Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters. Though I wish I did.

Summary: In the weeks following the defeat of Ozai and the Fire Nation, Aang and his friends realize that the world they live in is still in danger. After making a plan, they head back to Ba Sing Se to convince the world of the necessity of their mission.

Author's Note:This story is my attempt to create a new season to Avatar, continuing directly from the final moments of the series. If all goes according to plan, it will be long. I am a huge fan of Zutara, as well as all the characters of the show, but it's important to me as an author to keep the characters as true to themselves and natural as possible. That said, this story is eventual Zutara. So any Kataang or Maiko fans, please be warned. And for all you Zutarians out there, it might take awhile, but eventually we will get to Zutara goodness. ^_^

Edit: I'm reposting the story as just a single long chapter rather than a few smaller chapters. I was afraid people might dislike one longer chapter when I originally posted it, but I guess I was wrong. ;) Just look at the different breaks in the story as commercial breaks, lol.

Book Four: Spirit

Chapter One: A New Mission

1.1

"And that's when I stomped my foot under the table and BLAM!" The floor shook for emphasis. "The egg custard splattered all over his face!"

The room erupted in laughter. Sokka moaned and buried his face in his hands as Suki threw a sympathetic arm around his shoulder. "Really, Toph, do you have to keep repeating that story over and over again? We get it. Everyone is already well aware how talented you are at humiliating me. So can you give it a rest already?"

Toph leaned back on her cushion and folded her arms behind her head. "Okay, I will." She grinned broadly. "As soon as it stops being so funny!"

Once again, laughter rang throughout the tea room, and Zuko smiled. He had missed this. After his coronation, the Fire Lord believed that he would never again be allowed to enjoy the too often taken-for-granted moments like this. He feared that the rest of his years would be wasted away by countless hours in the war room (now, instead, dubbed the "situation" room by Aang), developing strategies to keep his nation united, to keep his people happy, to keep the cost of rice from rising and jobs from disappearing. But as he looked to each of the laughing faces gathered at his uncle's tea shop, his friends, his family, he realized that as long as these people were in his life, not a moment of it would be wasted.

And then Zuko suddenly noticed that two laughing faces were absent. He scanned the room once more, wondering when and how Aang and Katara had managed to slip out of his notice so quietly. Ignoring the chatter and laughter surrounding him, Zuko began to rise in search of them when he quickly glanced out the window and…

…Suddenly, Zuko couldn't breathe.

He felt a stab in his gut, as if a dagger of ice had lodged itself deep beneath his chest, the cold spreading throughout his body and encasing it in a dull numbness. Zuko couldn't help but stare as, unbeknownst to anyone but him, the Avatar and the Waterbender kissed quietly, gently, in the glow of the fading sun.

After a brief moment of paralyzing shock, Zuko became much too uncomfortable witnessing their private moment and instead whipped his eyes downward to the teacup that sat on the table before him. He tried desperately to shake off the feeling of numb disorientation and unease that threatened to overwhelm him, but for some reason he couldn't escape it.

"Zuko," Uncle Iroh peered at his nephew over his own teacup, concern etched deep in his eyes. "Are you okay? You look as if you are becoming ill."

Zuko swallowed hard and looked up at his uncle, using all his strength to will away any turbulent emotions that may have been hiding behind his own eyes. "I'm fine, Uncle. My stomach's just a little upset." He tried to smile reassuringly at the old man, but Iroh's concerned frown lingered.

"Well, if your stomach is upsetting you, let me add some shaved ginger root to your tea. It will help ease your discomfort."

Iroh rose with Zuko's cup in his hand, and he noticed his nephew's grateful smile falter briefly as he stole a glance out the window once more. The old man followed the boy's gaze and, after a moment, let out a small sympathetic sigh. Laying a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder, Iroh looked at his nephew once more. "On second thought, let me brew you some chamomile tea instead. It soothes both the stomach and the spirits."

Zuko smiled sadly. "Thank you, Uncle."

1.2

They walked towards the patio door together, still hand in hand, and she smiled as the setting sun continued to warm her back. Right now, Katara just felt so… what was the word? ... Content. She congratulated herself for choosing the perfect expression for her current emotions. Weeks ago, they had taken down the greatest threat to the entire world, and now she was surrounded by all of her closest friends, ready to return to them after just kissing someone she cared about very much. Katara grinned again. She was very content. And comfortable. That sounded like a very good word, too.

Her mind suddenly snapped out of her reverie as she watched Aang reach for the handle of the patio door with their hands still locked together.

