Thanks so much for these reviews guys! I was rather shocked I would get so many..seeing as I'm not the best writer in the world..and I don't have good plots either. Heh, but thanks again, and as a token of my gratitude...I give you the fifth chapter!

I don't know if that's good or not..but still. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor do I own the song "Never Alone" by Saga.

Triumph Over Two

Chapter 5: Loss and Revenge

Previously:

She stopped suddenly as she scanned over what lay before her. When the other two caught up to her, they stopped dead in their tracks and, mouth agape, stood absolutely still.

Aang was the first to speak.

"What . . . who . . . "

Shock overwhelmed them all, and as they stood there motionless, a catastrophe laying before their very eyes:

The once strong walls that surrounded the village were destroyed, only bits and pieces still stood alone, yet leaning to one side, threatening to fall over. Many of the huts were scorched, only a small twig or two jetted out of the ground. Many animals lay on the ground, slain.

Aang took in a sharp breath.

Looking around, the villagers were no where to be seen, nor heard. No laughter of the children as they played, the chatter of the women as they did their chores . . . they were gone. The three stood there, still unmoving, gazing at the horror. It couldn't be possible that they had all disappeared . . . could it?

Katara knelt down and put her face as close to the ground as she could without putting her face in the snow. A moment passed, and soon tears dropped to the ground, leaving dark circles in the soft powder.

Aang and Sokka knelt down beside her, Aang putting his hand on hers. Sokka put a loving arm around her.

"I don't know who did this, but we sure as hell will find out," Aang said, taking his hand off of hers. She looked over to him, puzzled.

Was this the Aang she knew? So vengeful, voice full of hatred? It was as if, for a fleeting moment, she thought his motive was to kill. She knew Aang better than that. She knew he would never kill, not after all they had recently been through. It was all so confusing. She looked back down and pushed those thoughts to the far reaches of her mind.

"What will we do now?"

Sokka whispered, very low. Aang shook his head, eyes closed.

"I–I'm not sure."

Suddenly his words had altered. It was now full of sorrow and fear. The thought of losing his only 'family' was a devastating thing to him. The triumph of fighting off Prince Zuko faded away, and was replaced with remorse. He felt so helpless.

A hand landed on his shoulder.

"Aang, it's hard for you, I know. It's hard on all of us . . . I–I can't begin to describe . . . "

Aang turned to see it was Katara speaking, and it was Katara who began to fall apart in Sokka's arms. It all happened so suddenly . . . without warning. Who could have done it? If Prince Zuko was with them in the heat of battle, then who was the warrior? Aang stood up and faced the sky.

The sun shone bright, the rays warming his face. He shut his eyes, and memories of the first time he met Katara, Sokka, and the rest of their village flooded into his mind.

Sokka did not warm up to him as fast as Katara did, but he was glad he befriended him. Although he did not act so brave, he had a courageous heart, one that Aang would not trade for the world. Numerous occasions flashed in front of his eyes of when Sokka would jump to his feet and take action, exemplifying that he had courage deep down inside.

Katara, on the other hand, had evident bravery and became close friends instantly. She was stubborn and sometimes bossy, but her heart was bigger than one could imagine. It was Katara who proved to the village he was the true Avatar, and that he had no intentions of hurting anyone. Instantly the village was his home, and the people, his family.

Tears stung at his eyes, but he refused to let them flow. It would not do any good to cry here, only cause more pain and sorrow, and hurt Katara and Sokka deeper. Slowly he looked from the sky to the destroyed village.

"Katara...Sokka..."

Aang's words were broken and barely above a whisper, yet his friends heard him loud and clear. They both stood quietly and faced him, their eyes set and their bodies tense; Aang clenched his fists tight and gulped hard.

"We have to find them." Were his only words. They were quiet, but full of determination. Katara and Sokka looked to each other and knew he meant business.

"Let's go,"

Sokka replied, turning to face Appa. Aang and Katara turned to face the beast, then looked to the other.

