Chapter Nine

Sokka had no idea where the time had gone, but when Suki texted him saying she was done with her shift, his heart went into overdrive. Man how he loved that girl. If only he had the guts to pour his heart out to her. But then people would call him Mr. Sappy. He did have a reputation to uphold.

Him, Aang, and Katara were eating sandwiches in a little diner a few blocks away. Aang, of course, had to get an egg salad sandwich while he got roast beef. Seriously, how does one not eat meat? He knew Aang had respect for life since the factory incident when he was younger, but still. Sokka wasn't sure how he could get by without having something as simple as a ham and cheese omelet.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, saw it was Suki telling them to come to the cafe. He stuffed the rest of his roast beef sandwich into his mouth and stood. "Suki's waiting," he mumbled.

Katara wrinkled her nose at him, finishing her food, but she swallowed it before saying, "You should a little more sensitive to others around you. Couldn't you have chewed and swallowed first?"

Aang chuckled, as if he found this whole thing amusing. He had already finished his own lunch. "I've seen worse." He smirked slightly, arms crossing and brow raising. "Though I've yet to see anyone eat like you do, Sokka."

Sokka had managed to swallow the roast, and then he puffed out his chest in order to show off his manliness. "I have to be strong, Aang, in order to protect the innocent."

Katara laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, Sokka, that makes so much sense." She stood up and swooned. "Oh," she said in a high, distressed voice, "what will I do? Someone stole my cheeseburger. How will I ever get it back?"

Aang and her cracked up at that, shoulders shaking in hilarity. Sokka deflated, feeling his ego bruise slightly. But he had to admit that it was nice seeing their friend cheer up like this. Ever since they ran into Suki earlier, Aang had seemed in much better spirits. He wondered, had they just been friends? The kid made it seem that way.

A traitorous thought occurred to him: What if they hadn't been just friends? What if Suki liked Aang more than him? But he was sure his sister and Aang had a spark between them. Though it seemed strange to him, Sokka wanted them to have something, though he was unsure about them being together, if it ever happened.

At the same time, Katara had laughed more today than she had in a while. After their mother died, she had taken on the role of 'mom', maturing so much that her childhood was almost nonexistent. She had learned to take care of the house, him, even their dad. Cooking had become a skill of hers, progressing from after the accident. She had learned much from Mom in regards to food.

Thinking about the cause of Katara growing up too fast made him realize that...she needed to be happy again.

Maybe, this time, it would be different.

He shook his head, getting back on track. "All right, you wisecracks." He made sure he had his wallet, keys, and phone before gesturing them to follow. "Let's go."

He heard Katara mutter, "Lovesick," in a singsong voice, which made Aang chuckle.

Sokka glared at her, then smirked, knowing what would get to her. "Jet," he copied in a singsong.

Aang coughed into his fist, like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. "Okay, that's enough, guys." There was a blush on his face that made Sokka think that he disliked the name Jet. "Come on, Suki's waiting."

They walked away from the cafe as Sokka texted Suki, letting her know they were on the way. She texted saying she was already near their meeting spot. His heart soared and his nerves tingled. He desperately hoped that there was nothing between Aang and her.

Sokka sneaked a peek at Aang, who looked lost in thought. He had no idea how this meeting was going to go down, but maybe they could finally learn about the kid's mysterious past. They already knew he had been kidnapped. It had been confirmed earlier with Suki, who had been friends with the guy before he had disappeared.

But why Aang? There was no denying he was good-looking, maybe handsome once he gained his weight back. That thought didn't sit well with Sokka, though. People usually watch those who they intend to take, getting a feel for the persons routes and schedules. But if it was only beautiful people they had been after, Suki could have been taken as well.

Sokka decided to push that thought away. The idea as simply too horrible to process, imagining her in Aang's place. Whoever had taken him, they weren't merciful.

When they reached Sokka's truck about ten minutes later, the trio got in, and off they drove, heading to a bay near the Golden Gate Bridge.

(***)

When they arrived at the bay, Aang could see that it was actually a hidden cove, down a small hill. Sokka had parked the truck in the lot a couple of yards away. Although he was excited, he was also a nervous wreck.

Watching the city go by for about fifteen minutes, his thoughts had been whirling. Other than the part about him having been kidnapped, they didn't know the full story. They didn't know what he had been forced to become. What was he going to say when all four of them were together? How many questions were they going to throw at him face? Aang was scared, plain and simple, and yet...

He wanted his friends to know about what had happened two years ago. The thought made his stomach hurt, but they needed to know. They had to understand and, hopefully, they would not run away from him. Aang was tired of hiding from him demons. It was about time he faced them in the daylight.

