Disclaimer: Avatar © Nickelodeon and Bryke. I own this work of fiction.

Author's Notes: Special thanks to anonymous, TTAvatarfan, ViolotQ, and Katsumara for reviewing. Shoutout to ViolotQ, my most critique-ful and brutally honest reviewer yet. (:

Um… yeah. I said it wouldn't follow the show, and it won't. But the beginning few chapters will, just because I need to introduce certain characters without making them too OOC; I also need to add certain experiences and make them authentic; have them travel to certain places, etc. But don't worry—this story is original.

Aah! D: I think that last chapter was the most un-original one I have written so far. (bangs head repeatedly) I hate it I hate itIhateitIhateit…

Out the Window

Um… OK, yeah. These next few days at camp are gonna be interesting, to say the least. I can see Aang giving me sideways glances, and his face always flushes. Whenever I think of him, my face does the same thing, and I get a weird feeling in my stomach. I haven't felt so good since my ex-boyfriend.

I hope Aang doesn't end up like him…

And what's up with Sokka, anyways? He's been ogling that red-haired chick Suki this whole time. Quite frankly, it's getting annoying, and I don't even get it, either. They don't get along. At all. PERIOD. …So why is he always talking about her and staring at her and crap like that? I mean God, Sokka, it's just a bikini. I wear one all the time, now get over it.

…Boys.

Aang and Katara followed the gray-haired man as he made his way through the camp, taking a moment to point at this or that and explain things before moving on. Aang looked on in awe; there was a high ropes course, a huge soccer field, a motorbike track, not to mention a huge amphitheater, complete with a fire pit, on the edge of the lake where the final campfire at the end of the summer was traditionally held. There was a steep slope from the mess hall down to the lake, so logs were dug up into the side of the hill for makeshift seats. It really was amazing.

Mung paused at the nurse's office. "I'm afraid our resident nurse is out for today," he said regretfully. "So if anyone in your group gets injured, you'll have to fend for yourselves."

Katara smiled. "That's fine; I've got medicine and stuff. Thanks for showing us around, Mung."

The man grinned back. "It was my pleasure. But I'm afraid I've gotta go back to my office; signing checks and all that fun stuff. You kids have a good time, OK? Don't let any of those girls intimidate you."

Aang stuck out his tongue. "Definitely not," he said, waving as the man walked away.

Katara turned to her friend. "Well, that was interesting," she said. "I can't believe they crammed all that awesome stuff into this tiny camp!"

Aang nodded enthusiastically. "I know, right? I wonder if Sokka found anything cool."

Katara twisted around. "Oh yeah… we kinda left him behind, didn't we?"

The boy just smirked. "Well, now that our tour's over, I think I'm going to move Appa. He's not doing very much good sitting in the middle of camp."

"That's a great idea! Oh… except… Sokka still has the keys." She made a face.

Aang facepalmed. "Dang. Now we're gonna have to go and find him."

"Shouldn't be too hard." The dark girl shrugged. "He is Sokka, after all."

Aang offered a lopsided smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Katara couldn't help but feel her face flush a light red color. Aang really looks adorable when he grins like that. She shook her head to clear the thoughts away and gestured for Aang to follow her. "Come on, I think Mung said the basketball court was this way. And if it's one thing I know Sokka's up to, it's playing sports."

The thirteen-year-old agreed and jogged after his friend. They made their way to the basketball court, where a group of older teens were sitting on a bench. A bunch of younger girls were sitting at their feet, listening as their counselors told stories and explained the new agenda for the day.

The duo walked up to them. Aang said, "Hey, have you girls seen our friend?"

Katara spoke, "He's my brother. About this tall, blue streaks in his hair, super-big ego?"

The blue-eyed girl in the middle—obviously their leader—crossed her arms. "Yeah, we've seen him," she said. "Gorgeous blue eyes, a sharp tongue, and a thick skull?" Katara nodded. "He's over at the docks, probably moping. The girls and I really taught him a thing or two about basketball." The counselors and campers alike let out a giggle.

