Azula and Ling Dao look out across their now many recruits. Their numbers have grow surprisingly fast in only a few months.

"How many are there now?" Azula asked.

"At least two thousand as of yesterday." Ling Dao replied.

"Good, we're ready to head to the Fire Nation. Finish the final days of training, and then we'll head out." Azula said with an uninterested and almost painful look on her face.

"I'll tell the troupes. Are you ok?"

"Yes," Azula paused for a moment trying to over come the pain. "Just tell the troupes, and get one of those water bender healers to my tent. I'll be waiting in the tent, and I only want the healer in there."

"As you wish, I'll get the healer there as soon as possible."

"Just hurry." Azula then turned away towards her tent and clutched her stomach as she entered it.

Ling Dao quickly went among the ranks to look for a healer, and found a female healer that was about 30 years of age. Ling Dao quickly led the healer to Azula's tent. He announced their arrival, and then turned to leave as Azula requested.

Ling Dao was just thankful that he had made a quick trip up to the Northern Water Nation jail, and grabbed a few water benders and that at least one of them is a healer. Now he just prayed that whatever was wrong with Azula was a simple fix, and that it wouldn't delay their plans.

Back at the Earth Bender School

Zane had steered clear of Aang for the past couple of days, but it wasn't that hard to do since it seemed like Aang was doing the same thing to him. He was always taking care of the babies, either all on his own, or with the help of Kai or Katara.

Zane had not been to his training spot since the first day of their arrival, and he really wanted to see what Katara had become since she first left the North. He decided to head to the lion's den, and ask Katara if she would like to join him.

Zane approached the door with caution, as if a monster was going to pop out if he moved to fast, and he knocked at the opening.

"Who's there?" Katara's voice rang out.

"It's Zane is it safe to come in?"

"If you mean by safe, Aang isn't here then yes."

"Oh that's good. Can I come in.?"

Katara laughed, "Yes you can. I'm just getting the twins ready before feeding time."

"Is he expected to return anytime soon?"

"You know Aang isn't a bad guy, once you get to know him. Just give him some time I was a lot to take in for him. He is very protective of his friends."

"I know that he's a good guy or he wouldn't be the Avatar, but when you're the one on his bad side you really don't want to stick around to get to know him."

"I see what you mean. Well lucky for you he's out for a walk in the woods right now."

"Oh well I just came by to see if you wanted to train with me."

"I'd love too, but I have to stay here and feed the babies. Next time I'd love too, but I'll have to stay her this time."

"Oh well, I guess next time. I going head off now, see you later."

"Have fun."

Zane waved goodbye and left her room. Toph was in the middle of class, so he decided just to head out to his training spot.

Zane's walked to his training spot was the only time of complete silence he ever got to himself. His thoughts always calmed down when he was alone, but his past actions were never to far from his thoughts.

It was only a fifteen minuet walk to his training spot. As soon as it came into view, the lake's beauty over took his senses. The lake has a few waterfalls leading into it, so Zane always climbed up to the top and jumped off of them.

After few of those, he always starts his training off slow, but then he'd always push himself further than he did the last time.

Zane had just leaped of the waterfall the first time, and had come up for air when he heard noises coming towards him. Zane quickly jumped up on the opposite side of where the noises were coming from, and prepared to defend him self.

Aang appeared from behind a bush, and was just as surprised to see Zane on the other side of the lake, as Zane was to see Aang.

"What are you doing here?" Aang coldly said.

"I could ask you the same question, but I'm here because this is my training spot." Zane said as he stepped out of his fighting stance, but he was prepared for anything to happen.

"Oh well it's very beautiful place."

"Yea it is, so how did you find this place."

"I was just walk around listening to nature, and I heard the waterfall."

"Well I was just about to start my training; you're welcome to stay if you want."

Aang got real quite, and then a smirk came across his face, "How about a little sparring match?"

Zane wasn't sure what Aang was thinking, but it couldn't be a little training exercise. "Uh no offence, but with what happen to a few days ago I don't want to be in a fight with you, practice or not."

"Oh come on, how about if I promise only to use water bending."

Zane was weighing the choice in his head. That was three elements gone right there, and he might have a chance to beat the Avatar. At the same time it's the Avatar, and he could really hurt him. "Ok, as long as it's only water bending."

"Ok then let's get this started."

Aang then stepped onto the lake, and with every step he took the surface froze under his foot creating a pathway to the middle of the lake. Zane followed Aang to the middle of the lake, and just waited for the first attack.

"Aren't you going to attack?" Aang said after a few moments.

"I was waiting for you." Zane said.

"Well I let you go first since I'm the Avatar."

"Ok."

Zane started the fighting with a few back to back water whip attacks which Aang easy shot the attack down.

