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Crystal POV

A heavy breath escaped me as I stepped out of the tent I'd just forced Katara into. It had been three days since I'd told my father to give up on the arrangement he'd made with Bato. While my father was still highly against my relationship with Zuko, he didn't bring up Areto anymore to me. I was sure he discussed many things out of earshot with Bato and the others, but I knew he wouldn't press his desires on me again. He probably realized it would be a losing battle. As for Areto, I hadn't spoken to him since the day I dropped water on him to stop his foolish match with Zuko. He'd been avoiding me like the plague, and I knew it was because he was embarrassed. Whether that embarrassment came from his foolish actions or losing to Zuko was a mystery to me though.

Looking back at the darkness of the tent, I smiled weakly shutting the tent flap to block out the moonlight. "Rest up, sis… I'll take care of him."

She hadn't slept but more than eight hours in the last three days, stressing over Aang who had yet to wake up. Promising I would watch over Aang for a few hours, I managed to convince her to go sleep when no one else could. Guiding her out of the tent Aang was in, I supported her exhausted body as I took her to the tent where I'd originally woken up. The sun had set an hour ago, and the moon was beginning to rise by the time I got her into the shelter and onto a sleeping mat.

As Katara laid down, I undid her tangled braid and managed to get her wavy hair free. She'd been so worried about my health and Aang's that she hadn't taken care of herself. Since my back was feeling better from her treatments, I was starting to feel like myself again. As I felt myself again, I started to get back into my older sister role. When I looked in on Katara and saw her dragging eyes and shaking frame kneeling beside Aang, I knew it was time to intervene.

Heading back across the campsite away from Katara who finally was getting the sleep she needed, I made my way towards Aang's tent where Zuko was waiting inside for me. He'd originally walked with me to check on Aang and Katara, and when we got in and saw Katara almost passing out I told him to wait there for me while I took care of her. Not liking the idea of him being alone in such a grudge holding community, I sped up my step. However, a figure stepped out of the shadow of a tent and intervened before I could make it halfway back..

Stopping abruptly, I was astounded to see Areto in my path. Astounded and also anxious. We hadn't spoken in three days, so I wasn't sure what was going on in his head. Stepping back, I looked around to see if anyone else was there. Everyone else was either scouting, smoking at the fire back at the edge of camp, or sleeping.

"Areto," I acknowledged, but then quickly tried to step around him. He stepped in my path again with crossed arms. I narrowed my eyes as I was forced to a stop. "I need to get to Aang. Can you please move?"

He shook his head, and then stated looking away from my gaze, "I need to talk to you."

Crossing my arms as well, I tried to stay firm. "Can't we talk tomorrow morning? It's late, and Zuko's waiting for me."

Areto's jaw clenched when I mentioned Zuko, but he tried to keep his composure. "Just a moment of your time. Then I won't bother you again."

At first I wanted to refuse and tell him to get lost, but the sincerity in his voice caused me to give in. I dropped my arms in defeat, saying softly, "Fine… What do you need to say?"

"Not here." He grabbed my hand suddenly and pulled me through the campsite swiftly. I was stunned by his abrupt action, but followed him knowing that hearing him out was the best way to make him leave me alone. After a few moments we reached the outskirts of the camp and the sound of the waves lapping against the shore filled my ears.

Once we were alone, he released my hand and stepped back. Silence fell over us for a moment as Areto stared out towards the moon that hovered over the bay. I waited for him to speak, crossing my arms suddenly nervous about what was to come. He probably wanted to yell at me, or accuse me of betraying my family. I had a feeling he was angry that I kept defending someone he only saw as an enemy.

After what felt like a lifetime, he finally met my gaze and spoke. "I've been trying to come up with every argument I can on why you shouldn't be engaged to this guy, but the more reasons I gathered the more I realized they were all based on my hatred towards the Fire Nation… None of my arguments had anything to do with your feelings." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I owe you an apology, Crys."

The words that came out of him stunned me, and I was speechless.

He dropped his gaze and kicked at a shell by his foot. "I'd been against the arrangement our fathers made with one another, and I'd protested numerous times in the past. However, I was too much of a coward to convince my father and the chief that our match wouldn't work. What's worse is that I went back on my own words. A while ago I told both of our fathers that you should be allowed to love who you want to love, but when I saw the way you defended that firebender the other night, my hatred towards the enemy blinded my judgement." He met my gaze once again. "I was wrong to treat you like some object that could be won by a simple duel. Now that I've calmed my anger, I see that I was foolish and immature. If my mother had seen me act in such a way she would've knocked me on my head."

