Disclaimer: So far as I know, I do not own the rights to Avatar: the Last Airbender. I wish I did though. Imagine the cash from that franchise, eh?

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Rated M: Mature Content. Blood. Guts. Sex. Drugs. All the good stuff.

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Toph: So, where was I during that last chapter?

Author: What, you thought this story was all about you?

Toph: Well, yeah. Isn't it? The notes say it goes over my past after all.

Author: Yeah, and it also mentions all the other characters and issues not covered.

Toph: So? I thought those were sub plots.

Suki: Excuse me? I am NOT a sub plot. It's about time I get my due.

Author: I'm inclined to agree. Everyone should get their fair share.

Suki: Exactly!

Toph: Yeah, well, I can share as long as it doesn't chafe my story any.

Author: Yeah… I will try to remember that…

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Chapter 3: Nightmares and Daydreams

The meetings went on most of the day. Once Zuko finally called it a day, Aang decided to get away for a while. Everyone had been asking him for his input and opinions, even when he had no idea what to say. He was just a little overwhelmed and needed a break. Once he managed to get clear of the room, Aang excused himself and walked outside. Once he made sure no one was looking his way, he then proceeded to airbend himself about thirty feet in the air and land gently on the palace roof.

Aang was pretty sure he'd be missed fairly soon, but he just couldn't worry about that now. He finally had a bit of time to himself; Time to think about the future. The kiss with Katara from earlier was on his find, as was the one from the day before. He really cared for her, and it seemed that she had made up her mind about him. Aang couldn't be happier.

"So, come here often?" a voice asked from behind, startling him from his reverie and scaring him half to death. Aang jump almost 20 feet in the air, but managed a decent landing. Standing there was Ty-Lee, a smile on her face. She had already taken a seat near the edge of the roof and gotten comfortable as Aang took his seat again, next to her. The girl still made him a bit nervous, what with chasing him all over the earth kingdom, but she had proven herself an ally when she helped Sokka and Zuko on the boiling rock. Sokka had told him all about it.

"Not really. I just needed to get away from everyone for a bit. It was getting a bit stuffy in there." Aang replied, calming himself as best he could. "I just needed some fresh air." He added.

"I understand." Ty-Lee said. "I love coming outside and enjoying the sunset. It's so relaxing; and calming too." She threw in as she stretched her arms out above her head and then fell back, her arms crossed under her head. "Sunset is particularly nice, and the stars when they first appear always seem so bright."

Aang followed suit and kicked back a bit as well. "When you put it like that, it all sounds so great" Aang said simply.

"Well, you would know much better than I. I'm jealous of you. You can fly in the sky and enjoy the freedom of the wind, gliding on the air." Ty-Lee said, imagining it for herself. "Free as a bird, with not a worry in the world…" she trailed off.

If only she knew just how right and wrong she was. "So…" Aang started a bit slowly, "how is the Kyoshi warrior thing going?" Aang asked her.

"It's great!" she exclaimed, all excited. "The make-up and the outfits are great, and I get to learn to fight with a fan! And Suki said that there will be a big celebration when we get back to Kyoshi Island." She continued. "I am really looking forward to it; and to getting away…"

Aang noticed the tone of voice and how she had trailed off. He wondered what she meant by 'getting away?' "Why would you want to g..." he started when Ty-Lee interrupted him.

"Anyway, I better get back inside. See you around Aang!" she said quickly, and then with a backward roll to stand and a forward flip to the edge of the roof, she did a handstand on the edge and swung around and down to the ground below. Aang wondered why she had cut out so quickly, but with his peace and quiet restored, once again he had his thoughts turn to Katara.

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Hakoda sat alone on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his talk with Sokka earlier still on his mind. He had recommended to his son that he talk to the avatar and try to speak to his lost love. As he lay there, it dawned on him that maybe the avatar could help him as well. Hakoda had lost his wife to the southern raiders when they had raided his tribes' village. She had died protecting their daughter, the southern tribe's last waterbender.

The issue of the southern tribes' lack of benders was a big one, and one that Hakoda needed to figure out how to solve. Just then, an idea began to form in his head; an idea, that if fully formed and greeted well, may just solve his peoples' problem. All he had to do was speak at the talks tomorrow, and see if his idea had merit.