"Wait!" Katara whispered fiercely as she pulled Aang to the side of the door where the others couldn't see them. "We can't go in there like this!"

Aang smiled nervously. "What, are you ashamed of me?" He was joking, but real fear hid underneath those words.

"What? No!" she whispered, giving him an apologetic smile. "It's not that. It's just that… well, first off, I don't want Sokka making a big scene or telling any stupid jokes about us…"

Aang looked up and seemed to consider this. "Well, Sokka does like to create drama. And his jokes are pretty stupid…"

"Right," Katara nodded. "And it's also because… um, I don't know if this makes any sense to you, but… this," she pointed between herself and Aang, "just happened, and… well, um… I'd like to keep it for myself a little bit." She looked up shyly. "Do you understand?"

He looked at her with unbridled joy and enthusiasm. "Uh huh! Of course I do. Don't worry, Katara. It won't be a problem!"

"Good," Katara sighed. She looked back up at the bouncing boy in front of her, and his broad grin was so infectious that she couldn't help smiling as they walked inside through the patio doors together.

The loud peals of laughter and excited conversations were going just as strong as when they had all just arrived and everyone had seen each other for the first time in weeks. Although it had been nice to go back to the South Pole and spend some time with her dad and Gran Gran, she was so excited to be back together with her other family again. She giggled as she watched Toph still pointing at and mocking Sokka's awful drawings, whereas it seemed Ty Lee was trying to give him some constructive criticism. (Wow… Katara never realized how scary Suki could be when she was giving her death stare…)

Katara stood in the center of the room next to Aang and smiled warmly. She loved all these people so much. She shifted to her right slightly and thought that she glimpsed, out of the corner of her eye, Zuko looking over at her. Katara turned to smile and walk over to him, but he was looking into his teacup instead. Her smile slipped a little bit. She was about to go over and find out what was wrong with the young Fire Lord when Mai popped up out of nowhere and proceeded to drape herself over Zuko like he was some kind of throw pillow. Katara's smile fell off her face altogether. She could see the heavy-lidded girl whispering something into his ear (probably more sarcastic comments about her friends), but whatever she said seemed to have no effect on the sulking man. Katara raised her nose haughtily and turned away from the both of them.

'Fine,' she thought as she walked back towards Aang, 'I'll just talk to some of my friends who'll actually look at me.'

She began to say something to Aang when there seemed to be a simultaneous lull in all of the conversations, and the room quieted. She looked back at Aang. "So, um…," she began lamely.

"ME AND KATARA ARE TOGETHER!"

"AANG!" Katara screamed shrilly and stared at the boy in shock.

The room was so still you could hear a dragonbeetle sneeze. Everyone stared expressionlessly at the pair in the center of the tea room (well, except for Zuko). And then the wave of nosy questions crashed over Katara like an ocean storm.

"WHAT?! KATARA? AANG?!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO MY LITTLE SISTER?!"

"Ha! Good going, Twinkle Toes! I knew you'd pull it off eventually."

"Awwww! That's so great! You guys are sooooo cute together! Do you think you'll get married soon? Oh,I hope I find a guy that cute and shiny!"

"Wow. Well… At least she'll never be bored." Mai grinned over to her boyfriend, but he had already turned away from her and was walking up the stairs.

"I'm going to train in my room for awhile. I'll see you tomorrow."

Mai scowled.

*******

Aang look around happily at all his friends cheering for him and Katara (except for Sokka, of course, who still sat flabbergasted on the floor with his eye spasming occasionally). But then he glanced over into his girlfriend's eyes, and the floor fell out from under him.

"Aang," she whispered sadly, her eyes shining with tears. "How could you?"

And then she was gone.

1.3

Try as he might, Zuko couldn't manage to escape the painful and conflicting emotions that had haunted him since witnessing the scene earlier that evening. Nothing, not meditating nor sword practice nor firebending, could seem to distract him from the lump of lead that had settled in his stomach, a dull yet powerful ache that continued to thrum throughout his entire body. As the evening wore on and the pain refused to subside, the Fire Lord grew angrier and angrier with himself. What frustrated him the most was that he couldn't understand why he felt so hurt seeing his two friends kiss.

