Author's Note: Hey y'all! This chapter is a little longer so that we can get this story moving in the right direction. I hope everyone had a magnificent week and is working on having a peaceful and happy weekend. Ang has now recruited two into his secret mission. He still hasn't told his girlfriend about his new body life yet and things will definitely change in the chapter. Let me know as always what you think and if you like what you read, follow, fav and comment. You'll probably see why I chose this particular chapter title soon. Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: Do you know how hard it is to return from the dead?-Ang Han Gyatso

Chapter 3: Resurrection Insurrection

Zuko smiled cordially at the young lady sitting in his station.

"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon, I'm Zuko, may I take your order?" he asked in a perfunctory almost bored way. The teen giggled with her companions at the table. She blushed as she looked up at the mysterious hero of Ba Sing Se.

Many had heard of Zuko's brave mission to stop his father and save his sister from death which catapulted him from angry and awkward rich kid to sexy local hero. Girls would crowd the evening tables in his station just for the chance to hear his rich deep timbre and smoky voice. It vexed him to no end.

The girl looked at her companions with wild wide eyes and stammered,

"Umm, I-I'm not sure. What do you recommend, Z-Zuko?" the girl said with a squeaky voice covering her mouth to hold back her fit of giggles. The other girls followed suit and Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes deep to the back of his head. He sighed softly lowering his head so that he didn't yell at uncle's customers and create unnecessary problems.

Just before he opened his mouth to go down the list of specials, a firm voice called behind him.

"Ladies, the specials are clearly listed on the menu and the display on your table. Zuko has several other tables to work tonight and a girlfriend. Figure out what you want and move on."

The voice dropped to a menacing tone at the end and Zuko's eyes widened as he pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. Katara didn't have any qualms about offending the teen girl masses that crowded around her boyfriend's stations and she would be damned before she let them gawk and cackle like little hens over him.

Zuko knew he would probably lose some of his tips tonight over this, but was grateful that the girls at the table quickly cleared their throats and ordered their tea with no further issues.

Iroh chuckled at the familiar scene as he wiped down the front counter remembering how his wife Illah was the same way. She was good at what she did in the teahouse but was no-nonsense when it came to the flirtatious advances of the women at her husband's stations.

Suki watched the events unfold in amazement and shook her head kissing Zuko's tips goodbye. Maybe it wasn't all that great an idea for Iroh to hire both Zuko and Katara to work the evening shift at least not at the same time. Suki was happy to be working with her best friends, but Zuko wasn't going to make any extra money at this rate.

She wondered to herself briefly if she and her boyfriend would have the same issues as Zuko and Katara if they worked together but quickly decided against the thought because she would have had the opposite problem.

The flirting with the guys at her tables was her bread and butter. Be it far from her to have her guy devolve into fistfights over an occasional compliment or wink. Yeah, mixing business and relationships is never a good thing in her book, but she still wished her favorite couple luck.

Suki's thoughts shifted to her cousin and the guy Koko encountered this morning. Suki didn't recognize him, but she was sure if she asked Katara or Sokka they would know who he was and perhaps they could work a little water tribe magic for her cousin's sake. The guy looked to be in high school too and he was clearly interested in what he saw. Koko deserved some happiness after such a hard and depressing year.

Koko sighed deeply after waking up from her unintentional nap. This was the first time in a while that she truly had a chance to relax. Dead Ang seemed much more restless than living Ang and on more than one occasion she couldn't sleep because of his constant movement around the room.

She wondered if ghosts didn't relax or sleep because of their "unrest" at death. It made her a little sad knowing that Ang was trying to right a wrong in death that he couldn't in life, but she was still glad for the little respite she got today.

Koko sat before the fireplace in her living room when she returned home and before she could make any decision about what she wanted to do with her time she fell asleep in the deep-cushioned wingback chair.

Somewhere between the beginning and the end of her nap her mother had covered her with a warm throw and propped her feet up on the matching ottoman. Koko smiled. Her mom was shocked to see Koko home so early, but she explained that Iroh was giving her the day off since she worked so hard and hadn't had a break in a while.

Eri Mori was grateful for Iroh's attentiveness and that Koko was going to relax for a change. She wanted to tell Koko more than once that she was working too hard but didn't want to upset or offend her knowing why she was working in the first place. Perhaps she just needed to relax and trust her daughter a little more.

