Chapter 1: Welcome Home

Summer break had arrived! Katara stepped off the train and looked around. She stared down at her watch. 3:45, Gran Gran said she'd be here by now. Maybe Gran Gran wasn't picking her up, could her brother Sokka be coming? She moved out of the way as the train was leaving. She sighed and put her suitcases down on a bench and sat waiting for her grandmother to show up.

It had been months since Katara saw all her friends. Sokka was still living with Gran Gran going to the community college. He been waiting to hear back about transferring this summer. Aang and Toph were still in high school, of course they still had school for another month, but she knew no matter what they'd go out on a school night just to see her. Especially Toph, Katara knew she build bridges to sneak out of her house.

There were some of her other friends she grew concerned about. She hadn't seen, talk to, or heard about Jet since the Lake Loagi incident last summer. She could still remember that day, just like any other summer day hanging out at the lake with Jet and his friends Longshot and Smellerbee. Sokka had decided to wrestle each other for no apparent reason. While wrestling, Jet fell back hit his head and some rocks and fell into the lake. Everyone thought he was joking till they saw he was not moving. They took Jet to the hospital right away, and she still had heard nothing.

Another train came in, Katara looked up to see the last three girls she'd ever wanted to see come off, Azula, Mai and Ty Lee. They all had been attached at the hip since birth, they went to a all girl private school, and now go to an all girls college. She had not wanted to see them. Last summer, Azula's dad Oazi bought out several companies, including her neighbor's, Kuei King's company, ( the largest in all the town). With him buying up the company he fired hundred of employees, including several of her neighbors. And of course Azula was right there by Daddy's side.

But the most heart breaking moment was when one of her life long friends Zuko, turned his back on her and everyone. Zuko had been disowned by Oazi after a car accident left Zuko scared for life, and his mother dead. Ever since then Zuko was living with his uncle, Iroh across town. Katara always liked Iroh, he was funny, he gave great advise, not to mention he made a great cup of coffee. In fact Iroh had just opened up a coffee shop with Zuko. Things were going great until Ozai bought up the land around there causing Iroh to close the shop. After that Zuko left without saying a word why.

Katara sighed as she watched the three girls get into a Mercedes, being driven by Ozai. Yet Katara was surprised that the car drove away. Wasn't Zuko coming off the train? Katara looked up to see a familiar face.

"Haru!" She said as she stood up and hugged her friend. "How are you? How's college?"

"I've been better" Haru smiled

Katara meet Haru when she first moved into the town 15 years ago. Haru's family had always been poor. His father was in and out of jobs so often. One day, Haru's father did the unthinkable. He went into the town bank, and robbed it. Thus putting him in prison. Katara knew that Haru's father wasn't a bad man; he just would have done anything to get a few extra dollars. Haru lived with his mother, who opened up a small corner store. It was enough to get by, but not enough to send Haru to college. But Haru was an amazing basketball player, and a college spotted him and offered him a scholarship.

" This semester drained me so much" Haru said sitting down next to his friend. "It just seemed a lot harder."

"I know what you mean." Katara laughed. "You'd expect to get easy classes but they are the most demanding out of all of them. Is your mother coming."

"She should be here soon. You have a ride?"

"Gran Gran should be here soon. Or Sokka. Hopefully not Sokka, I can't stand to ride his motorcycle."

Haru laughed, as a car horn honked. Katara looked over to see, a bright smiling face.

"Katara!!!" Aang screamed from the drivers seat! "Guess who got their license!"

Katara's eyes lit up as she gathered her things then turned back to Haru "See you later! We should do lunch one day!" Haru waved as Katara threw her things into Aang's trunk. Katara got into the back seat to see Toph sitting in the passenger's seat.

"How's it going sugar queen?" She asked

"I'm good." Katara answered back, "how about you? Did you get your license Toph?"

"What do you think?" Toph said back as Katara grinned sheepishly. Toph was legally blind. She could see, but not well at all. Her parents were very protected of her. They home schooled her, and hardly every let her out. Toph most of the time had to sneak out just to see her friends.

"I can't believe Gyatso let you get a car when you got your licenses." Katara said trying to switch the conversation away from the awkwardness before.

"Gyatso promised me when I turned 17, an pass my drivers test, he said he'll get me a car." Aang said " and I passed the test with flying colors!"

Aang had been adopted by the town's reverend, Gyatso. He treated Aang like his own son, though many other people thought he shouldn't take Aang in with the fact Gyatso was to old. In fact in Aang ran away when he was 12 for 5 days as he over heard a rumor that Gyatso was going to give him up. They found in nearly frozen to death with his dog, Appa.

