Hello everyone. First and foremost, I want to apologise for this update taking so very long. I have had a few major problems in my real life which prevented me from writing. However, every time I got one of your reviews, it encouraged me to write a little no matter how bad things were and eventually, I managed to finish this chapter. It is for this reason that I want to say a huge thank you to each and every single person that reviewed this story. I know you may have heard it all before, but they really do push me to write faster especially when I'm going through times that would have me do otherwise.
Anyway, enough of my doom and gloom, thank you all for reading, reviewing or faving and I hope you like this chapter.
Enjoy.
It had been two days since the assault at the Air Temple. The group, though despondent from the sudden attack, had managed to find a small enclosed area just beyond the river to make camp and collect their troubling thoughts. The campfire blazed brightly causing odd shadows to flicker eerily over their faces. The silence between them seemed to linger in a way that only emphasised their inner turmoil. For the past two days the group had focused their attention on obtaining supplies to refill their depleted stocks. Due to having to leave the temple so quickly, they had only managed to bring very little along with them in terms of food and with so many mouths to feed, it was an essential job that needed to be done. Toph had remarked that if Sokka had actually gone on a fishing trip, things would probably not be as bad which earned her a glare from Sokka which she happily ignored and brushed off. Katara on the other had had been unusually quiet since the assault. She barely spoke, even to Aang and seemed as though she was caught up in thoughts that had appeared to consume her. She acted more abruptly when it came to Zuko and wished to be alone more often than she use to.
"I hope they're alright..." Katara said staring into the fire, her eyes blank and seemingly devoid of any emotion. Kyla looked at Katara empathetically. She knew why Katara was acting this way; she had always known which was why she didn't push her when Katara had asked for some space. For Katara to have just got back her father only to lose him again must have been difficult and if this was her way of coping, Kyla would let her.
"They will be." Aang replied placing a hand over Katara's. He was so relieved that she was talking again without being prompted, he hated seeing her upset. "Camping, it feels just like old times." He continued trying to lighten the mood.
"If you want it to really feel like old times, I could chase you around whilst trying to capture you..." Zuko joked. Reading people's moods was not one of his strong points.
"Ha. Ha." Katara replied flatly before rising abruptly to leave.
"I know things have been rough the past few days but what's wrong with her?" Sokka asked curiously.
"I wish I knew." Zuko replied before getting up to follow her.
"What's wrong with him?!" Sokka asked now even more curious that Zuko had decided to follow her.
" I don't know." Aang replied. "I thought they were getting on over the past few days, but now Katara seems to be a bit different with everyone. Do you think we've done something wrong?"
"I don't think so Aang." Kyla replied, "I think that she just needs her space to think things through."
"Then Zuko's probably not helping by going after her." Toph added flatly
"Maybe we should go too." Aang suggested.
"Why? To get shouted at too?" Toph replied. "Kei is right, Katara needs her space and as her friends we should respect that."
"Toph's right, besides it's getting pretty late." Sokka said whilst yawning too enthusiastically.
"Errr yeah yeah..." Suki said realising Sokka's meaning. "We all should be getting some errrmm ... Sleep."
"Are you ok Suki?" Aang asked.
"Me? I fine Aang just fine... A bit tired that's all." Suki replied blushing nervously before getting up and making her way towards her tent.
"Yeah... I think we should all get some sleep." Sokka replied causing the group to slowly get up and go their separate ways. Kyla on the other hand was still troubled by the lack of either Zuko or Katara's return, not to mention she wasn't particularly keen on having to sleep outside again and so decided to go and search for them.
She heard them before she saw them, and even though she couldn't make out exactly what they were saying she could tell from their body language that their "discussion" was not going too well. Katara seemed to be the more volatile of the two whilst Zuko seemed on the defensive. Kyla sighed in defeat. She thought she was making progress with the two of them, but seeing them argue again dashed her hopes of any kind and she began to doubt. "Maybe they would be better off separate." She thought. "No! Mom loves Dad, Dad loves Mom, I'm proof of that...Ew... But they have to get together. They're made for each other." Before she had any more time to contemplate the state of her parent's relationship, she saw that Katara was angrily walking away from Zuko towards her direction. The last thing she wanted was to be caught eavesdropping so she quickly made her way toward their shared tent not before noticing Sokka carrying what appeared to be roses back to his. A few minutes after Kyla had prepared her two blankets Katara entered the tent looking slightly irked.
