After rereading a few times I realized the original chapter didn't flow as well with how long it was so I decided to divide it into two. Sorry but this involves no new content beyond the original chapter 17. I should be finishing the new chapter closer to the holidays. Thanks for reading everyone.

One of the spare barracks was unoccupied. Ling was carrying his brother over his shoulder. He had regained consciousness and was muttering something indistinguishable.

"It's a hell of a time for you to get sick," Ling complained as he lied him down on one of the beds. "Our greatest victory is coming."

Ping kept mumbling. "S…s…"

"I can't understand you," Ling said. "Just sleep it off. If you aren't ready for the battle we'll leave without you."

Ping started becoming more insistent. "S…s…sake."

"Ok I guess you've just lost your mind," Ling decided. It was such a random request.

But Ping's voice just got more determined. "Sake…please sake!"

"Ugh fine" Ling surrendered. "If it'll quiet you down."

He walked over to a nearby shelf and took a porcelain bottle of rice wine along with a glass. "This'll just make you feel worse you know."

He poured some sake into the cup and held it up to Ping's lips. Ping smacked the cup aside and grabbed the bottle. He began guzzling the whole thing down.

"What the hell is wrong with you today?" Ling asked. Ping almost never drank.

But Ping was desperate to find a way to drown it out the overwhelming shock he was feeling.

When the jug was empty he simply let it slide out of his hand. His head dropped like a stone and he passed out.

"Ugh you never could hold your booze," Ling groaned. "I've got more important things to do than clean up after you right now."

Without bothering to pick up the wine bottle Ling got up and began to leave. "You're acting so damn weird lately. The last time you were this weird…" He clenched his fist. "That damn Ning, you'd better get your mind right brother. I had hoped those stupid ideas died with her." He left.

Ping's convulsing had continued. Ling was right the alcohol hadn't helped him feel better at all; he was becoming more and more ill even as he slid into sleep. His dreams were not peaceful.

He saw fire; fire was everywhere. It rained down from the skies like a storm of death. There were dead bodies all over the place, most of them charred, some with arrows sticking out of them. People were screaming in absolute terror, running for their lives. Pleas for mercy could be heard all around, followed shortly by a dying wail.

"Run!" a woman shouted. Her back was turned and her face was obscured. "I can buy you some time just take our sons somewhere safe!"

Ping remembered his father carrying his young self over his shoulder. He was running away. Ping could still faintly make out his mother's form as she got farther away. With his other hand their father dragged a young toddler along with them.

"Let me go!" Ling shouted. "We have to help mom!"

"There's no time!" their father insisted. "I have to save you boys!"

Ling kept pulling, trying to get away. "You coward! You can't just leave mom!" Their father ignored him and kept running.

Ping was still watching over his father's shoulder. His mother continued to fight. More and more Firebenders surrounded her. She became totally swallowed by flames.

"MOMMY!" the infant Ping cried.

Things were cloudy for a little while. He didn't see anything specific, just impressions. He remembered always having to keep walking. There were so many homes, so many battles, and there was so much fire. Things didn't make sense again until he remembered seeing the walls of Ba Sing Se for the first time.

He was much older now, walking on his own. They were in a trash-strewn alley, all of them wearing ragged clothing. Their father was propped against the wall, not moving. He had been sick for weeks.

"I found you some bread father" the young Ping said. Their father had given up any food they managed to find to his sons, no matter how sick he got. "Please you have to eat."

He pushed the loaf to his father's lips. He didn't move at all.

"He's dead" Ling said as bluntly as possible. "He's been dead for a few hours. It happened when you were out looking for that bread."

"No!" Ping shouted. He began shaking their father. "Wake up! Wake up daddy!"

Ling pulled him away. "Stop that. He's dead!"

"Why didn't you go get a doctor?!" Ping wept. "Why didn't you help him?!"

Ling sounded cold as ever. "There aren't any doctors in the Lower Ring and even if there were we don't have any money."

Ping became overwhelmed with grief. He dropped to his knees and tears poured out of him.

"Stop that!" Ling shouted, smacking him on the head. "We're on our own now so you have to start acting like a man!"

"Daddy!" Ping cried.

Ling grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet. "Stop being such a crybaby! He was weak! He deserved to die!"

"He was our daddy! How can you say that?!"

"He left our mother to be killed by Firebenders! He got what he deserved!" He shoved his brother to the floor. Ping kept weeping openly, completely unable to stop. Ling scowled even deeper. He turned his back. "Don't you get it? We're all we have left now. It's just you and me." Ping's sobs slowed a little. He turned his head up curiously. "I'm not weak like he was Ping. I'll never leave you. We have to take care of each other. No one else will."

Ping curled his arms to his body, feeling very cold. "We're all alone now," he acknowledged sadly.

Ling nodded. "Yes we are. So you have to be strong now. You can't cry anymore."

Ping suddenly felt a great weight on his heart. He was so sad and scared. He didn't know if he could ever stop crying, whether or not he wanted to. It was too much to ask of him. There was only one thing Ling had said that might have made it possible. "You…you won't ever leave me big brother?"

Ling's resolve was unshakable. "No never. Brothers take care of each other. I promise to always be here. You have to promise me the same thing. Got it?" He held out his hand.

Ping scrunched his face as hard as he could, using every ounce of his willpower to stop his tears. He took Ling's hand and was helped to his feet. "I promise I'll never leave you brother."

