The Western Air Temple:

The children of the invasion were walking across a barren land with the sun shining on their skin. All were exhausted and tired from walking. "This is exhausting," Jade muttered.

"No, this is humiliating." Katara said.

"Do you mean getting thoroughly spanked by the fire nation or having to walk all the way to the western air temple?" Her brother asked.

"Both," Katara grumbled.

"Sorry guys but Appa, Sapphire, and Ruby are exhausted after the battle and then having to carry all these people."

"I wonder how the rest of the troops are." Teo said.

"I'm going to kill Jet next I see him," Ember muttered. She didn't even get the chance to tell him her feelings back. Ember blushed remembering his dedication of love.

"They're probably on their way to a prison. Seems like my dad just got out, now he's going back in," Haru sighed.

"Don't worry, Haru. The adults are strong, I'm sure everyone will make it," Lin grinned.

"I miss Pipsqueak," The Duke Said.

"I miss not having blisters on my feet," Sokka said.

"Hey, we're here. I can feel it," Toph said relieved as they stopped on a cliff. There was nothing there.

"Well…where is it?" Aqua asked.

"Uh…I think your feet need their eyes checked," Katara suggested.

"No," Aang said and everyone turned to the bald air bender. "She's right, we are here."

"Here where?" Ember asked. After a small struggle, everyone managed to get under the cliff's to reveal the western air temple had been underneath them this entire time. Nobody noticed that Zuko was nearby and climbing down the cliff with a rope tied around his waist.

Zuko reached the air temple as the children were and quickly hid behind a pillar before they saw him. Zuko peeked out from behind it. "Finally, we're here," Jade said, stretching her arms above her head before climbing off Sapphire. Jade pulled her hair off her neck.

"Jade," Zuko said quietly, sneaking down a flight of stairs.

"It's so different from the northern air temple," Teo said as they looked around. "I wonder if there are any secret rooms."

"Let's go check it out," Haru said, walking down one of the hallways. The Duke and Teo ran after him excited.

"Why can't I go?" Aang complained when Katara held him back.

"We need to decide what we're going to do now." Katara explained. "And since you're the avatar, maybe you should be a part of this," Aang grumbled and slouched down on a stone bench. Sokka, Aqua, Lin, Jade, and Ember sat on other benches that made a circle, while Toph was sitting on top of a column that was three feet taller than them.

"Well, if you ask me, the new plan is the old plan. You just need to master all four elements, and confront the fire lord before the comet comes." Sokka said.

"Right, we just need to teach Aang fire bending," Aqua said.

"That's great, no problem." Aang said sarcastic. "I'll do just that. It's not as if Ember can actually teach me."

"Aang, no one said it's going to be easy," Katara said.

"Well it's not even gonna be possible!" Aang shouted. "Where am I supposed to get a fire bending teacher? Ember can't teach me, even she needs a master!"

"Oh yeah, thanks," Ember said sarcastic.

"We could look for Jeong Jeong." Katara suggested.

"Yeah, right," Aang scoffed. "Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again."

"That's like one in a billion chance," Jade sighed, slouching over in her seat.

"Who's…oh never mind," Toph crossed her arms annoyed. "If it's important, I'll find out."

"Jeong Jeong is a fire bender we met on our way to the North Pole. He was going to teach Aang fire bending but we had to leave before he could really get into the actual lessons." Lin explained.

Aang stood, holding his glider in his hand, "Oh well, guess we can't come up with anyone." Aang shrugged. "Why don't we just have a nice tour around the temple," he said, running off.

"What's up with him?" Toph asked.

"There's got to be someone who can teach him fire bending." Sokka said.

"But who?" Jade asked.

In the forest, "Hello," Zuko said, raising his arm in what he hoped was a friendly greeting. "Zuko here but I guess…" he scratched the back of his head nervous. "You probably already know me…sort of. Uh, so the thing is…I have a lot of fire bending experience and I'm…considered to be pretty good at it." Zuko gave a smile of self-pride. "Well you've seen me…you know, when I was attacking you?" Zuko realized that was the one thing to say but kept going. "Uh yeah…I guess. I should apologize for that but anyway…I'm good now. I mean…I thought I was good before, but now I realize I was bad." He sighed and slouched over. "Ugh, but anyway…I think I joined your group and taught the avatar fire bending. Ember can learn some as well." He sighed and turned around to who he was talking to. A large badger frog sitting on a log that answered Zuko with a croak.