Zuko was able to admit to himself that he had always harbored a fairly strong attraction to Katara. Even as enemies, he had admired her stunning beauty, had respected her passion and fierce loyalty, had been amazed by her awe-inspiring waterbending. After joining Aang's quest and finally being accepted and forgiven for his betrayal, Zuko's admiration for Katara grew deeper and deeper. Although they only had a short time as friends before Sozin's Comet arrived, Zuko and Katara formed a profound bond with each other incredibly quickly. Even the gang joked about how close they had become in such a short time.

After journeying together to find closure for her mother's murder, the two teenagers had been nearly inseparable. When they weren't training Aang for the upcoming war, they spent their days sparring together, their attacks so fluid and in unison with each other that to an outsider it would have appeared to be a beautiful, well-choreographed dance rather than a battle. Their evenings were spent in each other's company as well. Some nights they lay on the grass and stared into the stars, exchanging sad stories of motherless childhoods. Other nights were spent huddled around the campfire well after everyone else had drifted off, confessing their hopes for their futures after Ozai's defeat and their fears for the future if they failed. Although he had grown to love all the members of his new little family, none of them could come close to the trust Zuko held deep in his heart for Katara.

After everything they had been through together, in the end it was only natural that Zuko chose Katara to be at his side in the battle against his deranged sister. As he had lain on the ground writhing in pain after jumping in front of Azula's blast, he realized that if he made it out of the fight alive he would do anything in his power to protect Katara from ever being hurt, even if that meant sacrificing himself all over again.

However, despite all this, Zuko never allowed himself to consider his love for Katara as anything more than platonic. He forced himself to ignore the fluttering in his chest each time she smiled at him. He smothered the heat that rose on his cheeks every time her hair grazed his skin as she brushed past him. He tried desperately to calm his racing heart whenever she took his hand in hers.

Like everyone else in the group, Zuko was painfully aware of the young Avatar's feelings for the girl. Regardless of how their relationship had begun, Aang was now one of his best friends, and Zuko would never wish to cause the young boy any more pain than he had already been forced to suffer.

Zuko also fully understood the sad fact that they were headed into a war. Though he knew that his emotions and his bonds with his friends were great assets, he also realized that it was not the time to indulge in any selfish desires that might distract him from his responsibility. His duty was to act as an ally to the Avatar and, if he survived, to help restore peace to the Four Nations as the Fire Lord.

The war was over now. Sozin's Comet had come and gone, Ozai was locked up and powerless, and Azula was trapped in the prison of her own crazed mind. Although the threat had passed, Zuko knew that a lasting peace throughout the world was still a distant goal, and until it had been achieved his life would not truly be his own. He would always be the Fire Lord, first and foremost. It was a small price to pay for finally being able to restore his honor and right the wrongs of his past.

So, if he knew all of this, why the hell was he so upset?

Zuko gave up pacing the worn floorboards of his room and collapsed onto the small bed. He threw his hands over his face and released a frustrated groan.

It didn't come as much of a surprise, really. When he thought about it, it was actually quite cliché. Of course the hero gets the girl in the end. Isn't that how fairytales usually work out? But somewhere, deep in the recesses of his heart, Zuko wondered why he couldn't have been the hero of this tale.

He slid his arms off his face and stared at the yellowed paint chipping off the ceiling. It shouldn't feel this way. He had Mai. He cared about Mai deeply. She had been there with him for so long. She was one of the only people in his childhood besides his mother and uncle who had accepted him for who he was. He was happy with her… right? So why shouldn't Aang and Katara be happy, too? They had earned it just as much as, if not more than, anyone else.

And then Zuko understood why it hurt so badly. For some irrational reason it felt like Katara had betrayed him. He knew this wasn't really true, of course. He had never had any illusions that she could feel anything more for him than absolute friendship and trust. But that wasn't what bothered him. What hurt him was the fact that he never believed she could ever truly feel that way about Aang. He had always known that Katara loved the Avatar deeply, but he never sensed a romantic aspect to their relationship. If anything, (though he was loathe to admit it) it seemed as if the Ember Island Players had gotten it right. Katara cared for Aang the way a sister cares for her young brother. Although she had acted as mother to the entire group, she behaved especially maternally towards Aang, always nearby when he needed a reassuring hug and words of encouragement. It was the same way Zuko's mother had held him during the harshest moments of his own childhood. It was a pure love, but not a romantic love.

Obviously, however, he was wrong. From the brief glimpse he had gotten of their kiss, Zuko could tell it was decidedly not platonic. She did love Aang the way the Avatar loved her.

She loved Aang.

