Summary:

When the Avatar and friends fled from the invasion,

They stumbled across the Western Air Temple.

What they didn't know was that Zuko had

Followed them with hopes of joining them.

What would happen if Zuko refused to leave at the

Western Air Temple when Katara had told him to?

Would he actually allow himself to be pushed around?

Or will he accidentally fight back?

When earning their trust, it might be a little bit harder.

Chapter One

Aang looked down as they were walking to the Western Air Temple. The entire invasion had been a disaster. The entire Fire Nation knew what was coming and was ready for them. They thought they had the element of surprise on their side, but the Fire Nation was somehow always one step ahead. They had everything planned out. They would get there just in time to the point that Aang would walk into the Fire Lord's chambers just as the eclipse started. The Fire Nation would have no power and the Avatar would've ended the war. But it just didn't go their way this time. The Fire Lord and Azula knew they were coming and hid so it would have been harder for them to find them if they could. When they found the underground caverns, the man in the caverns who was walking and had no idea they were coming gave them false directions and they ended up in Azula's hideout. She, unfortunately, was able to waste all of their time. She even had Dai Lee agents on her side which made it even harder to find the Fire Lord's chambers. By the time the eclipse was over, she already had floats to ambush them and capture them, and more importantly, the Avatar. They had exploded their submarines and the youngest of the group had to go on Appa. Aang was walking with his friends at least. They contained Teo, Haru, The Duke, Katara, and Sokka.

"I miss Pip Squeak…" The Duke said sadly.

"I miss not having blisters on my feet," Sokka replied, at least he had some sarcasm in his voice.

Toph was walking listening to their conversations, not complaining, because she had everybody she loved here and she already had blisters on her feet. But she finally said something when she felt the Western Air Temple practically in arms reach.

"Hey, guys! We're here! I can feel it!" She said very enthusiastically.

They were looking off a cliff to a dead end.

"Uh, Toph? I think your feet need their eyes checked," Katara said.

Aang could feel the Western Air Temple too, "No, she's right. We are here."

Sokka looked each way and he shrugged, looking confused, and as always, hungry.

"Wow! It's amazing!" Toph said with wonders in her eyes.

The group climbed on Appa so the rest could see it too.

"Yip Yip," Aang said, and the Flying Bison started flying down into the pit.

There was a chorus of 'wow's and 'oh my god's at the sight of the Western Air Temple. The entire city looked as if It was upside down what not with the building's roof's points facing dead down and the bases of them holding onto the crust of the Earth. They landed next to a fountain which looked to be the only right-side up thing on the city. The Earth benders looked around in awe thinking the same things; this would be a great spot to practice Earth Bending.

"Wow! This place is so different from the Northern Air temple!" Teo said, amazed.

"Do you think there are any secret rooms?" The Duke asked.

"Let's go check it out," Haru said and they ran up the stairs, Aang running so he could go to, but was stopped by his own glider which had Katara controlling it, "You guys go ahead. We have to check up on things," She said

"Why can't I go?" Aang asked.

"We need to discuss what we are going to do now, and since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be apart of this." She said.

"Fair enough," Aang said, realizing that he still had responsibilities.

They came together in a group on some benches in a clearing.

"So… what's the new plan?" Aang asked.

"Well… if you ask me," Sokka said, "The new plan is the old plan. We've just got to come up with a plan to for you to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the Comet comes."

"Oh yeah, just great! No problem! I'll just do that," Aang said sarcastically.

"Aang, nobody said it was going to be easy," Katara said.

"Well, it's not even going to be possible. I mean, where am I going to find a Fire Bending teacher?" Aang asked

Katara thought for a moment, and then her eyes perked up, "We could look for Jeong Jeong!"

"Oh yeah right," Aang said. He laid down over the edge of the bench, "Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again!" He added sarcastically.

"Who's…?" Toph started, "Oh never mind, if he's important I'll find out,"

Aang flipped back up and landed on his feet, "Oh well… I guess we can't come up with anybody, why don't we just take a nice tour around the temple!" He ran over and jumped onto his glider and off into the distance.

"What's up with him?" Toph asked.

"There has got to be someone who can teach Aang…" Sokka said thoughtfully.

An hour had passed and Katara, Sokka, and Toph had decided to look for Aang on the bison, which wasn't too hard. When they caught sight of him, Sokka said Yip, Yip and they caught up to him.

"Aang, can we please talk about you learning Fire Bending now?" Katara yelled for him, but he ignored her.

"What? I can't hear you. The wind is too loud in my ears," Aang said over the currents, "Hey check out this loop!" He then did a three sixty on his glider which gave Appa more time to catch up with him.

"Aang! I think we should be making some plans about our future!" Sokka yelled.

"Alright! We can do that while I show you the giant Pi Shou table!" Aang said as he landed near a beautiful fountain, "Oh and you're going to love the all-day echo chamber!"

When Toph's feet hit the ground, she suddenly got a disgusted look on her face and she turned to Aang, "I think that will have to wait," she said and pointed at Appa who was just moving to the right and revealed an all too familiar face. It was Zuko.

