Disclamer: I do own avatar. Just joking xD I dont own avatar: the last airbender or the character's in the show

Chapter 3: Escape

In his mind, all he could see was her…his mother lying on the floor with that knife in her back. A million other things were also racing through his head. Should he have left? Was she still alive? His father? Then that note. Was it really the Fire Nation military? What the hell did his father do to piss them off so bad? Should he have searched for his father? All these things whizzed through his mind a million miles an hour, waking him from his dream.

Jono jolted awake and rubbed his eyes before looking around. Was last night a dream and if it was where the hell was he? As he looked around he could tell this was clearly a girl's bedroom.

"Finally you're awake," Tiya said sitting on the end of her bed.

Jono jumped a bit when he saw her, Why the hell didn't I see her before! He instantly went to grab his dagger which wasn't there.

"Don't freak out your weapon's are on the desk over there," she said jerking her thumb towards a study desk that had his weapons and backpack on it.

"Who- who are you?" Jono asked looking at the girl.

She was stunning; her hair as dark as night, her eyes greener than spring grass and, her face…he'd never seen anyone more beautiful. Jono wanted to scoop this girl up and kiss her then and there, but he knew his shyness wouldn't let him.

"I'm Tiya and who are you?" she said smiling as she watched him look her up and down.

"I-I'm Jono," he said blushing slightly.

Tiya noticed and blushed herself. She thought the boy was kinda cute.

"Where am I?" he asked happy that his initial stuttering shock was not over.

"Oh you're in Shu Jing," Tiya looking slightly puzzled for a second and then returning to a normal expression.

"Shu Jing! How the hell did I get here?" Jono exclaimed.

"Well my dad said he found you on the side of the road. You tell me," Tiya answered more curious than ever.

Jono sunk back into the bed. "So it is true…" he sighed softly to himself as tears slowly dripped from his eyes.

"Hey…hey…don't cry now. What happened to you?" Tiya stood up from her bed and sat next to him.

"I-I don't know exactly. I was coming home from school and I remember walking in the door and seeing my mother..."Jono's tears came more freely now.

Tiya feeling sorry for the boy realizing what had happened to him leaned over and hugged him.

"Shhhhhh it will be okay," she said to him as she slowly stroked his head with her hand.

Jono after slowly calming down wiped the tear away from his eyes and stayed still enjoying her tender embrace.

Ignore pain Jono mentally chanted. After another few moments he put the pain aside. He knew he had to get out of there since the man was probably still looking for him so he stood up much to Tiya's dismay.

"I need to go. By being here I put you and your family in danger," he whispered.

"But you can't leave yet. My parents aren't even home yet. They wanted to talk to you and ask about you when they got home," Tiya stressed not wanting him to leave for her parents but also for herself.

"I'm sorry but the longer I'm here the more I put you and your family in danger," Jono said seriously looking at her pleading eyes. He decided to take a small risk as he leaned over and kissed Tiya lightly on the cheek. She blushed a dark pink.

Jono then grabbed his stuff off the desk and left.

After getting over the reaction of the kiss she stood up and ran to the front door, "Wait…please!" she called but as she looked out the door, he was gone.

Jono had hidden from Tiya and slowly crept away when the door closed. He headed towards the main part of the town with a hood over his head to protect his identity. In his backpack were a few silver coins so that he could buy a map of the Fire Nation and find a way to the Earth Kingdom. He didn't know any bending, and in this case it was a blessing for him. He could blend in with anyone. As he walked up to a local trader and bought the map he needed and glanced around making sure nobody was watching him. Next stop was the local food market where he bought some bread and other supplies. After he had everything he needed he left the city and found a nice quiet place he could study the map.

He looked closely at the map. "If I can get to Fire Fountain City then I can get a boat south. And if I can climb up the mountain ranges I can get to the abandoned Air Temple. I can lay low there for a few years. The boy thought and smiled for the first time in a few days," he mumbled to himself.

"HEY YOU!" a guard screamed out at the boy.

"Ahh shit! Just when things were starting to go good for me," Jono yelled jumping up and drawing the blade from his back.