Zuko blinked his eyes rapidly, forcing one small tear to escape and roll down his unscarred cheek. He heaved a deep sigh and turned on his side to blow out the candle near his bed. As he lay back down, he struggled to clear all thoughts from his mind and sleep. He had work to do tomorrow.

1.4

The oppressive late summer sun glared down on the city of Ba Sing Se, a final blast of heat before fall made its appearance. Beads of sweat rolled down Zuko's face as he stared aimlessly out the large open windows of King Bumi's Great Hall. After singlehandedly winning back the city of Omashu from the Fire Nation, the citizens of the Earth Nation (as well as King Kuei) decided that their people would be better served with Bumi as ruler of the nation's stronghold. King Kuei accepted a role as advisor and took Bumi's place in Omashu, where he would not need quite as much experience to serve the people who had returned after the uprising. Although the Fire Lord respected Bumi's great strength and bravery, the old man was still as crazy as ever. Zuko grimaced as he remembered how the king had slapped a dead fish in his hand when the group had first arrived and asked the Fire Lord to warm it up for him.

Zuko worried his lip and leaned against the window railings to gaze out across the vast city below. The knot of anxiety expanded in his chest. Today's meeting would be… difficult. Aang had sent an invitation to the great leaders of the Four Nations requesting their presence in Ba Sing Se to work together to unite the world once more. The Avatar also had an ulterior motive, which he had only disclosed to Zuko and the others in their group. Zuko hoped the boy would be able to convince the leaders of the necessity of their mission, but he was doubtful.

"Katara! Wait!"

Zuko's eyes snapped to the furious Waterbender marching across the open courtyard below. Aang chased her down, finally catching up and spinning her around to face him. "Please, Katara! I'm sorry!"

Zuko sighed, turned around, and walked back into the hall without a sound.

*******

Katara cast her eyes off to the side, obstinately refusing to look at the boy in front of her.

"Katara, please!" Aang pleaded, his eyes shimmering with desperation. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He dropped his head in defeat. "I just…"

Katara rounded on him violently, "Then why?! Why would you go into the middle of the room and shout out something that you had just promised me you'd keep a secret?" The anger drained out of her face, and she suddenly seemed worn out and deflated. "Why, Aang? You told me you understood."

"I did!" Aang pulled Katara's hands into his own, and she made no move to stop him. "That's why I did it. I knew you were nervous about what they'd say, so I thought if we just got it out of the way you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore."

"What?" Katara's brows knitted in confusion. "I never said I was nervous."

Aang looked down at the ground sheepishly. "I know, but you seemed really nervous, so I thought that was what you were trying to tell me."

Katara sighed, removed her hands from his grasp, and lowered herself wearily onto the fountain next to them. "I wasn't nervous, Aang." She turned around and began idly twirling tendrils of water in the air. "I wanted to enjoy a few days together with you… alone. Without everyone looking at us and making comments like they were last night. I just wanted some privacy so I could enjoy it for a little while."

Aang dropped his eyes to the ground, abashed. "Oh… I didn't know that."

The spinning curls of water dropped back into the fountain with a loud splash. "No, you didn't. And you didn't ask. We should have been telling everyone together, but you didn't even consider me." Katara stared at Aang and waited for him to return her gaze. Her voice softened. "Aang, if we're going to be together, you have to realize that I need to make my own decisions. You can't decide everything for us." She rose, and Aang tentatively threaded his hand in hers.

"I'm sorry, Katara."

"I know, Aang." She looked down at their interwoven fingers and smiled. "Let's get inside. The meeting's about to start."

*******

Zuko squirmed in his seat at the large table that dominated the Great Hall, staring around the room at the faces of the leaders surrounding him who only months earlier had been considered his enemies. He reflected briefly how such a short period of time could have caused such a dramatic upheaval in his worldview.

And then Aang and Katara entered the meeting room through the central archway opposite him. They were holding hands.

Zuko frowned and stared down at the enormous map of the world covering the massive table, pretending to be deeply engrossed in studying his nation's geography. Aang gave his girlfriend a peck on her cheek and went off to greet the other world leaders. Katara stood rooted in place with her arms wrapped around herself, unsure of where to go. After a few nervous moments, she finally spied the Fire Lord. She relaxed and smiled, crossing the room to take a seat next to him.

Zuko zealously continued his charade, staring so hard at the tiny names of the volcanic islands that his eyes began to ache from the strain. After only a few moments, however, he could already feel Katara's eyes burning a hole in the back of his head. Heaving a sigh, he gave up his pretense and turned to face her. "Hey."

