Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: I wanted to thank my reviewers for Chapter 3: frozenheat (thanks for saying that because I was afraid some of the dialogue shifts were a little abrupt), Kairuthefrog (yes, Toph will be included shortly), loaned, Ataraia, Green Earth PFC (my biggest criticism of other writers is too much description, so don't expect to see much more of that from me, though I'll make some effort), and denythefreshmaker (I think all writers are philosophers to some extent and no, this will not be Zutara)

Song of Redemption

The purpose of their side trip quickly became evident. By the following evening, they had reached a modest but neat home in a forest clearing. Zuko and Iroh went up to the front step with the horse-ostrich while the others waited in the bushes. Zuko stepped onto the porch and knocked, and the door opened a crack. Aang couldn't see the person inside, but he heard a gasp that sounded somewhat feminine.

"I came back to say that I'm sorry we, um, borrowed your animal," Zuko said quickly.

"And we apologize for any inconvenience it might have caused you and your mother," Iroh added, bowing slightly.

"They stole it!" Aang realized, but he was quickly silenced by a slender hand over his mouth.

"I've been known to steal a time or two myself," Katara, the hand's owner, reminded him. Aang supposed she was referring to the waterbending scroll she'd taken from a group of pirates. Of course, the pirates had stolen it from the Northern Water Tribe, where Katara had some connections, so it could be argued that she had a better claim on it then they had. Still, he saw her point and nodded. She removed her hand. Aang realized that he had missed part of the conversation going on in front of them.

"That's our cue," Sokka whispered, nudging Aang. Momo settled onto Aang's shoulder, and he stepped into the narrow beam of light cast by the partially open door. Sokka and Katara followed him, with Appa lumbering behind. Zuko had retreated again and stood beside his uncle.

"Hi," Aang said lamely. He could see now that a young woman was at the door, but with the light behind her, most of her features were obscured. He watched her eyes widen, though, and she stepped fully out of the doorway and knelt on the porch, head lowered in a gesture of respect.

"Avatar Aang," she greeted him, with a touch of awe in her voice. "How may I serve you?"

Aang looked to Katara for help, but she just spread her hands helplessly. He went up the steps to the woman.

"Please stand up," he told her. "This really isn't necessary." She stood, and Aang was able to truly see her for the first time. She seemed quite young, and he guessed that she stood a little taller than Katara. She had large eyes and a kind, open face. She wore a loosely fitting kimono, and her long, brown hair hung in a single braid down her back, except for a few bangs lying across her forehead.

"I am Song," she said simply. Then she looked over Aang's head. "When you told me you knew the Avatar had returned, I didn't realize you knew him personally."

"That's a long story," Sokka stepped in. "Anyway, you have your beast back, so we'll just be on our way."

"Wait," came a new voice. An older woman appeared behind Song. Her mother, Aang realized as he remembered Iroh mentioning her earlier. She was shorter than her daughter but dressed similarly, and her gray hair was pinned behind her head in a large bun. "You must stay for dinner."

"What are you having?" asked Sokka, never one to turn down a meal.

"Sokka!" Katara quietly exclaimed, with no noticeable results.

"Pork dumplings," the mother replied with an indulgent smile.

"I don't eat meat," Aang said apologetically.

"No matter. There's plenty of stir-fry vegetables, steamed rice, and noodles."

Aang turned to his companions. Zuko looked distinctly uncomfortable, but Iroh seemed willing to go with the flow. Sokka was eager, and Katara was looking at Aang questioningly.

"Okay," the Avatar told their hostesses. "Before we come in, though, I think you should know who we all are. Obviously, you recognize me. These are my friends, Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. And the ones you've met before are really Prince Zuko and General Iroh, of the Fire Nation. They're also my companions now."

There was a very awkward silence. Song recoiled reflexively. Her mother cleared her throat.

"Well, are you coming or not?" she asked pointedly.

"Mother!" Song exclaimed.

"They didn't harm us before, did they?" the old woman demanded. "Besides, the Avatar speaks for them."

Aang licked his lips, knowing he was going out on a limb for these two men and hoping he was right. Song dipped her head in the slightest of nods.

"Just give us a moment to settle the animals out here," Katara requested, and the women withdrew into the house.

"I can't believe they invited us in after you robbed them," Aang said to Zuko and Iroh.

"And after finding out who we really are," Zuko added, gazing thoughtfully at the closed door.

"It must be my ineffable charm," Iroh suggested laughingly.

"Of course, being the Avatar's companion is one impressive calling card," Sokka pointed out.

Over dinner, they told their story, frequently interrupting each other. They skipped over some of the more personal aspects, like the reasons for Zuko's exile. Zuko said little, though he seemed to become more relaxed as the evening wore on, and he cast frequent glances at Song.

"I'm sorry we had to lie about who we were," he told her at last.

"I understand why you did," Song answered quietly. She, too, seemed to have warmed up to the guests during the course of the meal.

"Everything else I told you was true, if a little misleading," Zuko added. "I haven't seen my father in years, and he is fighting the war, just not in the way you thought."

Song nodded, then looked at him intently. She looked as though she were going to say something more, but she changed her mind.

"Well, it's getting late," Aang said. "Thank you very much for supper. We should go now."

