Hello, dear reader! First of all, review responses are going on my profile, so check that out for...you know...responses. Secondly, I'M SORRY! I hate it when I'm lazy, but in my defense, I DID move, so that's bound to take up time. Ugh, anyway, so here's the epilogue, the thing you've all been waiting for. I do have plans for other stories, but this is my baby, so it has a special place in my heart. I MIGHT return to this in the form of a prequel/sequel. A poll will go on my profile for what kind of story in The Avatar Rebels universe you'd like to see. Anyway, goodbye, my dear reader. Until next time. :')

Disclaimer: Oh...here's the one thing I WON'T miss. I STILL don't own A:TLA, but Bryke have to write a will eventually, right?

Now...on to the end of story time.

Aang and the rest of the Gaang spent the next few days on the island. After talking with a rather guilty Senshi, it was arranged that Azula would be locked up here at Uchiwake from now on, along with the more unstable inhabitants of the island. Both her and Khon's Dai Li assistants (or at least the ones who were caught) were to be sent to, coincidentally, the very same prison where Katara had once been held for "earthbending." The majority of agents who worked at Uchiwake were let off the hook, but just in case, more agents were going to be brought in to monitor the situation. Senshi was allowed to remain in charge of the island with the agreement that he would only leave Uchiwake under the supervision of an agent who hadn't assisted the enemy.

The majority of this business was covered in the first two days of staying on the island, and the rest of the time Team Avatar merely helped return the place to its proper condition, Aang promising to get the place financial aid and make sure the inhabitants were well taken care of. This place, Aang decided, really needed some work done on it, despite how hard the Dai Li tried to keep it running smoothly.

The remaining days spent on the island came and went, and most of Team Avatar were more than a little grateful when the time came to pack up and leave. However, Aang had one last thing he felt the need to do before leaving.

"You sure you don't want us in there with you?" Sokka asked Aang in concern, standing with Toph outside a very particular cell.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I did this alone before. I'll do it alone now."

"Hey, I happen to have faith that Twinkletoes can take care of himself," said Toph in Aang's defense.

"Thanks, Toph," said Aang, trying to prepare himself.

"And why can't you be that nice to me?" Sokka raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"Because, Snoozles, you're not worthy."

Aang rolled his eyes at the two's bantering. This was why he'd asked them to accompany him here. Sokka and Toph together were bound to be hilarious enough to keep Aang's spirits high.

"Well, um, thanks for coming with me, you guys. I guess you can leave now. This might take awhile, and Katara at least is gonna start wondering where we are."

Sokka stopped his bantering with Toph to look at Aang and shake his head, "Nah, we'll wait for ya! I could do with getting out of the work they make us do. Honestly, this is, like, the worst mini-vacation ever!"

"And besides, Aang," Toph joined in, "We've stuck with you this long, even back when you were a whiny little baby. We can make it a little longer."

Aang, touched by Sokka and Toph's unique but still heartwarming words, smiled at them, uttered a thank you, and entered the cell of Yuzai.

"Um...Yuzai? It's Aang," the boy announced his presence awkwardly, as Yuzai was facing the wall, and Aang wasn't sure if the man was paying attention to his surroundings very much.

Yuzai snorted, startling Aang, "Heh, I was beginning to worry you'd leave the island without saying goodbye. I thought we had a special something, Aang."

It was Aang's turn to snort, "Yeah, we did, but you're not really my type."

The two shared a laugh for a few seconds, before the joyful sound was engulfed by a silence that seemed to weigh down the very air they breathed. Aang nervously twiddled his thumbs, while Yuzai turned to face the monk and waited patiently for him to speak again.

"So," Aang muttered once he realized that Yuzai wasn't going to be the one to break the silence, "Uh...how are you?"

"Contaminated. Dead inside. And now, I have to add heartbroken to the list. Thanks a lot, Aang. I didn't think I'd get dumped in a place like this."

Aang grinned, but he kept his voice at a serious tone, "Yuzai, I'm being serious. I want to know how you are before I leave. I feel like - I feel like we really need to talk."

"About what?" Yuzai questioned, as if the idea of them needing to talk sounded ridiculous to him, "I'm staying here. You're going home! End of story, right? What else could you possibly need from me?"

"I want - no, I need to know that you're going to be all right, Yuzai. You and I - we're connected, and I want what's best for you. It doesn't seem right that I get to go back to Zuko's palace with Team Avatar while you're stuck in this cell."

Yuzai made eye-contact with Aang for the first time, and Aang tried not to flinch at the look in his eyes, or rather, the lack of a look in his eyes, "Are you offering to take me home with you? 'Cause the answer is 'no' if that's the case. Or are you offering to stay here and keep me company? The answer is still 'no,' by the way."