Everybody took a fighting stance and Toph erupted a piece of Earth out of the ground.

"Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there, so I uh, thought I would wait for you here," Zuko stated, he was having a hard time selling himself here, "I know you may be surprised to see me here-,"

"Not really," Sokka interrupted, "Since you've practically followed us all around the world trying to capture Aang."

"Uh, right," Zuko scratched his head, unsure of what to do now, "Well, I just wanted to say that I've changed, and that I wanted to join your group, oh! And that I could teach fire-bending- to you," he pointed at Aang. Aang's face expression changed to one of caution and surprise, to one of suspicion and anger.

"See I-," Zuko started, but Toph cut him off, "You wanna what now?"

"You cannot possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" Katara snapped, "I mean, how stupid do you think we are?"

"Yeah! All you have tried to do it follow us around and capture Aang," Sokka added, "And you attacked the Water Tribe."

"I've done some good things!" Zuko protested, "I mean I could have either left or taken your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free, that's something right?" Zuko said. The Flying bison licked him.

"Appa does seem to like Zuko," Toph recalled.

"He probably just covered himself in Honey or something so Appa would lick him," Sokka said, as a matter of a fact, "I'm not buying it,"

Zuko looked down, "I can understand why you wouldn't want to trust me, and I know I've made some terrible mistakes in the past. I was wrong to try to capture you, I was wrong to attack the Water Tribe, and I never should have sent the Fire Nation assassin after you," Sokka's eye got wide with rage at this news, "I am going to try to-,"

"Wait! You sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka asked, as he pulled out his boomerang and pointed it accusing Zuko.

Zuko looked up, "Well that's not his name, but-,"

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to insult your friend." Sokka snarled.

"He's not my friend!" Zuko protested.

"That guy tried to blow us all up!" Toph yelled.

Zuko looked down realizing all he had put them through and then looked at the bald monk who was looking away, "Why aren't you saying anything?" Zuko asked, "You once said you thought we could have been friends. You know I have good in me,"

Aang looked at his friends for support and Sokka nodded no. Aang looked at Zuko, and with eyes that were, not daggers, but swords, he said, "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We will never let you join us,"

"You need to get out of here," Katara said sternly, "NOW!"

Zuko felt as if all reasons for coming up here were hopeless, but he would not give up that easily, "I am trying to explain to you that I am not that kind of person anymore!" His voice was rising.

"Either you leave, or we will attack you," Sokka threatened.

Zuko felt shocked. He didn't think these people were even capable of attacking. But they were not the same kids from the South Pole. They were armed. Ready to attack, die, and kill. He knew he only had one way to go, "If you will not accept me as a friend," He knelt down on his knees and bowed his head and held his wrists up for them to be bound, "Then maybe you can accept me as a prisoner."

Katara was angered by this, "No! We Won't!" Katara said, and he emotions got the best of her and she bended out a gash of water and hit Zuko. He was pushed with a yelp and, fortunately, he was only drenched to the bone.

"Get out of here," Katara yelled, "And if we ever see you again- well we BETTER not see you again!"

"I will not leave," Zuko stated, "I came with a goal to achieve, and indeed I shall," Zuko lifted himself to his knees.

"Then you have left us with no choice," Sokka said darkly.

It was then that Zuko saw right before his eyes water, Earth, and air fly towards him. All that was missing was fire. He dodged the Earth, and the water, but the air slapped him against a pillar. A pillar of Earth seemed to come from no where but out of the ground and sent Zuko flying up to a high wall. Water circled around his waist and sent him to the ground, slamming him into it. Air whipped him at a wall and cuffs of rock surrounded his wrists and legs. The group circled around him.

"I am not going to fight you," Zuko croaked out, "I surrender, and if you want to, you may send me to my grave."

"With pleasure," Katara said.

She pulled him off the wall by grabbing his waist again with her water. Zuko cried out as his wrists and ankles were pried from the wall. Katara changed her bending stance for a moment then pulled her arm forward and Zuko flew over to the opposite wall, slamming into it head first. The rebounding hit with a crack and Zuko's limp body fell over to the side. The three other kids stared at her with disbelief until Toph spoke up, rage covered her entire face.

"Katara why would you actually try to kill him?" Toph yelled. She ran over to where Zuko's body was and sat down next to it. She felt a soft breathing and a faint heartbeat. "You are lucky he is still alive, or it would have been your head into the next rock that I saw fit!"

"Katara…" Sokka looked at Katara with unbelieving eyes, "Come on," He held her wrist and led her into the interior of the Western Air Temple. Aang ran over to Toph where she was just sitting. He sat down to inspect Zuko and noticed a giant gash on his right temple. His wrists and legs had cuts all over them, and by the look of his abnormally shaped chest that he had broken a few ribs in the run too.

"Here, at least help me carry Zuko to a bed," Aang said. Toph nodded and grabbed his feet, probably her favorite part of him. She loved feet. They carried him through all the way to a room. They laid him down, and Aang softly whispered, "I'm sorry," He left the room with a sad look. He never wanted for innocent people to get hurt. Although Zuko saw it coming, He still didn't deserve it.