Hi! So, I had posted this about many a month ago, then quickly took it down because I didn't like how I'd structured what I had. I tweaked some things and combined the first two chapters into one so that there's a better flow to it, as well as added more scenes in. So if you think you read this before, you may have- and if you have, give it another read! Things have been changed :)

This is my first real try at anything vaguely AU. It is sort of my way of kind of rewriting the entire third season, but with Jet alive and a part of Team Avatar. I found Jet to be so interesting, along with the brainwashing, that it just seemed such a shame for him to be killed off so quickly.

Without further ado, please enjoy!

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The night air was cool, crisp, and quiet as they flew on the sky bison's saddle. All were awake, watching Katara intently as she attempted to heal Aang, who was as still as he had been when Katara showed up, carrying him in her arms. Still, Jet couldn't help but wonder where that special water had been when the Dai Li had nearly killed him.

No, he reminded himself with the barest shake of his head. That was a selfish thought; whatever magical properties that water held were clearly needed for more important things- or more important people.

Even if he was certain that he had a few cracked ribs.

No one moved, no one breathed as Katara did all she could, the water disappearing into the wound on the Avatar's back. And then, Aang's tattoos glowed briefly, and he gasped, and though he did not seem to fully wake, his chest continued to rise and fall. The many occupants of the saddle let out a collective sigh, and beside Jet, Smellerbee slumped back against the rim of the saddle.

"Hey." With a not so gentle poke to his side, Toph leaned closer to Jet, whispering, "Is he…?"

"He's alive," Jet murmured back. It felt wrong to speak loudly, as Katara continued to hold Aang..

The Avatar was alive, barely. They had all escaped Ba Sing Se with their lives, but again, barely. And somehow, they had the Earth King and a bear in the saddle with them. Jet hadn't been privy to exactly why the king was fleeing with them, but he could guess.

They were not flying fast with all the weight the bison was carrying. It was not a good idea to cram eight people and a bear on, but Jet felt it best not to suggest they lose some weight. They might decide to leave him and Longshot and Smellerbee behind. Jet was hardly walking yet, certainly not at all without help. His leg was broken, and certainly so were a couple of his ribs. It had been luck, Jet had decided, more than anything else, that he had gotten out of Lake Laogai. Luck, and loyal friends. Longshot and Smellerbee had refused to leave him behind, and thankfully, they had found the Avatar and his friends again when coming topside.

There was no doubt in Jet's mind he would be dead right now otherwise.

For several hours they flew south, everyone quiet, tensely quiet. As the sun crept over the horizon, the sky bison slowly started descending.

"Why are we going down?" King Kuei inquired, peering over the side of the saddle. The bear beside him let out a low grumble. "We don't seem to be very far from Ba Sing Se."

It took everything in Jet's self-control not to snap at the king's idiocy, and thankfully, it was Sokka who answered the fool. "Appa is carrying a lot more weight than he ever does. He can't fly as far or as fast with so many people…"

The implication was there. When they landed, the extra weight would have to find another route. But another route to where? Jet hadn't even considered where they- where he and Longshot and Smellerbee- would be going. The opportunity to get out of that cursed city was too good of one to miss. His eyes met Longshot's. The young man merely nodded at him:

Where you go, I will follow.

Jet did not deserve that loyalty, not anymore. There had been a lot of poor decisions on his part, and he had led them into further danger through his own bullheadedness.

When they landed, the rag-tag group did its best to make camp. Jet was useless, which he hated. It took both Longshot and Sokka together to get him out of the saddle. Somehow, the Earth King was even more useless. He was so preoccupied with ensuring his bear's wellbeing that everything else fell to Sokka, Toph, and Longshot. Katara refused to leave Aang's side, to no one's surprise. Smellerbee, however….

"You don't need to hover over me," Jet spoke to Smellerbee, as she fussed over ensuring he was propped up just so.

"You can't even shift without being in pain; stop being such a hero." Smellerbee rolled her eyes at him, but she did shift ever so slightly away.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. She was loyal to a fault. It was a valuable trait for a Freedom Fighter, but those days were long gone.

With a sigh, Jet once again closed his eyes. If the rest of the group had any sense, they would be doing the same. They would be of no use to anyone without any sleep.

The sun was at its highest point when Jet opened his eyes again. Smellerbee was curled up at his side, Longshot just on the other side of her, his arm gently draped over her middle. Nearby, the Earth King was surprisingly sleeping nearly on top of the bear, and Sokka was sprawled out by the dying fire. Katara and Toph were awake, sitting on either side of Aang, not far from where Jet was..

The camp they'd made was not the most secluded one Jet had ever seen. They had landed in a clearing near some trees, but they were not tall enough or great enough in number to provide any cover. Beyond them, Jet could just barely see the great outer wall of Ba Sing Se. The city was still so close, too close for any comfort.

With a grunt in pain, Jet forced himself into a seated position, causing Katara to jump slightly at the noise. She looked over at him, dark circles heavy under her eyes; she had not slept once.

"Jet," she said by way of greeting, as if in surprise to see him at all.

"Morning," he nodded, then squinted at the sun. "Or rather, afternoon." Looking back over the camp, he again adjusted his position, despite the pain it caused. It was better to be sitting, he reasoned. No matter the pain.

"Any sign of-" he started to ask, only to be cut off by the Toph.

"I'll be able to feel if anyone is coming," she assured him. "No one is close for miles. We're as safe here as we're going to be."