His words sunk in as I listened on in disbelief.

"I just have to ask…" He looked down again in embarrassment. "Why him… Out of all the people in this world, why do you love the same guy who kidnapped you from home and imprisoned you? I just can't wrap my head around your feelings for him. He locked you in a cell and tried to capture the Avatar… I've heard so many stories about what his father has done to people. How can you love the son of the enemy the way you do?"

He finally stopped speaking, and I knew it was my turn. After a small pause to collect my thoughts, I answered him.

"I know you and the rest of the tribe think I've lost my mind... You all think I've developed some insane attachment to my previous captor." I crossed my arms again and looked at the sand below me. "But it isn't like that. At first I was a prisoner to Zuko… I hated him for what he did to me, tearing me away from my home and throwing me in a cold dark cell. But then his heart began to show." I smiled. "We've had our differences, but at the end of the day we make each other happy… My mom told me that being in love isn't perfect, but she also said that when you find that someone you're meant to be with you'll never want to let them go. When it comes to Zuko I feel that way. Leaving him in the desert all those weeks ago was the hardest thing I ever did. Even after we were seperated, I never once stopped thinking about him."

A deep sigh escaped him. "When you talk like that, there's no way I can convince you otherwise." He shook his head. "I will say one more thing though… Zuko is super lucky to have won your heart. When I knew you three years ago, you were just a child…" He looked at his feet embarrassed. "You've become so beautiful and mature now…"

I blushed at the compliment, crossing my arms self-consciously. "Thanks… You've grown a lot too. You're definitely handsome. Any girl would be lucky to have you as a husband… You'll find someone. I bet if you took a trip to the North Pole you'd find a girl in minutes."

He smiled weakly. "Yeah… You're-"

He was cut off by the sound of a crash nearby. We both jumped and glanced over at the water tribe ship that was settled on shore. A shadow moved on the deck, and I could see something wasn't right by the size of the shadow. From the light of the moon, it looked like a child was wandering back and forth on the deck of the ship.

I watched the shadow with suspicion. "What is that?"

Areto was uncertain, and quickly headed towards the ship with his hand on the hilt of his sword. I followed in his steps with caution, uncertain to who or what was on the ship above.

"Stay back," Areto ordered, holding his hand back towards me to tell me to stop. "I'll check it out."

Rolling my eyes, I shoved his hand down and walked ahead of him. He was stunned, and hissed lowly, "Crystal! Get back here."

Ignoring him, I got to the ship on shore and grabbed the rope ladder to pull myself up. Once I was over the ship railing, I was stunned to see two figures on the ship rummaging through some crates and barrels. They were turned away from me, and one of them was at least seven feet tall and very muscular. The other looked like he was no more than eight years old, and if he didn't have arms rummaging through the wooden crate I would've passed him off as an animal.

Areto suddenly stood beside me having sneaked up after me. He stared at the two shapes in astonishment as they pulled out supplies from the crates.

"Anything good, Pipsqueak," the younger one asked in a child's voice.

The larger figure shook his head, responding deeply, "Nope. You The Duke?"

"Nah. Just some rope and fabric. Nothing to eat or sell… Oh! Wait." He reached deeper into the crate. "I found a club! We can get some money off of this!"

Crossing my arms, I cleared my throat. They both froze in their actions and looked over at Areto and I. Their eyes shined in the moonlight as they realized they were caught. The larger one, Pipsqueak, stepped from the crate and stood in front of his friend. He pulled out a large wooden pole from his back holder and held it in defense. The little guy took out his own pole which had a rusted spear at the end of it.

Areto stepped forward suddenly with his sword drawn and I realized his sword was why they were so prepared to fight. Areto ordered quickly, "Drop your weapons!"

Pipsqueak scowled. "You first!"

I knew I had to intervene. "Woah! Calm down everyone!" I grabbed Areto's arm to push his sword down. "We don't want to fight you. Let's just talk. Who are you? Why are you on this ship?"