"We'll find them, right Aang?" Katara asked, a glint of hope flickering in her voice. He nodded and smiled.

"Of course we will. Trust me."

She smiled back. How could she not trust him? He was always there, no matter the situation he was in. That was just who he was, and she admired him for it. In the background was Sokka's voice:

"Are you guys coming or what?"

The two turned their heads and looked to Sokka, who had an impatient look on his face. They eyed each other, then ran off towards where Appa stood grazing the patch of grass he dug out of the snow. As quickly as they had landed, they were again in mid-air, gliding through the sky, the wind against them.

"Hey, Aang, you wanna take the reins, or should I?"

Aang glanced at Sokka who stood at Appa's neck, reins in hand. He shook his head.

"I think you should steer him this time around, Sokka. Just to change things up."

Sokka nodded in approval and smiled.

"Thanks Aang,"

"No problem," Aang waved a hand. Sokka's smile broadened.

"Yip Yip!"

Appa grunted and soared higher into the beautiful sky, the clouds now below them. Even though what their eyes had seen had been horrid, they knew they would find the villagers. Their only suspect at the moment were the fire benders, and since they had been in that direction before, there would be no difficulty in finding the ones who destroyed the village and abducted the people.

Silently Aang looked back at the village as it faded behind fog and clouds. Everything felt so far out of reach, as if in a dream; He keeps running towards it, trying to fight it off, but the farther he runs, the farther away it becomes. Running his hands through Appa's thick fur, he closed his eyes, trying to relax.

"Aang? What's on your mind?"

His eyes shot open; It was the voice of a girl, a voice so soft and meek, so full of worry. In his mind, he could envision her face so clearly: eyebrows furrowed together, eyes half-closed with sympathy, and her head slightly tilted to one side, her hair falling in her face.

He could not face her now. In his mind showing weakness at this time was pointless, although he wanted to show it. He slumped over Appa's seat further, shoulders tight against his neck. 'Katara,' He thought, 'I am trying to figure out why you are worrying about me...after all that's happened.'

In a moment's time he felt the presence of another beside him. He jolted only a little, then relaxed. Looking over, he saw Katara in the same position as he, only looking out to the side. A faint smile creeped across his face.

'Just knowing that Katara is here is soothing,' Aang thought to himself, turning back to face the clouds behind them. Instantly all of his fears disappeared, and he knew now he was not alone, never had been, and never will be.

In the midst of the tranquility, Katara began to sing. It first started out low, almost like a hum, then the faint noise grew and transformed into words:

You're confused and desperate
And there's no help in sight
They've got you going round in circles
They've got you running for your life
All your cries for help
Have fallen on their fears

Aang looked over to Katara, who's eyes were closed as she sang, apparently not even noticing she was singing aloud. Dumbfounded he looked back to see Sokka staring too. Seeing the look on his face said that he had never heard her sing before either. They both turned their attention back to her, she not even noticing the two.

They're lost inside the system
The things are not what they appear
(Don't give in)
Close your eyes and make a wish (Just don't give in)
I don't know if you know this
You were never alone, never without me

Aang smiled. For the first time in a while, he realized that she and Sokka were always there. No matter what danger he was in, they were standing behind him. They always had his back, even when he told them it was not safe. He sighed with contentment as he listened.

Don't have to take it anymore
Never alone It might be thunder and lightning
Just another storm
You were never alone, never without me
Don't have to take this anymore
Never alone, I'm coming out of the shadows

Sokka gazed at the back of Appa's seat, where Katara and Aang had made themselves comfortable. Eyeing Aang, he noticed that he is staring at Katara, a smile on his face. 'I knew it, I knew I was right!' Sokka said to himself, pleased that his guess had been correct after all.

Suddenly his mouth dropped. 'She's singing this song to him...isn't she?' Inside he felt warm and joyful for his sister, knowing she had found someone she could trust and lean on for protection and comfort. A sigh emitting from his lips, he discreetly turned back around and faced forward, the smile still plastered on his face.