"Thanks," Aang said. Katara sighed and walked away.

"I swear, my brother is such an idiot sometimes," she mumbled.

Aang couldn't disagree. "Yeah…" His gray eyes swept the grassy dirt beneath him, not really wanting to side in an argument regarding Sokka. They were both his friends, and he didn't want to fight with anyone. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. "Hey… did that girl say Sokka had 'gorgeous blue eyes'?"

Katara ignored him. "Look, there he is," she said, pointing at a silhouette sitting on the edge of the dock. They made their way over the rickety planks and stopped behind him.

Aang grimaced. "Dude… you're soaking wet."

His sister just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "We need the car keys," she said abruptly, holding out a hand.

The boy fished around in his pocket before thrusting the keys into Katara's outstretched hand. "Don't remind me," he grumbled to Aang. He sighed and rested his chin on his palm. "Why did they have to be so violent? You know, a simple, 'Hey Sokka, you're being a moron' would've sufficed."

Katara smirked. "Hey Sokka, you're being a moron."

He smacked her leg. "Not you, stupid. Suki."

Aang looked confused. "Suki?"

The older teen nodded. "Yeah… you know, gorgeous blue eyes, reddish-brown hair, and stubborn as a mule?"

"Ooh… so that's her name."

"Yup." He let out a breath and turned to stare at the lake. Water dripped down his neck and over his eyes, effectively gluing his darkish-brown hair to his skin.

"Well, we have what we came for," Katara said off-handedly, swinging the keys around her middle finger. "Let's leave Captain Angstbucket to mope about his girlfriend."

"She is not my girlfriend!" Sokka shouted after the duo's retreating figures. He planted his face in his hands. "At least not yet, anyways." That last part was just the result of his mind playing a horrible, horrible game with him. Surely he didn't actually like her… did he? Well, certainly not after the way she humiliated him in front of everybody. He snorted. She was just mad he had one-upped her in basketball.

Well, he could always fight back… But, Sokka reasoned, it was always better to make an attempt in joining a girl. Fighting her would only make things worse.

See? Fifteen years of living with Katara had finally taught him something useful.

But first, he desperately needed to find a towel.

--

"Come on, girls, I think you've had enough time in the lake." A chorus of groans and complaints from Suki's little campers only dampened the Kyoshi girl's mood. She frowned and ushered them out of the murky water, helping them into towels and clothes so they could make the walk back up the gravelly hill towards their cabin. She waved goodbye to her remaining fellow counselors and placed a hand on the backs of the two slowest girls, instructing the rest of her troop to move ahead. A particularly hyper camper named Koko was at the head of her group, chattering on with her friends about this and that.

"Did you see that guy with the arrow on his hat?" she giggled to her friends.

"Oh yeah! He was really cute."

"I don't know… his friend didn't seem to like us much."

Koko made a face. "As long as she's not his girlfriend, I don't really mind." Her friends laughed with her.

When they made it to the cabin, Suki and the girls stripped down and got into their swimsuits to prepare for showers before dinner. There was a separate bathhouse beside the cabins where the showers, toilets, and sinks were located. And even though there was a boys' side and a girls' side, the campers used both, considering this was an all-girls' camp. The only difference between the bathrooms now was that one room had urinals.

Suki, dressed in a green bikini with gold buckles, led the way, allowing her campers to go in the girls' side while a few of the older ones waited outside for their turn. She said, "I'm going in this side. If you need anything, just call me, and I'll be out in a flash." The girls nodded, and Suki stepped inside, placing her towel, soap, and bathing stuff down on the wooden bench that lined the room. What she didn't notice, however, was that there was someone else in the room with her.

"Holy sh—!" Suki whirled around to see that dark-skinned boy from earlier—surprised, dripping wet, and shirtless.

"What are you doing in here!" Suki shouted.

Sokka ran a hand through his hair. "I could ask you the same thing."

The girl planted her hands on her hips, forgetting her current state of undress. "This is an all-girls' camp, genius," she snarked. "We use both bathrooms."