Areto jerked from me. "It's clear who they are! They're just some rotten thieves!" He stepped forward grasping his sword. The other two tightened their holds on their weapons in caution. "We should get them back to Chief Hakoda and the others. No one steals from the Southern Water Tribe without conse-"

"Areto! Enough!" I jerked his sword out of his hand suddenly, earning a shout of protest from him. Once the sword was in my hand, I looked at the kids in front of me. "No one's fighting or being punished. If you all put your weapons away, we can talk about this." I sheathed Areto's weapon on his side, while he looked at me with bewilderment. "There's too much fighting going on at the moment. We don't need more."

I stepped towards the kids then, who lowered their weapons as I spoke. "My name is Crystal. My father is Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. You two look like you could use a nice meal and a good night's rest. I can heat up some stew for you once I go check on Aang."

"Aang?!" The Duke's eyes had widened as he shouted out in surprise. "Avatar Aang! He's here? I haven't seen him since he and his friends froze Jet to a tree."

I was surprised by his acknowledgement of Aang, and even more surprised when he mentioned Jet. "Wait…" I pointed at the both of them. "Are you two Freedom Fighters?"

The Duke beamed. "Yeah! You've heard of us!"

I smiled. "Yes. The Avatar's friends you spoke of are my brother and sister."

Pipsqueak pointed at me with a large finger. "You're Sokka's twin! I knew your name sounded familiar."

I nodded. "Yes." Then I frowned as my thoughts went back to Jet. "How did you guys end up seperated from Jet though?"

Pipsqueak frowned. "Well… After Jet tried to destroy the village we decided we didn't want to be part of such violence... Me and The Duke went our separate ways. Jet's probably doing okay without us."

Part of me knew that wasn't true, because we all suspected Jet hadn't survived the blow that Long Feng had dealt on him. However, I didn't have the heart to tell the two before me that their friend was most likely departed from this world.

"Crys!" Sokka's shout suddenly broke my next response. We all turned to see he and Zuko were rushing over to the boat we were on. They must've saw the four of us standing on the deck and were concerned. "What's going on?!"

Areto, who had been watching the whole exchange with shock and astonishment, looked down at the two figures racing across the sand towards us. "Your sister is insane, Sokka! She's offering these thieves stew!"

At the name Sokka, Pipsqueak and The Duke were excited. They raced over to the side of the ship rail and both waved down. "Hey Sokka," Pipsqueak shouted. "Long time! It's me Pipsqueak! The Duke is here too!"

The Duke jumped up and down excitedly. "Your sister is so nice Sokka!"

Sokka grabbed onto the rope ladder and hoisted himself up onto the ship. When he got on deck, he moved aside and Zuko came up as well. Zuko's presence earned a glare from Areto, but thankfully Areto didn't say anything focused more on the two kids he didn't know.

"The Duke… Pipsqueak… What are you two doing here?" Sokka was astonished to see the two familiar boys. He looked around the ship and saw pieces of fabric and tools scattered across the deck. "Oh… Stealing… Got ya."

The Duke hung his head. "Sorry Sokka… We've just been super hungry. We thought we could sell something for food."

Pipsqueak was ashamed too. "Yeah... We didn't know the ship belonged to the Southern Water Tribe until we hopped on board."

Sokka sighed. "Alright… We'll discuss this back at camp." He looked over at Areto then. "Take them to the fire and get them some food. I'll be there in a minute."

Areto was shocked. "What? They're thieves and you want to treat them like guests! Are you crazy?!"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Areto… Two kids looking for food? I think you can forget their crate rummaging just this once."

He went to argue, but the look I gave him caused his mouth to shut. He let out a heavy sigh and dropped his shoulders. "Fine… Come on you two…" He turned and headed to the ladder of the ship. However, he stopped as he passed Zuko who was giving him his own stare down. "I had a feeling you'd be showing up, Prince boy. What's wrong? Worried I was trying to steal Crystal from you?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Do you blame me? Your brother's done it before."

Areto went to snap at him, but Sokka intervened. "Knock it off you two. It's getting late and these two need some food and rest. Take them to camp Areto, and let my dad know I'll explain who these kids are when I get there."

Deciding he didn't feel like arguing with my brother, Areto rolled his eyes and looked over at the two kids. "Fine… Come on… Don't cause me trouble or I'll give you acorns instead." He clambered down the ladder and Pipsqueak and The Duke followed him. As they headed off across the sand towards camp, I sighed heavily looking back at Sokka and Zuko.

