Hi guys! Sorry it took so long . Things here are still rough but i'm always thinking positive each day! So enjoy this chapter! I'll try to post one soon!

Chapter 17

'Aang…guys..please be okay..'Liling thought standing at the front of the ship, her eyes at the storm clouds.

Bitter memories flashed by her mind seeing the nasty storm clouds, she tighten her fist and a crestfallen look on her face turning away.

"It was a day like this that I last saw them…."She whispered softly.

"That was a long trip…"Lee said exhaustedly

"I still can't get used to riding that flying byson.."Ai said

LIling couldn't help but giggle as she quickly covered her mouth as a few soft chuckles escaped her lips.

"I'll go find Aang! I bet he'll be surprised to see me!"Liling said excitedly

"We'll go and talk to one of the monks, if we can have a place to stay for the next few days." Lee said

Liling nodded. "Okay. I'll be back with Aang in a little bit."

"Please try to stay out of trouble." Her mother said

"I'll try…it's just trouble seems to find me."She replied

"And it's true."Her father agreed

"Gee, I wonder who she gets it from?" Ai chuckled lightly staring at her husband who was waving at his daughter.

Liling ran smiling anxiously to give Aang a surprise but stopped seeing him with a look of sorrow on his face.

"Aang, what's wrong?" Liling asked softly.

"The monks...they told me that I'm the Avatar…"He said in disbelief

"The Avatar?! Really?!"Liling said completely flabbergasted.

More memories flew by.

'Mom, I can't just leave Aang like this!' Liling replied

'Liling, I know you want to help Aang, he's going through a tough time but-'

'But?! But what! He's miserable! He needs my help! He needs my support! The other kids don't want to play with him!' Liling replied angrily crossing her arms over her chest. 'He's going through the same thing as me when I learned about my bending…I don't want to leave him.'

'I know you want to help him my little jasmine flower…but things like this takes a little time for people to get used to it, he is the Avatar so he'll need a good friend like you to help him.' Her father replied.

"Liling!" Iroh said Liling jumped up snapping out of her thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"I..i was just thinking." Liling said quietly. "Storms like this are always…painful to see."

Lilling turned and walked away from Iroh. The retired general let out a sigh, first his nephew giving attitude from earlier and now Liling being a bit distance. He didn't know what to do now.

More painful memories flash by Liling's head. "Mom…dad…" She whispered softly.

"I'm sick of taking his orders! I'm tired of chasing his Avatar! He doesn't respect us or anyone on this ship! Heck even that Liling girl knows how to give respect to us! And she's our prisoner!" Lieutenant Jee ranted angrily as he and a couple of the other crewmen had a drink around a small barrel-fire in the boiler room of the ship, "I mean, who does Zuko think he is?!"

"Do you really want to know?"

The men stood and Jee looked at the stairs that lead down into the boiler room.

"General Iroh. We were just-" Jee started but Iroh cut him off with a raised hand as he stepped into the light of the fire.

"It's okay." Iroh stated quietly then gestured to the barrel-fire, "May we join you?"

"We?"

Liling let out an awkward cough holding a tray of pastries for the crew. "Um…I thought of bringing you guys something sweet since you worked a lot today."

"Thank you, Please take a seat Liling."Iroh said The young girl quickly passed the tray to the crew and took a seat to the barrels.

After what had happened earlier Liling was curious about Zuko, to why was he acting like the king of the jerks. Plus it would help her keep her mind out of the storm.

Iroh then stroked his beard as he thought about where to start.

"Try to understand. My nephew is a complicated young man." Iroh finally spoke after a moment of contemplation."He has been through much…"

'A younger Zuko walked through the halls of the Fire Nation Palace towards his father's war room only to be stopped by the guards at the currents.

"Let me in!" Zuko demanded just as Iroh stepped forward and touched his shoulders.

"Prince Zuko, what's wrong?"

"I want to go into the war chamber but the guard won't let me pass!" Zuko explained, trying to keep the whine out of his voice.

"You're not missing anything, trust me." Iroh joked as he lead his young nephew away from the curtain, "Those meeting are dreadfully boring."

"If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko reasoned carefully, smiling slightly up at his uncle.

