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Epilogue

"So you'll never guess who I ran into in the woods today."

Katara, carrying a large jug of water, looked over and raised one eyebrow. "I was wondering why it took you so long back there."

Toph, indifferent to everyone else's personal affairs (as usual), lay across a boulder with a blade of grass between her teeth. "Oh, I'm sure we all want to hear about Sokka's rendezvous in the forest this morning… didja get caught in a crack again and meet up with Foofoocuddlypoops?"

Sokka folded his arms and glared at her. "No. There was no crack. Or meat... sadly."

Katara placed the water jug next to the tent and picked up another bundle of stuff. "Well… who did you meet, then?"

Aang, who was hanging upside-down from one of Appa's horns, glanced at the gang. Eager to know what all the commotion was about, he flopped down and went over.

"Hey guys. What's going on over here?"

Toph's grass blade had apparently lost its flavor. She spit it out and grabbed a new one. "Apparently, Sokka here had some adventures of his own in the forest this morning. We're all dying to hear about it." With that she rolled over.

Katara rolled her eyes and proceeded to clarify. "Sokka met somebody in the woods this morning. According to him, we'll never guess who it was…"

Aang didn't hesitate to take up the challenge.

"Hmmm… was it Zuko?"

"No."

"Suki?"

"No."

"Ummm… Azula?"

"Thank God, no."

"Those nomad people?"

"Again: Thank God, no."

"Lemme think… Jet?"

"Isn't he dead?"

At that moment, Katara butted in (on my behalf… hehe). "NO HE'S NOT!"

Sokka reeled back. "Okay, okay... whatever." Under his breath, he added, "Denial much?"

"I head that."

"Anyway," Sokka turned back to Aang. "Keep guessing."

"Um… that guy from the swamp."

"No."

"Haru?"

"No."

"Er… Jeong Jeong?"

"You're just trying to think of the most random people as you can, aren't you?"

"Pretty much. Anyway… Mai?"

"Good try, but no." Ha, he knew he liked that one.

Aang plopped down and pouted. He was usually a very good guesser… perhaps not this time.

Sokka sighed and gave in. "Okay, do you want me to tell you who it is?"

Aang's face instantly lit up. "YES! YES! YES!"

"OKAY, then sit down already!" He did.

"It was…" Aang leaned closer, in suspense, "Ty Lee."

Glancing over, Sokka saw Katara wobble a bit and almost drop the bundle she was carrying. She turned around, more than a hint of surprise and fear in her eyes.

"You mean that acrobatic chi-blocker in the pink?"

"That's the one."

This time, Katara did drop the bundle. But more or less on purpose.

"You met her in the forest? What happened? Did she attack you?"

"Actually… no. We just… talked."

Katara and Aang were as surprised to hear it as Sokka was to say it out loud.

"Er… she says 'hi'. And also that she'll try to be a little nicer in battle. That is, if we ever happen to meet in combat again…"

Both Katara and Aang's faces scrunched up. Hers with suspicion, his with disappointment.

"Aww, that was it? No fighting?"

"Where were the others? Are you sure she wasn't just trying to get information out of you?"

Toph piped up and looked over from her perch on the boulder. "Didja embarrass yourself as usual, Snoozles?"

Sokka couldn't possibly answer all the questions at one time, so he did what he was best at:

He yelled. Loudly.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP and I'll tell you!!"

They all resentfully agreed.

Sokka proceeded to tell the story.

…His way, of course.

--------------

I can't believe I'm back here again. Why am I back here? Uh oh… is it subconscious? AAH!! MY SUBCONSCIOUS MIND! OUT TO RUIN MY LIFE!! GAH!

Subconscious, indeed, it was. Or at least, that was the only logical explaination.

It was night now; a peaceful, quiet night that could induce sleep immediately.

But apparently, it hadn't worked on Sokka.

The group had all gone to bed, hours ago, still making fun of Sokka for his goofiness when confronted with a supposed enemy. Within minutes, nothing could be heard in their small camp except for the sounds of their breath, in and out as they slept; and the rustling sounds of the leaves as the breeze blew through the trees.

For a moment Sokka had been convinced the rustling was caused by a certain someone, but as it continued consistently, as only nature could, he relaxed.

But nevertheless, he was unable to fall asleep.

After what seemed like hours of tossing and turning, he had gotten up for a leisurely stroll. He figured that maybe a little exercise would help…

And now he had found himself back in the same spot where he had met Ty Lee, hours earlier.

I'm not here on purpose, he told himself. It's entirely coincidental. Completely UNplanned and unintentional.

Sure it was.

I never meant to come here.

Sure, he didn't.

…

Wait a minute…

…someone's coming.

The rustling noises behind him told him he was correct. But he didn't move. He was prepared this time.

Completely UNplanned and unintentional…

Soft, light footsteps told him she was near.

---

"How did you know I would be here?"

A gentle voice sounded from behind him:

"I didn't."

Sure, she didn't.

He turned around to face her. The moonlight illuminated her adorable features.

"How did you know I would be here?"

"I didn't."

They smirked at each other. This was too perfect to be a coincidence; they both had known it all along.

She sat down on a large stone, and as there wasn't one for him, he stood across from her.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Nope. I was too wound up to sleep. And there was also the added possibility of running into you again…"

Sokka smiled and looked away. "It was the same with me."

Ty Lee looked. The full moon shone down on them from her place in the night sky.

"It's a beautiful moon, isn't it?"

Sokka closed his eyes. "It is."

Wait a minute… that reminds me.

Sokka opened his eyes. "Hey. I wanted to thank you."

She looked up at him, a curious look on her face. "Thank me? For what?"

"For fixing me."

Ty Lee's facial expression informed Sokka that she needed clarification. So he proceeded to do so.

He took a breath, and as he spoke he sat down on the rock next to her. "For a long time, I felt guilty for something that happened at the North Pole. Someone I cared about… I thought I could have saved her. I felt responsible. And I kind of… closed up for a long time."

Ty Lee turned to face him, but he didn't notice; he was looking up at the moon. He sighed, and continued. "But you've made me realize… it was her destiny. I don't have to feel like it was my fault. And more importantly," He turned to look at her, "that it's okay to care about other people, because I can't help that she's gone."

Ty Lee's eyes conveyed a sense of understanding. "I'm sorry…"

He smiled and shook his head. "No, you're supposed to say, 'You're welcome'."

She smirked. "Oops."

All of a sudden, Sokka felt something stirring inside of him. He knew he had felt it before, but he didn't recognize it right away. All he knew was that there was a space between him and Ty Lee, and he didn't want it there anymore.

And neither did she.

Their lips touched, and in that moment they knew they had figured it out. The more they had spoken to each other, the clearer it had become: the pieces fit. What was different?

They understood that now.

It was because they knew they didn't have to be enemies if they didn't want to be.

And they didn't want to be.

---

Sokka drew back from her, ever-so-slowly, and they looked into each other's eyes.

When you mix grey and blue, doesn't it result in an even deeper blue?

Sokka got up slowly, and so did she. He went around the rock and walked slowly in the direction of his camp, but not before saying goodbye.

"Until we meet again."

She nodded back at him, and turned around. The two went their separate ways.

Well, however surreal the experience seemed, one thing was for sure:

They'd have no trouble sleeping now.

Are ya happy? I know lots of people wanted an ending. It was rather long, for an epilogue, but I don't think anybody minded the length.

Hope you liked it. And if you really loved it, tell me! I'd love to hear what you thought.