A storm was brewing.

It'd popped up out of nowhere, a good week after Aang had woken up. As though the world itself were responding to the vicious argument happening between the Avatar and his teachers, the menacingly dark overcast sky turning the already dark night into near-blackness.

"It's not too late to turn back into port," Bato muttered into Hakoda's ear. "The Ocean is not pleased tonight, and it would not do to become part of his appeasement."

"We have the Avatar," Hakoda reasoned, eying the angry black thunderheads coming their way. "The Spirits will not reclaim us on this voyage."

"You hold too much faith in them," Bato warned. "As well as in the Avatar. He's hardly even a man."

And indeed, Aang was doing little to help his case, his shrill indignant tones carrying easily over troubling wind.

"No! I hate the invasion plan! I hate that you're all risking your lives to fix my mistakes!"

Katara's tone was motherly, an attempt to soothe that might've worked in any other situation. "Aang, you shouldn't-"

"You can't tell me what I shouldn't do!" Aang interjected harshly. "Because you're wrong! I shouldn't reveal myself? How about, the Avatar shouldn't hide away while the entire world thinks he's dead!" To punctuate his point, he snapped his glider open and set it over his back in preparation to fly. "And none of you should even be involved!"

Matthew and Sokka converged to restrain him, but Aang sent a pulse of air that was just enough to put them on their backs before leaping up into the sky and disappearing on stormy tempests towards the western horizon.

Sokka climbed to his feet, muttering foul incentives under his breath. The most of innocent of which being, "Stupid airhead thinks he's being a damn hero." Katara stood in the middle of the deck, hands to her mouth as though she could scarcely believe what had just happened.

"I can't feel him on the deck," Toph said quietly, her small declaration making the situation all-too real and sobering.

Matthew sat up, rubbing the back of his head with an intense frown. "This ship cannot catch up to him."

"If we could," Hakoda noted dryly, "we'd already be in the Fire Nation by now."

"That was not a question," Matthew returned flatly, "only an observation. However his bison can."

"We won't all fit on the Appa," Sokka said, shaking his head. "Us, Dad's men, Pipsqueak and The Duke…That's why we took the ship in the first place."

The blond stood. "Which is why we-yourself, Katara, Toph, and I-should travel on Appa, find Aang, and rendezvous with the main invasion force in the Fire Nation."

"Spoken like a true tactician," Bato praised.

"B-but-…" Katara's blue eyes were wide as she shook her head in vehement disagreement. "Dad..."

Hakoda's heart ached for his daughter, wishing that he could comfort her. They'd only just gotten back together, and now it probably felt like everyone was leaving her again all at once. But he had to do what was best for the tribe. "I agree. We need Avatar Aang, and you are the only ones who can prepare him for what comes next." As he said this, he strode over to Katara and enveloped her in a warm embrace. "And we will meet again soon, my little penguin-seal. I promise."

She closed her eyes, and nodded. He could feel wet stains on his arming tunic from her tears.

They separated, and he exchanged a firm Water Tribe handshake with his son. Sokka's expression was studiously determined-he knew to be strong for his sister. "We'll be packed and out of here in five minutes."


It was a bona-fide miracle. Agni must've been in a good mood. Azula would be gone for two days, and had been forced to leave Alfred behind.

Ty Lee truly had no quarrel with Alfred, and no standing orders to keep him chi-blocked. So when she bounced down into the cellar, with Zuko, with a small breakfast stolen from the kitchen and a smile rather than a regretful expression and raised fists…He was understandably confused.

Making no move to stand, as it would give away the fact that the chains were not truly anchored to the ground, he hesitantly inclined his head to the happy chi-blocker and the scarred prince. He cast a significant look to Zuko as the manacles were removed, asking the silent question, 'What's going on?'

"Azula not here," Zuko enunciated slowly, hoping that what little Common Language he'd picked up would be enough to communicate in front of Ty Lee. Fond as she seemed to be of Alfred, Zuko didn't want to risk her knowing how much of the nobles' conversations the blond really understood. Neither did he want to risk her knowing about Alfred's illegal firebending practice. She was still afraid of Azula, and rightfully so.

She had sisters to think about, after all.

"Oh, we should totally show him around the palace!" Ty Lee said, springing into a handstand as Alfred rolled and bit into the dried meat slices he'd been given. His expression was one of wary amusement.

"It wouldn't do much good," Zuko offered. "He'd understand almost nothing you said."

"Good point…" Then Ty Lee brightened as something occurred to her. "Then someone should teach him! He'll get into waaaaaay less trouble with Azula if he could follow her orders!"