Jono could tell these guys were benders so he charged in quickly, which would look foolish to those who would be watching and it did to the guards. The first smiled and threw fireballs at him, but he quickly rolled on the ground dodging them then stabbed him in the stomach.

The injured guard's partner threw another fireball at him which he easily dodged again. Jono stabbed the other guard in the same spot. Both were down.

Well there go my chances of leaving peacefully, he thought to himself.

He quickly searched the body's finding some gold pieces and some other things he didn't need and then took off towards Fire Fountain City.

AN: decided to add names in bold to the top of each paragraph to help people understand which character I'm talking about.

Focusing on Tiya

"How could you let this happen Tiya? You were supposed to keep him here until he got home!" Lee yelled.

"What choice did I have? I didn't know he was a wanted criminal!" Tiya yelled back.

"Doesn't matter I gave you instructions and you didn't follow through," Lee yelled back.

"Maybe I didn't want the poor kid who just had his mother killed thrown in a prison cell!" Tiya yelled back instantly regretting what she said.

Lee's anger only grew, "I'm sure you and your feminine ways could've figured out a way to make him stay…" Lee grumbled not expecting her to hear him.

"I'm not a whore Dad!" Tiya yelled as tears streamed down her face.

"I saw the way you were eyeing him!" he retorted.

She gasped suddenly feeling very dirty and unappreciated, "Goodbye," she stated simply before running out the door putting a long heavy cloak on while she ran.

Lee turned around from the door only to be met with stinging slap to the face.

"How dare you," his wife accused.

"I didn't mean it…" he tried apologizing.

"Whether he's guilty as accused or not what you said to her was wrong. Bring my little girl back home," she turned away from him and slammed their bedroom door.

Tiya angrily stomped her way into town and sat down at a park bench.

"Jono where did you go?" she said to herself.

Jono

He was at the top of the hill headed south towards Fire Fountain City overlooking Shu Jing. And far in the distance he could see the outskirts of home. He looked away trying to shake the thought from his head.

"No point dwelling on the past now. I need to move on…" he reminded his wavering emotions.

He turned towards the road and started walking, and thinking to himself, Alright so I have my tent, some food to last me until I reach a small village on the way and thanks to those guards I have some gold to work with.

Tiya

Tiya sitting on the park bench sobbing looked up at the hills wondering how far she could get by herself. Then she saw him on top of the hill looking back at the city. It was only for a second but she knew it was him so she quickly jumped off the bench and headed towards him.

Jono

After a good few hours walking after his afternoon wake up at Tiya's home, Jono decided to make camp and get a good night's sleep so he could travel more in the morning. He reached into his backpack and grabbed the components for his tent and walked a few meters off the road and set it up so it was hidden from the road. After setting up the tent and getting some wood for the fire Jono was exhausted.

"Well I didn't sleep all that much last night so I guess it makes sense," he told himself.

He was just about to retire when he heard distant footsteps approaching him. Out of reflex he drew his sword waiting to see who it was that was coming towards him.

"Jono!" A female voice shouted that he recognized it instantly.

Goddamn it Tiya what did I tell you! Jono thought as the black haired girl came into view.

"Hey…I need…to talk to..." Tiya gasped as she approached Jono clearly out of breath.

"Tiya what the hell are you doing here? I told you that I didn't want you around. I'm in a lot of trouble and I don't want to put your family in danger," He said firmly.

"My dad...I kinda ran out…" Tiya said lowering her head to the floor a little shy and ashamed.

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"I was supposed to keep you at home until they got back, so they could talk to you. Then he said I didn't try hard enough and that I should have tried to…" she began crying again.

A wave of guilt instantly hit Jono as he understood her hidden meaning; "Do you have anywhere to go?"

"No I don't…I don't know what to do Jono I can't live on the streets or else I'll become what he was going to accuse me of!" Tiya sobbed even harder.

Now it was jono's turn to comfort her as he hugged her closely.

"I know we only just met but you seem to know how to live like this and I don't and I'm really scared and I'm..." Tiya said in between sobs.