From that day Ping had always managed to stop his tears from coming, no matter how badly they wanted to break free. As long as he knew he had his brother with him he could endure the pain life forced him to bear.

For years they managed to scrape by. They spent their days stealing as much as they could and their nights looking for an alley somewhat suitable for sleeping and eating. To avoid being caught they would always go small. The first couple of times they had been too adventurous, stealing handfuls of food or money that were too hard to run away with. When they were caught the owners gave them a sound beating. So they learned to be sneaky, to only steal a loaf of bread from one person, maybe a piece of meat from the next, things that each individual wouldn't notice. But then one day there was a target too good to resist.

People from the other two rings avoided to Lower Ring like the plague. Seeing anyone who wasn't a refugee or some other peasant was nearly unheard of. When a well-dressed businessman was walking through the streets it was impossible to miss.

They knew it was dangerous to rob someone from a higher class. He might have connections to the Dai Li and could try to them thrown in jail instead of just beating them. But they could hear his coin purse jiggling with gold pieces. They'd be able to eat for weeks without stealing if they got it. The young adolescents couldn't resist the temptation.

The plan went perfectly at first. Ping made a cart crash in front of the man by kicking out its wheel with a rock, and then Ling leapt up from underground and grabbed his coin purse while he was distracted. They were sure they had escaped when they were counting the coins in an alley. When they turned around the man was standing right there.

They immediately offered him the purse back. "You can hit us. Just please don't throw us in jail," Ping pleaded. The jails in the Lower Ring were overcrowded and dangerous. Two people as young as them surely wouldn't survive.

"Oh by all means don't worry about that," the man said with an air of elegance. "Go ahead and keep that money, you boys have earned it."

They might have been happy if they weren't so confused. Neither boy had any words in response. The man simply smiled.

"You know boys I might have a couple of jobs for people with skills like yours," the man went on, as they remained silent. "I may not be rich but I can at least guarantee you'll never have to hunt for scraps again. Does that interest you?"

It was crazy. They stole from him and instead of beating them he offered more money. There had to be a trick. It had been a long time since either boy had been able to trust anyone besides each other. They looked at each other with equivalent skepticism and fear.

"I can certain understand your caution. How about I prove my generosity? Allow me to treat you both to dinner and hear out my proposition."

Both brothers were too hungry to refuse.

It was the best they had ever eaten in their lives. There was so much more meat than they had ever had in a single meal. The more they ate the more food the man set out. For once they were able to keep eating until the emptiness in their bellies was filled.

While they ate the man spoke. "You two must be very hungry. It seems to be the state of most people these days. Ba Sing Se is supposed to be a peaceful orderly utopia and yet the ravages of war are just as present here as anywhere else."

Ling snorted in derision. "That's funny coming from you. You don't look starving to me."

Ping was afraid that insulting their host would result in them being thrown out and losing their food. "Ling don't…"

The man's tone remained unchanged. "Fear not you may speak as you wish. I am in no position of authority over you."

Ling needed little more encouragement than that. "Then why are you feeding us huh? And what's this about jobs? We're a couple of street kids what could you possibly want from us?"

"I have plans for Ba Sing Se" he answered. "I may not be poor like you too but I know what it is like to look upon the aristocrats and rich with hatred and longing. They keep all the power for themselves and leave everyone else with nothing. It's not fair is it?"

"Yeah so what?" Ling answered.

"I want to change that. I want to make things better for everyone."

Ling laughed. "Please you mean things make better for yourself! We might be kids pal but we've gone through enough to learn everyone in this world is only looking out for themselves."

The man seemed amused by that answer. "Such an intelligent observation from one so young. You have missed one detail though. People look out for themselves and for the people whose existences benefit their own. Surely you two brothers who depend on each other for survival can understand that."

The truth of that statement made both boys pause in their eating.

The man smiled, knowing he had their attention. He went on, "Therefore it stands to reason that if I benefited from the existence of everyone in the city I'd have every reason to look out for all of them equally now wouldn't I?"

Both brothers were intrigued. "Is that where we come in?"

"Yes it is. The fact is to rise to top I need help. You too have shown remarkable intelligence and Earthbending talent. Were you to help me in my political conquests I would return the favor gladly. You'd be free from the bonds of poverty and hunger forever. I would even train you to master your already powerful bending. Does that interest the two of you?"

The boys looked at each other. An unspoken agreement passed between their eyes.

"Who are you?"

"You may call me Long Feng."

It was about two years later. Long Feng was running for a mid-level political position. His opposition had more local support.

It was dark night. Ling and Ping were watching two mean load groceries into a cart.

"They're alone. Now's the time," Ling said. He immediately threw one man to the ground then pushed the other against the wall, beating him with his rock-covered fists. Ping walked up to the man on the ground, his fists raised. He saw the helpless man's terrified expression and hesitated.

"What are you waiting for Ping?" Ling asked impatiently.

"This doesn't feel right," Ping protested.

"These men are standing in the way of Long Feng's career!" Ling shouted. "Don't you want him to succeed?"

"Of course I do but…"

"After everything Long Feng's done for us this is the least that we owe him! What did I tell you about being a man?!"

Ping was upset. "I…I…" He looked again at his target. His pity for him had not dissolved. However he steeled his resolve, kicking man in the face and breaking his nose.

