For those of you who might not have read the last chapter, Aang and the gang find a mysterious girl, and invite her to join after finding out that she's looking for her sister. She's Lai Sing (my character, no stealing- unless I give permission) and Zuko finds another girl, Sing Lai (also MY character). Aang and everyone get onto Appa and fly away…bla bla bla…we hear about Katara from Aang's point of view (along with the spoilers)…Iroh invites Sing Lai to stay with them while SHE looks to find her sister (no duh who that is), Zuko rants, finally yields to his uncle's proposal…bla bla bla…

Of all the chapters so far, this one's the mushiest. There's a bit of the Aang –inside-the-head-thoughts about Katara, but nothing overdramatic. It's kinda like a continuation the Fortune Teller, if anything. Another new character is introduced, but doesn't play a super-important role. If people like him, I might slip him into a few future chapters…

P.S. I own Kiyo, so don't you guys get any ideas about stealing him either…

Chapter 3

A small village was visible through the puffy layer of clouds as a flying bison shot from out of the darkening sky towards it. Upon the magnificent animal, the three travelers with their newly acquired passenger were leaning over to get a better view of the settlement below. The night wind whipped around them as the bison descended, and they all looked curiously at the approaching scene.

"Do you think it's safe?" Aang questioned to one in particular as they flew over the village. He, as the rest of them were, was carefully inspecting the area for any signs of the Fire Nation. All that could be seen were a few dozen houses and a large temple at one end.

"I think so," Sokka mumbled, still surveying the village.

"It looks deserted." Lai Sing peered down at the empty bunch of homes. Nothing stirred, there was no movement, and the area looked as if it had been abandoned a while ago.

Appa landed upon the ground and everyone slid off. They had been riding for nearly ten hours, and it felt good to place their feet upon soil once again, whether they were in a uninhabited village or not.

A door slammed nearby. "Someone's here!" Katara exclaimed as they approached the source of the sound. Bits of light filtering out through the holes in the door made it apparent that the house was not empty.

Aang rapped his knuckles against the wood. "Hello? Anyone in there?"

A dead silence followed the knocks. Aang looked back at the other three, who shrugged. "Maybe…they're asleep?"

Sokka shook his head. "If they were asleep, then where did that sound come from? The door couldn't have slammed itself."

Katara walked up to the young airbender and put a hand on his shoulder. "He's right, Aang. Someone, or something, made that noise. We should check it out."

Aang turned around and faced the frame again. He banged his fist against the door again and waited for a response. After a few tense seconds, the wooden barrier opened and a small child's head poked out. "Hello? Who are you?"

"Hi there. Is your…uh, mom or dad home?"

The pudgy face scrunched itself up into what looked like a thinking expression. "Um, I'm not sure, but I'll check." The head vanished back into the house and yelling followed. "Mama? Someone's outside who wants to talk to you!"

A faint echo responded.

The child's high-pitched, squeaky voice was heard again. "OK!"

The door opened slightly again and the little face popped back into view. "My mommy's busy, but you can talk to my brother."

The door creaked on its hinges as it swung open to reveal a young man around the age of 15, with a handsome face and thick brown hair. The boy's bright emerald eyes surveyed the strangers standing on the porch and he hesitated.

"Uh, can I help you?' he asked.

Aang stepped forward from the group. "Hi! We were just looking for a place to rest for the night…"

The boy's green eyes bore down into him. While they made Aang feel like his mind was being x-rayed, they were intriguing and had an air of curiosity about them. "Well, my village would be happy to let you stay for a while." He looked closer at Aang. "You're not Fire Nation, are you?"

Katara approached the rather suspicious boy. "Actually, we have no relation to that country whatsoever. We're just travelers."

"OK, then. My name's Kiyo."

"Nice to meet you!" Katara exclaimed happily. She was grinning at the boy, and Aang felt a small ping of jealousy. She was looking at Kiyo a little too comfortably for Aang to feel at ease.

"Oh!" The boy said suddenly. He had just spotted Appa. "Wow. Is he yours?" he questioned Aang. The airbender nodded. "And who's this?" Kiyo asked, looking at Lai Sing. The girl began to blush. "I'm Lai Sing…I'm not part of the group though, I'm just traveling with them for a while." The boy's expression let it be known that he was confused. "It's a long story."

Kiyo smiled and said, "I guess you can tell me later, then. Well, uh, I better get you set up for the night! It's already late." Kiyo emerged from the doorframe and led the four to a barn behind the house. After pulling the large sliding door aside, a large, spacious room was revealed. Appa followed them all in and immediately began to snack upon one of the various haystacks.

Aang rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed because of Appa's instantly disrespectful behavior. "Um, sorry about that."

Kiyo smiled, showing even, straight teeth. "Hey, that's OK. We have plenty more." He went to go find pallets for the four of them to sleep on. "I'll be right back."

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Lai Sing's blue eyes followed Kiyo as he jogged off to get beds. The boy disappeared around the corner as she sighed happily. That dark, luscious hair, those mesmerizing green eyes, that figure…he was simply amazing. Lai Sing was ready to go off on another tangent about Kiyo's magnificence as he reappeared, carrying four flat pallets.

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"Here you go!" he exclaimed as he dumped the pile of beds onto the ground.

"Oh, do you need help with those?" Lai Sing asked hopefully.

"Actually, I pretty much got them." Lai Sing's face fell as the older boy proceeded to prop up the pallets.