Iroh pursed his lips slightly then nodded in consent, "Very well, but you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know?"

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko said excitedly as he bowed and Iroh lead him into the war chamber.

'"The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here." General Bujing stated as he pointed to a place on the large map, "A dangerous battalion of their strongest Earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the forty-first division."

"But the forty-first division is entirely new recruits." An older general stated, gesturing with his hand in a confused manner, "How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?"

"I don't." General Bujing stated smugly as he looked towards where the Fire Lord was sitting behind a wall of flames, "They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?"

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" Zuko shouted in protest as he jumped to his feet, oblivious to the stricken look on his uncle's face, "Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?"

All the men in the war room stared up at the young prince in shock and in Iroh's case it was dismay…'

Liling stared up at Iroh with wide eyes and her jaw was slightly open, shock that Zuko would do such a thing in defense of a bunch of soldiers he didn't even know.

"Zuko…actually spoke up about it?"Liling repeated in disbelief. Iroh nodded in confirmation.

"Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out." Iroh stated gravely as he stroked his beard again, looking off to the side, "And there were dire consequences…"

"Consequences? But why! All he did was speak the truth!"Liling spoke up.

"Even if he was, it gave him more trouble."Iroh said "After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him." Iroh looked at the flames dancing around in the barrel in front of him, "He said the challenge against the general was an act of complete disrespect! And there was only one way to resolve this."

"Agni Kai." Jee muttered.

"What! But…that's just not fair! How could they do that!"Liling spoke up angrily. She remembered the few times that her father explained about the fire duel. Even with someone like Zuko's level he could be outmatched by someone else with years of experienced, Liling clenched her hands on her fabric of her dress her knuckles turned white afraid of what Iroh will say next.

"That's right." Iroh nodded in agreement, "Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general."

Iroh paused and closed his eyes before starting to speak again, "Zuko had spoken out against the general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

Liling lightly gasped one hand covering her mouth in shock. Father against son…that must've been so hard for the both of them.

"When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy." Iroh continued speaking as Liling looked up at him along with the rest of the men.

'"Please, Father!" Zuko begged, "I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"

The Fire Lord stalked towards his son slowly.

"You will fight for your honor." He growled and Zuko got on his hands and knees with his head bowed.

"I meant you no disrespect." Zuko said, pleading for his father to understand, "I am your loyal son!"

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!" the Fire Lord ordered, now looming over his son's kneeling form.

"I won't fight you."

"You will learn respect," The Fire Lord's voice rumbled through the arena, "And suffering will be your teacher!"

Zuko looked up at his father, tears streaming down his face as his father pulled his fist back….'

"I looked away." Iroh stated, his eyes closed as he looked away the same way he had in his memory, the sound of his nephew's pained scream ringing in his ears.

Liling blinked her eyes a few times trying to hold back her tears, her eyes were now glossy. 'His own father did that to him…'She thought

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." Lieutenant Jee stated quietly, looking at Iroh in shock.

"It was no accident." Iroh practically growled then his voice became calm again as he opened his eyes and looked at the men including the female, "After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

"So that's why he's so obsessed." Jee muttered in understanding, "Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

"If he does capture my friend I have a feeling that things will never go back to normal, especially with what had happened."Liling murmured quietly as she looked into the flames, her tone sorrowful.

"You are right, Liling." Iroh agreed, taking a sip of the tea that had been brought to him, "But the important thing is the Avatar gives Zuko hope."

'He gives everyone hope…I hope that you're okay Aang..'Liling thought looking into the flames in the barrel.

Zuko breathed carefully as he meditated in his room, his mind wandering to when he was younger and happier, to the time in his life before he had been scarred and banished by his father. His meditation was broken when his ship rocked violently after being stuck.

"Where were we hit?!" Zuko cried out.

"I don't know!" Jee yelled as he slid and slipped beside him on the rocking surface.

Zuko opened his mouth to bark an order only to stop short as a loud piercing shriek rent the air.

"LOOK!" he pointed up to the command tower.

The balcony was now a smoking wreckage of steel.

"The Helmsman!" Zuko yelled as he and Jee rushed to the emergency ladder built in on the side of the tower.

