(Originally posted March 6, 2023 on AO3)

Aang gripped Appa's reins tight, trying his best to keep the bison steady as the torrent of icy rain beat down relentlessly upon them. He had thought that surely the bad weather would have let up after another week and a half of flying, but it seemed the universe was determined to make his life difficult.

Currently, they were attempting to make it to the city of Bin-Er before nightfall. Aang had never been there before, but he knew a bit about its history as an important trade route between the Earth Kingdom and Northern Water Tribe. Their supplies were running low again, and they needed to reach the city to replenish them. Aang tried not to worry too much about the fact that they would probably be out of money once they restocked.

Unfortunately, Aang's relationship with Zuko seemed to have regressed back to square one since their argument at the Northern Air Temple. The Fire Prince hadn't smiled once since they had left the temple, and most of the time he barely spoke to Aang unless absolutely necessary, and even then it was mostly grunts or nods.

Honestly, this didn't bother Aang too much anymore, as he had grown weary of trying to put on a smiling face and pretend like everything was okay. Because it really wasn't, though he didn't want to admit it to himself.

He also felt bad for poor Iroh, who had found himself stuck in the middle of this situation. Zuko had also been shutting his uncle out, and nothing Iroh did could make much of a dent in the armor the Fire Prince had encased himself in. Aang could tell that the old man was probably just as exhausted as he was. They were all exhausted.

Truthfully, Aang had no idea what to do now. There was only one Air Temple left that he hadn't checked—the Western Air Temple—but Zuko and Iroh had already been there six months ago, and said they had found nothing. Guru Pathik had said he hadn't seen an airbender since the war started, and neither had anyone else. It was becoming increasingly difficult for Aang to hold on to the hope that any of his people had survived Sozin's attack.

Maybe there's something Zuko and Iroh missed when they were there, the tiny hopeful voice in his brain posited. That was all he was going off of now. He didn't want to think about what he was going to do if he failed to find anything there either.

"Aang!" the voice of Iroh called out from behind him, causing him to flinch. "Are we getting close to Bin-Er?"

Aang felt a spike of panic as his awareness of his surroundings returned, looking around frantically to realize he could no longer see clearly through the torrent of rain. "Uhh... I think so!" he called back.

"I think we should take shelter until this rain lets up!" Iroh replied. "We'll all catch colds if we stay out in this much longer!"

Iroh was right. Aang wanted to make it to Bin-Er, but it was too dangerous for them to continue flying in this weather. "Okay, I'll take us down!"

He steadily lowered them, and to his relief managed to spot a cluster of ruins in the nearby mountainside that would hopefully provide enough shelter. Thankfully, when they landed, it appeared that the sheltered area was big enough for Appa to fit under as well, and upon disembarking, they jumped back in unison as the bison violently shook the water off of his fur, narrowly avoiding getting even more drenched than they already were.

While Zuko worked to get a campfire started, Iroh and Aang unpacked their soaked belongings from Appa's saddle. Once they had gotten their campsite situated, Iroh unfurled their soaked world map onto the ground, carefully to prevent it from tearing.

"Hmm..." Iroh said, brows furrowed, and coughed lightly, clearing his throat.

"Do you know where we are?" Aang asked. He hoped they hadn't gotten too turned around due to the storm.

"I tried to keep track while we were flying, but it was difficult with the rain... I'm sorry, Aang. I'm afraid we may be lost. When the rain lets up and we can fly again, I may be able to get a better look at our surroundings and figure it out from there."

Suddenly, Iroh broke out into a more intense fit of coughs, startling Zuko, who had been staring absentmindedly into the fire he had made, Momo curled up in his lap.

"Are you feeling okay, Iroh?" Aang asked.

Iroh waved his hand nonchalantly. "I'm fine, Aang, don't worry about m– achoo!"

Aang's eyes met Zuko's, and they shared a concerned look.

"Uncle, you need to rest," Zuko said, walking over to help Iroh stand so he could guide him towards a sleeping bag.

"I'm fine, Zuko," Iroh sniffed, though it was now clear to Aang that he was shivering. He felt a pang of guilt for making them fly through the storm for so long.

"You don't look fine," Zuko countered. He looked back to Aang, anxiety evident in his amber eyes.

Aang nodded. "Zuko's right, you need to rest. We can stay here for tonight—we're not going back out in this weather."

Bin-Er would have to wait another day.