Mrs. Mori gave a tender smile as she watched her daughter sleep and decided she would make Koko and Ao's favorite cutlets for dinner tonight.

As Koko stretched groaning luxuriously in the chair she smelled the savory aroma of her mother's cutlets wafting in from the kitchen. Her stomach growled from the stimuli and she hoped her father would be home soon. Cutlets were her favorite.

Koko placed the blanket aside and put on her house shoes. She padded into the kitchen to the sight of her mother battering and frying the last of the round tender cuts of ham that she adored. Her mother was a master at making these, but they always took time and effort, so Koko didn't ask for them often.

"Mom, these smell so good! I love cutlets…" She cried with a moan of appreciation in the doorway. Eri Mori looked up in surprise.

"Oh, thank you, dear! I thought you and your father would enjoy them. How was your nap? You were sleeping so soundly I didn't want to disturb you. It looks like you really needed it." She said. Koko nodded in agreement bobbing her head slightly.

"Hmmn, My nap was great. I don't even remember when I fell asleep. The fire was so inviting, and I was only going to sit down for a moment but the next thing I knew I was waking up covered and comfortable. Thanks for the blanket." Koko replied. Eri Mori smiled and gave a little hum as she dipped the last of the ham in the batter and breaded it with Panko.

Ao Mori had just arrived at the moment Eri and Koko finished setting the table. From the excited sounds emanating from the living room, someone else appreciated that his favorite meal had been prepared that night. As he walked into the dining room after washing his hands in the kitchen, Ao smiled with delight at the sight of his family all home for dinner.

"Koko! You're home early today. Everything alright?" He asked with surprise and a little concern. Koko smiled to assure him she was fine.

"Everything's good Dad. Mr. Iroh gave me a much-needed break today. He said I had been working too hard and I deserved it. I'm glad I took it." She said. Eri laughed her voice tinkling like glass.

"Yes, she barely made it to the living room before she was out like a light. I'm just glad we all get to have dinner together this evening." Ao and Koko agreed and began filling their plates with the cutlets, potatoes, and vegetables. Ao gave the blessing and the family ate in comfortable silence because of the delicious meal.

Ang watched from the kitchen as the family took the time to have dinner together. It had been months since Koko sat down with her parents and had a full meal. Ang had encouraged her to get a job to keep herself busy during the times she wasn't in school and to help with getting her back into a normal routine.

He felt a twinge of guilt at the thought that maybe he had been pushing her too hard after overhearing about her day off and nap in the living room. Ang never intended for her to work herself ragged. He would talk with her tonight about it.

Arendi Otuk didn't exist anymore. At least according to the doctors who worked on him. His parents and relatives gathered around the body that still clung to the vestiges of life that were nothing more than an illusion.

The Arendi they knew and loved despite his ways wasn't there anymore. His brain showed no signs of life or activity. He was nothing more than a body with a beating heart that still functioned and kept his organs alive, but the son they had was gone. Even if by some miracle he revived, his brain was damaged, and he would not be the same.

Doctors told them sadly of his injuries and how it was pure luck that he didn't fall off the abandoned portion of the wall completely but that they would eventually have to decide when they would say goodbye and turn off the machine that kept his body still connected to this world.

Agita Otuk wouldn't allow herself to believe her grandson was done with this world. No matter what they told her and his parents there was always hope that as long as his lungs drew breath and his heart beat he would come back to them. She encouraged his parents to wait a little longer.

Knowing how "Maw" Gita was so close to her grandson and how much it would hurt her to bury their boy, Nvalut and Onip Otuk agreed to wait. They would make their preparations quietly and contact Chief Bato and Councilman Hakoda about the inevitable. The doctors told the family that in two weeks Arendi's body would begin to decline and they would have to make a decision before then of what they would do.

Ao Mori was watching a disaster movie on television with his family after dinner. It was one of their "things" they would do when Ang was alive, and it brought them all together as they would complain about the unrealistic scenarios and the way storms or earthquakes seemed to have a psychotic personification.

Koko snuggled up under her dad's arm as Eri Mori leaned on the other. It was like old times and felt like a little bit of the normal they used to have. Just as the movie went to commercial a news break flashed on the screen. The reporter sitting erect and serious began.