"…Oh."

Suki watched as a droplet of water ran down Sokka's neck and dripped across his chest. She coughed, feeling her face heat up and an unsettling feeling linger in her stomach. "And… and get a shirt on," she muttered, turning away from him. She felt his eyes glue to her body, skimming up and down before settling hesitantly on her face. She grabbed her towel and watched as Sokka reached for his own. "What are you staring at?" She glared at him.

His blue eyes snapped up immediately. "Um… nice… bathing suit," he muttered.

Suki blinked. He liked her bathing suit…? How odd. Most guys would just say, "Nice rack," or something equally as horrible; she'd slap them, walk away, end of story. But then again, what kind of a girly man commented on fashion? She smirked. "You must be pretty secure in your 'masculinity' to comment me on my choice of clothing," she said, flipping her hair over one shoulder.

Sokka grinned. "Well, yeah, I try to be… But I'm serious, too. It really looks nice on you."

She searched the boy's face. He was genuine—the first of many, many countless others. So Suki decided the least she could do was offer it back. "Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself. You know, considering your shorts are about soaked through and your shirt's way over there."

A dark brown eyebrow shot up. "Yup, no thanks to you."

She laughed. "You're welcome." And with that, she gathered her showering supplies and walked out, headed for the girls' room. "See ya later, Sokka."

The dark teen felt something in his chest flip-flop. "See ya, Suki." And as the paler female walked away, Sokka couldn't help but let one thought invade his mind—

That's some girl.

--

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully for Katara and Aang. After the boy parked Appa on a gravelly hill beside the playing field, the couple began walking down the hill towards the mess hall. "Wow," Katara commented, "I can't believe it's six already. What have we been doing all day?"

Aang offered her a look out of the corner of his gray eyes. "Time flies when you're having fun." They pushed open the double doors and saw rows of tables lined up in the middle of the room; all of them were full of little campers, with at least one teenaged counselor at the head. They saw Suki and another counselor sitting at a long table with a wooden plaque labeled "Cheyenne."

"I wonder what they're having for dinner tonight," Aang questioned. He looked at his dark friend, but Katara simply shrugged and made her way into line. Since they didn't have a cabin of their own, they couldn't pick up each dish and take it to the table like the other cabins did; instead, they had to go to the food counter and get individual helpings from the cooks. It was meatloaf night, so Aang, being a vegetarian, asked for an extra helping of steamed vegetables. The two sat down at a small, empty round table at the back of the room.

After a few moments of eating in silence, Sokka made their way towards his friends and sat down heavily on one of the plastic stools attached to the table. He sighed and began shoveling meatloaf into his mouth. His sister cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

He looked at her, head shaking slightly side to side. "What what?" he echoed.

"It looks like you just broke up with your girlfriend, buddy," Aang offered around a mouthful of steamed carrots.

Sokka just sighed again and stuck his fork into his mashed potatoes. "I never had a girlfriend in the first place," he muttered crossly. "It's just… Suki." The boy groaned, running a hand through his dark hair. "She's so aggravating, you know? I try to talk to her and be nice and all that crap, but all she does is stiff me and brush me off. I swear, I think she has a vendetta against me. Or… y'know, men in general, even."

Katara nodded. "That's understandable. Some women just don't find men appealing."

Sokka's blue eyes got huge, and he blinked stupidly. "Are you inferring… that maybe Suki is a lesbian?"

Aang nearly fell out of his chair. Katara coughed on her lemonade. "N-no, not at all. I meant to say that I think she just doesn't get along with men that well. Maybe because of an ex-boyfriend or her father was a jerk or something like that." She shrugged. "You never know."

The teen pursed his lips. "I suppose that's a possibility." He mulled it over in his mind, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It just really bugs me that we can't get along."

Katara giggled behind her hand as Aang said under his breath, "I think it bugs you that she's not completely, head-over-heels, falling in love with you." Sokka glared.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Maybe you should just talk to her," Katara offered.