Silence settled in again. Jet let his gaze fall upon Aang. The boy was still but breathing. Asleep or in a coma, Jet could not be certain.

"What, uh, what happened to him?"

Katara stiffened, biting her lip, her eyes on Aang. "Azula," she said simply, as if that was enough explanation.

"Who's that?" Jet probed when it was obvious that she was not going to expand on her answer.

"The Fire Nation princess," Toph supplied. "She's…ruthless. She chased us everywhere."

"She struck Aang with lighting while he was in the Avatar State," Katara spoke quietly. "He's- he's especially vulnerable then. I thought- I really had thought she'd killed him."

Fire Nation princess. Lightning. Could fire benders really use lightning? A terrifying thought. But…. Something nagged in his mind, about the princess, and the avatar, and their current situation. As Jet ruminated upon it, the others began to stir; first Sokka, then King Kuei and his bear. As soon as the bear let out a loud growl as it stretched, Smellerbee and Longshot jolted awake.

With everyone awake, breakfast was prepared- a meager breakfast at that. There had been no time to grab supplies, no chance to ensure they had what they needed for a journey of who knows what length. Breakfast happened to be whatever Smellerbee had managed to snag in a moment's notice: a single loaf of bread to be split among them, and platypus-bear jerky. Everyone received a single bread slice, and hardly more than a mouthful of the jerky.

"Eat up fast," Sokka was saying after the rations had been doled out. "We're going to want to get in the air fast; we're dangerously close to Ba Sing Se. I'm surprised Azula hasn't caught up to us yet, actually, but we can't give her the chance to."

Hadn't caught up to us yet…. Not much had been told to Jet about the Fire Nation princess, but that did not go well with the description Toph had given. If she were so ruthless, why would she have just let them go?

That was it! "She's not chasing us," Jet piped up confidently, earning him a scrutinizing scowl from Sokka.

"And how do you know that? You don't even know who she is, or what she is like. We've been chased by her before, and-"

"Yeah, Toph was telling me," Jet cut Sokka off. "Look, if she's hunted you guys all over, then attacked Aang when, according to Katara, he's vulnerable, then suddenly stops, there's only one good reason: she thinks the Avatar is dead. Why hunt a corpse?"

All eyes were on him, as if he had said something completely outlandish. Sokka let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, Jet, you don't-"

Sokka was interrupted for the second time that morning, this time by Katara. "No, he's right," she said slowly. "I… I thought he had died. You didn't see him fall, how- how lifeless he was then. If Azula had thought there was a possibility Aang survived, I don't…. I don't think we would've made it out of the city."

Sokka raised a brow at his sister. "I don't know…."

"It took us far too long to get everyone," Toph spoke up. "I mean, Katara had to get to us, and then we had to get to Appa. It makes sense, Sokka. I don't think we have anyone on our trail."

At last, Sokka conceded. "Okay, so that is one problem solved," he said, settling back down on the ground to eat with the rest of them. "But-" and he took a bite of the jerky as he spoke, "-we have more, maybe bigger issues to work out."

"Such as?" asked Kuei, and Jet was convinced there was no bigger idiot than this once king. Did the man have no common sense?

"Food," Smellerbee said flatly, obviously as irritated with the Earth King as Jet was. "Supplies. A destination."

"Right." Sokka shoved the rest of his ration of bread in his mouth before reaching over to his bag and produced a map. Unrolling it, he spread it flat on the ground. "It looks like there should be a small town only a couple of miles from here. We could probably get some supplies- and new clothes for you, your Highness- there. But I don't like the idea of flying there on Appa. Azula may not be after us right now, but I still would rather avoid any unnecessary attention."

"Longshot and I will go," Smellerbee volunteered. "We can be there and back by nightfall."

It was decided. They duo were given all they had to barter with; the little money that was pooled from them all and the Earth King's jade necklace. Kuei offered more of his finery, but anything more would have been suspicious for two scruffy looking teens to try to sell.

The afternoon passed slowly. Sokka had managed to convince Katara to sleep, which was good. The poor girl's eyes were so heavy lidded, it seemed that sheer will alone was keeping her awake. Toph had promised to keep close watch over Aang (though how exactly without sight was not clear to Jet), to give Katara some peace of mind. Once satisfied that Katara was resting, Sokka announced that he was going to try to hunt for something for them to eat for supper.

Jet had little confidence that Sokka would come back with much of anything but managed to hold his tongue. They had saved him back in Ba Sing Se, even after his history with them. Without their collective efforts, he would have remained a pawn of Long Feng's.

He shivered at the thought.

Jet jolted out of his thoughts when Kuei came to sit next to him. "I do not know if we've formally met," he said, his tone friendly and much more optimistic than the situation called for. "I'm Kuei, and this-" he gestured to the bear than sat behind him. "-is Bosco. He's a bear! Just a bear, isn't that clever? I'd never known of only a bear existing before him, and we've been inseparable since I took him in to my palace." He smiled broadly, before it faded slowly, as the realization that it was no longer his palace. "Ah, well, how do you know, uh, everyone? And who are your companions?"

The earth king might not have much common sense, but he was friendly enough. "I'm Jet. The girl is Smellerbee-" And at the confusion on Kuei's face, Jet knew he had to be clearer. "-And the archer is Longshot. We met Aang, Katara, and Sokka a few months ago, in a forest to the west of the Serpent's Pass." Jet paused, grimacing when he took a breath too deep and his ribs protested the movement quite angrily. "We didn't part with the Avatar on the best of terms, but I think that's behind us now."