Unfortunately, while the rain had finally stopped by the following morning, Iroh's condition did not improve overnight. When he was still somewhat coherent, Iroh had instructed Aang to scavenge for ginger root to use to make a medicinal tea. While he had regrettably returned empty handed on that front, he had, however, managed to find a local map.

When he returned to the ruins, he saw that Iroh was curled up in his sleeping bag on Appa's legs. Zuko was pressing a wet rag to his forehead, and Aang watched with concern.

"This should help bring your fever down," Zuko said.

Iroh smiled slightly, clearly somewhat delirious. "Much appreciated, Aang."

"Uncle, it's me," Zuko replied monotonously.

"Of course it's you, mother! I was just joking. And you fell for it!" Iroh began to laugh heartily, then broke into another coughing fit.

Zuko sighed and shook his head, standing back up.

"How's he doing?" Aang asked.

"Not great. Being out in that storm yesterday really did a number on him."

Aang slumped his shoulders, feeling guilty again. "I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea, but I found a map." He placed the map on the ground, and they both crouched down to examine it. "I'm not exactly sure where we are, but there's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Iroh there."

"Aang, look at him. He's in no condition to travel right now. He needs more rest."

Aang glanced back at Iroh. He seemed to be engaged in an animated conversation with Momo, who was sitting on his chest chattering at him. "He needs medicine. I'll go to the herbalist's to get some. You stay here and take care of your uncle."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "You want to go by yourself? That's too dangerous! What if there are Fire Nation soldiers in the area?"

"What other option do we have? Iroh clearly can't take care of himself right now. He needs you." He flicked his glider open. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Zuko looked as if he wanted to argue, but instead shook his head. "Fine. Go. But be careful."

"I will, I promise," Aang replied, getting ready to take off, when suddenly a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. "Uh, maybe it's safer if I go on foot." He closed his glider and placed it to the side. "Keep an eye on them, you two," he said, pointing to Appa and Momo, who groaned and chattered respectively in reply, and took off running into the valley.

Thankfully, Iroh had managed to fall asleep for a few hours after Aang had left, and Zuko finally felt like he could relax somewhat. He sighed and yawned, rubbing his good eye with his fist. He hadn't been able to get a good night's rest in what seemed like ages.

What an awful week and a half it had been since they had left the temple. Today had been the first day since their argument at the temple that he and Aang had actually spoken more than one or two words to each other. He had to admit he missed talking to him.

He had avoided thinking too much about the argument since it had happened, as not only did it cause his head to hurt too much, but it also triggered intense anxiety. Unfortunately, the memories always resurfaced no matter how hard he tried to push them down. If Aang was right, then that meant that everything he knew about his family and nation had been a lie. The thought terrified Zuko.

He'd wanted to ask his uncle about all of this, but there just hadn't been a good opportunity for him to speak privately with him since they had left the Northern Air Temple. Iroh had said at the Eastern Air Temple that things "weren't as black and white as he had been taught", but had never bothered to explain further, and Zuko hadn't exactly been eager to prod him about it after realizing he may not like what Iroh would tell him.

As if on cue, Iroh stirred in his sleeping bag next to him. "Zuko?" He winced, pressing his palm to his forehead. "I've got the worst headache."

Zuko's eyes widened as he realized that his uncle was actually coherent again. "How are you feeling, uncle?"

Iroh chuckled weakly and coughed. "Admittedly, not the best."

Zuko sighed. "You really should go back to sleep. You need more rest."

"Where's Aang?" Iroh asked, scanning the campsite.

"He went to an herbalist institute to find you some medicine," Zuko explained. "But he's been gone for a few hours now..."

"You're worried about him."

Zuko folded his arms and looked off to the side, tapping his foot. "Well, yeah. I can't have him getting captured by the Fire Nation. That would be inconvenient for us."

"Hmm." Iroh looked at him seriously. "Do you want to talk about what happened the day we left the Northern Air Temple?"

Zuko's shoulders tensed, and he was silent for a moment.

Just tell him.

"Aang and I... we got into an argument. I... was angry, and said some hurtful things."

"What kind of hurtful things?"

"I..." Zuko sighed, struggling to say the words out loud. "I complained about him dragging us to the temples, and said that the only reason I hadn't taken him back to my father yet was because I had lost my resources and crew." He pulled his knees to his chest and stared into the campfire flames.