"Hey." She smiled, and Zuko cursed his heart for racing. Her face shifted into deep concern. "How are you feeling today? You didn't look so good last night, and Toph said you never came back from your room after you left."

He was dumbfounded for a second. "Oh, uh… I was just feeling sick. To my stomach. But Uncle Iroh gave me some tea, and I'm feeling better now, so… it's, um… okay." Zuko wanted to slap himself, but he figured the diplomats surrounding the table would find it a bit odd. He looked back down to the table. "You didn't look good last night, either."

"What?" Katara asked a little too loudly, drawing the attention of several concerned world leaders. She glared down at the Fire Lord.

Zuko panicked and tried desperately to backpedal. "Wait… no, that's not what I meant! I mean, you didn't look good, but… I didn't mean pretty good… because you did look pretty good… you looked beautiful…" Katara's eyes widened. "Um, but what I meant to say was, uh… you didn't look, um… happy… good…." Zuko covered his eyes with one hand and frowned, but then glanced back at her through his fingers when he heard laughter beside him.

"You're not very good at talking to girls, are you Zuko?" Katara grinned devilishly and couldn't stop giggling. Zuko scowled. After a few seconds, Katara sobered. "I'm fine now," she continued, "but last night was a little tough, yeah. Aang just made me so angry."

Zuko attempted to keep his voice neutral. "So… you and Aang…"

Katara blushed lightly. "Yeah."

"Um… how did you two…"

"Excuse me, everybody. Can I have your attention?" Aang fidgeted nervously at the head of the table. "Um, if everyone's ready, I'd like to start the meeting now."

The leaders of the nations all turned to the front of the table to devote their full attention to the Avatar. To Aang's left sat King Bumi, grinning madly, and King Kuei, who looked frightened at the prospect of sitting next to the other Earth King for too long a time. At Aang's right were Hakoda and an elderly Waterbender, who acted as delegates for the Southern and Northern Water Tribes. Suki sat near them, fully made-up and dressed in her warrior outfit, as a representative of Kyoshi Island. Various other leaders and delegates representing larger towns and villages throughout the Four Nations also surrounded the table. Toph and Sokka took their seats to Katara's left as the crowd settled down. Aang had insisted that Sokka, Katara, and Toph attend the meeting as well, not only because they had helped save the world, but also because they would play an integral role in the mission he wished to undertake. Iroh took his place next to Zuko as the Avatar began to speak.

"Today, it has been exactly one month since Ozai and his Fire Nation forces were defeated. Working together, we all succeeded in stopping the Fire Army, and Ozai's power was taken from him so that he'll never be able to threaten the world again. Right now, the world is at peace." Aang scanned the faces in the room apprehensively, then looked down the table at the Fire Lord. Zuko nodded for him to continue. "But that doesn't mean that peace will last. Just because Ozai was defeated doesn't mean some new Ozai won't rise up to take his place."

King Kuei looked confused and raised a hesitant hand. "But, I thought the Fire Nation was our ally now, with Fire Lord Zuko ruling? Why would we have to worry?"

Zuko looked around at the delegates, who were now whispering and muttering to each other. He stood and addressed them assertively, "We are your allies. But since the time of Sozin's bloody reign, the Fire Army has spread far and wide throughout the Four Nations, and its influence has spread as well." Zuko paused, his lips pressed thin in concern. "While we have been able to control the dissatisfied citizens on the mainland who continue to wish for Fire Nation expansion, our colonies were far-reaching. There are many rogue armies and rebels lying within your own territories, waiting for the opportune moment to reorganize and strike."

Aang stood up now and spoke with more confidence, "Our world is still in danger, and as the Avatar, it's my job to protect it." He took a deep breath and continued with conviction. "And that's why I've asked you all here today. We need to find out which regions of the Four Nations are in the most danger of rebel attacks so that they can be secured and protected." Aang looked over to Katara, who beamed proudly. "That's why I want to go undercover on a mission to get information about where and when the rogue Fire Nation troops plan to attack. It's my duty as the Avatar to personally make sure the world is safe." Toph, Sokka, and Suki were now smiling at him as well. "But I can't do this by myself, so I want the people I trust most to be beside me." Aang's friends began to rise as he called their names, "Katara and Sokka, of the Southern Water Tribe," Sokka grinned and waved his hand wildly, which Katara promptly swatted down, "Toph Bei Fong of Gaoling," Toph beamed proudly and began flexing her arms, "Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors," she smiled and waved shyly at the congregation, "and finally, Fire Lord Zuko." Zuko stood and faced the gathering, fearful of their reactions.