To chase the demons from your door
Your running out of answers
And your back's against the wall
You're asking for directions
And no one hears your call
You were never alone, never with me

Don't have to take it anymore
Never alone, I'm coming out of the shadows
To chase the demons from your door
Never alone
(with or without me)

Eventually, her words became mere hums once again, and had disappeared into small whispers. Aang continued to look at her, hand under chin, a small shimmer of happiness evident in the sparkle of his eye.

"Katara, that was beautiful."

She turned around suddenly, and, turning as red as a tomato, she covered her face. She hadn't realized that she had been singing aloud, and Aang was sitting right there beside her. A finger gently pushed her hands from her face.

"Don't be embarrassed. I really enjoyed listening to you sing." Aang commented. It was now his turn to blush. She smiled and folded her hands in her lap gently.

"Half of me wanted you to hear it, and the other half...didn't. But I guess one overpowered the other," She said.

"Well, I'm glad that half did," He replied. "It gave me comfort and hope."

"It did?"

"Yeah...and I want to thank you for that."

She turned red once again as the look on his face was quite endearing. His eyes were half open, a smirk on his face, the sun making his skin glow...

'Snap out of it Katara!' Mentally she kicked herself for thinking those thoughts, but gave him a reply.

"You're welcome, Aang. I'm glad I was able to help."

Meanwhile a very smug Sokka sat at the helm, a content look on his face.

With the fire nation, things were not going as well as they could be. Prince Zuko stood stiff as a board, unwilling to move as a figure circled him several times, grunts and huffs emitting from the man's lips as he observed the young warrior.

"Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic! You let him get away...AGAIN?"

Prince Zuko flinched, but stood his ground. The man laughed heartily, his whole body shaking. Noticing Zuko's unwillingness to be afraid, the man came mere inches from his face.

"This will not happen again, will it? Because if it does, then you will not only be banished from your father, but you will be banished from here, and you will wander alone for the rest of your miserable life." He hissed in Zuko's face, spit flying out at every word. He then continued: "I thought that by catching those pitiful villagers you might have a good chance."

Prince Zuko nodded.

"It will not happen again, Commander Zhao." He said, his voice not faltering. The man huffed.

"It had better not."

Prince Zuko glared at him for a second or two, then turned about and walked out the door, a blank look on his face.

"A pleasant visit, I'm sure?"

It was Uncle Iroh, who was jogging behind Zuko at a somewhat quick pace. Zuko stopped walking and faced his uncle. His eyes were glazed over, his lips were pursed, and his face was strait. Uncle Iroh eyed him up and down questioningly.

"What happened in there?"

"He told me that if I don't catch the Avatar, then I will be banished a second time," Zuko replied, tone flat. Uncle Iroh shrugged his shoulders.

"He'll be coming shortly, I'm sure. After all, the villagers are in the ship, are they not," He said. Prince Zuko gave him a quizzical look.

"Yeah...I guess you're right."

"Good. Now I can have some Ginseng Tea." The look on his face was that of a happy cat. Prince Zuko fell over.

"Why do you have to have your tea?"

"If I don't, then I won't be of much use capturing the Avatar," Zuko sighed with frustration.

"Fine! Have your stupid tea, and then we must board the ship and sail out to where the Avatar can see us." Prince Zuko ordered, a finger pointed towards his ship. Uncle Iroh nodded.

"Very well," He said calmly. "But I must ask you why you are joining forces with Commander Zhao." Zuko eyed him.

"Why? Because I don't have that great of a chance of catching the Avatar, and I need backup...and you remember the last times I've tried to capture him and failed." Zuko replied.

"Quite clearly," Iroh closed his eyes and opened one to show his remembrance of when Prince Zuko had failed to catch the Avatar. Zuko crossed his arms in defiance.

"I never saw you trying to catch him," Zuko argued, his voice somewhat low. Uncle Iroh agreed.

