Not everything. There was someone he had forgotten.

Zuko ran through a forest. He didn't know what he was running from. Roots reached out to trip him. His eyes searched desperately for a glimpse of water beyond the trees, but he saw nothing. Was he running uphill? Zuko turned around and dashed the other way. He still felt as if he was running uphill. Where was the way down? He needed to get to the river, because his boat was there and he needed to cut it loose before Zhao could take it. He had to save the egg.

Suddenly, he stopped running. A firefly hovered in front of him, flashing. Zuko forgot all about the boat and the egg. He reached out for the firefly, as he always did.

His hands closed around it.

Zuko stared at his hands. He'd never caught it before. What should he do now? He opened his hands to look at the firefly. Its abdomen glowed and did not stop glowing. The flash increased in intensity, making him close his eyes. He felt himself moving. It was just like when the two spirits had taken him to the spirit world. His feet touched the ground, and he opened his eyes.

He gasped. His instincts screamed at him to back away from the edge. The edge of what? He was not on a cliff. He stood on perfectly level ground beneath a tree. The bare ground stretched away for miles and miles, not a hill or a bush to disturb it. There wasn't even any grass. He looked up.

A familiar face looked down at him. The Watcher. His glowing eyes were fixed on Zuko now. Glowing. Light. The edge.

Zuko knelt. "Teach me, master."

At some inaudible signal, he rose and looked across the empty plain. It was grassy after all. The grass was just hard to see because the color was drained from it. Beyond the plain, where there should have been some kind of background - blue sky - there was nothing. No color. No Light.

A little bit of the darkness seemed to bulge forward. A firefly raced out to meet it. Zuko saw the light of its flash fold around the dark shape, constraining it, giving it an appearance where it would have had none. It was the appearance of a wolf. Before he knew it, Zuko found himself shoving his glowing palms towards the creature. The light burst out of them. After several seconds, the beast was pushed backward into the darkness from which it had emerged.

Zuko expected to feel happy at his victory, but he did not. The light he had used was made from the urge to protect. He'd just thrown it out. He no longer had that urge. So what was there to be happy about?

"I'll get more, right?" He heard no answer. But as he looked down at his hands and thought about the power contained there, the urge to protect returned, and he felt proud of himself. He could save everyone. With the power of his spirit, he could push back the darkness.

He looked back up and felt that pride shrivel and wilt. The darkness was so big! It was as big as the sky. He could send out his entire spirit and still it would be there. What could a lowly human do against that?

A buzzing sound from above made him look up. The Watcher was now looking out at the darkness. Zuko smiled. A lowly human couldn't hold back that much darkness, but a spirit could. He looked at the way the plain vanished into the void and laughed. That was ridiculous! Real earth didn't have an edge. There was nothing to fall off of. It was okay.

The firefly flew down to him again. He reached for it. Just before he would have caught it, it flashed. Zuko's eyes flew open.

He sat up. It was still dark. Iroh snored across the room. Zuko rubbed his head. So that's how I do it. Great. He lay back down and closed his eyes.

He awoke to the sound of breakfast cooking. Judging from the amount already cooked, it was another celebratory feast. There had been a lot of those lately. "Did you sleep well?" Iroh asked.

"Yeah," Zuko said with a yawn. I really don't feel like explaining yet more stuff. So he didn't. "You?"

"I slept very well." Iroh stirred whatever it was he was making. "What are your plans for today?"

"Practice shooting light out of my palms," Zuko replied. "It's not very different from throwing fireballs. I'll master it quickly."

"Be careful," Iroh said.

"I will."

They ate together. Partway through, Iroh put down his octopus. "Zuko, I need to apologize to you. I've known about twospirits this whole time. But I never saw what you were going through for what it really was. I was blind."

"It's okay, Uncle," Zuko said. "There's no need to apologize."

Iroh shook his head. "Kalika told me how she earned your trust by showing that she was willing to see you for who you truly were. We are family. I should have been able to do the same."