The next memory was very similar. It had been many years and thanks to the tactics of intimidation Long Feng had climbed far up the political latter. The current office he was vying for would be a great hurdle of power. However one of the wealthiest most well connected aristocrats in Ba Sing Se was also up for consideration.

Ling and Ping were watching that opponent walk down a dark alley alone at night. Last time intimidation had been enough to silence Long Feng's foes but this was different. This man had far too much influence. If they tried fear tactics he'd be able to use his connections to retaliate. He had to be removed as an obstacle entirely.

"I don't want to hear any complaints this time Ping," Ling warned. "This one's too big of an obstacle. We've got to kill him."

Ping had grown far colder after years of working for Long Feng. "I wasn't going to complain brother," he said pulling a dagger out of his sleeve.

"A knife? Why?" Ling asked confusedly.

"We'll cut his coin purse," Ping explained. "It'll look like a mugging, by non-benders no less. No one will link it to Long Feng."

Ling smiled proudly. "Good thinking brother. Let's move silently now."

They scurried quickly through the alley. Ling grabbed the man from behind, clasping a hand over his mouth and holding him still. Ping thrust the knife into his chest.

The day had finally come. Long Feng was named Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se, placed at the king's literal right hand. It was too good to be true. The Dai Li was under his control and things immediately began changing.

Long Feng's campaign for fixing Ba Sing Se brought much political and economic reform. Things truthfully did become more efficient. The most significant change however was the institution of the policy against mentioning the war. Citizens were arrested for speaking in any way that threatened the government and even their mail was censored. Lake Laogai was established to train all of Long Feng's followers to absolute loyalty. Things had changed in Ping's life too.

The two brothers had a giant house in the Upper Ring with more amenities than they knew what to do with. It was a comfortable safe life. They were rich and had forgotten the pain of starvation. It was almost perfect. Ping had everything he had ever asked for but there was one thing left he didn't even know he wanted.

It was a day the same as any other. Ping's duties at the Dai Li kept him busy but he was not without leisure time. He was enjoying a simple walk down the street.

"Stop thief!"

It was such a sudden outburst. Petty crime was very rare in the Upper Ring. However Ping was more used to hearing such cries than most of those in the upper class.

He saw a man running towards him carrying a woman's purse with the woman running right behind him.

"Give that back!" she shouted.

Ping shot out his metal handcuff. It clasped the man's ankle and Ping pulled him to the ground. Dozens of papers flew out of the women's purse into the air.

"You are under arrest sir" Ping calmly said.

The woman was frantically trying to pick up the loose papers. "No! No! No!" she was shouting.

"Not to worry ma'am" Ping assured her in his most authoritative voice. "Your purse is safe and this criminal will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

If she was even aware Ping was standing there she didn't give any indication. "No! No! No! No!"

Since Ping had become part of the Dai Li he was not used to being ignored. "Excuse me? Ma'am?"

She threw her hands down in frustration. "I hope you're satisfied with yourself!" she yelled.

"I beg your pardon?' Ping replied.

"You couldn't have stopped him without throwing my bag into the air? You just had to try to look cool didn't you?!"

"In case you haven't noticed I just got you your purse back. I believe what you meant to say was 'thank you'."

"Thank you?" she repeated with rage. "I worked all night on this essay and now I'll never be able put it back in order! My grade in cultural anthropology is already hanging by a thread I'll never be chosen for the Civil Examinations now!"

The Civil Examinations were a series of tests used to select for some of the city's most coveted and important political offices. Only the top ten students of every graduating class in Ba Sing Se University were even eligible to take them. Most of them still failed. Passing them was a life of guaranteed affluence and political power.

"Oh" Ping said with annoyance. "You're a university student."

She sensed his toned and was clearly offended. "I'm sorry is that a problem?"

"I'm not overly fond of pretentious intellectual types," Ping explained.

"Pretentious intellectual? How dare you? You just met me!" she retorted.

"I just helped you," Ping reminded her as he fastened handcuffs on the purse-snatcher's wrists. "Instead of thanking me you bit my head off over a few pieces of parchment. What would you call that?"

She finished picking up all the papers. She stood up and glared at Ping's eyes.

He was thrown back. Her eyes were different than any he had ever seen. They were the color of the most beautiful jade and glowed with the light of intelligence and emotion.

"You have no idea how important this is," she said. "This is everything to me!"

He was still mesmerized by the spell of her gorgeous, passionate eyes. He had had to shake his head to snap himself back to reality.

For some reason his anger had abated slightly. "I didn't know. I grew up as a refugee so I've never attached importance to education. I thought I was helping you. I'm sorry."

Her resolve faltered. She broke her gaze and looked shyly off to the side. She couldn't sustain her anger after that.

"It's ok. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

Her sudden changed startled Ping. She sounded genuinely ashamed and was putting as much feeling into it as she did her anger.

She explained, "I'm under a lot of pressure right now from my family. I didn't mean to take it out on you. Please forgive me."

It was much more humility than Ping was used to hearing from someone in the Upper Ring. He smiled in appreciation. "I forgive you."

That seemed to mean more to her than Ping expected. She gave him a sweet smile. For a second they just looked at each other like that, neither saying anything.

"Yeesh get a room," the purse thief scoffed. They both scowled at him.

"Oh is that what you think?" Ping asked. He signaled two agents who were stationed nearby. They took the thief away and left.

"Well have a good day ma'am," Ping bade politely. "Good luck with your studies." He was about to leave.

