Sokka slumped down in his chair in the hotel lobby. Katara wanted him to wait outside his room while . He was running off of pure adrenaline right now despite his efforts he hadn't managed to find sleep.
He had managed to find help after pulling Ty Lee from the burning basement and managed to bring her to Katara. He unfortunately hadn't been able to return and save the chained prisoner.
"You've been up all night" said Katara pushing a hot cup of tea into his hands "You should sleep."
"Is she going to be fine?" asked Sokka taking the cup in hand.
"She's resting for now but she'll be fine, the bolt got caught between her ribs and prevented it from doing further damage."
"Sokka! I came as soon as I heard" Aang said coming through the hall Zuko following right behind him.
"Zuko!" growled Sokka springing to his and slammed his forearm into the Fire Lords chest pinning him to the wall, "This is all your fault! Next time we're trying to help you tell us about your little masked psychopath."
"Sokka" cried Katara moving to pull her brother off of him, "Calm down what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Jet" he spat, "He's the one who hurt her, the one who blew up that warehouse."
"Sokka Jet's dead you know that," Said Katara.
"He's alive" he growled. "He's the Blue Spirit. And Zuko's the one who gave him the mask."
Aang pulled Sokka off the Fire Lord, "Is this true Zuko?"
Zuko let out a sigh, "It is, Jet's been working for me for about four years now under the alias of the Blue Spirit."
Aang raised an eyebrow, "And why didn't you tell us about this?"
"I knew you wouldn't approve of his methods" he answered looking at the ground. "I helped save Jet five years ago on Ba Sing Se, after his comrades had left him to save themselves I pulled him from Lake Laogai masked as the Blue Spirit I had a friend named Jin take care of him. After the war I needed someone, a non-bender to help hunt down rouge members of the Fire Nation. I knew Jet possessed the skills I needed to fulfill that idea, I also knew the Blue Spirit was remembered as an enemy of the Fire Nation and my farther, I wanted to use that symbol as a way of uniting people against those who were loyal to my farther and strike fear into those that would disrupt the peace we've built."
"Why couldn't they be a bender?" asked Katara, folding her arms.
"I knew if he used bending he'd be associated with one of the four nations, I wanted him to represent justice not the will of a nation."
Aang sat down, "Jet's a loose cannon Zuko. I can't believe you'd place your trust in him; he tried to kill an entire Fire Nation colony."
"That was in the past Aang we both know people can learn from their mistakes and change. He may still be a loose cannon but it's made him effective and unpredictable and he gets me results while remaining efficient" explained Zuko.
"The kind of results obtained through torture?" sneered Sokka, "Obtained by sacrificing innocent people?"
Zuko's gaze fell to the floor, "If necessary yes" he admitted, "I knew Jet was willing to go to extremes in order to achieve his goals. When I gave him the mask he promised to bring the terrorists to justice by any means necessary. Though I never thought he would resort to… this."
"You just never cared what those mean entailed" said Sokka, "you only cared about the results and never bothered to ask how."
"I know he's done wrong things but he has managed to achieve so much in the last few years and has asked for so little in return."
"And what did want for all this?" asked Aang.
"That's a between me and Jet" he said, "But it's more than fair for what he's had to sacrifice since his alleged death."
Sokka turned and left them, "I'm going to check up on Ty Lee" he said, "If you need someone to hit Zuko you know where to find me."
…
Ty Lee awoke to Sokka's warm hand upon her cheek. "What happened?" she asked, "where's Jet?"
"He's gone" he said taking a seat by her, "that bastard got you with a crossbow bolt but you're okay now, Katara fixed you all up. I also had a little talk with Zuko about his little masked pet project."
"I see" she muttered sitting up on the bed, "what about that fire bender, did you manage to save him?"
Sokka shook his head, "I had to get you to safety" he explained, "I didn't have time to go back."
"I see" she said.
Sokka put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in, "I'm sorry" he whispered, "That monster is going to answer for everything he's done."
Ty Lee felt him run his callused thumb over the scar feeling the soft red flesh and the ridges of her ribs. "I'm fine Sokka" she whispered.
"I know" he said bringing his lips to hers tasting strawberries on her mouth. She opened her mouth inviting him in. Their tongues dueled with one another as their kiss deepened; Sokka wrapped an arm around her thin waist and grabbed a handful of her hair.
They broke the kiss and remained as they were inches from one another. Ty Lee scratched his chin ruffling the thick mass of black stubble, "your beard looks cute" she giggled.
Sokka frowned, "I wasn't really going for 'cute' look when I stopped shaving" he explained.
She stuck out her bottom lip pouting as she always did, "But I like the cute look" she whimpered.
Sokka sighed, "then I'll keep it" he said, "but only because you like it."
She smirked in triumph, "good, I like your beard right where it is."
Sokka playfully pushed her back down, but she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down with her. She kissed him again and ran her hands over his back keeping him right where she liked him. Sokka grabbed her waist running his hands over her skin. Small moans escaped her lips from his touch; he kisses her pail throat nipping at the soft skin with his teeth.
A knock sounded from the door. Sokka groaned in frustration and pulled himself away from the circus girl. "Sokka" it was Aang, "Come with us, Fire Nation soldiers managed to capture some of the enemies weapons, your going to want to see this."