A/N: I love not having assessments, feel so much freer and more relaxed, even the 20 or so lectures that I'm behind in can't put me down. Anyway, here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy.

Toph's POV:

I sigh when Aang's foot hits the ground. However his steady gait suggests that he isn't here for another heart to heart. I spin round to face him when he draws closer.

"What's up Twinkletoes?" I ask outright.

"Hey Toph, I got a letter regarding the materials being shipped for the new Air Temple. I was wondering if you could help me with erecting the island up. I mean I could do it myself but I need your accuracy." I grin at the request and lean against the tree I was punching earlier.

"Nice to know you still need me." I joke and I can almost sense Aang rolling his eyes at me. Just as he opens his mouth to shoot out a retort I feel a sudden shake in the ground. "Did you feel that?" I ask with a frown as I search for the cause. A moment later Aang is by my side.

"I did and I didn't need Earthbending to sense it. What was that?" Just as the question drops from his mouth another rumble, more violent than the first, arises. I twist my head round, but I can't find the source. 'Strange, if it's a person I would've been able to sense them, but it can't be a normal earthquake. It feels like someone's bending it, but who?' I hear a sudden intake of breath from the Airbender. "Toph! There's someone in the...!" But he gets cut off when someone jumps on his back. As he tries to shake him off I sense someone else jumping off the tree, although he's not as stealthy as his friend and accidently breaks off a branch that hits the ground. I turn round swiftly and Earthbend a rock while he's mid-air. It hits him with a thump and he falls to the ground roughly. I turn back to Aang just as he throws the person off him, but another 3 fall on him. I aim a rock at the one near his head and he goes flying.

"Toph, as much as I appreciate the help, would you please watch out for my head?!" I snicker at Twinkletoes' fear-laced voice.

"What happened to me being accurate?" I say teasingly which earns me a grunt. But before I can speak further, two more people jump on me. 'For goodness sake, these people are like hog-monkeys!' I think annoyingly as I try to shake them off. I hear a muffled gasp to my right and notice that one of those guys are holding something to Aang's face. His eyes flicker to a close and he falls to the ground. "Aang!" I shout, but in my distraction I forget about the guys still hanging about and they press a stinky smelling fabric to my nose. I Earthbend him off, but a woozy feeling clouds my head. Another hand pushes the cloth into my face. I Earthbend again, but my aim is off. 'What is this stuff? It's dulling my senses...aurgh.' I sway and land on all fours. I smash a fist into the ground, unearthing some of the grass in the process. Then darkness overcomes me as I hit the ground with a thud.

Sokka's POV:

I hear a faint thud and look over my shoulder briefly, a sense of sudden dread hits me. 'That's strange, My instincts are telling me that something is wrong.' I shake my head, 'I'm going crazy. It must be all that pressure.' I make my way to Katara to find her bending with some water absently.

"Hey Katara...are you ok?" I ask hesitantly as I move in front of her. She looks up at me and lets the water drop back down in its pot.

"I'm mixed really. Every time I think we know the worst of it, we find something that tops it. I don't think I can handle any more bad news." My sister admits with a heavy sigh. I take a seat beside her and put my hands in my knees.

"I know what you mean. It stinks. But think about it this way, Aang said that was the last thing he was hiding right?" I pause to see Katara nod. "So we know everything now and we just have to build ourselves up." I say with a slight smile to which Katara returns.

"You're right." I grin at this admission, but before I can reply Zuko bursts into the room, his face frantic.

"Guys! I think something bad has happened!" Katara and I jump to our feet.

"What do you mean? What happened?" I ask quickly, sensing the urgency in his voice.

"I heard a bang outside and thought to check it out. When I got there I saw this." Zuko pauses and reaches into his pocket to pull out Toph's hairband. I take it from him and frown.

"What are you saying?" I inquire as a chill runs through me.

"Wasn't Toph outside? I couldn't find her anywhere and there's rocks spewed out everywhere as if...well as if there was a fight." The Firelord explains worriedly as he starts leading us to outside. I raise my eyebrows at this.

"But Aang went out to talk to her about the Air Temple...you don't think they got into an argument, do you?" I question, a pinch of annoyance leaking into my voice.