As the prince climbed up higher, he realised that there was not just one person dangling off the balcony but two , he realized it was Liling, she had manage to rush out here to try to help one of his men. Liling reached for him from the half destroyed balcony.

"Hold on, I almost got you!" Liling yelled as she made to grasp onto the old helmsman's hand, whilst at the same time doing her best to maintain a strong grip on the only intact piece of balcony.

It was a very hard slog. What with the way the wind was blowing a rather strong gust at them and the way the waves towered and splashed over the entire ship, both hers and the man's hands were soaked and slippery.

"AH!" they both squeaked as Liling's grip on the railing slid.

"Don'let go! I got you!"Liling yelled out trying to pull up but was slowly failing, she continued having a firm grip.

"You can't hold us both!" he said slowly slipping from her grip.

"I got you!" a voice grunted.

"Zuko?" she gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she watched the prince make to carefully lower the still terrified man down to a very impressed very relieved Jee who was reaching out to grab him lower down the ladder.

However as both prince and lieutenant made to nod respectfully towards one another, a bolt of lightning struck close to the boat's port side. With a loud groan the boat rocked violently and the entire ruined balcony creaked again.

Zuko snapped his attention quickly to Liling as with a squeak she slid just a little bit further down the strip of metal pipe she was clinging to.

"Grab my hand!" Zuko yelled out reaching out with one arm towards her as she swung slightly in his direction.

"I don't think I can reach!" she squeaked

"Just try!" Zuko roared over the top of the howling wind, his panic growing as he climbed higher up and saw to his horror the railing she was hanging from begin to strain

"I'll fall!"

"No! I won't let you fall!" Zuko yelled over her.

He stuck out his hand so that it reached out as far as it could go before her. Liling stared at it for a moment and then glanced to his face. He kept reaching as far as it could go towards her.

Liling blinked. The amber eyes that were fixed on her were glaring fiercely. No. It was a glare of determination, Strength …the one that said that no matter what she did or said, he would never stop trying.

She nodded and reached up as far as she could but could only touch his fingertips.

"Keep it up, just a little more." Zuko muttered as her fingertips grazed his palm which quickly turned over.

She reached out and Zuko's outstretched hand…just as the railing gave way. Zuko pulled Liling towards him.

All his attention was focused on the girl in front of him.

"Are you ok?" he murmured softly, gripping her hand that was still in his. "Are you hurt?"

"I..I'm fine."She whispered then darkness took over.

"Hey!"Zuko said loudly quickly grabbing Liling before she hit the ground, he realized that she fainted from all of the commotion. "Hey! Wake up!" He picked her up bridal style, he looked up and saw a familiar bison.

"The Avatar!" Zuko cried out as the bison and its owners soared over head.

"What do you want us to do sir?" Lieutenant Jee asked dutifully.

Zuko was about to open his mouth, only to pause glancing at the girl in his arms and at the condition of the ship.

"Let them go." The prince said, not taking his eyes off the sleeping girl "We need to get this ship to safety"

"Then we must go directly into the eye of the storm" Iroh smirked as he came swaying towards them, whilst at the same time trying to settle his hair and beard which was oddly sticking up in spite of the rain.

Zuko quickly turned his head away, doing his best to avoid the small smile of his uncle as he said.

"Uncle…I'm sorry"

"You're apology is accepted" Lord Iroh's smile widened as he put a consoling hand on his nephew's shoulder.

Not that it did much to ease his tension…not when he still felt guilty…not when the avatar and his friends all burst out of the water one minute later and soared up into the skies and above the clouds.

Zuko carefully carried Liling, she was curled up in his arms.

"Hmm….so warm.."Liling mumbled snuggling closer.

Zuko froze for a minute, his eyes glanced at the girl in his arms. Iroh had a rather amused look on his face, now this was very interesting usually his nephew would never do something like this, it just shows that the young woman did have an affect on him.

"Why don't you take her to her room and let her sleep? I'm sure that she passed out from exhaustion, in the morning she'll be good as new."Iroh said

He quickly manage to put her in her room, carefully placing her on her bed. He slowly closed the door so that the noise won't wake her up, he wondered why he didn't just wake her up? And why did it feel oddly good carrying her in his arms? Gah!

"What's wrong with me?!"He said walking through the metal hallway.

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