Summary: Sorry for the wait but I have been really busy lately and I lost track of time, but I got this done. A lot more will be happening soon. especially as things develop. Anyway, please review. I really enjoy your feedback.

Avatar belongs to Mike and Bryan.

Chapter 4: Hope

Sokka woke up groggily to a cold breeze that swept over the nearby stream. He sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Once he regained his bearing, Sokka noticed Katara was gone. He stood up quickly, causing him to stumble backwards a little bit from dizziness. He looked around frantically. Before Sokka got too worked up, he decided to look by the stream first. Katara always had a tendency to go to water when something was wrong.

After Sokka's near panic attack, Appa and Momo woke up. Appa grumbled in disapproval while Momo flew over to Sokka and perched himself on his shoulder. Sokka began to walk upstream and quickly recognized a silhouette sitting atop a large rock that was partially in the stream. She had her knees pulled to her chest with her arms wrapped around them and her head resting on top.

Sokka walked up slowly to just behind the rock. "How long have you been up?" He asked, concern ever present in his voice.

Katara jumped slightly, for she wasn't even remotely paying attention to anything but her thoughts. She sighed softly, but didn't answer right away. Sokka waited expectantly. "I never went to bed." She mumbled, knowing the scorning that was about to come.

"Katara..." He breathed.

"Don't 'Katara...' me!" She snapped, never looking at him. Sokka was taken aback by her harsh tone. "Just leave me alone!"

Sokka had no idea what had gotten into her. Obviously she was upset about this whole situation. "Relax. I'm just trying to help." He replied softly.

"I don't want your help." She snapped again.

Sokka was beginning to lose his cool. He waded into the water and walked in front of the rock, glaring at his sister. They were now about eye level. She returned the glare with equal force, but soon broke down into tears. Sokka quickly climbed the rock and took a seat next to her. He pulled her into his side and gave her a comforting hug. "Shhh, it'll be all right." He cooed.

"You don't know that!" Katara's voice cracked through her tears.

Sokka knew not to argue with her at the moment. He conceded. "You're right. I don't. But I do know that Aang is strong and smart. He knows how to take care of himself.

"I wasn't just talking about that." She choked, looking away from him.

"Then what were you talking about?"

"He may never want to see me again." She whimpered. "He might be too scared."

"Katara, he knows you could never stay mad at him for long."

"But he also knows what a bitch I can be."

"Katara-"

"Yeah, I know. Language." She cut him off and put her hand up in frustration. She usually was the last person to swear, no matter what the situation. But, right now was not a good situation.

"Katara, you have to have faith in him." Sokka talked softly. He looked into her eyes, making sure to get his point across. "You need to hope." Katara softened immediately at that word.

"Sorry. I just can't help but worry about him."She confessed.

Sokka pondered for a moment then asked a question that caught both of them off guard. "You like him, don't you?" He asked calmly, staring straight ahead, across the stream.

Katara froze immediately. She hadn't expected that question. "W-What do you mean?" She stuttered wanting clarification that she heard right.

"You know, like him like him." He pressed a little harder.

Katara thought for a few long moments. Sure, her and Aang were close and were growing closer every day. She never really thought about it that deeply. Yes, there was an instant connection. Yes, they were very friendly. Yes, they cared deeply for each other. Yes, he is very handsome. Katara thought of all of these things and mentally slapped her for the last one. "No." She lied through her teeth. That seemed to satisfy Sokka, for he nodded.

"Okay." He replied and stood up. "We need to leave soon, so don't take too long." He hopped off the rock and left his sister to think more.

Katara began to think more and more about her and Aang. The way she always seemed to kiss him on the cheek. And the special look he had that seemed to only be reserved for her. Katara began to realize something. He left because he loved her. And that she loved Aang; she wasn't sure to what extent right now, but Sokka's question had triggered something.

She decided to get up and head back to camp and leave. She needed to stop thinking, or else it would destroy her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"What is our progress, Commander?" Zhao asked.

"The Avatar is amazingly strong willed, Sir." The commander replied with a sigh. "But we are making progress."

"Progress will be slow." Zhao replied without looking up from the scroll he was currently writing on. "I will send word to the capitol and update the Fire Lord on our progress."

"When would you prefer your personal interrogation to begin?"

"In about an hour." Zhao smirked.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aang hung from his chains in agonizing pain. The cuffs were digging deep into his wrists and ankles, making them raw and bloody. His sweat ran down into his cuts, stinging them to the point where he no longer cared. A strange itching sensation covered his scalp due to the hair that was now growing, and the sweat and dried blood that lied within.