"Aang? I didn't bump into him. In fact I haven't seen him since earlier." I purse my lips at Zuko's confusion and share a look with Katara. With renewed vigour we arrive to where I left Toph earlier and indeed it looks like a squabble happened here. I go over and inspect the damage to the gardens and take a particular look at the hole in the ground. I bend down and put a finger to it. 'This doesn't look like a hole made by an angry punch into the earth, more like...a desperate move.' I squint at its jaggedness before shaking my head and rise to my feet. I turn around, taking in the erected earth columns, but there's no sign of fire singes, water puddles and even the grass doesn't look air blown. All of which are things that would indicate that Aang fought Toph...but then again he isn't someone who'd fight a friend. I sigh and look up. When I do, my eyes widen at the broken branches. I trail over them till I see a small cloth hanging off one of them. I turn around to Zuko.

"Hey Zuko, could you fetch that cloth please?" I request.

"What am I? Your servant?" The Firelord responds in childish petulance. I smack my forehead.

"Oh come on; I even asked nicely!" I argue with crossed arms.

"I've got it! Would you two stop squabbling like a pair of children now?" I turn to my left to see Katara holding the cloth in one hand as she screws her water pouch shut with her other hand. I reach for it, shooting a backward glance at the hothead.

"At least someone listens to me." I quip which causes Zuko to roll his eyes, but he takes a step towards me.

"So, what's so important about that?" He asks with a pointed look at the material in my hands. I shrug and turn it over in my hands, but it's just a plain white rag cloth, save for two green horizontal lines on the corner. I move it closer to my face.

"Oh yuck Sokka! Are you actually going to smell a random piece of fabric that you found on a tree branch?" Katara asks, her face a picture of disgust, a quick glance at Zuko reveals a mirrored expression to my sister's. I ignore them and take a whiff, but almost instantly I regret it when a strong smell hits my nostrils and a dizzy sensation overcomes me. I drop the cloth and sway slightly on my feet.

"Sokka!" Katara yells and makes a grab for me when I find myself tipping closer to the ground. I put a hand to my head as my sister gently lowers me down to the grass. I watch Zuko pick the cloth up and give it a weary look. I blink a couple of times to clear the dancing spots in my vision.

"That's the last time I go smelling strange fabrics in the garden." I quip begrudgingly.

"See, what did I tell you?" Katara reprimands but her eyes remain concerned.

"Guys, I don't think this is a random cloth. This is the sort of stuff that people use to knock someone out. Just press it to their face for a minute and bang! They're out like a light for a good few hours." Zuko states worriedly as he examines the material carefully. I get to my feet clumsily with Katara hovering beside me.

"Wait...you think Toph was drugged? As in...kidnapped?" I ask appalled as Katara gasps.

"It's the only explanation that fits...probably Aang too! Oh spirits this is terrible!" The Firelord guesses as alarm leaks into his voice. I shake my head and look up again. 'Toph, kidnapped?! Well, actually that has happened before, but she's Toph! She's also blind.' A voice whispers in my head. I frown. 'Say if the kidnappers were on the tree, she wouldn't have noticed. But Aang too?' I scratch my head. 'But Toph said all the rebels have been locked up, surely there aren't more of them?' I take in Zuko's and Katara's worried-filled faces. 'Zuko's right; there are no other explanations. But where will we find them?'

"Ok, if Aang and Toph have been kidnapped...then where do we look? We thought all the rebels were gone and they don't have a hideout or something, do they?" I ask, running over possible hidden sites.

"They can't have gone far. It was what? 15 minutes since you heard the bang? Maybe we could find them on Appa." Katara suggests. Zuko and I share unsure looks until I nod slowly.

"It's not like we have any better ideas. Come on." I say

We run to Appa and with a 'Yip Yip' we are up in the air in moments. But as we search high and low, there's no sight of any suspicious activity.

"Maybe we should check City Hall, they could still be there and we just happened to miss them? Or maybe Toph went back to the police station?" Katara suggests from the saddle. I purse my lips and guide Appa to the police station. A quick stop and talk reveals that Toph hasn't returned to the station since Zuko bumped into her earlier. We return back to City Hall, split up and run through every room and building, but with no luck.

"This is looking as hopeless as it was when we tried to find Aang days before Sozin's comet!" I complain aloud as I slide down a wall onto the ground. 'I probably, should head back to the others to tell them that I've had no luck.'

"Sokka?" I look up when I hear my name to be greeted by Kyla's surprised face. "I wasn't expecting to see you. Aren't you usually in your office on the council floor?" She asks as she stretches a hand out for me to take. I do and she pulls me up to my feet with surprising ease.

"Man, you're stronger than you look." I mumble subconsciously. She grins and crosses her arms.

"I've had a lot of practice. Traveling on your own means you have to be a bit tough. So what are you doing here? You look like when your meat was just stolen by a snake-bat." Kyla teases lightly and I can't help but chuckle at that memory from a few days ago and then I sigh when I remember what has me so downtrodden in the first place.

