Zuko blinked awake slowly, rubbing his face and looked up into the face of the other teen boy. The teen who was clothed in similar clothes to what the Avatar wore when Zuko had caught up to him in the past. Monk's robes in yellow and gold. The boy was sitting cross legged in front of him, hands sitting on his knees in a meditative pose.

The teen's eyes were grey and his hair was dark and messy, falling down to his shoulders. He was gazing down at Zuko with narrowed eyes that were not angry or disappointed or scared. Zuko took a deep breath and sat up to a faint scent of a soft summer breeze, with a tiny hint of the kind of breeze that brought a storm with it. And underneath it was definitely alpha but not… like Ozai. This teen was not imposing and not big, like Ozai was, not like Zhao or any of the other generals that served the Fire Lord, but Zuko still moved slowly, lowering his shoulders and curling inward unconsciously, not wanting to attract more attention than he already had.

"What happened?" Zuko exclaimed, clenching his fingers tightly and wrapping his arms around himself. Sparks of flame lingered on his fingertips and he took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly. He caught the other boy's look as they both watched the flames extinguish themselves but there was no comment otherwise.

"You fainted."

"Yes, I know that. What did you do to me? Who are you?"

"My name's Haran but you can call me Harry. And I did nothing to you except carry you back here. Your uncle filled me in on your identities. I don't plan on giving your presence away to the Earth Kingdom authorities or to my friends. Don't worry."

Zuko stared up at Harry, his eyes narrowing and his heart thumping loudly in his chest. Sweat formed on his forehead and he swallowed. "Why do you smell of a breeze?"

"I'm an airbender."

"Prove it."

Harry blinked, narrowed his eyes and studied him for a moment. Zuko stared back, glaring at the other teenager, wondering what Harry was seeing on his face and hoping it wasn't weakness. Ozai had always despised weakness and Zuko had always learned to hide. When he had presented as omega, his father had not even looked him in the eyes since. Being omega was weakness, he had said. Especially for one of the royal family.

The clearing of a throat drew him out of his thoughts and he shivered at the look Harry gave him, his grey eyes narrowed with what almost looked like concern. Zuko scowled and crossed his arms.

"You're not really an airbender. Get out."

Harry frowned then extended his arms outward and down. Air circled around their corner of the room and Zuko's breath caught as he watched as Harry floated upward a little, hovered for a second and then floated back down.

"There are other airbenders in the world? I thought my grandfather wiped the Air nomads out."

"Yes, your grandfather committed genocide. The Air Nomads were massacred all because the Avatar was going to reincarnate to their nation next. That's true. I was born 17 years ago to a family of refugees that were living in an Air nomad temple."

"Genocide? The Air nomads had an army. They initiated the battle and fought back."

Harry stared at him, blinked once, twice, his eyes narrowing in thought. "You really believe that?"

"I know it. Now get out of here. I don't want your pity."

"Zuko, it's not pity."

Zuko stared at the other teen and swallowed. "You caught me when I fainted. That's all. Thank you."

Harry looked at him as if he was searching for something but Zuko couldn't tell what or if he found it. The boy across from him stood up and shook out his robes, breathing steadily. "I don't know your history with Aang and the others and I don't know if you've ever been to an Air nomad temple now but there is absolutely no evidence of them having an army. I grew up in one of their temples and their bones and bodies were just left where they died. Their… entire culture was destroyed in a week. Appa is the last sky bison.

How would you feel if someone more powerful than the fire nation attacked and utterly destroyed you and your culture? How would you feel to be the last fire bender? The last one that knew of your traditions and art and lives?"

The stick that Harry gripped in his left hand appeared to glow faintly, a dim white light that encompassed the form of the walking stick. Zuko figured the walking stick to be like Aang's glider, hiding cloth wings.