"Well, what's your answer?" Zuko demanded. The frog jumped onto his head and jumped off, hopping off into the forest.

"Yeah, that's what'd I say too." Zuko sighed. He threw his arms up frustrated, "How am I supposed to convince these people I'm on their side? What would uncle do?" Zuko asked before attempting to imitate his uncle. "Zuko, you have to look within yourself, to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself." Zuko sighed. "Even when I'm talking for him, I don't understand what he means. What would Azula do?" he started to imitate his sister's voice. "Listen, Avatar, I can join your group or I can do something unspeakable horrible to you and your friends, your choice." He groaned and sat down on the log. "I guess I'm not that good at impersonations." The badger frog returned in front of him and croaked.

In the temple, Katara, Sokka, and Toph were on Appa and trying to get Aang to start thinking about how he was going to learn fire bending. "Do you think Aang realizes how serious our situation is?" Aqua asked as the guardians waited on the ground.

"I'm sure he does…somewhat," Jade sighed.

"We both need a master," Ember pouted.

"And we'll find out. I'm sure of it." Lin said. "Everything happens for a reason, and we're still alive so there must be a reason. I'm sure theirs is a fire bender out there somewhere who will be willing to teach Aang and Ember.

"Ok," Aang said as they landed. "We can talk about the future while I show you the giant pai sho table." He was about to run off again, but the guardians stood firmly in his path. They couldn't just keep putting it off.

"I think that'll have to wait," Toph said. Everyone looked at the blind earth bender confused and she pointed to the far side of the temple. Everyone turned to where she was pointing as Appa moved out of the way to reveal Zuko standing behind him. "Hello, Zuko here." He raised his hand with a small smile. Jade's eyes widened. Well, this was awkward.

Aang held up his staff prepared to attack. Aqua, Lin, and Ember stood protectively in front of Jade eyes full of hate for the man who hurt their sister. "Hey," Zuko said, coughing uncomfortable. "I heard you guys flying around down there so…I just thought I'd wait for you here." Appa, Sapphire, and Ruby started for him and he took a step back, only to get three tongue licks. Everyone looked at him surprised and Aang lowered his staff a little confused. Zuko wiped off the spit on his face that the animals had left behind. "I know you must be surprised to see me here,"

"Not really, since you've followed us all over the world." Sokka said.

"Right," Zuko winched. "Well uh…anyway," he stuttered. "What I wanted to tell you are that I've changed and I uh…I'm good now and I think I should join your group. Oh, and I can teach you and Ember fire bending,"

"You what to what now" Toph asked. Everyone just stared at the fire bender.

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" Katara demanded. "How stupid do you think we are?"

"Yeah, all you've done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang," Sokka glared.

"I've done some good things," Zuko said defensive. "I mean…I could've stolen your bison and dragons in Ba Sing Se but I set them free. There's something,"

"They do seem to like him," Toph said.

"He probably just covered himself in honey or something so they would lick him," Sokka said, waving his hand. "I'm not buying it."

"Right, there's no point in trusting him." Aqua said in the front of her sisters. Lin and Ember stood behind her on either side so he wouldn't attempt to get to Jade only to break her heart again.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past." Zuko said. Jade winched, she knew that voice. The tone was full of regret.

"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka asked.

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us." Katara said.

Zuko looked down, "Look, I admit I've done some awful stuff. I was wrong to try and capture you and I'm sorry that I attacked the water tribe. And I never should've sent that fire nation assassin after you, I'm gonna try to stop him." Everyone stared at him. They didn't know he was the one who had done that last part.

"Wait, you sent combustion man after us?" Sokka demanded.