"That, I know. But what do you expect an old man to do? Jump around in the air, hoping to not throw out his back?"

"Then why do you need your tea if you are worried about your back..." He noticed his Uncle was prepared with an answer, so he added quickly: "Don't answer that. Just finish your stupid tea so we can be on our way."

Uncle Iroh stood up, rather slowly, and handed the teacup to a nearby fire nation warrior.

"Let us be off now, then. We don't have much time."

And with that they boarded the ship and departed from the port, leaving a confused warrior holding a teacup.

Not too far from where Prince Zuko lay awaiting their arrival, Sokka, Katara, and Aang sat in silence. It was an uneasy silence, and Aang moved uncomfortably in his seat. Anticipation had begun to sink in, and reality hit them that this was no game. Lives were at stake, both the villagers and theirs. Aang looked over Appa to see the fire nation below them.

"Aang, I just want to let you know that we are going to stay by your side. It's not just your battle." Sokka broke the silence, shaking Aang out of his daze. Sighing, he looked to his friends.

A smile could be seen on their faces, though their eyes were full of fear. Neither he nor his companions knew what was ahead for them, and they were afraid. Aang mimicked them, showing a toothy smile. It was for their sake that he had to do what he was about to do.

"Thanks guys. I know I can count on you." Aang said softly, trying once again to hold back the tears.

"We're always here for you," Katara said, putting her hand on his arm. Covering his hand with hers, he looked into her eyes.

"And I'm always here for you," He whispered, a twinkling in his eye. She blushed as she looked intensely into his eyes, then down at his lips, which were curved into a small smile.

"Thank you..." Was all she could mutter without her voice hinting any embarassment.

"Uh...guys? I hate to break up your moment, but we have a problem!"

They instantly rushed to the edge of the seat, and looked over to see a fire nation ship floating almost directly below them. It's size indicated who the captain of that ship was, and it sent chills down their spines.

"Prince Zuko." Was all Katara could say as her eyes were wide with anxiety and fear.

"How could it be...?" Aang trailed off as he stared in awe.

"There must be someone else working with him. That's the only way this could have happened," Sokka said, he also staring at the ship below.

Aang turned and faced the other direction, eyes narrowed and lips tight. Sokka and Katara turned and looked at him, yet did not say a word. They knew he was about to say something, and decided that it would be best to stay quiet.

"Katara, Sokka, this is a matter of life and death. We lose, we all die. For the village's sake we must fight for them, even if it costs us our lives...my life." His voice suddenly changed to a lower tone, but it never wavered.

"Our lives, Aang. Our lives. Not just yours." Katara responded, taking a step towards his back. He turned his head and saw both of them, looks of determination on their faces. He nodded.

"Our lives."

Without warning Katara embraced Aang, causing him to redden furiously. Her hair gently tickled his face and neck, and her cheek was against his. Cautiously he wrapped his arms around her lower back.

"Just promise me, Aang, that you will let us fight with you. I want to fight..by your side." She whispered it softly in his ear. Slowly she tightened her grip around his neck. He smiled.

"I promise. I need you there to fight with me. Without you...I wouldn't have made it this far." He whispered back, barely audible so only she could hear.

Noticing that Sokka wasn't watching them she pecked Aang on the cheek and released him from her embrace, leaving him stunned. How she makes him feel this way was a mystery to him, but him alone. Sokka stood in the corner looking bored, but on the inside he was excited for them both.

'They better not get too carried away though...' He thought, rolling his eyes.

"Let's go." Aang said as he took hold of the abandoned reins on Appa's head. He looked down at the ship, his entire body shaking. As he thought about saving the villagers and hopefully destroying Zuko, he finally straitened up and took a deep breath.

"Yip Yip!"

Alright! Hope that was good enough for you! It was...well, much much longer than my other chapters. I just thought I would put a little bit of the fire nations' point of view. Mix things up a bit, y'know?

I hope you guys liked it! Chapter 6 will be up soon...I hope! ;