"Hmm. Maybe." He looked down at his meatloaf, hoping that perhaps the answer to all his problems would spell itself out in his mashed potatoes. …Yeah, he kinda figured. The mashed potatoes failed to tell him anything. The teen tapped his fingers on the table for a moment before picking up his tray and walking to the Cheyenne table. The little girls—including Koko—giggled loudly, and Suki's fellow counselor elbowed her in the ribs when he approached.

"Um… hi," Sokka said awkwardly. He shifted nervously; he really felt stupid standing up in front of all these campers.

Suki blinked at him. "…Hi?" It was more of a question than a statement. Abruptly, Sokka set his tray down and slid onto the stool next to Suki's.

He wasn't really sure where to begin, but if he wanted to patch things up with this girl, then he guessed an apology was as good an idea as any. "Well…" Jeez, he didn't have much experience with stuff like this. "…uh, I guess I just wanted to say… sorry. About earlier. Girls can be just as good at sports as guys can—heck, sometimes even better. Living with Katara, I should know that by now." He finally lifted his gaze from his potatoes and offered a small smile towards Suki. The girl just looked utterly shocked. He continued, "I know I can be kinda xenophobic sometimes, but hey. That's what growing up in a small town will do to you." He shrugged.

Suki just shook her head. "So… you came over here to apologize?"

"Yup. …OK, and, well… maybe to get an explanation, too." He leaned towards her. "I know I'm not smart or cool or amazing or any of the above, but did you have to be so harsh? I understand payback, but still." He shook his head. "Why don't you like me?"

The blue-eyed girl sat back on her stool. Suddenly, her meatloaf looked extremely interesting. "I don't know," she offered finally. "Probably because when you walked on campus—an all-girls' campus—you just had this something about you that really grated my nerves. And then you started acting really sexist, so I just got ticked off." She shrugged, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Well, if it means anything, I'm really sorry for acting that way; I hope you might start liking me back one of these days." He smiled genuinely.

Suki felt her stomach flip. "Like you back?" she echoed.

Sokka's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, well… you know. As… friends. And stuff." He coughed.

Suki shifted on her stool. He seemed like a fairly nice guy… but then again, didn't they all? She'd have to get to know him a little bit better before anything stupid started spilling from her mouth. Stupid phrases like, "You're cute" or "I think I might like you."

Y'know. Stupid, girly stuff like that.

This was retarded.

She pursed her lips. "I don't think so," she said finally.

Sokka looked at her, genuinely confused and a little bit downtrodden. "Why not?" he asked automatically.

Suki felt bad for shoving him off like this, but guys were just general idiots. She had no doubt in her mind that Sokka was no exception. "Because… you're a guy," she offered lamely, her face flushing red with guilt and a little bit of shame. She quickly gathered up her tray and cleaned up her mess, scampering through the doors and out towards the cabins. Sokka blinked and exchanged glances with Suki's other co-counselor, who simply shrugged and offered a sympathetic smile.

He sighed, poking at his food. "…Now who's being sexist," he muttered dejectedly.

--

Aang glanced between his two friends. Sokka was still at the Cheyenne table, looking rejected and utterly miserable, while Katara was eating her food calmly while pretending not to notice. "You know," Aang said, "I can't help but feel bad for Sokka. I think he really likes Suki."

Katara eyed him. "I think he does, too," she said carefully. "But I think he needs to learn some things about girls before Suki is willing to show any form of affection towards him. Even if they just stay friends."

Aang picked at his potatoes. "Yeah… I guess," he muttered. "I just know it would really suck to be turned down by a girl you really like. Especially when all you're trying to do is patch things up."

Katara didn't really know what to say to that. So instead, she finished her food and took care of her tray; walking towards the door, she looked at Aang one more time before heading towards the docks. It was a beautiful evening, and she wanted to spend it near the water. She needed some time to think, anyway.

--

After Katara left, Aang really seemed to lose his appetite. He dumped his food and walked out of the mess hall, unknowingly following the path towards the Arts and Crafts cabin. The young teen wasn't really thinking as he entered the shelter, even going so far as to ignore the lovely sunset—a beautiful natural happening that he usually loved to watch. But instead, he made his way inside and sat down at a paint-splattered table.