"I see," Iroh said. "And how did he respond to that?"

"He... was pretty hurt, and angry," Zuko admitted. "He asked how I could still justify bringing him to my father after everything we'd learned about his people. I said there had to have been a good reason why our family did what they did."

He glanced at Iroh, who was now looking off in the distance with a dark expression on his face. Zuko quickly looked away again.

"He told me that nobody even knew he was the Avatar when great-grandfather Sozin attacked the temples, and that Sozin most likely did it in an attempt to take out the Avatar in the process." He felt his heart rate rise again, and his breathing became rapid. "I didn't want to believe it, but with everything we've learned so far from seeing the temples, and from what Aang has told us... if any of it is true, then that means our people, our family is responsible for the genocide of Aang's people!" He shook his head violently. "It can't be true... It can't..."

Iroh coughed again and sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position. "No, Zuko. Aang is correct. Sozin did not know the identity of the Avatar, and the Air Nomads did not die in battle. They were ambushed."

"Ambushed?" Zuko repeated, feeling like he had been stabbed in the stomach, before whipping his head to face his uncle, a strange mixture of shock and anger unfurling in his chest. "So it was true... and this whole time you knew? Does father know too? And did grandfather Azulon?"

Iroh nodded, eyes closed and brow knotted. "Yes. You would have learned eventually when you were older as well. For a long time, I told myself that sometimes sacrifices must be made for a good cause. That was how Sozin and Azulon justified it. But deep down, it never sat right with me."

"Then why didn't you say anything sooner?!" Zuko demanded angrily. "After we lost our ship and crew, you made it clear that you had no interest in helping me capture Aang, even though deep down I knew you could have done it!" Zuko exhaled hard through his nose, steam emanating from his nostrils. "I kept wondering why. I told myself you must've had a good reason, that it was too risky to take on the Avatar in a fight, that you were gaining his trust so it would be easier to outsmart him. If I had known the truth..."

"Do you think you would have believed me?" Iroh asked.

Zuko opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again. No, he probably wouldn't have. He wasn't even sure he wanted to believe him now.

"Exactly. I believed the matter to be irrelevant until we discovered Aang, and afterwards... he was not what I expected. Of course, I was also aware of how much you were struggling, nephew. Telling you would have done nothing but cause you unneeded emotional pain, and to slip into further distrust of me. You needed to learn to trust both me and Aang on your own."

Zuko huffed. He supposed he had a point. "But what about Aang? The entire time we've known him he's had his heart set on finding any surviving Nomads. You've let him think there was hope when there was none."

Iroh was silent for a moment. "Truthfully... I haven't had the heart to tell him. Though it seems he has more or less figured it out on his own, which I suppose was bound to happen eventually." He bowed his head with a sigh. "I've been a coward."

"Yeah, you have," Zuko replied bitterly.

Iroh did not protest. "I know how much you have grown to care about Aang, Zuko. And you know that I care about him too." His uncle then met his gaze directly, an intense, serious expression on his face. "I asked you before, and I will ask you again. Can you truly say that you still want to hand Aang over to your father?"

"I..." Zuko started, taken aback, suddenly unable to form any coherent thoughts. "I don't know, uncle," he replied exasperatedly, pacing back and forth. "You're telling me that everything I knew was a lie, but what am I supposed to do? You're saying that we should just betray our family, our nation? My honor..."

"Is your honor more important to you than Aang's life?"

This statement hit Zuko like a ton of bricks, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Is capturing Aang your destiny," Iroh continued, "Or is it a destiny someone else has forced upon you? He is nothing like what we expected him to be, yes, but that is not a bad thing. Scary, perhaps, because it has forced us to acknowledge the truth that we have ignored for too long. But not bad."

Iroh was definitely right about the "scary" part. Getting to know Aang had been a terrifying experience, but Zuko could not lie to himself and say that he regretted it.

"It's time for you to start asking yourself the big questions, Zuko. Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I..."

What did he want?

He considered his first option: continue with his goal to deliver Aang to his father and regain his honor. But did he even want to go back to living a lonely life in the palace with his terrifying father and cruel sister? Did he want to pretend everything was "normal" while knowing that every time someone looked at him, they would see his scar and forever remember him as the formerly-banished prince?

Could he even live with himself knowing that Aang would probably spend the rest of his days chained up in a cell deep beneath the palace, never to see the outside world again?

