Disclaimer: avatar... What's that?... Oh right the show I'm writing about. Well i don't own it :)

Thanks to Lily of the Valley For her review and criticism. I do need to make these a little more descriptive

Chapter 7: The Air Temple Part 2

The Air Temple Sanctuary's huge wooden door that has three large air symbols on it connected with pipes and tubes running all over the door.

"That thing is huge," Jono said looking at the wooden door.

"Aang no one could have survived in there for a hundred years," Katara said looking at the door.

"It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long," Aang replied.

"That may be true but you're the Avatar," Jono commented.

"I know I just have to try," Aang said still confident."Katara, whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!"

"Alright let's go then," Sokka said walking up to the door and trying to push it open.

"Open sesame," Jono added but nothing happened.

"Eh was worth a try," Sokka sighed stepping back.

"You got a key?" Jono asked looking at Aang.

"The key Jono, is Airbending," Aang said.

Aang took a deep breath and held his arms close together by his chest. Then he pushed them forward releasing his breath. The air from his hands went into the tubes on the door flipping all the air symbols and opening the door.

"Hello? Anyone home!" Aang asked as he walked in the door the others in tow.

"Statues? That's it?" Sokka exclaimed looking around.

"What were you hoping for a snack table," Jono said laughing.

"That would have been nice…" Sokka grumbled.

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked.

"I'm not sure, but it feels like I know them somehow," Aang said looking around.

"That's just a bit creepy," Jono said sarcastically.

"Look! That one's an airbender!" Aang exclaimed pointing to one of the statues with an arrow on its head.

"And this one's a waterbender. They're lined up in a pattern: air, water, earth and fire," Katara surmised.

"I'm convinced Katara will always be the brains of this group," Jono complimented earning him a hard stare from Sokka and a curious one from Aang.

"What, I had no clue and I didn't hear you guys saying anything," Jono smirked.

"Wait a sec…air, water, earth, fire…that's the Avatar cycle!" Katara exclaimed not paying attention to the boys.

"Of course! They're Avatars! All these people are your past lives, Aang," Jono said actually knowing something for once.

"Wow! There's so many!" Aang said looking up and down following the spiral pattern around with his eyes.

The room was at least nine stories high all filled wall to wall with statues of the Avatar.

"Past lives? You guys really believe in that stuff?" Sokka asked skeptically.

"It's true. When the Avatar dies he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle," Katara said smiling.

Jono looked over and saw Aang staring at a statue.

"What's he looking at?" he asked Katara who simply shrugged and walked over to him.

Aang was staring at the statue not moving as Jono walked over and tapped him on the shoulder which did nothing.

"Aang, snap out of it!" Katara said shaking Aang's shoulders.

"Huh?" Aang said looking back and forth between them not knowing what had happened.

"Who's this?" Jono asked.

"That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me," Aang said.

"Oh yeah I remember studying about him," Jono said looking at the statue.

"You were a firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met!" Sokka exclaimed and Jono rolled his eyes.

"There's no writing. How do you know his name?"Katara asked.

"I'm not sure... I just know it somehow," Aang answered staring into the eyes of the statue.

"You just couldn't get any weirder!" Sokka said causing Aang and Katara to laugh but Jono just stopped dead in his tracks.

"What it is"? Katara asked noticing Jono wasn't moving.

"Listen I know you guys don't know me all that well but trust me when I say someone's coming HIDE!" Jono said in a harsh whisper hiding behind one of the statues.

Katara, Aang, and Sokka all hid behind statues as they saw a shadow appearing.

"Firebender. Nobody make a sound," Sokka whispered holding his weapon at the ready.

"Your making a sound," Katara countered.

"Shhhh!" the three boys said all at once.

They quietly waited the shadow getting closer and closer and closer to them.

"Screw this," Jono muttered. When the shadow was close enough he jumped out from behind the statue both of his daggers at the ready but stopped abruptly.

"What the hell is that thing?" Jono yelled staring at the "Fire Nation" soldier in front of him.

"LEMUR!" Aang screamed.

"Dinner," Sokka proclaimed licking his lips.

"Don't listen to him! You're going to be my new pet," Aang said happily looking at the lemur.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka challenged.

Both Aang and Sokka charged at the lemur at full speed. The lemur, terrified, took off as Aang and Sokka chased it down the hallway leaving Katara and Jono in the room by themselves.