"If you don't mind me asking, how is it that you are so injured?"

Jet let out a chuckle. "You can thank your Dai Lee agents for that."

"Oh." The upbeat tone of Kuei's voice dissipated, leaving only gentleness. "I apologize for how…. For how little awareness I had for the on goings of Ba Sing Se. I fear I…allowed for the city to fall."

That was a point Jet would not argue. He knew little enough how to rule a city- or a kingdom, at that. It did not seem likely that the king was wrong.

Longshot and Smellerbee returned at dusk with enough supplies to last them a week, provided they did not feed the bear. Jet doubted that would be possible, considering how much Kuei doted on the beast. And, Smellerbee produced new clothes for Kuei. Wherever they would go, he would stick out like a sore thumb in all his finery.

Surprisingly, Sokka had been successful in his hunting trip, managing to kill a hopping possum, which was currently roasting over the fire. Between the new provisions and the fresh kill, they ate a somewhat hearty meal, giving them all full stomachs to rest on.

In the morning, a new discussion arose: what was the plan going forward?

For this discussion, a simple look to Longshot and Smellerbee told them to keep quiet. Sokka, Toph, and Katara had a vastly different set of needs than they did. Let them work out their own plan, and then Jet could brainstorm with Smellerbee and Longshot for where they should go.

"We need to get Aang to the north pole," Katara was arguing. "He needs healers stronger than me."

"We won't make it there," Sokka dismissed with a shake of his head. He was staring down at the map with a frown. "We will have to backtrack, go over Ba Sing Se, and the last thing we need is to temp that Fire Princess into shooting us down with her lightning magic!"

"Then we will go around Ba Sing Se," Katara insisted.

"We're too slow," Toph put in. "Appa's all weighed down with so many people, not to mention Bosco. It's going to take us twice as long to get anywhere!"

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Jet exhaled through his nose. Should the three of them volunteer to stay behind? That was a death sentence for him, and all present knew it.

"…I may have a solution to that problem," Kuei spoke up. "Bosco and I will go our own way from here."

Jet coughed. From the look on everyone else's faces, they clearly had the same thought. "You, uh, sure you'll be fine on your own? I mean, you've never had to do anything for yourself, right?"

Clearly, he had not, and Kuei knew this, for he nodded solemnly. "I haven't, you are right. But I thought that, perhaps, you three would accompany me, as, ah, guides of sorts." He nodded to the three Freedom Fighters. "Until I figure it out on my own, at least."

It had not seemed possible for Kuei to come up with a half decent plan, and yet, as Jet stared at the former king, he could see something coming to fruition there. There was only one problem

"Jet can't walk." Smellerbee was staring at Kuei as if he were stupid. "How is he supposed to get around?"

"He can ride Bosco!"

And there was where Kuei's plan was not entirely thought out. The basis of it, was not bad. Not bad at all.

"No, I won't be able to travel that way," Jet said with a shake of his head. "I'll just break another rib that way. But…"

He looked to Smellerbee and Longshot. His two most loyal companions, the Freedom Fighters that had been with him from the beginning. No. Not Freedom Fighters. That was in the past. They were not tied to him anymore; they could move on without him.

Longshot nodded knowingly, but Smellerbee's eyes went wide, and she shook her head furiously. "No. No, Jet. We are a team-"

"Were a team," he corrected her. "You said it yourself, Smellerbee. We've gone straight now, no more Freedom Fighters. We can split up. We should split up."

"No."

"Smellerbee," Jet smirked at her, but there was only gentleness in his tone. "You've done well. We've always looked out for each other, right? This is what is best for us. I'll slow you guys down, and you all-" He gestured to the king and his bear, and Longshot and Smellerbee. "-will only slow down the saving of the Avatar."

Smellerbee's lips were a thin line, her eyes harsh as she stared at him, but at last, she relented, and nodded. Longshot placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"So…Jet's coming with us?" Toph asked.

"It's not a bad plan," Sokka said, surprising Jet that he had agreed with him. "Jet, you probably wouldn't make it far with them, and this way, we can drop you off at a town with a doctor, or something. Hey, maybe Katara could even work on healing you!" However, at Katara's wide eyes, Sokka back-pedaled. "Or she can save her healing for only Aang, and we stick with leaving Jet with a doctor."

"Okay, but where are we going?"

Right. Toph had a point. They knew the different parties, but then the destination was still called into question.

"The Northern Water tribe," Katara reminded them, an edge to her voice. "Aang needs a healer. One better than me."

"I don't like the idea of flying though. Appa isn't exactly inconspicuous, and he and Aang go hand in hand…." Sokka trailed off, grimacing. "We'll be shot out of the sky if any Fire Nation spot us."

"So what's your idea then?" Katara challenged him. "We don't have time to argue, Sokka!"

The bickering between the siblings was, on one hand, a little amusing, for even in the tensest of situations, they found a way to combat each other. But, on the other hand, it was tiresome. They needed a plan. And once again, Sokka was sounding a little logical.

Of course, Sokka had been the one to figure out how to outsmart him. He did have good ideas, after all.

"Chameleon Bay!" Sokka exclaimed, suddenly pointed at the map. "We're just north of it. Dad is there, they've got ships, we will be surrounded by friends and allies. And… I know you want to get Aang up to the pole, Katara, but…what about the eclipse? That's the wrong direction, it'll just make things more difficult to stick to the plan-"

"What plan? Sokka, Aang could be seriously injured-"

"And the north pole is ages away. Katara, if Aang is as dire as you think he is, he might not, you now, make it if we try to go all the way to the north pole. There are healers with dad. It's Aang's best bet."