"Were you worried or something? You two came rushing over like I was facing off against the enemy."

Sokka shook his head. "Zuko was worried when you didn't come back to Aang's tent and he found Toph and I. Toph told us she could sense you and Areto were together which got me concerned were you and him doing together? Was he bugging you again?"

Shaking my head, I looked between Zuko and Sokka with a small smile. "It's okay. He promised he wouldn't bring up the arrangement anymore. He knows he can't change my mind… We were just talking. No need to freak out."

Zuko seemed a bit embarrassed by his freak out, while Sokka seemed doubtful.

"Do you blame me?" Sokka ran a hand through his hair. "I feel like every time you disappear it's because something bad is happening."

"Well… At least tonight it was just a face off with two hungry kids," I joked. "Relax you two… I can take care of-"

"If you finish that sentence I'm going to clamp your mouth shut," Sokka muttered. "Every time you say that something bad happens to you." He turned and headed over to the ladder. He stopped to meet my gaze again. "Thanks for taking care of Katara tonight, but you should sleep too. Aang will be fine on his own for a few hours. He's not going anywhere, so you can relax. That kid is a fighter. He'll wake up in no time." He looked over at Zuko then. "I'm going to make sure Pipsqueak and The Duke are getting treated well. Keep an eye on her." He jerked his thumb towards me.

"Sokka! I'm not that prone to danger! I was handling the situation just fine a few moments ago!"

He ignored me and disappeared down the ladder. Once he was gone, and just Zuko and I were left on deck of the Southern Water Tribe ship, I let out another heavy sigh and walked over to the stuff that was thrown all over the deck. Picking up the rope and fabric, I chucked it back in the crate it belonged. Zuko helped me pick up the mess, seeming to be lost in his thoughts.

After a moment of silence, I sat on the top of the crate I'd just closed. "Sorry for worrying you again… Areto intercepted my path on the way back to you. I thought if I let him talk he'd leave me alone."

Zuko sat on the other side of the crate. He shook his head. "No… I'm the one who's sorry… Ever since Azula hurt you the other day, I've been super overbearing… I guess I just don't want to see you hurt anymore. I couldn't protect you from Zhao all those weeks ago, and now I couldn't protect you from my sister. I feel like I've been failing you left and right."

Shaking my head, I turned to him and grabbed his hand. "Zuko… Nothing is your fault. Zhao was a psychotic and power hungry man. He wanted to torture me ever since the day you challenged him to an Agni Kai. And your sister just seems to have a hardened heart... Your father is the cause of that I'm sure."

He hung his head. "You wouldn't have met any of them if I had never captured you for my own selfish gain though."

I frowned at his statement. "That may be true… but it also may not be… Like I told my father, if you hadn't been the one to invade our village and capture me that day, then there was a high chance that another Fire Navy ship would've invaded and taken me prisoner. I'm glad it was you." I gave his hand a squeeze for comfort. "Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens to me. I've been prone to danger since I was born. There's nothing you can do to prevent my bad luck."

He hugged his arms around me suddenly and pulled me close. As my head rested against his chest, his chin settled on my hair. "I just don't want to lose you. The last time I cared about someone this much she disappeared in the middle of the night and I never saw her again."

From his words, I understood he was speaking about his mother. "I'm not going anywhere, Zuko… Especially not after the sacrifice you just made for me. You gave up your honor to help Aang and I. You could've taken your sister's offer and gone home, but instead you fought alongside us and helped get Aang to safety. I can't repay you for what you've done."

He suddenly pulled from me and then gently nudged my chin towards his gaze with his finger. Meeting his eyes, I saw a twinkle from the light of the moon. "You can repay me though… My proposal to you the other day was sincere, Crys. I want you as my wife some day. You're the only person in this world I want to spend the rest of my life with. You saw the good in me before I did… You remind me of the man I truly am."

I blushed, but gave him a genuine smile. "I didn't doubt your sincerity… My acceptance was sincere as well. Out of all the warriors and men I've met in the past, you were the only one to ever call me strange and accept me for it. I feel like I can actually be myself with you and not have to be seen as some poor child who watched her mother die. Plus, you're the only person in my life who knows what I'm allergic to. Any other guy would probably bring me peonies as a gift and kill me."

Zuko laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'll set to fire any peony that comes within your reach."