"Well that was interesting…" Jono said.

Katara shook her head at her brother and Aang slightly smiling. Jono sighed went over and sat against a wall.

"Okay while those two go and chase a lemur I think you and me need some bonding time," Katara said walking over to Jono.

"Why?" Jono asked looking at her.

"Because we barely know each other," Katara answered smiling as she took a seat across from him.

"After you leave here we won't see each other," Jono said looking down.

"Oh... I didn't realize you were staying…" Katara said looking away from him.

"I have too, I'm a waned criminal," Jono admitted still looking down.

"Wanted! For what?" Katara exclaimed shocked.

"For running away from home," he answered slowly.

Katara laughed, "You can't be a wanted criminal for running away from home."

"You can when it's the Fire Nation," he muttered before catching himself.

"WHAT!" Katara screamed as she jumped up and backed away from him.

"Ah crap…" Jono's head fell into his hands.

"YOUR FROM THE FIRE NATION!" Katara accused.

Jono sighed and stood, "Yes I'm from the Fire Nation." Before he could say any more Katara threw a punch at him. He saw it coming but didn't try to block it, instead he let the punch connect with his jaw and knock him back down.

"Katara please let me explain," Jono said calmly.

"No I don't want to hear another thing from you!" Katara said throwing another punch.

Jono didn't block but instead he stepped out the way letting her run past him.

"Ugh where's some water when I need it," she complained stalking closer to him.

"Please Katara let me talk," Jono pleaded but she didn't answer and Jono was getting angry.

Still not listening to him, she threw another punch and Jono this time blocked the punch and pushed her back.

"Will you let me talk!" he said getting angry.

"NO!" Katara said her eyes red with anger she charged at him again.

Ok screw this, Jono thought. When she was close he backhanded her across the face.

Katara fell to the floor holding her face letting out a cry of pain. She could feel a bruise beginning to form.

"Will you just shut up for a second and let me talk! Look I know you don't like the Fire Nation and neither does half the world including me for that matter!" he exclaimed, his fists balled at his side.

Katara slowly rose from the floor her hand on her cheek where it still stung. She slowly began to lower it but Jono miss-read her intentions and drew four daggers and threw them at Katara pinning her to a nearby wall.

"I can't help where I was born okay. I don't want to be considered part of that brutal hellfire place they call a country," he said looking at her while she was struggling to get away.

"I know why you hate the Fire Nation, they took your mother didn't they" he said looking at her intently.

Katara stopped struggling and looked at the boy with shock and anger, "How did you know that TELL ME!"

"Katara! Jono! What are you doing with my sister?" Sokka screamed as he and Aang appeared at the doorway.

"He's Fire Nation!" Katara yelled and resumed her struggling.

Sokka instantly drew his boomerang and started charging at Jono. Jono grabbed Sokka's arm snatching the boomerang from him. He then threw Sokka at the wall and pinned him with three daggers.

"Let them go," Aang demanded holding his staff at the ready.

"If you listen to what I have to say then I will," Jono promised ignoring the two stuggling against the wall.

"What are you waiting for Aang blast him!" Sokka shouted.

Aang stopped and held his staff to the side indicating for Jono to start talking.

"Thank you," he said sincerely to Aang and then turned.

"Yes I'm Fire Nation, Yes I'm a wanted criminal," he said and turned to Katara her eyes blazing, "the reason I knew you had lost your mother is because of the look you had in your eyes as soon as you figured out I was from the Fire Nation. It was the same look I had three days ago when I walked into my home and found my mother lying on the ground in a pool of blood with a dagger sticking out of her back," he said his eyes downcast.

Katara's face went from anger to shock then sorrow.

"Look I know I can't help where I'm from and I know that people will want me dead after they find out where I'm from. But I can't help that. I can't help what the Fire Nation did to your people and everyone else for that matter…" he said as teasrs leaked slowly.

He looked up at Aang, "You can take them down now. If they still feel like I must die so be it," Jono said lowering his head resigned.

Aang comberly walked over to Katara and set her free. Instead of hurting Jono she walked over and hugged him.

"Why are you hugging him he's the enemy!" Sokka exclaimed as Aang released him.

"No he's not the Fire Lord is," Katara said firmly glaring at her brother.

"If we have any chance of healing the world we need to spread peace and not violence," Aang said.

"I'm sorry I tried to hurt you," Katara said holding him close to her.