The door screeched open and shattered through Aang's conscience. He weakly lifted his head to see Zhao confidently striding into the chamber, signaling the guard stationed inside to shut the door behind him. He complied.

Zhao slowly walked in front of his prisoner and bent down to look Aang in the eye. "Shall we begin?" Zhao asked, menacingly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sokka was on was sitting on Appa's head, scanning the sky and ground for Aang. Katara, meanwhile, was doing the same in the saddle. She leaned against the side and hung her head over. Momo was curled up on her legs sleeping.

The two siblings hadn't said a word to each other since they had set off earlier that morning. Sokka was getting tired of the silence. "Katara, can you come up here?"

Katara answered without moving a muscle. "Why?"

"Because we need to talk."

"We've already done enough of that." She snapped.

"Just come up here." Sokka insisted.

Katara slowly crawled to the front of the saddle and down to Appa's head. Sokka scooted over to make space for her next to him.

She plopped down and sighed. "What is it?"

"I just want to make sure you're doing okay."

Katara was getting agitated. "I'm doing fine, Sokka. You don't have to baby me all the time."

"You don't sound like you're fine." He pointed out.

"Look, I don't pester you when you're upset, so just let me be."

"So, you're admitting it then?" Sokka asked with a grin on his face. Katara opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. "Look, I know you're upset and worried, but you need to stay strong."

"Don't you think I'm trying!?" She snapped.

"I do, but you always told Aang that it always helps to talk things out." Sokka paused. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Katara looked him in the eyes with raw determination. "No, I want to get him back." She crawled back into the saddle and settled in before she realized what she had said, I want to get him back. She began to think again. That didn't exactly sound like they were just friends.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Zhao laughed as he finished the current session of torture. "I think that is enough for today." He mocked. Zhao wiped his hands and exited the room. The doors shut behind him with a slam and then there was silence.

Aang groaned loudly as he shifted in his chains. He was now in unbearable pain. Burns covered his body, as well as bruises and cuts. His left shoulder now felt dislocated.

The guard assigned to the cell sighed and walked in front of the Avatar. He knelt down in front of him and began to reach into his uniform. He stopped when he heard a hoarse voice.

"W-What a-a-are you g-going to do t-to me?" Aang moaned in an accusatory tone.

The guard slowly took his helmet off and set it down next to himself. He looked Aang in the eye. "I'm here to help."He continued to pull stuff out of his uniform.

Aang noticed a bowl of rice and some water. "W-Why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do." The guard raised the glass of water to Aang's lips and helped him drink it. "Sorry, but this is all I could get for you."

"T-They could kill you for this." Aang simply stated.

"Not if I'm careful." The guard stated and raised a spoonful of rice to Aang's mouth. "What is your name?"

Aang finished swallowing his rice. "A-Aang." He replied in a hoarse whisper.

"My name is Kuzon, after my great grandfather." He replied with a bit of a smile. Aang looked at him in shock. "My grandfather told me he was a friend of the Avatar." He looked Aang in the eye. "That wouldn't happen to be you, would it."

"It was." Aang's voice cracked, but it was beginning to come back to normal. "He was one of the few people I actually told." Aang paused in thought, then looked back to Kuzon. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen." Kuzon smiled, but it quickly fell as he stood up. "I'm sorry I can't do more for you. It's too dangerous."

"I deserve to be here." Aang stated somberly. "I hurt my friends this is what I deserve."

"What did you do?"

"I betrayed their trust, and I burned my best friend. Not to mention the fact that I drug them from their home, but I really don't want to talk about it anymore." Aang confessed, angrily.

"You don't deserve this. You're a human being, not some animal." Kuzon tried the comfort.

"Just...stop talking. It's not helping." Aang spat.

"Okay." Kuzon relented and went back to his post, where he watched Aang fall into an involuntary, and restless unconsciousness.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Katara, wake up." Sokka whispered as he shook his sister awake.

She groggily turned over. "W-What?" She mumbled. Katara hadn't realized she fell asleep while dangling slightly over the edge of Appa's saddle looking for Aang.

"We're at our camp for the night. Some refugees offered to let us stay in their camp." Sokka explained, hoping she would move.

Katara rolled over into a more comfortable position. "I wanna stay here." She mumbled againg, beinning to doze once more.

Sokka sighed and grabbed Katara's arm, beginning to drag her up. "They're telling stories. I think it'll cheer you up."

Katara brushed Sokka's arm away and got up herself. "Fine."

