Magnumus:I have learned not to eat, drink or have anything spillable when I read everybody's reviews. Its safer for my health and my computer. Could picture Aang as a surfer dude, thanks for the visual.
doctor anthony:I shall. Thanks
EdwartTwilightObssesion:The suspense is killing me and I'm writting it!
Aryck1095:Thanks for the heads up. I totally forgot to change it. I did now this is the last M sorta chapter though. I couldn't write a lemon to save my behind.
Shinobi Bender:I was worried I made them friends too fast. I couldn't kill Zuzu. As for who he will choose, well its still a toss up.
oshnsoa shnedashn kiunepgli:Thanks so much. That is an excellent question which I can't answer yet.
dhygn: Sorry about that. It was supposed to be a bit choppy. You know thoughts jumping around and such. Hopefully this chapter is better sycronized. He could love them in different ways. You'll have to wait and see!
Sifu arizony: Loved your last story, The Kiss. It was awesome. Their journey is almost complete but they will appreciate each other more because of it.
Zuko has gotten so few chapters, I decided to throw him a bone. That and I have no idea how to bring everybody back together again.
Enjoy
"Hey Zuko." Aang greeted as the currents swirled around the airbender swallowing him in darkness.
"Aang!" Zuko dove into the water but he was still part of the spirit world. He remained dry and unable to scope up the unconscious man. Horrified at seeing Aang sink further from view, Zuko turned to the two fish imploring on his friend's behalf.
"Please, help him! He means…"
The two fish swam placidly before him, "What does he mean to you?" La asked speaking directly into his mind. "What would you have us do for him?" Tui asked.
Completely out of his element, Zuko looked from one fish to another. "I don't understand."
"We could make him forget everything, we could heal all of you." La suggested, "Would you want that? Would it be easier if we did? Your guilt would be gone and you could continue as before."
The firebender ran his hands through his hair in mild hysteria. "I don't know. I don't want him to leave Mai...well I do but then what about Katara and me. I don't want to be the reason he isn't himself. He's my family---"
"He's my family," he repeated. The epiphany drew a gurgled sob from him.
Tui and La touched him and broke into a thousand pieces. The pieces were intermingled but easily distinguishable by their black and white markings.
The white ones were Aang' s memories and the black ones were Zuko's.
Like Aang before him the two spirits showed Zuko parts of his past. They obeyed Avatar Kouric's explicit instructions to not reveal anything to either man. Both had to figure out their connection or any hope of resolution would be lost.
Zuko curiously pushed at one of the white tiles and its image sprang forth. "Aang had hair?" was the first thing that popped out of his mouth. The novelty of Aang's dark mop was rapidly overtaken by the scene. He watched transfixed as the reunion turned into an argument, it sounded so familiar.
"No. I don't want you or anybody else risking their lives to fix my mistakes!" Aang grabbed onto the fire nation symbol and tore it from its casings.
"Aang!" Katara leaned towards him but he hobbled away from her. His grim face turned away from her.
"Please Katara."
The waterbender silently left him but she flinched at his defeated tone, "I need to redeem myself. I need to regain my honor."
The image receded into its piece. Zuko had never seen that side of Aang. He had looked so beaten, so full of despair. The anger had been the most surprising, it was obvious that he shared more qualities with Aang than he had ever thought possible.
A black piece beckoned him. Its image gushed out showing him something he did not remember.
His dual swords were crossed across Aang's neck, "Let me go or I'll kill him myself."
He heard Zhao's shout to let them go. Without a warning the arrow hit his mask and knocked him to the ground taking Aang with him. The airbender fell to the side of his unconscious body.
'How was he seeing this if it was supposed to be his memory.' He remembered that he'd been trapped within Aang's subconsciousness so some of his recollections had to have been mixed.
Aang kneeled and gently removed the mask of his would be rescuer. He gasped and backpedaled as far as he dared. He jumped up and took off at a run. He reached the line of trees throwing a final look back at Zuko. He sighed and returned to drag up the older and much heavier boy with him.
Aang carried him until they crossed the lake and then using his last strength hoisted him onto a tree root. He lay cradled in it. Aang's natural energy was low but not gone. He asked the unconscious prince about his life and then told him about his travels with Sokka and how much he loved Katara.
Zuko woke his eyes fixed on the chattering boy. "Do you think maybe we could have been friends?"
The powerful fire blast was the only answer and Aang scampered away to safety.
He groaned as the image dwindled. 'I deserved what happened. He should have left me there.'
He closed his eyes and poked a random piece. Again it was a white one and another memory was brought to life. The group was apparently in a cave well not all the group. Aang and Katara seemed to be by themselves. Zuko wondered where the others were but the conversation was just as interesting as the last.
"What if we kissed?" Katara said hesitantly.
"Us, kissing."
Aang's stupefied face made Zuko laugh. Aang had always been a big softie when it came to Katara.
"If it was between kissing you and dying…"
Zuko full blown smacked his knee at that one. "Way to go, airhead." He was however impressed as their torches died and Aang lifted his face to Katara's.
He could not see what happened but having shared some of Aang's life force more than adequately allowed him to experience the tremor that traveled up Aang's body as Katara's lips moved against his. He pulled from the phantom sensation and the memory dissipated.
Disturbed he moved on to another scene. He nudged it lightly, his insides squirming at what they would see. 'Was he ready for this. He figured he wasn't but he had been a coward long enough.'
The image of Mai burst from the piece and Zuko stepped back. Her back was exposed and he could tell she was nude from the waist up. Aang's fingers began at the base of her spine and worked their way up her back releasing the tension.
"Tell me where it hurts?" he asked administering soft but firm pressure to the middle of her back.
"Everywhere. It hurts everywhere," she replied.