Sense seemed to be reaching Katara, though from her set jaw and harsh brown, it was clear she did not like it. "Fine! But we need to leave now."

"Finally!" Toph let out an exasperated sigh and jumped to her feet. "Let's get this show on the road and save Twinkle-Toes!"

The goodbyes were bittersweet. It was good for them to go their separate ways, Jet tried to tell himself, as he watched Smellerbee and Longshot start off away from the sky bison. They had spent so many years together, following his lead, it was time they took their own path. It was time he took his own. He kept his eyes on them even as Appa took flight, as they got smaller and smaller, until they broke through the clouds and he could no longer see them.

"Are you doing okay, Jet?"

Toph plunked down by him. It was still strange, how vacant her stare was, yet how sturdy and sure-footed she was. If her eyes were not so milky, he'd have never guessed she was blind at all.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He exhaled slowly and looked at everyone else. Sokka had taken the reigns, and Katara was at Aang's side, coaxing him to drink from a skin of water. Thankfully, it seemed to be working.

The kid might just make it.

Ty Lee was nothing if not flexible.

True, she could bend her body into just about any position, and often enjoyed finding new ways to move about. But she was not only flexible in body, but in spirit as well. Born into a family of far too many daughters, each more alike than the next? She merely found a way to use the talents she had to use to stand out. Not finding the happiness she desired in her own family? That was fine, she could move onto bigger and better things: the circus!

And should a certain Fire Princess show up wanting her to join in on some sort of mission and was not willing to take no for an answer? Ty Lee could change all her plans and go with her friend.

That said, it was something of a great relief to be homeward bound. As much as she tried to act unbothered by the fighting, by the traveling and the strange landscape of the Earth Kingdom and its unfamiliar architecture, it would, admittedly be nice to be going home.

She could finally return to her life at the circus.

The biggest relief for her was that, once they were back on Fire Nation soil, her life could go back to normal. No more traveling. No more fighting. Ty Lee really hated fighting.

Presently, she was stretching through a series of yoga positions, while Azula sat nearby, not speaking, but certainly lost in thought. Such was her way, and Ty Lee knew better than interrupt or pry. Better to be seen as a ditz than snoopy. Zuko and Mai were off…elsewhere, obviously orchestrated by Azula.

"Ty Lee."

She stood up, so that her back was to the princess, then bent over backwards to look at her. "What is it, Azula?"

"The water tribe peasant."

Azula provided nothing further to her thoughts, forcing Ty Lee to probe. "Which one? The cute one with the ponytail?"

The princess rolled her eyes and huffed a sigh. "No. The girl. She…seemed to have made a connection of sorts with my dear brother."

"But you said he fought with you against her," Ty Lee said, confused. She gracefully moved to a standing position again and faced Azula. The princess' face was unreadable.

"Hn." The non-committal noise also raised questions that Ty Lee dared not ask. "Yes, I know. He certainly had to…come to that conclusion, and not quickly enough. Whatever the water bender had said to him was enough to make him hesitate."

"You don't think he's untrustworthy, do you?"

Another soft exhale from Azula, who finally turned her gaze to Ty Lee. "I don't know. However, with Mai around, I don't think he's going to go running off to do something…stupid. Still, I'd like to keep my friends close. Ty Lee, you weren't planning on running off to join the circus again when we return, were you?"

Ty Lee swallowed, then quickly smiled. "Of course not, Azula!"

"Good." The princess returned to her quiet musing, and after a moment, Ty Lee resumed her stretches.

She was nothing if not flexible.

By the next evening, Appa had reached the Water Tribe camp in Chameleon Bay. Aang's state had not changed, and, on a similar note, neither had Jet's. Katara had continually attempted to heal Aang, but had murmured something (in frustration, it seemed) about not understanding the wound well enough. Jet did not understand enough about all that bending and healing magic, and he wasn't about to irritate her by asking her about it. Or, asking her to heal him.

Honestly, Jet was less than impressed by the Water Tribe camp. He had seen the Fire Nation army, in their pristine, identical uniforms, their metal ships; he'd seen the Earth Kingdom's soldiers aligned in strength, a true force to be reckoned with. But this?

There were ships, with sails, made of wood. The tents seemed rustic, made by whatever materials could be gathered. The men did not have uniforms, only united by the colors they wore. It reminded Jet of the Freedom Fighters, and he could see why the Southern Water Tribe had fallen so swiftly. The Freedom Fighters had been a rag-tag group of kids, united by an ideal but not in strength. They had been successful because they had been sneaky, not unified.

Hopefully, the water tribe were stronger than they appeared.

Men came to greet them, apparently familiar with the sky bison, and more so with Sokka and Katara. Aang was helped from the saddle first, Katara stuck to the kid like glue, and then, several men helped Jet out as well, carrying him to the medical tent. It was fairly spacious, clearly meant to hold many injured, but presently, the only two cots that were occupied were by himself, and the Avatar. Unsurprisingly so, a small crowd was around the kid, as Sokka and Katara filled in whoever was in charge with what had happened to him.

Letting out a sigh, Jet let settled in for a long night of pain. He knew how this would go. The more important the individual, the more attention they received for their injuries. Who was more important than the Avatar? He tried to ignore the talking, and attempted to sleep, despite the constant pain whenever he took in a breath.