Suki was already there, her auburn hair in a half ponytail. When she looked up from her book, her grin was as wide as the Cheshire Cat's. She waved them over, standing from the rock she had been sitting on. "Sokka! Hey guys!"

Aang couldn't help but grin at the blush on his friend's face and mumbled, "Whipped."

Sokka elbowed his ribs rather hard. Unfortunately, that was a tender spot that was still healing, due to a beating he had received a couple of days before his escape. Aang winced reflexively, grasping the aching bruises. Suki was there immediately, dropping her book and running to him. "Aang, are you alright?" she asked frantically, hands raised. Sokka looked shameful and Katara's face told there would be hell to pay on her brother.

Aang waved her off, even as he sat gingerly on the ground. "I'm fine," he wheezed.

Suki rolled her eyes upwards. "You most certainly are not fine!" She went to grab his shirt. "Let me see."

Panic hit him right then. It was one thing to allow friends to touch him, but he did not want anyone to see the skeletal ribs and yellowing bruises. Aang grabbed her hands before they reached the hem. "No!" he said forcibly.

The other three looked at him, stunned and concerned. Tears gathered in his old friend's eyes. She took a deep breath through her nose, closing them. "I thought my best friend was dead this whole time," she murmured, almost as if she were talking to herself. Her eyes opened again to meet his. "Now that you're here, Aang, I want to make sure everything is alright. I don't care about how you look. I just want you safe, okay?"

Tears fell from his eyes, streaming down his face as Suki's words hit his chest with the force of a gale. His breathing grew erratic and for a moment he thought a panic attack was incoming, but that was not the case. It was the fact that he had his friends around him, wanting and feeling the need to help him. He had grown close to the siblings, and now that Suki was here, Aang felt like he could at least let some of his darkness melt away.

Slowly, he nodded, but he didn't release her hands. Instead, he said softly, "Okay...but not here. Not out in the open." If someone were to stumble across them and see the marks of torture on his person, his body exposed in the light of day, Aang wasn't sure what he would do.

Suki stared at him for a moment before nodding. "That's fair." Suki pulled away, giving him some space. A sliver of anxiety left his body. "If you want, we can head over to my place. My aunt will be gone for most of the day."

The idea of going someplace without crowds sounded great to him, although Aang was still nervous about telling the other three his story. But before he could voice his opinion, Sokka jumped in saying, "Yeah, let's go."

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother. "She was talking to Aang, meathead."

He mock glared at her. "Oh go jump in the lake."

She was about to retort, but Aang decided to intervene. "That's sounds okay, Suks."

Aang stood up slowly with her help, though it was more to avoid other accidents with his bruises. He made it a point to stay between the girls, but he felt somewhat guilt-ridden as he did so. Sokka didn't mean to hurt him, Aang knew, but it was better safe than sorry.

When they reached the cars, Suki walked over to a dark green Mazda. Aang felt envy at seeing the gleaming vehicle. "That's your car?" he exclaimed.

She shrugged, blushing. "What, it was my aunt's birthday present for me."

He shook his head, stunned, before asking, "Is it okay if I ride with you?"

Suki smirked, crossing her arms and leaning against the driver's door, blush ebbing away. "Want a feel for the car, do you?"

Cheeks reddening, he grinned sheepishly, feeling the familiar yet alien sensation of their old bantering. "What can I say? I like cars."

She laughed, grinning, just as she had before he was taken. "That's fine, Aang. As long as the duo over there doesn't mind."

Aang looked over at them, seeing Katara looking both uncomfortable and wanting to laugh. Sokka looked sour, as if he couldn't believe Aang had the nerve to try moving in on his girl. From the moment the older boy started speaking about Suki, it was obvious, from his voice, that he loved her. He had no intention for making Suki his. They were only friends, siblings almost.

Katara turned to him, face straight as it could be, though there was some red in her face. "It's okay, Aang. You don't need permission to ride with someone, especially if you know them."

Sokka grumbled about something, though Aang couldn't make out what he was saying. Holding in laughter, he turned to Suki and nodded. As the siblings went into Sokka's truck, Aang couldn't stop the nerves from taking him again. Once they reach Suki's house, it as only a matter of time until they knew about his past. These past two years had been brutal. At times he believed that the mistress was going to kill him.

Dayc where he wished he could die.

One night he almost had.

Aang took a deep breath, pushing that night to the far reaches of his mind. No one had to know about that, did they? They wanted to know what had gone down in the time he had been that woman's pet. His stomach hurt, but if he as going to get better, this was a step he had to take. He didn't want to fear others touching him, though that was going to take a little strength. At least he could have his friends if he ever relapsed in some ways. Hopefully that fear would fade until he could barely remember it.