"I told you giving Appa a full bath was a workout. I warned you that you needed help," he smirked rubbing her shoulder blades.
Zuko let go the breath he had been holding. For a moment he had wondered if you could have a heart attack while in the spirit world.
He pushed the piece away intent on picking another one but her voice grabbed his attention in a chokehold.
"I love your hands, this feels really good." Mai practically purred.
His eyes bulged and he had an intense desire to pummel Aang. At some point she had lied down to make it easier for Aang to massage her. But that was not the case now.
Mai was not on her stomach anymore, she was sitting astride the airbender. Her lean legs were on either side of him, her tunic scrunched up at her waist.
What irked Zuko was that there was no surprise on Aang's young features.
In fact his gray eyes were half lidded and dark with what could only be lust. Mai's long dark hair hung straight down covering most of her but leaving the strip of flesh between her breasts bare to Aang's eyes.
She looked so innocent but her eyes were raking the nomad and liking what she was seeing.
Her hair and Aang's pants seemed to be the only thing keeping their skin from meeting. Mai initiated the kiss, her hands skimming over his neck and digging her nails into Aang's back.
At this rate his eyeballs were gonna pop right out of their sockets and fall directly into the water. 'What kind of monk was this guy?' rushed through Zuko's head.
The avatar certainly knew a lot for someone who claimed to be one, judging from the mewling sounds coming from his, well from Mai. Zuko was pretty sure they did not teach that--- in temple school. Shutting his eyes he waved at the memory until it pooled back to its home.
Not sure he could handle anymore he picked one of his own pieces. Katara rose from the image.
"Zuko, can you believe that they want 500 silver pieces just to allow the fire nation to deal with the earth capital. I mean I know that they are bitter but eesh." Katara slammed the papers down on his desk.
Amused he shook his head at her violent outburst. "You're beautiful when you're angry," he commented.
She rolled her eyes but allowed him to pull her on to his desk. He leaned his head on her stomach. "I'm so tired of all their squabbling, they're supposed to be the adults."Zuko growled.
She unrolled the bands and took the crown off, letting his hair slide down his face. "I know but we have to deal with it. Your hair looks good like this," she whispered sliding her fingers through the strands.
"Katara, we shouldn't be doing this. I mean what if Mai and Aang find out?" misery etched his low voice.
Their lover's names broke the spell and Katara laid back on his desk, "I know. I just feel so lonely. He's always gone. I hate waking up to a cold bedroll. I hate crying into my pillow." Zuko sympathised, Mai had become the liason for the fire nation in Omashu since her family lived there and was gone several months at a time.
She sat up suddendly and he stood from his chair, his hands on her hips. "You know what I hate the most? I hate that everything reminds me of him. I hate hugging his pillow just to smell his scent on me."
She tilted her head onto his chest, "This is just the beginning, Zuko. What about when I'm with child, what can I expect then?" Katara clung to him but nothing he could say would comfort her. She was right.
"You'll always have me," he replied. She sniffed and their lips met. Her hands splayed at the back of his head and he bent her onto the desk---
Zuko slapped it back down, knowing very well what it contained and how far it had gone.
"Couldn't take it, huh?" Aang spoke from directly behind him.
Zuko spun around amazed at the flippant attitude of the man. 'He's so casual. Did he see that? I hope not.' He remembered the avatar spirit and rolled his eyes heavenward, 'I really hope not.'
Aang frowned as Zuko smacked his hand to his head, it reminded him of Sokka for some reason.
"So delving into memories. Fun isn't it?" Aang's face was stern and if Zuko had not been a spirit, he would have feared for his life. Although in fairness Aang had apparently done the same with Mai.
Zuko's lips curled in what could only be called a grimace. "Nothing like seeing your best friend and your girl."
"Try seeing your brother and your girl, that's pretty heart ripping too." Aang smiled cynically.
"Brother? I don't understand." 'Spirits he was tired of saying that.'
"This is you," Aang said taking one of the floating black pieces in one hand. "Take a white one," he instructed the older boy. "That is me," he pointed to the piece in Zuko's hand speaking slowly as if Zuko was a toddler. "Give it to me."
Zuko obeyed and gave it to Aang not missing the condescending tone. Aang placed them side by side in the water. They floated, reaching out to each other. Once they were close they melded together.
Aang's piece held Mai and Zuko's held Katara. Their pieces floated above the men spinning in unison. Black and white bled until nothing of either color remained. Each piece was now double sided with Katara on one side and Mai on the other.
The rest of the shards came together and La and Tui appeared. "Two sides of the same coin. It was not coincidence that it was you who found the young avatar," they directed at Zuko
"Nor was it that you defeat the Firelord and reinstate Zuko," they said to Aang.
"You are drawn to the same women because you are the same. You lacked the family that you grew up with Firelord and you lost your family, Avatar. Roku dwells within you both which is why the firebender could be brought back. He has the strength of the avatar spirit. While you Avatar Aang are the spirit."
Zuko looked at Aang contemplating everything he was being told. 'Was that why he was always so quick to find the younger man when he was pursuing him? It had always been easy to pick up his trail.'
Tui and La left a small imprint of their scales on the wrists of the men.
"You both created new families and it is those ties that will help you move past this great suffering you have inflicted on each other," the ocean and moon spirit remarked then vanished.
Aang saluted the fish and Zuko did the same. One minute they were in the Spirit Oasis and the next Aang was hauled out of the water by a very worried Iroh. Momo greeted his master with a thorough tongue licking.
"Hiya Momo," Aang gasped and faded into black a second time.
"It must have been some journey." Iroh commented lifting the unconscious teen into his arms. He began the long walk to the temple careful not to jostle the rabbit monkey perched around his neck.
"Welcome back, my nephew," Iroh said. The greeting was tossed behind him to the blue tinted Zuko.