"Are you alright?" Kyla asked as Katara a bit too forcefully got into her sleeping bag.
"I'm fine." She replied flatly.
"Want to talk about it?"
"No. Look, I'm pretty tired so I'm just going to sleep."
"Oh..Ok. Well, goodnight." And with that Katara and Kyla spent the rest of the night in silence.
o0o0o
The next morning Kyla woke up to an empty tent. As she got out and searched her surrounding she noticed that everyone seemed particularly glum this morning and there was no sign of Zuko or Katara. "Hey Toph." She said pulling her over. "What going on, why is everyone so down?"
"Zuko and Katara are getting ready to search for Katara's mother's killer. Aang and Sokka said she shouldn't but Katara's going anyway. They should be leaving soon." Toph replied pointing in the direction that Appa was resting. Kyla thanked Toph and then ran as quickly as she could, hoping that she made it before they left. She had already been consumed with worry when Zuko had gone away with Sokka, she didn't know how she was going to manage if both her parents were gone. She reached Appa just as Katara was loading the last bundle on.
"Good I made it." Kyla said slightly out of breath.
"Are you going to try and talk me out of it too?" Katara said keeping her eyes focused on the bags she was loading.
"No, it's not my place to. I just wanted to say, be careful."
"Oh," Katara said turning to face Kyla. She appreciated the fact that Kei didn't assume to know her better than she knew herself and smiled at her new found friend. "Thank you Kei, and I'm sorry if I've been a bit harsh lately, especially to you... I..."
"It's Ok Katara, I understand." Seconds later Zuko came and stood by Katara side.
"Are you ready?" he asked. Katara nodded silently, determination ever present on her face. "Alright."He replied nodding, his hands forming a step to help Katara onto Appa.
"Zuko wait." Kyla said before Zuko hoisted himself onto Appa. She walked up to him slowly before stopping and taking a deep breath. "Please... Look after Katara on this trip...She...Well, she's my friend and I don't want to see her get hurt." Zuko looked at her and nodded firmly before turning to get on Appa. "Wait!" Kyla continued. "Also, take care of yourself too." Zuko looked at Kei, surprised by her concern for him.
"Alright." he replied quietly. He had never seen Kei so worried and felt odd that some of her worry was directed at him. After their moment, Zuko quickly climbed into Appa's saddle and Katara began Appa's flight with a quick,
"Yip yip."
Kyla watched them until they could no longer be seen. Her parents had told her very little about the trip they had taken together during the war, and the little bits she knew, she had pick up from overhearing her Uncle Sokka or Aang talking.
"Are we too late? Have they gone?" Sokka said panting,. He had obviously ran from wherever he had been when he heard Appa take off.
"Yeah." Kyla replied sadly.
"Oh..." Aang said looking up to the sky. "I thought she might go, but I hoped she wouldn't."
"I hope she's ok." Sokka said looking towards the sky like the other.
"Me too." Kyla replied.
o0o0o
The morning after Zuko and Katara's departure was dreary and dull. The sky was grey and it was unusually cold compared to the last few days. Kyla looked out towards the distance, hoping that her parents were alright. She tried to look on the bright side of things and wondered if this trip alone together would bring them closer, or at least help them find some common ground that would stop them from arguing so much. Kyla chuckled at the thought. "They're going to be alright." She thought to herself. "They're my parents."
Aang had gone off to train with Toph, which left Sokka and Suki in camp with Kyla. Suki carrying twigs towards the fire at the centre of the camp, whilst Sokka seemed to be making a flowery necklace that he quickly hid whenever Suki would pass by him. Kyla smiled and shook her head lightly. If only her uncle knew that he didn't have to worry about things when it came to her Aunt Suki. As she walked up to him to say hello, her tummy rumbled. She was hungry, and with Katara gone, she doubted that anyone had made any breakfast not to mention that Zuko and Katara had taken a large chunk of their supplies with them for their trip.