"Wait!" she called, stopping him. "What's your name?"

He put is fist to his chest in a formal salute. "Ping, at your service ma'am."

She started laughing.

He was blushing. He assumed she found his name ridiculous. "What's so funny?"

"It's nothing!" she insisted in between chuckles. "It's just a weird coincidence."

"What is?"

She straightened herself up and offered him her hand to shake. "My name's Ning, pleased to meet you."

He awkwardly shook her hand. "Huh that is a weird coincidence." Now that they were up close he was able to take in just how beautiful she was. He had already noticed her eyes but her hair was a smooth light brown tied in intricate braids and her cheeks were very pronounced. Her smile was more genuinely kind and lovely than any he had ever seen.

She seemed to notice his lingering gaze. "Um…is something wrong?"

"Oh uh no!" he stuttered nervously. Most of his life and had been spent with his brother and Long Feng. He wasn't quite used to women.

She laughed. "Um…Ping? Would it be ok if I saw you again sometime?"

He didn't even think. "Yes I'd like that!"

The following memory was of their next meeting.

"You know when you had asked to see me again I didn't think it was to help you do your homework," Ping said.

Ning smiled. "Sorry for deceiving you. I worried that if I was more clear you wouldn't want to come."

"What exactly do you want?" Ping asked. "And why me?"

"You're the first refugee I ever met," she explained. "There are almost never any in the Upper Ring."

"You want to talk to a refugee?" Ping asked with confusion. "That sure makes you different. Most of the upper crust treat us like rats."

"Believe me I know," Ning replied. "That's how my family is." Ping clearly heard the resentment in her voice. He looked at her with curiosity and she continued. "I've lived in the Upper Ring my whole life and my family is one of the wealthiest around. I remember my parents taking me to the Lower Ring on business one day when I was a little girl. It was the first time I realized how badly most of the people in the city lived. I felt so sorry for them, but my parents didn't even care! When I got back I realized no one in the Upper Ring cared. They all act like the refugees are poor because they deserve it somehow."

"Oh yeah," Ping responded sarcastically. "How dare we have the audacity to let the Fire Nation burn our homes down?"

"I know that's what I said," Ning replied. "They didn't listen though. They never listen. That's why I don't want to be like them. I want to do something about the way things are, to help people."

"You can't really do that without ending the war," Ping said before he could catch himself. Openly discussing the war with a civilian was forbidden. Something about Ning's earnest nature had made him want to be straight with her though.

"That's the plan!" she said with a grin.

"Huh?"

"That's why I want to take the Civil Examinations. I want to be in a position where I can have enough influence to help end the war as a diplomat or something." It was odd she was so unafraid of speaking about the war. Of course she did live with one of the wealthiest families in in the city, probably far off the Dai Li's radar. The richest families had the least incentive to question things and were often not considered threats.

Ping decided that made it ok to talk honestly. He doubted she would incite rebellious activity. "The war's been dragging on for 100 years. What makes you think you can end it?"

Ning's response seemed prepared. "It's been dragging on because fighting the Fire Nation isn't working. We need to find a different way. My family is prestigious alumni of the university so they already expect me to make a name for myself as a scholar. So I've been using my studies to try to figure out how t end the war."

"Isn't studying the war with the Fire Nation forbidden?" Ping asked, tensing up. He wondered if there was a rogue professor causing trouble.

"It is," Ning acknowledged. "Studying other wars isn't however. The past is the key to unlocking the future!"

He relaxed. She at least wasn't doing anything illegal.

"That's why I want your help," she explained. "It's so hard to get information about this current war and my parents won't let me travel to the Lower Ring. I want you to tell me about the war, about your life as a refugee."

Ping quirked an eyebrow. "You know I'm a Dai Li agent right? Spreading information about the war is taboo."

"I promise I won't tell a soul!" she said. "I know the political climate is dangerous and with all the refugees coming in bad news about the war could cause riots. At least that's what my parents say. This will just be for general education. I promise I won't even put any information about it in my papers. I just want to understand war more so I can figure out how to end it."

Ping shook his head. "It's a bad idea."

She grabbed his arm with both hands. "Please you can trust me!"

Ping turned his head. "Something my older brother told me; you can never trust a beautiful woman."

She pulled back and was blushing. "Uh…you think I'm beautiful?"

Ping felt like he was having a heart attack. He looked away. "Uh I mean…well I…uh…I'm sorry."

Ning put a hand to her mouth as she forced back her laughter. "Don't be it was sweet. Let me show you something." She pulled a small book out of her bag with writing on the cover. "Every time I think of an idea of how to end the war I put it in this diary. I don't show it to anyone, not even my family. They'd probably just laugh. I keep this in here." She opened the cover and a flattened flower was fastened inside. "This is a Phoenix Blossom. It was a gift for my 25th birthday."

The flower was a powerful shade of red. It looked just like a fire. "It's a beauty," Ping observed.

"It's a shame is what it is," Ning said. "This is one of the rarest flowers in the world. It can cure any poison and save people from the edge of death. It should have gone to help the soldiers in the war but because it looks pretty my father spent 500 gold pieces to let me look at it. Not only that but it's also said drinking tea made from it's leaves will make your skin more vibrant and beautiful. So while people are dying they expected me to use it for vanity. I won't though. I'll keep this flower with me until I find someone who needs it. I keep it in the journal to remind me that all things can heal."

