Chapter 3: One Year Later

The city of Paris was quite everyone lay in their beds asleep. All except one. "Its been a year!" Quasimodo thought to himself as he stared down at the city below. "Frollo's been dead for a year, and I'm still not used to it." Then again there are many things I'm not used to yet. People calling me a hero, people being nice to me its all to much. "I mean before then no one was ever nice to

me. Well except…. He teared up. "Aang." He'd left the day after the festival a year ago. He really missed his friend, perhaps that was the reason he couldn't sleep. That and the strange nightmares he had. It had been happening for a month now. At first, he thought the dreams might be his troubled mind coping with his stepfathers death but….now he wasn't so sure.

The dream was always the same a room filled with flames, he could here people screaming. One voice sounded like Aang's. However, the rest where voices of people he didn't know. Then The flames would turn blue and he'd wake up.

This time however was different. He saw something the silhouette of something in the fire. It looked like a serpent of some kind but with wings. It almost reminded him of a dragon. What could it mean?

He sighed. "Since I'm awake I might as well go for a walk." I could use some fresh air. Quasimodo pulled his cloak tight around him as he walked out of the church. He walked silently looking up at the starry night sky. Suddenly he felt something strange come over him as he started walking toward the river.

He didn't know why but he felt as if there was something wrong then he saw it. Lying near the river was the body of a small boy. He recognized the boy immediately. He kneeled down to shake the boy awake. Aang! Aang!

Aang heard a voice calling his name but did not respond. What happened? The last thing he remembered was. He had a flashback. Aang was hiding behind a crate on a stolen fire navy ship, while his friends Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Toph faced the enemy. Zuko's sister Azula He didn't know how but somehow, she knew Aang was alive and demanded his friends to turn him over.

When they refused a fight broke out and Aang Jumped from his hiding spot to fight. That's when he saw the glimmer in the water. The same he'd seen when he had left the other world along time ago. Could he go back? Was it Possible?

Without thinking he dove into the water. As he sank beneath the water heard a splash right next to him as he blacked out. Aang slowly opened his eyes. He looked around him at an all to familiar tent. He was back in the court of Miracles.

"How are you feeling Aang?" Aang saw smiled at the dark haired Roma woman somewhat relived. standing "Esmeralda...Is that really you?" she nodded. "Its good to see you my friend."

Suddenly a soldier in gold armor stepped into the tent. Aang jumped up slightly alarmed. "Aang its alright." This is my husband Phoebus. "He and Quasimodo brought you here." You know Quasi? Of course, Quasi is my friend as well or did you forget what happened at the festival. Aang shook his head

"How could I?!" You stood up for him! "You did to." Aang remembered stand on that stage. The only thing he'd felt at the time was anger. Anger at Frollo as well as the crowd who'd hurt his friend.

Wait. "Quasi is he here?" No he left to go ring the bells you've been asleep all day. "All day?!" Aang please! "what happened?" When Quasi found you. you where injured. What happened? Aang looked down.

Back in his world he had been pretty freaked out when he woke on a Fire Navy ship. When he realized it was his friends piloting it, he calmed down, long enough to learn he'd been asleep for quite a while long enough for him to grow hair apparently.

The worst part was that everyone thought he was dead. At least that was until Azula showed up on the ship that day. The fact that he was still alive would soon reach the Fire Nation along with the rest of his world.

Apparently while he was in the Avatar State back in Be Sing Se Azula had shot him in the back with a bolt of lightning he should have died, but he didn't. Katara told him she had used the last of the water from the spirit oasis to heal him. When he learned however that Zuko had betrayed his sister to help them escape, he was surprised but at the same time greatfull.

He hoped his friends where ok. However, there was something that bugged him. He had heard a splash in the water when he dove in. Had one of his friends followed him? What if Azula had followed him here?! He couldn't risk putting his friends here in danger especially not Quasi.

"Aang, Please. Just tell me what happened. Aang looked at the soldier its ok I explained everything to him. He told her everything that had happened to him leading up to him jumping of the ship and ending up here. You think this "Azula" might have followed you here, said Phoebus.

"I...don't know." Don't worry I'll have my men keep an eye out for her just in case. Thank you. Phoebus left and Aang attempted to sit up only for Esmeralda to stop him. "Aang what are you doing?" I want to go see Quasi. "Quasi will be here in the morning." Just rest, please. The boy nodded and fell Asleep.

When he woke the next morning, he saw his old friend sitting next to him. He smiled thankful that the boy had finally awoken. "I-Its good to see you again Aang." Its good to see you to. Quasimodo looked at him with a serious and worried look. "Aang where have you been?" What? What do you mean? I told you i had to go home. "Aang...Its been a year."

Aang stared at his friend in shock. "What happend while i was gone?" Aang asked in disbelief. Had it really been that long? Quasimodo avoided his gaze. "Frollo….He's dead." Oh.

Aang looked at his friend apologetically." How'd he die?" He fell from the church balcony trying…Trying to kill me and Esmeralda. What? What happened. Quasimodo told Aang everything. Aang grinned.

"I knew you could stand up to him!" Aang said proudly. He nodded giving a proud smile. "You were right. I was never the monster Frollo was." Thank you for teaching me that. He sighed looking sad yet again.

"Can I…Can I ask you something?" Uh sure? What do you want to ask me? Quasimodo sighed. I think you know. "Aang its been a year. Where have you been all this time and why come back now?"

Aang looked at the floor. "Its complicated." What's that mean? "I don't want to talk about it ok!" Aang looked at his friend his anger dissipating when he saw the hurt expression on his friends face.

He didn't like yelling at his friends especially quasi. He had gotten enough of that from Frollo. I'm sorry I yelled at you. No its ok, its my fault I shouldn't have asked I'm sorry. I leave so you can get some sleep. Aang gave a tired nod as he drifted of to sleep.