"Morning Sokka." She said cheerfully.
"Hey Kei!" Sokka said rising to his feet. He had been sitting for longer than he realised so his legs were sore and his butt numb. "How'd you sleep?" he asked politely.
"Not well, I hate camping. Nice necklace by the way..." Kyla replied grinning.
"Necklace? What necklace? You...You're crazy?" Sokka fumbled.
"That's ok, I won't tell her." Kyla said resting her hand on his should causing Sokka to breathe a sigh of relief. "Anyway, I see there's no breakfast, and we're low on supplies, so I was think of going fishing, want to come?"
"Sure. I'm starving."
"Great! Let me put my hair up, I don't want it smelling of fish when we get back. Have you seen my ribbon anywhere?" Kei asked. Sokka looked down embarrassed.
"If it was the blue one that was just over there then..." Sokka took out the necklace he had been making and held it up to Kyla who laughed happily. "Hey! You know how hard it is to find this kind of stuff? Besides, I didn't know it was yours."
"Who did you think it belonged to?"
"I...I thought that perhaps the universe was cutting me a break seeing as it had been so hard on me lately. Sorry Kei."
"That's ok." She replied breaking off a twig from a nearby branch. Sokka watched her curiously. Soon after breaking off the little side twiglets from the branch, she twisted her hair using the stick into a neat bun and left the stick in place in order to keep her hair from falling out. Sokka eyes grew wide at the sight as if somehow many things had simultaneously clicked into place.
"Ahhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!" He shouted pointing at Kyla. His thoughts so jumbled yet focused that he couldn't find it within himself to form coherent words. "You...You're..." Just as Sokka seemed to reach bursting point, Aang and Toph returned looking muddier than how they left, at the same time Suki returned carrying a small bundle of twigs. Kyla started to panic. It was clear that Sokka had worked out, or at least thought he'd worked out her secret and like it or not, this was not the place nor the time she had wanted it to be revealed.
"Errr Sokka can I talk you in private for a minute." She said pulling him away from the rest of the group who looked at the whole situation in confusion.
"What's up with them?" Aang asked puzzled by Sokka crazier than usual behaviour.
"Beats me." Toph said shrugging.
o0o0o
As soon as they were out of earshot, Kyla let go of Sokka's arm and turned to face him , a stern expression over her face.
"Ok Sokka, spill it. What do you think you know?" she said crossing her arms.
"You! You! You're from the future! You're Katara's kid! Only Katara knows how to do the hair twisty thing and you do it exactly like she does! You even look like her now that I think about it! This is so weird you're from the future? How did you get here? Why did you come? How..."
"Wait, wait wait..." Kyla said raising her hands trying to calm Sokka down. "Now I'm not saying you're right and I'm not saying you're wrong, but if I were from the future and was "Katara's daughter" What would you do about it?" Kyla asked.
"Errr...You want to know if I'll keep your secret. I promise you I will. Hey I'm your cool Uncle Sokka... Uncle Sokka, I like the sound of that." Sokka said grinning.
"Ugh..." Kyla said defeated. She had no choice now, and even if she denied it, Sokka probably wouldn't believe her. Besides, it would be good to finally have someone who knew the truth and at least he had promised to keep her secret. "Fine. You're right, I am from the future and I am Katara's daughter."
"I knew it!" Sokka shouted excitedly while jumping in the air. "That's why Katara got on so well with you so quickly. I had a strange feeling about you ever since laundry day! Wait, does Katara know?"
"No!" Kyla said placing her hands on both Sokka shoulders. "No one knows and you can't tell anyone. I don't want to mess up the future any more than I probably have already. Promise me you won't tell anyone."
"Not even Suki."
"No one! Please Uncle Sokka." Kyla pleaded, she knew how much her Uncle loved flattery.
"Well, when you put it like that, I'm sure I can keep your secret Kei." Sokka replied grinning.
"Thanks." Kyla said hugging Sokka tightly. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulder now that someone else knew her secret.
"So, why are you here Kei?"
"I think I'm here to get my parents together, or at least to like each other." Kyla said shrugging.
"Parents. You said your dad was Fire Nation, is that true?" Sokka asked suspiciously.