"I don't know what I'm offering, Yuzai!" Aang fought to keep his voice from a shout, "I just know that I need closure here! What's gonna happen to you next? How're you going to live? How are you going to move on? What do you do now that so much has happened?!"

Yuzai raised an eyebrow, "It's not really me you're worried about. It's you, isn't it?"

Aang jumped slightly, startled that Yuzai had deduced that so easily. He slumped to the floor in defeat.

"Don't get me wrong, Yuzai. I am worried about you, too."

Yuzai smiled, and he suddenly seemed gentle, "I know, Aang, but I understand why you're scared of what's ahead for you. You've got a lot to get back to, but you probably feel like it'll be a bit overwhelming to jump back into things."

Aang let out a dry laugh, "Hah, after all I've faced, who would've thought the scariest thing for me would be home?"

"And that, my Contaminated brother, is exactly why you shouldn't be talking to me about this. I'm the easy way out. This island is the easy way out. I told you this last time - leave and never look back."

Aang sighed, "I know. I know. I just wanted to talk to my brother one more time before I ditch the family."

"Please, we kicked you out."

Aang laughed, "Yeah, I guess you did, but it's for the best this way, don't you think?"

"Aang, I'm not sure about a lot of things, so take it to heart when I say this; I know for a fact this is for the best."

The monk nodded. This was, perhaps, the shortest time he'd spent getting to know someone, but he knew the impact of it would last for years to come.

There was silence in the air as Team Avatar travelled back to Zuko's palace, and whether or not it was peaceful or tense no one was quite sure. Certainly, there was a lot to be grateful for, but there was still one burning question in Zuko, Toph, Sokka, and Katara's minds that only Aang had the answer to. Toph in particular couldn't help but find it ironic that Aang of all people was the one with answers, and the rest of them were the confused ones.

The boy refused to satisfy them, though. He remained tight-lipped on the whole matter, and due to this, they weren't quite sure how to act around him. To their annoyance, he seemed quite amused at their awkwardness. No one ever asked him it, but it was pretty obvious that the rest of Team Avatar were wondering, so, as far as they were concerned, he shouldn't tease them like he did. It was as if Aang was making a joke over and over and was the only one to find it amusing.

Aang actually did have a reason for not bothering to tell them what was going on in his head, and it wasn't just because he found their awkwardness funny. The truth was...he wasn't quite ready to give them the answer. He wasn't quite ready for the answer himself, to be honest. He was, in fact, terrified of the answer, as he had confessed to Yuzai within the confines of Uchiwake. The answer to the question would alter his life, and he didn't want to deal with that. It was better to keep things ambiguous at the moment, Aang decided. That way, nothing had to change. At least, not yet.

The monk was no fool, though. He knew he would have to come clean to his friends eventually. He knew that eventually, all would have to change for him yet again, whether he liked it or not. Still, did that really mean he had to confess to everything right now?

As far as he was concerned, it didn't mean that.

So the five of them rode on to Zuko's palace in possibly-peaceful-but-could-be-tense silence, save for Momo's excited chattering. They all looked at each other, but they each had neither the courage nor strength to to say anything at all.

Okay, maybe the silence wasn't peaceful or tense. Maybe it was tired.

Yeah, that seemed right.

People milled about the hallways of the palace. Court officials, servants, cooks...they all had jobs. They had things to do and places to be; they all had a purpose. They all had something they needed to get back to, which is why they were hurrying through the hallways now. To get back to their roles.

But, there seemed to be one person who wasn't hurrying. There was one boy who was merely leaning against a wall, standing perfectly still as he watched the others go by.

Look at them, Aang looked thoughtfully at the palace workers. They're all busy. I should be busy, shouldn't I? Yet here I am, just standing around. Why? Don't I have something I need to be doing?

Aang had been asking himself this question since he'd arrived at Zuko's palace. Why was he standing still? Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph were all making themselves useful, and he was just lounging around, nothing on his to-do list at all.

The others didn't pressure him. They didn't really talk at all about what Aang knew they were desperate to learn. Then again, it had only been four days. Perhaps when more time passed they would ask him that dreaded question. The question he wasn't ready to answer.

So he continued to procrastinate. He refused to admit there was something he had to get back to. Not yet, he would tell himself every time the thought of returning to life popped up in his head. Give it time. You'll know when you're ready.

And so Aang lazily lounged around the palace...at least until another two days had passed. Apparently, life wouldn't let him leave just yet.

Aang had been lying on a couch, watching the people pass by outside the room's window and wondering just when exactly he would go back to being one of them, when, quite suddenly, his surroundings became pitch black, with only a bright light shining from what seemed a rather long distance away for such a small room. Frowning, but for some reason not questioning it, Aang approached the light. The walk didn't take long, and soon, he was stepping through a glowing whole into a forest. The whole area had a transcendental vibe to it, seeming to radiate a spiritual energy. It was like the forest was living - more alive than planet Earth itself. It was a different kind of life, and Aang felt his knees tremble slightly. It didn't take him a long time to deduce where he was.