Why would Katara leave, anyway? Was it something he said?

As they had been traveling together, Aang had noticed something—he was really starting to like her. You know, in the almost-more-than-friends sort of way. She was pretty, smart, and dedicated, and he wanted to show her just what he thought of her.

Suddenly, a young girl with blue eyes and dark hair ran up to him. "Hi!" she said loudly. "My name's Koko."

Never one to be rude, Aang said, "It's nice to meet you, Koko. I'm Aang."

The girl giggled. "I like your arrow," she said, pointing to his hat.

"Oh… really?" The teen rubbed a finger over the familiar pattern. "I do, too. It's almost part of my identity now."

The girl nodded her head, eager to please her new friend. "What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"Um… I was just thinking about a girl I like." Koko's face lit up when he said this.

"You should make her something nice," she told him, somehow weaving a giggle into her words. Without saying anything else, Koko scurried towards the back of the room and pulled out a box of twine and some beads; she placed them on the table in front of Aang. He blinked at the box, then looked at her questioningly.

Koko ignored him when she heard her name being called from outside the cabin. "That's my counselor; she's probably mad I ran off again." She giggled. "I'll see you later… Aang."

The teen looked again at the box of twine and beads. Make her something nice…?

Yeah. He could definitely do that.

--

Katara sat on the edge of the dock, her shoes and socks resting in a pile beside her. She softly splashed the murky lakewater with her feet, grateful that she had worn capris so her pants wouldn't get wet. The sun had set long ago, but for some reason, she didn't feel the urge to head towards Mung's place. There were so many thoughts swirling through her head right now—memories of her mother's death, the abandonment of her father, everything she had left at home… but most prevalent of all was Aang.

She couldn't seem to get that thirteen-year-old out of her mind. She didn't really mean to stiff him when she left at dinner; she just really had some important things she needed to sort out.

The dark girl felt a little twinge in her stomach. She loved her brother, and she certainly liked Aang, but… were they ever going to visit home again? Katara never would've traded her life on the road with Aang and her brother, but she couldn't help but feel a little guilty about leaving Gran-Gran on her own. Maybe, when this was all over, they could visit her every now and again. She knew there was nothing more real or nothing more horrifying for an elderly person than the thought of being alone forever.

She heard the boards creak behind her—Aang was approaching. When he spoke, his voice was soft and timid. "Hi Katara." He sat down beside her on the dock, but she refused to look him in the eyes. "I… made something for you. As sort of a thank-you gift for coming with me. I know it's not much, but—" Quickly, he placed a braided piece of jewelry into her hands.

Katara looked at it. In her palm was a bracelet, woven by hand from blue- and white-colored twine. Little stars hung down from it, and in the center hung the shape of a silver crescent moon, just slightly larger than the others. Two hooks tied to the ends assured that she could get it on and off easily. But, unlike most camp-made lanyards, this bracelet was thin and delicate, without all the mis-ties and ugly knots of an inexperienced worker. Aang's bracelet was slim and beautiful, and she gasped slightly.

"Aang," she said, enthralled, "it's beautiful!" The girl smiled genuinely as Aang clipped the bracelet around her wrist. "I love it." Katara's voice was soft now, and Aang couldn't help but be star-struck with her. She sucked him in.

Simultaneously, they leaned in toward each other, one using the other for support as they gazed up at the star-filled sky. Katara sighed and fingered her new bracelet contentedly, while Aang focused on the warm feeling of her shoulder on his. He looked up and marveled at the many constellations, their flaming brilliance echoed in his gray eyes. "It's an amazing sight," he said. "All those stars and planets and constellations."

"Yes," the girl agreed. "It is."