Zuko looked panicked, why did he say anything about the assassin? "Well, that's not his name but…"

"Oh sorry," Sokka said sarcastic. "I didn't mean to insult your friend."

"He's not my friend!" Zuko shouted.

"That guy," Toph glared. "Locked me, Ember, Katara, and Jade in jail and tried to blow us all up!"

"But I paid him extra not to hurt…" Zuko stopped.

"Yeah, what?" Ember demanded.

Zuko quickly changed the subject and said, "Why aren't you saying anything?" He asked Aang. "You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me!" Aang glanced at his friends. Sokka shook his head no and Ember glared at Zuko.

Aang turned to Zuko and said firmly, "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us." Zuko looked surprised at that.

"You need to get out of here now," Katara said.

"Before we do something you're not going to like." Lin said, cracking her fingers. Usually, she was the peaceful one but this man had broken her sister's heart. If you messed with one of them, you messed with all of them.

Zuko closed his eyes, took a deep breath and looked at them determined. "I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!"

"Either you leave or we attack," Sokka threatened.

"If you won't accept me as a friend," in one more desperate act, he knelt down and bowed his head to the floor. "Then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner." He held up his arms so they could bind him.

"No, we won't!" Katara shouted. She raised her arms and pulled water from her pouch, slamming Zuko back to skid across the ground.

"Don't!" Jade cried. Everyone, especially the dripping wet Zuko, looked at her surprised. Jade's face turned red, she couldn't help it…those feelings were still there. She turned away and buried her face into Ember's shoulder.

"Get out of here," Katara said firmly, but not attacking again. "We'd better not see you again." Zuko lowered his head, his saggy bangs hanging in his eyes. He stood and slowly walked out of the temple.

A few minutes later at his campsite, Zuko put his hands on his screaming. "I can't believe how stupid I am! I mean…what was I thinking? Telling them I sent an assassin after them? Why didn't I say Azula did that? Would've believed that, stupid!" he fell to the ground and sighed.

In the temple, "Why would he try to fool us like that?" Katara demanded.

"Obviously, he wants to lead us into some kind of trap." Sokka said.

"But what would his motive be?" Lin asked. "He got home like he wanted to so why still try and capture the avatar?"

"This is just like when we were in prison together in Ba Sing Se." Katara huffed. Aang turned and just walked away.

"He wants you to trust him and feel sorry for him so you let his guard down, the he strikes." Sokka said, punching his hand with his fist. Jade sighed, looked down, and wrapped her arms around her middle.

"We can't trust him," Katara said firmly.

"I kind of have a confession to make," Aang said coming back and everyone turned to him. "Remember when you got sick and I got captured by Zhao?"

"And you made us suck on frozen frogs? How could I forget?" Sokka exclaimed. "I had a wart on the flap that hangs down from the back of my throat for a month."

"No you didn't, Sokka." Aqua rolled her eyes.

"Sokka, we both looked at it and told you there was nothing there." Katara said annoyed.

"I could feel it!" Sokka insisted. "It's my throatal flap!"

"Calm down, Sokka." Lin shook her head.

"Anyway," Aang interrupted. "When Zhao had me chained up, it was Zuko who came in and got us out. He risked his life to save us."

"No way," Katara said firm. "I'm sure he only did it so he could capture you himself."

"Yeah, face it Aang." Sokka said. "You're nothing but a big prize to him."

"And you're probably right." Aang said.

"No matter how much we don't want him to be." Ember grumbled.

"And what was all that crazy stuff about setting, Appa, Sapphire, and Ruby free?" Katara asked. "What a liar." Ember and Jade flinched, they knew the truth.

"Actually," Toph said and everyone turned to the earth bender. "He wasn't lying."

"Oh, hooray," Sokka said sarcastic. "In a lifetime of evil, at least he didn't add animal cruelty to the list."

"But Zuko wasn't evil his whole life…just a short period," Jade stood up for him.

"I was just saying that considering his messed up family and how he was raised, he could've turned out a lot worse." Toph said, getting the attention off Jade.

"You're right Toph, let's go find him and give him a medal. The 'not as much of a jerk as you could have been award'." Katara said sarcastic.

