I heard myself groan as my eyes opened. I blinked a few times, my vision was blurry, shaking my head as I sat up.

Looking down at what I was wearing, it was my air nomad clothes but they were beaten up, I was wrapped in bandages, and I felt sore all over.

I groaned one more time before trying to stand up, only to stumble back on the bed.

I then realized where I was, in a fire nation ship. "Oh, that's where I am." I sighed under my breath, as I remembered this was exactly where season three started.

I grabbed my staff and used it as a walking stick, leaning on it heavily. I felt like every step was a sharp pain in my back, I holding my back as I walked through the door.

"She's awake!" Pipsqueak gasped, as I walked across the hallway.

I walked back and sighed, finally someone to carry me. "Pipsqueak?" I asked, I almost felt like dropping the act.

"Yeah, and the Duke. It's good to see you awake, come on let's take you to see the others." He replied in his deep voice pointing to the Duke who gave me a smile.

"Twinkle Sparks, that's gotta be you." Toph smiled, I slowly walked up the deck like a old lady.

"Gyawa, you're awake!" Katara gasped.

"Gyawa!" Aang also gasped, running up and hugged me like a soft stuffed pillow.

"Hey. What's up?" I asked, with a tired voice and a slight smile.

"I can't believe it, Your finally awake." Katara said, as she hugged me.

"Gyawa, good to see you back with the living buddy." Sokka stated under a Fire Nation soldier mask.

"Sokka?" I smirked, he was finally good looking. And yes I just like Fire Nation boys.

And yet for some reason I began to feel dizzy, like I was looking in every direction. "Uh oh, somebody catch her I think she gonna-" Toph said, before my eyes closed and everything turned black.

                              ~Zuko POV~

It was a few weeks after what happened in the catacombs. It still burned in my mind, Gyawa free falling. I found myself only thinking if she was okay.

It was driving me crazy, I cared about the avatar for Agni's sake! But she was more than a figure, she was someone who actually tried to understand me.

"Aren't you cold?" I heard a cool calm voice say from my side.

"I've got a lot on my mind. It's been so long, over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed, I wonder how I've changed." I replied, these things were on my mind, but I couldn't tell her about Gyawa.

"I just asked if you were cold, I didn't ask for your whole life story." Mai yawned, walking closer. I couldn't help but frown, that was not an answer. "Stop worrying." She smirked before she held my cheek.

I then knew what she wanted to do, but I didn't stop her. She was my old girlfriend. But when our lips met it wasn't right, I felt nothing.

I felt like it was all wrong, I shouldn't have done. I pulled away and looked back to the moon. It wasn't like the time I kissed Gyawa under those dark tunnels.

When I kissed her, I felt so much, so much passion.

"What's wrong?" She asked, still leaning on me.

What was wrong was I was thinking of a girl I could never have. A girl that I should have never kissed or even thought of in such a way. A girl who might be dead, I was almost sure she was dead. And yet I couldn't except that, she couldn't be dead. She understood me somehow, I almost felt like she cared about me.

The kiss we had was the best feeling I had felt in a long time, I felt happy in her arms. But I knew in the back of my head that I would have to except that I would never see her again. If she was dead or not, for her own sake.

"It's complicated, Mai. I need time."

                            ~Gyawa POV~

"Hey Aang what were you and Zuko fighting about when we found you?" I smirked as I drank tea.

"We got defeated and all you can think of is what me and Zuko were fighting about?!" Aang asked back.

"No I'm trying to get my mind off of it." I defended turning the other way.

"Well.."

                              ~Aang POV~

"What are you doing here?!" I asked Zuko, but he didn't answer. "Let me guess it's a trap for Gyawa like it always is! You're a terrible person! You keep hunting down Gyawa the only other air nomad out there! What should I expect? You're the Fire Lord's son. Killing and terror is in your blood. Your people exterminated my people, Gyawa should do no less for your's!" I yelled at him with my fists clenched, I just wanted him to fight back for some reason.

"You don't know what your talking about." Zuko said not looking at me.

"I don't?!"

"Yeah you don't! Not all my people are killers!" Zuko growled back as he stood up.

"Say that to the murderers who killed Monk Gyatso!" I yelled clenching my jaw.