I laughed too. "Now I'm picturing Areto holding a bunch of charred flowers. I'd love to see the look on his face if that happened."

We both laughed at our nonsense under the light of the moon, and then talked through the late hours about nothing in particular. We were just happy to have a moment to ourselves.

The next morning, after Zuko and I went our separate ways to get rest, I was woken up by a foot nudging my side. I'd fallen asleep in Aang's tent as I spent the night wiping his forehead and getting him to drink soup and water in his semi-conscious state. He wasn't at all coherent, and I knew he wouldn't remember any of this when he did wake up, but keeping him hydrated and getting some liquid food down him was the only way he'd survive. After I left Zuko, I'd managed to brew some soup that had ground vegetables and herbs to get down Aang's throat. Once he ate a good majority of it, I felt much more at peace. My back was searing from the constant movement and supporting of Aang's body, and by the time I finished I was too tired to walk back to the tent Katara and I were staying in. Instead I used a rolled up sleeping bag for a pillow and laid on some fur pelts. Then I softly sang a song to Aang until I fell asleep.

"Princess… Wake up. Breakfast is ready," Toph said, nudging me with her foot again.

Opening my eyes, I found the small lantern I'd been using as my light source with Aang had gone out, and the sun seeped through the tent's fabric giving the space we were in light.

"You're lucky I'm the one who woke you. Sokka isn't too happy you ignored him last night and came to be with Aang."

Groaning, I sat up from where I'd been stretched out and brushed fingers through my knots. "Aang needed some dinner. I promised Katara I'd feed him." Getting to my feet, I winced at the sore muscles in my body. "I'm fine. I slept enough."

Toph let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head. "You're not lying, but that's because you're stubborn. Go freshen up. Your dad and Sokka had a chat last night and came up with some master plan or something. They want everyone gathered by the fire. Katara cooked some broth for everyone, so hurry up before Sokka eats it all." Once she was done ordering me around, she left me to return to the others. Deciding not to argue, I fixed the blanket draped over Aang and pet Momo who slept beside him. Momo woke and looked at me with sad beady eyes, shooting his gaze back over to Aang.

"I know boy… I miss him too…"

Momo hopped onto my shoulder then, licking my cheek as I pat him behind the ear. "Come on… Let's go get you some breakfast and let Aang rest."

After freshening up upon Toph's request, Momo and I made it to the campsite where the men, Katara, and Toph were gathered. Pipsqueak and The Duke were there also sitting beside Toph on a log, and Sokka and Katara were beside Zuko on the ground. Bato and my father stood at the center of the crowd. As I approached, Sokka got to his feet with a bowl of food and headed over to me.

"About time you showed up. I was beginning to think you got lost or something."

Momo hopped off my shoulder and raced across the sand to where Appa was eating some hay that one of our warriors retrieved for him. Where they found the hay I decided not to question. Once the little guy was off my shoulder, I took the bowl from Sokka with a thanks.

"Ah. There's the girl I wanted to see," my father spoke. "Come over here Crystal."

Sokka shook his head. "Dad. I already told you that any information about the Fire Nation can be found from Zuko. If you would just ask-"

Bato spoke up. "We cannot trust the words of his mouth. It is better we speak to someone of our own who has been among the Fire Nation for a time." He met my gaze. "Your father tells us that you have read books composed by the Fire Nation. If you have any valuable information about their weaponry or the lay out of the land you must share it."

Zuko let out a heavy sigh. "I already told you I'll give you the information you need."

My father shot his eyes over at Zuko with distrust. "I do not believe we were speaking to you, Prince Zuko. It is best to remain silent."

I scowled. "Zuko doesn't have to stay silent! He's as much part of this as we all are." I handed the bowl back to Sokka who was stunned by my action and almost dropped it. Stepping over to father and Bato, I added, "And you won't be able to get much out of me. I was a prisoner the majority of my time surrounded by the Fire Nation. No secrets were given to me. As for the lay out of the land, yes I read books about the Fire Nation. Those books only gave me minor details. If you are planning on infiltrating the Fire Nation and getting to the Fire Lord, then someone who has actually lived in the Fire Nation Capital and knows the territory around it should give you the answers."

My father was bewildered by my statement, and then let out a deep breath. "Fine…" He looked over at the young man he seemed to despise beyond my control. "Prince Zuko… Perhaps you would like to tell us the best way to infiltrate the Fire Nation on the Day of the Black Sun."