It was of great surprise, after a long stretch of silence that a man- the healer, no doubt- announced that there was nothing more to be done for the Avatar.

"What do you mean?" Katara cried out, and Jet could hear the threat of tears in her voice. "You mean he's-"

"Katara, calm." It was a different man's voice; deep, but soothing. Must be her father.

"He may yet live," the first voice spoke. "In fact, I would be surprised if he did not. You did great work, healing him when you did. All we can do now is wait for him to wake up."

"How long?"

"Hard to say. A day, maybe two, or maybe a month. You said he took water? That is a good sign. We will keep him hydrated, feed him broth, and we will wait."

It was hardly the answer they were hoping for, but far from the worst news. Katara broke down in sobs, possibly from relief. Jet kind of wished he were at her side to offer comfort, but a quick glance over in that direction revealed that Sokka had taken up that role, enveloping his sister in a hug.

"But, onto the next patient…."

The attention was now on Jet. A somewhat stocky older man, with a head full of white hair tied back in a wolf-tail came to Jet's side, followed by the man he assumed to be Katara's father. "What's your name, son?" the healer asked.

"Jet."

The healer nodded, but it was the other man who spoke, as the healer gently pulled up Jet's shirt to inspect his injuries. "I am Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and this is Kahto. How did you acquire those injuries?"

Jet took in a sharp breath as Kahto gently touched his ribs. "An earth bender thought it'd be nice to hit me with a rock."

"It was Long Feng," Sokka spoke up from across the tent. "The head of the Dai Li. Jet was helping us find Appa."

"I see." Hakoda nodded, looking back to Jet. "Sokka had told me some of what had happened there. It was very brave of you to assist them, though…." He trailed off, then looked over his shoulder. "Sokka, could you join me outside?"

The chief left the tent, Sokka scampering after him. It was harder to ignore the pain from the healer's touches now, without the distraction of conversation.

"Well, it looks like you have some broken ribs," Kahto said, standing up straight.

"Tell me something I don't know," Jet exhaled sarcastically. "Don't forget my leg."

"Oh, that was obvious without further checking," Kahto smiled down at him, and then his smile faded away. "This will not be easy, or quick to heal. It'll take weeks of bedrest, and the bones may not mend properly. I can offer herbs to assist with the pain, but that is where my abilities end. However.…" The healer turned to face Katara. "Your talents could be of great use here, Katara."

Katara looked up sharply, rubbing tears from her cheeks. "What?"

"You healed the Avatar with your water bending. You can certainly help to speed up your friend's healing."

She bit her lip and looked down at the Avatar. "But Aang…."

"He is going to be just fine, I assure you. Your talents are needed here."

Thank the gods. Someone had gotten through to her. Jet almost felt like laughing with relief when Katara nodded and approached his cot, kneeling beside him; only knowing how much that laughter would hurt kept him from doing so.

"Can you get me water, Kahto?" she requested, and the healer nodded to her before leaving to fetch some.

There was a brief moment of silence between them. It suddenly occurred to Jet how awkward this was. They had not actually spoken about what had happened all those months ago when he had tricked her. There hadn't been a chance, everything had happened so swiftly, leading them down beneath Lake Laogai.

"I'm sorry," Katara finally spoke. "I know you were in pain. I should have helped you, too."

Jet could not have stopped his signature smirk if he'd wanted to. "You had your hands full with other things." He paused, thinking it over, getting his wording right. "Listen, I'm so-"

"Here is the water you needed, Katara." Kahto unknowingly interrupted as he returned to the tent. He set a nearly full bucket on the floor beside her before taking a step back, to allow Katara to work.

Whatever sort of spirit magic that happened during the healing part of water bending felt amazing. It felt cool to the touch, and while it was somewhat strange to feel his bones shifting and melding back together, it was so soothing that Jet did not mind in the slightest. It was kind of a shame when Katara finished.

"I think that's it," Katara said, as she pulled her hands from his knee. "Try moving your leg- slowly."

Still laying down, just bent his leg, then straightened it, and bent it again. No pain from just moving it around. The real test would be on his feet, though. He let out a short laugh, and there was no pain in his chest. "Katara," Jet said with a grin, "I think I'm about good as new."

However, when he sat up quickly, so sure that he was well patched up, a sharp pain shot up from his chest, and he let out a hiss, falling back to the cot.

"Maybe not quite as new," he groaned.

The damage to his ribs was more extensive than they had thought. Under Kahto's supervision, it was decided that it would be best to allow Jet the evening to rest, and perhaps Katara could try again in the morning.

Sokka was tired.

The last few days had been among the most stressful in his life- and really, considering how his life had been since finding the Avatar, that was saying something. All he wanted was to finally get some real rest now that they were in the safety of the Water Tribe camp. Room was made in Hakoda's tent, to allow Sokka and Katara a place to rest.

But the discussion he'd had with his father was keeping him from falling asleep. Sokka frowned deeply, staring at the leather roof of the tent, remembering.

"I have a question," Hakoda asked, leading Sokka away from the medical tent, "about Jet. You said he had a run in with the Dai Li?"

Sokka nodded. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure I told you about them the last time I was here."

"You did," his father agreed. "You spoke of how they had…controlled a friend of yours. Altered their memories." Hakoda paused, looking down at Sokka. "Am I right in thinking that Jet is that friend?"

"He is, but he's not under their control anymore," Sokka said with a frown. "Are you- you don't think he's a spy, do you?"