"Most of my family can't, Uncle. That doesn't say anything bad about you."

Iroh sighed. "That's a whole other problem. Ozai has not been kind to you. I tried not to infringe on his rights as your father, but there was only so much I could ignore. You may not like to hear this, but I must be honest: I'm glad this new destiny you've embraced doesn't require you to go back to him."

Zuko tensed all over. "Uncle?" he whispered.

Iroh waited.

Zuko swallowed. "I'm glad too. Does that make me a bad son?"

Iroh put a hand on his shoulder. "There is no such thing as a bad son. Not at your age. Until you are an adult with your own life, parent-child responsibility is one way. A child owes their parents nothing. It's not like they asked to be born."

Zuko struggled to speak. "I've always been…such a burden. I - I would run up to him, after he'd had a long day, and, and I would demand attention and make noise…"

"Children do that," Iroh said.

"Being royal is hard." Zuko was shaking. "I added to it. I was…cruel."

Iroh's eyes grew wide. "No, you weren't. You were a young boy who wanted his father."

Zuko rubbed his throat. "That's the problem. He couldn't be my father. He had to be Firelord. If he hadn't had to do that, everything would be okay."

"Why are you rubbing your throat?"

"It… It was…" Zuko lowered his hand. He gasped for breath. "Just something that happened a long time ago."

"Nephew, are you alright?"

"I'm lucky to be alive." Zuko stood up. He went to the nearest wall and pressed his forehead against it to cool himself down.

Iroh said nothing for a long, long while. Finally, he told Zuko, "I'll make sure you stay that way." Zuko burst out laughing. Brothers, but they couldn't be more different!

Kalika finally arrived a few minutes later. "Sorry I'm late. My brother kept asking me if he would see you again, Lee. I told him I didn't know." She joined Iroh for breakfast. "How are things?"

"Terrifying," Iroh answered.

"Lee?"

"Not terrifying," he replied. He turned away from the wall and rejoined his uncle. "If they were terrifying, I would have keeled over from a heart attack long ago. Everything's fine. I hope you like your octopus crispy - it's a little overdone."

Kalika inspected her octopus. "Just a little."

They silently agreed not to talk about scary things. Kalika asked if he intended to join any of Master Pakku's classes. Zuko thought about it. "If he asks me to, sure."

"Kalla's doing a lot better, by the way. I can't believe I didn't realize how depressed he was before. He's like a kid again."

Zuko smiled. "I learned something new about my shifting when I taught him." He described to her the halting, forced, but ultimately successful shift he had put himself through.

Kalika forgot all about her food. "So you started by changing your outer behavior, by pretending, but then the pretend became real?"

"Looking back, I think that's how it all started. I needed my mom, she wasn't around anymore, so I tried to talk to myself like she did. Eventually I didn't have to try."

"Fascinating! Yagoda, my teacher, is interested in putting together a case history for you. Would you like to do that?"

"Sure. My lesson with the water spirit today won't be long. Meet you in the afternoon, in front of the hospital?"

"That would be wonderful."

.

Pakku decided to formally request Zuko's presence the next day. His morning was spent not lifting a finger as Katara, with Aang's help, taught the rest of his class. Between her own instincts and the twospirit's teachings, she was practically a master already. All Pakku needed to teach her were specific techniques, and then she would be fully qualified to protect the Avatar.

"Katara, I need to speak with you."

"Can I stay?" Aang asked.

Pakku sighed. "Yes, you can stay." He ignored Aang and faced Katara. "I…was wrong. You have opened my eyes to the possibilities women have in battle. Your fighting skills are excellent, and your fighting spirit even more so."

Katara smiled. "You and Yagoda should have a chat. I learned a lot about what it means to be a warrior from her. And thank you for your praise." She gave a quick bow.

