I'm back in my house! Woot! I'll post these next 4 chapters quick so you's all can enjoy. Some people were asking about the song Katara sang, they were asking who sang it in real life. I'm sure loads of people have put out records with it on. I've known it since I was young. I know this is a little long for a fanfic...but it's getting close to the end.

Sokka had cried only twice in his life. Water tribe babies were taught that if they were to cry, it was to be only one tear and it was to be worth it. He cried with Gran-Gran when he was 4 and had lost his sled dog to a winter storm. He cried with Katara when their mother died. Everything else he found to be not worth shedding a tear over.

He was having a hard time following his rule now. Listening to Katara sing that song and seeing her captured, alone, on a Fire Nation ship was more than he could stand. How many times had his mother sang songs to them? Songs of hope for the world, songs of sadness for those who had died or lost their way in life, songs of longing for peace. Sokka couldn't stop the tears. Mother, help me.

"Sokka?"

Aang had left Sokka alone for a while, uncertain of how to deal with this new side of Sokka.

"Hm?"

"Uh, I didn't want to tell you this earlier, but Zuko went below deck…alone. And he hasn't come up in a while."

Sokka moved to the side of Appa and saw that indeed the Prince wasn't on deck. "Do you think he went after Katara?"

Aang shrugged. He was afraid that if he said yes, Sokka would loose it and jump down onto the ship. He had never seen Sokka show this kind of emotion before and was wary of Sokka's judgment.

"You shouldn't lie, Aang."

"I'm not lying."

Sokka sighed and rolled over. His face was sticky from the tears he didn't wipe off. It was a gross feeling. Father…If only you could see us now. I bet we're seeing more of the world than you are. What are you doing? If there was a way to contact you…Sokka sat up.

"Aang, what can you use the spirit world for?"

Surprised at the question, and the fact that Sokka was talking, Aang's mouth dropped open. "I don't know…I suppose to contact the dead…" His eyes grew wide. "Sokka, I can't do what you're asking me."

"There's no way you can use the spirit world to travel and find where my father is fighting?"

"What? Your fath…oh…" Aang blushed.

"What did you think I was going to ask you to do?"

Aang turned his face. "Nothing…just…see if I could talk to your mother."

"I…never thought to ask you that. I didn't think you could do that." Sokka's heart beat faster. Aang can talk to mother?

"I don't know if I can do that. I don't know anything, remember? I don't even know how to get back into the spirit world."

Sokka was starting to feel guilty for putting Aang on the spot. You know better. He's just a boy. And he has the world to worry about. You can't be sending him to check and see if your daddy is alright. You are a warrior, Sokka! Suck it up, and deal. That's the life of the water tribe.

"Forget about it, Aang. It's nothing." Aang was sitting with his head in his hands. Sokka didn't know how to cheer him up. What would Katara do? "You know plenty." Yes, encouraging, Sokka. How much more hollow could your words sound? Sokka sighed and moved closer to the boy. He put an arm around him.

"Hey, I'm not good at this stuff…"

Aang looked at Sokka and smiled a small smile. "You don't need to do any motivational speaking. I can tell you are bad at it."

Sokka laughed. Aang's smile turned serious. "You know Sokka, I didn't have any siblings. You and Katara are the closest I've ever had. I…" It was Aang's turn to shed a tear.

"Aang, Katara will be ok, I promise."

"No, it's not just that." Aang started to get angry. "I could've stopped this. I left and it's all my fault the world is like this today!"

Sokka grabbed Aang and moved him so he was looking directly in his face. "Aang, you didn't invade the other nations. You didn't kill all those people. You need to stop concentrating on what could've been!"

"But I could have stopped it!"

"Every single person from dying? Every soldier? No, I don't believe that. I've heard stories about what Avatar's could do, and did, but it was never cheating death."

"The people blame me for this mess!"

Sokka sat back. "No, I don't believe that, either. Even if you had continued to live back then, you couldn't have stopped the Fire Lord from making his plans."

Aang was going to say something, but they heard shouts on the ship. They moved to see what was going on. The sun was rising to the east, so they could see clearly what was happening.

"He's changing course." Sokka said. "Why?"

Aang shook his head. "I don't know. But this is it. This is where he'll set a trap. Let's move higher again. I don't like being this close in daylight."