Hakoda seemed to consider the possibility. "Do you? I wasn't there, Sokka. I only know what you've told me. I can't make that judgement. Does he pose a threat?"

Sokka hadn't been prepared for Hakoda to have raised such a serious question; how was he supposed to come to a satisfactory conclusion? Jet had been his usual self since Long Feng had nearly killed him, right? Could he only be playing the long game?

"I don't know," he admitted heavily. "And if Jet is being used, he won't know about it either. He didn't know he was being manipulated or brainwashed, even when he was presented with it. But… I don't think he is. Long Feng hadn't meant for Jet to get out of Lake Lao Gai alive."

Hakoda nodded slowly, taking it in. "Is there anything else I should know about the…brainwashing?"

Was there ever. "I didn't see it," Sokka started slowly, rubbing the back of his neck somewhat nervously. "But Aang had told us, after the fight with Jet and Long Feng, that Long Feng had said something that made Jet follow his orders. The way Aang described it, it was as if Jet had no control over himself, that he was almost like a puppet or something."

The way Hakoda's eyes narrowed made Sokka nervous. Not for himself, but for Jet.

"But he fought it, and ended up fighting Long Feng instead- that's why Long Feng tried to kill him. Maybe he lost control over him because of it! Look, Dad, Jet has had a pretty messed up past, and I didn't always like him, but he's definitely changed. I don't think he's going to put anyone here in danger."

"What was it that Long Feng had said? What he said that put Jet under his control?"

"I don't know, Aang never said. He's probably the only one who does know." Sokka looked back at the medical tent, frowning. "Trust me. I wouldn't let anyone near Katara if I thought they were dangerous."

Slowly, Hakoda nodded, a small smile on his lips. "I'd never think you would, Sokka." And then, he grew serious once more. "I'm sorry to have to put pressure on you. One day you will be leading our tribe, and you will have difficult decisions ahead of you. I'm glad to see you taking this seriously." He exhaled heavily. "We will make sure he is healed, but I will admit that I am hesitant to let him stay much longer than that. As soon as he can walk, it will be time for him to move on."

Despite the pain lingering, Jet had a much more restful night's sleep thanks to Katara's careful ministrations. And, judging from the lack of dark circles in her eyes when she entered the tent, she seemed to have finally gotten some worthwhile rest as well. She came in carrying another bucket of water, as well as a bowl filled with some sort of porridge. Though, she looked over to Aang first when she entered, and the disappointment at not seeing any changes was obvious.

"I figured, so long as I'm coming, I might as well bring you breakfast," she said, gently setting the porridge on the table beside Jet's cot.

"That was mighty kind of you."

She nodded, taking a seat beside Jet. "I think it would be best to try to heal first, then eat. In case…anything goes wrong, you won't have a stomach full of food to get sick with."

"Goes wrong?" Jet questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't worry about it too much." She was already carefully pulling his shirt up, to reveal his ribs. "The bruising is mostly gone. It's probably only one stubborn rib at this point."

With a few quick movements, Katara had brought a small amount of water out of the bucket, covered her hands with it, and held it over his ribs. And, just as last night, it felt so soothing, Jet felt himself relax further.

"You had started to say something last night when Kahto returned."

Jet opened his eyes, looking at Katara. Her eyes were focused on his side, but she continued. "What was it?"

"Oh, I uh, I just wanted to tell you, well, let you know that I…." Jet shook his head. "I'm sorry. For what I'd tricked you and Aang into doing. I…was in a bad place then. I shouldn't have done that."

Nothing in Katara's face revealed how she felt, and she continued to silently heal his wounds. Jet did not elaborate. She would accept it, or she wouldn't, the number of words it took for him to say it all did not matter.

A few moments later, she sat back, seemingly done. "Thank you. It's taken me some time to realize that we all…react to this differently. The war." Katara made eye contact with him, finally. "You seem different, Jet. In a good way."

"I'd hope so."

"Okay, try sitting up. Let me know how it feels."

Sitting felt good. Stiff, maybe, but Katara did not seem to be concerned by that. Standing was another issue. A shock of pain went up his leg when he put his weight on it, nearly bringing him to his knees. Katara attempted to heal it again, but only shook her head. She could not find an injury; it was simply the way it had healed.

Days passed. Aang remained somewhere between asleep and a coma with no sign of change. Thankfully, Katara was still able to get water and broth in him. Her days were spent almost entirely in the medical tent, tending to Aang and Jet. While Aang's state was yet unchained, Jet appeared to be making progress.

Kahto had put together a brace for Jet's leg and produced a crutch for him to use until he was steady enough without. The walks he took around the tent were slow, painful, but easier with the brace. It was difficult work, but necessary.

Jet grit his teeth as he another round. The tent was full today; Hakoda and Sokka had come to talk with Katara, to come up with a plan to move forward. At first, Jet tried not to listen, but soon gave up; there was no way to avoid it.

"I don't think we should go anywhere until Aang wakes up," Katara was saying. "He's as safe as he'll ever be here. There's no reason to go."

"Katara, my men- our tribe, we've been out to sea for a long time," Hakoda said gently. "I know how important it is to protect Aang, and we will protect him for as long as we can. But we cannot stay here indefinitely. The longer we remain here, picking off Fire Nation ships when we can, the larger the target we put on ourselves. We will have to move."

"Besides, what about the invasion plan?" Sokka asked. "It's still on, isn't it?"

Invasion plan? Jet almost paused in his steps then. No. Not his business. Continue walking.