Zuko privately disagreed. If he could, Alfred would probably do his best to insult and undermine her as much as possible. Amiable as he was now in Zuko's presence after they'd grown accustomed to each other again, he hated Azula. It was obvious from the moment they'd clapped eyes on each other. He even recalled the heat of that same anger focused on him for a brief time, before he was able to explain the situation.

'After he found out I was a prince.'

An interesting detail that he hadn't considered before. And the nobles that hung around Ozai's court always seemed to make Alfred strangely twitchy.

The pieces of a barely started puzzle began to align, making clear one burning question. 'What does he have against noble blood?'


Aang flew as far as he could. The pain in his back was made worse with every front he had to fight, and his vision swam with memories of what had happened the last time he flew in conditions like this.

But he had to keep flying. He had to do this.

He tasted coal on the humid ocean air. There was a Fire Navy blockade up ahead, and he couldn't risk flying too high in this weather.

So he'd have to go under it.

Sucking in water-laden air, he closed his glider and entered a coordinated dive that put him under the waves, and willed the water to shoot him far back out on the other side of the blockade.

Success. He broke the surface of the waves, trying to regain his bearings as another shooting pain in his back made his water-logged joints convulse. How was he supposed to launch himself back up into the air like this?

Against all odds, he spotted something gray bobbing on the water just ten feet from him. Driftwood. Did that mean he was close to land? If so he could just swim…

Then he got an idea.


They weren't supposed to be doing this. Alfred was a slave, and Ty Lee wasn't technically allowed to let him out, or show him around, or even acknowledge him, really. But who cared? No one was around, anyways.

"Come on!" Ty Lee urged, pulling Alfred along the heavily tapestried hallway. The fact that he wouldn't understand her didn't really matter. He seemed reluctant, but was at least playing along despite Zuko having disappeared elsewhere. "I want to show you something."

She wasn't stupid. It wasn't hard to figure out what Zuko was doing. But she didn't want to scare him by saying she knew. Benders could be scary when they felt cornered. She'd battled enough of them to realize that.

And given the circumstances…she understood his intention, with all the secrecy and the rule-breaking. He wasn't trying to be mean to anyone. Just protecting his friend. Even if that meant going against his own family.

So Ty Lee would allow herself to be 'distracted' from Alfred every night. She might even 'forget' on her own when Mai finally felt like she'd had enough of running interference.

After some time to study it, she'd figured out from his aura that Alfred was kinda like two people. One was the anger and negativity that showed up someone hurt him, while the other was really hopeful and nice that poked through whenever he and Zuko exchanged a secret glance or when she occasionally snuck him a meatroll.

She also knew he was missing someone a lot, even if he hadn't said anything about it. He cared about this person, and was worried about them. This person was the reason Ty Lee wanted to help, even if Zuko felt she shouldn't be. This person was family.

She felt Alfred grab her wrist and pull back, thrusting her back into reality as she was dragged into a deeply shadowed corner.

"Eep!"

Strong arms wrapped around her before she could counter, gentle enough not to hurt her but firm enough to prevent her from moving. Ty Lee twisted her head and looked up at the tall blond in question, to which he only put a finger to his lips. Then she heard voices echoing down the hall.

"Did you hear about the base camp that was found empty outside of Ba Sing Se?"

"Uh-huh. But I don't know the details."

"No one does. Rumor has it that the higher ups are keeping it private for a reason."

Palace guards, Ty Lee judged. Staff were the only ones that spoke Common Language regularly within the palace like this.

"Yeah? Well I happen to know some High Court. And I also happened to be stationed right outside the War Room when the subject came up. And I clearly remember a phrase that roughly translates to, 'General Iroh's technique'."

"Really? Official reports suggest he was killed in action-caught a rock in the wrong spot right as he was betraying the Fire Nation."

"Karma."

"Agni's justice…"

The voices faded. Alfred finally released her, and she flipped away from him. His expression was expressively apologetic as he rubbed the back of his head. "Se-…er, Sooorry?"

Ty Lee exhaled, and then smiled at his attempted speech. It was cute. "It's okay. We'll work on the language thing so that you don't have to surprise people with stuff like that." She beckoned him to follow again. "We're almost there, anyways."

She ran down a ways, stopping before a specific blank section of wall. Pushing hard against that spot she'd found once a long time ago, she heard something scrape, and then cut off. She frowned. "Sorry, hold on, it gets stuck a lot-"

Alfred reached over her head, and pushed with the flats of his palms. The hidden door rumbled and gave way with seemingly little effort on his part. Ty Lee blinked hard. "Wow."

The blond smiled sheepishly.

