Authors note: Alright, here goes another update!! I hope you all enjoy. I'm really loving coming back to do some avatar. It was like…my baby, hehe. So I miss it. Alright…enough of me being a weirdo. Please enjoy! Also…this chapter should help you remember some things!

Chapter Two

Let Me Go

"Why didn't…Katara…how could you keep this from me?"

Hokada's questions only made her want to cry. She quivered as she grasped the sides of the chair she was sitting in. The dark room thankfully couldn't shed light on Katara's now flooding tears.

"I don't know…" she tried to say in the strongest voice she could, "I wanted to…forget it somehow."

"Forget a gang?! Katara, they could still be out there!" Hokada screamed.

Katara quickly dried her tears as she tried to blubber out some words but nothing came. Speaking gibberish, she fell into her fathers arms.

Hokada knew everything now. He knew about Zuko arriving…from a mysterious place with mysterious people. Where betrayal of families had run rampant and how he had come to her little town to escape it all.

She told him about Jet's dad and how he was murdered by Ozai. How Ozai fled, leaving his son unprotected in the face Jet. From the vivid memories, she told him how Smellerbee had been killed instead of Zuko. And how Zuko…had just ran, making herself the victim of his past.

Everything seemed so easy to say now. But everything is easy…when one is in danger.

"I can't protect you anymore, can I?" Hokada said as tear of his own wetted Katara's hair.

"I don't think so…daddy…" she murmured, wishing to be a little girl again.

Hokada pulled his daughter gently away from him as he grasped her shoulders. If anything, he knew how to be strong, especially when it came time to looking after his children. No one would ever take them away from him.

"Did Zuko love you? Is that why Jet tried…to kill you?" he asked, barely making out the words.

Katara looked away, staring at the floor.

"He said he loved me…" she whispered, "And yet he left…and didn't come back…"

She turned to her father, actually finding some strength within herself. Or was it anger?

"I don't know if he ever…truly loved me…" Katara finished.

Hokada sighed, standing up slowly. He pursed his lips, thinking deeply. He thought about Ty Lee and Sokka downstairs and about his lovely daughter right in front of him. Everything seemed unclear and wrong. He knew the decision he was about to make could make trouble then it would make things right. But what if this "gang" came to his house? What if they hurt his children? No…he had to take the chance.

"Is Zuko T. Haed?" Hokada whispered.

Katara gasped lightly. She looked up at her dad who was frowning as he gazed at the wall. He looked scared…no, terrified. What was he thinking of? What could be going through his mind?

"I want…I want you to go stay with him."

"Dad! No…no! What are you talking about?" Katara screamed, as she jumped out of her seat, "You can't mean that…you just can't! He hasn't seen me in two years…who's just warning me. I can't show up on his doorstep…looking for a home! Besides, it would be three of us and-"

"I…I lied," Hokada interrupted, "The note…it only mentioned you. I just…didn't want to make you frightened…"

Katara jaw dropped as she fell back into the chair. Someone was out to get her…and just her. Who was it? Who was coming back to haunt her? She had just begun to forget…and now it was all back.

"I'm sure if he knew," Hokada said, trying to comfort his daughter, "He would take you…and protect you. And I would come and see…I would still be with you. But Katara…someone's coming for you and I…I can't let you die."

Katara gazed at her father. She looked on with a saddened and confused heart, trying to make a decision for herself.

"If he sent it…he might listen…" she whispered, "Maybe…he'll take me."

Hokada glanced at his daughter a second but just looked down in scorn.

"I'm sorry…Katara. I'm sorry I can't be a good father anymore.

The two embraced. The room was rather cold.

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"I want oatmeal…"

"You…always want oatmeal."

"I want it today too…"

Zuko smiled as he began to pour the rest of the oatmeal into the boiling water. It was boring Monday during summer break. Everything seemed quite normal. Zuko and Aang were about to eat breakfast, the only thing they seemed to do together.

They lived in a rented house from the people next door was quite small but nice sized for two males. Aang had a room up in the attic and Zuko on the first floor. The house was finished off with a living room, a kitchen, one bathroom, and a small laundry room.

Zuko liked it here.

"You wanna do something later?" he signed to his brother.

"Okay," Aang signed back.

His brother had sadly been mute since birth. The two, not being blood brothers, learned to sign together through their young years. On their own now, they were quite the experts on the skill.

Ring-Ring!