"It's Aang and Toph. Have you seen them recently?" I ask, eyes hopeful. But Kyla shakes her head a moment later.

"I'm sorry I haven't. Last time I saw both of them was when Aang came to say goodbye before his trip to the Fire Nation." She says regretfully. Her eyes far-away for a moment before shaking her head and returns her eyes back to me. "Why? Has something happened?" She asks rapidly, a tone of fear entering her voice. I sigh again.

"We think so, but we're not sure. We went outside to the garden where Toph and Aang were to find them gone and the garden mucked up with earth pillars like a fight had occurred. Then we found a cloth drenched with knock out liquid. We think they've been kidnapped, but we have no idea where they've gone."

Kyla's POV:

I feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as rolls of anxiety pass through me. 'Not again. Please not again. This is my fault for being so stubborn with him when he came to talk to me the day before he left for the Fire Nation. The spirits are taunting me.' And just like that my mind takes me back to that day.

FLASHBACK to a few days ago:

"Kyla, can we talk?" I turn to see Aang standing beside me, a contemplative expression in his face.

"Of course." I say with a smile and we slip out of the dining room unnoticed as everyone else continue chattering. I lead Aang to the healing room and close the door softly behind me. I grab a bowl of water and start work on our healing session. His eyes scrunch up to keep his pain inside. My heart clenches in a familiar fashion, as it always does when I see him in pain, especially when I'm the cause of it in these sessions. I continue for a few more moments, before sighing and retuning the water back to the bowl.

"You're tense. You know these sessions only work when you're relaxed." I comment mildly as I pass him a towel. He gives me a sheepish look before drying himself off.

"I know. I just had an argument with Katara...another one." Aang replies with a sigh. I purse my lips and shift closer to him. A hand on his forearm.

"What happened now?" I ask softly, already having been told about Katara's deceit with Zuko. 'Though I can hardly blame her, the pressure of marriage and motherhood is huge, especially at such a tender age, but knowing how much that has hurt Aang makes it hard to sympathise with her completely.'

"We patched the other one up, but then...she asked to...marry me..." He trails off when he sees my face go pale.

"She did? She's got guts for sure. So what's the problem, isn't this what you wanted?" I ask, my voice strained as I try not to focus on where that will leave me.

"I said no." My eyebrows shoot up at Aang's confession, but I can already piece together the reason for his refusal.

"Because of your vision." I deduce and the young Avatar nods, his eyes downcast.

"She's really mad at me." He comments, his voice small. I snort.

"Of course she is. Any women would be when rejected, especially when she believes the feelings are mutual. Why don't you tell her the reason for your refusal?" I probe for the seventh time since he re-connected with his friends.

"I already told you Kyla. I can't. I won't put that on them." Aang forces out strongly as he locks his eyes on me.

"So what, you're going to miss your chance with her? The council have been breathing down your back for years to get married. And here you are, with the perfect chance to marry who you want, but you're throwing it away. You'll need to marry sometime, why not to Katara?" I explain, frustrated that he's so easily giving up on something that he's wanted since I've met him - heck even longer!

"Because I don't want to hurt her! One day, maybe someday soon, she'll wake up to find me dead. That will break her!" The Airbender cries out but I shake my head.

"Then tell her and let her decide what she wants to do. Don't make the decision for her, it wouldn't be fair. And for all you know you could live to 70! That's still a good age to die." I argue, but it seems my words aren't getting through to him as he stubbornly shakes his head.

"I told you why I can't tell her or anyone. I don't want to be babysat. I don't want to be thought of as weak and I don't want to hurt them more than I already have." I sigh heavily at his rigid response.

"So what? You're going to marry some random person you don't care about?" I ask sarcastically as his eyes shift away from mine.

"I could always marry you." He says quietly and the world seems to stop for a full minute before I back away slightly.

"Aang, no." The words drop from my mouth without even thinking about it. His eyes return to mine.

"But we care about each other and the council will leave me alone. I know how you feel, so it's a win-win situation." I shake my head vigorously, get to my feet and give him my back.

"No way. This isn't the answer and you know it. Your feelings for Katara aren't going to change and neither is hers. I see the way she treats you. You two will patch things up soon enough. And I know that one day you'll eventually tell her and you two will get married. And..." I pause, my throat constricting. "...and I'll be all alone again." I say, my words strained as a ball of emotion clogs up my throat. I hear shuffled movements behind me but I don't turn to face the Airbender.

"Kyla, I would never leave you." The soft spoken words makes me choke on the sob that threatens to come out. I turn back to face him.

