Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Rather then working so statteredly on my stories i decided to switch focus between them meaning within the next week or so expect mutiple updates and then i go on to do multipe updates of another story. Hopefully this is more effective.

Enjoy the chapter XD

"I'm sure we can logically figure this out" Sokka said, though he was disappointed.

"Well I'm going back to get the other Kyoshi warriors. You guys know them, right?" Ty Lee pointed out.

Suki perked up. "The Kyoshi Warriors are here?" she asked.

"Yeah" Ty Lee said.

Sokka noticed her solemn expression. "Go" he offered.

"Really?" Suki asked, more exited then she would let on.

"They probably already sent a messenger hawk to bring a ship. Suki can catch up with them and meet up with you in a major city later on" Ty Lee suggested.

"Okay. Bye guys" Aang said.

Suki hugged Sokka and bid farewells to the others before following Ty lee in to the path.

"Alright" Aang started. "We need to travel for about a day straight, with Appa injured and" he paused to count "eight of us. Plus supplies"

"We could take of the saddle" Katara suggested

"What!?!" Tao, Toph and Zuko all asked, shocked and uncomfortable with the idea of riding bareback.

"Great idea' Aang said, ignoring the others. He removed the saddle via air bending. "Done" he smiled.

Tao pulled out a dagger and began mindlessly playing with it. "That's Zuko's isn't it?" Lee asked, remembering it from it's five minutes in his possession.

Zuko immediately realized it was. "Give it Tao" he ordered, but she ignored, claiming it was hers and Zuko grabbed it, catching a piece of the blade.

Noting how they were equally matched Toph decided to earth bend little miss temper issues into a tree.

Sokka and Aang stood watching. "Want to go do you peace making avatar thing?" the older teen suggested.

Aang nodded. "Guys" he said. They ignored him. "EVERYBODY STOP" he ordered. Finally he had their attention.

"You" he pointed to Tao. "Give back the knife-" he was interrupted.

"Dagger" Tao, Lee and Zuko corrected.

"Whatever' Aang shrugged. "Anyways do it" he looked at Tao who obeyed after a moment. "Toph, stop picking fights and Zuko, just uh ignore her or something"

"Easier said then done" she injured teen muttered

"What was that?" Tao asked.

"Um I'm hungry" Sokka said. Truthfully he would have loved to mention it yesterday but felt it was a bad time. It had been two days without a meal. He had to ask.

"I think I have some fruit, but not enough for everyone" Katara said reaching for the pack.

"I'm not hungry" Zuko said. Truthfully he was but he was in no mind to eat. What he would love to do is forget about everything and start fresh. Forget Azula, and this island, and Chan, and Tao, and all the other bad and irritating things he had been facing. Plus the disgusting taste from Tao's medicine was still in his mouth, and even a hundred fruits wouldn't make that better.

Katara gave him a look to either say 'are you stupid' or 'I was going to say that'.

Either way Zuko shrugged in response. Katara pulled out some fruit and bread and divided it among them.

Finally it was time for them to depart. As Aang brought Appa up Tao, Toph and Zuko exchanged questioning looks. "You've done this before?" Zuko asked, just as Appa picked up speed and almost sent him, Toph, and Tao flying off. Zuko had free-fallen before and it wasn't a pleasant experience.

"This is terrifying" Toph muttered.

"You guys will get used to it" Sokka said, sitting comfortably. Finally the ride leveled out and they were able to move. Zuko laid down, still clutching Appa's fur with one hand, and the other comfortably under his head. Toph and Tao remained in there positions.

"So Tao is scared of something" Sensu muttered loud enough for her to hear

"I'm not scared" she said.

"By the way" Sokka started. "We might need to find some less noticeable clothing. Aang, you and Zuko might want to lay low for a while"

"I have to cover my arrow" Aang sighed.

"Sorry" Katara said, knowing how Aang felt about it.