Zuko grabbed a cigarette as he walked towards the phone. Aang frowned at this. He hated the smell of the "Devil's Work". That is what he liked to call them. He thought it fitted them nicely. Nothing seemed to change Zuko's mind about smoking.

"Hello?" he said, puffing out the bitter smolder.

"Hello…Zuko?"

"Mhmm…who is this?" Zuko said, leaning against the old countertop.

"This is…this is Hokada Soku."

Soku? No…it couldn't be. The cigarette fell to the floor, almost catching the wooden floor on fire. Aang's eyes turned worried as he jumped from his chair. He ran over to his brother who was now breathing hard.

"Zuko? What's wrong? Zuko…who is it?" Aang signed violently.

"Yes…" Zuko whispered, ignoring his brother.

"Zuko…I believe…I believe you've contacted me with a note. It's given me a warning for my daughter. She's not safe here anymore…someone's coming for her. I'm very scared…but the note says if she comes to H. Taed…she'll be safe. I know this seems out of the question…but I would be so grateful…if Katara could come to live with you. I don't know anyone else and I-"

"I didn't send the note…"

The phone went silent as Zuko turned to Aang. Aang was just staring up at him.

And as Zuko waited for a reply, he knew his happiness here with his brother was over. His fixed life…his perseverance and efforts to set things straight had all come undone. Those two years of moving on had been so happy…so fulfilling. Now, as he stared into the fourteen year olds grey eyes, he knew rain clouds were coming to shadow their life for good.

"Aang…" he whispered, "Things are…are going to be different now. Go…go get Mai…okay."

Aang, easily able to read his lips, signed, "Who is it…Zuko?"

"It's her…" Zuko murmured quickly, his golden eyes falling.

"Zuko?" a voice from the other side said.

As Aang ran out the door, Zuko grasped the phone tighter. He was scared.

"Yes?"

"We…I told Katara. She doesn't know anyone else who knows about T. Haed. We don't know what's going on…"

Zuko sighed heavily. He didn't want to do it but he had to. Was there any other choice?

"Put Katara on the phone," he mumbled.

There was another pause on the other side before he could hear someone pick up the phone. He waited patiently as he heard her sturdy breathing. Finally, she spoke.

"Zuko?" she said.

Zuko almost wanted to smile when her voice came through. It sounded so different…and yet it sounded the same. Two years…was a long time.

"Katara…it's me."

"Yes…I know," she said simply, "What's happening? Who's coming after me?"

"I don't know…" Zuko answered, closing his eyes, "Things have changed here…people have left. I don't know who could be trying to-"

"It's the gang, isn't it?!" Katara said hurriedly, "They want revenge, don't they?! Their out to-"

"Katara…" Zuko said in calm voice, "The gang has disappeared…their gone."

"What? How can that be? What happened?"

"I'm not completely sure…but their not here anymore. Whoever sent you that letter…is not a part of them. I don't know why their trying to lure you here…whether it's for good or bad intentions. I just-"

"You sound different…" Katara interrupted gently.

"The gangs not the only things that changed. Look…if another note comes, call me. But there's not much I can do for you. I don't think coming here will make things any better…especially living with me."

"I uh-"

"If anyone, you should talk to my uncle…maybe he knows someone. I'm sorry I couldn't help. It really has…been to long. Goodbye Katara."

And then he hanged up, trying to forget the call had ever come. He sunk back farther into the countertop, trying to erase her face from his mind. But her long brown hair, her clear blue eyes, her beautiful outlook on life…it seemed to being trying to creep back into his soul. She always made life seem perfect.

"You didn't need Mai…did you? Why…are you lying to her?"

Zuko glanced at Aang who was standing in the doorway. The little boy had never left.

"Because…" Zuko signed with his head down, "She doesn't deserve this life…she can't come here."

"You know they'll get her…you still care for her. Why are you pushing her away?"

"Why do you think?" Zuko spat, lighting another cigarette.

"You know…Jin's only trying to save you. You fixed things…now we're just trying to patch up all the loose ends."

"These aren't loose ends Aang…this is…something horrible. Something I thought I was done with."

Zuko murmured something under his breath as he slowly trudged to his room. Everything seemed to turn to black and white, all the beautiful colors disappearing. Life was coming back to haunt him.

And when the Soku's called back, he would have to tell the truth.

And then…

She would have to come.

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Authors note: OOOOOOO! *cue eerie music* everything's going back to being confusing…like I like it. I hope you all enjoyed this. I know it was short but…it didn't really need to be long. Plus, I'll still be updating a lot so don't worry. Please review!