Yes, he would have his honor and his throne. But would any of that make him happy?

Iroh had been right when he had said that Zuko had been the happiest he had seen him in a long time these past few months. He didn't know why he hadn't realized it sooner, but that was thanks not only to his uncle, but to Aang.

At first, he'd thought that he'd gotten himself into in the worst possible situation he could imagine, being stuck with the Avatar, the enemy of his people, and being powerless to do anything about it. But now...

Now, he couldn't imagine his life without Aang in it. Or rather, he didn't want to.

He then considered his second option, which was by far the more terrifying one: give up on his quest to restore his honor, and choose happiness. Choose what deep down, he knew was right.

Choose Aang.

He grunted and pressed the heel of his hand into his good eye. It felt so wrong to be thinking like this. He could hear the voice of his father echoing inside his mind: You dare to even consider betraying your nation, betraying me?

If Ozai found out... He shuddered at the thought. He would be hunted relentlessly.

But wasn't that what was already happening? Zhao was already hunting them. It would be foolish to think he hadn't put out a bounty on him for being a "traitor accomplice" to the Avatar.

Zuko sighed deeply, noticing that Iroh was still looking at him with that intense, serious expression. "I... don't think I want to go back," he confessed quietly at last. "And... I don't want to give Aang up to my father."

Iroh's expression softened. "Then we won't." He chuckled slightly. "Besides, even if you had tried, I wouldn't have allowed it."

Zuko's brow furrowed, and the two sat in silence for several moments, Zuko staring at the dancing flames in the campfire until he finally spoke again. "Uncle... you were once the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. You were the Dragon of the West, the only person who has ever managed to break down the walls of Ba Sing Se. Why...?"

"Why the change of heart?" Iroh smiled sadly. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but before he could start his sentence, he broke out into another coughing fit, this one more intense than the last. "Uncle!" Zuko exclaimed in panic, scrambling to find his canteen. He helped Iroh drink some water and lay back down.

"I'm sorry, Zuko," Iroh rasped, blinking his eyes blearily. "It's a long story, and I'm afraid it will have to wait for another day."

"It's fine, uncle," Zuko said, pressing the cloth to Iroh's forehead again. His uncle's well-being was his primary concern right now. "I need to find Aang... he's been gone too long. But I can't just leave you by yourself, not in this state."

Iroh shook his head. "He may be in trouble. You're the only one who can help him. I will be fine."

Zuko closed his eyes and squeezed his fists in frustration. Iroh did have a point. "Fine. I'll go. But you need to rest."

Iroh nodded, eyes already drooping.

He then turned to Appa and Momo, feeling a bit ridiculous, and said, "You two keep an eye on him. Protect him." Momo chattered in response, and Appa let out a soft roar. He was going to assume that meant they understood.

He got up and began quickly rummaging through his things until he found the blue theater mask he had purchased at the village in the Taihua Mountains all those weeks ago, and shoved it into his robes.

If Aang had gotten himself captured by the Fire Nation, it would be too risky to go without some sort of a disguise. Zuko couldn't allow any Fire Nation soldiers to find out who he was, or neither of them would have a chance of getting out of the situation unscathed. Which also means I probably shouldn't use firebending, he thought to himself, and picked up the bundle of cloth containing his dual broadswords.

Time to see how well I remember Master Hei-su's training.

Zuko decided to head to the herbalist institute first, hoping that someone there might have seen Aang. The sky was still gloomy and overcast, though he was thankful he hadn't gotten rained on yet.

As he traveled through the ruins of the valley, he couldn't help but notice the scorch marks left behind on the white rock of the structures around him. He cringed, recognizing the unmistakable signs of firebending damage just as he had seen at the Air Temples. Did we kill everyone here too, just like the Air Nomads? Zuko thought, feeling sick to his stomach.

At last, he spotted the herbalist institute at the top of the highest hill in the ruins, and made his way up the stairs as quickly as he could. When he reached the top, he carefully scanned the courtyard, hand hovering back behind his shoulder in case he needed to quickly brandish his swords from their scabbard. He soon spotted a very old woman with long white hair what looked to be a greenhouse, humming to herself as she mixed ingredients. A small, white, fluffy creature that Zuko didn't recognize was sitting on the table next to her, watching her intently.