The entire delegation, minus his friends, stared at the young Avatar in shock. Aang fidgeted and smiled nervously. "Um, so… any questions?"

The room was silent for a long moment. Then a representative stood near the far end of the table. "Excuse me, I understand that you are the Avatar and your strength is incomparable. But why not take an elite force of trained soldiers with you rather than a group of children?"

Before Aang could reply, Hakoda spoke gruffly, "Those children just helped save the world." Pride and admiration shone in his eyes as he looked over at Katara and Sokka, and his two teenagers smiled at him gratefully.

Mollified, the representative returned to his seat. After a moment, Aang's friends sat down as well.

Another delegate a few seats down from Toph tentatively raised her hand. "And what of the Fire Nation? Who will lead the country if the Fire Lord leaves us?"

Zuko faced the woman. "I did not make the decision to leave my nation in another's hands lightly. But I know that the Avatar's mission is more important to the world now than my rule. While I am gone, I have decided to give power of Regent of the Fire Nation to my uncle, Retired General Ir-" Zuko turned to find his uncle, but stopped short when he saw the man no longer sat next to him. "Uncle?"

"Over here, Zuko." The Fire Lord's jaw dropped as he watched his Uncle Iroh, Dragon of the West, pour a steaming cup of fresh white jasmine tea for King Bumi. "How does it taste?" he asked the mad king.

Bumi grinned widely and smacked his lips. "Heavenly!"

"Uncle! Please!" Zuko slapped a hand across his face and muttered through clenched teeth, "We're not in the Jasmine Dragon!" Toph, Sokka, and Katara snickered, and Zuko glowered at them sharply. Katara covered her mouth and continued to giggle quietly.

Iroh returned to his seat. "I'm sorry, Nephew. You were saying?"

Zuko stared down at the table and coughed, trying to regain some semblance of respectability. "Yes, so… I've decided to name my uncle, General Iroh," he glared at the old man smiling serenely beside him, "as Regent of the Fire Nation until I return. He is a wise, honorable man, and he has the best interests of the Fire Nation people at heart, as do I."

After a pause, Aang continued, "I gathered you all here to tell you this because while we're out there, you won't be able to reach me if you need help. We won't be disappearing for another month, so please make sure you use that time to take whatever precautions necessary to protect your people."

An angry old mayor of an Earth Nation village yelled across the room, "But what are we supposed to do while you're off traipsing around the world? Those of us in smaller towns don't have the means to protect ourselves like them big city folk can!"

Aang looked disconcerted. "I know, and I'll do everything I can to make sure extra protection will be provided to anybody who needs it. The Kyoshi Warriors and forces from the Southern and Northern Water Tribes have already volunteered their help, and I'm sure there are more people who are willing to help, too."

"I'll send out divisions of the Terra Team to anyone who needs them," King Bumi whooped. "I think I can handle Ba Sing Se all by myself!"

Aang smiled. "Good. We just all have to work together and everything will be okay." His face turned serious. "But it is important that no one in this room tells anyone else about this mission. If it's as serious as we think, there may already be spies throughout the world, and if the rebels find out about our plan it'll be impossible to get any information about their attacks. If that happens, everyone will be in danger."

Once again, the hall fell silent. Finally, Hakoda rose to his feet and addressed the diplomats. "Although this boy is young, he has a stronger heart than any leader I've ever known. Within the past year, he has saved the Northern Water Tribe capital, struggled to hold the city of Ba Sing Se, fought bravely in the Battle of the Black Sun, and conquered the evil Ozai. If he believes this plan will work and bring a lasting peace to our world, then I believe in him." He raised his cup and toasted, "To the Avatar!"

The room was quiet for a long time, and Zuko nervously tried to gauge the delegates' reactions. Then miraculously, one by one, the leaders and diplomats rose to their feet, and shouts of "To the Avatar!" echoed throughout the open hall. Zuko stared in awe at the young boy laughing as King Bumi bounced him up and down on his broad shoulders. The Fire Lord smiled.

With Aang's spirit, he guessed it wasn't that difficult to convince them after all.

1.5

"Unghh…gargh…arrrgh!"

Katara stood frozen in place, her head cocked to the side and her jaw hanging open, unable to fully grasp the situation unfolding in front of her. Momo hopped up onto her shoulder and mirrored her position, cocking his head to the side as well.