Aang glanced at Katara, who also was watching Kiyo setting up the beds. He felt a quick flash of anger towards the unknowing boy and hid his face from view, to make sure that no one could see his anger or what it was directed toward.

"Aang, are you feeling OK?" the girl asked, taking her eyes off of the busy boy to look at him. Her face showed concern, and Aang's heart softened.

"Yeah. I'm just…tired, I guess."

"I'm worried about you. You've been acting a little weird lately." Her obvious anxiety for him brought him to full attention.

"You're worried about me?" Aang asked.

"Of course!" Katara's eyes were big and round with confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"

The boy looked back down at the earth and sighed. She was worried because he was her friend. There was no other reason than that, though he desperately wished there were.

"There! Done."

Everyone turned to Kiyo as he bent back up, grinning. The pallets were set up, with blankets and all, and he left for his own bed. Sokka grabbed the nearest bed and Lai Sing pulled the covers down on the one next to him, while Aang and Katara chose the two others that lied next to one another.

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Aang stretched out on the pallet, and glanced over at Katara. She was already half-asleep, a loose strand of dark hair lightly hanging down in front of her face. He closed his eyes with the vision of the sleeping girl next to him, thinking that friendship would be the closest he'd ever be to her. No matter how he might try, she'd never be able to see him as more than the goofy kid who liked to ride wild hog-monkeys and surf on the backs of elephant koi. Just the Avatar. Just a kid.

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Everyone quietly drifted off to sleep as the sun's last rays disappeared from view.

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Pounds resounded off of the iron door that sealed Zuko within his room. He listened impatiently for the knocking to die down, though there was no indication of stopping. The irritated prince stormed over to the door and forcefully opened it to reveal the freckled girl.

"What is it?" he asked. Sing Lai beamed up at him.

"Your uncle wants to know whether you'll play a game of Pai Gow with him," she said cheerfully. Zuko glared down at the girl, who continued to grin.

"No!" With that, he slammed the door in her face and walked back to his bed. The knocks commenced again, and the prince scowled darkly. He silently asked himself why he had ever considered letting her onto the ship.

"Come on, Zuko! You can't stay in there forever!"

"I can try," he quietly mumbled. Ever since Sing Lai boarded his ship, she had been nothing but distraction and had made him subject to extreme exasperation. The girl just wouldn't leave him alone!

"Please, just come out!" she begged from the other side of the door. Zuko looked down at the floor. "PLEASE?"

"Oh, OK!" he shouted, striding toward the door and opening it with angry vigor. Sing Lai was standing there, looking pleased that he finally compelled to her wishes. "I'm only coming out because it's the only way to keep you quiet!" He snarled, making sure that she knew he wasn't doing it for her.

"Well, at least you're out," she noted as they walked out to the galley. "You've been hiding in your room for at least three hours. What do you do in there?"

Zuko said under his breath, "Trying to block out the sound of you knocking at my door."

The two strolled over to the small table, where Iroh sat awaiting them. "Finally, Prince Zuko! You've come out from your room!" he exclaimed.

"That's exactly what I said," Sing Lai added. She and Zuko were motioned to sit down on two chairs positioned in front of the general, who looked at his nephew thoughtfully. The game began and the two players fought to win, with their own personal cheerleader on the side.

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He was having a dream.

Katara's nose crinkled slightly and she laughed as Aang performed yet another miraculous feat upon the great fish's back. He flew off the koi to land gracefully on the beach, hands triumphantly lifted in the air.

"Oh, Aang!"

She ran over the warm, soft sand and lovingly wrapped her arms around him. He grinned and sighed happily within the comfort of her hug.

"Oh, Aang. I couldn't love you any more if I wanted to." She pressed her lips against his reddening cheek and he smiled contentedly.

He was having a dream. But as sure his duty as the Avatar, he was determined to make it a reality.

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The night progressed and Iroh stretched wearily. He had been playing Zuko for the last two hours, and had won four of the six games. As the prince triumphed yet again, the general happily realized that his nephew was improving. Not only that, but Iroh had successfully taken the Avatar off of Zuko's mind for the time being.

He glanced over at the girl, who had worn herself out enough to have fallen asleep in her chair. Her braids were dangling down, and her head rested against her shoulder. The general smiled, remembering when his nephew had been that very same age. It had not been long ago, either, but he had grown up so fast after his banishment. Iroh sighed, and rubbed his head.

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Zuko finished off the Pai Gow game, and stood up. It was late, and he needed some sleep, especially after dealing with an overexcited girl all afternoon. It had been a rather hectic day, and he was glad that it was finally over. The prince stood up stiff-legged and stretched, pausing to glance over at the sleeping girl and his uncle, who had already begun to nod off in his seat.

After trodding back to his room, Zuko undressed down to his pants and climbed into bed, exhausted. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling, reflecting on the day's manic events. What was this girl doing here? Why as she looking for her sister? And who was she?

He turned over onto his stomach and stared at the Fire Nation tapestry on his wall for a short time. No, she wasn't Fire Nation. Zuko didn't even know if she was a bender. But he did know that there was something more to her than he was seeing. Something mysterious and concealed. But whatever it was, it was well hidden at the moment, and all that was left on his mind was the thought of getting a good night's sleep.

Well, that's Chapter 3! The next one will have more action in it, I promise. No more snoozing business, sorry about that. I just needed to get that part out of my system. Please, people! Review! Otherwise I'll send Kiyo after you! (Though honestly, I'm not even sure whether I should make him a bender or not...) See you 'til next time!