The morning was bright and clear. The sun seemed to mock Aang's sinister mood. He heard Suki and Sokka laughing behind him and tried to ignore it. Maybe they wouldn't see him and just walk away.

''Is everything okay, Aang?'' Or they would ask what was bothering him. He tried to be descent since it was Suki.

Aang shrugged. ''I guess, it depends on your definition of okay.''

''Is this about Kata-''

Sokka stared at her pointedly and she changed her train of thought. ''I actually have to go train Teo now, and I think Duke wanted a lesson too.''

''The duke.'' Aang muttered to himself softly. ''He likes to be called the Duke.'' But Suki was already gone. He shrugged and stared at the horizon. Thunder rolled in the distance, he noticed there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Sokka looked up and tried to make small talk. "That's weird I didn't think storms started here so early."

''It's an omen.'' Aang muttered. ''A bad one.''

''What?''

''The thunder, it's sun thunder.''

Sokka gave him a blank look and repeated the question. ''What?''

Aang patted the ground next to him. '' It supposedly happens when the spirit energies are acting up. When my people use to be here we had this…''

''Superstition?'' Sokka finished for him.

Aang nodded. ''Sorta. Anyway, whenever there's sun thunder we take it to mean that the spirits are at work. In other words that there's more to the material world around us; kinda like not everything's as it seems. ''

''Well it is just a superstition Aang.''

''If you say so Sokka.'' Everything seemed perfect. She loved me. He thought back to the conversation he had over heard. Then the thunder rolled in and along with it the truth. She wants me dead. He thought back to the smile Katara had given him a few moments ago.

Sokka put his hand on Aang's shoulder. ''Seriously, buddy, What's up?'' He waited for a response. He stared at Sokka for a moment and then turned his large grey eyes back toward the horizon.

''You can always talk to me Aang.''

They sat as if neither had spoken.

Sokka made one more attempt. ''This about Katara?''

Aang stiffened. '' Yea.''

''Aang, just because she doesn't like-''

''It's not that Sokka.''

''Oh.''

''Just go away please.''

Kendo stood by the cooking pot which dinner currently boiled in. He scanned the pavillion and smiled. Not a soul in sight. A slow smile made it's way across his face as he took out a small black vile. The powdery contents of the vial swirled into the cooking pot and melded perfectly with the stew. His smile widened as he imagined their surprise in the morning when he, Zuko and Katara were gone.

''Well I'm turning in.'' Sokka said as he picked up a sleeping Suki off the floor. The cold night wind blew her hair across her face. He cradled her in his arms and nudged his sleeping father with his foot. ''Dad.'' Hakoda snorted in his sleep.'' Uh, dad.''

Hakoda moved an inch. Suki was growing heavy in his arms. ''It's the day of Black Sun!''

Hakoda jumped to a fighting stance and nearly toppled over from fatigue.

Sokka smiled. '' Gotcha. Dinner's over dad.'' He studied everyone's half empty bowl and nodding heads. ''At least I think so.'' His own eyelids were growing heavy as he dragged himself to Suki's room. As he placed her on her mat he found that his body wouldn't cooperate anymore. Something isn't right. Then he faded away.

Toph winced as Katara's laugh pierced through the air again. ''Katara?''

Katara, glassy eyed, turned toward Toph. ''Yes?'' She swayed where she sat; As if she was dancing to music she could only hear.

''Are you okay?''

Katara tried standing, but only fell back. ''Why wouldn't I be okay?''

Toph sighed, ''No reason.'' She placed her hand on the stone floor and waited. She could feel four distinct hearts. Two beat at a frenzied pace, which belonged to Zuko and Katara. They had both lost their minds. Teo and the Duke probably spiked dinner. She felt Kendo's heart beat reguarly, he hadn't eaten any dinner. Probably because of that nasty stomach. She wished she hadn't agreed to stay on watch tonight. The night was quiet and cool. Perfect for sleeping. She focused on Kendo's heart and felt the anger blossom in her chest. Hold on until Buttface goes to sleep. She sighed as she felt Zuko try to stand up only to fall flat on his face. ''Maybe you guys should turn in?''

''But I'm not tired.'' Katara hiccupped. She placed her empty soup bowl on her head and began singing off key.

Toph rolled her eyes as the shrill off keynotes burned her sensitive ears. She's as bad as Zuko. Zuko joined in when she hit the chorus . No, Zuko's worse. Much worse. They somehow both managed to stand and were now swinging each other around, in a something that resembled a dance. She could feel their clumsy footfalls and wasn't surprised when she felt a jarring vibration.

''Ouch.'' Zuko said groggily from where he lay on the floor. ''Get ov me.'' Katara rolled off him leaving her head on his shoulder.

''Get ov!'' Zuko drawled again.''

''What?''

Toph sighed. ''Off! '' Her voice echoed throughout the pavilion.

Katara turned her drowsy blue eyes toward Toph. ''What?''

Toph rolled her sightless eyes. ''Off. As in get off of him.''

''Oh.'' Katara murmured. Fog was clouding her thoughts. How do I move again? She tired getting her body to roll away from Zuko, but it didn't listen. Move Katara. ''I know.'' She mumbled. ''But, I'm comfy.''

Zuko's hearing grew fuzzy. ''Wha?''

In return Katara simply mumbled something and snuggled into him. She fell asleep moments later.

Zuko tried moving her off of him. His muscles simply wouldn't respond. A voice was screaming in his head. Get her off of you. He tried wiggling his shoulder and only succeeded in nudging Katara. Get her off of you now. He tried reasoning with his voice of reason, all the while noticing the irony of it all. But I'll wake her up. He closed his eyes and gave into the blackness.

