Hey guys! Been busy with clubs and schoolwork, so chapters take longer to post. Also, I realized that I have been spelling Bryant's name wrong, sorry! Also, I'm sorry about the travel time from nation to nation being really short, I just wanted to have more action with Team Avatar together. Hope you guys still like the story. Please review, I need to know what you guys think of it!

I don't own LOK or ATLA.

BOLD letters equal author's note here.

Book 1:Wondering

Chapter 14: Again

Cheryl's POV(A/N:felt like I hadn't done her POV in a long time):

I felt myself leaning on something or someone and the sun's rays warmth on my face. When I opened my eyes, I found my muscles feeling sore and staring at Bryant's gray eyes. Then I realized his protective arms around me and that I was resting on his chest which me made blush furiously. I lowered my head, hoping he didn't catch the rosy color on my cheeks.

"What's wrong, Cheryl? Do you need me to get Akina to heal you?" His voice was full of worry as usual, but instead of the usual annoyed feeling that I got, it was something different that made my heart beat faster. Was it …? No, Bryant and me are just good friends.

"Nothing," I shook my head "What happened?" I said, hoping to change the topic. Something flickered in his eyes and he turned away to the ocean. Wait … ocean? Why are we? -I thought we were at the South Pole.

"You don't remember? The people in Earth Kingdom clothing..." I looked down at my hands, just noticing the sling around my left arm. That's right … I was ambushed. But that still doesn't explain why we weren't at the South Pole.

"Tell me everything I missed." My tone turning serious as I looked up. He took a deep breath in before staring into my eyes, which just made me feel uncomfortable.

"The Red Lotus attacked the palace while we were trying to heal. We had to abandon the place and separate. But don't worry, the Katara and the others escaped on another sky bison. I'm sure they're fine." I clenched my hands. It's all my fault, if I only I had been stronger, none of this would have happened.

"It's not your fault you know." I let out a big sigh, he didn't understand.

"I'm the Avatar! I shouldn't have fallen so easily." He flinched from the sudden change of volume, I looked down to my hands, feeling guilty. Guilty that I wasn't there to help them when the palace was attacked, guilty that I wasn't able to protect my friends, guilty about taking out my anger on Bryant … I'm the worst Avatar ever. I wanted to bury my face into my hands, but one of them is broken, so instead I looked away from Bryant, ashamed. Bryant softly turned my chin so I was looking at him again, his eyes sincere.

"What happened to you? Why did you run away before? Did you really run away? Do you know how much it aches to see you beat up like this?" His voice was confused, angry, and sad all mixed into one. Although I was listening to his words, my eyes were still focused on my now hands which went back to normal position instead of being clenched.

I was now sitting on my knees and it didn't help me feel any better, since it just reminded how helpless I was against the surprised attack from normal benders. When I didn't answer his questions, he let out a frustrated grunt and ran his hand through his hair.

Then, he remained quiet and stared at me for quite some time, which really creeped me out. I couldn't tell if he was being patient, sitting this one out, or if he was waiting for me to break. And me breaking is going to happen VERY soon cause I couldn't really stand him staring at me for such a long time period. (A/N:Is this too out of character?) That's when I finally decided to speak up.

"I was ambushed after saying good bye to Korra." My voice barely a whisper, but Bryant was still intently listening on.

"Why didn't you tell-"He interrupted, but when he saw the ashamed look on my face he instantly backed down. It was kinda cute in a way. Wait, what? Cheryl, clear your head, go back to the story.

"Some things are for Avatars only," I say, partly grinning to show triumph as to me knowing what he was thinking. He seemed to surprised at my sudden emotion change. I on the other hand went back to what I knew.

"And I didn't run away, Korra wanted to see me alone...Then the Earth Kingdom people came out of nowhere on the way back to you guys … And I'm sorry I wasn't able to be any help. I'm such a failure as a Avatar. I can't even protect my own friends from disaster." He placed a hand on my shoulder, making me look up to him.

"It's not your fault that you got jumped by random people. And as for the Avatar things, you'll make it up later. We're going to the Fire Nation palace to get help from the other World Leaders." I nod, feeling a bit a better.

"Wait, you don't have a map. How do you know we're going to right way?" I asked. He shrugs.

"You ask me. Akina's the one that's driving. Don't you know more about her than me?" That's right! Akina's knows a lot about history and geography, along with other smart things. Wait … she doesn't know I'm awake right? I creep up behind her and pounce on her.

She yelps and when she turns, gives me a death glare until she realizes that its me and gives me a tight hug.

