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! This is the eighth chapter to be rewritten as of July 18, 2010.

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 8: The Name, the Fall, and the Revealed

/. /. / KYOSHI ISLAND

Zuko leapt forward and caught her mere inches from the ground. Though glad he caught her, he regretted the move immediately. While 85% of his scars were gone, his muscles were still useless and weak after all that time down in the cell, unmoving, chained to the floor, fed tiny scraps and foul water. His body had been reduced to nothing. It would be a long time before he'd be anywhere near as strong and healthy as he'd been back before Azula took over. Back in the crystal chamber… with her…

He looked down at the woman in his arms. Katara… the name had just slipped out, but there were so many similarities between them. Both were Water Benders, and both had incredible blue eyes. Even their names were ridiculously alike, only two letters separated them. But it was her touch above all… as she laid her hands on his wounded throat, her fingertips brushed across his cheek. His mind immediately flashed back to that intimate time with her.

She'd offered to heal that god forsaken scar bestowed by his father. He'd closed his eyes as her fingertips brushed along the scar. He could have stayed with her that day, but he had let his ridiculous quest for honor get in the way. If he'd just swallowed his pride and gone with them instead of siding with his sister, he wouldn't have suffered for the last three years.

But this incredible healer couldn't be Katara. Katara couldn't heal his oldest scar without the special water from the Spirit Oasis. This girl was able to heal years of pain with simple stream water. 'Besides,' he thought to himself, 'she took too much pride in the Water Nation to leave them and become an Outcast.'

He laid Kara on the blanket, lacking the strength required to carry her back to her tent. "Uncle Iroh would still be here…" He whispered softly. "I'd be whole… and I'd be with her…" He sat quietly, his mind wandering to how life would be if he had stayed with Katara on that fateful day…

/. /. / SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE

Mai gave Aang a small smile. Her whole face changed, from cunning and bored to kind and caring. "Kelyin has a tough outer shell to crack. We've all had trouble getting along with her, she lets her bitterness about past events take over sometimes and shuts everyone out. If you really want to get to know her, keep talking to her, even though she'll keep pushing you away. Eventually she'll break though." She patted him on the back and stood once more.

"Thank you, Mai…" He gave a small laugh and looked down. "It's still so strange to see you out here, wearing black and white and fighting against what little resistance the Fire Nation still has. I remember what a die-hard enemy you were."

"I regret those years and the actions I committed, but it was necessary. It's much nicer being here, with Jet and the people the I love." She sweetly touched his cheek. "I'm sorry for any pain I may have caused you back then, Aang. I didn't want to hurt you, but I had to keep up the act." She turned from him, trying hard to block the sudden memory plaguing her. "Keep talking to her. If you really want to know her, you'll break through eventually."

She walked away.

/. /. / OFF SHORE OF THE EARTH KINGDOM

Ren watched as Toph dug her fingers into Appa's fur, getting the best grip possible as the bison soared through the chilly early morning air. She was hunched over, as close to his soft white back as she could get and her face was even paler than usual.

"Fear of flying, huh Short Stuff? Don't worry we won't let you fa-AH!" He broke off with a cry of pain as an arrow protruded through his shoulder.

"We're being fired at!" B yelled as a second arrow flew past her head.

"What!" Toph yelled, lowering herself further against the bison's thick coat of fur.

"Looks like we underestimated your parents." Ren spoke through clenched teeth. He broke the arrow off with a loud snap and tossed it away over Appa's side. Blood seeped slowly from the wound. "Keep a good grip, Short Stuff, this is going to get interesting." He looked over his shoulder, spotting the shooter of the arrow. It was a woman, sitting on the back of a Wolcan, a rare and vicious beast. The broad wings and sharp taloned feet of a falcon with the head and body of a wolf, complete with huge snarling jaws. The woman wore a skin tight black outfit, held on by straps and buckles around her waist and over her shoulders. A long whip was wound up at her hip and a crossbow was propped on her shoulder. She gave a wicked grin as she aimed expertly and pulled the bows trigger, sending another arrow at the group. "Take Appa down, B!" The bison dived down, causing a shriek from Toph. Ren laid a large hand on her back, keeping her braced against Appa as the arrow flew over them.

"Persistent isn't she!" B yelled over the noise of the cold early morning air whipping past them as she looked over her shoulder. The woman was only seconds behind them, the Wolcans jaws foaming in the anticipation of sinking it's teeth into Appa's thick hide. "Longshot, try and aim for the Wolcan, not her! If it goes down, she goes down! Otherwise, that thing will still be chasing us even if she's not on it!" Longshot nodded, quickly pulling the long robes made for the masquerade off, throwing them out into the chilly air and pulling his bow from the harness on his back. He had no sooner lifted the arrow to the string when Appa let out a pain filled growl and began swerving back and forth rapidly. The Wolcan had managed a small burst of speed and sank its teeth deep into Appa's backside. The bow flew from Longshot's hands, tumbling over Appa's back and out of site. Toph couldn't help but scream at the rapid motion.