Zuko stared up at him and watched as Harry turned around and walked towards one of the windows. They were on the second floor of his uncle's new tea shop but surely Harry wasn't planning on…

"You remind me of someone from a long time ago," Harry finally remarked quietly. "He was raised to believe certain things, like you. Certain things that were entirely untrue. At least you have your uncle. Draco had no one in his corner. It's one of the things I regret now. We were both young and stupid. Be careful, Prince Zuko."

Harry turned to face the window, nudged the glass open and then leapt out of the window. Zuko's eyes widened and he hurriedly stood up, swaying a little bit as he ran over to look.

The airbender fell with the air and then pulled up at the last minute, a blinding smile on his face as he shook out his glider and flew.

"Uncle?"

"Hmm?" Iroh turned around as he was cleaning up the tea shop, the night sky outside bright with stars.

Zuko let out a noise of consideration and then frowned. "I heard something from someone. Did the Air Nomads have an army when Sozin attacked them?"

Iroh raised an eyebrow and then shook his head, a little hint of a smile on his face. "No. They did not, nephew. Where did you hear that?"

"It's what we were taught in school," Zuko offered, shrugging. "Then… I heard differently from… someone."

Iroh sighed. "Of course they teach you that. That is what your father and grandfather and great grandfather want everyone to think. Do you remember when you and I visited all the temples, at the beginning of your exile?"

"Yeah, I wanted to see if there was any sign of the Avatar. We found nothing but bodies."

"What kind of bodies?" Iroh questioned, his eyes pained at the words but forging on nonetheless.

Zuko turned and glanced out through the window of the shop, seeing the wealthy Inner circle of Ba Sing Se around them. "Children. Women. Elderly people. The bodies of their army would have been on the frontlines though. The Air Nomads attacked first after all."

Iroh slowly shook his head. "They did not attack first. "

"What do you mean? They ambushed our army and attacked," Zuko argued, looking back at his uncle after a few minutes.

Iroh let out a noise and sighed. "Zuko, what you were taught was wrong. Sozin wanted to kill the new Avatar after Roku died and so attacked the Air Nomads, killing every single person in each temple. The Avatar was the only one to escape. Aang was the only one to escape and up until now was thought to be the only airbender left."

Zuko scowled and walked over to the door that led down to the tea shop, leaving in a huff. Iroh watched him go and then took a deep breath, pondering Zuko's words. His nephew was so tied up under Ozai's influence that he might never… He knew that presenting as omega would have worsened Ozai's anger and both Azula and Zuko thought that alphas were better. Under Ozai, the Fire Nation had seen more omegas bound into marriages within a year of presenting.

It wouldn't have been seen proper to do anything else. Under Ozai, same sex marriages and relationships were illegal. Schools were taught that the Fire Lord was perfect, that there was nothing wrong with world domination or genocide. Nothing wrong with forcing omegas into marriages to control them. And nothing wrong with considering omegas inferior, walking wombs regardless of gender.

Iroh shuddered and for once, he was glad that Zuko had gotten banished, despite the circumstances. Zuko probably would have been married off to one of the Fire Nation generals, perhaps Zhao, and he flinched at the thought.

He had seen the look on Haran's… or Harry's face when he had touched Zuko to pick the teen up. And Harry had obviously told Zuko something to make him ask Iroh about the Air Nomads. Hopefully, it would be enough to nudge his nephew into considering new ideas, ideas outside of what the Fire Lord thought 'right'.

He knew that the Air Nomads had always practiced freedom, freedom to love whoever, be whoever. The peoples of the Water Tribes did the same except in Iroh's experiences, they kept their relationships to themselves. The Earth Kingdom itself… Iroh knew more about their opinions on same sex relationships than the other nations, courtesy of laying siege to it years ago.

The Earth Kingdom was rigid, unbending like the material they bent. They considered same sex relationships foreign and at least had trouble accepting them.

"Uncle, there are men from the palace here!"

Iroh raised an eyebrow and then walked out of their kitchen and down the stairs to their shop, seeing Zuko talking with two men and holding a scroll.

"What is it?"

