A/N: Well, I SAID I was unreliable, didn't I? Still, I'm here to give you another chapter of "Passages", the alternate reality universe in which Zuko found himself condemned to death by his father without going to Ba Sing Se or half-turning Katara's head in the caves beneath the city. Oh yeah, in this reality Zuko's not finding redemption from love and sex but from friendship and a willingness to open his own mind to experience. Woah. Heady stuff! And everyone else gets a chance to learn a bit too. It's a fantasy, after all.

(Revised 3/12)

Chapter 25

"She was quite explicit in insisting that the 'catch of the day' had been provided by Water Tribe hands," Iroh commented, forbearing to note the blush on the girl's cheeks as she made this assertion. It was, after all, inconsequential, since he was relatively certain it did not indicate her claim was a lie.

"You said the boat was southern Water Tribe," Toph reminded Katara.

"Anyone can fish these days, and the boat could have been stolen," Katara insisted. "The chandler insisted one of the sailors bore Fire Nation characteristics!"

"And he said the other one was clearly Water Tribe," Aang reminded. "It could have been Sokka!"

"Can you see Sokka traveling with Fire Nation?" It was Katara's strongest argument and she wasted no time presenting it. The truth was, she was afraid to hope.

"Well, no… " admitted Aang, defeated.

"Ah, an excellent point. Since I don't know the boy, I can't say I'm qualified to comment," submitted Iroh. Katara suspected this would not be the end of it.

Aang had developed a tendency to first pose questions to Iroh, which somewhat irritated both Katara and Toph. But it hadn't been long before each recognized sense in testing the experience of the eldest among them for answers. Still, given what must be assumed as a pro-Fire Nation bias on Iroh's part, in this case quizzing Iroh didn't serve to ease Katara's anxiety. She tensed as she waited for Aang's inevitable question.

"Then again, what are the odds of any other Water Tribesman sailing in a Southern boat with someone from the Fire Nation?" Aang asked thoughtfully, not so much of Iroh but of the air itself. Katara was surprised to note that Aang seemed to be looking deep within himself for answers. Perhaps Aang as Avatar was starting to grow again.

"Most Tribesmen are either fanatically loyal to the Tribes or abandon their colors altogether – like those Tribesmen we saw with the pirates. So for a single Tribesman to travel with someone from the Fire Nation in a distinctly Tribal boat…" Aang looked carefully at Katara. "It was Sokka who turned to the Fire Nation outpost to save that village in Jet's forest. He's a practical kind of guy. Who is more likely than Sokka, out of all the Water Tribe, to find a reason to share space with someone from the Fire Nation? Katara?"

Her lower lip trembled as she met his gaze, the two of them sharing memories unknown to their companions.

Iroh held his peace, content to watch the pair work their own way through the probabilities.

"Do you honestly think it could be him?" Katara whispered, keeping a careful rein on her excitement.

"I honestly think we have no better leads," Aang reached out to clasp her hand in his. "And I swear, Katara, Sokka was here no more than a day ago. Everything tells me so!"

Toph conspicuously yawned, spreading her jaws as widely as possible for effect. "That's all very well. But where is he now?"

"Katara, child," Iroh asked gently, "Did the chandler say what happened to the crew of that boat? Does he know why it's still moored here?"

Katara hugged her elbows close to her chest, still attempting to consider this rather tenuous of possibilities as neutrally as possible. "Well, he doesn't really seem to know. He mumbled vaguely about them paying dock fees for another day, but he hasn't seen them since they took off for the tavern last night. He did say he'd given them leave to bunk down in that warehouse, but there's a guard outside it now." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Toph interrupted before she could finish. "A guy and his pal go down for a kip and the next thing we know sentries are posted. Yep. Sounds like Sokka. All we've got to know is that the warehouse half-collapsed or was emptied in the middle of the night and we've got Sokka written all over it."

"My brother is not a thief."

"No, but he's unlucky as hell; I swear he's a walking disaster waiting to happen." Toph returned blandly. "And I mean that in the most complementary of ways. For a guy who can't bend Sokka manages to cause more trouble than a world of hogmonkeys. The amazing thing is that most of the time he manages to make trouble for someone else."

"No, no, Toph. You've got it all wrong. Sokka is the master of the moment! He sees things about to go horribly wrong and manages to make it all go against someone else. That's his genius." Aang interjected.

"Yeah. Right. Mr. 'Big Idea'."

Katara spoke quietly before Aang and Toph could start arguing. "I don't know. Maybe trouble does follow Sokka. But Aang's right – he does manage to find a way out, always! And much as I admire and love both of you, there is no one I'd rather have by my side than Sokka."

Iroh controlled his urge for a sudden intake of breath at her statement. He had often grieved over his own strained relationship with his brother, and wept bitter tears over the sight of perhaps an even harsher divide between Zuko and Azula. Still, he had not truly believed that siblings could achieve such affection and devotion, even in the Water Tribes.

Aang swallowed hard. "Okay then. Maybe we should check out this warehouse."

Toph grinned in her most unholy manner. "Ah yes. Do let's!"