Ping had never met anyone like her. She had so much more concern for other people than anyone he had known. Ordinarily he would suspect she was a rich person talking about charity to make herself feel important but she seemed to truly care.

"That's…very noble of you," he said. He looked over at her book. He wondered what the significance of the markings was. He assumed they had something to do with peace. "What does your book say?"

Ning was surprised. "Huh? It just says 'diary' can't you tell?"

Ping looked away with embarrassment. He was very insecure about this.

Ning did her best to be gentle while asking her next question. "Ping…can you not read?"

He started tapping his fingers nervously. "Most people in the Earth Kingdom can't read. I was a refugee until I was 15. I was just worried about survival there was never time for stuff like that."

This was a sensitive topic for him. It had never mattered before but now that he lived in the Upper Ring he was encountering more times every day where not being able to read was a hindrance. Long Feng had always focused their education on Earthbending, he told them it would be best to try to learn to read when they joined the Dai Li, but Ling considered it a useless skill and Ping was too embarrassed to try.

"Please don't tell anyone," he asked. "If any of my coworkers find out they won't take me seriously."

Ning adopted a mischievous grin. "How about we make a deal? You teach me about the war and I'll teach you how to read."

Ping was taken aback. "You'd really teach me to read?" He was so excited by the prospect he even forgot reciprocating in the way she wanted would be illegal.

She nodded. "Everyone should be able to read. It's not fair this war stopped you from being able to learn. If I'm going to try to do this world some good I might as well start with you."

Ping smiled. "You're quite unlike anyone I've ever met."

"Is that a good thing?" she asked.

"Yes I'd say that's a very good thing."

So their secret began. She was teaching him to read and undo his secret weakness and he taught her about the war. His reservations grew smaller each and every time. He slowly began to believe Ning really would be able to bring peace to the world. They grew closer each and every day.

It was a fresh summer night many months later. Ping had brought Ning to the Middle Ring for a surprise.

They were walking towards the center of town. They came to their destination, a square where many fountains were illuminated by several beautiful lanterns. It was a celestial cite.

"Wow this is wonderful!" Ning shouted. "Thanks for bringing me here Ping."

"I felt it was only right," Ping responded.

"Why's that?" she asked.

"This place looks on the outside the way I feel on the inside when I'm with you Ning."

She turned and looked at him. Her eyes were welled with feeling. "Ping that's…that's so sweet."

He reached down and gently took her hand. "I do think you're beautiful. In more than just appearance."

Tears of happiness filled her eyes. "I love you Ping."

He smiled. "I love you too, Ning."

The leaned in closer and closer to each other. They embraced in a kiss that would bind their souls together forever.

Not long after that they were married. It was a far more lavish ceremony than Ning approved of thanks to her family. It made Ping uncomfortable especially since the only guest he had to invite was his brother. It at least made picking his best man easy but Ling did not look particularly happy to be standing at the end of the aisle. He also didn't like how Ping was moving out of their house to live with Ning. Ping didn't want to bother Ling when he and Ning decided to start a family.

One day when the newlyweds were in their new house Ning was ecstatic.

"I've figured it out!" she announced.

"What's that my dear?" Ping asked.

"The key to ending the war."

"Really? What?"

"Forgiveness!" she announced. "We need forgiveness!"

"Forgive the Fire Nation?" he asked awkwardly.

"Yes. It's constant all throughout history. In wars whenever the winning nation goes after revenge it creates resentment and only leads to a bigger war in the future. When there's forgiveness on both sides lasting peace and stability is built. The Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom have to become allies with mutual interests. Then the fighting will end."

"Is that really feasible after 100 years of fighting?"

She sounded certain. "It will take compromise and sacrifice on both sides. It'll be hard to make people see it that way but after 100 years of fighting people should be willing to look at different ways. We'd need to open up negotiation with the Fire Nation though."

"This is a little idealistic," Ping pointed out. "Expecting people to forgive the Fire Nation is a big block."

"`I know it'll be hard but it's the only way," Ning replied. She sounded frustrated, knowing that was the biggest flaw. "I know it's easy for me to talk about in theory; my family, friends and I have been safe inside this wall my whole life. But I know this is the right way. If only the Avatar would come back he'd be able to make it work!"

"Keep dreaming," Ping replied. "Everyone knows the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads. He's not coming to save the day."

"I'm not sure he's never coming back," Ning replied. "I've read about Avatars doing things that sound impossible. I wouldn't be surprised if one day he returned when we needed him most."

"Always the optimist," Ping mused, taking his wives hands. "Of course that's what I love about you."

She smiled. "In all seriousness Ping do you think you'd ever be able to forgive the Fire Nation for what they did to you?"

He thought about his answer for a second. "I don't know…maybe. My life was hard but I don't even remember the Firebenders who did it and I've been happy for so long now. I might be able to. I know Ling never will though."

Ning bowed her head sadly. "Right…Ling."

"What's wrong my dear?" Ping asked.

She was very uncomfortable. "It's nothing…Ping does your brother not like me? I've tried to be nice to him I swear I have but he just seems to hate me. Is it me? Have I acted too stuck up towards him?"

Ping tried to reassure her. "Don't worry you never act stuck up. Look Ling is just…different. He's gone through a lot in his life; he's pretty callous to everyone. Don't take it personally."