"Excuse me," Zuko said, clearing his throat as he approached her, still glancing around periodically to ensure that nobody else was in the area. "My friend was supposed to come through here a few hours ago to get medicine for my uncle—he's coughing and has a fever. But he hasn't come back yet. Have you seen him?"

The old woman, who Zuko assumed to be the herbalist, turned around. "Little bald boy with a blue arrow?"

Zuko nodded. Monkey feathers. I should have told him to wear his hat before he left.

"Yes, yes, he was here."

"Do you know where he went?"

"Well I sent him to get the frogs, of course!"

"The... frogs?" Zuko's brow furrowed in confusion and frustration.

"Yes, yes, the frogs! The frozen wood frogs. I told him there were plenty down in the valley swamp."

Zuko was beginning to think this herbalist was off her rocker. "How are frozen frogs supposed to help with sickness?"

The old woman shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Young people these days. You suck on them, of course!"

Zuko blinked several times. Yep, the old lady was definitely insane. "You're sure that's where he went?"

"He was in quite a hurry, but yes, he ran off in the direction I told him." She pointed down to a specific part of the valley that did indeed look very swampy.

Zuko knew he probably wasn't going to get more out of this old woman, but decided to ask one more question. "Have you... by chance seen any Fire Nation soldiers in the area?"

The herbalist folded her arms and regarded the fluffy white creature with a stern expression. "Miyuki, did you get into trouble with the Fire Nation again?"

The creature made a "meow" sound in response.

Zuko pressed his palm to his forehead and sighed exasperatedly, trying to keep his temper from flaring. He decided to take her odd response as a 'yes', and turned around to descend back down into the valley as quickly as he could.

When he reached the swamp that the herbalist had mentioned, he surveyed the area, looking for any clue as to where Aang had gone next. At last, he spotted an arrow sticking out of a nearby log, then noticed several more littered throughout the ground. One was embedded in a rock, a small scrap of orange fabric pinned underneath it. Zuko pulled the arrow out and studied the scrap. It liked to be the same color and material as Aang's robes.

He looked at the arrow in his other hand, and his eyes suddenly widened in realization. The herbalist had confirmed that there were Fire Nation soldiers in the area, and no ordinary archer could have pinned down Aang, the master of evasion.

He had been captured by the Yuyan Archers.

Aang sighed in exasperation as he struggled against the chains that bound his arms and legs. How on earth was he going to get out of this? Even if he did know how to bend any of the other elements, he couldn't bend metal.

The door of his chamber slid open, and Aang was unsurprised to see Admiral Zhao enter the room. "So, Avatar. Master of all the elements," Zhao sneered. "At last we are able to have a civilized conversation."

"I didn't think you were interested in civilized conversation," Aang spat.

Zhao smirked and shook his head. "I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years," he continued. "But your little game of hide and seek is over." He took a few steps closer to the Avatar. "Tell me. Where is the traitorous prince? And his disgraceful uncle?"

"How should I know?" Aang replied, hoping that Zhao wouldn't see through his lies. "Zuko wanted to capture me, just like all of you Fire Nation people do. I thought that maybe he was different, but I was wrong." There was some truth to that last statement, as Aang still wasn't sure what Zuko's intentions were after their fight. "I haven't seen them in weeks."

"Hmm." Zhao said, folding his arms behind his back, expression unreadable. "Either way, they are still traitors. We will find them eventually."

A smirk then reappeared on the admiral's face, this time more malicious. "Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left? Do you miss your people?"

The cruelty of this question pierced Aang deep, and he bowed his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Don't worry, you won't be killed like they were."

Aang whipped his head back up and glared at Zhao in fury.

"See, if you die, you will just be reborn, and the Fire Nation would have to start searching all over again." Zhao waved his hand nonchalantly, as if he were discussing a mere inconvenience. "So I'll keep you alive," he said, leaning in close. "But just barely."

Aang sucked in a deep breath and slammed Zhao with a blast of air from his lungs, causing the admiral to fall over, cracking his haughty display.

Zhao grunted in irritation and pushed himself back up. "Blow all the wind you want, but your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress, and no one is coming to rescue you." He then exited the chamber, slamming the door behind him.

Zuko surveyed the Pohuai Stronghold from the surrounding woods, wracking his brain to think of the best way to get in. This was no ordinary Fire Nation fort—Pohuai Stronghold was where the elite Yuyan Archers were stationed under Colonel Shinu's command. He would have to be extremely careful.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long, as he spotted a wagon making its way up the road towards the stronghold. That was his way in.