"What's going on?" Toph appeared beside the baffled Waterbender. "What is Sokka doing?"

Katara's stupor was broken, and she exhaled wearily, "I have no idea." Within moments, she was standing next to her straining, grunting brother. "Sokka, what are you trying to do?"

The teenager lay on the ground, red-faced and sweaty, clutching the handle of an enormous overstuffed bag half the size of Appa. He pulled furiously, kicking his heels into the dirt with all his might, but the sack wouldn't budge. Defeated, he flopped back onto the ground. "Aw, man. I'll never get this thing onto Appa!"

Toph was perplexed. "Why would you want to?"

Sokka's eyes bugged out. "Are you kidding me?" He jumped up and dusted himself off. "This bag just happens to be full of the goodies Bumi and those other leaders gave us for our trip." His eyes watered and a faraway look crossed his face. "Furs, clothes, maps, weapons, tents, and succulent, glorious meats…"

Katara frowned. "There is no way Appa's going to be able to carry all this."

"Sure he will!" Sokka walked over to the large creature and nudged him repeatedly in the stomach. "Won't ya, buddy?"

The air bison snorted and lumbered off to the opposite side of the courtyard, Sokka chasing after him desperately. "Aw, come on! It's called TEAMWORK!"

Toph shook her head in disbelief. "You know, sometimes I wonder how that guy managed to make it out of the South Pole without being bludgeoned to death by angry Polar Mice."

"You and me both." Katara and Toph grinned at each other and laughed.

"Oh, good. You guys are already out here." Aang appeared at the courtyard entrance with Bumi, Hakoda, and Suki, followed shortly after by Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee. "Are you ready to go?"

"Well, we are." Toph hooked her thumb over her shoulder, indicating Sokka still struggling to pull Appa back over to the enormous bag. "But it looks like Dum Dum over there isn't gonna be giving up anytime soon."

Aang grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "Hehe, yeah. I told him Appa probably wouldn't like carrying all of that stuff, but he seemed so confident."

Suki's shoulders sagged and she sighed heavily. "I'll go get him."

Ty Lee perked up. "Ooh! I'll help!"

"NO!" Suki stared the acrobat down. "Stay!"

Ty Lee pouted. "I was just trying to be helpful."

"Yeah, but not in the way she wanted," Mai replied dryly. Zuko sniggered, and his girlfriend slapped him on the chest.

"Ow." Zuko rubbed the sore spot tenderly and looked around. "Where's Uncle? He knew we were leaving soon."

"He went back to his tea shop a while ago," Aang responded. "I think he said he had to go get something."

Zuko groaned. "Great. Doesn't he realize that we don't need a supply of teas to take with us?"

Toph smirked. "Even if we did, I'm sure Sokka has plenty in that bag." Everyone laughed and looked at the teen, who was now clutching the sack desperately as Suki attempted to pry him off.

"Well, I guess we should say our goodbyes now," Aang said as he faced the group. "Bumi, thank you so much for everything. We never would've been able to plan this mission or gather all the leaders here without you."

"Anytime, Aang." The old king smiled and wrapped the young Avatar up in a strong embrace. "You know I'll always be here if you need anything."

Hakoda walked over to his daughter and pulled her into a tight hug as well. "You keep safe, honey, and stay brave… And try to keep your brother out of trouble."

Katara grinned up at her father. "I'll do the best I can, but I'm not making any promises."

At this, Sokka and Suki returned. Sokka sighed dramatically, "Well, I've given up on taking the entire bag of goodies, but I think me and Suki were able to pull out the most important stuff to take with us."

Katara caught her brother by surprise and pulled him into the hug. "What would we do without you, Sokka?"

"You know, I ask myself that all the time."

Hakoda smiled down at the two teens in his arms. "I want you both to always remember how proud I am of you and how much I love you."

Katara and Sokka hugged their father tightly. "Thanks, Dad."

Sokka pulled away and faced his girlfriend sadly. "Are you sure you can't come with us to the Fire Nation Capital? It'll be like a month-long vacation before we spend the next year trying not to be killed."

Suki pretended to consider this. "Well, it does sound tempting… but you know I have work to do in Kyoshi before we leave. Ty Lee and I will stay here with King Bumi for a few more days to help organize the support forces, then I have to go back and make sure the Warriors are ready. It's going to be a busy month." She took her boyfriend's hand and squeezed. "But I'll see you as soon as you guys come pick me up."

"I'll miss you." Sokka pulled his girlfriend close in his arms and kissed her softly.

