Every single time I tried to get this chapter done, I would just type a few sentences...and BAM! Writer's block! Ugh, it comes at the worst times, doesn't it? I mean, if you're writing your first novel, and no one's waiting for it, you can take a break, but when people are waiting for the next chapter...you can't! *Sighs* Oh, I'm so sorry!

KingKey980: Yeah, finally I decided to be kind and give Aang a break. Then I wrote this chapter….well, that didn't last long. You'll see what I mean. :)

Jokermask18: Thanks! Ugh, again, I'm sorry for the long wait. I hate writer's block!

prettyshon10: Yeah, I'd had that idea for a long while. Then, when I was in a good mood, I decided to write it! I figured the story needed a cheerful chapter. Can't keep you guys depressed forever! But apparently I can keep you waiting forever...um, yeah…

Kira97: I'm so glad you liked it! I honestly wasn't expecting my story to do so well. I'm grateful!

squeak sqeak: Yeah, I tried to post soon. I really did! But whenever I got ready to type...I couldn't get into it! Finally something clicked, and I managed to get this chapter done. Hope it was worth the wait! Now...on to the more important business…"Let it go" is the most catchy song on the planet...and it's everywhere. Can't...get it...out of my….head! Lastly, happy very belated birthday! I wanted to get it up that Friday..but stupid writer's block…oops...

Guest: Wow, you took Appa and Aang's reunion to heart, didn't you? While I see your point, Aang may not remember Appa, but that doesn't mean he lost his love of animals. So, instead of attacking him, Aang enjoyed the bison's company. Also, remember when Katara said, "Appa, remember, we talked about how Aang would respond to this?" Katara explained the situation to Appa. Since Momo can't understand humans, Appa explained it to him. Sorry, had to debate you on that one! Thanks for reviewing!

Mz topsy turvy: It's fine. You don't have to review the day of, just like I don't have to update the next week, like I planned to. Anyhow, to think I was so proud to think of a believable name like Feng, and only a few days after typing that first chapter with him to realize that I'd gotten it from Long Feng. Oh well, no pride for me! So no, Feng is not Long Feng, but he is in the show. In the episode where Jet gets brainwashed, he's the one speaking to Jet during the whole thing. Bye!

Avatarelements03: Don't worry! I plan to finish An Avatar Christmas Carol, I just want to finish this story first. :) Well, enjoy the chapter!

Thanks for all the reviews!

Disclaimer: Even after all this time, I still haven't managed to gain the rights to A: TLA.

"Is he ready?"

The members of Team Avatar, minus Aang, could tell that Feng was getting impatient. Aang had yet to talk to the hypnotist, and Feng was not willing to wait much longer. He wanted to start helping Aang heal, but how long would it take for Aang to accept him again?

"Sorry, Feng, I don't know if he is. He's making progress, but…" Sokka trailed off. How should they explain this to Feng?

"But what?" Feng demanded.

"Um, well, uh, Aang sort of kind of…"

"What is it, Sokka?" Feng prompted impatiently.

Sokka took a deep breath, "Aang refuses to talk to you, no matter what. He says that he's willing to talk to anyone but you."

Feng had expected this, but it still stung a little. He just wished Aang would give him a chance, "So? Aang didn't want to talk to me before. That's why I brought him here."

"We know, but, if anything, he only has a stronger resolve than before. He won't talk to you, and completely shuts down whenever we bring you up," said Katara, a hint of anger in her voice. Feng shouldn't act like he didn't deserve this, after all. Katara didn't really blame Aang for how he was treating Feng.

"Is there nothing you can do to convince him that I'm a friend?" Feng asked, slightly desperate.

"We've tried, believe me, but he just won't listen," Toph said.

Feng growled in frustration, "Well, that's it! If he's going to keep acting like this, I'm going to talk to him whether he likes it or not." Feng knew rushing these things could be disastrous, but he also knew that letting Aang wait any longer could be disastrous.

"No, Feng, you shouldn't rush this," said Katara.

"If we wait any longer, the effects of brainwashing might get to him!" Feng snapped.

"And whose fault is that?!" Katara growled, angry at Feng's attitude toward what was his fault. Katara was a little shocked by the harsh statement, but at the moment, she didn't care. It was Feng who did this to Aang in the first place! How could he expect to forgiven so easily?

Feng went silent, staring at Katara in shock. The waterbender avoided eye contact with the hypnotist. Everyone in the room was gaping at Katara, unsure what to make of what they'd just heard.

"Katara, don't you think that's a bit….harsh?" Zuko asked.

"No, I don't," Katara growled, and with that, she stormed out of the room.

"I'll go talk to her," Sokka assured Feng, moving to leave, but the Dai Li agent stopped him.

"No, let me talk to her," he said.

"Are you sure about that? Sugar Queen can hold a grudge, just ask Zuko."

Zuko glared at Toph as Feng said, "I want to talk to her. I understand where she's coming from."

Zuko, Sokka, and Toph still looked unsure. Feng couldn't blame them, though. Even he was unsure. This could go very badly. However, the way Feng saw it, this talk with Katara would be practice for his talk with Aang. If he couldn't get Katara to forgive him, then how could he get Aang?