Jono, touched by her tenderness, lifted his hand and placed it onto Katara's red cheek.

"I'm sorry too, I didn't want to hurt anyone," Jono apologized slowly stopping his tears.

"Aang, Sokka go and find your lemur I'll be okay," Katara said.

"What! There's no way I'm leaving my baby sister with the..." Sokka started.

"GO!" Katara screamed causing Sokka to jump but he then got the message and left with Aang who looked slightly saddened.

They just sat there for a while. Jono breaking down into Katara's arms her slowly rubbing his head comforting him.

"When the Fire Nation attacked and I found out my mother was gone I was terrified. But more so I wanted revenge.

I wanted to use my bending to hurt the people that had hurt me," Katara said not stopping her attentions to him.

"But revenge changes you, it corrupts you. Look at what it did to me just now," Katara said as Jono lifted his head.

"When I saw my mother's body there I wasn't angry, I was horrified. Horrified that the people I thought would

protect me were my enemies. That day I learned how ruthless the Fire Nation really was," Jono said now leaning off

Katara and against the wall.

"So I ran, I ran as fast I could away from that place and collapsed. Then I was angry and sad and heartbroken and messed up," he continued wiping the tears from his eyes.

"What happened to you?" Katara asked concerned.

"A couple found me collapsed on the side of the road. They took me to their home and looked after me, and I met this pretty girl," Jono said slightly blushing.

"Tiya?" Katara asked.

"How did you know?" Jono asked surprised.

"When we first came here and found you, you said her name in your sleep," She realizing that he obviously cared for this girl.

"She took care of me and..and I left her," Jono admitted.

"But why?" Katara asked.

"I thought that by leaving her I would protect her. I knew I was going to be wanted. But by leaving I made her life

worse. She got kicked out of home because apparently," he paused, "Well her dad accused her of being a whore so

she took off…I think he just wanted the reward money on me though…"

Katara didn't know what to say, in the past three days he has endured all this, she thought to herself.

"I don't know how but she found me but she did outside of the city. And told me what happened to her, I felt so bad

that I let her come with me despite the lack of sleeping gear I had," Jono explained scratching the back of his head

embarrassed.

Katara blushed slightly at the idea of Jono and a girl in the same bed.

"When I got to the last city where the docks were I saw a poster of Tiya saying that her parents wanted her home. So when we got to the docks I left her..." He said starting to cry again.

Katara didn't say anything instead she just listened.

"I broke her heart, Tiya loved me for that short time that I knew her but…I couldn't let her come. I mean look at me

you don't put someone you love through something likt his right? I kissed her when I left to try and make her feel

better about the decision…" He said again sitting upright against the wall.

Again Katara blushed slightly at the idea of him kissing someone.

"I snuck onto a Fire Nation boat and made my way here, only to wake up in your arm's," He said gazing at her.

Katara smiled, "At least one good thing came out of your trip," She said trying to make him feel better.

Jono wiped away his tears and smiled, "My plan was to stay here for a while and let things die down, but I've decided that if you will still have me in your group, I want to come with you. I want to help change the world for the better."

"Of course we will Jono! Your part of our family now!" Katara said smiling.

"But what about Sokka?" Jono questioned.

"Sokka had more trouble letting go of his vengeful feelings than me. Don't worry ill talk to him," Katara said playfully nudging his arm.

"Thanks Katara," he said standing up and hugged her tightly causing her to blush to darken.

"You really helped me get through all this. I guess I needed someone to vent to," Jono said smiling.

"No we helped each other," she said also smiling. They broke there friendly hug and decided to go find the other two.

Aang

He had found the lemur and was chasing it around the tower.

"Hey! Come back!" he yelled as the lemur shot behind a curtain in a room.

"Come on out, little lemur. That hungry guy won't bother you anymore," Aang said as he brushed aside the curtain and stopped.

In the room there were hundreds of fire bender corpses and burnt armor.

"Firebenders? They were here?" Aang said shocked at what was in front of him.
He then looked over and saw the skeleton of a monk with a familiar necklace around its neck.

"Gyatso..." he whispered shocked and fell to his knees in tears.

"Hey Aang, you find my dinner yet?" Sokka said walking through the curtain and seeing Aang crying on the floor.

"Aang, I wasn't really going to eat the lemur, okay?" he said then did a survey of the room, "Oh, man... come on, Aang, everything will be all right. Let's get out of here."