"Get him to stop doing that!" Ren yelled as he held Toph down with his uninjured arm, trying his best to keep her from slipping.

"The Wolcan won't let go! See if you can pry his jaws open!" Longshot nodded at Ren and held Toph down in his place, knowing he wouldn't get a good shot with the heavy wind and Appa's chaotic movement interfering. Ren cautiously approached the beast, struggling to keep his balance, grasping his upper jaw with one hand and the bottom jaw with the other. The Wolcan eyed him coldly and sank his teeth further. He conjured all his strength and began slowly prying the jaws apart. The beast gave a guttural growl and did it's best to reclaim its mouth, but Ren's hands were powerful. It gave a yelp as its bottom jaw was slowly pushed back.

Ren heard the noise before he felt it. The whip cracked on his back, instantly cutting through his heavy coat and slicing the skin. He let go out of instinct, a reaction to the pain, and the Wolcan's jaws embedded themselves once more into Appa's flesh. A female voice issued above him, heard easily over the wind without even yelling. "Come now, did you really think I was going to let you try and break his jaw? Hand over the child now, or I'll take her by force, let him rip your bison to pieces and watch you all fall to your deaths." She held out her hand expectantly.

Appa jerked wildly to the right, twisting slightly in his attempt to get away from the Wolcan. The fangs tore away and Appa sped forward. "Oh no you don't!" The woman cracked the whip out, catching Toph around the wrist, yanking her toward the Wolcan and herself.

Ren lunged forward and grabbed the whip. Already unstable from the attempt at breaking the Wolcan's jaw, he tried to yank the whip from the bounty hunters grasp, but instead, unsteadied himself further, stumbling and falling back. Longshot frantically tried to hold Toph on as Ren fell, but the pull of his weight and the tightness of the whip around her wrist was too much. There was a sickening snap heard, even over the roaring wind as her wrist broke from the strain just before she slid from Longshot's grasp…

/. /. / OFF SHORE OF THE EARTH KINGDOM

"Damn it!" June roared as the giant man fell from the bison, taking her bounty with him. She quickly let go of the whip, knowing she'd be pulled down as well. At their speed, it was impossible to catch them in mid-air, especially with the monstrosity of a man still holding on. They wouldn't survive the fall. She'd just have to tell the Bei Fong's that she couldn't find her yet. She swiftly turned back toward the Earth Kingdom and sped the Wolcan away.

/. /. / KYOSHI ISLAND VILLAGE

"Suki…" Sokka whispered softly to the form laying beside him. He propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her face, lit softly by the moonlight coming through the window. The water tribe warrior make-up was smeared by sweat and her red hair had come loose from the pony tail, falling softly around her face and over her shoulders.

She spoke with her eyes still closed, but smiled. "Yes, my warrior?"

"Is my sister alright?" Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, holding up the sheet to cover her naked form.

"What?"

Sokka sat up. "Katara, is she alright? Every time I try and go out there, you offer to go instead or come up with some kind of distraction… like what just happened. Is she alright? Did something happen to her that you're not telling me?" His soft voice was laced with doubt and guilt.

Suki smiled. "No, of course not. I suppose I was thinking that if you were serious in your talks of marrying me, it would be a good idea to bond with Katara, seeing as we would be sister-in-laws." She kissed him softly on the lips. "And these aren't distractions, Sokka, they are momentary periods of extreme lust brought on by watching you practice what I taught you." He grinned as she kissed him again. "The Kyoshi make-up doesn't hurt either." Sokka pulled her back down onto the bed.

"That make-up on you is giving me a momentary period of extreme lust." He pulled the covers over them and she giggled.

/. /. / BASE OF THE SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE

Mai walked slowly along the wooded path, away from the Avatar, lost in her thoughts. He was gone… his body thrown away like mere garbage, not even given a prince's burial.

Of all the things she had done while acting as Azula's puppet, one thing, one image, one act, haunted her above all others.

Azula turned to Mai, smiling cruelly. "He pushed you in the water when we were kids, Mai. I'll let you have the first hit." She looked down at Zuko. "I don't know if there will be enough left of him to mark when I'm finished with him."