"They also have meat!" Sokka yelled excitedly. Katara shook her head at her brother's obsession with food. Katara followed Sokka to the fire, where stories of airbenders were being told. This only saddened Katara more, but she continued to listen anyway.

"So, travelers. The next time you think you hear a strange, large bird talking, take a closer look. It might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man. A member of a secret group of air walkers, who laugh at gravity, and laugh at those bound to the earth by it!" The storyteller finished.

"That's how Aang must feel." Katara mumbled sadly as she slumped down by the fire.

Sokka sighed at his sister's sadness. He was really beginning to worry. The storyteller went around asking for money. When he reached Sokka, he shook the bag of money, creating a soft jingling noise.

Sokka reached into his coat and pulled out a bug, a worm and a few crumbs. "Sorry…"

"Aww cheepskates!" The storyteller exclaims slightly upset and downcast.

Katara heard his upset tone and decided to help. She may have been upset too, but she hated seeing it in others. She stood and walked over to the man. "Thanks for the story." Her voice was soft, but sincere.

"Why thank you."

"May I ask when your grandfather saw the airbenders." Katara asked. The man gave a hearty laugh, which perturbed Katara. "Why are you laughing?" Katara asked, trying to hold inher anger.

"Great Grandpappy saw the air walkers last week." The man stated, gesturing to an older man sitting by the fire.

Katara's eyes went wide. Hope was still there that what the man had seen was Aang and possibly other airbenders. Her heart swelled with joy and anxiousness. She grabbed the man's shoulder s and shook them. "Where did he see them?!"

The man was a bit shocked and toung-tie. "I-uh-he-uh…"

"Please tell me…" Katara pried desperately. For reasons she could not explain, tears began to escape her eyes. "...please?" She whispered; her voice was weak.

Sokka walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Katara…" She slowly let go of the man and looked down at her feet, tears still falling. Sokka nodded to the man to continue.

"He saw them in mountains to the north." The storyteller explained.

Sokka smiled to the man. "Thank you." He wrapped his arms around Katara, holding her close and allowing her to cry into his shoulder. He guided her back to Appa, a good distance from the others. "C'mon, sis. We need some rest."

Katara pushed herself away from Sokka, scaring Momo from his shoulder. "No!" She screamed. "I will not rest until we find him!" She spoke determinedly.

"Katara-"

"Don't you realize what that man's story means?" Katara asked. "Aang is out there, and possibly other airbenders." She smiled. It was the most hope she had had in days of searching.

"Katara-" He was cut-off again.

"We should head north now to the Northern Air Temple. He has to be there." Katara was elated.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled, stopping Katara from her rambling. "We need to stop and think."

"But-"

"Do you not realize that it is night time, we have no idea where exactly the Northern Air Temple is, the guy saw it over a week ago, and what if the story isn't true?"

"It is true." Katara replied quickly.

"And how do you know that?" Sokka asked, crossing his arms.

"Because he said it was." Katara answered.

"Seriously Katara, when have you ever trusted a crazy old man?" Sokka asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Oh wait I do: King Bumi!" Katara yelled sarcastically.

"That's different." Sokka waved his hand in dismissal.

"Oh really?"

Sokka was getting tired of this argument. "Look, I am just trying to be realistic. We have no idea if any of this is true. It could be just some trick so that man could make some money."

"You know what, Sokka. You need to put your anger at Aang aside and help me find him. Why can't you just hope?"

"There's that word again. Katara, the world doesn't revolve around hope. Be realistic."

Katara looked down at her feet. Tears slowly fell from her eyes again. "Hope is all I ever have." She sat down and buried her face into her knees.

Sokka sat down next to his sister and pulled into a side hug. "I'm not saying you shouldn't hope. But sometimes when you hope for something, and it never comes to you, it can tear you apart." Sokka held her out at arm's length and looked her dead in the eye. "I don't want you to get torn apart."

Katara wiped a stray tear and sniffled a bit. "Thanks, Sokka."

He chuckled. "What are brothers for?"

"Annoying their sister." Katara replied with a smile..

Sokka smiled, happy that his sister at least cracked a smile joke. "Besides that."

"Being their when I need him." She smiled

"Exactly." Sokka replied confidently as he got up to get his stuff off Appa. "We'll head for the air temple in the morning." He explained.

Katara nodded and decided she was going to sleep on Appa's tail just like Aang. Just like Aang she thought. Her hope that she would see the airbender soon grew. And so did her feelings.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I hoped you liked it. Please review and I will see you all next time.