"The Spirit World…" He breathed, shaking a bit. He briefly wondered why this place always had such a powerful effect on him, but his ponderings were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"It's good seeing you again, Aang."

A figure stepped from the trees, and Aang beamed, his eyes lighting up.

"Roku!" he shouted, running up to his mentor and hugging him.

"I take it you're feeling better?" Roku queried, a gentle smile on his face as Aang separated from the hug and grinned up at him.

Instead of answering the question, Aang leapt straight to what he'd been wanting to say to the old man since Uchiwake, "Th-thank you, Roku. You did so much for me. You helped me with the Avatar State, and - and you...you helped me make up with -"

Aang faltered, cutting off abruptly. He broke eye contact, instead opting to stare at the ground.

"It's okay, Aang. You don't have to thank me," Roku assured the boy, but Aang shook his head and looked up again.

"No, you deserve at least a thanks. You helped me with personal problems when I didn't even know who you were. You - you helped me with….you helped me forgive Feng."

Roku said nothing, but Aang could just make out a hint of sympathy in the man's eyes.

Aang ignored the sympathy and continued, "The last thing you said to me that night on Appa…'nothing lasts forever.' Were you warning me about...you know...what happened?"

Roku merely nodded, again choosing not to speak.

Aang was silent for a moment, but then he shook himself and managed to pull off a slight smile, "So...that's why you helped me. You wanted me to appreciate him while I still had him. Thanks again, Roku. You're a true friend."

"As are you, Aang. As are you, but there is a reason I called you here."

"Oh, right!" Aang chuckled gently, "Sorry, nearly forgot about that. So what did you want?"

"Well," Roku began, "I went to visit someone, and he told me he wanted to meet you. I thought it was a good idea, so I brought you here."

"Okay, where is he?" Aang asked, peering behind Roku curiously. Roku took several steps to the side, and a few seconds later, Aang fell to his knees.

Standing there, complete with the glow that accompanied everyone and everything in the Spirit World, was Feng, a nervous smile on the hypnotist's face.

Aang was completely still, almost limp as he took in the sight before him.

"Feng…" His voice faded into the air, as if he only had enough breath to whisper that single name. The boy's eyes glistened, and he got back on his feet, "You're - You're real. You're here, with me…"

"It's me, Aang," the hypnotist said gently, "I wanted to properly meet you for the first time."

To anyone else, the sentence might not have made sense, but Aang understood. He was one of the select few who could.

The monk replied, "Hello, Feng. I'm Aang. It's nice to meet you."

"So...this is you? This is Aang?"

The boy in question nodded, "Yup, you're getting a good look at Avatar Aang. I hope you like him - er, me."

Feng laughed, "He's - You're the best kid I've ever met."

Aang raised an eyebrow, "Am I?"

Feng nodded, full of certainty, "Of course you are. You never faded away, even when there was so much both outside and inside you that could've made you disappear once and for all. You, Avatar Aang, rebelled against it all."

"Not the kind of rebel Khon wanted, huh?"

Chuckling, Feng agreed, "Yes, but the kind of rebel Aang needed."

"More like the kind of rebel the world needed," Aang muttered, and Feng frowned, understanding filling his eyes. Aang, catching the understanding, was once again shocked at how well the man knew him.

"Still adjusting to being the Avatar, then?"

Aang shifted uncomfortably. Feng had hit the nail on the head, as Aang had known he would. The airbender responded reluctantly, "I haven't even told anyone that I know yet. It's - It's just scary, you know? How am I supposed to just slip back into the whole Avatar thing? What do people expect from me?! I can't go back to being the kid I was before this all started. I'm different now, and I don't know if I can be the Avatar anymore. It's a lot to take in, and a heck of a lot more to go back to."

Feng placed a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder. He knew he could never understand precisely how Aang felt, but he would do his best to comfort him however he could, "Of course you've changed, Aang. Everyone with a brain will understand that. You've been through too much to not change in some way. But change can be a good thing. Let me ask you something; were you different after the Hundred-Year War than you were before it?"

Aang nodded.

"And do you think the person you were before the war could've done all you have?"

Aang shook his head, "No, the person I was before the war would've had a heart attack by now."

"See?" Feng pushed his point home, "It was a good thing you changed during the war, and it'll be a good thing that you've changed now, because change is a sign of growth."

Aang nodded, taking in Feng's words, "Thanks, Feng."

"You're welcome, Aang, but I'm not the person you need to be talking to. Not anymore. You have a new - or rather, old life to get back to. A better life."

