Chapter Three -The Western Air Temple:

Forests are peaceful in the morning, with the chirping of birds and hum of nature, but as I woke I noticed there were no animal sounds. Instead, a heavy thump echoed through the silent trees, I cautiously sat up and looked around. The fire had gone out, but the ashes were still smoldering the slightest bit, I heard the sound again and looked into the trees behind me. I caught a glint of something silver, but then it was gone.

A soft snore drew my attention to a sleeping Zuko. I was surprised to see that he'd slept next to me all night, his butt was now resting against my thigh. My face warmed. I'd never slept this close to a boy before. I reached out a hand and gently squeezed his shoulder. He woke and was instantly alert. His eyes widened the slightest bit when he realized it was me who'd woken him.

"I think there's someone out there," I pointed behind his tent as the heavy thump came again. He climbed out of his bedroll and I did the same, when he headed into the woods I followed. He put up a hand when we'd found our target, he'd followed the tracks as they led down the stairs that would lead to the temple. The stranger was a huge, hulking mass of a man, wearing a deep v-neck tunic. He had a heavy metal prosthetic arm and leg, which is the cause of the thumping sounds.

Zuko pointed back towards the camp and we quietly made our way back there.

"Who was that guy?"

"His name is Osamu, he can project large explosions from his third eye," Zuko's voice was gruff and he sounded sad. "He's a Silent Assassin, I hired him."

"You did what?" I was floored, I thought he'd changed?

"Please listen," he grabbed my arm and I paused and looked at him. "I hired him when I first moved back to the Fire Nation. I played right into my sisters hands. Please believe me, I don't want him to kill the Avatar."

"Then I have to go warn them and you have to go stop him!" I shoved him back towards the path that would lead to the stairs. I raced back towards the Temple, hoping that Toph had left the tunnel open. Zuko took off in the opposite direction.

I made it back to the temple slightly out of breath and rested my hand against the wall as a shockwave shook the balcony. The gang came running around the corner of the building towards me.

"Guys, there's an assassin coming!"

"He's already here," Sokka said as he leaned up against the wall.

"He's going to blast this whole right off the cliff side," said Toph as she leaned against the wall by my feet.

"I'd hoped to warn you guys, I'm sorry," I said as another explosion rocked the fountain balcony.

"I can't get out there to waterbend at him without getting blown up," said Katara after she'd peered around the corner of the wall. "And I can't get a good enough angle on him from down here."

"I know how to get an angle on him," said Sokka as a grin spread across his face. He pulled his boomerang from its sheath and switched places with Katara. Another explosion lit up the balcony and Sokka quickly moved back behind the wall. As the smoke cleared he peered around the corner again, using the metal of the boomerang to get his sights on the assassin.

"Alright buddy," he said as he looked at the boomerang and prepared to swing, "don't fail me now." Then he loosed the boomerang and it soared around a pillar and out of sight.

Sokka ran onto the balcony screaming "Yeah!" as the boomerang came flying back to him. We followed him out onto the balcony. The assassin clumsily got to his feet, as all of us headed back to our hiding place.

"Wait!" said Aang as he pointed at the assassin. He'd thrown his head back to aim and rather than an explosion hitting us, it backfired on him, causing the portion of the mountain he was standing on to collapse, bringing him down as well. As I looked across the ravine I noticed that Zuko was crawling up a vine onto another rock ledge. I hadn't realized he'd been there. I silently prayed to the goddess I was named after, to make sure he was ok.

As the smoke cleared we took a look around at the damage, there was now some clutter around the main fountain area, and most of the rooms had been damaged, but we were all ok. Three other boys came out from an inner hall and looked around amazed. One of the boys looked to be about Zuko's age, he came over and introduced himself as Haru. He had gorgeous light green eyes. He was tall, and had a small patch of beard growing under his bottom lip, and a long mustache that made him appear older.

There were two other boys, one in a wheelchair who introduced himself as Teo. He appeared to be about the same age as Katara. The third boy was much smaller, with a large helmet on his head. He introduced himself as The Duke, not Duke, The Duke. I laughed and introduced myself. We got to work cleaning everything up, tossing the smaller rocks off the side of the balcony and using the others as seats.

A short time later Zuko appeared, joining us by the fountain. Everyone came out to greet him.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," said Aang, "but, thanks Zuko."

"Hey what about me?" Sokka said as he placed his hands on his hips. "I did the boomerang thing."

"Listen," Zuko said as he approached and stopped a few feet away. "I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot in the past few years, and it's been hard, but I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor," he looked at the floor, as if it was still hard for him to accept what he was saying. "and that my father was the only one who could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor, it's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war, and I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to this world."

"I'm sorry for what I did to you, it was an accident," He turned and placed his fist into his upright palm and bowed to Toph. "Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a firebender I need to be more careful and control my bending so that I don't hurt people unintentionally."

"I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher," said Aang. I looked at him with a smile on my face. Zuko had gotten him to change his mind! The look on Sokka's face gave me a good indication I wasn't the only one who was surprised. "When I first tried to learn firebending I burned Katara, and after that I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love." Aang placed a fisted hand in his upright palm and bowed to Zuko. "I'd like you to teach me."

Zuko's eyes widened and softened as the smallest of smiles spread across his face. "Thank you," he said, returning Aang's bow. "I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group."

