Katara found Aang sitting on a hill with his legs crossed and his arms resting in his lap.

"Welcome back." Aang shot her a guilty glance that neither would be able to explain if required. Katara sat down beside him and mimicked his pose, staring out to the ocean.

"... So how was your trip?"

"Leave it Katara."

Katara's face scrunched up in angry frustration as she launched herself off the ground and stomped away from Aang. Her 'storming off' ended seconds later when she turned and marched back towards the sitting airbender.

"No. No- I've stood by and given you space because I thought that was what you needed. But you keep sinking lower and lower and I have no idea why. We won- the world is free and everything is supposed to be okay."

"I killed him Katara."

"Ozai? He was going to kill us all. You saved our lives- my life."

"I didn't kill him to save anyone- I killed him because I wanted him dead."

Katara stood to consider the words for a moment before continuing. Her voice became gentle and soft. "So you're this big mass murderer now are you?"

"I guess so." Aang's reply shifted from melodrama to petulance.

"You'd make a horrible villain Aang." Katara reclaimed her seat beside her friend.

"...How many people did you kill all that time we were flying around the world? None- unless you were sneaking off in the night."

"The Avatar is a killer- it's what I am." Aang looked down as he said the words- as if ashamed.

"Where'd you get that from?" Katara's expression become incredulous.

"Azula."

Katara snorted in a failed attempt to suppress a sudden surge of repressed laughter. "If I had known you were going to be taking life lessons from Princess Psycho I would have reconsidered giving you personal space. Killing people doesn't stop trouble Aang- it just moves it- and makes it worse." She placed her hand on the slope of Aang's shoulder and gave him a sad little smile full of reassurance and regret.

As Katara finished speaking Aang noticed a dark shape in the sky. As he looked closer he recognised that it was Appa.

As Appa approached it became clear that the sky bison was tired bordering on exhaustion, for a moment Aang was worried that he would drop out of the sky before reaching them.

Sokka was frantically waving his arms over his head, enthusiastically trying to get the attention that he already had.

The young watertribesman began shouting before Appa had even touched the ground.

"Aang! Am I glad to see you." At this Sokka grabbed Aang by the chest and turned towards the ocean. "... There's a madman following us. You need to warn Zuko, ready the navy, call the guards!"

"What? Sokka- who's following you?"

"The King of the Earth Kingdom!"

A smile replaced the worried look that had begun to creep across Aang's face. "Sokka- Rockus is the Earth King. He's with Zuko right now." Concern suddenly filled Aang's voice as he realised what was happening. "... There is someone chasing you that is pretending to be the Earth King?"

Sokka dropped Aang and paced away. "So what you're telling me is that Rockus, the wacko who tied us up and drugged us, has unrestricted access to Zuko?"

"Rockus is chasing you?"

"Sometimes I wonder why I bother."