"Shhhh its okay. This is my fault so you can stay with me until we find you somewhere safe," Jono said still hugging her.

Tiya's eyes shone wide. "Really you will take care of me?" Tiya asked looking up at him with a shimmer of hope.

"Yes of course. But you need supplies I barely have enough for myself," Jono said reacting to her small smile with his own.

Tiya smiled "I already got supplies," she said holding up a bag full of food.

"What about a tent and blankets?" he asked knowing there wasn't one in that small pack.

Tiya's smile faded as she looked down, "Oh I forgot about that."

Jono sighed, "Well looks like we will have to share until we find you a tent and some sleeping stuff."

Tiya instantly blushed at the idea of them sleeping under the same tent and even in the same sleeping bag. The more she thought about it the more she blushed.

Naturally Jono noticed this and laughed, "Get your mind out of the gutter and I'll cook us some food," he said smirking at her.

Tiya came out of her phase. "Sorry."

Jono smiled one again and went over to the small fire he had made, if you could call it a fire as Jono had barely anything to work with at the time.

Tiya also went over to the fire and used her bending to make the flames stronger and better.

"Why didn't you just use fire bending to make the flames bigger?" Tiya asked.

"I'm not a bender," Jono replied solemnly.

"Oh," Tiya replied not meeting his eyes.

The night was spent with Tiya and Jono chatting while he was cooking food. After dinner was finished they sat up for a few minutes longer.

"So you have lived here all your life?" Tiya asked.

"Yea I have but naturally I can't now. My plan is to head to the Air Temple ruins to lay low for a while," Jono said.

"How long is a while?" she asked.

"A few years maybe," he replied while slowly sipping on a cup of tea he had made.

"What?" Tiya exclaimed shocked.

"I have to let things die down here for a while before I do anything" he told her.

"That's so long though how are we gonna get food?" Tiya asked then realized what she said and blushed.

Jono chuckled at her, "So your plan is to come with me then?" He teased.

Tiya blushed more, "Well... yea I mean you're the guy that's taking care of me…right?" Tiya awkwardly replied.

"So you're planning on staying at least two years with me in the Air Temple with only one tent," He said with a smirk on his face making Tiya blush even harder.

Jono laughed at her embarrassment when she didn't reply and stood up.

"Well I'm going to go get some sleep I would do the same if I were you. We have a long way to walk tomorrow," he said offering her a hand up.

"Uhhh...okay sure," Tiya said nervously standing up.

Jono realized why she was nervous. "Look Tiya I just met you today and you are a beautiful girl but I'm not that kind of guy. I'm only doing this because we don't have a second tent," Jono told her.

"I know that," she said as if it was common knowledge. "It's just the idea of sleeping in the same bed... with a guy…" she said looking away.

"Well we don't really have a choice in the matter do we since we don't have extra stuff," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Jono I understand and its okay. It will feel a bit awkward but at least it'll be warmer this way…right?" Tiya said following him into the tent.

Jono sighed then smiled, "Well you're right so…" he crawled under the sheets then looked at her expectantly.

"I'll wait until you're asleep first then I'll come in…less awkward…" she said shifting her feet.

Jono simply nodded and within a few minutes he fell asleep.

Tiya yawned and decided since he was soundly asleep she could crawl in next to him. She took a moment to stare at his peaceful face; he wore the same expression as when she first saw him. His mouth was slightly open and she had to resist the urge to reach out and stroke his soft lips. Her hand went instantly to her cheek where he had kissed her and she longed for more of his tender touch. Instead she resisted and fell asleep soundly next to him comforted by his presence.

Author's note

Ok i realise i probaly made a few spelling error's in this And that my english isn't the best But This is my first proper fanfiction and im not really sure what im doing

So please no harsh review's saying my story sucks due to bad grammed and spelling Or anything negative for that matter

I would however Really appreciate any constructive cristism You guys/girls may have for me and any idea's are also helpful :)

But please no ridicoulously harsh review's about my dodgey spelling and grammer