He approached the wagon from behind and managed to discreetly latch himself onto its underside. When he had made it past the gate, he ducked into the shadows before any guards could spot him. He shuffled along the wall, careful to stay out of the light.

As he carefully and quietly made his way deeper into the stronghold, he began to hear what sounded like large crowds of people cheering. Suddenly, he froze as a familiar, grating voice rang out in the distance, a voice that filled him with rage.

"We are the sons and daughters of fire, the superior element!" Zhao yelled. Zuko looked up to see that he was addressing what he assumed to be a crowd of Fire Nation soldiers from the center tower balcony. "Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory: the Avatar. I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" The crowd cheered again.

Zuko shook his head, taking a deep breath, and continued stealthily infiltrating the fortress. He tried to block out the sound of Zhao's speech, his earlier conversation with Iroh playing over and over again in his head.

At least Zhao was occupied, meaning he would hopefully be able to get to Aang, wherever he was, without encountering the admiral. He just needed to find where he was holding the Avatar, and quick.

Aang hung his head in exhaustion and defeat after one last attempt to break free from his chains. He was beginning to think that this was it. First he had failed his people, and now he was failing Iroh and Zuko. And probably the world. Even if his companions knew where he was, two people couldn't hope to break into a fortress such as this, which was undoubtedly fully stocked with hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers.

Suddenly, he felt something squirm within his shirt, and a frog jumped out, half-thawed. "What? No! Don't leave, frogs!" he exclaimed as two more frogs hopped out. "My friend is sick and he needs you! Please go back to being frozen!"

He watched helplessly as the frogs scooted across the room, eventually crawling underneath the door and out into the hallway. He sighed, then perked up when he heard sounds of a struggle outside the door. After a few moments, they stopped, and he heard the sound of the lock turning inside the door.

When the door opened, Aang cocked his head in confusion as a person wearing what looked to be a blue theater mask entered the room. He could see several Fire Nation guards tied up, some knocked out, on the ground in the hallway behind them. The person suddenly brandished two broadswords, and began running straight towards him.

Aang screamed, squeezing his eyes shut, waiting for the blow to strike. He heard a loud clang on either side of him, and felt his arms drop. He cautiously opened his eyes, holding his hands up in surprise. This masked person had freed him!

He stared at his liberator in wonder as they removed the rest of his bonds and turned back towards the door. "Who are you? What's going on? Are you here to rescue me?" The masked person opened the door and motioned for him to follow. "I'll take that as a 'yes.'"

He followed the person, stepping gingerly over the moaning guards, some of whom were glaring at them both. He turned to look down the hallway opposite of where the masked person was going and gasped when he saw several of his half-frozen frogs crawling away.

"My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" He leaned down to try and pick one up, but felt himself yanked by the back of his shirt, presumably by the masked person. "Wait! My friend needs to suck on those frogs!"

Well, Zuko had found Aang. The easy part was over. Now, he had to somehow get him out of the fortress without anyone noticing. Which was going to be difficult, as Zhao seemed to have completed his speech and would probably notice any moment now that the Avatar was not in his cell.

He had decided to keep silent while he completed this rescue mission, mainly because he didn't want Aang to recognize his voice and start asking questions. There was no time to lose, and this would go a lot quicker if Aang simply believed he was a kind stranger and followed his silent lead.

When they had made it to the outside of the innermost wall of the fortress, they began scaling down the side of the wall. Suddenly, Zuko felt himself falling, as their rope, clearly having been cut, fell with them. He heard Aang scream, then felt a gust of air beneath him, cushioning their fall. Zuko grabbed Aang's wrist, and the two of them ran for the next wall.

He could hear the enraged voice of Zhao from the top of the wall behind them. "The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!"

Suddenly, Aang broke free and ran in front of him. "Stay close to me," he said, causing Zuko's heart to skip a beat. He did as the Avatar said and moved up close behind him.

The gate was closing in front of them, as were the two beyond it, and Aang used a blast of airbending to clear the soldiers that stood in their way. Before they could reach the gate, a soldier attempted to attack from the side, causing Zuko to get caught in melee with him.

Thankfully, Aang was able to fight off the guards that were beginning to surround Zuko momentarily. Zuko felt a mighty gust of wind lift him off of his feat as Aang airbent him upwards, and he landed on top of the next wall. He looked to each side, broadswords bradished at the two groups of soldiers next to him.