After a few comfortable moments, Aang said, "Actually, I know a better place where we can see the stars." He jumped up excitedly and pulled Katara to her feet. She laughed and asked where they were going, but the only reply she got was a smile and a wink. Her heart jumped. They raced up the amphitheater and beyond the cabins, toward the gravel parking lot near the soccer fields. When they arrived, Aang pulled the keys from his pocket and pulled open the door of his truck, reaching inside and tugging out a worn blanket.

A ball of mewling fur jumped out at them and landed on Katara's shoulder. "Momo! You were in there the whole time?" She scratched the cat under his chin as he purred in contentment.

Aang hopped onto the roof of the truck and set out the blanket; Katara followed shortly afterwards. The kids lay on their backs, gazing at the stars and the constellations, while Momo lay curled up between them. They laughed and talked like children into the wee hours of the morning; and while the little remaining light slowly faded away into pitch blackness, so did their voices slowly dwindle to hushed whispers.

Like they were almost afraid to break the companionable silence between them.

Aang and Katara, lying on top of the pickup truck under a blanket of summertime stars, eventually fell asleep next to each other.

--

Sokka trudged through the woods away from camp. It was just a short walk to Mung's bed and breakfast, and he really didn't want to feel like he was blowing the kind man off. When he reached the small establishment, he really wasn't surprised to see it was just a large house converted to accommodate guests. Sokka stepped inside to what used to be the living room and paused as he saw his host sitting on the sofa, a cup of hot coffee in hand. "Hello, Sokka," the old man greeted him. "I'm afraid your friends haven't shown up yet."

The teen closed the door behind him and sat down in one of the leather armchairs. The house seemed cozy and hospitable enough; the silver studding in the furniture and the wooden paneled walls really made the home seem "manly." Mung offered Sokka a mug of coffee, and he accepted it gratefully. "That's OK," he said. "Whatever they're up to, I'm sure they're taking care of each other."

Mung nodded, his crazy gray hair bobbing up and down. Sokka choked back a snort. "You're very lucky to have such friends—dedicated to each other."

The dark boy just dumped a spoonful of sugar into his coffee and drank it down heartily. "I guess you're right," Sokka said as the warm liquid settled into his stomach. He leaned further into the chair.

"I think you've had a long day, what with meeting Suki and the other warriors," Mung laughed. "Yours and your friend's room is the first on the left. And if your sister shows up, hers is the one next to yours." He nodded towards the staircase.

Sokka rubbed his eyes. "You knew about Suki?"

The man chuckled. "Yes. I consider those girls to be practically my own. They live here around the clock, so I guess I'm like a father figure to them." He shook his head. "But I know Suki. She's got a lot of spunk, that one. Always putting up a fight for what she wants."

The teen snorted. "Yeah, I think I experienced that first-hand."

Mung placed his mug on the coffee table and patted Sokka's shoulder. "You're a lucky man. Most of the time, she simply dismisses other guys without a second glance."

Sokka sighed. "I don't get it, though. I think she practically hates me." He rested his head in his hands. "Actually, I know she practically hates me. We really didn't hit it off, and it seems like everything I say to her… she just turns it around and makes me feel like the bad guy."

The man's face turned from smiling to serious. "Suki… hasn't had much experience with men. The guys who are actually brave enough to approach her usually get shoved off immediately. Men are a foreign concept to her, considering she's grown up here; the only man she knows extremely well is me, and I'm more like a father to her than anything. If you give her some time and some space to think, I'm sure she'll come around eventually. Just keep reaching out for her, and soon enough, she'll start reaching back."

Sokka didn't seem entirely convinced, but the boy was tired, so he simply nodded. "I guess I should head to bed now," he yawned, stretching his arms above his head. He got up and made his way towards the stairs, pausing for a second to say "thank you" to his host. Mung smiled amiably, and Sokka was content. Walking into the room he was supposed to share with Aang, he barely had time to kick off his shoes before he collapsed on one of the beds.

--

Iroh sat cross-legged in the grass as he watched his nephew carefully over his thermos. After traveling nearly all day, the old man had bought a few supplies at a grocery store and had insisted on having a picnic—much to Zuko's chagrin. The teen didn't seem to be enjoying his uncle's company or his plan for a moment of peace, no matter how tranquil their camping site was. Iroh knew that Zuko was restless and eager for a fight; he needed a little release, and having a plan and a goal was just the thing to ease his tension. But the old man also knew that there was more to this little trip than what his nephew was letting on.

