"Hey, guys! Get up!" A voice screamed. I woke up and saw it was Toph who yelled. "What's wrong, Toph?" Sokka asked. "I was just having a good dream! Suki and I were dancing in a flower field and I-"

"No one wants to hear about your dreams, Sokka," I interrupted. Toph's rock tent sank into the floor. A wall of fire emerges around us, blocking any exits. "Well, well well," a voice nearby said. "Won't you look who it is!" He started laughing, mixed with snorts.

"What's going on?" Toph asked.

"It's Bumi!" Sokka cheered. The wall of fire extinguished and elderly men aproached us. "Why are there old people surrounding us?" Toph asked.

"Not just any old people, Toph," Katara said joyfully. "These are masters and friends of ours!" Katara walked up to a Water Tribe man. She bowed. "Pakku."

"It is respectful to bow to an old master," he replied, bowing in return, "but how about a hug for your new grandfather?" He extended his arms. "That's great!" Katara cheered. She hugged Pakku. "You and Gran-Gran must be so happy!"

"I made her a new betrothal necklace," Pakku said, smiling.

"Welcome to the family, Gramp-Gramp!" Sokka cheered, hugging him as well.

"You can still call me Pakku," he remarked, a little annoyed.

"How about Grand-Pakku?" Sokka checked.

"No."

"This was Aang's first Firebending teacher," Katara said, walking to another man. The Firebending teacher Aang was with when he decided not to Firebend anymore. Wait. Is that Jeong Jeong? He's a wanted man! Lucky Avatar. He bowed and introduced himself.

"Master Piandao," Sokka said, bowing to another.

"Hello, Sokka." He bowed back.

"How do you all know each other?" Suki asked behind me.

"All old people know each other! Don't you know that?" Bumi laughed again, mixing in more snorts. "We're all part of the same ancient secret society. "A group that transcends the division of the four nations," Piandao said.

I knew what he was talking about. Uncle is a part of it. "The White Lotus," I said. Bumi slid in between Paindao and Jeong Jeong. "That's that one!"

"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy, truth and beauty," Jeong Jeong said. "However, a month ago, we were called to something very important."

"It came from a Grand Lotus. Your uncle," Pakku said. "Iroh of the Fire nation."

"Well, that's who we're looking for," Toph said behind me.

"Yeah, we followed a giant mole using Zuko's uncle's sweaty sandal!" Sokka cried.

"Then we'll take you to him," Paindao said, smiling.

"Wait!" Bumi called, appearing behind Paindao and Jeong Jeong. "Someone is missing from your group. Someone very important..." He scanned us. "Where's Momo?" Really? He notices Momo's missing but not Aang? "He's gone," Sokka replied. "Aang too. They both dissapeared yesterday."

"Oh well," Bumi said, shrugging. "As long as they have each other, there's nothing to worry about!" He pat Sokka on the back so hard he almost fell over. Sokka rubbed his back afterwards. "Let's go!" Bumi launched himself over the wall with his Earthbending.

"So, uh, how do we get in?" Sokka asked, watching Bumi fly over the wall.

"Right this way," Jeong Jeong said, turning. He led us around the backside of the wall, where Bumi opened part of it. "Right this way," Jeong Jeong said, entering the passage. We followed inside to a campsite and Bumi closed the wall behind us. The camp is bigger than I anticipated.

"Here we are! Welcome to old people camp!" Bumi exclaimed, waving his arms in front of him.

"So, Bumi,"Sokka asked, "how did you escape your imprisonment in Omashu?"

"Escape?" Bumi asked, laughing. "I didn't escape! Everyone else did! I was in Omashu waiting for the perfect moment. The Fire Nation had captured me on the Day of the Black Sun. They held me in a metal box, hoping I couldn't Earthbend my way out of it."

"Did you Metalbend out?" Toph asked.

"I didn't know when I'll do it but I know I would," Bumi said, ignoring Toph. "When the eclipse happened, I Earthbended some rocks to my cage. I broke myself free with the rocks I broke off the buildings. I broke free and I was surrounded by Firebenders. They tried to stop me but were powerless.

"I moved the earth to make the Firebenders flee and I saw a statue of the Fire Lord, right in the center of my city. I destroyed the statue and took back my city! I knocked the statue over and broke the bridge connecting the Fire Nation soldiers and Omashu."

"Wow! You took the whole city back yourself!" Suki said, shocked. "I've never heard of anything like it! Kyoshi just moved the city, she didn't take it back."

"So what about you guys?" Bumi asked, turning towards me and Sokka. "Did you do anything exciting on the day of the eclipse?"

"No, not really," Sokka said, shrugging.

"Nah," I replied.

We continued walking to where the biggest tents are pitched. "These are our tents," Paindao said. I examined the tents to see each had a symbol on it. Jeong Jeong's has a Fire Nation symbol on it while Bumi has the Earth Kingdom symbol. "Where...is he?" I asked.

"He's in there," Paindao said, pointing to the biggest tent with the White Lotus symbol on it. "The Grand Lotus. You'r uncle is in that tent."

I walked up to the tent and paused. Uncle is inside, as Paindao said, but, should I enter? Would Uncle just be mad at me? Would Uncle hate me? Would he be mad to see me again? Will he even talk to me? I pace back and forth in front of the tent. How would I react? What would I say?

I sat down on a rock and rest my head in my hands. I can't do this. "Are you okay?" Katara asked.