"How can we do it without Aang?" Katara sounded incredulous.

"We'll just modify the plan as needed," Sokka shrugged. "We don't have the support of Ba Sing Se either, but I still think invading the Fire Nation capital during the eclipse is our best bet to end the war. Look, fire benders are going to lose their bending then whether or not Aang is able to fight."

Jet did stop then. "Fire bending will be blocked? When?"

Sokka missed his father giving him a short shake of his head, but Jet didn't. Why would he want Sokka to keep quiet?

"In a few weeks," Sokka explained. "We were planning on having Ba Sing Se's army on our side for that-"

"But we don't!" Katara pointed out angrily. "We have no army, just ourselves. Even if the Fire Nation is without bending, there's still bound to be so many of them that we'd be overwhelmed."

"So recruit others," Jet said with a frown. Was that really such a radical idea? "You have to know others that would like to see the end of the war. Hell, find any straggling Freedom Fighters, and I bet they'd leap at the chance to help out."

"And how would we even get there?" Katara truly wasn't giving up. "Fly there on Appa? Sokka, you remember the last time we went into Fire Nation territory-"

"You went to the Fire Nation?" Hakoda questioned, eyes wide.

"It was the winter solstice, and Aang had to get there for some sort of Avatar mumbo-jumbo," Sokka dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Katara's eyes narrowed. "There was a Fire Nation blockade! We were nearly shot out of the sky!"

"So we'll go by sea."

"We'll have the same issue there, Sokka!"

It was nice to know that Katara got heated with her own family, and not just him. But, Jet had to give her credit: she pointed out a major flaw in this invasion plan. It would be nice and all to attack the Fire Nation at its core when they were unable fight back, but they'd have to get there first. Sailing under Water Tribe colors would be an excellent way to get killed. The only people getting through were-

"Fire Nation. We need to be Fire Nation to get through," Jet suddenly spoke.

"What do you mean?" Hakoda asked, and beside him, Katara mouthed, we? Had he actually said that?

"Only Fire Nation ships are getting into Fire Nation territory, so you just need to capture a Fire Nation ship," Jet explained. "Their ships are large, large enough that I'd bet you could hide Appa on them, plus all your men. We could probably sail through Fire Nation waters without being detected at all that way."

"…It'd probably be the safest place for Aang too," Sokka pointed out, earning a glare from his sister. "C'mon, think about it, Katara! Fire Nation isn't going to attack their own ship."

Katara looked angrily down at Aang, still asleep. "…Fine. But-" And she looked up at Sokka again, steel in her eyes. "-if Aang has not awoken by the day of the eclipse, he and I are staying behind somewhere safe."

Jet raised an eyebrow, but thankfully, no one was looking at him. Would anyone have the heart to tell her that if Aang was out for that long, he probably was not going to wake up?

It had been a little over a week since Jet had first stood on his freshly healed leg, and he'd graduated to walking outside, up and down the small length of beach. While he was able to walk on his own with he help of the crutch, he could not go for long, not yet. Hakoda frowned at the sight; it would always be distressing, to see someone so young, so close in age to Sokka, bearing such an injury. It was not lost on him how easily it could have been his own son struggling to walk instead; Jet and Sokka had been in the same place, fighting the same foes.

None of this pleased him. More than once, Hakoda had spoken with Jet, and found him to be cocky, but charismatic, clever. In their few conversations, he had gained a deeper understanding of who Jet was; his deep seeded hatred for the Fire Nation, his leadership skills, had learned of his run-ins with the Fire Nation. He was exactly the type of person Hakoda would want to fight for him.

But it was Jet who, at hearing simple phrase, became a soldier against his own will. This young man, who had helped Hakoda's children, who had helped the Avatar, was little more than a bomb walking through his camp, among his warriors. And worse yet, Sokka did not know the phrase to control him. Hakoda could only hope it was not one that anyone could easily recite on accident.

They would be leaving soon. The day prior, they'd managed to take a Fire Nation ship, following through on the plan Jet had helped form. His idea was brilliant, Hakoda had to admit. He could be a real asset.

Jet hadn't said much about joining them; Hakoda could feel some sort of tension between him and Sokka, less so than with Katara. But he'd heard it, when discussing plans to move forward: more than once, Jet had spoken as if he was coming. A slip of the tongue, most likely. An inner desire to help. But how much help was a soldier who could not walk?

Hakoda sighed. There were more reasons to leave him behind than take him.

If only he were a harder man.

"Looks like you're walking a little better," Hakoda greeted Jet. And it was true. A couple more weeks, and the limp might not be noticeable at all.

Jet looked quickly up at Hakoda, and nodded, coming to a stop. "I'm getting there," he agreed.

He lacked the confident look Hakoda had seen him usually don, and it was no wonder why. The camp was being dismantled, packed up. The Water Tribe was leaving.

"Think you can make it to the next town?" Hakoda already knew the answer to that.

For a brief moment, worry flashed over Jet's eyes, before he shook it off and gave Hakoda a grin instead. "You bet. It's what, only a few miles away? Be there by nightfall."

So cocky, but Hakoda saw through it. Jet was scared. Anyone in their right mind would be.

"I couldn't help but notice you had some very good ideas the other day. While I'm sure you'd rather try to reconnect with your friends, there's a place for you on my ship. We could use another thinker in our ranks."

Jet's eyes widened. "You really- yeah. Yeah, I'd be honored to join you."

