A.N.: I am truly ashamed that I let two years slip by without updating this! I thank you all so much if you're reading this for the first time, rereading it to get reacquainted, or have left reviews or added it to your favorites. I really do appreciate it! If you are rereading this, I have begun to rewrite this, to extend the details, and work out some errors that I made in the original form. I will be not only updating what is already here, but I will be adding new chapters, and concluding this story by the end of the year. Thank you again for your patience and I hope you are all still interested!

Of course I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender or any of the characters except for Kelyin, Ren, Shaya, and the Outcasts. Though you will later find out, I'll make it clear now that everyone is 3 years older. Zuko was 16, now 19, Katara 14/17, Sokka 15/18, Aang 12/15, Toph 12/15. Also, the events of this story were written after the second season, so please disregard all events from the final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender./. /. / CHAPTER 2: The Warrior and the Flirt

/. /. / KYOSHI ISLAND

Zuko silently listened as the girl with the comforting voice ran away. The wind blew softly across him, chilling the blood that slowly leaked from the most recent wounds.

A cruel voice in the back of his mind taunted him. 'She's not getting help, you know. She just wanted to get away from you. You know good and well that you are disgusting and look like a monster. She can't bare to look at you. You're nothing but filth.'

He let the voice insult him, knowing it was probably true. He'd hated himself for the majority of his life, and though he hadn't seen himself since Azula had taken the role of Firelord, he knew he was hideous and his self-loathing increased ten fold. He welcome the hazy feeling of unconsciousness once again . . .

/. /. / KYOSHI ISLAND VILLAGE

Sokka walked up beside Suki, casually draping his arm over her shoulder. "So . . . you up for a round?" He grinned at her. He was handsome with an obvious sarcasm to him. He was average height for a man, about 5'10 and thin, yet muscular. His hair was still cut in the same style with the sides and back shaved and the top long, though he left it down more often then he used to, the straight dusty brown locks just barely touching his chin. He wore loose fitting forest green pants and a forest green tunic, held closed by a gold piece of cloth tied around his waist. The tunic was trimmed in gold. The colors didn't suit his blue eyes and tanned skin, but he insisted on wearing the green and gold clothing while on Kyoshi Island to show his dedication to Suki's ways, just as Suki chose to wear the blue and silver of the Water Tribe whenever she went with Sokka and Katara to their old homeland, though they hadn't been back to the Southern Water Tribe in over a year.

A grin played on her red lips as she patted his hand. "Are you going to be cautious and hold back because you're afraid of hurting me?" She no longer wore the Kyoshi Warrior make-up every day as she had when the Fire Nation was still a threat. The warriors were still Kyoshi's guardians, and they were all more than able to be in full suit at the slightest sign of attack, but they no longer needed to constantly be in full armor. Her beauty was refreshing, being that she saw herself first as a warrior, then as a woman. Her training and skill with defense tactics were her full focus. She was strong and radiant. Her red hair fell softly to her shoulders and she wore a forest green and gold dress. She stood straight and tall at 5'8, with a natural grace and poise.

He stayed quiet for a moment as they walked side by side. "Maybe."

"I want to see what you've learned, Sokka." She stopped and turned to him. "I've taught you everything I know when it comes to our ways of fighting and I've seen you practice with the other warriors a few times. You're a fast learner and very good at fighting, but whenever you fight me, I can see you stall and soften your attacks. I want you to show me what you've got." She kissed him seductively. He couldn't help but grin goofily, blushing. "I'll show you what you've taught me, and you show me what I've taught you. No holding back. I'm not porcelain. I won't break." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Can you do that for me?"

"If you insist . . . I won't hold back . . ."

"Promise?" She held out her hand.

"Promise." He shook her hand. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Alright, then suit up. Full armor and make-up."

"You have to wear the make-up and clothing of the Water Tribe then. If you want to be fair and show me what you've learned, you've got to suit up as well. You've seen me wear the warrior make-up of my tribe when you came to the Tribe with Katara and me. I know you can remember what it looks like. I want to see you as a Water Tribe warrior." He grinned.

"Oh really? Suddenly I see that this is more than just a practice fight. I think you're getting more out of this than I am." She pulled her hair back and tied it in a ponytail. "So be it. We'll trade roles. I'll meet you back here in ten minutes." She gave a cocky smile and ran towards the quarters she shared with the other Kyoshi Warriors. Sokka made his way to his small home in the opposite direction, the training ground waiting in the middle of the town calling his name in a passionate whisper.

"Sokka!" He quickly turned at the sound of his sisters voice.

"Katara? What's wrong?" She had obviously run there and was completely out of breath. Sokka grabbed her as she started to fall forward. "Is everything alright? What happened?"

She looked up at him, giving a weak, but relieved smile. "I was farther away from here than I realized. Thank you." She stood once again, taking a deep breath to stabilize herself. "I need your help, Sokka. A ship from the Fire Nation was just here…"

"What?" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "How many ships? Did they see you? Are you hurt?" He shoved her side to side, looking for wounds. "Are they attacking? I told you to stay here in the village where you would be safe!" She put her hand over Sokka's mouth.

"Would you stop yelling and let me finish?" She pushed his hands away. "If you had actually listened to me, I said a ship was just here. That means one ship, and it's not here anymore. They were here to throw away a prisoner. I found him and he's been beaten and tortured so severely that he can't see or speak, let alone stand or even move. I have to help him, but I need to get him by the salt-less water of the stream. I need your help to move him."

"Why don't we just tell the village medics? They'll bring him to the infirmary and take really good care of him."

"I told him I would help him, and that's what I intend to do. Besides, the medics can only tend to the most recent wounds. I can heal the scars and burns as well as the fresh cuts." She sighed at his unconvinced expression. "Please, Sokka? As a water bender healer, it's my duty to help him. I have to get him to the fresh water and you're stronger than I am. Please help me."

He rubbed his eyes, frustrated but unable to deny her. "Alright, but on one condition. I'm not comfortable with him being from the Fire Nation, prisoner or not. He could be a trap or something. You never know the lengths Azula will go to get information. For all we know, she might have wanted you to find him, knowing that you knew Aang. She's nuts enough to still want to capture the Avatar"

"Sokka, everyone knows where Aang is. Azula doesn't need to come within an inch of burning a man to death just to get information about Aang. He's flying around the world. I think everyone knows him by now."

"Do you want my help or not?"

She sighed. "Yes, I want your help."

"Alright then. You haven't told him your name, have you?"

"No, I haven't really told him anything besides the fact that I was going to help him and would return to him as soon as I could, and you are really prolonging that promise right now."

"You said he couldn't see, right?"

"No, his eyes are swollen shut. Where are you going with this. Sokka?"

"We have to use fake names around him. If he's working for Azula, he'll know the names Katara and Sokka because of Aang."

"This is ridiculous! He's in excruciating pain as we speak and you're saying it's a trap? He has no way of even communicating with Azula!"

"That you know of…"

"You are so paranoid! He needs our help, not our untrusting scrutiny."

"You're name is Kara, and I'm… Boomer. Deal?"

She laughed sarcastically. "Boomer? You've got to be kidding me. Where did you come up with Boomer?"

"You know, my boomerang. Boomer… ang." He grinned. She sighed. "I think it's pretty clever."

"In your mind, I'm sure it is. Fine, Boomer it is. I need you to get three blankets for me. I have to go get some soap, bandages, and ingredients for herbal tea. Then I'll take you to him…"

/. /. /

A.N.: More rewriting to come, followed by new chapters. In the rewriting of this chapter, 152 words were added, lengthening the conversation between Katara and Sokka.