A hot summer sun, splashing on the spill of water digging yet a new course along the bank of the stream, promised to alleviate the sudden flooding of the nearby field, already reduced to squashy mud beneath the feet of Jeong-Jeong's unofficial militia. A few soldiers remained digging channels to drain the lower spots, and an argument had arisen between two of the bordering cropholders – who also happened to hold low rank in said militia – as to the potential benefits of maintaining the pond behind Sokka's haphazard dam for irrigation purposes.

Sokka kept his own head down, secure in his ignorance of farming and local weather patterns that he had nothing of value to offer. Not to mention, he really didn't want anyone happening to notice that the stream bank had seemed perfectly secure before his sudden appearance on the scene…

Yep. Totally time for a very low profile. And while Prince Zuko obviously harbored his own suspicions he truly had no proof to back up any accusation. Sokka was reasonably certain that Zuko, having seen fit to douse him in the cold stream as payback for suspected interference in his affairs, would let well enough go by. A sort of alliance had been built up between them in prison – at that time against their mutual warders – that seemed to have survived even against the solidarity of Sokka's father, let alone Jet's freedom fighters or the wreckers. Sokka felt no real risk that Zuko would betray him to Jeong-Jeong.

Zuko and Sokka had both retreated from the sun's heat shortly after the dam had been breached sufficiently to allow a solid flow downstream. Judging by the way it filled the lower banks it seemed likely to not only completely drain the field shortly but also reduce the pond behind it to the original banks fairly quickly. Thus the local farmers' arguments.

"You did notice that while those idiots brought our rucksacks they didn't bring along our purchases? I've had two good duckings in the water since yesterday and trust me! I've yet to thoroughly dry out from either time, and if I start growing mold you are going to pay. Somehow, I swear it, I'll find a way for you to pay!" Sokka was twisting the lower part of his tunic to wring out some of the water. There was a perfunctory element to his complaining; he'd spent literally years getting soaked by Katara's "experiments" with water-bending. If it struck him as ironic that hanging out with a fire-bender instead still resulted in him getting soaked, he didn't mention it.

Zuko stretched indolently beneath a tree, finding himself yet again oddly content in ways he couldn't remember feeling before. He knew some of it resulted from being back well within Fire Nation culture. But his years shipboard had been replete with his homeland's traditions, and he'd never felt so much at ease there. Even secure in his uncle's gentle approval.

He didn't want to question it, but he was far too honest and, frankly, ambitious, to let it rest. Sokka couldn't hold the answers to his questions, and so he resented his current commentary. Besides, he'd already figured out that Sokka was talking purely for the sake of breaking the silence. The guy simply didn't get it that sometimes silence said as much as speech.

Zuko shrugged. Then again, for someone as clever with words as Sokka could be, maybe that wasn't so surprising.

This was not one of those times, however. Still, a devil seemed provoked to respond.

"Sokka, you should have spoken up earlier," He reached out an arm to grasp Sokka's sleeve, still sopping from his dousing in the stream. Steam immediately started rising from the fabric, and Sokka squirmed uncomfortably in the heat.

"Shit! You – damn it! Ouch!" Sokka pulled away with a jerk. Scowling, he kicked a small cloud of dust at Zuko's legs.

Zuko laughed, content.

Sokka stripped off his tunic, muttering under his breath about "fuckin' firebenders" as he also pulled off his boots, shaking out the excess water. He did not attempt to threaten Zuko any further, draping his shed clothing on branches of sufficient strength. It didn't take him long to find repose beneath the sun's welcome rays.

After all, he'd been awakened much earlier than he'd wished, and after a fairly late night. Zuko had commented scathingly more than once on Sokka's tendency to sleep at every opportunity. Sokka was sure the other boy was merely jealous, and reminded Zuko that he was perfectly capable of moving, and moving quickly, when he had to. Sleep was a good thing. It rejuvenated his mind and soul as well as his body, and he often thought that most of his best insights actually occurred to him in his sleep.

Jeong-Jeong took this moment to approach Zuko, nodding at his dozing companion. "You were sent to find the Avatar, and instead you've attached yourself to a surrogate."

Zuko snorted. "I found the Avatar, time and again. I just never managed to lay my hands on him long enough to bring him home. As for Sokka," here he shrugged, uncertain how much to say, "He's no surrogate. And trust me, if he actually thought anyone would mistake him for such he'd disabuse them in a hurry."

"Ah, then. The fool has learned his place?"

Now Zuko bristled, "Sokka's no fool. He may act like one most of the time, but you'd be kidding yourself to underestimate him. I won't make that mistake again. And as for knowing his place? Anything but! Then again… I'm not really sure any more just what his place actually is either."

"So, you escaped the Fire Nation prison together. That does not explain why you still travel together," Jeong-Jeong probed. He had his own theories, but he was curious to see how the prince would answer.

"Inertia, maybe. It's easier traveling together than alone. And I don't have any particular destination."

"But of course, he does," Jeong-Jeong wondered how much the prince was hiding. "Will you follow him to the Avatar? And if he's foolish enough to lead you to him, what will you do then?"

