"Well that was intense," Sokka commented, out of breath. He, along with Toph and Katara, had just finished driving off Azula's relentless gang yet again. They began packing up all their gear, anxious to get out of the area.

"Yeah, No kidding." Toph had her arms crossed over her chest obstinately, while Sokka and Katara scrambled to pack their gear onto Appa.

Sokka said, "Come on, guys. The faster we get far, far away from here, the better."

"Definitely." Katara agreed as they climbed onto the sky bison, Sokka taking his position on its head.

"Hold it!" Toph hadn't budged from her spot on the ground. "Aren't we forgetting something a bit important? Where's Twinkle-Toes?"

Silence fell over the group as Katara and Sokka each glanced at each other, and then around them, and then at each other again.

"Well he was here just a minute ago..." Sokka muttered.

"With Zuko!" Katara realized in horror. She remembered the North Pole - having to watch Zuko run off with an unconscious Aang, and fearing she'd never see him again. "Oh no... Aang? Aang!" She called out. When nobody replied, Toph shrugged her shoulders. "No... What if Zuko has him? We have to go find them before they get too far."

Sokka deepened his voice and straightened up his posture. "No. That's not the right move. Aang is smart. If he is with Zuko, I'm sure he can hold his own."

"So then what would you suggest?" Katara snapped, glaring at her brother. "Just leaving him with the angsty kid who's been trying to capture him?"

"Of course not. But if Aang comes back, someone needs to be here waiting for him. If he's not back soon, will you be okay with Appa and Momo while me and Toph go out and search?"

Katara nodded, setting her jaw stubbornly.

"No," Toph interjected. "Let me do it. You two will search for Aang. I'll stay. If anyone tries to sneak up on me, I'll feel it way before either of you could see it."

"Good plan," Sokka said as they all nodded in agreement. "For now, let's just sit tight and see if he makes it back."

The group settled themselves once more, though it wasn't like they could make themselves comfortable with the knowledge that Aang and Zuko could be off somewhere alone. Gazing out at the horizon where she'd last seen her friend, Katara said softly to herself, "Where are you, Aang?"

...

The terrain was dense, dense, dense. It seemed there were more vines than ground - most of them armed with thorns. Sharp rocks threatened to twist ankles and roots reached out ready to trip. Aang and Zuko hobbled along awkwardly - the taller boy's arm slung over the shorter one's shoulder, Aang's small frame struggling to support Zuko through the undergrowth... every now and then Zuko stifled pained moans and gasps - he was much too proud to show all the pain. But Aang new.

"You're getting worse. We need to stop."

"I'm fine." Zuko insisted.

"Your knee is the size of a papaya."

"I said I'm fine."

"But-"

"Do you want to find shelter or don't you?" Zuko quipped sharply enough that Aang flinched away a little. "We will keep moving, and I will be fine." The pain was immense, but he for sure had known worse pain... and in more ways than one. He felt the Avatar shift around uncomfortably underneath his weight and mutter something annoyed, bringing him out of his bitter reverie.

"You're pretty big, you know." Aang observed with frustration.

"You're just small."

"Yeah, that's true... but I am only twelve. Well, one hundred and twelve, really, but who's counting?"

Wow, Zuko thought silently, and with disgust. What kind of monster hunts down and fights a twelve year old? Quickly he reminded himself, one who doesn't have a choice.

"Please stop talking to me." His tone was rigid like a marching army.

"I'm just trying to-"

"Stop trying to." Then he pointed a little ways off in the distance. "There's a hollow tree trunk over there."

Reluctantly, Aang heeded Zuko's wishes for him to stop talking, and the two made their way over to the massive trunk - it was easily large enough for them to fit inside comfortably after sliding through the narrow slit at its base. Aang helped Zuko in first before climbing in after him, and Zuko, relieved to be off of his feet, immediately began to clutch at his knee and seethe out his pain in deep, frustrated breaths.

Aang didn't stop to rest before getting to work, untying the sash around his waist and tearing it into strips.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow. Inwardly, Aang noted that it was the most human expression he'd ever seen the firebender make.

"Put your leg down flat so I can wrap it."

Zuko obeyed, easing his swollen limb down to the ground, and eyeing Aang suspiciously as he began to wind the strips around the knee, tying them tightly enough that if Zuko didn't have as much pride as he did, he probably would have winced or made a noise in protest. "You should know, Avatar," his voice was as loathing as a hiss, "that I think you are a fool for helping me."

Aang was unphased, and continued to focus on the task at hand. "Maybe I am. But you do need help, and right now I'm the only person around who can give it." At that, Zuko crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head to stare stubbornly out into the forest. After just a few seconds, though, Aang found himself reeling over Zuko's words. Was he really a fool? Aang thought there might have been as much wisdom in leaving Zuko behind as there was in helping him, and he didn't understand how or why he decided to help. No, not just decided... he'd insisted. Aang remembered the way his friends had reacted at the North Pole. They didn't approve then, and he knew they certainly wouldn't approve now. No one would.

"...Earlier, you asked me why I don't just end you." Aang started, and Zuko's eyes shifted a little in Aang's direction. "I believe that all life is sacred. Even yours." Aang wasn't looking, but he could feel Zuko's gaze boring into his soul.

"Taking it is the only way you'll ever stop me."

Aang's heart lurched. It felt like it had outright stopped beating upon Zuko's remark. For a minute, he stayed still. He didn't look up at Zuko, he didn't let his horror show on his face as he wondered just how ruined someone had to be to speak so candidly - so tauntingly - about their own death. When he regained his composure, he said, "...There is always another way. Always."

"Name one." Zuko challenged.

"Talking," Aang offered as he tucked in the last ends of the makeshift bandage. "Talking is one."

Exasperated, Zuko wiped one hand over his exhausted face and said, mostly to himself, "You have got to be kidding me..."

"Not kidding at all. We spend so much time fighting each other that I've never gotten to ask you why."

Zuko screwed his face up as if to say how stupid he thought that question was. "Why? Because I am the Fire Prince!"

"The banished Fire Prince," Aang corrected, and instantly regretted it. He saw the rage build up in Zuko's body like steam and before he knew otherwise, the prince was lunging at him, equipped with fire daggers. Aang dodged the attacks, but only barely - the sleeve of his shirt was singed.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Zuko's voice cracked with shame. How dare anyone remind him of the one thing he woke up every morning wishing he could forget? The thing that kept him from being able to see his own reflection without feeling sick to his stomach...

"Sorry! Sorry! Jeez..." Aang was startled and shaking. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm always upset." Lamented Zuko, smoke curling up from his clenched fists.

"I just think maybe... just maybe, if you tried to help me understand why you're doing this, I could help you find another way."

Zuko looked away again, his countenance radiating with slow-burning heat. "You could never understand."

"I'm willing to try..." Aang was sincere.

"You and I are done talking."

The Avatar felt the finality in Zuko's words, and, with a sigh, sunk his shoulders and gave up.

"...Your knee needs ice," he said, downcast. "I should go find some water to bend."

Aang crawled from out of the tree, then leapt out into the forest.