"Yeah, I know, but...before I go, there's something I need to tell you, Feng," Aang took a breath before continuing, "Your last words were 'I'm sorry.' Well, I just wanted to say that even though you did a lot of bad, everyone messes up. I've messed up, and I've learned that you're mistakes shouldn't define who you are, and they especially shouldn't be your last words. You've done good too, Feng. Don't forget that."

Feng's eyes grew misty, and the man, somehow unable to get out a proper response in the form of words, pulled Aang into a hug. The two separated when Roku stepped forward and spoke up.

"It's time for you to be leaving, Aang."

Aang sighed, but he complied, "Yeah, I know." The boy turned around and saw that the glowing hole was still there. He approached it, and just before he stepped through, he looked back.

"Bye, Roku," he said, and then he looked directly into Feng's eyes.

"Goodbye, Feng. Keep watch on me, all right? I want you to learn a bit more about Avatar Aang."

Feng, tearing up slightly, nodded, "I'll be sure to keep watch on you, Avatar. Goodbye."

With that settled, Aang turned and left his friends behind. He had a life to get back to.

"Aang? Are you okay? Aang?"

When he first woke up, Aang felt a gentle shake on his shoulders. He blinked open his eyes and smiled up at the face staring down at him.

"Hello, Namika!"

Her face paled and her eyes grew wide, jaw dropping. Aang managed to hold her gaze for a solid second before bursting out in laughter. Her widened eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Aang! That wasn't funny! You scared me!" the waterbender scolded, but Aang continued laughing.

Finally, his laughter subsided, and he grinned apologetically, "Sorry, just a bit of Contaminated-humor, but, in all seriousness, I need to ask you something."

Katara's anger was traded for curiosity.

"Please," Aang muttered, and he feigned weakness, "Come closer."

Katara, struck with a sense of nostalgia, did as instructed.

Aang was beaming, "Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

Katara gaped, and a slightly hysterical laugh escaped her lips as she began to figure out what Aang was saying, but the airbender wasn't done. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her toward him.

And, just like that, they were kissing. Katara closed her eyes and melted into it, placing her hands on either side of Aang on the couch.

"A kiss is the sharing of souls." Katara's mother had always said that before she passed, and it was now that Katara fully understood what her mother had been saying. Right now, she could feel her spirit intertwining with Aang's, and she knew that after all this time, it was still compatible. She could feel her own spirit, but she also felt something that was certainly not her own. It was a breath of air, like a cool, refreshing breeze was swirling around inside of her. That, combined with her own spirit and the natural warmth that filled her whenever she kissed the monk, made this one of the most pleasurable experiences of her life. Right now, it was as if she and Aang were the Moon and Ocean Spirits, completely in sync.

Of course, as a kiss was the sharing of souls, Katara also received Aang's message loud and clear. When they broke apart, she allowed a moment to just stare in his eyes, trying to fill her gaze with all the love, warmth, and pride she felt for him.

"You remember," she breathed. Aang nodded.

"It's good to finally be back," he said, and she moved so he could stand up. He took her hand in his. Unable to fully control herself with the knowledge that he was back, she began to trace the arrow on his head, knowing that he would finally be okay with it.

He's finally comfortable with me again. Completely comfortable, Katara reflected, as Aang hadn't tensed, flinched, or anything. He was behaving as if their intimacy was completely natural. It was only now that she had this back that she realized how much she missed it.

Katara, awestruck with this comfort that was so old and yet so new at the same time, leaned forward and kissed Aang on the forehead. She then gauged his reaction. Aang merely smiled at her, eyes full of a love Katara hadn't seen it what felt like such a long time. It was as if she'd been travelling through a desert and stumbled across an oasis.

"It's you," she said, surprised at her own words, "It's you. You're back."

"I've been back since I slipped into the Avatar State. I was just too afraid to say it," Aang admitted, and guilt passed through his eyes. How could he have left Katara waiting like this? The poor thing looked like she'd been starved, and in a way, he supposed, she had.

Katara, catching the guilt, was quick to assure him she didn't hold anything against him, "Don't worry about it, sweetie. Of course you'd be afraid. I get that. The point is that you're back now, and that's all that matters."

After a moment, Aang asked, "So what now?"

Katara rubbed a circle into his hand, which was still gently grasping hers, "Now? Now you come home, Aang."

Aang nodded. Right. Home.

Home…

I'm going home.

Katara began to lead him from the room, and Aang knew where she was taking him. To his friends. To home. Despite how terrifying his life was going to be, that was beside the point. Life wasn't his home. His friends, his family, were home, and no matter how the world changed around him, no matter how much he changed, they would always be home. His friends had been there for him through thick and thin, and now he realized that he could finally return the favor. That excited him. He could finally be an active member of the family that was Team Avatar.

Now, Aang realized, Now I've finally got something to live for again.

Aang and Katara were now standing outside a room, and through a window Aang could see the rest of Team Avatar. He turned to Katara.

"Come on, Katara. Let's go home."