

They were naïve and so full of hope that they thought they could do the impossible. Really who were they trying to fool, thinking that they could stop a war that thousands of wiser, better train, and more capable people had already tried to do for over 100 years! She wants to look on the bright side. She desperately needs to if she is going to go on. Again she thinks back to the start of summer, and how the scarred boy showed up at the temple. If he had not shown up thins would be a lot worse.

She reaches her hand up to touch his face, just below the scar. A drop of water falls on the back of her hand and she looks up to his eyes only to find their tears unshed. She then turns her face up to the still bright red sky, and just to the right of the comet she sees the moon begin to rise. At that moment the skies open up and the rain pours down. It is almost as if both Agni and Tui themselves are crying out. She looks back down, thumb stroking the edge of his scar.

"No it won't Zuko." She looks him directly in the eyes, "The only hope for the world was a 12-year-old boy and he ran away! We failed."

~oOo~

~Three Months Earlier~

It's been two weeks since the failed invasion on the Day of Black Sun, and they have walked for the better part of three days to the Western Airtemple. They spent months planning, preparing, and readying themselves for it. Planning for any number of scenarios. All but the one they encountered. Sighing Katara shakes her head trying to ward of the depressing thoughts. She needs to push forward and look on the bright side (no matter how small it is). But the throbbing in her feet is making it kinda difficult.

"Sorry guys, but Appa gets tired having to carry all theses people." Aang says sadly while patting the two ton bison on his head. Appa then lets out a low, almost apologetic sounding, groan in response.

"But don't worry we should be there soon!"

"You said that yesterday." Sokka moans.

"And the day before that." Teo chimes in.

Aang starts scratching the back of his head, "I know guys but I promise-"

"Hey we're here! I can feel it!" Toph shouts. Katara looks out but only sees a cliff.

"Uh, I think your feet need their eyes checked." She says.

"No she's right!" Aang says while running to stand beside Toph.

~oOo~

After everyone got everything unloaded and Appa settled into the old stable, Teo, Haru, and The Duke went off to explore the temple. While Sokka, Toph, Katara, and Aang gathered around the fountain in the courtyard to come up with a new plan. However after five minutes Aang was ready to go play. Katara wondered how, even after all that travel, he couldn't sit still for more than ten minutes. So when he grabbed his glider and ran off she wasn't the least bit surprised.

Rubbing her temples with her fingers she ignored the grumblings coming from her brother and Toph and walked towards the kitchen. She wanted nothing more than to go to her room and lay down. Or to the group bathroom and take a hot bath, but someone had to make lunch. She wished that someone would offer to help but Aang was the only one who ever did. And when he did he often made things more difficult.

Sighing she grabbed the big pot, filling it with water, and placed it in the fireplace. After light the fire she started to chop up what little vegetables they had left. She began to think of what they would do next.

Aang needs to find a teacher but who can we find to do it. She thinks to herself. She puts the vegetables in the pot before going to find Toph to talk it over with.

Katara finds Toph and Sokka down in the makeshift stable with Appa.

"We need to get him to take this seriously." Sokka says

"That's pretty rich coming from you Snozzles." Toph says as she earth bends a chair for herself to sit in.

"Hey that-"

"Guys could we please try to figure this out and how we can get Aang to take it more seriously." Katara says while rubbing her temples again, trying to wane off her on coming headache. She groans, closing her eyes, and rubs harder. This is the third headache in a week. She hears a swooshing sound and opens her eyes to see Aang swooping down to land beside her.

"Guys this is so much fun!" He says with a big grin on his face.

"That's great Aang but we need to talk." She says while placing a hand on his glider incase he tries to fly off again. But then Toph quickly stands up.

"That's gonna have to wait." Pointing over to Appa who moved out of the way to revile the one person who they don't need to see right now.

"Hello. Zuko here."

AN: Ok so… Just incase you missed it I am/have rewritten this story. 1st person was just to hard and I was having to force it so I changed it so hopefully the chapters will come a lot faster.

Feel free to R&R anything is welcomed

Until next time

:)