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Aang slept fitfully that night. His dreams were very turbulent and had minimal consistency. He woke up in a sweat, feeling like many people were calling to him. He sat up and sat there, calming himself through meditation as he struggled to remember his dreams. He was at the North Pole, and surrounded by his friends. The fire nation was attacking and he was in the merger with the spirit. Suddenly he was standing at the spirit pool, watching as his friends allowed Yue to sacrifice herself to restore the moon to its proper place. Then he was at the South Pole, only it looked like the North Pole. His family and friends were all around him as he stood proudly overlooking a city to rival its northern cousin. And then, he was in the fire nation, laying on the ground in pain as Katara fought with Azula in mortal combat.

Making neither heads nor tails of the random visions, Aang calmed himself and tried to get back to sleep. The dreams came at him again, stronger than before. Aang found himself looking through the eyes of Momo as he was being chased by swampbenders. A bag closed around him, and suddenly he was tied spread eagle in the keep, Admiral Zhou pacing in front of him, an evil look in his eye. The pedestal caught on fire as the admiral launched a fire blast at his feet, and Aang felt the lames as they burned him. The fire turned into ice, and Aang was in the iceberg again. He was unaware until the darkness was lifted and two water tribe children stood before him. He sneezed and launched himself in the air. He landed in the middle of a crystal cavern, Katara at his side looking beautiful, Azula on the defensive. Zuko made his entrance and attacked him. The fight raged on until Aang went into the avatar state. He felt once more the lightning blast that nearly stole his life and his powers.

Aang sat up abruptly once again. The memories came flooding back to him. He was covered in sweat and felt a little sick. He got up, grabbed some water, and paced his room a bit as he calmed down. Pacing wasn't as good as meditating, but he felt the need to move about a bit. After a half hour or so, he decided to try sleep once more. As could be expected, the dreams returned in full force. Aang found himself in the middle of the great divide, two opposing tribes about to kill each other over a misunderstanding. A canyon crawler grabbed him from behind, and brought him into its mouth, and then he was in a cave, deep below Lake Laogai. Appa's cell was empty, and suddenly he was dueling with Jet. He heard himself speak, and then Jet through his weapon at Long Feng. Aang disappeared from the cavern just as Jet was hit with the blow that may have ended his life. Aang found himself brushing his hair. He looked in the mirror and saw that he was Katara. Behind her sat a beautiful woman who bore a striking resemblance to her. The woman suddenly clutched her chest and fell back on the bed and lay still. Katara turned to her and suddenly Aang was outside her body, and she was just a little girl. She was crying. Then the little girl became a young Zuko, crying as Azula told him he would never see his mother again. Azula's laughter trailed off into fits of giggling as Aang watched himself meet Appa for the first time. Appa was licking him and they became fast friends. Momo was there too somehow. Aang turned around to see a beautiful young woman and a handsome young man standing there. They looked strangely familiar, but he couldn't place them. Then Aang heard the screams of his people as the fire nation attacked at the beginning of the war. Aang couldn't stop crying tears of sadness as he watched his people massacred. Then a lone voice came to him; a man's voice, "Please, blood of my blood, help us! Restore us to the light!" Aang searched all around him, looking for the voice, and surely he was in the ravine of stone pillars, facing off against Ozai. The ex-Fire-lord was breathing fire and shooting lightning all over. Aang was flung back and suddenly felt the stab of power as his avatar state returned to him. He faced Ozai, seeing himself from the outside for the first time as they concluded their epic battle. Aang was almost scared of himself as he saw his onslaught. Ozai was stripped of his bending, but threatened revenge. The roar of a dragon burst from Ozai's lips as he was suddenly one of the masters of the sun people. The dragons spiraled about in the dragon dance. They surrounded Aang in a whirl of colors as Aang once again heard a voice, a different one this time. "Please avatar! Save us from our imprisonment!" this time from a woman.

