Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA

Chapter 3 will be up soon

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She walked into the sparring yard and headed towards the area where she'd set her bracelet down just a day before. In her happy haze she didn't see it coming. She felt it, though. With a thud, she was knocked to the ground. Blood pooled around her and the men came running.

Chapter 2

He felt the impact and bolted out of bed. He was sure he'd been hit but when he looked around the room he saw nothing, no one.

Aang knew something bad had happened to someone close to him but he needed a moment to sort it out. In his bedroom he stood silent and entered the Avatar state for the first time in a year.

It was in the Avatar state with the guru that he'd seen Katara chained and held captive by the Dai Li. Now he hoped it would again show him what had happened. A second later he saw her. He saw the blood pooled around her head. He saw men standing over her. Some were men of the Order of the White Lotus. He saw the ones running for help and the one coming to tell him. He heard one tell her goodbye. Just as quickly he was back, with teary grey eyes. He threw on pants and flew out the door.

He arrived at the scene shaking and out of breath. Hands grabbed at him to stop him before he reached her. "She's gone." He heard Iroh say. He pushed his allies out of the way and fell to her. He called her name and lifted her head but he could feel the damage. Life was gone from her. He wept and felt himself begin to change. He fell onto her and felt the warm blood soaking his clothes. He hadn't realized he was glowing but when he stood and turned to the group they looked afraid. His angry voice was the voice of many when he asked "Who did this?"

Iroh spoke and said "It was an accident. She stepped in the middle of a training duel. He didn't see her until it was too late."

Again, he asked "Who?"

"It was an accident" was Uncle's only reply.

The healers arrived. After they confirmed that nothing else could be done, they took her body to the infirmary as the group stood in silence. Silence except for Aang's quick breaths and occasional sobs. He raised his head from his hands and turned to Iroh. "Where is she now?"

He knew Iroh's son had died years ago. He also knew if anyone knew how to look for the dead, it was him.

Then Aang heard Appa overhead and remembered that Sokka had flown to the other side of Ba Sing Se yesterday to pick up Suki and spend some time alone with her. They were heading to the house but Aang called to Appa and the bison turned towards them. Aang knew he had to be the one to tell Sokka. He was glad her body had been removed. He had the foresight to remove his blood soaked shirt by the time the two had landed. Aang ran to them and grabbed Sokka's arms with both hands and looked into the older boy's eyes.

"What?" Sokka said in a nervous tone.

"An accident." Was all Aang could manage before he lowered his head and the tears came again.

"Where's Katara?" Sokka screamed. "What did you do?" He screamed at Aang.

Iroh spoke softly. "He did nothing. There was a bad accident …she didn't survive. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Sokka looked at Aang "You're sorry?" The boy's voice was breaking and tears started to streak his face. "What happened to my sister?" he screamed. "What…." He looked down at the blood pool, fell to his knees and put his hands over his face and began to sob.

Iroh stood by the boy and put a hand on his shoulder and said "Let's go see her."

He helped Sokka up and walked him to the infirmary knowing he would have to see her to fully realize she was gone. Suki stood next to Aang in dazed sorrow. She stepped forward to wrap her arms around him. "I'm, I'm ….." Then they cried together.

The infirmary staff cleaned her up and placed her on a table with a blanket partially covering her. Sokka spent the evening with her, alone. He'd left her for one day. He'd been with her a lifetime and left for a day and now she was dead. Aang had promised to watch her. Their father had to be told. Gran Gran was old, how would she take this? Sokka's mind swam with partial thoughts, memories and guilt, mostly guilt. Where was he when she needed him?

Aang watched from the doorway and finally spoke. "I'm gonna get her back."

"She's right here." Sokka said angrily.

"No, she's not. She's in the spirit world now, and they owe me." He said simply.

Sokka stood and walked to Aang. "I've been there and I'm going with you."

"Let's go get Iroh." And the rescue team was formed.

The boys found Iroh that morning drinking his tea but not enjoying it. He looked up at them and groaned. If they were anything like his nephew, he thought, things were about to get worse before they got better.

"We need your help." Aang started.

"What can I do?"

"After Lu Ten died, you looked for him in the spirit world. We need to know what you found. We need you to come with us to get her."

"She's gone, Avatar."

"A member of the White Lotus killed her, accident or not."

Iroh groaned again. "As you can see, I don't have my son."

"I'm the Avatar. I have friends in the spirit world, maybe I can make a deal," said Aang. "Next week is the summer solstice, we could go to an Avatar Temple …but I can't wait a week. The spirit Oasis is so far away. I can cross over but I don't know how to get you there?" He looked at the other two.

Iroh bowed his head and spoke softly. "Call Roku, tell him we need Fang. Mortals can be carried by a spirit as it shifts between the plains. You've been to the spirit world?" Iroh asked, looking at Sokka.

"Yea, no bathrooms." Sokka replied.

The three spent the afternoon planning their trip. They would leave at dusk.

Sokka found Suki sitting under a shade tree, feeling helpless but thankful for her life. He explained their plans and reassured her that he would return as soon as they had accomplished their mission.

"Will you see her? Yue?" She asked sheepishly, knowing this was not the time for jealousy.

"I hope so, we're gonna need all the help we can get."

"We're together, right? Just you and me?"

"Suki, you're the one I love, now. Now and always. You know I have to go. I'll do whatever I have to do to bring her back but then I'll come back to you."

She smiled because that was just the reassurance she needed.

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Roku wasn't on board with Aang's plan but he sent his dragon to pick up Sokka and Iroh anyway. He could see that Aang was agitated and the boy had been through so much. Roku still felt guilty that Aang had inherited his problems and his mistakes so he agreed to talk it out.

When the three were together in the spirit world Aang asked Roku to speak with the one in charge. Roku smiled and told him it didn't work that way. There were different spirits for different things and no one spirit was more important than any other.

Aang then asked to speak with the spirit of death. He wanted to bargain.