"Look, give me a chance, okay? If I don't get through to her, you guys can feel free to give it a shot, all right?"

Zuko, Sokka, and Toph went silent, mulling it over. They weren't sure if letting Katara talk to Feng so soon after she'd snapped would play out well, but she would have to talk to Feng sooner or later. Though it wasn't the best time, it was better than nothing.

"Well...all right, talk to her, but don't expect any apologies," said Sokka reluctantly.

"I didn't plan on asking for any," said Feng, and with that, he left the room.

It wasn't hard to find Katara, who was in the dining room. Feng cautiously approached the angry waterbender.

"Do you mind if I speak to you?" he asked, half-expecting a "no."

Katara glanced at him for a second, before sighing, "Look, I know what I said was harsh, but...it's hard to forgive you. Really, you were the one who brainwashed Aang, and you were the one who turned him over to Azula. How am I, and more importantly, how is Aang supposed to forgive you? You were a huge coward, and ruined Aang just to save your own skin."

Feng sighed, "I think about that every day, and I'll probably never forgive myself."

Katara snorted, "It's understandable. How everyone has forgiven you so easily is a mystery to me."

Feng shook his head, "They haven't forgiven me. They just know I'm Aang's only shot at getting better. That's the only reason they're putting up with me."

"How can you know what's best for Aang when you betrayed him?" Katara growled, the anger from earlier returning.

Feng wasn't sure how to answer that. The same thought had crossed his mind numerous times, but he would always dismiss it.

"Maybe Aang's better off with his friends. Maybe you should just leave him alone. Maybe we're what's best for him now!" Katara continued, growing more outraged with every sentence.

"Look, once I help Aang, I'll leave, and you won't ever have to see me again. All I want now is to help Aang. I don't care if he ever speaks to me again afterwards. I just want to help him," Feng pleaded his case, and this is what caused Katara to hold back her anger for just a second. She froze just as she was about to start shouting. Feng's statement was shocking. Was he really saying what she'd been wanting him to all along?

He...doesn't want Aang's friendship? He doesn't care if he's forgiven?

"I was selfish to come here and expect to be forgiven so easily, if at all. I'm sorry...for everything," Feng apologized, and it that's all Katara needed to here.

"That's what's been bothering me all along," Katara confessed to Feng, "I hated the fact that you came here and expected Aang to accept you. It seemed really selfish and pompous of you. I just couldn't get over that fact. You were acting like you didn't do anything wrong."

"I know. Please, you don't have to forgive me. Just let me help," Feng pleaded, shoulders slumping.

Katara wasn't able to answer right away. She looked at a crack on the floor, thinking hard. Feng had done terrible things. He talked about how he hated what happened to Aang, but he was the one who caused it in the first place! The thought had maddened Katara ever since Feng had shown up at Zuko's palace. But now...he'd changed. And he was right, no one else knew how to help Aang. Maybe...just maybe…

"Okay, I'll give you a chance. It's not forgiveness, but it's a chance," Katara said, and Feng beamed at her.

"Thank you…so much…" Feng breathed. It shocked him completely that Katara would give him a chance in the first place after all he'd done.

"You're welcome, but now you've got an even harder task. It's time for you to talk to Aang."

Feng gulped, "It's a good thing the monks taught him not to murder."

"All right," said Sokka, "So Feng's going to talk to Aang. Now who's going with him?"

"I'll go," Katara volunteered instantly.

"Come on, Katara, you get to do everything. Let someone else go!" Sokka whined.

"I never thought I'd say this, but Snoozles has a point," Toph agreed with Sokka, "but he's still an idiot."

"Hey!" Sokka shouted, but he knew he should've expected as much from the Blind Bandit.

"Why shouldn't I go?!" Katara demanded, ignoring the fight between Sokka and Toph.

"Because if Aang attacks Feng, you won't be able to bring yourself to stop him by force," Zuko spoke up, as if this were a casual conversation.

"Who says Aang'll attack Feng?"

"Who knows what Aang will do? We can't quite read him so easily anymore," Sokka said, rubbing the spot where Toph had just hit him.

Katara looked like she was about to object, but finally nodded reluctantly, "I guess you're right."

"Great, now who's gonna go with Feng?" said Toph.

"I'd like to go," said Zuko, "if that's all right."

"Fine by me," said Sokka, "Any objections?"

Everyone agreed, and Zuko led Feng to Aang's chamber. They walked in tense silent. Feng tried to gather his thoughts, but his mind had gone blank. What was he supposed to say?! Zuko wanted to give Feng advice, but he honestly couldn't think of anything that would help. Perhaps he could tell Feng to take a bite out of the Silver Sandwich?

"Er...be careful. He really doesn't want to see you," Zuko warned, and he knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" came Aang's voice. Though he'd made so much progress with his paranoia, Zuko and Feng could still detect the slightest bit of nervousness in Aang's voice. Zuko wondered what Azula had done to Aang to make him so nervous about someone coming to the door. Feng, however, knew what Azula did...and knew it was his own fault.

"It's Zuko," the firelord said, "there's someone who wants to talk to you."

"Er, okay, who?" asked Aang.