'Aw, he blushes!'

She led him down the old stone staircase, and into a small open courtyard. A little pond with an old tree shading it dominated one corner, lending a peaceful air to the place. Ty Lee made an expansive gesture and cartwheeled into the stone square.

Alfred stepped almost delicately into the reclusive little area, probably noting how the dull red walls surrounding it had no windows, and the cracked stone had weeds poking out of it. The tree was overgrown, roots beginning to push up from under the paving stones, while the pond water was murky and old.

"No one comes here," Ty Lee explained. "I think it belonged to Lady Ursa-a secret place. Her and Ozai fought a lot before she…well. But she tended to disappear. I bet she came here to calm down."

Alfred of course payed little heed to her words. They probably mostly sounded like gibberish to him. Instead he crossed over to the pond and stared into it. His aura spiked with sadness at his reflection. Then he looked around at the courtyard again, and smiled at Ty Lee. Gratefulness emerged, pushing away the sadness for now. She was happy that he understood.


Sokka urged Appa faster, while Katara searched the air and ocean below for Aang's distinctive orange glider.

They'd been flying for just over an hour, and the storm had surged significantly, causing treacherous waves and hard winds that made it hard for Appa to navigate. They all wondered, but no one dared to ask.

How is Aang surviving this weather?

Because to do so would be to accept the possibility that he hadn't. That his glider had been taken up by the waves and his already injured body had been dragged into the ocean's cold embrace.

Matthew took the opportunity, as Katara was busy, to redirect the slanted rain from hitting them. It was a small comfort, but a comfort none-the-less. No one wanted to do this wet.

"Fire Navy blockade," Sokka reported grimly from his station. "They'll see us from here. We can't fly any higher."

Matthew nodded, brow creased in concentration as he stopped the rain droplets he'd been redirecting, and made a briefly clapped his hands together before spreading his arms wide with splayed fingers. The water became vapor, shrouding them in an artificial cloud.

"Good job," Katara said distractedly. "Mist is the near opposite of making ice; must've been hard for you."

Matthew managed to shrug, his words terse and heavily accented as he had to split his focus further to speak. "Harder to keep everything from dissipating. Keeps trying to fly away from me."

"You're doing fine."

The vapor was beginning to take on a biting chill when Sokka finally said, "I think we're past them. You can let go, now."

Matthew quickly released the mist, and collapsed back into his seat. He glanced at Katara in mild reproving, however his relieved smile belied his look and words. "Why didn't you help?"

Katara tried to return his smile, despite the situation. "It was good practice."

Toph snorted at that. "Takin' a lesson from my book, huh?"

"Not at all," Katara retorted. "I wasn't pelting him with ice while he did it."

"You're doing him no favors," Toph shrugged dismissively. "He's a big boy, unlike Twinkletoes. He can take it."

"He is right here," Matthew pointed out mildly. He'd gone back to redirecting raindrops, which was much easier than creating and maintaining a cloud. "And he would rather not get pelted with ice."

"Wimp."

"Hardass."

"Oh, ho, ho! Looks like someone's finally expanded his vocabulary! Where'd you learn that one from? Was it Sokka?"

"I told you not to teach him curse words!" Katara lamented.

"It wasn't me," Sokka defended sourly. "Why does everyone always blame me when he says something bad?"

"Because you're the one who actually says this stuff," Katara answered smartly.

Toph laughed, and Matthew chuckled. It was almost as though they could forget what had gotten them out here in the first place.


Zuko felt highly accomplished when he managed to get the drop on a Dai Li agent, even if it was entirely by accident.

He'd nearly bumped into one turning a corner into the essentially abandoned diplomats' quarters. When the agent bowed slightly with a murmured apology and began to move out of the way, Zuko quickly took his sleeve. "Just the person I wanted to see. Could you take us somewhere private?"

The agent had little choice but to obey. A slight frown firmly planted on his face only partially hidden by the brim of his hat, he waved a hand that parted stone walls like a curtain, and bowed Zuko into the empty bedchamber beyond.

The Fire Nation had little use for diplomacy, these days. Dust had settled onto every long-unused surface, the air was a bit stale, and the linens smelled mothy. The cleaning staff didn't really bother with this section, so it was seldom opened. In fact, the actual door was probably locked with a long-lost key.

The agent bowed again. "You wished to speak to me, Prince Zuko?"

Zuko recognized this agent. This was the one that had delivered Azula that message. The one that had seemed almost…defiant. Just not openly so.

"Do you want to go home, agent?"

No reaction, or at least a very well controlled one. "If I have done something wrong-"

Zuko waved him off. "No, not like that. You aren't being dismissed. I was just wondering…would you go home? If you could, I mean?"

