I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

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Aang's heart raced as he walked up to Katara. She was dealing with the only fruit merchant in town about his prices.

"Katara can I talk to you?" Aang stuttered.

"Sure, Aang," Katara answered with concern. She had never seen Aang act this way around her before.

"Well you see… the reason I was so upset about Zuko… is well," Aang struggled. Then he sighed. "Katara, I like you, I like you much more than as a friend."

Katara just blinked dumbly in return.

"Aang, I care about you, but not like that," Katara finally spoke. The gentleness in her voice was almost as hurtful to Aang as the rejection.

"Oh," Aang sounded flat as his heart broke. After that he just got up and walked away from the sad scene.

Toph walked up to Katara. Katara turned to face her.

"Tell him how you feel," Katara said firmly yet gently. "But I would wait a little while for him to heal."

"You don't know how I feel," Toph snarled.

"I may not be as good at reading things as you are, but I am not stupid," Katara told Toph sternly. There was iciness in her voice.

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Aang walked into a dark ally.

"You can have her," Aang admitted defeat. "She doesn't feel the same way."

Zuko hopped down from a one-story building. A few planks from the roof followed him on his trip down. Each one hit Zuko on the head.

"I never was competing for her," Zuko corrected calmly. "I am surprised you thought I was."

"I didn't think that you were competing against me, but I thought that I had to compete against you," Aang explained to himself more than Zuko.

"You think that she is in love with me?" Zuko asked just to be sure.

"Yes," Aang answered sadly. Zukos first reaction was to blink stupidly much like how Katara did.

"That was unexpected," Zuko thought to himself.

"Do you think she is," Aang asked hopefully. He saw a ray of hope come through the storm clouds.

"I haven't really been looking for that kind of stuff," Zuko pointed out.

"Well, I don't know if you should've been watching," Aang admitted.

"Just out of curiosity, what did the blind girl tell you?" Zuko asked nervously. "She asked me if I wanted anything in my next meal and that girl seems like the last person to do that kind of thing."

"She told us to hold the fruit," Aang shrugged.

"My answer was more fruit," Zuko mumbled.

"That does not surprise me," Aang thought aloud.

"I would be a little nicer to her if I were you," Zuko reminded Aang.

"Why? Am I being mean to Toph?" Aang asked cluelessly. Zuko sighed and rubbed his temples.

"If you teach me firebending, can you teach me lightning as well?" Aang asked.

"I don't think that I would be the best person to teach you lightning," Zuko confessed. "I have only been able to do that for three months and I have a much harder time than I should."

"Well it's like this… hey! How did you know about that?!" Zuko demanded.

"You should really find more secure place to practice," Aang advised. "It was really easy to find you. You didn't answer my question."

"It's much easier to guide lightning with that deal with the flow of energy," Zuko explained.

"You would still be able to teach me firebending wouldn't you?" Aang asked.

"Yes, I would," Zuko said modestly. "But that doesn't mean I will though."

"You don't seem like the kind of guy who would remain loyal to someone who did this to you," Aang speculated. "Is there another reason?"

"I could never fight my uncle," Zuko let out.

"Could you get him to join our side?" Aang asked hopefully.

Zuko thought back to the times when his uncle offered to go into banishment with him. Then he remembered the conversation afterwards.

"I will not hunt the Avatar, Uncle," Zuko insisted as Iroh walked through his door.

"I just wanted to say that I am proud of you," Iroh told Zuko as he hugged him closely, carefully avoiding the still tender burned flesh on his face.

Zuko gaped at his uncle. This was truly the last thing he had expected.

"Thank you," Zuko stuttered out as his uncle walked out the door.

"I think that it is very possible," Zuko answered softly.

"Great," Aang cheered and charged Zuko with a running hug. "Does that mean you'll teach me?"

"I guess," Zuko answered doubtfully.

"Is it okay to tell my friends then?" Aang asked him.

"Are they angry at the Fire Nation?" Zuko questioned.

"Toph won't really care. Katara, she will be very uncomfortable with that but she will get over it," Aang listed. "Can I tell them tonight?"

Zuko nodded his approval.

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"Guys, I have to tell you-" Aang announced.

"It isn't that hard to guess, since you called a meeting," Toph pointed out crudely.

"What is it Aang?" Katara supported.

"Well Zuko is okay with me telling you his identity, and I got him to agree to teach me," Aang told them. With that everyone both girls suddenly perked up.

"Great!" Katara cheered.

"I didn't know you had it in you Twinkle Toes," Toph congratulated.

"Thanks," Aang blushed.

"Well who is he?" Katara questioned.

"You know Fire Lord Ozai . . . well, he is Ozai's son," Aang explained. Only the sound of crickets was heard.

"Bad joke," Toph broke the silence. "Now who is he?"

"I was telling the truth," Aang said flatly.

Silence enveloped the room again, but not even crickets were heard this time.

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Lets all thank The Cookie thief for checking this, and no she is not to balme for it. I take full responsibility for this. She only took one day to check it.

Thank you all reviewers. I really hope you like this chapter. I have a good excuse behind the impossible wait. They're called MEAPs. I took the English meap and it drained me of all my creative energy.