She was still sad. "He's your brother though. I want all of us to be a family." She suddenly started rubbing her stomach, surprising Ping.

"All of us? You mean…?"

She nodded. "Yes my love. I'm pregnant!" They had been trying to start a family for months now.

She leapt into his arms and they kissed with greater passion than even their wedding day.

"I've never been so happy."

Without anyone knocking the door opened. Ling was standing there.

"Come on it's time to get to work Ping," he said impatiently.

"Hello Ling!" Ning called with a big smile. She walked over to him with her arms outstretched in offering of a hug. He brusquely put a hand in front of her face to make it clear she was to come no closer. She backed up looking rejected and hurt.

Ping put an arm around his wife's shoulders and eyed his brother angrily. "We have great news brother. You're going to be an uncle."

Ling acted like he heard nothing. "We need to get going now."

Ping scowled but he kissed his wife goodbye.

"Farewell my dear," he said.

"Farewell my love," she returned.

He and Ling left. In the hallway Ping was still mad.

"Why do you have to treat my wife like that?" Ping asked. "She's never been anything but nice to you. She's your sister-in-law and the mother of my child."

Ling merely snorted. "You've become far too distracted since you met her brother. You're head's always in the clouds these days."

The following spring everything changed. The very day Ning announced her pregnancy was the day Katara and Sokka freed Aang from the iceberg. That fall news had reached everyone that the Avatar had returned. In the spring he came to Ba Sing Se and Long Feng was deposed as leader of the Dai Li and the cover-up of the war was exposed. At the same time Azula had successfully infiltrated the Dai Li and was plotting a takeover.

Ling and Ping were planning to assassinate her before the Fire Nation could take control. Ping was worried however that his wife, who was now seven moths pregnant, would be taken hostage and used as leverage against him. When he tried to warn her and get her to leave Ba Sing Se for her own protection he encountered other problems.

Ning was furious. "Tell me if it's true!" she demanded.

"If what's true?" Ping asked.

She slammed a newspaper on the table. "If the rumors of everything the Dai Li has done are true!" Ever since Long Feng's arrest people were no longer afraid to talk about the war or the Dai Li. "You've been censoring mail, keeping secret files on everyone, using violence, intimidation, and brainwashing people to control the city?! There's even rumors Long Feng murdered a teenage boy. How could you keep this from me?"

"Ning please you have to understand," he said trying to calm her down.

"Is it true or not?" she insisted.

"That's not important. Right now…"

"Of course it's important! You know me! You know how I feel about oppression, and classism and violence. How could you do these things? How could you lie to me about it?!" The pain and betrayal in her voice was obvious. It was all she could do to keep from bursting into tears. "I trusted you…"

Ping gently reached for her shoulder. She smacked his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" she demanded.

"Ning you knew about the laws against mentioning the war!"

"I didn't think it went this far!" she replied. She bowed her head. "But you're right…I should have seen the signs…I just didn't want to believe it." She couldn't hold her tears in. "I'm such an idiot."

Ping was horrified to hear her talk like that. "No you aren't." He reached for her again.

"I said don't touch me!" she said pushing him away. "I thought I could trust you. You've been deceiving me since the day we met." She turned away. "Who are you?"

The question made him pause. He laughed nervously. "What do you mean? I'm Ping. I'm the man you fell in love with."

Ning's eyes swelled with pain and heartbreak. "Did I really fall in love with you or with the man you wanted me to believe you were?" She showed him the newspaper. "The man I thought I knew wouldn't do these things."

He took a gulp. "W…what are you saying Ning? I only deceived you because it was Long Feng's orders. It was for your own good as well as mine."

"WHO ARE YOU TO SAY THAT?! You're one of the highest ranked agents in the Dai Li. How many sins have you committed for Long Feng?"

"Ning Long Feng is the wisest most benevolent leader…"

"Answer me! Did you do these things? Or…more? Have you spied on, pushed around, or even…killed citizens for Long Feng?"

Ping didn't want to answer. He knew he would only make her angrier. But as she always did Ning brought honesty out of him. "Yes. I've done anything and everything Long Feng's asked of me."

That was the final straw. She turned around and began weeping unstoppably.

Ping reached out for her one last time. "Ning, forgive me…"

"I don't ever want to see you again!" she cried as she walked away.

Ping felt like his heart had been ripped right out of his chest. He didn't know the worst was yet to come.

The plan to assassinate Azula was a miserable failure. No one else in the Dai Li retained their loyalty to Long Feng and trying to recruit others to the plan only resulted in a quick arrest.

The Boiling Rock was a hellish prison. Ping and Ling had to quickly return to the toughness of their childhood in order to survive. For a time they got by with plans to escape during the eclipse keeping them going. Once more the overhearing ear of other men doomed them. Then the worst day of Ping's life happened.

Inside the interrogation room he recoiled from another fist to his face. He simply spat out a tooth and sat back up straight. "I have nothing to say." He knew that if Ling had been implicated he would have already been apprehended too. He was prepared to endure anything to protect his brother.

"You're a tough son of the bitch aren't you?" one of the guards asked him. "I like that. It's always a lot more fun to break someone who puts up a fight."

"I have nothing to say," Ping repeated.

"Name, rank and serial number huh?" the guard asked. "Well that's fine. That'll just make this next part more fun. Bring her in!"

The door opened. Two more guards came in, dragging Ning by her arms as she struggled. He belly was no longer large; in fact she looked thinner than Ping had ever seen. She was terrified.