"Ow, ow! The arm!" I cry out. She lets go and takes a careful look at the arm while I sit down next to her.

"Sorry. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Her face scrutinizes up in worry.

"What?"

"I know you're not fine."

"Really, I'm okay." I say a little frustrated. I get that others want to help me, but I rather be independent at points. But its still nice knowing that others care for me. I watch as she takes out a small packaged bread out of one of her sweater pockets and places in into my good hand.

"Here, eat. You're going to need the energy."

"What about you guys?"

"There were some packaged food on board the sky bison before we left, Bryant and me already ate." I look down, before they left … maybe they didn't have to leave if I was strong enough. I hear Akina let out a big sigh.

"Cheryl, if you've got concerns you've got to learn to rely on others too. It happened with Aang, Korra, your past lives! Spirits, you can be really stubborn with your true feelings at points." Did they really need help though? I mean in the very end, it was the Avatar finishing up the job. But we had others to support us … Like with the spirit portal and Amon … I hear Korra say as she pours some flashbacks into me. I see Amon blood-bending Korra, and then Mako saving her with lightning. Then, Kya, Tenzin, Bolin, and Mako defending Korra's body from dark spirits. For some reason, I can't but smile at the memories even though it feel like it was something in my past that I dreaded. I look down at the bread Akina gave me and take a bite out of it. Fine, I'll try, But only try, Korra. Good.

Sean's POV:

Lily wasn't her normal cheerful self despite Grandpa's attempts to cheer her up with jokes that normally cracked her up. Hey, just because I'm hardcore most of the time doesn't mean I can't be a good older brother.

She was staring at the same window, barely blinking. Sitting in the same chair, staring, for the past hour or so. Her face monotone. I turned to my grandfather.

"Grandpa, do you have a telegram machine, telephone, or some communication device?" I asked.

"Why yes. Come with me." I looked at my sis before following him to a small space nearby the entrance of the kitchen.

In the small space was a telephone on a tall square shaped wooden table with a yellow telephone book. I take the small piece of paper my dad had given me in case of emergencies. It had the numbers of the chiefs of each nation along with some other important people. I quickly punched the correct number for the Water Tribe Palace. Surprisingly, it said that the telephone service there was gone. I got the same result when I dialed Republic City.

"Any luck?" My grandfather asked as he passed by the kitchen. I shook my head 'no' as I clasped the phone.

"Lily,dear! Get back in here this moment! You'll catch a cold!" I heard my grandma call out from the front door. I quickly put down the telephone and rushed to the front yard. When I got there, Lily was staring into the sky with my grandma trying to get her inside. But the girl wouldn't budge or say anything with each attempt. I then told my grandma to go inside and let me try. She gave me worried look before going inside. I tried pulling her inside by picking her up. However, she was planted to the ground.

"Lily, please." My voice was lacking the energy it usually had and surprisingly pleading. I had this feeling of dread that I couldn't understand, and it was affecting my regular actions. It was different feeling from a normal day, like doom was coming.

"It didn't work did it?" Was her reply.

I scrunched up my face in confusion. What was she talking about? She then pointed to a dot in the sky coming, nearby the horizon. I couldn't decode her body language but it made sense when I got some binoculars and a closer look. Turns out it was Akina, Cheryl, and Bryant. But Cheryl had a sling around her left arm and they each looked drained of energy. I tried signaling them by waving. Hopefully, they'll see the signal.

Akina's POV: (A/N: Did I not do hers in a long time too?)

When we entered Fire Nation territory, the sky seemed to be filled with smoke coming from the fire from the Fire Nation. Cheryl and Bryant had a look of horror when they saw the Palace in flames.

My first thought went to Lily, Sean, Irwin, and the other world leaders. Were they okay? What had happened? The fire reminded me of the one back at the Water Tribe with the Red Lotus. Everything had gone by so quickly: First we were at the Spirit Portal, than the Water Tribe Palace, the Red Lotus attacked, and here we are at the Fire Nation. With its Palace in ruins too.

I was going to lead the sky bison to the Palace when Cheryl, who was sitting next to me, tapped on my shoulder. She pointed to two people on the outskirts of the city, one of them waving. I squinted, trying to make out the people. When we got close enough, I could see that it was Lily and Sean! But what were they doing there? And where is everyone else?

We kinda crashed landed though, the sky bison was exhausted from non-stop flying. To my right, I saw an old couple come out of the house and stand besides Sean and Lily. I got off the bison by walking down its tail while Cheryl and Bryant each jumped off it and cushioned their landing with airbending. We ran up to them.