"No, I'm not. My uncle hates me, I know it," I replied without looking up. "He loved and supported me in every way and I still stabbed him in the back. How can I even face him? How can i talk to him?"

"Zuko, you're sorry, right?" Katara asked, sitting down next to me.

"More sorry for anything I have ever been for in my life," I remarked.

"Then he'll forgive you. I know he will." I looked at Katara. "You really think so?" She nodded. "How...how do you know?"

"He's family, Zuko. He's the person who cared for you, right? If he cares for you, then he loves you, Zuko. I know he'll forgive you. It's what family does." I stood up. "Thanks, Katara." I walked towards the door of the tent. I breathed in. I hope Katara's right. I hope he does forgive me, otherwise...I can never forgive myself. I exhale and enter the tent.

"Uncle?" He snored. Of course he's sleeping. I sat down and smiled. Classic Uncle.

Uncle woke up and streched. He glanced behind himself and looked back towards the tent. hHe said nothing. "Uncle, I know you might have some mixed feelings about me," I said. He still didn't answer. "But...I want you to know that..." For the first time in forever, tears streamed down my face. I haven't felt this way in a long time. "I am so sorry, Uncle. I am sorry and...ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can make it up to you but I'll-"

Uncle pulled me in. Uncle smiled. Why...why is he smiling? Isn't he mad at me? "How...how can you forgive me so easily, Uncle?" I asked. "I thought you would be furious with me."

"I was never angry with you," he replied softly. "I was sad because I thought you had lost your way."

"I did loose my way, Uncle. But, I wouldn't stop thinking of you."

"You found your way again, Zuko. And you did it by yourself. I am so happy you found you way here." I hugged Uncle back. I...I thought he would be angry with me, but that's just the kind of person Uncle is. He doesn't get mad. He get's worried. He was worried that I will never come back to find him. He got worried that I would stay with Father, and one day, take rule like him. He was worried that I would stick with Azula and help win this war.

I smiled. "It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent."

"I don't have a strong scent, Zuko," Uncle chuckled.

"It was enough for June shrishu to find you without trouble," I said.

"Oh, Zuko," Uncle laughed. "You used that lovely lady to find me?"

I just smiled. Uncle let go. "Should we go?" he asked. I sniffled and wiped my eyes. "Yeah."

We headed out the tent to where Sokka, Toph, Katara, and the Masters of the White Lotus were all sitting around a large fire, eating. "How'd it go?" Katara asked, handing me a bowl. I just smiled. "Well, it seems like it went well."

I looked at Uncle, accepting the bowl from Katara. "Uncle, you are the only other person other than the Avatar who can defeat the Father Lord."

"You mean Fire Lord," Toph said.

"That's what I said!"

"Sure..." Toph said, putting the chopsticks in her mouth.

Uncle pondered. "We need you to come with us!" I tried. Uncle shook his head. "No, Zuko. It won't turn out well."

"You can beat him!" I tried again. "We'll be there with you!"

"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I'm not sure if I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History could see it as more violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for the war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to end it," Uncle said.

"And then...you will come with us to take your rightful place on the throne?" I checked.

"No. Someone new must take the throne," Uncle said, looking at me. "An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko."

"Me?" I asked, pointing at myself with my chopsticks. "Unquestionable honor? But...I made so many mistakes!"

"Yes you have. You've suffered and struggled, but you've always found your own path. You restored your own honor. Only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation. Your mistakes make you, you."

"I'll try, Uncle," I said, a little flustered.

"What if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving and each of us must face our own destinies. The Avatar will face the Fire Lord," Uncle replied. "When I was just a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation. The Earth Kingdom must be free once again."

"That's why you gathered the White Lotus," Suki remarked.

"Yes," Uncle said, nodding. "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so when then Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore the Fire Nation's honor. To restore peace and order. Azula will be there, waiting for you."

"I can handle Azula," I said.

"Not alone, you can't," Uncle said.

"Yeah, you're right." I turned to Katara. "Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

"It would be my pleasure," Katara replied.

"What about us?" Sokka asked. "What's our destiny?"

"What do you think it is?" Uncle asked.

Sokka paused. "Hmm. I think that...even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet."

"That means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us!" Toph said, punching her open hand. We finished our food and split up. Katara and Uncle followed me to Aapa. "Uncle, if I do become Fire Lord, what are you going to do?"

"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I am going to re-conquer my tea shop, and I'm going to play Pai Sho every day!" Uncle exclaimed, smiling. I smiled and shook my head. Classic Uncle. Katara and I hopped onto Aapa and Katara looked back towards Sokka, Suki and Toph. Sokka nodded and looked back down. "Goodbye, General Iroh!" she said.

"Goodbye, everyone!" Uncle said, waving. "Today, destiny is on our side!" Aapa followed Sokka's eel-hound. "Katara, are you sure you're ready for this?" I asked. "Azula is strong and-"

"I know, Zuko," she said. She smiled at me. "But I won't let you beat her by yourself. Just because she's your sister doesn't mean she won't try t hurt you."

"Thanks, Katara."

Author's Note

I am so sorry! I got the emails for the reviews you guys posted but the email gave me the wrong chapter. I read it and it seemed fine to me. It said, "Chapter 38: The Awakening." I knew the Awakening to be as the first chapter so I read that one and it seemed just fine to me. I am so sorry the chapter glitched out again. I don't know why that keeps happening. Thank you for letting me know the chapters were wrong. I apreciate that a lot! (Anyone ever notice that Toph stole some of Zuko's food here?)