"Ning!" Ping shouted. He couldn't help himself.

"Finally! A reaction," the guard boasted. "Because you're so important in Ba Sing Se we captured this little lady a while ago, just in case we needed to extract some information from you."

"Ping help me!" Ning pleaded. She wasn't like Ping or his brother. She was never hardened by tragedy. She was neither a bender nor a martial artist. She was never taught to endure torture.

"You be quiet!" the guard shouted, ramming his fist into her stomach. She doubled over in pain, both arms wrapped around her belly, coughing uncontrollably. She soon dropped to her knees and clasped her head to the floor.

"NING!" Ping shouted with horrid rage. "You prick!" He struggled against his bonds trying with all his might to break free. He couldn't, they were too strong. He reached out mentally to find any earth he could and found nothing "Untie me and fight me like a man you coward!"

The guard laughed. "That's adorable. In case you don't understand the position you're in let me explain. You make us mad we don't take it out on you. We take it out on her."

Ning struggled to lift her head just barely high enough to look at her husband. She looked so desperate and afraid and like she was in unbearable pain.

"I'm sorry," Ping immediately said. "I'll cooperate. I'll do whatever you ask." He'd find some way to tell them what they wanted without harming Ling. He'd have to.

The guard snorted, "Well that was no fun. It was too easy."

"I'll tell you what you want," Ping said. "There's nothing to worry about."

The guard walked towards Ping. "You misunderstand, I don't want information. My boss, the warden wants information but honestly that's the part of our job we don't care about. The part I enjoy, the part I really enjoy is breaking people. When I saw how you reacted to seeing your wife I realized I could break worse than I've ever broken anyone. I love a challenge."

"What are you talking about?" Ping asked.

"Come in boys!" the guard called. More guards filed in. There were six in total. Ping would remember them for the rest of his life. They forced Ning to get to her feet. One of them was holding a newborn baby.

"A baby?" Ping asked with shock. "Is he…?"

Ning nodded. "He's our son Ping." Her voice was hoarse and out of breath. She had the wind knocked out her.

"I bet it was fun giving birth in your prison cell wasn't it lovely?" the head guard asked, grabbing her chin in his hand.

"Don't touch me!" she ordered weakly. The guard laughed and twisted her head around.

"Leave them alone!" Ping yelled.

The head guard simply laughed and began pontificating. "Being a prison guard is so lonely! You can't date the female guards. You're away from home for months at a time. You can go so long without experiencing the warmth of a woman. In the end though it doesn't matter because this is a prison and…" He gave a sinister smile. "No one cares what you do to the female prisoners."

Ping's eyes widened as he caught the terrible meaning. Ning's did too. Their eyes met and were filled with tears. Even after everything they had been through, there was still clearly love in the gaze that passed between them.

"I'm begging you," Ping said desperately. "I will say or do anything you ask. Please don't do this."

What happened next was too horrible to describe. Be thankful no one is attempting it.

Days later he was in prison cell isolated and trapped. He was wailing in completely unbearable pain, a waterfall or tears pouring out of his face.

"KILL ME! KILL ME PLEASE!" he begged. The images in his head continued his torture. His family was dead and they had suffered tremendously. He didn't want to live.

Every time he shouted he heard a chorus of laughter from the same six guards outside. They apparently enjoyed breaking him so much they didn't stop. His torment went on for weeks.

He remembered running out of energy to scream. Things got hazy. One guard came into his cell, looking at himself in a mirror and bragging about his looks. He called Ning lucky. Ping's exhaustion turned to rage and the mirror cracked all on it's own, shocking the guard. Ping clenched his fist and the shards of glass flew in the guard's face. Ping realized he was controlling the glass. He used it to rip the guard apart.

He left his cell. No one was in there for some reason, save for five men at a table eating lunch. Not just any five men but those five men. Without thinking, unable to believe his luck, Ping walked straight up them. He began breathing heavily with rage and puffing out his chest. His shock and rage were too great for him to form words.

The guards were surprised. Despite the look on his face they weren't scared.

Their leader looked Ping right in the eyes. "Look everyone it's our friend, the one with that wife. You all remember her right?" He laughed arrogantly. "She sure was a beauty."

What happened next was a mix of blind rage and bloody violence. Ping shot shards of glass into all of them and ripped them out more times than he could count. He didn't question why they weren't using Firebending to stop him. He wasn't thinking. He was a nothing but a mass of animalistic fury. The only thing he wanted was to bring them death and pain.

"PLEASE MERCY!" one of them begged.

"Mercy?!" Ping said through gritted teeth. "You expect me to show mercy after everything you've done?! I begged for mercy and so did Ning! Did you give it?!"

"FORGIVE US!" said one.

"WE'RE SORRY!" another said.

"YOU AREN'T SORRY!" Ping shouted. "You'll say anything to make the pain stop! YOU DESERVE THIS AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"FORGIVE US!" they all pleaded. One grabbed his ankle.

His face contorted in anger. "If you want forgiveness so badly," Ping said. "Ask for it in hell." He redoubled in his cruelty.

After a while things became quiet. They had all long since died. He was simply mutilating corpses. He had extracted all the pain and suffering they had to offer. It was over and silence took the place of agonized screams.

