BTW: I started writing this a while back, before Toph, but I didn't want to change it and add all the changes, but I'm reading through each chapter and fixing it up a little.

The Second Sun

The Avatar walked down the streets of the earth town Tarrain. He had a growing sickening feeling the second he had landed Appa in the nearby forest. He had told Katara and Sokka to stay at camp because of it. The feeling that they were being followed couldn't be shaken, but that wasn't all, so he didn't want to risk getting them in trouble at the town.

He was in a hurry to find the things Katara had said they needed and get out of Tarrain. He wasn't talking to anyone, and his senses were perked. He was ready.

"They saw him land his beast nearby. He has to be in the town." Aang heard a low voice say from somewhere behind him. He spun around to see two fire nation solders standing only three feet away. They didn't see him now. But it was literally only seconds until they did. His only escape would be to run for it now, but surely they would bring way to much attention to him. But it was to late anyway. The solders feeling his stare looked at him.

"There he is. GRAB HIM!" One shouted.

Aang ran for it, barely missing there grip. He could hear two pounding footsteps behind him, but they were fading. He made a sharp turn down a random ally, and about thirty feet into it he realized it was a dead end. He stared up at the tall brick wall in front of him.

"Do you hate irony?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

The avatar spun around. "Zuko." He muttered.

"I have you right where I want you." The prince growled. Him and his men were closing in.

The avatar raised his hands getting ready to fight, but was taken aback when Zuko started to chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Do you really think I'm going to let you fight your way out of this?" Zuko raised his hand and flicked it forward. This motion distracted Aang from the man on the other side of Zuko. He had lifted a dart and through it at the avatar hitting him in the arm.

Aang felt his body go numb/ He had been hit by a poison dart. He dropped to the floor unable to move. He could hear Zuko laughing, and see him coming even closer.

"I've waited a long time for this Avatar." He told him, only six feet away and getting closer.

Aang suddenly heard the strange voice of a women, and it sounded like it came from above the brick wall behind him.

"I'm afraid you'll have to keep waiting." It said. And a figure jumped down from behind him, landing between him and Zuko.

"Who are you?" Zuko asked angrily.

"You can call my Vande." She bowed. Her body was in silhouette from the sun setting behind the wall, and nobody could really see her well.

"Vande?" Zukos voice sounded different. Not scared, but shocked.

"Yes." A smile could be heard in her voice.

"Why are you helping him?" Zuko asked annoyed.

"Because I believe it is the right thing to do." She answered.

"You know him, then?" Zuko continued to asking questions.

"No." She said again.

"Are you THE Vande? The one that all nation have been looking for, for years?" There was an interest in his voice now.

"I might be…" She answered.

"So if I bring you with the Avatar…" But he was suddenly cut off by a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah, Prince Zuko I like your way of thinking." It was another familiar voice to the Avatar. It was Zhao.

Zuko spun around to look at him. "What are you doing here?" Zuko roared.

"Why Prince Zuko, the very same thing you're doing. And Young Vande is going to be a nice bonus for the Fire Lord don't you think?" he said stepping closer to Vande, who didn't move at all.

"Do you think you scare me Zhao?" Vande asked calmly.

"Yes." He answered.

"ZHAO! Back off. I found them first!" Zuko shouted in rage.

"Are you forgetting that I'm your superior now? You have no power to tell me that." Zhao laughed coldly. "Now I order you to take you men and vacate the area immediately.

Zuko didn't move.

Zhao waved his hand at him and half of Zukos Soldiers forced Zuko to leave, but before Zuko put of a small fight, but really he knew there was nothing he could do about it. His men followed him out. The whole time Zhao watched. However Vande did not.

She knelt next to the avatar. "You are Aang? You are the avatar?" She asked.

He nodded faintly. He could finally see her face. She looked sixteen or so, maybe fifteen. She had long black hair that was pulled into a pony tail, and her bangs were cut at a slant to cover her left eyes. And her eyes, they were the colors of the sun set. They were beautiful. She was beautiful. But just by looking at her, he knew she was a firebender. He was the avatar, he could tell.

"I have the antidote for the poison he gave you. Luckily I knew what he was up too. Here…" She said pulling out a bottle. She opened it and dispensed a drop or two in his mouth. He could already feel it working.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"There's know time for that now. I'm sure if you asked your friends they will know my name. Keep this…" She said handing him her bottle. "Just remember that whatever your friends tell you, the stories are wrong. I was framed."

"What?" Aang looked confused.

"Don't worry about it." She assured him.

"You're the one that was following me?" He asked.

She nodded. "I'm a threat I swear. I just had to help you." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because it was my destiny to end the war, just ask your friends. But when things went wrong, I never gave up. I had to find a why to help, then you came, the avatar. So I knew I would have to find a way to help YOU. I would die to help you." She said.

He just stared at her.

"You have to go now, fly over the wall know when there not looking. I'll hold them off." She said, backing away from him.

"How will you get out?" He asked.

"I'll find a way, now go." She said pointing at the wall. And he did. He jumping from side to side then leaped over the wall to safety.

He had been out of sight for five seconds when Zuko was gone and Zhao turned around.

"The Avatar! WHERE IS THE AVATAR!" He ordered.

Vande shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine…"

He turned around to the remaining men. "Find him!"

But before one man could take a step, a fireball blazed the air, followed by many others. They were fierce deadly. And it took all concentration by the soldiers and Zhao to block them.

And with that the battle began.

It took a long time to end, and the victors switched back and forth for some time. First it would be Vande, then Zhao and his men, then Vande again and so on and so forth.

However Vande was out number and it took its toll. Zhao flew her against the wall and that ended it for her. She hit her head on the wall, and everything went black.