Aang found himself awaking from his sleep sitting up; the glow from his eyes and tattoo's fading as his eyes adjusted to the light. He was in his meditative pose and noted that he was as sweaty as the other times he awoke that evening. The sun was shining through his windows as he got out of bed. He knew now that the dreams meant something. Each one came to his mind and flittered away as quickly as it appeared. Aang knew he needed to be able to recall the dreams, or visions as he began to think of them, and so began writing them down in as much detail as he could recall, and in the order. It may prove useful.

A knock on the door diverted his attention. He had just finished recording what he could. "Who is it?" he called.

"Katara; may I come in?" came the reply. Aang almost jumped in the air as a wave of happiness came over him. Suddenly his dreams became but a memory as he raced to open the door.

"Hey Katara; what brings you here?" Aang asked nonchalantly.

"I was just wondering if you'd like to join me for breakfast." she replied. "I know that there will be another banquet, but I thought it might just be nice for us to have our own, private breakfast." She added, blushing a bit and turning her head so she was looking toward the floor to Aang's left.

Aang reached to her face with his right hand, the left clasping to her waist. He raised her face with his hand resting just under her chin. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He said.

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The talks had resumed, and Hakoda patiently waited his turn to speak. Right now, a nobleman from a fire nation colony was speaking about how the land was now his and had been since he was born. Obviously, the earth kingdom descendant who owned the land before the war wanted to claim him birthright as well, and so the argument was quite loud. The earth king had been found and brought in for the coronation, as had King Bumi of Omashu. They both tried to fight for the earth kingdom baron while Zuko had the twin elders speak on behalf of the fire nation nobleman.

Chief Arnook had not been available for Hakoda to speak with privately before the meeting, but he had to talk to someone. Bato was his choice, seeing as how they were best friends. Hakoda had sought him out in the middle of the night and gone over his plan. Needless to say, Bato hadn't been happy having his sleep interrupted, especially since he had a sleeping bedbug, a fire nation woman he'd been seeing on the side, still laying next to him. Hakoda roughly sketched in his plan to the half asleep and irritated Bato, and once he'd finished Bato had been fully awake and listening for all he was worth.

"I like it. It's simple and direct, comes to the heart of the problem, and solves both our issues and those of our northern brethren. Sounds like you really thought this through." Bato said, obviously impressed. "The only questions I can see with it are when, and will Arnook agree?" he added, carefully picking his words and tone so as not to sound negative.

"Already got both covered. I am going to bring it up at the talks today, and it can begin just as soon as we can get the people together. I think I have it pretty much worked out."

Bato smiled and it turned into a yawn. "Good. In that case, I am going to bed." Bato said sleepily.

Hakoda was glad when the land dispute was resolved, and knew his time was almost here. Zuko waved to the head of ceremonies and the short little man stood, clearing his throat loudly. "The floor recognizes Chief Arnook of the northern water tribe. The issue up for discussion: maintaining the populace and reparations for damages incurred." The loud little man took his seat, barely filling it. For such a small man to have such a big voice truly caught a person off guard.

Chief Arnook stood up and addressed the chamber. "I am here representing my tribe to attempt to resolve our differences with the fire nation. Our damages aren't too great and will not take a large toll on your treasury, Firelord Zuko. However, our personal issues may be a much harder thing to compensate." He began. "The war has devastated our populace. We were not nearly as numerous as the other nations and with all the lives lost during the war; we are ill equipped to handle some of our own issues. One of our main problems is a lack of manpower. We have very few men left to us, and as such many women are remaining unmarried. As such, we..."

Hakoda stood up suddenly with a huge smile on his face that flashed for just a second before he went all business. "If I may interject for just a moment, Fire-lord; Chief Arnook." He said as he bowed to each in turn. "I had overheard your dilemma previous to this meeting, and have also been contemplating my own tribes' issues. I do believe we may be able to help each other out. My tribe suffers from a lack of women, having had the majority taken during raids. We are also short on waterbenders, and are in need of those as well." At this point, Hakoda paused for dramatic effect. Every eye and ear was on him. "I recommend we truly bring the tribes together. You have too many women, and we don't have enough. We are also in need of waterbenders so that our tribe can once again become strong. As of right now, Katara is our only waterbender. If we merge our tribes and divide ourselves evenly between the poles, we can make both tribes strong again. We can teach each other's tribes what the other has to offer. The south can rebuild its city and the north can rebuild its villages. That is my proposal" he stated factually, sitting down.

