A/N: Don't hate me. I've been suffering a mad case of writers block and didn't want to give you crap to read for this next chapter. Since the story is coming to an end soon I plan on ending it in a bang so to speak. I do not own Avatar,just the concept of Dream Weaving. Please read and review if you still love me!!!!

Ch. 20

Ozai

I left the cave and my daughter with it until I would need her services again. Azula, she betrayed me and just as soon as she did I punished her for it by taking the one thing she had that I could never give her. Destroying that destroyed her and now she is mine. Keeping my mind locked with her fraying one I know she will not think to betray me now.

Through several sleepless nights I made my way through the Earth Kingdom to a port that would take me back to my homeland. Sneaking aboard was simple enough and I only had one goal in mind; lure the new Fire Lord back to the palace and destroy him in his sleep.

Aang

We arrived at the small village where we had made our makeshift base, Appa rested and the rest of us returned to the house. Zuko said that the link to his father was through his Mother. She was already sitting silently sipping tea with Mai, Katara and Suki. Together we sat down and asked her to explain what we could and should do next. Where Dream Weaving is concerned, she is the only one that can help us.

Ursa

"Dream weaving...the state itself is similar to the avatar state." I said slowly to the children as they stared up at me with wide eyes filled with concern and determination.

"So a dream weaver is equal to an Avatar?" The young Aang asked me almost skeptically.

"No." I gave him a light smile that made him feel more at ease. "It is only similar in the sense that when a person is in the weaving state their body cannot be disturbed, much like the physicality of the Avatar state."

"So...if the body is disturbed,the person stops dream weaving?" Sokka scratched his head.

"Their focus is broken. A dream weaver can only go through one mind at a time, it is extremely difficult to manipulate more than one person in a dream state."

"So what's the plan?" The young water tribe boy was very anxious to start this new mission.

"We need to find Ozai and get him when he is vulnerable." Aang thought out loud.

"But how can we find him? He wasn't at the cave, he could be anywhere!" Suki argued.

"We could search around the area, he can't be that far, right?" Katara added.

"That will take too long!" Zuko sighed. "There has to be another way..."

"For a group so complex with all of your abilities combined you seem to forget the most obvious solution..." A voice came from behind us.

"Azula!" Suki immediately jumped up and pinned my young daughter against the wall. "Where is Ty Lee?! What have you done to her now?!"

"Suki, relax." Ty Lee stepped in from behind Azula. "We're here to help."

"We?" Suki released her grip on Azula only slightly.

"You may not like me all that much, but you'll need my help."

"What makes you say that?"

"Why don't you let go of your pride, my shirt, and here me out." Azula gently pushed Suki out of her way and stepped towards the group with Ty Lee standing right beside her.

Zuko

The look of the two of them standing there together was nothing like I have ever seen. Yes, I had seen them work together before but the way they looked just standing there was different some how. Ty Lee was no longer my sisters side kick, nor was Azula completely in control. They looked like partners...equals for once. Standing up I offered them both a place to sit.

"Let's hear what they have to say."

Suki was obviously furious but swallowed her pride for that one moment and took her place beside Sokka once again.

"Ozai needs to be taken down once and for all." Ty Lee started.

"And the only way that can happen is if he is taken out of existence all together." Azula added on, then glancing to Aang and myself.

His hesitation was the same as before when he had to fight my father, so I spoke up once again stating his views on murder.

"It wouldn't be right to ask that of him, and my position as Fire Lord and my campaign for peace will be tarnished."

"I understand that," Azula nodded much to my surprise, she didn't burst out and call me a coward. "And the Avatar can't do much to stop him now anyway."

"What do you mean?" Aang piped up at last.

"Dream Weaving is a mental state, not so much a physical one. The elements don't need to be wasted on something that is simply in the mind alone." Ty Lee explained. "His mind needs to be distracted, with the right kind of help I think I can do it long enough to distract him while he is weaving."

"Ty Lee!" Suki panicked immediately.

"That's too dangerous!" My Mother shared Suki's concern.

"So far I've been a target of his." Ty Lee said seriously, taking a gentle hold onto Azula's hand. "I'm the one thing that keeps Azula under control and out of his grasp. He sees me as an obstacle now, so if I can distract him long enough we can take him down."

"But his body needs to be taken care of..." Sokka chimed in.

"And it will be." Azula nodded. "That's where I come in handy."

"You plan to kill our father?" I asked her, completely astonished that she would volunteer herself for the task.

"Who else will?"

At that we were all silent, none of us were in the position to murder my father. Whether it be for personal beliefs or political affairs, we all had our reasons.

"Why?" I was still compelled to ask.

"What do I have to lose? I'm already a criminal, what's a few more years to life in prison? Besides, it needs to be done, Zuko, you and I both know that."

"Ty Lee..."

"I understand why she has to do this." She stated before I could get out the question.

Again we all stayed silent, their eyes were locked with mine while everyone else looked around confused and even frightened about their suggestion. My mother in-particular looked between my sister and I with the same sad and worried look that I remember so well from when I was young.

"What else is there to do?" Sokka said softly. "We're out of options."

"How can you say that?" Katara lashed out a bit. "They shouldn't have to risk themselves like that!"

"Ty Lee shouldn't." Suki mumbled.

"She won't have to." My mother said slowly then looked to the couple beside me. "Ty Lee if you insist on manipulating my ex husbands mind you will not be doing it alone. I will be there to help you. You're still new at this and I won't let you get hurt again."

"But I thought only one dream weaver could go through a persons mind at a time?"

"No." Her smile grew a bit again. "A dream weaver cannot manipulate more than one mind, but two dream weavers together can enter one persons mind."

"But wait..." My very silent wife came out of the blue. "We still don't know where Ozai is."

"I do." Azula sighed. "He's heading back to the Fire Nation. He'll find his way back so don't doubt me. If he was capable enough to escape the Boiling Rock, he'll find his way back to the palace."

"Then that's where we'll go." Aang nodded.

"All right! Ozai is going DOWN!!!!!" Sokka leapt up with excitement and we all cheered together, most of us anyway.

Ty Lee tightly embraced my sister and when they parted Azula kept her head down. I swear with everything in me that when I looked at her, she had the slightest smile on her face.

Back at the Fire Nation

The night was oddly cool for once, summer is dying down into fall. With the Fire Lord away the palace is eerie and silent. The guards continue to work as though everyone in the royal family is home and well, but there is no one.

A guard approached another as he was passing him in the great hall towards the Fire Lords war room. It was a strange sight because no one had been guarding that area while the Fire Lord was away.

"Soldier, where are you headed?"

"The war room,sir." He responded immediately. "I thought I heard a disturbance."

"All right. Check it out then get back to your post!"

"Sir!" With a salute he left and his superior returned to his own post.

The soldier stared at the entrance of the war room briefly before continuing down the other hall towards the royal bed chambers. The former bedroom of Fire Lord Ozai was intruded upon and the door was closed silently. Removing his soldiers mask the former Fire Lord grinned and let out a subtle laugh as he locked the door behind him and found his way to his old bed.

"And now we wait..."