He dropped down on the floor leaning against a wall. It was done. His hate was the only thing keeping him going. Now all he had left was his pain. The reality of his loss consumed him. Suicide would now be so easy and it was tempting. He had the glass; he could shoot it through his neck. But he was exhausted, physically and mentally. He waited for more guards to show up and do the work for him.

He heard a pair of footsteps quietly walking up to him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the boots of a guard. Finally someone was coming to end his pain.

"Brother?" the voice asked.

Ping looked up and saw Ling standing there in a prison guard disguise. "L…Ling?"

"We have to go now. There's a riot. This will be our only chance."

Ping still wanted to die so badly. He was overwhelmed with everything that had happened. He had lost everything…but no not everything. His brother was the only thing he had left in the world, the last member of his family like he had been all those years ago. Remembering the day they promised to always be there for each other Ping did the impossible and stood up.

That was the end of the memories. They stopped flooding over him and Ping was finally able to regain a little composure. He was aware of himself standing…somewhere. He couldn't distinguish any physical features, but saw a faint outline of a shape. It slowly became clearer and clearer until Ning was standing in front of him.

"Ning?" Ping asked. "This…this is impossible. You're…dead."

"You don't make any sense!" she shouted. "Why do you work for Long Feng even though you're nothing like him?! Why do you help him do these horrible things?! Just…who are you?"

They were Katara's words but she said them with even greater conviction

Ping shook his head. "This must be a dream."

Ning was suddenly much calmer. "Aren't you going to answer the question?"

Ping was shocked. These were new words not memories.

"This isn't real," he said. "You aren't real."

"What makes you say that?" she asked.

"You're dead," he repeated.

"Yes but I'm in your heart," she said, poking his chest. "Even if you never let yourself think about me anymore it doesn't mean you've forgotten." She chuckled. "You never could hold your liquor. You expected the sake to hold the memories back but it did the opposite."

He sighed, the sake; that explained it.

"Even after all this time you're still Long Feng's puppet. I had hoped you would have come to your senses by now," she lamented.

Ping bowed his head. "You died hating me."

She shook her head. "No. I'll always love you."

"You said you never wanted to see me again," Ping remembered.

"I was mad," she replied.

"You said I wasn't the man you fell in love with."

"Are you?"

"What?"

She sounded politely curious. "Who are you? Are you the man I thought you were, the man your brother thinks you are, the man Long Feng thinks you are, or none of the above?"

Ping shook his head in surrender. "I don't even know anymore."

"Long Feng has betrayed and used you. Not even you can deny that anymore. Will you really abide him committing mass genocide? Do you abide what he ordered that guard do to Katara?"

"He didn't order him…"

"Oh please! If you had shown up a couple minutes later he would have ra…"

"Don't say it!" Ping shot out. He turned his head away.

Ning's face turned soft and full of pity. "Is the wound really so fresh you can't even hear the word spoken aloud? After all this time you haven't healed at all."

"Of course not," Ping said. "How can anyone possibly heal from what I've been though?"

Ning reached up and put her hand to Ping's cheek. Her touch felt as real and warm as it did in life. "You felt you lost me before I had even died and you blame yourself for my death as well as our son's. You can't bear the guilt and shame so you never let yourself think about the past. You've never truly faced what happened."

"It's too much," Ping agreed. "I'm just a man and I've made so many mistakes."

"You have," she agreed. Ning continued to caress him. "You no longer feel a right to your family. You believe only your brother and Long Feng will accept you now so you've tried to forget about our son and me."

"I'm so sorry," he wept. "It was all my fault."

"Our pain is over," Ning replied. "It's yours I'm worried about now."

"…You want me to betray Long Feng."

"Do you want to?"

"I don't know. I might…now. What about Ling?"

"My love, I've done my best to love your brother as my own but you know better than anyone his heart has been lost to darkness for a long time."

Ping solemnly answered, "Yes. I know that but he's still my brother. He's always been there for me."

"He puts his needs and feelings ahead of yours."

"…Sometimes. I promised I'd always be there for him though."

"If there is any hope for your brother it will only come to be if your change first."

"What do you want me to do?" She was so loving and kind just like always. He was ready to do anything to win her approval.

"I can't tell you what to do. You need to stop letting everyone else control you. Do what you think is right my love."

"I don't think I've ever done that. Will this help me heal?"

"I don't know for sure but I do know one thing. You've been standing still since the day I died. You need to move forward again."

She put her other hand on his face. She began fading away, getting foggier. "Farewell for now, my love."

He started crying. "Please don't leave me, not again. I need you."

"I will always be with you. No matter what you decide know this. I have always loved you and I always will Ping."

Ping woke up. He was lying in the same bed in the barracks. No one else was there. He noticed the empty bottle of sake on the floor. He picked it up and considered it for a moment. So much thought and feeling in such a short time, he wondered if it was truly just the liquor or if that had been waiting to boil over for a while.

"Farewell for now, my dear," he said. He tossed the bottle against the wall and it shattered.

Katara was still chained in her cell. When Ping opened the door she didn't even raise her head.

"Please just leave me alone Ping," she said quietly. She sounded drained.

He stood up straight and announced, "Long Feng is not the man I thought he was."

Katara's surprise woke her up. She lifted her head.

Ping continued. "He…and my brother have been using me this whole time. I was too blind to see it…or I just wouldn't let myself admit it. That's over now. I swear to you I will get you out of this prison alive if it is the last thing I do Katara."