Learning how to be a warrior from a healer? Pakku realized there was much he did not know. He dismissed her. When she and the Avatar were gone, he summoned his former student, who observed silently some distance away. "What do you think?"

The former student looked thoughtful. "In order to be a good teacher, you have to be a good student?"

Pakku nodded. "Looks like it. You were a fine student. I'm confident you will make a worthy teacher."

.

That night, Katara and Aang finally worked up the courage to see Zuko. Sokka did not protest. "Is he really like a brother to you?" he asked Aang.

"I think so," Aang replied. "I don't know too much about what it's like to have a brother. But when he's teaching me things or covering my back, it feels really good."

"I know. I'm just so…surprised. He's pr - I mean, you know what he is."

"I think you're treating titles as more important than they really are, Sokka. He might have a title that makes him sound powerful. But he's just a guy like you and me, living in a family, with his own hopes and dreams."

"He's still…you know." Sokka still considered the fact that Zuko could throw fireballs at them at any time to be very important.

"Yes, but also other things," Katara said. "Let me handle it, Sokka."

Sokka shrugged and went along with it. After he and Katara figured out what their roles were, he had realized that was the reason why the others stopped listening to him as soon as they reached the Northern Water Tribe. With no obvious dangers around, it was the perfect opportunity to look for less obvious dangers. Katara had been making the most efficient use of their time. She was being sensible, like always. He planned to tell her that. Eventually. When his pride stopped stinging.

They reached the building and found Iroh alone inside. "They may be late tonight," he told them. "They're meeting with her teacher to write a case history."

Katara nodded. "I understand perfectly." There was a pause. "So, how have things been?"

Iroh looked unhappy. "I understand my nephew a lot more. We have the potential to be closer than we've ever been."

"Then why do you look so sad?" Aang asked.

"Because sad things have happened to him. Love can be very painful. It makes you vulnerable to all the wounds another person experiences. It's still worth it, of course."

"I'll keep that in mind," Aang said.

"I won't," Sokka said. "I smell much better things to think about!"

Katara shook her head clear. "You're right, Sokka." Aang grinned. They joined in a feast. Kalika and Zuko returned in the middle of laughter from Aang describing a food fight he had once initiated. Kalika smiled. Zuko didn't, but neither did he glare. Sokka took careful note of the way the jerk sat near his uncle, yet a little bit farther away, distancing himself from the rest of the group.

"Hey," Katara called to him. "You just missed Aang's story of the most epic food fight in air temple history."

"Okaaay." Zuko didn't respond much to that.

Sokka decided that his role was to deal with the most obvious dangers. That didn't mean he only dealt with the most important ones. Even if it wasn't life threatening, Zuko's long face presented a clear and obvious danger to the good mood. "Stop sulking. You're bringing down the mood."

"That's what I'm trying not to do," Zuko said. "I know even seeing me must be painful for you guys after what I did. I don't want to be more of a bother than I already am."

"We wouldn't be here if we weren't fine with seeing you," Katara replied.

Zuko studied her face. "I don't know how to talk to people in a lighthearted way. Just have your party without me."

"Then watch and learn," Katara declared. "Momo, come here." She pulled him away from Aang's bowl. The lemur screeched in protest and scratched everywhere except her hands. Katara sat him down in her lap and waited until he looked up at her. "Momo, will you be our animal ambassador for the evening?" He chirped. "Thanks! Go meet your new friend. Bring him into the party mood." Momo obediently flew over to Zuko. As soon as Zuko received any food, he leaped down and stole it.

Katara glanced at Aang. "I bet the elders were furious."

"They were," Aang said with a grin. "But Monk Gyatso defended me. He said I had gotten good practice using my airbending against real enemies."

Sokka laughed. "If only all practice was like that!"

"Airbending is the best! Have I told you guys how Monk Gyatso tested my control by having me throw fruit pies at meditating monks?"

"How did he get away with that?" Iroh asked in between laughs.