Zuko was surprised by the sudden attention he was getting, but he knew how to publicly speak from his years of tutors and training. Standing, Zuko remained composed as he faced my father. "The Fire Nation consists of multiple islands. The easternmost are much more impoverished than the ones closer to the capital. The further west you go, getting past blockades and security checks is much more difficult. In order to actually get to the Fire Nation Capital before the eclipse begins, we need to be sure we are at the Capital's docks well in advance."

The whole group was intrigued by Zuko's words, and I was relieved to see he had their attention. As Zuko continued on about the Fire Nation's security system and possible challenges to infiltration, I finally ate some breakfast knowing I'd successfully gotten through to some of the men.

"I'd be happy to draw up a map with Sokka. We can work out a possible route and figure out the best mode for infiltration." Zuko commented, having given as much information as he could at the moment. Sokka nodded to let him know he was onboard.

Once Zuko was done speaking, my father took the floor. "Very well, Prince Zuko. My children seem to trust you, and I will trust their judgment. I leave the planning to you for the course we should take. In the meantime, I need a small group of volunteers to locate and gather allies for the invasion. My son has a list of people he has met over his time in the Earth Kingdom that he feels would suit our effort well." My father's request gained him ten warriors of various ages as volunteers. My father divided them into two seperate groups, ordering one group to take one of the few Water Tribe vessels we had left and head to the North Pole. The other group he told to travel on land and seek out a group of waterbenders in some place called The Swamp. They left the circle to prepare, and the remaining group awaited further orders.

"Chief… I'd like to speak," Areto suddenly voiced. We were surprised by his statement, and I watched him step over to my father. "I have a request."

His father gazed at him with puzzlement, while my father was curious. Areto looked over at me, gave a small smile, and then directed his attention back to my father. "I would like your permission, Chief Hakoda, to return to the South Pole with others who are willing. If this plan fails, I fear the Fire Nation will lash out against our own. I worry about my mother and the other women, children, and elders of the tribe. Crystal was right the other day when she said that if Prince Zuko hadn't invaded our landed then another Fire Navy ship would've in his place… We left our people defenseless, and it's our duty to return to them and offer protection."

The men around us were stunned and ashamed by his words, knowing Areto was right. My father seemed uncertain. "Areto. Your heart is in the right place, but this invasion needs every able-bodied man we have."

"You have plenty of men… Not to mention the Avatar. Once he wakes up, and you also meet with the other allies, you will have enough to complete your mission. As much as I want to fight against the Fire Nation to be a hero like everyone else, I also know that the honorable thing to do would be to return and protect our people."

Kona, who had been listening from the crowd, stood and walked over to Areto nodding in agreement. "He's right… Some of us should go home and make sure the others are alright. As much as I want to fight and be part of the invasion, I know where I'm needed. I'll go with you, Areto. We've been away from our mother and sister for too long."

Areto seemed relieved that his brother had his back. Jaka, who had originally been sitting beside Kona, stood too. "I guess if they're going home so am I." He looked over at my father. "If that's okay Uncle?"

Chief Hakoda looked from the three young men before him, and then let out a heavy sigh. "Very well. Take our last Water Tribe vessel and return home." He looked around the remaining group. "Anyone who wishes to return home to your families, now is your chance."

The crowd dwindled then as five of the older warriors headed off to pack up for their trip back home. Areto, Jaka, and Kona did so as well. As they headed off, I left my spot from where I'd sat by Toph and rushed after them. Grabbing Jaka's sleeve, I forced him to a stop as the other two kept going.

My cousin was surprised. "Crys?"

"Before you depart I want to write up a letter for Gran Gran… Would you deliver it to her for me?"

He was surprised by my request, but nodded to let me know he would do so. An hour later, I had a letter written up on a parchment Sokka gave me to use. With a little help from Katara since my writing still wasn't the greatest, I managed to write out my heart.

Gran,

I want to let you know that I am alive and well. There is too much to tell you, but know that I am with Sokka and Katara. Also, I'm engaged to Prince Zuko. We fell in love. Strange, I know. You always said fate is strange though. He wants me to add that he's sorry for grabbing you roughly the day he came to our village. I promise when I see you again I'll explain more. Until then, be safe and I will take care of my brother and sister. I love you.