"Another Water Tribe teen clings to life after a freak accident on the illegal obstacle course at the abandoned east city wall. Police are saying that there was no foul play involved but are calling on officials to find a way to stop the teens from participating in the dangerous game called the Gamut. There will be more on this story tonight at eleven…" Eri clapped her hand over her mouth as she whispered,

"Oh no…" Ao Mori shook his head at another teen who is probably on life support and won't live much longer from getting injured on the Gamut. He had heard of testosterone-driven boys on the cusp of manhood going on the wall to do dangerous stunts for money.

On more than one occasion Ao tried to encourage some to give up the Gamut and get a job instead but the boys would jeer and ignore him bragging how they'd make more in their race than he would in a week and would plow on some to their deaths and others to permanent injuries they couldn't recover from.

It was heartbreaking to hear stories from some of his customers who have had to bury their children or give them constant care as they could no longer care for themselves. Koko took a deep breath her as mind instantly drifted to the image of the young man she bumped into on the road. She hoped and prayed he wasn't the one they talked about tonight though she didn't want anyone getting injured on that crazy obstacle course.

"Dad, why won't the city put a stop to these crazy games? Kids keep dying and it seems no one will do anything about it." Koko asked with tears in her eyes. Ao looked at his daughter sadly. He didn't want her to think about death and sink into depression, but he saw that she was being open with him.

"Little Chicken, I don't know why this has been allowed to go on so long. It seems they don't make as big a fuss about it because most of the teens who participate are from the Water Tribe, and many of them are in the local gangs too. That doesn't make it right, but it also seems there aren't enough people with the pull to make it stop. I know Councilman Kuvira has brought it up many times, but they need more people to care and have a vested interest in the future of those boys." He explained gently. Koko nodded.

She smiled inwardly from how her father referred to her by the pet name he gave her because her name means chicken in one of the other Earth dialects. Koko was also glad he answered honestly because now she could bring it up with Ang tonight whenever he showed up and he can do some investigation on these dangerous games. Maybe that's also why he's still here, Koko thought to herself.

Koko hugged her father and mother tightly thanking them for a good night. She decided to turn in early since she would have to be up bright and early for work the next morning. Her parents watched her carefully noting she was still sad. Eri promised herself she would check on Koko in the night and talk with her in the morning before she left. She prayed her daughter was just sad but still OK.

Zuko lay in his bed that night worn out but happy for the end of his shift. It never ceased to amaze him how Katara would end up with over three times the tips he would get but then again He didn't go over and glare at her customers whenever they flirted with her. Zuko knew it was a double standard but honestly, it didn't matter to him since the teahouse technically belonged to him and his sister anyway.

Poppy Bei Fong was amazing. Not only did she adopt the Azulon siblings after they suddenly found themselves orphans and penniless, but she made sure she set them up to earn money for themselves for life.

Poppy even took care of Uncle even though he didn't own the Jasmine Dragon anymore. She arranged for Iroh to have a generous salary, pension package, and shares in the company when he retired, and he happily accepted managing the shop until either Zuko or Azula could take over. It was still in the family as far as he was concerned.

Zuko was hovering between sleep and wakefulness when he saw a faint blue glow in the corner of his room. He assumed it was the moonlight coming through his curtains and closed his eyes to block out the illumination and take a well-earned rest. A faint voice called over him.

"Zuko, are you asleep?" He thought it may have been Azula coming to check in with him. So he mumbled,

"Azi, I'm good. I'm just trying to sleep. I'll talk to you in the morning…" he trailed slipping back into his semi-conscious state. The voice called again.

"Zuko, I'm not Azula, don't go to sleep yet. I have to talk to you." The voice said a little more loudly this time. Zuko figured Toph or Azula was trying to play a trick on him something they seemed to derive a sick pleasure from every once in a while on his account.

He opened his eyes and sat up to yell at his "sister" when he suddenly found himself face to face with the ephemeral image of the friend he watched die and whose hand he held when he took his last breath. Zuko whispered to himself.