"You don't have to hide or anything. Just try not to stand out." Sokka said

"I can live with that" the air bender said smiling.

"Um Katara, there are some fire nation ships below that might not like us so much: Zuko warned.

Katara bended the humid water around them making a cloud. "Can you make it cooler?" Sokka asked.

Zuko extracted the heat from the water. "Thanks" Katara said. Zuko nodded and went back to thinking, not that he wanted to, but there was nothing else to do.

They flew for about an hour when Appa started protesting. They weren't to far from the earth kingdom docks but Appa wouldn't listen to Aang's logic. Without warning the bison plunged downward throwing Zuko and Sokka to Appa's tail.

As Appa dropped into the water Aang and Tao were the only ones who weren't spread apart. Zuko quickly noting to find Toph, managed to grab her and pull them both up. Not that it was even close to easy for him to hold them both above water. Both gasped, taking in a fill of air. None of the others were visible.

"Something's coming" Zuko warned

"What do you mean 'something's coming'!!!" Toph shrieked.

"Toph, take a deep breath" Zuko ordered, trying to keep his voice calm.

"What's-" she was cut off.

"Do it" Zuko said. Toph obeyed and nodded. Zuko dove them under just as the creature broke the surface. It was a loosing battle though. In a regular condition alone Zuko might have been able to out-swim it. But with freezing waters, Toph struggling to hang on to him, and multiple persisting injuries, this was not anywhere near normal conditions.

XXX

Sokka pulled up against the current. His sister, and the two earth kingdom brothers were also at the surface, the younger one holding on for life, probably unable to swim.

Aang and Tao broke the surface a second after.

After a second of breathing Aang looked around, shocked. "Where's Toph and Zuko?"

The others gasped in shock and realization. They knew Toph couldn't swim and doubted Zuko could get far in his circumstances.

Katara bended and air bubble around her and dove back in, Aang following the example. They others swam towards Appa.

XXX

Zuko and Toph were stuck. Whatever was chasing them was gone but Zuko couldn't bring them any further and they were running out of time before needing another breath.

Right as they were about to break the surface something tugged at Zuko's leg, pulling them further into the darkness.

Unable to hold his breath any longer Zuko coughed, inhaling water. Toph only clutched him tighter, unaware of anything but life flashing before her mind.

Again whatever had them disappeared once it got to its location and Zuko used every ounce of strength to pull them up as fast as possible.

Finally at the surface Zuko pulled them to a rock. Toph choked on the newfound air as Zuko pulled them up. Zuko coughed, obviously having got to much water in his lungs.

Once settled, Zuko pulled Toph closer getting both of them in the center of the small earth.

"Well this day is going wonderfully" Zuko rasped.

"No kidding" Toph commented weakly, already shivering.

XXX

Aang and Katara pulled up on Appa. "We couldn't find them" Aang reported.

Sokka looked around, peering to see if they found shore.

Tao was apparently doing the same. "I see them" she called out. The others turned to her as she pointed towards a rock with none other then Zuko and Toph on it.

They brought Appa over to the rock and Toph almost ecstatically jumped on. Sokka and Aang helped Zuko up.

Toph hugged Zuko, muttering "thank you" repeatedly.

"It's okay" Zuko said, shocked at Toph's new form of affection. Finally realizing the unwanted attention Toph pulled away blushing.

Tao looked down, getting the wrong impression. Katara bended the water off everyone's clothes.

"That was not fun" Toph muttered

"Really?" Zuko asked sarcastically, coughing again.

Tao giggled a bit at Zuko. "What did you do to make the spirit's so angry?" she asked

"I wish I knew!" Zuko exclaimed in frustration.

I promise i'm done torturing Zuko for a good while now but it's so much fun. Really, for other writer i totally recoment torturing a character you like. XD

Anyways i had to involve a bit of Toph and Zuko friendship considering romance wise Toko is my second favorite nonslash ship.

See, Tao can be helpful....sometimes.

Please review. XD