Suki looked into his eyes and whispered, "I'll miss you too." They kissed again, deeper this time.

"Yuck!" Toph turned away with her fingers stuck in her ears. "If you guys are gonna suck face, can you at least do it a little more quietly?"

Ty Lee bounced over to the Earthbender and wrapped her arms around the small girl. "Aww, you're just upset because you don't have anyone to say goodbye to. I'll say goodbye to you!"

Toph's eyes widened in embarrassment, and she squirmed to escape the older girl. "Ack! What're you doing?! Get off of me!" But Ty Lee managed to hold on with an iron grip, and eventually Toph just gave up.

"I guess we should get everything loaded onto Appa so we can leave as soon as Iroh gets back," Katara reasoned as the Air Bison ambled back over to the group, now safe from Sokka's gigantic goody bag.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Zuko agreed. "I just hope he doesn't take too long. It'll take us over half a day to get there, and I'd rather not arrive after nightfall. We still have the city's defenses on high alert."

Everyone spent the next few minutes packing and loading the supplies Sokka took from the large sack. After a few moments, Zuko noticed that his girlfriend was conspicuously absent from the task at hand. He looked around and spotted her sitting next to the fountain, picking at her nails. Dropping the sleeping bag that he was carrying, he walked over and stopped in front of her. "What's wrong?"

Mai kept picking at her nails without looking up. "What do you mean, what's wrong? I'm fine."

"Well, then what are you doing sitting over here instead of helping everyone out?"

Mai's eyes shifted to the side uncertainly. "I was just thinking that maybe I should stay here in Ba Sing Se for a few days with Ty Lee before she heads off to Kyoshi Island." Her voice dropped, and she muttered, "Plus, then I can come home in a nice, safe airship."

Zuko stared at her for a moment, realization slowly dawning on him. "Mai… are you afraid of… Appa?"

Zuko's girlfriend glared at the ground, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm not scared of it. I just don't like the idea of travelling on something that can fall asleep at any moment while we're flying and plunge us all to our deaths."

The Fire Lord smiled sympathetically and took his girlfriend's hand, pulling her up to stand next to him. "Appa's safe. I've been flying on him for months. I promise you'll be fine."

Mai cracked a small grin as her boyfriend squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. "Fine. But if anything happens, I'll make you pay."

Zuko chuckled. "Trust me, I know." They walked back to find Appa loaded and everyone sitting in their seats ready to go. Just as Zuko began helping Mai climb the enormous animal, he noticed Iroh enter the courtyard. He lowered her back down. "Um, sorry. I'll be right back. I just want to say goodbye to Uncle."

Mai grinned. "It's alright. I'll manage." Zuko ran across the courtyard to Iroh, and Mai turned around to stare at the vast, hairy creature. "How do you get on this thing?" she muttered to herself.

"It can be difficult at first." Mai looked up and saw Katara reaching down to her. "Here, I'll help you up." She gripped the Waterbender's hand and tried to scramble up the Air Bison's back as gracefully as possible. After finally managing to fall into the saddle, she heaved a deep sigh of relief and faced Katara. "Thank you."

Katara's eyes widened. "Oh… no problem." She smiled slightly at the tall girl in front of her. "You did help save my dad from that prison, so I guess it's the least I could do."

Mai smiled back.

*******

"Uncle!" Zuko panted as he reached the old man on the opposite side of the yard. "What did you get from the tea shop that was so important?"

Iroh smiled mysteriously and held out his hand. "This."

Zuko stared at the small chip in his Uncle's outstretched palm. "A White Lotus Pai Sho tile? But don't we already know the White Lotus members?"

Iroh nodded. "Yes, but not all of them. You will be travelling many places in the world, and if you get in trouble it is important to find friends who will be able to help you."

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko gently picked up the Pai Sho tile. "For this, and for always taking care of me." He wrapped his arms tightly around the old man. "Thank you."

Iroh patted his nephew on the back. "Thank you, Zuko, for becoming the man that I always knew you could be."

The Fire Lord pulled back and smiled down at his uncle, his eyes beginning to glisten. "I'll see you in one month."

"Come on, Sizzle Sticks!" Toph shouted from her perch on Appa's head. "We gotta get a move on!"

Iroh smiled. "Goodbye, Nephew."

"Goodbye, Uncle."

Zuko ran back to the Air Bison and climbed into the saddle next to his friends. At Aang's command, Appa rose into the early morning sky, and they set off for the Fire Nation Capital.