"A-Ang? Fuck. Fuck. Ohhh, Fuuuuuuck! I'm losing it again. This is not real. It's not…I can't…I ca—" and before Ang could say anything to convince his friend that he wasn't hallucinating, Zuko passed out bouncing his head against his headboard before slumping to the side.

Ang grimaced at his failed attempt at contact. Maybe he should have eased Zuko into it? Not everyone's friends come back from the dead after all. He decided he'll reach out again the next day.

Koko had just finished clasping the last button to her pajama top when Ang spoke up.

"Going to bed early tonight, aren't you?" he asked curiously. Koko squeaked.

"Ang! Gods, you should not sneak up on me like that. Wait a minute…Were you watching me dress just now!?" she demanded. Ang chuckled.

"No, even though I'm dead I still have manners. I just got here from Zuko's." Koko raised both eyebrows. Ang shook his head and chuckled again.

"I tried to make contact with him but he passed out when he saw me. I need to talk to him about helping me investigate this Gamut stuff and to find the guy who killed me, but Zuko thinks he's losing his mind. I'm going to come to the Jasmine Dragon tomorrow. Will you help me convince him he's not crazy and that I'm real?" Ang asked putting on his once adorable puppy dog eyes.

Koko just stared at him with her mouth open.

"How did you know about the Gamut? What exactly do you do when you're not with me?" Koko asked suspiciously. Ang chuckled nervously.

"Nothing, Koko." Unless you count looking for people on the verge of death to possess and inhabit until my task is done and haunt girlfriends and best friends… Ang sighed and stretched as if he just put in a long shift and said,

"Yeah, you're probably pretty tired now so…I'm gonna let you sleep peacefully tonight. See you in the morning?" he asked tentatively. Koko stared again.

"Ang is everything alright? Would you tell me if it wasn't?" she pressed. "You're behaving strangely even for ghost you.." she added.

Ang pretended not to hear Koko, yawned again, and walked through the walls without answering leaving a bewildered girlfriend to stand in her room alone. What was she going to do? Kill him?

He floated to the street below and moved in the direction of the hospital so that he could check on his, I mean on the injured young man's body—I mean condition. He couldn't let the water tribe boy's body decline too much or he wouldn't be able to use it.

The next morning Zuko arrived at the Jasmine Dragon early. Too early. The kind of early that happens only when you didn't really sleep at all that night and needed to go ahead and start your day because the night was a total bust. He had to be imagining things! Did he really see Ang's ghost last night or was it a hallucination? It sounded like him and looked like him except for the weird blue glow.

Ang should have been escorted directly to Agni's throne or wherever the hell Airbenders were supposed to go when they die. Why would Ang still hang around here? Zuko shook the thoughts out of his head. There was no way Ang was still here in Ba Sing Se haunting his friends, right?

But then he remembered the day of Ang's memorial celebration when he felt the strong breeze that moved like intentional airbending and he thought he saw Ang standing next to Koko in the crowd. Zuko fought hard not to doubt his sanity since it wouldn't be the first time he had a breakdown, but he reminded himself that even that situation was not because of his weakness but because of circumstances beyond his control.

Zuko took a deep breath and held onto the counter where the register sat. He pressed until his knuckles turned white from the pressure.

"Hey, Zuko. What are you doing here so early? Your shift isn't until later on this morning." Koko said quietly. Zuko turned suddenly and nearly jumped out of his skin. He yelped as his foot caught on his jeans and he crumpled in a heap on the carpet.

"Koko! What in the actual hell are you doing here? You scared the bejeebus out of me!" he said nearly shouting. Koko laughed.

"You nut, this is when my shift starts. Who else is going to be here?" She noted how Zuko looked shell shocked as if trying to figure out the answer to that question himself. He was worried and she knew he needed an out, so she asked,

"Zuko, are you OK? You look like you just saw a ghost or something," She said placing her hand on his shoulder. Zuko stared. He wasn't sure if he really hadn't seen a ghost. Should he say something to Koko about it? He didn't want to worry her and open Pandora's box but he had to tell someone to make sure he really wasn't going crazy.

"Koko, w-what if I have…seen a ghost, I mean," Zuko said hesitantly as he stood up. He swallowed nervously trying to gauge her reaction. Koko took a deep breath and gave a shuddering sigh.