"Aang you will. And I won't blame you for it because married life is hectic." I reply as tears run down my cheeks. I brush them away and drop my eyes to the floor. In two paces Aang is in front of me, pulling me into a hug.

"I promise I won't leave you. I'll visit every day. Heck, I'll make you a room at the new Air Temple if you want. You're stuck with me." Aang states seriously as he pushes me back slightly to hold my gaze.

"Aang that's sweet, but you know I can't do that. I don't want Katara to be upset, I have too much respect for her." I say honestly, as I heave a sigh.

"Tough. If Katara and I ever get married then you're coming to. It's a package deal. She might be my future wife and my best friend but you're my confidant." I widen my eyes at this and shake my head for who knows how many times in the last hour.

"Katara is your confidant, not me. She will be your wife!" I retort, trying to make him see sense.

"If! If she becomes my wife. Despite forgiving her for everything...it's still hard to talk to her sometimes. And I'll need you."

"Over time that will change and you'll be close to her again, just like you used to be. Then you won't need me anymore." I insist, despite how much the admission hurts.

"I'll always need you Kyla. If Katara and I patch this up, that doesn't mean I won't need you anymore. You'll always be close to me. Please believe me." At Aang's plea I look at him closely and I see the desperation in them as he keeps his hands tightly on my shoulders. Its only then do I finally realise that Aang won't leave me. No matter what.

"Thanks...sorry I went on an emotional overload there." I say with a laugh and brush off the remnant tears. Aang chuckles as he releases his hold on me, before adopting a serious expression.

"I know it's been hard since your dad killed himself after your mum and brother died in a burglary gone wrong. You've been on your own for a long time, but not anymore. We're together in this journey called life for as long as it takes us." The sincerity of the young Avatar's statement makes me swallow thickly to push away that old pain of mine, the pain of abandonment. I reach out and give his hand a squeeze.

"Thanks." I breathe out, my heart filled with warmth as I count my lucky stars for having met him on that dark and dreary night, despite all the heartache he's been giving me since. He squeezes my hand back.

"Besides, if Katara and I don't work out by my 18th birthday, then there's no reason we shouldn't get married." Aang jokes with a twinkle in his eye. I scoff and hit his shoulder.

"Stop that! You focus on patching things up with Katara. And besides, your friends seem to have an amazing ability in finding all sorts of stuff about you. Just you wait, they'll find out in no time." I say with a half-smile as Aang purses his lips. Our conversation comes to a close when we hear a knock at the door.

Back to the present:

"Kyla!" My thoughts return back to the present when I hear the shout of my name. I blink when I see Sokka waving his hand in front of my face, his eyebrows knit together in concern.

"Sorry! I just zoned out for a moment." I respond with an embarrassed smile.

"Are you ok? You looked upset." I bite the inside of my cheek at Sokka's question and just wave it off.

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm just worried about Aang..." I pause. "...and our Chief of Police." I add after a moment's thought.

"Me too. We don't know where they could be. Any ideas?" I frown as I try to think of anything useful that Aang has told me over the years, but nothing seems to stick out.

"Do you think it's the rebels or something separate?" I inquire to get a bigger picture of what we're dealing with.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it's the rebels. I can't imagine anyone else who would be after him." I chew my lip in thought.

"Take me to the garden, maybe you missed something while you were looking." I settle on saying as I start striding ahead of him.

"Excuse me? I don't miss anything." Sokka answers back, clearly miffed and insulted.

"I said maybe. Besides, an extra pair of eyes won't hurt. I was with Aang each time he got hurt." I remind him.

"Oh...ok. Let's just grab Katara and Zuko first." The Watertribe warrior replies and increasing our pace we go to find them.

A/N: So after Kyla being off the grid for the last few chapters she's reappeared! And now you know a bit more about her background. She's not meant to take any starring role but I feel she acts as a good support or at least I hope she does. So as usual, just when everyone start to sort out one mess they get thrown into another. You've got to wonder when will it end right? Anyway, we're starting to reach the climax and over the next 10 or so chapters we'll be seeing the end, weird right?

Wanted to thank you so much for all your reviews on the last chapter, really made me smile and reminded me why I write to start with. I'm so grateful for all your support, I never imagined that one day I would write a story with 40 chapters! It's incredible and unbelievable and it's down to you amazing readers.

Well, next update will probably be next weekend, trying to stick to a somewhat regular pattern, though in 3 weeks I've got an exam, so that might go out the window, but we'll see. As always, I look forward to hear your thoughts and hope you all have lovely weekend.

8/11/19