"Not so fast," said Aang. Zuko's eyes widened and for a moment I could feel how nervous he was that they were still not going to accept him. "I still have to ask my friends if it's ok with them." Aang turned around, "Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"

"Go ahead and let him join," she said as she remained sitting, it would still take a while for her feet to heal. "It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet." She jokingly punched a fist into her opposite hand.

"Sokka," said Aang.

"Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord," said Sokka with a shrug. "If you think this is the way to do it then I'm all for it."

"Katara," Aang said softly as he moved to stand near her. She glared angrily at Zuko, and it was apparent to all that she wasn't pleased with Aang's decision. I looked at Zuko and a small rivulet of sweat ran down the side of his face. This was it, one word from her and he was either in, or out.

"I'll go along with whatever you think is right," she said, but her tone was more placating than accepting.

"Malina, what about you?"

"Me?" I asked stunned. "Why would my opinion matter? Shouldn't I be asking to join your group?" I looked at Zuko and he looked at me, his shoulders were squared as if he'd already prepared himself for rejection.

"You've shown us that you're willing to help us, so we've already accepted you into our group. Do you think Zuko would be a good addition to our team?"

"Yeah," I said as I looked at Zuko. "I think he will be."

"I won't let you down," said Zuko as a genuine smile spread across his handsome face. "I promise!" His shaggy hair hung into his eyes, but instead of making him look sloppy, it made him more appealing in my opinion. Everyone walked away. Sokka picked Toph up and brought her back over to the fountain so she could soak her feet again. This left Zuko and I standing alone together.

I smiled at him and held up my hand, "What's that?" he asked when I didn't put my hand down. Had he never given a high-five?"

"It's a high-five," I said with a laugh.

"A what?"

"Hold up your hand," I said as he did so. It was held close to him and stiff against his body like a formal greeting. I shook m head, and then slapped my hand into his making a clapping sound. "It's a fun way to celebrate something for a job well done."

"Oh," he looked surprised and then smiled at me.

"Do you want help collecting your stuff?"

"You would do that?"

"Sure, gets me out of cooking duty," I said as I jokingly looked over my shoulder as Katara pulled out a large pot and poured rice into it. "I'll pull my weight around camp, but I'm not a very good cook." I linked our arms together and we headed back towards his little campsite.

As I helped him back his gear I rolled the bedrolls, and realized why he'd offered me his rather than his Uncle's. I tried to discreetly wave my hand in front of my nose but he caught me. I smiled sheepishly, "Your Uncle must have some stinky feet."

"You have no idea," he said and gave me a crooked smile. I banked the fire as he packed everything into a pack that he then slung over his shoulder. When he was all set we headed back through Toph's shortcut.

After introducing Zuko to The Duke, Teo and Haru, Sokka and Aang offered to show him to a spare room. There were only a few that hadn't been blasted by the assassin. His room was next to mine, and I offered to come with them. I wanted to grab my bowl for lunch, although it was closer to dinner time in my opinion.

"So hear you go, home sweet home. I guess, ya know," said Sokka, his voice echoing slightly in the hall. "Unpack, lunch, soon I hope." I heard no response from Zuko as I watched Sokka head back down the hall, I smiled as I overheard Sokka and Aang talking, "Yeah, ok, this is really, really weird." Their footsteps echoed down the hall as they left.

I couldn't find my spoon, and as I was halfway under the bed I hard more footsteps coming down the hallway. They were lighter than Sokka's, but I didn't want them to see me so I lay quietly under the bed, trying my best not to sneeze.

"You might have everyone else here buying your, transformation," I heard Katara say snidely, "but you and I both know you've struggled doing the right thing in the past. So let me tell you something right now, you make one step backward, one slip up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends right then and there, permanently."

She slammed Zuko's door, and I heard her footsteps echo down the hallway as she left. I looked down the hall at her retreating back, and then looked towards Zuko's closed door. Should I go to him? I sighed and followed my gut instincts, if he was up to anything now would be the time to catch him off guard, although I then realized he might be changing his clothes or something so I knocked on the door.

He opened the door and looked relieved when he saw it was me, "Can I come in?"

"Oh, sure," he said sounding surprised as he moved farther into the room.

"Are you ok? I overheard what just happened between you and Katara," I looked back down the hallway to make sure it was empty. "For a thirteen year old, she can be rather intimidating."

"I really hurt her," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed. This wasn't the excited guy from a few minutes ago.

"Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to if you don't want to," I didn't want to come off as too forward or anything.

"I betrayed her in Ba Sing Se, she offered to heal my scar after I opened up to her about the loss of my mother and she the loss of hers. When I had the chance to help my Uncle and the Avatar, I sided with my sister, and she nearly killed him. We actually thought she'd succeeded." He sounded so lost and alone, and so disgusted with his own actions that I wasn't sure how to help him. So I did the only thing I could think of and grabbed his hand.

"My Dad always said actions speak louder than words," I said as he looked at me, as if hoping I could help him. "Just keep showing them that you have changed. Eventually she'll see that you are the person you say you are. Now," I said as I smiled up at him. "Let's go eat some linner." I pulled him to his feet, he followed me rather ungraciously, as if he were still pondering my words .

"What's linner?"

"When you eat too late for it to be lunch, but it's too early for dinner," I laughed at his flabbergasted face. "It's a thing, just accept it."

With that we walked down the hallway back to the fountain. There was still quite a bit of daylight left, so who knew what the rest of the afternoon would bring.