"The Earth King wants to taste your tea," Zuko remarked, brushing some of his hair out of his face.

Iroh's eyes widened and he slowly grinned. "That's wonderful! The Earth King likes my tea!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow but nodded otherwise. "We'll go."

The two secretaries dipped their heads in a nod. "Alright. He expects you tomorrow morning at 10."

"Katara! What's wrong?"

"Prince Zuko and his uncle are here! In the city! We've got to let the Earth King know!" Katara exclaimed, as Momo sat on her shoulder and chittered anxiously. "Come on!"

Harry's eyes widened only a little bit, as he stood up in the center of their living room. The late afternoon sun shined through the windows and its warmth invaded the room as the door opened at Katara's arrival. "I know."

Katara stopped just as she was about to tug him out the door. "What?"

"I know they're here. Iroh owns the Jasmine Dragon," Harry offered, shrugging and watching as Momo took flight. The little winged lemur flew up from Katara's shoulder and landed on his, making him smile. He reached out a finger and Momo tilted his head over to sniff him.

"You knew and you didn't tell us?"

"I only found out a few days ago," Harry replied, seeing Katara's eyes narrow. "They're not causing trouble."

"That we know of," Katara said, grimacing. "We have to warn the Earth King regardless. Princess Azula could be on her way. Besides, Suki's here too. She'll help. Zuko could be planning on taking the city from the inside out."

"Have you seen Zuko visit the palace? I think they're refugees," Harry argued. "They're running too."

Katara scowled. "Zuko might be running but he still wants to capture Aang and I won't let that happen."

"I won't let it happen either. I'm not on the Fire Lord's side here, just so you know."

"I know that. Aang trusts you easily enough though."

"I'd be suspicious of me too. A teenager walking into your group and telling you guys Aang is not the last airbender. I get it. Could we just keep an eye on them? Tell the Earth King, definitely, but don't do anything regardless."

Katara sighed as she stared at him before nodding. "I'm sorry. I'm just… worried."

Harry nodded. "From the way you talk about Azula and the other two girls… I'd be worried too. They… don't particularly sound fun to deal with."

Katara snorted. "That's an understatement. Let's go see the king."

Harry smiled and let Katara lead the way, as they ran from their borrowed apartment over to the palace.

"Suki! Thank goodness you're here! Something terrible is going on! The Fire Nation is here and infiltrated the city! We just saw Prince Zuko and his uncle!"

Harry looked over at the three young women and the Earth king throne behind them. Suki and the two Kyoshi warriors behind her were painted and dressed in the garb of Avatar Kyoshi, with fans at their belts.

"We have to tell the Earth king right away," Katara finished, as they stopped a few feet away from the Kyoshi warriors.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll be sure to let him know," Suki remarked in a low voice.

Suki stood up and came into the light and Katara stiffened. Momo screeched loudly and took flight from Katara's shoulder.

"Katara? What's…"

"Azula! Move!"

Harry froze and saw Katara reach for her canteen of water at her waist. He wove his hands around and bent the air around them, seeing the other two young women stand up. One of them had knives at her belt while the other… cartwheeled and leapt forward. He blinked and backed up, hearing and feeling Katara bending water before-

Ty Lee leapt and wheeled, punching out with her fingers and pinched Katara's neck before turning towards him. Harry quickly wheeled about and bent air around him, circling it in a funnel and blasting it at the three women. His glider slash wand was still back in their borrowed apartment so he couldn't use it. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Katara fall, her water falling to the ground, useless.

"What is this? Who are you?"

Azula bent blue fire towards him even as Mai threw a knife at him. He bent air right at the knife, sending it veering away to land in one of the stone pillars. He stood in front of Katara as the three women surrounded them, shooing Momo away, and bending air right at Ty Lee, hoping to keep her away from him and Katara.

Harry bent and moved quickly, bending a whirlwind of air around the two of them as a shield. The hum and vibrations of the air tunnel lit up in his mind and ears, as if it was music that only he could hear. He felt the trembling of the air currents around him on the tops of his hair, felt it touch the air on his arms as it stood upright.