"Come on now you're going to have to do better than that." Aang said then he got ready for his massive attack.

Aang brought his hand together with a big clap, and with that two big waves came crashing towards Zane. Zane stopped both of the waves and sent them back towards Aang. Aang jumped up in the air and allowed both the waves to make contact. Aang then landed on the water, and surfed over to where Zane was. Aang shot off disks of ice toward Zane causing him to have to run across the surface of the water. Zane quickly jumped up on shore, and turned around just in time to see an ice ball the size of an orange being launched at him with great speed. The ball nailed Zane right in his ribs, he could hear a crack. Zane fell to his knees in pain, and looked up to see Aang still coming towards him. When Aang was running on the water, he bended a stream of water to follow him to his fallen opponent getting himself ready for his next attack. As Aang got closer to Zane he raised the water over Zane head. Zane closed his eyes waiting for an impact, but it never came. Zane looked above his head and saw the water hovering above his head.

"Why are you not attacking?" Zane said looking at the now frozen Avatar.

"Cause you're finished; there is no use in attacking anymore." Aang said and bended the water back into the lake.

Aang stepped out of the lake, and walked over to where Zane was kneeling. Zane winced in pain after he realized there wouldn't be more fighting.

"I think you broke my ribs." Zane said trying to stand up, but failing at it.

"Here let me help you." Aang reached his hand out to help Zane up.

"Forgive me, but you're the kind of the reason why I'm in pain. Why should I trust you at this point?"

"I am sorry about your ribs, but it really needed to happen. I know this sounds weird but I got all my anger at you out in the fight, and I'm ready to see the true man you are."

"Well you could have got the anger out without breaking my ribs. Oh my gosh, it really hurts." Zane said clutching his side with one hand, and being lifted up with his other.

"Let's get you back to Katara, and get you healed up; there is no way you could heal your self with this bad of an injury."

As they were heading back to the path it was silent, so Zane decided to break it.

"You know I asked Katara to come with me today."

"Really? Well I think it was better you ended up with me today. Katara would of broken more than your ribs."

"I thought Katara like me."

"Oh she does, but get her in a battle and she goes all out," The two men chuckled a bit.

"Well speaking of powerful women we love, I would want to be you right now Aang."

"Why?"

"Cause when Toph realizes what condition I'm in, she's going to kill you."

"That's why I'm trying to get you to Katara before we run into Toph."

"Then you'd better get a move on."

It took a little longer than usual to get back to the school, but that was because they were going as slow as possible so not to hurt Zane any further.

Once they did reach the school, their main objective was to find Katara. They didn't have to search long because she and been waiting by the gate waiting for her husband to return from his unusually long walk. Once she saw Aang supporting Zane, her mind right way knew Aang was responsible.

"What did you do?" Katara asked her husband.

"What you think he did, he got his anger out." Zane joked and then grabbed for his ribs in pain.

"I'll explain later, but he really needs to be healed right now."

"Alright bring him to our room."

The three of them walked into Katara and Aang's room, and saw that Kai was there too watching over the twins. They laid Zane on the bed, and removed his shirt very carefully. The injury was clearly visible already, and was surrounded by a huge bruise.

After the healing some of the injury still remained, but not enough to impact his normal day to day life. Aang apologized once again to Zane, but there was really no need to.

After the day Zane had, he just wanted to see Toph. He walked all over the school, but couldn't find her anywhere. He decided to just go lay down in his room for a while.

When Zane walked into his room he first took of his shirt, and went over to the mirror and looked at his now healed injury. The bruise was still there, but it just wasn't as big. He was applying pressure to the bruise to see how much pain he could handle. Then the voice he had been looking for was at the door.

"Hey where have you been all day?" Toph asked.

"Oh just been training. I was looking for you earlier."

"Well I was looking for you."

Toph came forward and kissed Zane.

"Hey your shirt is off." Toph said running her hands across his bare chest, then her hand came across the injury, and her expression changed. "What is this, are you hurt?"

"No, I'm ok. It was just a training accident."

"How did you do this to your self?"

"I just was training too hard, I'm fine really."

"Are you sure you're not in pain?"

"Well I got a way you could make it better." Zane then grabbed Toph and brough her closer to him and kissed her. "I love you Toph, so much.

"I love you too"

Hey everyone,

I sorry it be so long since I've posted. I was on a trip and then I got really sick, but now I'm getting better. I hope you all are still reading, and you enjoyed this chapter. Now I got a question for my fans, this stoy is coming down to it's final chapters, and there is many ways I could go. Now there is something I can add into the story, that could make it possible for a new story. I want to write a stroy that would follow the children, and I was just wondering if anyone would like to read it. If you could tell me I'd really like to hear from you.