"Then you'd better get your things and get to the ship," Hakoda nodded to him. Jet returned the nod, grateful.

As Jet walked slowly toward the ship, Hakoda let out a sigh. This better not have been a mistake.

Ty Lee hummed to herself as she walked the halls of the ship. They'd finally, about a week ago, made it to a port, and were able to set sale for home. Home. It was weird to consider the Fire Nation capital that way. She'd left her childhood home in favor of the circus, which had felt so much more welcoming than where she'd grown up. But it wasn't like she had much of a choice in where she was going.

She could only hope that, whatever Azula felt like was happening would die down, and she could go back to living her life the way she wanted to. Maybe once Zuko was officially welcomed back into the royal family?

That idea made very little sense and Ty Lee knew it; but it wouldn't stop her from hoping!

It was mid-morning, and Ty Lee had already completed her usual routine of stretches, yoga, and meditation. And she was bored.

Bored, bored, bored.

As much of an honor it was to be so close with Azula, Ty Lee desperately needed time with anyone else. The problem was that Mai and Zuko were so wrapped up in each other that it was hard to catch either of them alone. Sure, she'd opt for Mai, but she would be perfectly happy for even just ten minutes with the prince.

Ty Lee glanced into the mess hall as she passed it, and nearly did a double-take. Luck, for once, was actually on her side, for seated at a table at the far side of the room was Zuko and he was alone! She turned gracefully on her heel, and entered the room.

"Hi Prince Zuko!" she greeted him cheerily, giving him a short, customary bow.

Zuko only just barely lifted his head to look at her. "You don't have to bow every time you see me. We've known each other for years."

"Oh, okay, sure!" That was encouraging. Ty Lee wouldn't pretend that she was close with Zuko at all, but it was nice to know that he considered her familiar enough to skip the formalities. "What are you doing here? Where's Mai?"

"She has a headache or something; she's still in bed," Zuko said flatly. "If you want to chance waking her up, go for it."

Ty Lee giggled. "Oh gosh no, she's so cranky when she's woken up."

"Tell me about it."

"So you're just sitting here alone? Isn't that boring?"

Zuko sighed a little. "It's fine."

For just a moment, Ty Lee considered her options, before sitting down across from Zuko in a single, fluid movement. He raised an eyebrow at her, sitting up a little straighter.

"Do you need something?" he asked.

Ty Lee shook her head. "No, well, I guess kind of? I thought we might be able to talk a little. We never really got the chance before, so why not now?"

Zuko let out a short snort of amusement. "Azula doesn't want to spend time with you, huh?"

"No," Ty Lee responded, trying not to deflate, "I mean, I know I'm super luck to have Azula as my best friend, and we do always have so much fun together, but, um…." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "She isn't always easy to talk to."

The look Zuko gave her was strange, part distrust, part amusement. "And you…want someone to talk to?" he finally settled on saying.

She nodded eagerly.

Zuko sighed and nodded. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know- anything, really! I mean, there's so much we could talk about! I mean, you traveled so many places, surely you have an interesting story to tell from it."

She had missed the mark. The prince's face darkened, and he looked away. "Not really."

Ty Lee wanted to scream in frustration. Was this a family trait, to not want to open up? She wasn't going to give up. "Well, I'm sure you met interesting people while you were hunting down the Avatar, right? Oh!"

A thought occurred to her, to finally ask about something she'd wondered about for months, ever since her first encounter with the Avatar and his friends.

"Did you ever get a chance to- to interact with the people that traveled with the Avatar?" Ty Lee asked eagerly. "We ran into them a few times, and they seemed…."

She trailed off. How to explain, how to lay out her thoughts? Azula would never have wanted to discuss the humanity in those that sided with the Avatar, but Ty Lee did. She was so curious.

Zuko was too, apparently. "They seemed what?"

Ty Lee tried to find the right wording. "They…. They didn't seem evil. I know they're the bad guys, but- and especially when they were together, their auras—well, their auras weren't the prettiest because they were fighting, and that's normal, for auras to get muddy when people are fighting or stressed, but there was this, like, unity among them. Like a family glow, I think. I wasn't expecting that, from…wherever they're from. Are they a family? The one boy and the water bender seem like they might be, their auras are so closely tied, and so bright! They don't have the auras of evil people."

They had auras of those who loved and cared about each other. She could feel the trust radiating off all of them in every encounter. It was so vastly different from how she and Mai and Azula operated. Ty Lee sighed.

"What does it matter who they are?" Zuko snapped, suddenly defensive. "They're the enemy."

Despite her best efforts, she'd crossed a line. Ty Lee nodded, and stood up. "I'm sorry," she said earnestly, head bowed. "I know they are. Thank you for talking with me, Prince Zuko."

And, out of habit, she bowed to him again before turning and walking to the doorway. Stupid. She shouldn't have let herself just speak so freely, not without knowing what Zuko would be open to hearing. With Azula, Ty Lee knew her limits. Zuko was foreign territory.

"Hey."

Ty Lee paused in her step, turning around to look at Zuko. He wasn't looking at her, but continued speaking.

"You were right. The two- the boy and the water bender. They are siblings."

He didn't provide any further information, and it was clear that this was the end of their conversation. Slowly, she grinned, before bowing to Zuko again, and stepping out into the hall.

Well, now she'd consider her first conversation to be a complete success. Hopefully they could have another sometime soon.

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I hope you guys liked this. It was a bit of a slow build, this first chapter, but things will pick up with the next one!

Please let me know what you think. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!