Avani sat at the table on the ship, relaxed and at home. She hadn't felt like this since she left the fire nation. It was just like old times. Hakan sat across from her, eating his meal, looking as goofy as ever, and smiling at her from time to time. Moments like this made her long for her home. She may not have been a fire bender, but she belonged in the fire nation.

"I'm glad you decided to stay with us instead of sleeping out there. There's so much we have to talk about!" Hakan said with his mouth full.

Avani laughed at him as food flew out of his mouth. "You haven't changed at all."

"Sure I have. I'm not a kid anymore. I've learned how to fight. For a while I was actually helping to teach kids to fire bend. That's what made me want to find you actually."

"Really? How?" Avani asked intrigued.

"Well I was teaching three kids how to fire bend, and they were all doing pretty well. But there was one little girl who was struggling and of course, kids being kids, she was picked on by the others."

Avani could relate, but not completely. She was never able to bend, at least this little girl could.

"But one kid stood up for her. It just reminded me of us when we were kids." Hakan finished.

"Even as awful as I felt then…I want to go back. Things were so much simpler." Avani added sadly.

"I know. Kids have it easy."

Hakan obviously didn't understand. She wasn't just referring to being a child. There was so much more to it. Back then she was ignorant to so many things. She didn't know what her people were really doing. And she didn't know they weren't really her people.

"Well anyway…we need to get down to business." Avani said, changing the subject.

"You're right. The capture of the Avatar is more important than anything right now."

Avani nodded. She knew what she had to do. She wanted more than anything to go home. She wanted to forget all this happened. And this was the only way.

"They know I'm from the fire nation. But they think I'm on their side." Avani explained.

"Oh? So then you're sort of double teaming them huh?" Hakan asked.

"Yeah. I suppose that's right. But my loyalty to you and to my people is greater then my loyalty to them."

Hakan smiled at her once more. He had missed his friend. If only she knew just how much he missed her.

"They're going to ambush you. I thought you needed to know. They made a plan. I was supposed to distract you, keep the crew occupied. Then they were going to sabotage the ship while your guard was down."

"That won't happen. When will they come?" Hakan asked.

"Soon. I'm supposed to be distracting you now. In a few moments they'll be here. You should be ready." Avani explained, lowering her eyes in shame. She was betraying them, but it was for her own good.

"You're doing the right thing. We have to prepare." At that Hakan stood to his feet and began to warn the rest of the crew.

Avani sat and watched her old friend. He had changed. He wasn't a kid anymore. He was grown up. Suddenly things seemed so much different. She was seeing her friend in a new light. She couldn't place it, but her feelings for him were morphing into something else.

After moments Hakan returned to her side. "Are you coming?

Avani nodded. She would help her friend even if it meant betraying another.

The two ran out to the deck of the ship and just as they had planned Aang and the others were rushing towards them.

Aang soared above on his glider while Sokka wielded his weapons and Katara used the water around them to her advantage. They had already begun their attack. Destroying the ship was would certainly give them the ability to get away, but Avani was not going to let that happen.

"There they are!" Avani yelled out.

Aang landed on the deck of the ship right in front of Avani. "What are you doing?" He asked confused.

"I'm doing what's right. I'm helping my friend." Avani answered, and then ran past Aang towards the other fire benders and soldiers.

The three children were out numbered. There were at least seven weapon wielding soldiers and five or more very powerful fire benders, Hakan included. And of course, although her allies didn't know it, they also had an earth bender on their side as well.

Aang pulled out a funny looking object and blew hard into it. There was no sound, but it had definitely done something. Almost instantly Appa was flying over head then coming down on top of the fire nation soldiers.

Aang quickly jumped up onto Appa's back and reached out a hand for the others. But Avani was no going to let them escape. Before Katara or Sokka could get to safety, Avani was tackling Katara down, and of course her brother was not going to leave without her.

"Go Aang! We'll be fine! Just get out of here!" Katara yelled.

The angry girl then turned to look at Avani in disgust as her hands were tied behind her back. "You sicken me. I thought you were our friend."

"I'm sorry Katara, but my people come first." Avani told her while putting one final knot in the rope.

Sokka was still putting up somewhat of a fight, over doing it in Avani's opinion. But whatever made him feel better worked. She knew her side would come out on top no matter what he did.

"It's great we caught these two, but we really need the Avatar!" Hakan cried out across the ship to Avani.

Avani left Katara in the hands of two other fire nation soldiers and walked to her friend. "I know that. But he'll be back, trust me. He won't leave these two alone like this for long. And when he comes back we'll be ready."

Hakan nodded his head in accordance. "You're right. We'll set a trap for him."

"I have the perfect plan. Just leave it to me" Avani assured him.

The shook on it then brought their new captives into the holding cells. Soon their plan would unfold. Aang would come to rescue his friends and Avani would be there waiting for him.