Ty Lee was blown backward and the knives that Mai sent after him were blown back. The flames that Azula sent his way were sucked into the air tunnel and fanned into even bigger flames as it greedily ate his air. Harry sucked in a sharp breath, breaking out in coughs, and then stopped bending, seeing fire invade his sight and almost touch Katara.

The pinch to his shoulders and neck almost came as a surprise but not quite. Blackness ate his vision and he passed out, as Azula stalked forward, not one hair out of place.

"Another airbender? I can't wait until father hears about this," Azula remarked, smirking in glee. "The Avatar would have to surrender to us to rescue him."

Harry woke up to a gleaming cavern, surrounded by rocks and glowing green crystals. He rubbed his eyes open and glanced around, hoping… "Katara!"

He shuffled over and patted her shoulder, feeling her pulse. "Katara! Wake up!"

Katara opened drowsy eyes as she peered up at him. "What? What happened?"

"Azula, Mai and Ty Lee happened. They've… taken control," Harry said, grimacing as he remembered Azula's last words. "Aang wouldn't give himself up to rescue me, would he?"

Katara flinched as she sat up and Harry withdrew his hands. "He would. You're an air bender. Where are we?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, looking cautiously around them. "Underground definitely. Hopefully somewhere still in the city."

Katara scowled and slowly stood up, beginning to pace around the small prison cell.

"I wonder if this was originally a prison cell," Harry said, raising an eyebrow. "It's pretty."

Katara's lips twitched up into a small, pained smile. "It is. I can feel water close by but not… I can't bend from this far away, especially with water I can't see. And you don't have your glider. You can't fly us up there."

Harry looked up to where Katara was pointing, up to what looked like a vent of some sort. "It's probably locked too and I'm not an earthbender or a metal bender. Well…"

"Now we wait," Katara remarked, pushing her hair out of her face. Some strands of it had come loose in the fight and presumably they had been dragged down here. Harry had scrapes and tears in his outfit, some bloody bruises showing through gaps in material. His clothing was also slightly singed, courtesy of Azula.

"Now we wait," Harry agreed, sitting back down and placing his palms down on his knees. "I don't know if going into the spirit world would help but I could try."

Katara's eyes widened and then shook her head. "Aang would have to be in the spirit world at the same time. I think. You can go into the spirit world?"

"I think all air benders could," Harry remarked, watching her pace. "Isn't just the Avatar."

Katara nodded, her hands reaching down to her belt. "I still have the spirit water from the north pole. At least there's that."

"Spirit water?"

"It's water from the spirit oasis at the Northern pole," Katara explained, tracing some of the green crystals as she passed them. "The oasis was where the Moon spirit lived."

"You guys are going to have to tell me about the Northern pole sometime," Harry remarked, smiling a little. "It sounds beautiful."

Katara smiled wistfully as she finally came over to sit down across from him. "We have the time now."

"Sounds like a plan."

The rumbling of the vent above them drew both of their gazes upward as they stood up. It had been at the least, 12 hours since they had been captured, but Harry wasn't sure if it was any longer. Harry wove the air around him up, like a spear, only for it to hit a rock platform. The Dai Li gazed down at them and then shoved a body through the opening.

Harry backed up, his arms at his sides, and stood next to Katara, peering at the new arrival with some apprehension. That smell… "Zuko."

Katara blinked, met his eyes, and then swallowed as they both watched Zuko shakily stand up. Zuko's eyes widened and he backed up, watching the both of them intently.

"You!" Zuko shouted, pointing at Katara. He didn't in any way acknowledge Harry, just kept his eyes on Katara, as if acknowledging Harry would be acknowledging the fact that Zuko passed out in front of him, that they had… connected in the tea shop.

Katara scowled and didn't say anything. Harry stared at Zuko and then looked to Katara, looking between the two of them and then sighed.