"You won't be able to get far in the dark," said Song's mother. "Why don't you spend the night here?"

"Oh, we don't want to impose any further," Katara objected.

"Our house would be honored," Song insisted. There didn't seem to be a gracious way to refuse.

"Okay," said Sokka, who had finally stopped eating long enough to speak. He and Iroh seemed to be having a competition to see who could eat with the greatest enthusiasm. "If you don't have a space large enough for all of us, Aang, Katara, and I are used to sharing a room –"

"I'm sorry, but that isn't possible," Song interrupted, gently but firmly.

"What?" Aang asked, confused.

"In this region, it is highly improper for unmarried males and females to share sleeping quarters," Song's mother explained.

"But…she's my sister! And he's the Avatar!" Sokka argued.

"Even so, I cannot allow it. I'm sorry."

"Katara can share my room," Song offered. "Our rooms are rather small, so perhaps you and the Avatar can take one room, and Junior – I mean, Zuko and Iroh can use another." It had already been explained that the two firebenders had used the names Junior and Moshi during their last visit, and Song seemed to be having a hard time adjusting. Aang and the others had a pretty good laugh about the silliness of the false names.

Sokka hesitated at Song's suggestion. Aang wasn't too comfortable with the arrangement, either. He had hardly ever been separated from the others during their travels, and it had usually meant nothing good.

"I'll be fine," Katara assured the boys, stepping in. "It might be nice to have another girl to talk to for a change."

Aang looked to Katara, who gave him a reassuring smile. When she smiled at him like that, he couldn't refuse her anything, so he turned to Sokka. Sokka sighed and shrugged his agreement, then went outside to get their bedrolls.

Later, Aang watched as Sokka arranged his sleeping bag to his satisfaction while Aang sat on a bamboo mat.

"Um, Sokka?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you…I mean…would it really be okay with you if…well, if things worked out between me and Katara?"

"She could do worse," Sokka replied nonchalantly.

"That's not very encouraging."

"I'm her big brother. That's as complimentary as I'm allowed to get."

"That makes no sense!"

"It would if you had a sister."

Aang just stared at him, perplexed. No matter how much time he spent with Sokka and Katara, he was convinced that he would never understand sibling relationships. Sokka glanced over his shoulder at Aang, then sat facing him and grew serious.

"Okay, look. I suppose I could make all kinds of logical arguments for and against, but really, none of that matters."

Aang was shocked. He wouldn't have imagined there could be a situation where Sokka would say logic wasn't important.

"I like you, Aang," Sokka continued. "More importantly, Katara likes you. And you love her. That's all I really need to know. Ultimately, though, it has to be her decision, or it doesn't mean anything."

Aang nodded. He agreed on that point, and he was not blind to the way Sokka and his sister obviously felt about the custom of arranged marriages at the North Pole.

"Thanks, Sokka," Aang said, unable to think of anything else to add.

"Please do me a favor, though, okay?" Sokka requested as he lay down. "When sparks do start to fly between you two, don't talk to me about anything that happens. At all. Ever. Are we clear?"

"Got it. Good night, Sokka."

"Good night, Aang."

Aang lay down as well, hoping his thoughts wouldn't keep him awake too long. It had not escaped his notice that Sokka had not said "if" sparks fly; he'd said "when."

Meanwhile, Katara was finding it refreshing to have a young woman to talk to again. Although she had hidden it well earlier, Song seemed to be somewhat star-struck at having met the Avatar in person.

"I recognized him from the Fire Nation posters, of course," Song was saying. "They don't really do him justice, though, do they? There's something about his presence…I don't know how to explain it."

"It's power," Katara answered her. "And I think it's getting stronger the more he learns."

"Well, he is the most powerful bender alive, isn't he?"

"If not, he eventually will be."

"Do you really think he can save the world?"

"Yes, I do," Katara answered fervently. She had always believed that, ever since she'd discovered who he really was.

"There's more to Zuko's story, isn't there?" Song asked, changing the subject. "When I first met him, I assumed…how did he get that scar?"

Katara paused, aware that it wasn't really her story to tell. Still, perhaps it would be all right to share a little of the truth. After feeding Zuko twice and "loaning" him her beast for several days, the woman deserved that much.

"He refused to fight in a duel," she said at last. "Ironically, I think he didn't want to hurt the other person."

"Oh, I see." Song fell silent after this.

As Katara lay down to sleep, something Song had said came back to her. Most powerful bender alive. This reminded her again of Aunt Wu's prediction. However, it also reminded her that Aang's status as the Avatar placed him as nobility even above kings. Once this was all over, he could probably have his pick of any girl in the world. Why would he pick a common, short-tempered Water Tribe girl, even if she were a waterbender? Suddenly, Katara brought herself up short. When had she started thinking about Aang getting married? More than that, when had she become interested in applying for the job? She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, determined to force these confusing thoughts out of her mind.

Author's Note: Sorry there's not much humor in this chapter. I mostly wanted to tie up a few loose ends. I thought it was sort of odd that no one ever seemed to question the main three characters sleeping in the same room, so I wanted to explore a little what might happen if that weren't allowed.

Wasn't that a great movie last night, though? Sokka on cactus juice was hilarious, and there was that sweet Kataang moment at the end. It still supported my theory about the Avatar state, too.