"Suki, I swear, I'm not going to wear that make up if we get married." Sokka said laughing. His arm was around her shoulders. The make up was gone off of her face, her arms wrapped around his waist, clinging to him tightly. Suki laughed. "Oh come on. If not the make up, how about the dress? If I recall, you did look quite stunning." She teased. He snorted in response, "Well I know that, but it doesn't mean I want to wear it on that occasion." Suki started giggling again until they came to a sudden stop. She looked up worried, looking towards her boyfriend.

"Sokka…what is it?" Suki asked. She gazed upward, looking to his face. He was serious, staring at the only lit building in the town, the one where he was headed. "This can't be good."

Opening the door, Sokka saw Katara and Aang sitting in a somber mood, across the table from each other, their hands clasped together, whispering. The sound of the door opening made the two look up. Katara looked away quickly, tears in her eyes, while Aang stood up looking serious.

"Aang, what's going on?" He asked looking worried.

"We need to leave. Now." He told him. "There's a rebel fleet of Fire Nation ships heading to the South Pole, and no one can stop them before they get there." Aang explained, looking down, fists balled in anger. It was then Sokka noticed the letrer, the seal of the Fire Lord stamped on it.

"Why isn't Zuko stopping it? He's still got the largest army in the world at his command!"

"There isn't time. Before there spy reported to them, the fleet was already half a continent away. We need to warn them. Prepare them for battle." He said looking up.

Sokka closed his eyes for a long moment. "I'm sorry Suki, I have to do this." He said.

"I'm coming." She replied. "I already planned on it, but didn't think it would be so soon." She said, sounding battle ready as she often did. "How long before we leave?" She asked.

"In an hour. I need to wake up Appa and he won't be happy, and we all need to pack up our things." Suki nodded. "I'll meet you here in an hour." She replied before bounding off into the night.

"Sokka…" Aang said quietly as he headed to his room. "Listen, Katara is really torn up, and there's nothing I can do. Try talking to her, you know about this kind of thing better then I do." He finished. Sokka replied with a nod. "I'll do my best." Aang turned and walked into his room, leaving Sokka to his sister.

Aang opened his eyes. He was sitting alone in his room. "If they want the Avatar, they will get him." He said before taking a breath, calming himself down. Twenty minutes past since Sokka had returned. His project was finally done, and even in the sake of the danger coming, he was proud of it. He hoped it would be perfect. Aang tucked it away once again in his robes, satchel in hand and stepped out of his room. It was empty, he figured they were each packing, which was what they were supposed to be doing, but still left the place in a very pregnant silence. He traveled outside to Appa, whom he hadn't awoken, but found awake anyway. Suki was gently scratching his chin.

"I know you." She said, as she looked up to him. "It didn't take you twenty minutes to pack." She said to him. "So why was an hour required?" She asked. Aang smiled and walked over. "I guess I have to tell someone, but only if you can keep a secret!" He said, taking a seat next to her, unable to remove the smile from his face in the loom of the darkness, not only in the sky, but in the coming events. "My lips are sealed." She said, curious as to what had him so wrapped up.

Sokka closed his eyes and lifted up his pack. He had finished a battle strategy, though it would only work if the South Pole was as he remembered it, otherwise it would need some tweaking. It was all about terrain. He clenched his fist, the war was supposed to be over, but once again, his home was threatened. It wasn't fair. His mother had already been taken from him, no one else would slip away, he wouldn't let it. His talk with Katara had been what he had expected. A lot of tears and some bruises to him. She didn't mean to, but when she was upset she tended to strike him, not in anger just out of grief. He closed his eyes and stopped himself from crying. He wouldn't cry, he had to take care of her, she was his sister. The conversation was still fresh in his mind.

"Dad…what if something happens to him…we just got him back." Katara cried out, hitting his chest as tears spilled down his chest. "Listen, nothing will, we just need to get there and prepare everyone. Aang will be with us, and we will all fight for our home land." He said. She fell into his chest and cried for their for the first time since Aang had awoken on the Fire Nation ship they had commandeered before the invasion. It was something he hoped he wouldn't have had to endure again for a long time. He opened his eyes, shaking off the memory, heading towards the bison. He couldn't dwell on it, he needed to look forward, to protecting his family.

Sokka found Aang and Suki by Appa, who was awake now and munching some hay. Suki had a gentle smile on her face and Aang seemed to be excited. Seemed opposite the mood that he had. Maybe if there family were the ones in danger they could understand. When they heard his approach there mood dropped. It was a heavy weight on them both.

"How's…" Aang's sentence was cut short by Sokka. "Later…" He said, not explaining. Katara's appearance sobered Aang up completely, making him realize how deeply this truly thrashed the children of the Water Tribe with whom he traveled.. She was dressed in traditional blue like Sokka, but looked like she had been sobbing. Aang closed his eyes for a moment and looked away. He wanted to be able to make it better, make things stop. If only he could take her in his arms and make it all go away. There was nothing more that could be said on this. They would just have to go.

"Everyone ready?" Aang asked, sitting on the bison's head, his dark mood reflecting everyone. Katara sat in the saddle, her back to a corner, knees at her chest. Suki was curled against Sokka in a corner. No response was heard immediately. "Let's go Aang." Suki said finally. No one else seemed willing to speak with what was to come. Maybe this would just turn out to be a bad dream, or a miscommunication. Aang's optimism had just about run out.

"Yip yip boy." Aang said with a heavy sigh. "I have a feeling this is going to be a very long night." There was a growl from him as he took off into the cool night sky.