"It's….a surprise?" Zuko offered meekly, doubting that his excuse would calm Aang down enough to let them in. To his surprise, he got lucky.

"Oh, okay, come in," said Aang, and Zuko opened the door, Feng nervously walking behind him.

Aang's eyes zoomed in on the Dai Li hypnotist entering the room. Aang glared fiercely at him, never once looking away. Feng nodded tensely at him.

Aang finally looked away from Feng in order to ask Zuko, "What is he doing here?"

"Aang...it's been so long...please talk to me…" Feng said before Zuko had a chance to answer Aang.

"It's been so long since what? You handed me over to Azula and let her torture me? Really, it hasn't been that long," Aang growled.

"Aang, I don't know what to say. I - I was such a coward. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have lied to you, and I shouldn't have stood by while Azula tortured you. I know it's not enough, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Well, at least you admit that it's not enough," Aang said bitterly.

"Aang, please, just here Feng out," said Zuko.

"Why should I? I trusted him before, and look what happened!" Aang rounded on Zuko.

"Look, Aang, you need to listen to what Feng has to say."

"I did that before, and, as you can see, it didn't turn out well," Aang was standing up now (it was either that or stay in bed, as his room wasn't very big), and he began to shake with suppressed emotion.

"Aang, calm down," said Feng.

Aang almost did as Feng said, as if on instinct. He felt like he'd heard Feng said that before, but as soon as the memories came, they slipped away, before he could grasp what he was remembering.

However, Aang resisted the instinct, and instead opted to say, "Leave me alone. I don't want to see you ever again."

The voice was soft, but it was filled with a coldness Feng had never heard in Aang. Even Zuko, who spent months as Aang's enemy during the war, had never been spoken to by Aang like that.

Finally finding his voice, Zuko asked, "What ever happened to the Aang who believed in forgiveness? You were the one who encouraged Katara to forgive the man who murdered her mom, remember?" Zuko knew Aang probably didn't remember, but it was all he could think to say.

That sentence brought up memories too, but while still very hazy, the memories were a bit more clear than those evoked by Feng's statement. Memories of….something….a girl and boy dressed in back...sneaking on a bison….a very important question…

"What are you going to do when you face my father?"

Yes...that was a very, very important question...and - and who had asked him…? It - it was...Wait, Zuko? Yes, it was Zuko! So...the same person in the room with him right now used to know him back then? What…?

And then it clicked. He was talking to Zuko.

"You hate Firelord Zuko. He does terrible things like the ones you just listed."

I hate Firelord Zuko, Aang replied subconsciously, He does terrible things like the ones I just listed. And he's in the room with me right now! I can't believe I didn't remember! Who knows what he would've done to me sooner or later?! It's all Fe - that hypnotist's fault that I forgot!

It came crashing upon him. Toph...didn't he hate her? Yes, he remembered now! He did! And...didn't he hate Sokka? That sounded right.

And…Katara…

He had mixed feelings about her.

"Um...Aang?" Zuko tried to get Aang's attention. The Avatar had grown rather quiet, and he didn't seem to be paying attention to the other two in the room anymore.

Aang snapped immediately back to attention, and while previously he'd been shaking with anger, he was now shivering in fear, eyes darting nervously to Zuko, then Feng, then back again.

"Aang?" Zuko tried again.

Aang looked like he was about to have a stroke.

"St - stay away from me," Aang commanded, and despite his fear, he still managed to sound slightly intimidating, "You better stay away!"

"What's gotten into you?" Zuko asked, baffled. Aang was acting like Zuko and Feng were about to lunge at him any second.

"I hate Firelord Zuko. He does terrible things like the ones I just listed," Aang recited from memory, though he wasn't sure what the "ones he just listed" were. All he knew was that they were bad. Really bad.

Zuko nearly leaped ten feet in the air, and Feng's eyes were so wide it looked as though they were bulging. Both of them remembered that day very well, as though it were yesterday.

"Aang, you don't hate me. I'm your friend," said Zuko as non threateningly as he could, taking a step toward his friend. That was the wrong move.

"Don't come near me! Not a step closer!" Aang commanded fiercely, backing up to where his back was pressing against the wall.

"Zuko isn't going to hurt you," Feng told Aang calmly, "he's a friend."

"No! No, he's not!" Aang turned to Zuko,"You better get out of here, Firelord Zuko. Leave this room now! Got it?"

"But - but I'm not going to -"

"LEAVE NOW!" Aang yelled, and his tattoos glowed. Noticing this, Zuko assured Aang hurriedly that he would leave, which seemed to calm the boy down.

Feng moved to leave as well, but was stopped when Aang said,"Wait, you stay for a second."

The voice was still cold, but if Aang wanted to talk, that was a breakthrough all its own.

"All right, what is it?" Feng asked, keeping the door open in case Aang tried to attack.

Aang growled, "I've just learned that I have no one here. I'm alone. But the thing is, I don't have to be. I know there are others like me, others whose minds have been...corrupted. Some of them may have made it through successfully, but the unlucky ones...what do you do with them?"

Feng gulped, "Why do you ask?"

"Because if I can find them, then I won't be alone anymore."