Suddenly, he felt Aang's legs wrap around his torso and was lifted up once more into the sky. He glanced up to see that Aang was propelling a spear stick to keep them aloft, but he could tell that the Avatar wasn't strong enough to keep it up for long.

Zuko used his feet and broadswords to deflect the spears that were being hurled at them from below, and they just barely managed to make it to the next wall, tumbling onto the top. Aang reached for his stick, which had been flung out of his grasp upon landing, but was quickly blocked by a guard. Zuko grabbed the guard from behind, and flung him over the wall before he could land a blow on Aang.

The two continued to battle the seemingly endless onslaught of soldiers, who were now using bamboo ladders to climb up the wall from the other side. Aang used a gust of airbending to force the guards off of the ladders, and pulled several of them up. "Take this!" he said, handing a ladder to Zuko, and threw down one of the two ladders he was holding to balance on it. "Jump on my back!"

Zuko could see what the Avatar's plan was, and quickly did as he was told. Aang began to use the ladders as stilts, and they were miraculously able to quickly make it across the final courtyard. However, just as they were about to reach the last wall, a soldier sent a blast of fire up the bottom of Aang's ladder, just barely missing them as the Avatar jumped off to avoid the flames. He managed to grab onto the edge of the wall, Zuko clinging to his wrist from below. Unfortunately, he was not strong enough to pull them both up, and the two fell back onto the ground.

Zuko immediately hopped back up and drew his swords, his heart pounding in his chest. This is it, he thought. This is how it ends. The gates are closed. We're surrounded. I failed. They'll find out who I am, and we'll both be sent back to my father in chains.

Just as several soldiers shot a blast of flames towards him, Aang stepped in front of him and covered them both in a shield airbending.

"Hold your fire!" Zhao ordered, stepping into view. "The Avatar must be captured alive!"

Upon hearing this statement, Zuko had the sudden realization that maybe there was something he could do to get them out of here. He didn't like it, but it was the only option they had left.

He stepped up behind Aang, and quickly crossed his broadswords over the Avatar's throat, causing him to gasp in fear. I'm sorry, Aang. It's the only way. Zuko willed himself to keep his hands steady, taking great care to ensure that the blades did not actually touch Aang's neck.

Zhao glared at them, fire in his eyes. "Open the gate," he ordered, teeth gritted.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" a man, who Zuko recognized as Colonel Shinu from the war meeting he had attended, asked incredulously.

"Let them out. Now!" Zhao ordered again.

Zuko breathed a sigh of relief, and began carefully backing his way out of the compound. This would take awhile, but if it got them out of here in one piece...

He continued backing away from the compound for several more minutes, periodically glancing over his shoulder to ensure no one was coming at him from behind. Okay, we're almost to the edge of the forest. Just a little further and we can make a break for i-

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his forehead, and everything went black.

Aang turned around in horror to see the masked person splayed on the ground behind him, unmoving. A swirling conflict of emotions stirred within him. This person had been his rescuer, but they had also just held him hostage.

He stared for a moment longer, then quickly used airbending to create a cloud of dust to hide them from the view of Zhao and the archers on the compound.

"Quick! Recover the Avatar!" he heard Zhao yell.

Aang knelt down next to the masked person, relieved to see that they were not dead and had simply been knocked out. He could see a sliver of the person's face where the mask had slipped from the impact of the arrow. Curiosity getting the better of him, he reached down and removed the mask.

"Zuko?!" Aang gasped.

He immediately hoisted the Fire Prince's unconscious body onto his shoulders, and with a blast of airbending to boost his speed, he ran into the forest.

When he was certain that they were far enough away from the compound and that nobody had followed them, Aang let out a deep sigh and laid Zuko carefully onto the forest floor.

He plopped onto the ground beside him, arms wrapped around his knees, and stared at the Fire Prince's unconscious face. It looked uncharacteristically peaceful. A rare sight.

Aang once again felt overcome with a plethora of emotions, though they were now much different than the ones he had been feeling before. Zuko had come for him. He had risked his life to save him.

More than that—he had risked being captured by Zhao, who would have returned Zuko to his father as a prisoner, to save him.

Several more minutes passed, and as he waited for Zuko to awaken, Aang spoke his thoughts aloud, looking up at the forest canopy above.