"I have no idea."

"Who said teaching had to be boring?" Kalika asked. "When I was a little girl and we were learning how to bandage scrapes, my teacher had us stage a whole pretend battle using dolls. Then we spent the afternoon bandaging and healing the dolls. It was awesome."

"Who won?" Katara asked.

Kalika's face grew serious. "We split into two teams at the start. My team captured the higher ground, while the other side dug in and built a fort. We had nearly breached the walls of the fort, when all of a sudden a splinter group broke off of the other team and captured our position. We tried to take down what was left of the other team so we could move into their fort, but it was too late. That group ambushed us both from behind. The traitors!"

"Oh, that's evil!" Katara exclaimed. "I wouldn't trust someone who turned against their own side like that!"

"Oh, we did give them some side eye for weeks," Kalika confirmed.

"Evil, but effective," Sokka declared.

"You wouldn't do that to us, right, Sokka?" Aang widened his eyes as far as they would go.

Sokka made several faces, then relented. "No, I wouldn't. Even I have standards."

"What does 'even' mean? You're my brother. Of course you would never turn on us, not even to gain the advantage over an enemy." Katara slung an arm over his shoulders.

"If they were really about to kill us…"

She took her arm back. "What? I don't believe you. Some brother you are!" She crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air theatrically.

"It's okay, Sokka," Aang said. "I trust your judgment."

"Thank you! It's nice to know someone does."

Katara cleared her throat loudly. "A-hem! So, are you learning anything, Lee?"

They all looked at Zuko. He looked away. "I don't think I can do it."

"No one's expecting you to have perfect social skills right away," Kalika reassured him.

"It doesn't matter how much time passes. I don't think I'll ever be able to joke about the horrible things that have been done to me. Made to think I was a traitor just for trying to find another way… Had my trust in my own senses nearly destroyed because nobody believed me… My own sister broke and stole things I was attached to and got me in trouble, just because that was her idea of fun. I - I can't joke about that."

There was dead silence. Sokka sighed. "I should have just let you sulk."

"I did try to warn you." Zuko absorbed himself in petting Momo's head. The lemur looked like he might be getting tired of the attention.

"Can't you…distract yourself from that for a little while?" Aang asked.

"Not when you keep reminding me of it!" Zuko twitched. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell." He stopped petting Momo and drew in on himself. "I should just leave."

"Lee…"

Momo leaped onto Kalika's shoulder and called out, tilting his head quizzically. Zuko looked at both of them. "I did something wrong, okay? I used their good faith against them. I was dishonest. Then I turned around and threw it all in their faces. I am a traitor. I don't understand how they can look at me. I need to atone for what I've done."

"If that's what you need, then go," Katara said. Zuko got up and left. As the hides swished back into place, more silence descended upon the party.

Sokka shrugged it off. "Great! Who has another funny story?"

"I'm not in the mood, Sokka," Aang said.

"Which is a good thing," Katara told him. "Go talk to him."

"Oh, I get it! Nice one, Katara!" Aang got up and raced outside. Momo flew after him.

"Nice what?" Sokka asked. "What am I missing?"

Katara smiled. "Brotherly bonding time. Right now, that means bonding over sad things. But it'll be worth it."

"Time out," Sokka called. "You seem to be assuming we're going to hang out with that jerk in the future."

Katara drew back. "Not like we did before. Traveling with him was a disaster. I am not suggesting we do that again. But some kind of interaction is guaranteed. We can't pretend he doesn't exist for the next 9 months."

Kalika raised a hand. "May I share with you Lee's plans?" Katara nodded. Kalika told them everything relevant - how Lee intended to use the water spirit as a flying mount, travel separately, and do nothing that relied on their help.

"I approve the traveling separately part," Sokka said. "What's he planning to do about the war?"

"He didn't say anything about that. His plans for the future start when the war is 'dealt with.'"