"Well it's only been about an hour since he left, I wouldn't be surprised if he was hanging around somewhere just outside the temple." Lin said.

Toph crossed her arms and said, "All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly!"

"Easy for you to say, you weren't there when he had us attacked by pirates." Katara said.

"Or when he burned down Kyoshi island." Sokka said.

"Or when he tried to capture me at the fire temple." Aang said.

"Why would you even try to defend him?" Katara demanded.

"Because Katara, you're all ignoring one crucial fact. Aang and Ember need a fire bending teacher. We can't think of one single person in the world to do it. Now one shows up on a silver platter and you won't even think about it!"

"I'm not having Zuko as my teacher." Aang said firmly.

"I'm beginning to wonder who the blind one is around here," Toph muttered, storming off. That night, Toph was sneaking away to camp to where she tracked Zuko down.

Zuko, who had been asleep next to his campfire to get warm, woke up when he heard something in the woods. He jumped up, thinking it may be some hungry wild animal who wanted to attack him. "Who's there?" Zuko demanded. "Get back!" he threw a wave of fire towards it.

"It's me!" Toph cried, earth bending up a wall of earth to protect herself but she fell back from the force of the flames and they licked at her feet before they went out.

"You burned my feet!" Toph cried.

"I'm sorry, it was a mistake!" Zuko cried, rushing to her side.

"Get away from me"! Toph cried, terrified that she was now truly blind. Toph threw out her arm and knocked Zuko back with her earth bending. She tried to crawl away but Zuko kept coming. Toph threw rock after rock at him but he quickly dodged them, apologizing and trying to help. Finally, Zuko was flung back and he just sat there while she crawled back to the temple.

"Why am I so bad at being good?" Zuko groaned.

In the temple, everyone was surrounding the fountain. "Hey, where's Toph?" Lin asked. "She wasn't in her room."

"Has anyone seen her?" Katara asked as she passed bowls of rice to the other children.

"I haven't seen her since she stormed off yesterday." Sokka said.

"Maybe she's just exploring the air temple." Haru suggested. "There are some fun spots to practice earth bending,"

"But she wouldn't be gone this long and this is Toph we're talking about," Aqua said. "We would surely hear her smashing some rocks."

"I think we should go look for her." Katara said worried.

"Oh let her have fun with her rocks. I'm in no rush to have her yelling at us again." Sokka shrugged.

"We can go check on her," The Duke suggested.

"Yeah, I want to ride that tunnel down to the hall of statues again. It'll work a lot better now that I fixed my brakes." Teo said. Teo, The Duke, and Haru ran off to 'search' for the earth bender.

There was a rumble and the earth shook. A hole appeared and Toph crawled out. Her friends aced to her side. "Toph, what happened?" Katara asked.

"What's wrong?" Aqua asked, helping Toph lean against the wall.

"My feet got burned." Toph answered, much more relaxed now that her concerned friends surrounded her.

"Oh no, what happened?" Katara asked examining Toph's feet.

"I just told you my feet got burned." Toph said annoyed.

"I think she meant how," Jade said.

"Well…" Toph started. "I kind of went to see Zuko last night." Everyone looked at her, clearly surprised.

"I just thought he could be helpful to us." Toph said. "And if I talked to him, maybe we could work something else," she explained as Katara started healing her feet.

"So he attacked you?" Aang asked.

"Well he did…and he didn't. It was sort of an accident." Toph said.

"But he did fire bend at you?" Aang asked.

"Yes." Toph confirmed.

"He wouldn't…" Jade trailed off.

"He didn't on purpose. I sort of…snuck up on him and he acted," Toph answered.

"You trusted Zuko and you got burned…literally," Sokka said.

"It's going to take a while for your feet to get better. I wish I could've worked on them sonner." Katara said.

"Yeah, me to," Toph said.

"Well at least you'll get healed." Aqua said.

"Zuko's clearly too dangerous to be left alone. We're gonna have to go after him." Sokka said.

"But it was an accident," Jade insisted.