Once they were on the way, Aang took the time to look around again. They were heading down the road alongside the ocean, a glittering mass of water that sparkled under the lowering sun. Though still bright, he knew evening was only a few hours away. He wondered if any of the houses or apartments had his family there. Maybe Suki would know more about them. Once the subject came up, they could talk about it.

Suki turned left, closer to the water, and down this road a few houses stood. Near the end stood a house that looked different from the other. It was a brick building, painted white, with a thatched, forest green roof. The architecture kind of reminded him of a dojo. It made sense, since Suki knew Tae Kwon Do.

It had been silent the entire drive, which Aang was grateful for. He wanted a few minutes to compose himself and get ready for the challenge ahead. Suki pulled into the wide driveway, Sokka's truck following suit. She looked at him after turning off the engine. "If you're not ready to talk about what happened, you don't have to."

Aang nodded at her, grateful for her understanding. "Katara told me the same thing." He looked down, frowning. "But I need you guys to know what happened. I'm scared, and yet I know that if you three are around, the memories can't really hurt me."

Suki grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. Her touch soothed after all the times the others had burned. "We'll do everything we can to keep you safe, Aang. We've got your back, I promise."

Smiling sadly at the thought, he squeezed back before letting her hand go. He decided against telling her his real fear. One that had been cropping up since meeting Katara and Sokka.

The siblings were waiting outside of the house's door. Sokka scoffed at them as they approached. "About time you guys got out."

Suki smiled at him. "We were just talking." She moved past him, and Aang caught sight of her hand brushing against his bare arm. A blush transformed his tanned face. He and Katara shared a glance and both bit back a grin. Whipped was right. How come these two were not together? Sokka and Suki would look cute.

After the house had been unlocked, they entered, where Aang could see shelves of books and photos, a cherry-wood cabinet and coffee table, a large TV on a stand, much like the one in Katara's and Sokka's home. DVDs and gaming consoles were organized on the shelves. There weren't a lot of games, though there were some titles he was familiar with, like The Last of Us and GTA V. He always thought the first one was freaky, but he used to love it, too. Aang wondered if she would let him play it later.

Suki spread her arms, grinning. "Welcome to my dojo!" She turned and entered a room through an open doorway. Aang, Katara, and Sokka followed into a medium sized kitchen, walnut cabinetry shining in the dome lamp's light. Emerald-colored clouded laminate counter-tops ran around the room, with a chrome sink, dishwasher, and stove breaking the space. She went over to the fridge, opened it, and asked, "Would anyone like a drink?"

Aang asked, "Do you have water in there?"

She smiled at him. "Yeah." She rummaged around and tossed him a cold bottle, which he caught and opened. The soothing liquid helped his suddenly parched throat.

"I'll have one too," Katara said.

Sokka shrugged. "Eh, I might as well."

She smirked, tossing them water before grabbing her own. Opening it, she asked, "Since when is water your choice, Sokka?"

After taking a drink, he frowned at her. "Hey, I happen to enjoy water; I just like 7UP more."

"It's amazing you don't have diabetes," commented Katara, "considering how much sugar you drink."

He rolled his eyes. "At least I don't have a stash of candy hiding."

She sniffed, folding her arms. "At least I can control my sugar cravings."

Sokka stuck his tongue out at her.

Aang couldn't help but laugh slightly at them. They were quite the siblings. Once again they made him wonder what it would be like to have a brother or a sister. Did his parents ever think about it? Did they have another child while he was gone? In a way, the idea sounded nice, but on the other hand, he wanted to get to know them again before that could happen.

Thinking about his parents made him remember why they were there, and his smile faded quickly. It was time to tell everyone the truth.

He cleared his throat, and the three looked at him. There must have been a strange expression on his face because Katara rushed over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Are you okay, Aang?" she asked in concern. "You look paler than usual."

He sighed. "I'm...I'm nervous," he admitted, looking away from their eyes.

Just like that, the fun atmosphere was broken, shattering into solemnity. Katara directed him over to an island in the middle of the room and sat him down before doing so herself. Sokka and Suki joined them. The older boy was frowning, his expression serious. He gently touched Aang's forearm, as if afraid that he would snatch it back.

Aang wasn't afraid of Sokka touching him, now, and when he didn't remove his arm, Sokka said, "It's okay to be nervous, buddy. We're here for you. Just start at the beginning and take your time. No one can hurt you here."

Suki looked surprised at him talking, but she smiled gently a moment later and nodded in agreement.

With the reassurance of his friends around him, in a protective circle, Aang closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began his tragic tale that stole his innocence.