Return to Me

Chapter One:

Separation

It had been a few weeks since Aang had been introduced to Ava and it still amazed the pair how their mentors had been right about their connection. They had not been separated a day since they were introduced with the exception of their sleeping quarters. The only confusing part about the whole transition was the fact that both Aang and Ava were basically told to do the opposite of what they had been taught all of their lives so far: separating themselves from the world and others to reach spiritual enlightenment.

"Don't you find it odd?" Aang questioned the young girl as they sat on the terrace overlooking the others training.

"Enjoy it now. Eventually we are going to be groomed to be shipped off somewhere else for your training soon. I am surprised they haven't tried to yet, considering that one monk was adamant about you not playing with the others and the speech he gave them!" Ava scoffed. She knew it had really hurt the young boy's feelings when he had been told by someone he thought was a friend that he could no longer play with them because it wouldn't be fair.

She had already given up on being a child long ago. Sure she was only fourteen but who had time to care about anything else when it had been mandated that her time and effort would be solely to be the companion of the Avatar. She had to admit that she was not looking forward to leaving the Western temple at first, she resented Aang from afar knowing that her life had already been planned for her and it only mirrored the Avatar's needs. Yet when she arrived at the Southern temple six weeks ago, she was actually excited, not to mention flattered by how Aang treated her. She blushed as he put a flower in her hair.

"You don't need to do that, Aang", she mumbled as she got up quickly from her seat on the terrace edge. She gasped as he caught her hand and held onto it.

With sincerity in his eyes, he smiled, "I know, but I want to. You're my best friend, Ava. I want you to stay with me."

The young boy thought he could take the opportunity that presented itself and had been nagging at the back of his mind. He had wanted to kiss her the last few days and he was not sure if it would be acceptable. Sometimes he was not sure if Ava felt what he was feeling.

"If you're going to kiss me Aang, you better do it quick before we both lose our nerves", Ava whispered as she began leaning into his body.

"Kiss you?" Aang shouted. He looked to the ground, quickly embarrassed by the fact that he had made such a commotion. He was ecstatic that Ava was on the same train of thought as he was. He began blushing and smiling like a fool. "I'm sorry. Let's try this again."

The pair began to lean into each other and were inches away from their lips finally touching when Gyatso appeared from his rooms.

"Oh, did I interrupt something?" the old monk smiled. He knew that the couple was finally starting to connect and build upon the relationship that would define the both of them during this life. He became quiet as he called Aang to him. "We need to go meet with the higher monks."

"I guess it's finally time", the young Avatar sighed. He knew that it wouldn't be long since Ava arrived that the monks had plans to send him off to train with the Water tribe.

"Have fun", Ava teased, "Do you mind if I take Appa for a ride?"

"It's fine."

Aang noticed that Gyatso was not joking with him on his way to the council as he would normally do. This had the Avatar concerned. His mentor looked worried about something. He was shaken from his thoughts as Gyatso put a hand to his chest to stop him from walking. He had not realized that the monk had quit walking.

"Aang, why don't you wait right here for a moment, hm?" Gyatso smiled.

"Okay."

The monk smiled and began walking to the courtyard that was surrounded by vines. The council was already convened. He knew what was going on. The other day he had overridden one of the elder monk's decisions about Aang's training. He had made it very clear that he was Aang's guardian and that the child had a right to be exactly that: a child.

"It has come to our attention Gyatso that Aang MUST start assuming his role as Avatar. With this being said we must remove Aang from your care and send him to the Western temple", the lead monk simply stated.

"You would separate Ava from Aang?" Gyatso accused, "You cannot separate the two, we have seen what that could do to them both in the past."

"We believe Aang may not have been ready to be united with Ava", the head monk sighed, " She will be removed to the Eastern temple until after he is a realized Avatar."

"You cannot do this. I will not allow you to separate them or take them from me", Gyatso growled as he stood up and began to walk away. He was going to let both children know what was going on.

Aang stood in shock for a moment from his hiding place amongst the trees. They were not only going to take him away from his father figure, but they were going to separate him from his best friend as well. They had no idea what this meant for Aang. He would be alone with no one because everyone would avoid him due to his role in the world. He wanted to at least have Ava with him and now, now he would be separated from her for years. He was not going to be alone.

Later on that night he tried to get with Ava to let her in on his plan on both of them leaving the temple and going wherever they needed to, but he was not able to see her before it was time to go to bed. He wrote two letters, one addressed to Gyatso and the other addressed to Ava. He told Ava where to meet him late one night so that he could pick her up and they could leave all of it behind. They could be normal, he would not be the Avatar and she would not be the Chalice.

But Aang never showed up that night. Ava was in complete disbelief. How could he not come back? Something had to have happened. Something was wrong. There was a dramatic change coming and Gyatso was preparing her for it. He was sending her to the island of Kyoshi. She had planned on seeing it with Aang as well as riding the Elephant Koi fish. It was a bittersweet thought as she packed to leave for the island.

It had been three weeks since she last saw Aang, and she missed him terribly. She was getting to ready to walk out of her sleeping quarters when Gyatso ran into her.

"Ava, my dear, we must leave. NOW!" He grabbed her arm and began running her down the corridors to one of the sky bison who was waiting for her to take her to Kyoshi.

"Gyatso! What's going on?", she was panicked. The look on the monk's face was terrifying.

"You must go to Kyoshi. Stay there until Bhumi comes to get you, do you remember Bhumi?" He was rushing through his explanation.

"Yes, but why do I need to wait for Bhumi to come get me?" Ava was confused. It was then she saw the orange glow coming up over the peaks heading towards the temple. Flames began licking over the tops of the mountains. Her eyes were getting larger as realization hit her. The Fire nation was here and they were destroying the Air Nomads' mountains.

"Gyatso, come with me", she begged.

"I cannot my pupil. I must stay here and help get others out of here. Go now!" he sent the sky bison away.

Ava watched as the temple was engulfed in flames. Tears fell down her face and everything she knew, everything she loved was lost forever. Where was Aang?

'Come back to me', she thought, 'come back to me.'