"I hate to go looking for a fight…but Sokka is right," Aang sighed. "After what he did to Toph, I don't think we have a choice."

"He's crafty, but we'll find a way to capture him." Sokka said.

"How about you just tell him he's a prisoner," Ember said. "He did offer to be one."

"Nah, too easy" Sokka said.

"Yeah, hate for something to be easy." Lin grumbled. Sokka and Aang gentle carried Toph to the fountain so she could dip in her feet.

Jade sighed and looked around in the sky, only for her to jump up as she noticed Combustion man stood on a nearby cliff and looked like he was about to attack. "It's him!" Jade cried.

"Oh no!" Lin gasped as everyone but Toph jumped up. But just as he attacked, Zuko came swinging up using a vine as a rope and rammed into him. The beam of light slammed against the wall as Lin bended a wall of earth over their heads to protect them from the rocks. The wall shattered but they were okay. Sokka and Aang picked Toph up and started moving back with her.

"Stop!" Zuko shouted, standing in front of combustion man. His voice traveled to where the gang stood on the temple cliffs. "I don't want you hunting the avatar anymore! The mission is off. I'm ordering you to stop!" but the man just knocked Zuko out of his way and attacked again. The beam destroyed the fountain Toph was just sitting on and Jade blew a large breath of air to knock the stray pieces of stone away from them.

"If you keep attacking, I won't pay you!" Zuko shouted. The man grabbed Zuko by his shirt and Zuko threw a fireball but it missed. "Alright, I'll pay you double to stop." Zuko aimed a kick at the man, knocking his aim off as he shot. Jade screamed as it hit the rock above her.

"Jade!" Zuko shouted. But before the rocks could hit her, Ember ran at her and tackled her as the rocks crashed. The two girls stood unharmed. Zuko let out the breath he hadn't realize he was holding.

The combustion man was angry and attacked Zuko but he created a shield of fire to protect him. "Zuko!" Jade cried out as Zuko was flung back and skidded across the cliffs then…he was gone. Just gone. Tears filled Jade's eyes, thinking she had lost him.

Aang created a tornado and kicked it at Combustion man but the man leaped over the tornado and threw another blast as he fell. Aang and Lin dodged the upcoming blast.

Katara and Aqua bended water from a nearby pool and the two water benders created a wave of water and transformed it into icicles. The icicles flew at him but he used his metal arm and leg to block the attack and the ice shattered. When he looked up, the gang was gone.

Sokka, Aang, Katara, Toph, Aqua, Lin, Jade, and Ember were all hiding behind large stone pillars. It was a wonder how the others didn't hear and come running. Combustion man sent a blast to destroy a pillar nearby and the stone shattered. "He's going to blast this whole place right off the cliff." Toph said.

"But how can we defeat something like him?" Jade asked, wiping her teary eyes.

"I can't step out to water bend at him without getting blown up." Katara said. "And I can't get a good enough angle on him from down here."

"I know how to get an angle on him." Sokka pulled out his boomerang and tried to get a good measuring on him while he destroyed various pillars around them.

"Alright buddy, don't fail me now." Sokka said and threw his boomerang as hard as he could. Above them, combustion man turned as the boomerang shot at his head and the boomerang was what threw him down. Sokka grinned as everyone ran from their hiding places and he caught his boomerang.

"Um…Sokka," Aqua said, urgently hitting his arm.

"Ow, what is it Aqua?" Sokka said, turning to see what she was looking at…Combustion man was standing back up. "Aw, boomerang," Sokka complained. Everyone turned and tried to run back to their hiding place behind the pillar. Combustion man put a hand to his forehead when he couldn't make another explosion happen and an explosion ended up happening to him as the cliff he stood own broke beneath him and he fell.

The gang looked down the cliff shocked, too stun to speak. Haru, Teo, and The Duke peeked out from where they had hidden inside the temple.

"Um…Jade, you might be happy about that," Lin said, pointing to something on the cliff above them. Jade slowly moved her gaze and rested on Zuko, clearly alive, and steadily climbing up a vine to the top of the cliff. Jade looked down, a calm smile on her face as she wiped away her tears. There was no reason to cry, he was alive.