"Errr yes. He is. Probably the most Fire Nation you could get if you ask me..."
"Hmmm. Wait... It's not..."
"Yep." Kyla said grinning.
"But it can't be. They hate each other I mean they...Zuko? Zuko's your dad?"
"He sure is."
"That means... He's on a secret trip with my sister right now...I'LL KILL HIM!"
"Wait no no...Nothing happens...Ewww... I mean, my brother isn't born until at least 3 or 4years after the war ended, I was never good at history."
"Brother?!" Sokka said shocked at Kei's slip up. "There are more of you?!"
"Why are you focusing on the brother part rather than the part where I said the war ends...Anyway, yes I have an older brother but he isn't born in a way that you can be angry at dad so don't worry about it. And no he's not here too."
"Ok. Ok... Even though my big brother senses of going off the chart, Katara could do a lot worse than Zuko."
"Hey!"
"No offence."
"So, will you help me?" Kyla asked. "I've been trying my best but I don't think I doing that good of a job, and honestly... I want to go home."
"How do you get back? It won't be when your brother is...You know..." Sokka replied embarrassed. This was his sister they were talking about.
"What? No. No! Apparently I'll go when the time is right or something like that."
"Alright. You seem like a pretty cool niece, and I'm sure all the Sokka Juniors will be missing you."
"Sokka Juniors...Riiiiiight." Kyla thought to herself. Now would not be the time to tell her uncle that he would end up having 5 girls.
"So I'll help you."
"Thank you so much Uncle Sokka! It's good to finally be able to call you that! Oh...But if we are going to help my parents like each other, we have to be care of Aang." Kyla said excited that things were hopefully going to get better.
"Aang. Why do we have to worry about him?" Sokka asked confused.
"You're kidding right?" Kyla replied smirking. "You were able to work out that I'm the daughter of your sister that had somehow managed to travel back in time, but you can't see that Aang has the hugest crush on Katara?"
"Aang had a crush on Katara?! When did that happen?!"
"Nevermind... I'm so happy you know now. We should make plans for when they return."
"You sure nothing is going on on this trip?"
"I'm sure." Kyla said chuckling.
"Wait." Sokka said stopping Kyla in her tracks. "We're still going fishing right?"
"Right." Kyla replied. "Typical Uncle Sokka", she thought to herself.
Zutarafan4ev: HAHA! Your review made me smile. I'm glad you liked that chapter and hopefully you liked this one too!
Annie1233: Awww thanks! I'm really happy that you like the story so far.
Crystal1998: Thanks, sorry for the long wait but hopefully this chapter was worth it!
Guest: Here ya go!
a123b: Kinda a bit of both. As you can see with this chapter, it follows the original storyline and time frame (I think) but focuses on different things i.e. my little twists.
Luna-of-Black-Roses: I love your review! Thank you. Here is more!
Jesjessiejessica: I know how it is when it comes to logging in. I feel ya! Glad you like my story!
DeathEater0731: Thank you. My writing style is odd, but I'm glad you like it. As for Mai, she won't be appearing in my story, however she is in my other one "The Way Things Are" if you want to check that out...Though it's unfinished at the moment *bad me!*
Maddy the fangirl: Hi! Kyla is sneakly like that, she gets it from her uncle! Sorry for the long wait in between this update hopefully the next one willcome a bit sooner. As for Kyla's reations to Zuko and Katara's return, we'll just have to wait and see!
Guest: Here you go!
Boogum: Thanks, the girl talk part was one of my favourite bits to write.
Guest: Glad you picked up on that, the animals like me like sleeping and little noise...^_^
Aralys: Thanks! I'm glad you decided to read my story and enjoyed it! I hope you like this chapter too.
Guest: This stroy is a bit faster paced than usual but that's simply because it was never meant to be very long. If you like slower paced fics, you should try reading my other ongoing fic "The Way Things Are". That one is a lot slower... but unfinished. *bad me*
Guest: Yes indeed. Here ya go!
Guest: Thank you! Sorry for the wait.
xBluesx: Hello from the UK! I'm glad you like my story and sorry about the wait for the update. Hopefully the next one will arrive quicker!