Crystal

Once the letter was written, I rolled it up and used wax to seal it. Then meeting Jaka by his tent, I handed it to him so he could put it in his bag. As he reached for it, he grabbed my wrist gently. "You should come back home with us. It's not safe for you to be part of this-"

"Jaka… I'm not a sad and weak little girl anymore. I've survived starvation, drowning, explosions, frostbite, and a psychotic princess. I don't need to be babied." I pulled his hand off and placed the letter in his palm. "I'll be okay. I'm not scared anymore."

He was bewildered by my statement, but nodded and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I believe you, cousin." He gave me a reassuring squeeze. "And I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you. I should've never kidnapped you in the woods that day with Kona, and I was wrong to try and keep you in the tent the other day. I can see you're a strong independent woman now. Your mom would be proud of you if she were here today."

I smiled at his reassurance and gave him a hug. "Be safe Jaka. Take care of Gran Gran until we come home."

He hugged me back. "You know I will."

Zuko POV

A strong grip grabbed my arm to stop me as I went to find Crystal. I'd spent the last hour discussing geography and strategy with Chief Hakoda and Sokka. To my relief, Chief Hakoda was starting to warm up to me. Not to that point that he approved of my being with his daughter, but he didn't completely loathe me like before. Sokka had a lot to do with that though. I could tell Sokka's father placed a lot of trust in him, and I envied that father-son bond. My father and I had never been so close.

Looking up at the owner of the grip, I wasn't surprised to find Areto. I immediately ripped my arm from him and snapped, "I'm not looking for another fight."

He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to have a civil talk."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, but crossed my arms to let him know I was listening.

He crossed his arms as well to try and show his tough side. "Look… I've known Crystal since she was a baby. She's always been like a little sister to me. The very fact that she fell in love with you so easily is beyond my understanding…"

My jealousy rose slightly from the way he spoke about Crystal as if he knew her more than I.

He continued with frustration. "I don't understand any of it. Out of all the time I've known her, especially after her mom died, I've never seen such life in her like I do now." He looked down. "There's always going to be a small part of me that wishes it had been me, but I can see I'll never win her from you no matter how many times we duel in the future." Meeting my gaze again, his eyes narrowed. "You better take care of her. If anything happens to her under your watch I'll make sure you get what you deserve Prince Zuko. "

I spoke up finally. "I've been protecting her for the last six months. She's a grown woman though. She doesn't want my protection in most situations. She's survived more than you can imagine."

He glared. "Of course, each of those circumstances were ones you put her in."

My fist tightened as I turned defensive. "I didn't send a swarm of angry wasps on her in the desert, or kidnap the Avatar's bison to send her on a wild search through Ba Sing Se. Not everything bad in life is my fault."

A snort came out of him. "Everything is your fault though. Look who your father is!"

I grit my teeth. "I am not my father! If I were, I'd have burned you on the spot for your insults the other night!"

He smirked. "If you're not your father then you wouldn't be so eager to win back the throne from him." His words stunned me. "I know exactly why you've changed sides, Prince Zuko. They may not see it, but the Avatar and his friends are naive children. Clearly this is all a method for you to overthrow your father and be the next Fire Lord. You were banished by him, and this is your way of seeking revenge."

I grabbed his shirt collar feeling my blood boil from his accusation. "This choice has nothing to do with my father! Don't act like you know anything about me!"

Areto shoved me back and pointed at my chest. "What's not to know?! You're just a spoiled prince who misses the life of royalty! You may like Crystal, but once you claim that throne you'll only care about being a ruler! Crystal is too good for someone like you!"

"You're wrong!"

A stream of water suddenly shot between us, and the element wrapped around Areto's wrist tightening to restrain him. With a jerk, Areto was pulled from me and forced to stumble back. Once he was a safe distance from physically hurting me, the water dropped and a voice snapped, "Stop it you two!"

\

We both looked over at the sound of Katara's call, and weren't surprised to see Toph with her. The two looked perturbed by our heated argument.

"What do you think Crystal would say if she were here right now? You both are acting like children!"

Areto growled. "Stay out of this Katara! I'm only looking out for my people! He's lying about what he really wants."

Toph frowned. "No. Sparky knows what he wants. If he were lying I'd have detected it a long time ago. Go run along to the South Pole and let us handle it macho man."