A few minutes later, Zuko was standing in front of the gang. "I can't believe I'm saying this but…thanks, Zuko." Aang said.

"Hey, what about me?" Sokka asked. "I did the boomerang thing."

"You were great Sokka," Aqua said, patting his shoulder. Sokka nodded, finally getting recognition.

"Listen," Zuko started. "I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot in the past few years and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war and I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the war." he explained and turned to Toph who was now being held up by Ember and Lin. "I'm sorry for what I did to you," he said bowing. "It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild. So as a fire bender, I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt people unintentially," he finished, standing up and waiting for their response.

"I think you are supposed to be my fire bending teacher," Aang said. "When I first tried to learn fire bending, I burned Katara. And after that…I never wanted to fire bend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love." Aang bowed. "I'd like you to teach me."

"And me as well," Ember said, bowing.

Zuko bowed the Aang and Ember. "Thank you, I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group."

"Not so fast. I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them." Aang said, turning to his group of friends. "Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"

"Go ahead and let him join," Toph shrugged. "It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet."

"Sokka?" Aang asked.

Sokka lowered his head and shrugged, "Hey, all I want is to defeat the fire lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then I'm all for it."

"Katara?" Aang asked.

Everyone stard at the water bender. "I'll go along with whatever you think is right," Katara finally said.

"Aqua?" Aang asked.

"Why not?" Aqua shrugged.

"Lin?"

Lin stared at Zuko and he looked back nervous. Lin remembered how they were once friends, even back then he did do some good things every now and then…like how he saved that helmsmen during that storm. "Ok,"

Aang turned to the last member of the group. "Jade?" he asked. Everyone turned to where Jade stood in the back. She had her arms crossed and her back turned to the side. Everyone leaned in unconscious, waiting for her answer. Jade huffed, blowing her bangs out of her face. "Ember and Aang need a teacher, I don't care."

"I won't let you down, I promise." Zuko said excited. The gang turned and started walking around, Toph being carried on Sokka's back. Zuko smiled and his eyes connected with Jade's back as she walked away. She looked over his shoulder as she felt his stare and noticing he was looking at her, Jade quickly turned away, her hair swirling over her shoulders.

Zuko frowned and ran after them. He didn't care what it took, he was going to get Jade back if it was the last thing he did.

A few minutes later, Zuko had a small bag with his belongings slung over his shoulder and was following Sokka to his new room. "So here you go, home sweet home." Sokka said as they walked into one of the rooms. "And anyway…we need to talk."

"About what?" Zuko asked confused.

"Jade." Sokka said and Zuko's heart thumped at the air bender's name.

"What about…Jade?" Zuko asked.

"I don't know what's going on with you two but I do know that you hurt her." Sokka glared. "Over the last few weeks I've gotten to know Jade, she's become like a little sister to me. I'm dating Aqua, her sister, meaning she practically is my sister. If you hurt her again, I'll have to hurt you myself." He said, playing role of overprotective big brother.

"You don't have to worry," Zuko said, completely serious as he stared into the water tribe warrior's blue eyes. "If I ever hurt her again, I'll kill myself." Sokka looked surprised but nodded pleased with the answer.

He was about to leave but stopped, "I probably shouldn't tell you but…Jade's room, right there." Sokka said, pointing to the door right across the hall from Zuko's. "Anyway…lunch is soon and uh, welcome aboard." He said, quickly leaving.

Zuko started to unpack but hearing something from the doorway, Zuko spun only to see Katara standing there. "You might have everyone else here buying your 'transformation'. But you and I both know you've struggled with the right thing in the past. So let me tell you something right now. You make one step backward, one slip up that gives me one reason to think you might hurt Aang…or Aqua…Or Ember or Lin…or….or….or Jade! You won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends right then and there…permanently."

"Katara, are you threatening, Zuko?" Lin demanded walking in and pushing Katara out. "Bye Zuko! Great to have you back to good Zuko." Lin waved before disappearing, pulling Katara after her. Zuko sighed and fell back on his bed.