Mai stepped forward, looking down at the young dark haired man. The news of his Uncles death had broken him. He kneeled there, hunched over, staring at the floor. She lowered to her own knees in front of him. Slowly he looked up, as if just noticing she was there. His eyes were so full of grief. 'What a pathetic, sorrowful excuse for a life.' She thought to herself. The whole thing was a lie. Even now, he'd been lied to. If only she could tell him the truth… it would give him something to fight for. In the executions, Outcast guards were having to sneak out and return to base for risk of being found out. There was no way that she or any of the others could get Zuko out unnoticed. Their numbers and their strength was just too low. She stared into his eyes, trying to decide what to do…

"Come on Mai, I want to start in on him!" The punishment might be strong, but she could think of no other solution. She pulled the stiletto out from its holder at her wrist, trying to keep her hand from shaking. His eyes were on her, but he was staring far off, his eyes glassy and distant. He didn't see her. She raised her left hand, the stiletto hidden at her palm, looking as if she was going to backhand him. She took a deep breath and swung her hand down, in the form of a fist, the stiletto extended between her index and middle finger. The cut was clean, smooth, expertly delivered. Blood splashed out across Mai as the weapon did it's job. She could vaguely hear Azula's voice yell out, "Damn it Mai! Killing him was my job!" as she watched him make a strangled gagging noise before he fell forward, his head landing in her lap before the guards rushed forward, trying to quell the blood flow and closedthe gaping slit across the soft flesh of his throat. Another guard grabbed her, dragging her up and out of the room as she looked to Azula.

"I've been holding that grudge for a while now, Azula. You shouldn't have given me the opportunity."

She hated what she had said that day, but she could think of nothing else to explain her actions. She'd been kept in a cell for a week as punishment, but Azula never seemed to really be upset about it once they'd been able to burn the wound closed and given him a few days to regenerate some small amount of blood that had been lost.

"I'm sorry Zuko… I'm so sorry…" She had whispered it then, unheard in Azula's frustrated, impatient vocalizations, and she whispered it now. His face, distorted more and more every time she saw it, haunted her mind. "I can never tell you how sorry I am…" She kneeled in the middle of the path, her face in her hands as grief overcame her. A gentle hand came to rest on her back.

"Mai, why are you out here all alone, crying?" She looked up into an kind, aged face and warm hazel eyes.

"I never got to apologize for my part in his suffering. He didn't even get a proper burial, Iroh. Ty Lee's note said Azula had his body discarded in the woods of some island, somewhere." Tears rolled freely down her cheeks. The old man kneeled down and embraced her as she mourned the Prince's death.

"I would have taken his place if only I could have. He suffered all his life for no reason… I would have taken his place…" Iroh spoke sadly, tears rolling down his own cheeks.

/. /. / FIRELORD'S PALACE

Ty Lee cowered on the floor in her shackles as the guard tossed a bowl of foul food on the floor before her. She kept her head bowed as he slammed the cell door shut. She looked up slowly, listening closely for his footsteps to retreat. Taking a deep breath, she placed a shackled hand between her feet, curling her toes around the heavy iron. Making her hand as narrow as she could and thanking her double jointed thumb, she began to twist and wiggle her hand back and forth, using the blood and sweat that covered her skin as lubrication to ever so slowly pull her left hand out of the shackle. She carefully lifted her arm, sore from being in the same position for almost two weeks. Now came the hard part. Her shattered right arm, expertly broken in three places by Azula. She put the shackle between her feet and, putting the palm of her left hand in her mouth, began the same removal process. Every tiny movement of the broken limb sent pain that made her see white. She bit into her palm, breaking through the skin and tasting iron as the skin broke. "Not yet, Ty Lee…"

Her grey eyes grew wide as she slowly looked up at the door, her bloodied hand dropping from her mouth as she saw the tiny slit in the door open to reveal the mask of a guard. All the color drained from her face.

"You have to wait a bit to get out of here. It's a little dangerous right now." His voice was a hiss, just above a whisper before he shut the slit in the door, leaving her in silence again.

/. /. / POST SCRIPT AUTHORS NOTE

P.S.A.N. : Well, I finally fixed a problem that I was just going to go with originally; Mai's inability to firebend. Originally, I had written that there was a burn scar in the shape of two small but powerful hands around Zuko's throat when Katara did the cocoon. Then I had Mai reflecting on what she'd done to him, regarding wrapping her hands around his throat and igniting them. I was just going to leave it that Mai can firebend now in the original posting, when I had the intentions of completing it the first time. Obviously that didn't happen. I like the rewritten flashback of her decision to try to kill Zuko, to save him from his sister's torture. I think it gives more to her characters thought process, and gives a deeper meaning to her connection with Zuko and her grief than before. The last bit with Ty Lee is completely new material. Originally, Ty Lee was only shown being yelled at by Azula, then I didn't mention her anymore. In the rewrite, she will play a bigger role. I'm proud to say that 581 words were added to this chapter in the rewrite.