Katara looked out the window, they were in the business distract. Any stores had close signs in the window, as she knew Ozai had bought up most of the land around in the area. Katara turned to her friends. "Has anyone heard from Zuko?"

Toph turned to Aang, as Katara saw Aang tense up. "We haven't heard from him since last summer no." Toph said, " You still have a crush on him?" Aang tensed up more.

"With the jerk he became, no." Katara snapped back.

Relationships were crazy with there friends. Katara liked Zuko; thought Zuko hated her and her friends with a passion. But that did not stop him from hanging out with them, as he had no other friends. Aang, had a crush on Katara since she was 8 and he was 6. He was always too nervous to tell her, as he knew she did like Zuko. But there always seem to be this sexual tension between Toph and Aang, they always were hanging out, Toph even had a pet name for him (Twinkle Toes). Katara had dated many guys, including Haru ( only for 3 months) and Jet ( her longest relationship, which was 4 years thought out high school). Katara's brother Sokka had 3 girlfriends at once ( Suki; captain of the girls lacrosse team in high school, Yue; a rich private school girl , and Ty Lee; one of Azula's friends who was a trained gymnasts since she was 4.) Yue, however transferred to another school when she was 16, and presumably had a arrange marriage set. Sokka broke up with Ty Lee before she started her freshmen year of college, and is now currently just dating Suki. It's really crazy and sometimes got Katara's head spinning.

Aang turned down Avon St., the street Katara lived on, as Aang slowed down in front of Katara's house. Katara looked across the street to she her neighbor, Mr. Pakku watering the plants in his front yard. Aang honked his horn

"Hey Mr. Pakku!" he yelled out his window.

Pakku turned around and frowned "How nice to see you have another way to greet people." He said sarcastically. Pakku once looked after Aang, as he was a friend of Gyatso's. He'd always was sarcastic to which Aang rarely seemed to get.

Katara and Toph laughed at Aang's oblivion. Katara stepped out of the car and was soon followed by Aang. "Aang, I don't need your help. I am fine bringing in my own bags."

"Hey it's not a problem" Aang smiled "I'm just being a good friend. Coming Toph."

"Yea whatever." Toph stepped out of the car and placed her hand on Aang's shoulder to make sure she didn't trip over anything.

Katara opened the door, "Gran-Gran. Sokka? I'm home!"

Barreling down the stairs came Sokka. He smiled as he hugged his sister, "Hey sis. Sorry I couldn't come to pick you up. I had to take a test. And Gran Gran had to run out."

"That's why he called me" Aang said as he dropped Katara's bags in the hall.

"Hey I just got off the phone with Suki," Sokka said to all of them, "As she planning on getting everyone together at The White Lotus tonight at 10. You guys wanna come?"

"I'll go." Toph said immediately, "Just the standard breaking out of the house routine. Got that Aang."

"Got it," Aang said "Be nice seeing the gang again. Katara?"

"Who's going?"

"Well, Suki said that she talked to Jet, and he might be coming with Smellerbee and Longshot."

"Jet!?!" Aang said "Where's he been?"

"I'm not sure." Sokka answered back, "Suki said he'll tell us tonight. So Katara you in?"

Katara thought a second. As long as he won't be there, it shouldn't be a problem. Katara looked at her friends, "I'll come."

"Great" Aang said, "See you all at 10!"

After her friends left Katara made her way up into her room. She threw her bags on the floor and collapsed on her bed. She looked over on her night stand to look at a few photo's in frames. One was of her and her brother when they were much younger standing in front of Cinderella's castle in Disney with their mother. Her eyes glanced to the second one of her, Aang, Sokka and Zuko dressed up as the character's from the Wizard of Oz for Halloween when Katara was 7. The third picture was of her Toph and Suki at a Backstreet Boys concert when they were in their teens. The forth picture was facing down. Katara wonder what it was, she lifted it up to see it was a pictured of her and Zuko when they were at Zuko's graduation party four years ago. A tear dripped from Katara's eyes remembering the time when they use to be so close.

"Why do you cry whenever you look at the picture." Sokka voice came.

Katara looked up to see her bother standing in the door way eating an apple. "who said you can come into my room."

"I live her to you know" he said spitting bits of the apple, "I don't know why you still like that kid, he's such a dick."

"He it not a dick." Katara yelled getting up out off her bed pushing her brother out of her room, "I know there is still good inside him." Katara slammed the door in her brothers face. she turned on the radio to drown out her brother yelling and banging on the door. Of course the first song that came on was Katara's favorite song "Read my Mind.". Katara sigh as the song reminded her of when she dragged Zuko to The Killer's concert. She remembered how he had no desire to go, but by the end of the night, had officially loved the band as much as Katara. Katara looked over at the picture and turned it down again.