Thanks for deciding to read Leaves from the Vine! We do not own Avatar, any of its characters or its plot. But the storyline in this fanfiction and the original characters are ours.

{LEAVES FROM THE VINE}

Prologue

by Tahpsfan

A bright, electrifying light lit up the sky around the Fire Nation war ship, which was currently being flown by three gangly passengers. The light blinded the two of whom could see such light. Sokka realized that something was wrong, for all the noise from the battle raging between his friend Aang and the tyrant Ozai, was gone. Quickly, Sokka searched for something on the command center to help him see his friend. He found the scope, and set it on the spot the light had come from.

Toph felt Sokka's anxiety change to something she's only felt in those who are deep in despair as he gazed out of the scope. Toph quickly shoved a chair under Sokka, for whatever he had seen had made him weak.

"Sokka!" Suki raced over as he fell into the chair. "What did you see? What's happening? Sokka speak to us!"

"He…Ozai…won…why…was ready…no…no, no, no!" Sokka started slamming his closed fists on the control panel of the ship.

Toph was afraid of Sokka's answer to her question, "Sokka, who won?"

Sokka stopped destroying the controls and stared into Toph's unseeing eyes. "Aang is dead."

Those three words instantly turned Sokka's train of thoughts to Katara, and now her love for the young Avatar and those three words would most likely kill the young waterbending master. And it was an ocean away that she would hear this news, without him.

{LEAVES FROM THE VINE}

After affirming Zuko's health, Katara helped him up to order the Fire Nation soldiers that were running around the grounds. "Make sure she's locked up securely." Zuko gestured to Azula, who was unconscious and currently being put into tight binds.

One of the Fire Sages ran up and bowed to Zuko. "When should we crown you, Prince Zuko?"

"I need to rest, and then meet up with the Avatar and friends," Zuko replied.

"Yes, my Lord." The Fire Sage the proceeded to escort Zuko and Katara to the throne room. Katara took quick notice of the two large barrels, probably containing water, on each side of the throne. "I'll return to check on the Fire Lord's condition." The sage was about to leave but a messenger rushed into him.

"This scroll needs to be read by the Fire Lord's eyes only!" The words rapidly fell out of the messenger's mouth. The nimble messenger the made his way up to the throne, bowed as he handed the thin scroll over to Zuko, and left as quickly as he came. Katara watched Zuko's face while he read the black-ribboned scroll with hope that it might tell of the victory Aang had achieved. Instead, Zuko's face changed to pure horror, which meant only one thing.

"Aang…he…" Zuko trailed off and as Katara realized what he meant, her face mirrored his. "Katara, we need to go meet up with Sokka." Zuko tried to get up, but fell back into his seat when a sharp pain ripped up his chest.

Katara's medical training kicked in, and knowing the severity of the situation, helped Zuko up and headed for the courtyard that held Appa. Even though Zuko needed assistance, the two benders made it to Appa unseen. Once in the air, Katara directed Appa towards Kyoshi Island, the chosen location for such an impossible event as this. She then joined Zuko in the saddle to finish healing him.

"You don't need to hold it in, Katara. It's unhealthy to do so. He wouldn't want you to get sick over him. Aang loved you so much, you know."

At that Katara sobbed harder than she did when her mother died, harder than when she thought that Aang had died at Ba Sing Se, harder than when he woke after that terrible scare. Zuko, who was never good with emotions or feelings, hugged Katara tightly and reassured her that everything was going to be okay, even though he himself didn't believe it.

What seemed like forever, but in reality was only a couple of hours, Katara stopped crying. Night was upon the two crippled travelers, yet neither wanted to sleep because of the nightmares that were sure to haunt them.

The sun was finally setting on the dreadful day as Sokka, Suki, and Toph were nearing Kyoshi Island. After ditching the Fire Nation war ship, the three managed to find an abandoned farm, and changed their mode of transport to an ostrich horse. While going through the farm they found some Earth Kingdom peasant clothing and changed into that from their battle gear.

A few hours later, they were stopped by the Kyoshi warriors, whom celebrated the return of their friends. Upon chatting with the group their joyous feelings were replaced with sorrow. The three were escorted into an empty house, for no one was awake in the village to discuss the ghastly news.

Around half an hour later, Katara and Zuko, who was being carried by Kyoshi warriors, burst into the house. After lowering Zuko comfortably onto a cot and helping Katara set up to heal him, everyone gather around the two. Sokka asked the obvious question, "What happened?"

"Azula. Zuko challenged her to an Agni Kai and then took a bolt of lightning to the chest for me. I ended up chaining her down, and she was taken away to some mental prison. We were in the throne room when the scroll…" Katara became vacant, and then focused on healing Zuko.

Sokka put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk after we figure out what we need to do next. We need some plan to get us through this."

"We need to find the next Avatar and train him or her, right?" Toph thought aloud. "Because of the cycle, we'll need to travel to both Water Tribes."

"How can we train the new Avatar if they are not old enough to bend?" Suki tried to torpid the group from rushing into things. "We'll have to wait at least a couple of years to find them. We will also need to do it in secret, since we'll be hunted by the Fire Nation indefinitely."

"We'll talk more on the plan tomorrow. Katara follow me," Sokka demanded.

"But Zuko needs to—"

"You need this more." Sokka walked out the front door and then to the rear of the house. "Katara you know you have several people here who care for you. And know that Aang loved you so much, he would hate himself for causing you this pain. None of us would want you to do anything…dramatic." Sokka put his hands on Katara's shoulder. "As your big brother, I am required to protect you, but I can't shield you from yourself."

Katara violently shook Sokka's hands from her shoulders. "How dare you Sokka! Do you think I would end my own life because I lost Aang? Yes, I do feel like sprinting into those waters and having the Unagi take me, but I know that will not solve anything! And there's something else I need to live for."

Sokka, utterly confused, came to a hasty conclusion. "You can't fight Ozai on your own! That's insane—"

"I might be pregnant!" Katara cried. Those four simple words caused very unpleasant thoughts, for Sokka, to crash through his brain.

"…Aang's?"

"Yes, about a week—"

"No." Sokka covered his ears quickly. "No, I don't need to hear anything else. I should be ashamed or disgraced, yet I kind of want to be an uncle. Just not this early. If you are, we will all help you cross that path."

Katara put Sokka into a tight embrace, surprising Sokka. Feeling his shoulder become wet, he squeezed his sister, and allowed the tears that he was holding in to rush down his face.