Sokka put his hand on Aang's shoulder as the arrow on Aang's head begins to glow bright white. His eyes are glowing brightly in an angry expression as he lifts his head. Sokka gasps as he's shot back by a large blast of air.

Katara and Jono

They were just leaving the statue room but cast one glance back admiring the awe-inspiring sight. They stared for a moment and then focused on Avatar Roku's statue. His eyes were glowing white then in another instant the rest of the Avatar's eyes began to glow.

"Aang," Katara breathed as she and Jono raced out of the room.

Aang

A whirlwind begins to form, air swirling fast around the bones raising them from the ground. Aang sat, crouched, his hands balled into fists and his eyes and arrow glowing, the wind picking up terrible speed around him.

"Aang! Come on snap out of it!" Sokka yelled to no avail from behind a pillar protecting himself from the brutal winds.

Sokka looked back and saw Jono and Katara running towards him covering their faces and hiding behind the pillars as well.

"What happened?" Katara yelled over the top of the wind.

"He found out fire benders killed Gyatso," Sokka yelled back.

"Oh no, it's his Avatar Spirit! He must have triggered it! I'm gonna try and calm him down," Katara yelled and started moving slowly towards Aang.

"Well, do it before he blows us off the mountain!" Jono yelled as he clung to a rock to stop himself from getting blown away.

Katara slowly made her way up towards Aang hiding behind whatever cover she could. The extreme pressure was almost blowing her off the top of a hill.

"Aang, I know you're upset," Katara said clinging to a rock just below Aang's now floating form, "And I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Monk Gyatso and the other air benders may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka, Jono and I, we're your family now." She said as loudly and calmly as she could.

Aang begins to descend after Katara had finished speaking. His feet gently touch the ground, the wind dies away, but his eyes and arrow still glowing. Katara and Sokka come up on either side of him while Jono stay's hanging on to a rock.

"Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise," Sokka swore calmly.

Katara takes one of Aang's hands in her own then glow instantly fades from his eyes and arrows. Grief-stricken and exhausted, he collapses into Katara's arms and she holds him around his shoulders as they kneel on the ground.

"I'm sorry," Aang says exhaustion evident in his voice.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault," Katara said soothingly.

"But you were right and if fire benders found this temple that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last air bender," Aang admits sadly.

After sitting with Aang for a few minutes, Jono, Katara, and Sokka head back to Appa to pack everything up.

"Everything's packed. You ready to go?" Katara asked Aang as she entered with Sokka at her side. Aang had walked back to the sanctuary and was staring at Roku's statue.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang asked.

"Maybe you'll find a way," Katara said.

They both turn around to see a familiar furry creature in the doorway of the temple. The lemur had returned. He runs to Sokka and deposits a bunch of fruits and nuts at his feet. Sokka begins to eat hungrily as the lemur dashes away.

"Looks like you made a new friend Sokka," Aang said watching the lemur.

"Can't talk, must eat," Sokka said stuffing his face with food.

The lemur then scurries its way up on to Aang's head and sits there. "Hey little guy," Aang said gently petting the creature.

They all made their way back to Appa where Jono was tying on the last of their supplies.

"Hey Jono, can I talk to you for a sec?" Sokka asked.

"Uh yea sure," Jono said following Sokka.

"Hurry up you guys we need to go!" Katara yelled out.

"This won't take more than a sec!" Sokka yelled back.

"What is it Sokka?" Jono asked.

"Look I just wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier. You're far from the enemy I know and I should not have

said what I did," Sokka said his head down.

Jono smiled, "Apology accepted let us move on?" he asked extending his hand to Sokka which he accepted.

Katara smiled watching the exchange, "I knew he would grow on you Sokka," she mused.

"Say hello to the newest member of our family!" Aang announced approaching them with the lemur on his shoulder.

"What are you going to name him?" Katara asked as the boys climbed into the saddle.

The lemur then jumped off Aang's back and swiped a piece of fruit from Sokka and perched itself back on Aang's arm.

"Momo," he said as lemur started nibbling on the stolen fruit.

Aang, Jono, and Katara laughed at Sokka's shocked face.

Jono layed back in the saddle and thought, this is right; for once I'm doing the right thing. He sat back against the edge of the saddle as Appa took to the skies.

Author's note

This chapter took SOOO Long to write So please read and review like always :)

Thank you again to Lily of the Valley For her review :)