Areto went to argue once more, but another voice spoke up. "Areto... We need to move out before it gets too late." Jaka walked over with Crystal following in his step. "Leave him be." At Jaka's words, Areto huffed and left us to return to camp. Jaka squeezed Crystal's shoulder reassuringly, waved to Katara, and followed after him. Once Areto was gone, the tension seemed to fade. Once the tension left, I felt the fire inside me simmer.

"Zuko… Are you okay?"

Crystal's fingers brushed against my cheek where my skin was hot from frustration. Her touch calmed me, and I met her gaze relieved to see her beautiful sky blue orbs. I grimaced disappointed in myself for losing my temper. "Yeah… I'm fine."

She looked saddened and let out a heavy sigh dropping her hand. "I wish I could say he's the only one we need to worry about, but unfortunately your on the radar of every man in this camp."

I smiled weakly taking her hand in my own. "I can handle their insults. It can't be any worse than Zhao or my sister."

A sad smile came on her lips. "Yeah… But you also shouldn't have to."

"Crys… I knew when I followed you and the others here I'd be the outsider," I promised. "As long as no one tries to poison or drown me I'll be fine." I brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear to calm her worry.

"Ugh! This lovey-dovey chat is making me sick. I'm going back to my cave to pack ," Toph muttered.

Katara rolled her eyes at Toph, and then looked back over at us. "You both should get ready and pack too. I hear we're moving out right after the other warriors do. Dad wants us to start at dusk so we have night cover in case the Fire Nation are searching the coast for us."

Crystal pulled from me to ask her, "What about Aang?"

Katara grimaced at the subject, but answered, "We're moving him into one of the cabins below deck on the Fire Nation ship. There's one with a large bed that we assume belonged to the previous captain of the ship. They're getting a pallet ready to carry him."

Crystal nodded, and then turned kissing me on the cheek. "I'm going to check on Appa and get ready to go. Find me if you need me."

I nodded to let her know I would, saying, "I'll go help move Aang."

Once we went our separate ways, I arrived at the tent Aang was in and headed inside. The sun seeped in through the thin fabric, and I saw the Avatar's unconscious body before me. His defenseless state sent a pang through my heart. Walking over to him, I knelt before the kid and picked up his staff which hadn't left his side. Resting the staff on my lap, I ran my hand over the wood with a weak smile. "This little toothpick is what made it so difficult to capture you all those times, huh? Out of all the weapons and men I had, you outsmarted us each and every time. You're one special kid Aang..."

I placed the staff back down beside him. "You know… I do believe you were wrong that day I helped you get out of Zhao's fortress… I think if we had known each other before the war began, we'd never have met and been friends. Our nations were already divided." I gripped my knee caps. "So in a way, I'm glad things turned out the way they did. My quest to capture you was just what I needed to find my true purpose. I owe you for everything that's happened to me these last few months. You're the reason I met Crystal, and you gave me a second chance. "

My eyes burned as my emotions started to get to me. I shut my eyes to keep composed. "That's why you need to wake up kid… I have to pay you back for everything you've given me. I promised to teach you firebending, and I plan to do just that." Opening my eyes again, I blinked a tear as I took in his fragile state. "If you stay asleep any longer your going to miss the fight, and I know you'll never let yourself live it down." I rested a hand on his shoulder giving it a small squeeze. "You're one of the toughest kids I know. You'll get through this… You always do… You have to..."

Wiping away any trace of tears, I stood and headed to the tent entrance. As I stepped to the flaps, I shut my eyes again, thinking to myself, I'll make you proud, Avatar Roku… I'll help Aang like I should've done in the beginning… I'll prove to everyone that I'm not my father. And then once I help end this war, I'll restore the Fire Nation to its rightful glory with Crystal by my side... Just wait and see...

That's all I have for you right now. The next chapter will follow the beginning of Avatar the Last Airbender Season 3. Not word for word, but in a similar plot. Also, I know many of you wanted me to kill of Areto, but I didn't have the heart to do that. I'm not huge on killing off characters. So I'm just sending him, his brother, and Jaka back south to get them out of everyone's hair. They may reappear at the end of the tale, but you won't see them again for a while.

Anyways. Thanks for everyone's support and comments. I'll get the next one up as soon as I can.

BEST! ~Faithy Waithy