The agent seemed to consider this carefully, studying Zuko's face for anything other than total earnestness. "It is-was my home. I loved it, and served it as best I could. It is natural to experience homesickness."

"Even if you went back though, it wouldn't be the same," Zuko reminded. "I hear the occupation is pretty intent on making its presence known to the people."

Aha, fists clenching in earth gloves. Not the response of the contented turncoat Azula seemed to think her agents to be. "Yes, sir."

'I can work with this.'

It would be cruel to lead the agent on any longer. "I want to help you, if you can help me."

The Dai Li agent stiffened. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"The Earth Kingdom is all but the Fire Nation by now," Zuko pushed. "The Walls are down. Your King is disappeared and presumed dead. You can't tell me that doesn't make you at least a little upset."

The Earth Kingdom man said nothing.

Zuko tactfully eased the pressure. "What made you all come here in the first place?"

For a long while, the agent was quiet. When he finally answered, his voice was low. "Long Feng was down. We didn't know what was going to happen next. And the Earth King had looked so…angry, when he discovered what we'd been doing to the citizens. He said we'd lost our way…and none of us wanted to be executed."

"Do you feel justified?" Zuko asked softly. "Was it worth abandoning your homeland?"

The agent looked away.

"Think about it," Zuko said. "Maybe consult a few that you trust implicitly. But this window won't be open forever."


The rain had stopped falling when they finally sighted land. Sokka steered the reigns to swoop Appa low over the beach.

"This is the island that had Roku's temple," Katara remembered. "It looks so…barren, now. Guess the solstice really did a number on the place."

Matthew peered over the side, watching the freely flowing lava that webbed across the blackened ground. "Do you think Aang is here?"

"This is the only land for miles," Sokka reasoned. "If he isn't here, then…" He didn't finish that sentence.

"Get me down there," Toph ordered. "I want my feet on the ground so that I can find him."

Seeing the practicality, Sokka obliged. Katara was halfway down Appa's side by the time they landed. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Aang!"

Matthew looked around at the volcanic wasteland the island had become with pursed lips, saying nothing. Toph leapt off and buried her toes into the loose black sand.

Sokka pointed and called out, "I see something!" Jogging along the shore, he stooped to pick something up.

It was Aang's glider, the delicate orange sails torn to shreds.

Katara put a hand to her mouth, frozen in her grief.

Matthew grimaced, walking further along the shore until he met with a cluster of obsidian and char at the other end that stood easily at the height of a full-grown man. Suddenly he was picking his way delicately over thin streams of lava and unstable rock.

"What are you doing?" Toph asked.

"I found him," Matthew threw back over his shoulder.

Those three words had an amazing effect on the group. Toph leapt over the obstructing pile, leaving the rest to climb across the treacherous terrain to reach her as she went to stand next to Aang. The airbender was washed up on the sands, staring up at the sky and at Toph as though he couldn't believe what had just happened. "How did you find me?"

"There was literally nowhere else you could be," Toph answered smartly.

Katara ran over to kneel by him. "Aang, listen, I know you have this idea that you need to save the world on your own. But you don't! The world is a big place, and we want to help, so-"

Aang pulled her into a tight hug. Katara's initial surprise was overcome by her relief when she returned it.

"I know." The airbender's voice was hoarse, and cracked. "I know, and I'm sorry."

He stood up when Sokka gingerly offered the ruined glider. "Uh…we found this on the beach, so…yeah. We're sorry, too."

"It's alright." Aang fingered the broken stems, and rubbed the remains of thin canvas between his fingers. His lips pulled back regretfully. "This would give away my identity, huh?"

"It would," Matthew confirmed gently.

Katara twiddled her fingers nervously. "Does this mean you're…?"

Aang glanced up towards the oozing volcano that loomed over them. "Yeah. It's better if the world thinks I'm dead, right now." He crossed over to the nearest stream of hot lava, and allowed the thing to drop. It burst into flames almost immediately on contact.

The group departed in solemn, determined silence.


SO, here's a longer chapter that I slammed out because several stories/authors I am following updated today and I was feeling the peer-pressure. I'm trying to get this story done in significantly less than a hundred more chapters. And at the rate I'd been going, I'll never be done. And while I love writing this story, there are others that I really want to get started on that I can't until this one is finished. So I'm TRYING to get an equivalent of about an episode per chapter from here on out. We'll see how that goes, eh?

Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews! They're so nice to see, because it usually means people like the story, or are at least paying attention to it. Tell me what you thought in a review?

Later dudes. ^J^