"So, you've seen him too. You saw Ang right?" she said nodding as if to reassure herself. Zuko placed his hand over his eyes and sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank the Gods…I seriously thought I was losing my mind," he whispered. Koko shook her head.

"No, I've seen him. I've talked to him too. He can't go to the spirit world yet because the man who killed him is still on the loose and apparently not changed for it. Ang has to find him and bring him to justice." She said quietly. Zuko listened in disbelief.

"The man who killed him wasn't caught?" He said more as a statement than a question. Koko shook her head again.

"Ang needs our help but I don't even know where to start. He wants to investigate the Gamut too because he thinks it may be connected with his death somehow, but it would probably be better if you spoke to him in person. Can you meet me at my house after work today?" she asked whispering. Zuko nodded quickly. This was a lot to take in but now that he knew he wasn't losing his mind he could handle the situation a little better.

"Yeah, uh. I gotta figure out what to tell Katara. She'd be suspicious." He said swallowing the lump in his throat. Katara is many things: beautiful, graceful, kind, powerful, talented, wise, loving, but she was not forgiving. Uh uh. That woman can hold a grudge for age and eternity. Koko shook her head.

"Nope, tell Katara the truth. Even if it sounds insane Zuko, just tell her and you'll be fine." Zuko looked up as if he was really considering her words and shook his head violently.

"Nah, I'll find something. See you later, Koko." He said before walking back out of the tea house. He might be feeling crazy, but he wasn't that crazy. Tell Katara the truth…Ha! That's funny. Zuko really was there too early and his need for sleep was catching up with him, now that he knew he wasn't going bonkers.

Suki gave Zuko an odd look as he passed by her in the doorway. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were rumpled as if he literally grabbed them from the floor and put them on. She looked at Koko with a burning question in her eyes.

"What was that about?" she asked. Koko shrugged and started her preps for the morning rush. "I have no idea, Suki. Zuko showed up way too early and was kind of out of sorts. So, I guess he's going back home until his shift." She said innocently. Suki was a master of subterfuge and general sneaker-y. She squinted at her younger cousin and looked back at the door.

Something was fishy. She did enough dishonest activity in her life to know when someone was not telling the truth and Koko Diane Mori was not telling the whole truth, but whatever, it wasn't her business…yet.

Katara was off that day so it was just Koko, Suki, and Zuko on the schedule. They didn't mind working the long hours since they were still on winter break. Suki found herself on more than one occasion sneaking a look over at her cousin and then at Zuko to see if there was anything between them.

Zuko looked much more refreshed when he came back to the teahouse. Perhaps it was like her cousin said. He was tired. That didn't stop Suki from making sure two of the people closest to her in life were not making a terrible mistake.

Katara popped in for some sweet treats to take back home for Gran Gran. After she rang up her order, Suki grabbed Katara's arm and dragged her back to the storeroom.

"Suki, for the love of Tui, what the hell!? Did you and Sokka break up again?" she nearly shouted. Suki clamped her hand over her mouth and shushed her.

"What? Stop. I'm sorry to bring you in here like this Katara but I have a question for you: Has Zuko been acting weird to you? Like more than his usual I mean?" Suki whispered her voice edged with concern. Katara noted her friend's face and stood back.

"No, why? Is he acting weird to you?" she asked in return. Suki sighed.

"It's just he came to the teahouse really early this morning and he looked a total mess. Koko told me he was out of sorts after he went back home. I just wanted to be sure he was OK." She said feeling slightly nervous. Katara gave her friend a side-eye and chuckled.

"Suki, Zuko texted me last night because he couldn't sleep. I think working has kind of thrown off his schedule. He told me earlier this morning that he actually came to the Jasmine Dragon hours before his shift and Koko sent him home. He's fine." Oh, they were telling the truth? Suki felt embarrassed that she was accusing her friend and cousin of inappropriate dealings.

"Ok, now I feel dumb. Forget I said anything." She said with a beatific smile. Katara rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag of treats that were somewhat crushed. Suki noticed the bag.

"You know what? Let me grab some fresh ones for you, on me, OK. Sorry?" she offered. Katara shook her head.