Now Zuko grimaced. "Sokka's not afraid of me, so he may very well take me to Aang. I don't know. But actually, I was thinking about asking if I could stay with you."

Zuko found himself strangely constrained about revealing all he'd learned and thought about his fellow ex-prisoner. Despite his interest in learning all he could from Jeong-Jeong, he suddenly experienced a concern about being too free with information regarding his Water Tribe companion, who also happened to be a close associate of the Avatar.

Jeong-Jeong was surprised. He had assumed the prince was engaged in attempting to exploit Sokka's gullibility with the ultimate intent to betray him. Whatever high-minded idealism the boy had ever had should have been burned out of him by his humiliation and exile. The son of Ozai should have been quite capable of the kind of deceit and ambition that would lead to falsely befriending one of the Avatar's companions. It would be a brilliant ploy to effectuate a capture.

And yet, everything he had seen led him to believe there was a genuine connection between Prince Zuko and Sokka. They squabbled almost like siblings, and clearly the Water Tribe boy exhibited protectiveness for the prince. Zuko seemed to resent others' slighting remarks regarding Sokka. And the fact that he used the Avatar's name rather than his title suggested he saw that particular entity more as the child he was than the threat the Fire Lord feared.

At the same time, there was no question the young man before him was embittered. Well, no wonder given the series of rejections he'd suffered from family and home. Perhaps Jeong-Jeong should have foreseen Zuko's apparent attachment to his father's enemies as genuine.

So how could he then interpret Zuko's request to join Jeong-Jeong's ranks? Zuko's initial reaction on recognizing him had been hostility and outrage over what he perceived as the abandonment of his countrymen. Clearly then, since Zuko's bitterness was not focused on his homeland it must merely involve his family. Perhaps, it was focused only on the Fire Lord himself. Add to the mix some signs of nascent sympathy for the Avatar and, at least, the Water Tribesman's cause, perhaps it was safe to say the Fire Lord's aims were no longer Zuko's aims as well. Hmm. From Ozai's perspective perhaps he had been wise after all to condemn his son to death.

When he first left the Fire Lord's service, Jeong-Jeong feared he would also find himself leaving his heritage behind as well. But the Earth Kingdom was full of enclaves of Fire Nation culture – the natural result of 100 years of by-and-large successful conquest – of more or less fidelity to the family of the Fire Lord. Jeong-Jeong's military history of allegiance almost required that he start out as a hermit; a hermit may live according to the precepts he chooses. But of course, that hadn't lasted long, as over time somehow soldiers with similar doubts had found him. In a surprisingly short period, he'd found himself the leader of a quasi-military group devoted to ancient Fire Nation ideals, which decidedly did not include conquest of the rest of the world. But he had been the only fire-bender among them.

The Fire Prince may not have abandoned the Fire Nation, per se, but he had almost certainly turned his back on the Fire Lord's dictates. It was obvious that Prince Zuko found solace in this environment, Jeong-Jeong's environment. Equally obvious that Zuko had accepted Jeong-Jeong's own rejection of his family's aims.

Jeong-Jeong had not wanted to force Zuko to confront this reality – he wasn't entirely sure of Zuko, after all, but time was running out. And opportunities like this falling into the Deserter's hand, ah, yes, these were few and far between.

It would seem that the "fragile" and "unstable" Fire Prince could handle this, and much more without falling apart. Jeong-Jeong allowed himself to seriously consider a challenge to the conceded scion of Ozai in the face of what he had found in the discredited Fire Prince.

It was the wildest of far shots. After all, despite her gender, Azula had proved herself an ample heir to Ozai, fully potential of overcoming all previous errors in conquering the Earth Kingdom and any future enemy. And Ozai had yet to discourage her.

If one believed in destiny, it would seem apparent that Azula was the obvious and eventual ruler of the world.

Jeong-Jeong considered carefully. He'd spent time with both crown prince Iroh and his successor Fire Lord Ozai. Given his own personal experiences, he no longer believed in the Fire Nation's inherent supremacy. So what could he believe in?

Ozai was the epitome of Fire Nation supremacy. He was the personage of Fire Nation perfection; every physical proportion perfect, every demonstration of power superlative; evidence of war-craft superb and diplomacy complete. If the other nations found him somehow lacking, well, that was their fault…

In retrospect, Ozai's inability to compensate for military failings had raised questions in the men of Jeong-Jeong's stature, even as they grieved for their compatriots' failures.

This failure was a small thing, but it could potentially pave the way to the Fire Lord's defeat. It was, of course, unlikely that such a point should ever be raised in the offense against the Fire Lord. Unless, of course, other elements were also weighed in the balance. Such as a rightful heir in rebellion, with the Avatar's support.

It was also obvious that a commander who had been in Jeong-Jeong's position would have recognized as much. Given his unique position of having hosted the Avatar – and his companions, it remained to be seen as to whether the lord commander would surrender such information.

It would, after all, define his allegiance in what all must see as the coming confrontation.