"I'll help him decide what to do about that," Iroh said. "In the meantime, who wants more soup?"

.

With Momo's help, Aang found Zuko hiding in a narrow, dark crack between two buildings. Zuko flinched away as he approached. "I said I was sorry. I'm doing the best I can to make things right. What more do you want from me?"

"Making things right doesn't look like this," Aang told him.

"We weren't supposed to travel together."

"But we were supposed to know each other."

"How can you say that?"

"Don't you feel it?"

Zuko looked back at him. He curled up even tighter. Was he frightened? Aang reached out slowly. "I promise I won't hurt you. I feel it too. Like there's a bond between us."

Zuko let him touch his shoulder. "I was sent to hunt you," he whispered. "But…"

"But we have so much in common."

"It's probably just because we have similar destinies."

"No, it's not." Aang looked down. "Do you want to know how I found out I was the Avatar?"

He told Zuko the whole story, start to finish. Being summoned before the elders and told he was the Avatar, that war was brewing and he had to be ready for it. Every one of his friends backing away, kicking him out of a game he'd created. Learning that he was going to be sent off. Running away in a panic like the child he was. He also told Zuko what it was like to return to his old home with Katara and Sokka and find his teacher dead. "If anyone's a traitor, it's me," Aang choked out. "I wasn't trained, but I could've activated the Avatar State. I could've done something. But I ran away when I knew they needed me. I let him die. All of them are dead because of me."

Zuko reached out. He uncurled completely and drew Aang in, wrapping him in a hug. His ice clothes melted and flowed away, allowing Aang to feel the warmth of his heartbeat. Aang hugged him back, sniffling into his shoulder. Zuko rocked back and forth in a smooth rhythm. He said nothing, yet Aang's conviction that he was a horrible traitor lessened. Aang remembered Katara's reassuring words. Maybe he was meant to have run away and survived, so that he could give people hope now.

"I'm so sorry," Zuko whispered.

"It's okay," Aang whispered back. "I'm alive. If I'd been there when the Fire Nation attacked, maybe I wouldn't be."

Zuko released him. "There was no Air army, was there?"

"What? We were monks. Of course we didn't have an army."

"I was taught that you did," Zuko said. "I was taught a version of history that made everything seem justified. But when I saw those tanks advancing on all of those innocent people, I couldn't justify that. Nobody can."

"Your father can," Aang murmured. "Just like he can justify banishing his own son. Whatever he said you did to deserve your banishment, he was lying. You're not a traitor. I guess you technically betrayed us, but… I forgive you."

Zuko collapsed against the wall. "You forgive me?"

"Yeah."

"What…does that even mean?"

"It means we're okay. Clean slate."

"But I've done horrible things to you."

"I said, clean slate. I'm not going to hold you accountable for those things anymore. You don't need to atone for them. Let's just move on."

Zuko's mouth hung open. He looked like Aang had sprouted a second head. He couldn't speak, but his face asked the question for him. Why?

"You're the closest thing I have to family," Aang told him. "And family forgives each other."

Zuko stopped blinking, or breathing. His eyes rolled. Aang caught him as he fell. Momo licked Zuko's face. With a gasp, he started breathing again. He forced his eyes open. "No, no, no, no…" His voice trailed off as he went limp again.

The water spirit replaced his ice clothes and patted Aang on the head. It pulled him out of Aang's arms and drew in snow to make a blanket. "Thanks," Aang said. "Take care of him."

He returned to the ice house to find Iroh entertaining everyone else with tales from his army days. "Hey, Aang," Katara greeted. "How'd your talk go?"

"Turns out, all I needed to do to make him stop attacking me was forgive him. He fainted on the spot." Aang put a sleepy Momo to bed on a soft part of the carpet. "The water spirit's looking after him."

"We're planning to not travel with him. He's gonna fly on the water spirit's back and make his own way. Is that okay?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. Just because I forgive him doesn't mean I'll forget."