"Nothing to forgive, girlfriend. It's nice to know that you have our backs, but I do want those pastries. I can't serve these to my Gran-Gran." She said shaking the bag gently. Suki took the bag from Katara dropping the ruined pastries in the rubbish bin. She made a whole new fresh bag of goodies with a few extra pastries thrown in for love and sent Katara on her way.

Before she walked out of the restaurant Katara stepped casually over to Zuko and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek. He turned and gave her a brilliant smile before planting a delicate kiss on her nose. Katara blew him a kiss as she walked out of the door to the oohs and aahs of some of the patrons who knew of their relationship.

Suki blushed. She almost accused Zuko of being unfaithful! That was not the behavior of a cheater. She should know… Suki promised she wouldn't jump to conclusions like that again.

Ang had to hurry. One of the spirits told him that the boy Arendi's body wouldn't be available much longer because his parents were going to turn off the machine. Ang asked why they were moving so quickly. The spirit said he didn't know but that Ang should hurry and "wake up" or his mission would be delayed. Ang zipped through the walls of the hospital and directly into Arendi's room.

The doctor was in the process of turning off the switches one by one. The monitors would be the last to go off because they had to verify that the young man expired without his equipment.

Ang saw that the grandmother was suspiciously absent and knew his parents were doing this without her approval. As the last switch to the ventilator was turned off. They expected that Arendi's body wouldn't breathe on its own.

Ang hovered only for a moment over Arendi and entered him suddenly. Arendi's chest went up. Then down. Then up again. Then down. The nurse assured them that this was normal and that if he couldn't sustain the breathing on his own his heart rate would decrease.

Ang felt like he did the first time his father took him on a driving lesson. He wasn't entirely sure how to run this body just like he didn't understand that car but knew that he had to make it work or it was back to the drawing board.

The nurse placed a sympathetic hand on Mrs. Otuk's shoulder. She mentioned that it may take a while but spend as much time as they needed. Ang knew he didn't have much time. He visualized and willed himself to make Arendi move.

This body felt so heavy and why did he hurt so much? Ow, my head he moaned to himself. Is he feeling what Arendi would feel in this condition? Ang was sure now that he was in control of the body, but the injuries were severe. No wonder they didn't think he was going to make it.

Ang had to make them understand that he wasn't "dead" and that he needed more time. Ang summoned all the strength he could to move something, anything, a finger, an eyelid, something. There, he wriggled his nose. It was itching anyway.

Arendi's parents didn't see it! How could they? The pair were so absorbed in their grief. Onip leaned on her husband's shoulder wiping tear after uncontrollable tears from her eyes.

Ang had to do something else. Maybe he could make a sound. The nurse had removed the intubation tube so he could possibly make some kind of groan or moan to get their attention. Ang imagined screaming to get their attention. His yell was so loud and heavy. He imagined adding his airbending behind it to amplify it, this had to do it.

The only sound to come out was a tiny squeak. Not even a moan or groan. His vocal cords wouldn't cooperate the way he had hoped, but it was enough. It was the tiniest sound but Mrs. Otuk stopped crying and looked up. She looked over at Arendi and then to her husband.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered not sure if she dared to say it loudly. Ang knew this was his chance to try again. He urged the injured body to overcome the limits and try to make another sound. His throat gave another squeak and Nvalut and Onip knew they couldn't both be imagining things.

"That was a noise…Oh, Gods. That was a noise!" Nvalut ran out into the hallway to call for the nurse. She came to the room with a saddened look. Parents oftentimes saw and heard things that were no more than reflexes from nerves and more often nerve damage. She didn't want to get their hopes up or tell them that this was normal and the end was still inevitable.

Ang had to help her understand too. Onip by this time had her son's hand in hers and she was encouraging him to make the sound again. He couldn't just squeak, this time he had to move. The nurse would believe it if he responded. This time he willed his hands to move. More specifically for his hand in Onip's to move.

His brow furrowed with the concentration he put into moving his fingers even a little. He made the tiniest squeak from the effort. The nurse's eyes went as wide as saucers. That was no reflex. "Oh, my Gods… He's alive. Sweet La, he's alive! Doctor, we a need a doctor stat!" The nurse shouted excitedly into the hallway. This was a miracle to top all miracles. Ang smiled inwardly at his success but knew he was only delaying the inevitable now. The Otuks would still lose their son but just not today.