Toph's sensitive's ears picked up three things at once. One the slowing of Katara and Zuko's breaths, the other was Aang's mournful sigh, and last was the excited way Kendo's heartbeat quickened. Something isn't right.

She felt Aang get up slowly. ''I'm gonna turn in.'' He cast an envious glance at Zuko and Katara laying side by side. They were both fast asleep. ''Night, Toph.'' He nodded at Kendo. ''Good night Sifu.''

As Aang's footsteps grew fainter Toph fought her drowsiness. If I just get five minutes of rest-

''You seem tired, earth bender.''

She tried to stifle a yawn. ''Good job! Anything else you want to tell me. ''She grinned maniacally at him.''Her ear twitched, and she picked up the scratching of a brush on paper. ''What are you doing?''

''Oh, nothing.''

She crossed her arms. Probably another note to the Fire Nation. They sat in silence for awhile. The soft crackling of the flames made it very hard to stay awake.

Kendo felt his smile grow as the earthbender's eyelids grew heavier. He chuckled softly when she finally drifted off to sleep. Rolling up the scroll he had been writing, he stood and glanced at the waterbender and Fire Prince. His lip twitched. It had been easy to convince the stupid air bending twit that they were a couple. Well they look good together at least. That waterbenders not half bad either. He noticed that the Prince had his arm around her waist. Hmm… he shrugged the thought off.

Katara awoke with a throbbing headache and a funny taste in her mouth. As she slowly opened her eyes, she panicked. The stone walls of her room were replaced with the view of the sky. She felt the wicker floor shift beneath her.

''Ah, so you've awoken, Katara.''

The basket swayed dangerously as she jumped to her feet. ''You sleazebag!'''

''Is that anyway to speak to someone who holds you life in their hands?''

She bit back a retort and instead slowly sat down. Her eyes watched his swifts movements, trying to catch any weakness. He stepped over a lump on the floor and shot a jet of flame into the balloon. She closed her eyes and took in a breath of fresh air. It was slightly salty. Sea breeze. We're over the ocean. She poked her head over the rim in case she had been wrong. The open ocean glittered at her from a dizzying distance below."Damnation!"

The lump by Kendo's boot moved. ''Katara.''

She jumped and crawled quickly toward the lump. The basket swayed dangerously. ''Zuko?''

He winced, his head hurt like crazy. ''Could you please speak at a descent decibel this early in the morning.'' He sat up slowly.

''If you two wouldn't mind the interruption, breakfast is served.''

Zuko glared out of his good eye. ''What the hell's he doing in my room?'' He turned toward Katara. ''What are you doing in my room?''

Kendo rolled his eyes and tossed breakfast, a peachpear, at Zuko's head. ''And your lack of observation skills, is reason seven hundred and fifty two why Azula is next in line for the throne and not you."

Zuko scanned the small wicker basket, and the expansive blue sky. The calm in his face frightened her, she waited to see what he would do. He finally spoke. "If we weren't over the ocean right now I'd tear your throat out. "

Kendo shrugged and bit into a peachpear, "If only if only."

The floor tipped and Zuko slowly sat down by Katara. The wind up there was almost deafening. "It's okay, we'll figure this out."

A moment of silent understanding passed between them. They were technically still following their plan. They were going to see Ozai, provided they weren't tortured, killed or brain washed, they could still try and figure out why the Dioppo insisted. The sinister smile on Kendo's face registered in Katara's mind. When the avatar invades the bastard dies first.

Aang burst into Hakoda's room and frantically waved a scroll. ''They left! That horny firebending son of a- ''

Hakoda held up his hand and sat up from his mat slowly, ''What?''

Aang glared at him. ''Katara and Zuko just ran away together and are headed toward the Fire nation to rat us out!'' He scanned the scroll in his hand. ''At least Sifu Kendo went after them.''

Iroh entered with a cup of tea and saw the scroll in Aang's hand. "I see we have exciting news this morning."

Hakoda had thrown on his shirt and was reaching for a scroll. ''Kendo finally made his move and kidnapped them.'' He rubbed his throbbing head. ''Which explains why I have such a big headache. He must have laced dinner with something.''

'' And here I was thinking the ginger I added had gone bad.'' Iroh chuckled. ''Have some tea for that headache of yours, it will help.'' He held out the steaming cup of tea.

Hakoda smiled gratefully and grabbing the cup, he started fumbling around the room. "There's a map of the Fire Nation around here somewhere." He nursed his head as he spread the map over a table in the corner. He beckoned to Iroh with his free arm. The two of them huddled over the map. "Now if they took Appa, they'd be somewhere over the mountains by now."

Iroh shook his head and pointed to a river beyond the mountains. "I'm pretty sure they would take a hot hair balloon. It'd be faster."

Hakoda rubbed his chin and took a sip of tea. "You think those things are faster than Appa?"

''Is there something wrong with you people? Katara just betrayed us and ran off with Zuko!'' The veins on Aang's neck were bulging. ''And my Sifu is gone with them!''

Iroh looked heavenward in thought and then at Aang. ''We shall discuss this over breakfast and tea. He placed a hand on his forehead,'' I think everyone will be needing some tea.''

so this is a pretty short chapter because it's kind of a cross road in the story. I have so many plot bunnies running around in my head, so I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to take this. Sorry it took awhile for me to update, I've been trying to look for a job haha. Let me know what you think please and enjoy =)