"What are you guys doing up there? Aren't you suppose to be at the spirit portal?" Sean asked.

"Yeah, we did. But Cheryl needed medical attention," I pointed to Cheryl's sling "And then the Red Lotus attacked the palace." Sean's eyes widened at the news. Than the old man behind them coughed. San recomposed himself before introducing us to his grandparents and telling us what happened his at the palace.

I noticed that Lily was awfully quiet and had a sad expression. I quickly pulled her into a hug with the others watching me carefully.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. "Don't worry. We're gonna win the kingdoms back and you'll see your parents again." She remained silent but then cried softly on my chest as I still had my arms wrapped around her.

"That's not it." She replied despite still crying. She looked up, her eyes red and her cheeks stained with dried tears and wet tears too. She hugged me tighter and buried her face into my chest. I held her close and rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"Shhh. Everything will be fine." I said softly.

"No, it wouldn't! I saw it! I saw this scenario in my dreams! I first I thought it was nothing but everything I saw so far came true. I saw the Water Tribe Palace in flames. I saw the black smoke covering the city. And Cheryl gonna die because she's too nice to let us help her in the final battle!" I looked at Cheryl, her face in shock as if Lily had exactly said what she was planing to do. I lifted up Lily's chin, getting her to look at me.

"Lily, did you really see Cheryl dying in your sleep?" I asked. She paused a moment before replying.

"No... but it looked like she was! And I can't stand losing any of my family!" Family?

"You, Cheryl, and Bryant are like family to me too... Team Avatar" She choked on the words as she was still crying a bit.

I looked to my left, Cheryl stepping forward. I let go of Lily, pushing her into Cheryl's arms. It was something they needed to resolve. Cheryl slowly pulled Lily into a hug as best as she could with her injured left arm in a sling, afraid of rejection. I noticed a small tear slip from Cheryl's left eye, I don't think anyone else saw it though. She stroked Lily's short soft black hair.

"I'll let the rest of Team Avatar help me okay?" She said softly. Lily looked up to, not fully believing the Cheryl's words. I could see the pain reflected off of Cheryl's face to see Lily so welled up on her possible death.

"Don't lie."

"I'm not. It's an Avatar's promise." Lily hesitated. "You have my word."

"Fine." She gave a small smile back to Cheryl.

"So what do we do now?" Bryant asked.

"Citizens of the Fire Nation," the loud speaker spoke as we all turned towards it. "You have been freed from the tyrants who haven't allowed your freedom. Choose your way. For those who oppose, go find your precious Avatar to help reconquer your ways If you are here Avatar, the Water Tribe has been freed too. If you really want to reverse the effects of the Red Lotus' freedom ideals of letting the people have their way, meet us within 24 hours on the very same spot you battled, and defeated our leader about 50 years ago." The loud speaker clicked off leaving us in confusion, fear, and worry.

"What's this place they're talking about? And you are not going there alone, Cheryl. We got your back." Bryant said.

"On that cliff." I replied. Everyone looked at me. I put up my hands to defense.

"Hey, can't accuse me of reading too much Avatar history. The location their talking about is somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, if we are going there, we should go now with a current map. Avatar Korra had battled their leader Zaheer there after getting poisoned and angered with her father's so-called death." I noticed Cheryl panting and leaning on Bryant with her good arm over him. He had a worried look.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

"Nothing, just some flashbacks," She shivered not from the air, but of the memory."And I know how to get there. No need for a map. We just need an airship since Pepper is too tired to fly." We all look at the snoring sky bison.

"Its okay. We'll provide the needed supplies and transportation." Sean's grandfather said. Sean raised an eyebrow. The old man went into his house and a few seconds later we felt the ground, and nearby where we stood popped out a small commercial airplane.

"You are one cool grandpa." Bryant complimented.

"I know I am son." And he went in with his wife to pack the kids some food on the way.

"The real battle has just begun..." I heard Cheryl say before we checked out the new airplane. It really has, it really has begun...

So hey guys! Just telling you that there will be a book 2 and book 3 most likely. I hope you guys like the story so far. And sorry about the chapters coming in later than usual. This week, I have tests a day after other, so I have to use time to study for each class. I tried to my Cheryl a little more human in a sense, like not just having her being kind and caring (well, the original objective was showing how she differs from Aang and Korra because of the showing of this trait in a extreme type of way). Once again, please review. I really need the support.