Zuko continued to sit and stare off into the distance, absently flicking his lighter on and off, on and off. Iroh tried to strike up a conversation. "You know, Nephew, you should try some of this powdered tea drink. It's really not all that bad, considering it's mass produced. But tea, no matter where it is made, has the ability to take the edge off of any problem."

"Uncle," the pale teen said, gazing at his uncle with narrowed golden eyes, "how many times do I have to tell you—I don't like tea."

"Don't like tea?!" The old general scoffed. "I can't believe a member of my own family could say something so awful. Tea is like alcohol—when you are faced with a situation that seems too large for you alone to handle, tea is simply a pot of boiling water away. And you cannot deny that the wonderful taste and delicious aroma have a soothing affect on one's soul." Iroh grinned and held the thermos to his chest.

Zuko just shook his head at his uncle. "Not to me they don't. Not everyone deals with their problems in the same way."

Iroh nodded sagely. "You are right and wise for your age, Zuko. Maybe someday you will find what you are looking for. But until then, could a cup of tea really hurt?"

"It'll stain my teeth," Zuko grumbled. But nevertheless, he reached for his uncle's thermos and poured some darkened liquid into a plastic cup. He took a small sip. "I guess it's not that bad," he admitted. "Not as good as yours, though."

Iroh smiled in contentment before deciding to breach a delicate subject. "I like to think I know you, Nephew; maybe even better than you think. And I am getting the feeling that there is more to our excursion than you are letting on." He leaned forward, gaging the younger's reaction. Zuko just frowned and turned his head away. "This isn't about Zhao, is it?" When Zuko didn't respond, Iroh said, "Don't let what that man said affect you. I'm sure nothing will change the way your family feels for you."

"You're right, Uncle," Zuko said softly. "They all hate me. All of them except you." He glanced at his elder through a scarred eye. "But I have no doubt in my mind that once I prove myself, my father will welcome me back with open arms."

"Zuko," Iroh said carefully. "You do not need to prove yourself. What your father did was a horrible act of vengeance, and he is a terrible person for doing it. Even now, looking back, I can hardly imagine that he is my brother." The old man looked down in shame. "But do not let what others think of you get in the way of your life."

The teen traced his fingers through the thick carpet of grass beneath him. "When I was young, I wanted the love of my father more than anything… So much so that I was willing to ignore the attention I was already getting—from you and from my mother. But now… I'm not sure what I want, Uncle." He paused. "My destiny, I suppose. It seems like that's all I have left." Zuko looked off into the distance, his eyes were determined and filled with a melancholy sort of frustration.

Iroh nodded. "And… you think that chasing this boy will somehow give it to you?" Zuko looked up, and for a moment, he almost seemed upset and ashamed of himself. But then the teen's emotions slid under that porcelain mask Iroh knew so well.

"I want my destiny," Zuko repeated mechanically.

"You know, Zuko, destiny is a funny thing—you never know where you're going to end up. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise, you will make your own destiny someday."

The scarred boy just took another sip of his tea. And secretly, he hoped his uncle was right.

Post Author's Notes: OK, sorry for my hiatus! But with school quickly approaching and only a few select days set aside to write, I'm afraid chapters will be coming slower and slower. I apologize to everyone who is affected by this.

Um, OK. I would also like to say that although I did not have enough room for the beach volleyball thing, I thought it was a great idea, so I'll probably be adding that in later chapters. A lot of Sukka here, definitely the development of Kataang, and even some Aang/Koko love! :D So tell me, loved it? Hated it? Got a suggestion? Question, comment, or concern? Plot ideas are, of course, accepted, and I will do my best to incorporate them into the story, as long as it doesn't get in the way of my overall plan for this fic. Now that you've read, I'd be grateful if you reviewed! :D