"You know what the worst part of being born over a hundred years ago is? I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always visit my friend Kuzon." He chuckled slightly at the memory of his friend. "The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had, and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you."

Aang sighed. "You're my friend too, Zuko. No matter what happens, nothing will change that."

Aang's eyes moved back to look at the Fire Prince, and was startled to see his eyes were open, staring at him with a pained expression.

"You're awake!" Aang exclaimed with a grin.

"Aang..." Zuko said softly. "Aang, I... I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You just saved me!"

Zuko shook his head, pushing himself into a sitting position. He winced and pressed his palm to his forehead.

"No, I'm sorry for what I said. At the Northern Air Temple. I was an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Aang countered.

"Yes, I am!" Zuko protested. "I finally talked to uncle about what happened. He... he helped me realize something." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I... don't want to take you back to my father. I don't want to go back to living like I was before."

Aang's eyes widened. He knew this must be difficult for Zuko to say. He could hear it in his voice, the way it trembled. Like he would be punished by the heavens for daring to defy his father.

"You've taught me and uncle so much," Zuko continued, staring at the ground. "You aren't anything like I expected you would be. Like I was told you would be. And even when I was at my lowest, when I said so many horrible things, when I was so horrible to you... you never gave up on me."

Aang chuckled. "I could tell from the moment we met, hotman." He nudged Zuko with his shoulder. "I always knew you were a good person."

Zuko sighed and shook his head. "I don't feel like a good person. My family has done so many bad things. My nation has done so many bad things. I've done so many bad things."

Aang smiled sympathetically. "That doesn't mean you're a bad person, Zuko."

Zuko scoffed. "But it doesn't make me a good person."

"Well, like I said, you did just save me. And you even apologized! So that's two goodness points in your favor so far."

Zuko smirked ever so slightly, and exhaled through his nose.

"Though, the theater mask and swords were interesting. And the whole 'silent rescuer' thing. You could have told me it was you when you first found me."

"I didn't want to draw more attention, and there were too many guards around. I needed to get you out of there quick. Plus, if Zhao knew that he had the opportunity to capture not only the Avatar, but the banished traitor prince caught in the act of rescuing him, he would have stopped at nothing to keep us from leaving."

"I guess that makes sense," Aang nodded thoughtfully. "But it was a little dramatic. Where did you get the mask and swords anyway?" Suddenly, realization dawned on him and he gasped. "You got them at the festival!"

Zuko flushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah..."

Aang laughed. "So I guess that wasn't an umbrella after all. I was wondering why you weren't using it this past week. You know, when it was pouring rain."

"Shut up," Zuko grumbled, crossing his arms and looking off to the side.

Aang looked at his friend with great fondness, a wide smile on his face. He had missed this side of Zuko. He had been afraid that he would never get to see it again. Before the Fire Prince could protest, Aang pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thanks, Zuko. For the rescue, and the apology."

He felt the Fire Prince tense up in his arms, then relax slightly, patting Aang gingerly on the back in return.

"You're welcome."

Zuko felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, despite his exhaustion. It was mid morning by the time they returned to their campsite, as they'd had to take some time to scavenge the valley swamp for frozen frogs to replace the ones Aang had lost at the compound. Zuko was still very skeptical about how well sucking on a frozen frog would work for curing whatever illness Iroh had, but they didn't really have any other options at this point.

Thankfully, everything was exactly as he had left it, save for a small pile of knickknacks that rested on top of a sleeping Iroh's chest. Momo, the likely culprit, chittered and crawled up onto Aang's shoulder, something shiny in his hands. Appa brayed affectionately in greeting, and Zuko gave him a pat on the muzzle.

"I told them to take care of uncle while I was gone," Zuko said. "Seems they did a good job."

Aang laughed and scratched Momo's cheek, causing the lemur to purr. "Good job, buddies."

Zuko knelt down next to Iroh and gently prodded his shoulder to awaken him. Iroh blinked slowly and coughed, looking up at his nephew with a confused expression. "Here, uncle. Suck on this. It'll make you feel better."

He popped the frog into his uncle's mouth, who seemed unperturbed by the absurd act. "How was your trip, Prince Zuko?" he asked, mouth full, already seeming like he was feeling better. "Did you make any new friends?"

Zuko smiled slightly, and glanced over at Aang, who smiled back at him.

"Yeah. I think I did."