The week passed by so quickly I couldn't even realizad I had a promise

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, nor his characters, only the will to write my ideas in a texteditor. Avatar: The last airbender © Nickelodeon.

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The way you feel

By J.B.

Chapter III: Unison

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The week passed by so quickly she couldn't even realized she had a promise.

Same hour, same spot.

The waterbending master was trembling as seconds passed by. She was alert on every single move, sound…

Suddenly two hands covered her mouth and get her out of the sight, when she was about to scream, Zuko's voice sounded clear and … happy?

"You were too obvious there, lucky you there were no guards!" he snapped.

"You did released your uncle!" Katara said looking at Iroh with joy "It's good to see you, sir. Toph will be glad"

"It is my pleasure, dear kid" he answered politely "Well… my nephew told me about the plan. Do you think we can help the avatar?"

"Pretty much I'd say" she said exited but then she remembered something and her smiled erased completely

"What's the matter?" Zuko asked

"Well… I never told them about the plan so they didn't have to worry"

"You were brave young lady" pointed Iroh "but friendships are based on trust. You'll have to tell them before we go, we don't want bad surprises"

"No. Uncle, there's no time. They'll notice you're not here"

"Right" she said "Besides, they'll understand eventually"

They walked and swam for a while, then she saw her brother in the shore, worried to death. "What were you thinking Katara?!" then he say the other two men "Get back" and getting his boomerang out, he show an aggressive posture.

"Hold on, Sokka" she demanded "Zuko and Iroh are helping"

"What??"

"Quit that, ok? They are helping us"

"No way, Katara!"

Not far from there, Toph and Aang approached panting both tired. "There's no sign of—"

"There she is!"

The two kids ran straight to her and found the firebendings.

"Get back!!" ordered Aang

"Calm down Aang, they are here to help us!"

"No way" said them at the same time.

"We are" said Iroh talking to Toph "Hey there, young lady"

"It's you!" she said running to him and giving him a quick punch in his arm "You are safe!" then she faced Zuko "And you….!"

"Wait, Toph. Zuko is helping too!" Katara stood between Zuko and the Gaang, facing her own friends. "I know he did a mistake in the past but he'll show you he had change"

Trust me

I'm on your side…

Zuko then felt something beating hard in his chest, Toph laugh a little after noticing that and the exprince blushed "Um… well… hello, Avatar…Katara's brother… Katara's brother's friend"

"My name is Toph, you fool, and this other fool is Sokka"

Be gentle!

Demanded Katara's voice inside Zuko's head.

"Right!" he said ashamed "Sokka, Toph…"

"Well, what's the plan?" asked Aang suspicious

"I think we'll teach you firebending"

"No way" Aang replied "I burned Katara once, I won't do it again"

"You have to let go your fears, young man" Iroh said "We'll help you"

Sokka spoke "No. First we will discuss it, if you give us a minute…"

The gaang joined. Katara confessed what her encounter was, she said what Zuko promised and everyone had to believe that the traitor helped her. Also, Aang told them about how he saved him when he was in Zhao's ship. Finally Toph accepted she liked Iroh and they agreed to join them.

"It's ok. You can stay, but as long as you behave" Said Sokka.

"Yes, and after you are done…" Toph continue "You'll have to choose: you stay and fight the fire nation, or leave in peace"

Both men looked at each other before nodding.

"Then it's settled. We start tomorrow the training"

Everyone got to their places. Zuko then glanced at Katara… how was it possible to hear her voice inside his head…?

Good night

"Good night" he said aloud almost in a whisper though.

Katara heard it and approached "Good night, Zuko" she said happily.

"Wait!"

"What is it?"

"You know… I was… I wanted to thank you… for your trust…"

"Don't mention it, it's ok" She said about to leave.

"No, I mean it" He sighed "I'm sorry I disappointed you before"

Katara let go two silent tears "Just don't harm us again…"

And she left.

Iroh looked at his nephew "She's pretty"

Zuko froze and then an intense red covered his head. Without a word he sat on the floor thinking about it… Actually his uncle was wrong, she was beautiful….

Next day, Aang woke up with the sun since Iroh and Zuko began his train really early. They showed him firebending basics so he could control fire with no fear, but actually they fail, Aang's fears were far bigger than they thought so they decided to teach him fire's origin.

"It all began with dragons, amazing creatures living in amazing places"

"I had one once." Aang said exited "Well.. in my past life actually, hehe. Avatar Roku had one"

"Yes. And those dragons were the key to learn firebending. They taught man the techniques so they could use it too. Those were nice times" said Iroh sadly "My grandfather Sozin began the dragon haunting" he sighed "So we won't find them…"

"That's sad to know" Aang said

"But don't worry young Avatar, you'll learn the antique technique, right, Zuko?"

Aang looked at Zuko who seemed to be distracted

"Right, uncle"

"Anyway" said quickly the old man "We shall start with the basic movement" he showed Aang as he spoke "turn your arm like that, right. Then focus your energy inside yourself. You'll feel the fire inside, the spirit. There it is… you let it flow through you"

Aang did his best, as Zuko and Iroh began his lessons. Though the prince wasn't paying attention to his own advices.

Finally there was the time to eat. Katara prepared a very traditional food since she felt it was a special ocation. Iroh had tasted it before, since he had traveled the world. Zuko, instead, found it odd to be eating a water tribe recipe. He liked it, it was soft and light. Fire Nation food was always spicy, so he found it unique.

"Thanks for the food" said Iroh "Zuko, Aang and I are continuing the basics, you can stay here, guarding"

Zuko stared at him, without understanding his uncle's words. But he obeyed. After he released him, Iroh was always moody and still hurt. At least he had to obeyed every single order or suggestion.

"So how is it going?" asked Toph bored

"That depends on him. It's been hard for him"

"That should be Earth not Fire" cried Toph "And he did learned it, so it's just time for him to stop babbling around and face his destiny"

"Don't be mean, Toph!" Katara scolded "Aang had a very bad experience with fire"

"So what happened?" Asked Zuko

"He burnt my hands" she shrugged "I healed it so it didn't matter"

"You should be careful" said unconsciously Zuko

"You can't tell me to be careful with fire, you idiot!" said her angry

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean it, I—"

"I'll go and see Sokka" said Toph as fast as she could "Thanks for the food"

"Now, now, Zuko. Do you like being sarcastic?!"

"I said I was sorry, I just… wanted to say …"

"What? To be careful with lightening too? Like the one your sister let out when she almost killed Aang?"

"No, wait… I--"

"Or even worse, to be careful for not steeping in front of some firebending master who uses his skills to destroy villages and murder people… innocent people!"

"I didn't mean any of that… I just mean that now we are a team and I'll watch out over you all. Even if you'll never forgive me, I'll do my best to erase that injury I did in Ba Sing Se"

"I'm sorry" Katara finally said "It's not your fault. I just can't stop hating the Fire nation…"

"It's ok, I really understand… sometimes I can't too, but some others… I thank to be born there so I met my mother and my uncle."

"Look at you, you can be sweet when you want to…" Katara said icy "Well prince, we might be in the same team now, but don't you think this will be easy, you have to prove yourselves, I won't trust you as I did before. Is it clear?"

"Perfectly"

I know this chapter was going to be denial but I changed so I wont' say the next one since I might change it too. Thanks for reading

Jillia Black