Chief Arnook stood there, dumbfounded. Hakoda hoped the shock was in good taste. Once he gained control of himself, Arnook smiled. "I think the idea has merits, Chief Hakoda. It would indeed solve both our problems. You provide the manpower, and we provide the family atmosphere. I think it's brilliant." And with that, he sat down.

Zuko stood at that point and called the meeting adjourned for the morning. He had had his own nightmares, and what with the water tribes' issues on the mend, he hoped to take a breather and contemplate what he had seen.

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Zuko walked towards a cell he was quite familiar with. He knew it was probably futile, but he had to keep trying. Ozai was imprisoned in the same cell his uncle had been in. Unlike his uncle, however, Ozai couldn't firebend, nor did he only have one guard. Zuko had tried a couple of days before to scare the whereabouts of his mother from his father, and his father had refused to tell. Zuko knew his father was his only link to his mother at this point, and refused to give up.

"Leave us." He told the guards outside his father's cell. Zuko walked into the outer chamber. His father lay against the wall on the floor on the left, on the other side of the newly replaced bars. His uncle had been thorough in his escape.

"So, the prodigal son returns. I had expected you earlier than this, Zuko. Maybe you're a bit stronger than I thought." Ozai said in that condescending tone he had. "So, what brings my wayward son to my humble little abode today? Still miss mommy?" he said snidely.

"I want to know where she is, father. I won't stop pestering you until you tell me… or until I find out. I have ways of making you talk." Zuko said with authority.

"Big talk from an insignificant boy." Ozai retorted.

"Perhaps, but maybe I am not as insignificant as you always thought. Where's Starfire Island?" Zuko asked nonchalantly, as if he was just mildly curious.

"How did you know that name!?" Ozai demanded, suddenly jumping to his feet and reaching through the bars for his son's throat.

Zuko had known the bait would work, and had ducked out of the way and backed from the cage as his father raged like a trapped ape-bear. It was almost reminiscent of Appa in his shackles in the earth kingdom Di-Lee headquarters. "Where is it, father? I know it exists. If I have to, I will send every fire nation ship in the fleet out to look for it."

"Zuko, don't you dare go there. If you do, you will regret it more than anything; even more than that eye, or your mother." Ozai said. His tone was not his normal one, and he had calmed down somewhat. He said it almost like he actually cared.

"Where's my mother?" Zuko asked again quietly.

Ozai sighed and sat back down. "On Starfire Island, where you will never see her again." He replied.

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Author: Sorry Toph, you didn't make it again.

Toph: What the heck?! I thought this was going to be a GOOD story.

Suki: Oh stop it Toph. I wasn't in this chapter either. Get over it.

Katara: At least you guys have had chapters. I have only had bit parts.

Author: Don't worry Katara. You'll get your moment in the sun, believe me.

Katara: Like I have a choice?

Aang: Am I dreaming again? This is even weirder than before…

Author: Go back to bed Aang.

Sokka: So, when do I get to meet Yue again!?

Suki: Don't you even start, you jerk!

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Author's Corner:

Okay, so I am still rolling the basics out. I'm trying different perspectives, different issues, nothing major. It will be going places eventually, don't worry. I'm trying to give a bit more background thought and emotion to most of the characters while keeping continuity. Once everyone's established, the bigger plotlines will start to roll out. Feel free to tell me what you think. I will try to get some more time to write. I appreciate the reviews I have received, and changed the spelling of those names to reflect what they should have been. Thanks for the heads up!

For anyone who isn't following some of the madness, here's a tiny recap on what's supposed to be understood:

Toph is worried about reconciling with her parents.

Suki is worried she will lose Sokka somehow, that she isn't good enough for him, and she isn't sure how he feels, or even how she herself feels.

Ty-Lee wants to get away. If you saw the beach episode, you may have a clue.

Aang is ecstatic about his new relationship, but is still overwhelmed with avatar stuff.

Hakoda is worried about his tribes' future and that of his family as well.

Zuko hasn't given up on finding his mother, and is totally into Mai.

I hope that explains a bit. Review and stay tuned!