"I know my people have done some bad things but that's not all of them!" Zuko tried to defend.

"Oh really? What about you? You hunt down Gyawa day and night! Or do you have some pathetic crush on her?!" I mocked before he growled and tackled me. And we fought ish.

                             ~Gyawa POV~

"You said that?!" I laughed holding my stomach.

"Yeah." Aang replied, before I laughed one more time.

"Why are we on a Fire Nation ship?" I asked, looking around as I sat across from Katara.

"You need to take it easy okay. You got hurt pretty bad. I like your bangs." She complimented with a smile. I immediately felt my forehead and for sure I had bangs.

"I guess I do. How long was I out?" I asked with subtle curiosity.

"A few weeks." She replied, I thought she would pound me for doing all this stuff I did at Ba Sing Se but so far she hadn't mentioned it.

"Everything okay?" Hakoda asked, as he walked up, he actually looked okay for his age.

"We're fine dad." Katara quickly reports with slit bitterness.

"I'm Hakoda, Katara and Sokka's father." He introduced holding out his hand.

"She knows who you are. I just called you dad didn't I?" She asked with an annoyed tone.

"I guess you're right." He replied putting down his hand.

"Nice to meet you Chief Hakoda." I smiled and held out my hand.

"It's an honor to meet you." He said shaking my arm.

"Great, great now you guys have finally meet so would you mind giving us a little privacy?" Katara bickered not looking at either one of us.

"Of course." Hakoda said, before walking off.

After an awkward silence of me thinking about how I would never do that to my father, and then realizing I couldn't tell her that.

I felt a sharp pain go up my spine. I groaned as I held my back. "Maybe we should go upstairs, you need a healing session."

                                     ~*~

"Tell me where your pain feels more intense." Katara asked, we were in my room as she tried to heal me.

"A little higher." I said as the cool water started to hit an energy pulling around my back.

As she pooled the water on the spot I suddenly saw flashes of the lightning strike and the free fall all before my eyes. "Definitely in the right area." I sighed.

"I can feel a lot of energy twisted up around there. Let me just see if I can.." Katara then moved the water away from my back but it felt like I was being sucked out.

I then saw what fully happened, I really died. "Wow I actually died. That's not a every day something. Katara, thank you. You brought me back." I said with a grateful smirk, is that a thing?

"I just used the spirit water from the North Pole. I don't know what I did actually." She replied with unsure tone.

"Would it be cheesy to say you saved my life?" I asked turning around and putting a fire nation shirt on.

"You need to rest." Katara replied with a slight smile.

                                     ~*~

The next morning Sokka said he should explain everything. "After what happens at Ba Sing Se we had to get you to safety. We flew back to Chameleon Bay where we found my father and the other water tribe men. The Earth King decided he wanted to travel the world in disguise, so he set off alone. Well not completely alone. Soon the bay was overrun with Fire Nation ships rather then fight them all we captured a single ship and made it out. Since then we've been traveling west, we crossed the serpents pass a few days ago. I've seen a few Fire Nation ships but non have bothered us."

"So what now?" I asked, holding a cup of tea as I had a Fire Nation coat on.

"We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan." Hakoda replied.

"It's Sokka's invasion plan." Katara glared up as she drank from her cup of tea.

"Yes. Sokka's plan. We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the earth king's army's. The solar eclipse will still leave the fire nation vulnerable." Hokoda explained.

"So we're planing a smaller invasion. Just A rage tag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We all ready ran into Pipsqueak and the Duke." Sokka added, they both waved at me with smiles.

"And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our best advantage. We have a secret... you." Sokka leaned over and whispered.

"Me?" I asked pointing to myself.

"Yep. The whole world thinks your dead. isn't that great?!" Sokka squealed shaking my shoulders.

I just pushed his hands away and sat back down not saying a word. I was getting tried of acting the part. I already knew everything and yet had to play the roll.

"I know this is so messed up!" Aang yelled putting a hand on my shoulder.

"No it's great! It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore. And even better they won't be expecting you on the day of black sun." Sokka tried to explain to Aang who had his mind set.

"Um okay if you say so. I don't mean to sound lazy but I need to lay down." I softly stated as I slowly got up. As I was walking away I turned around to see a Fire Nation ship approaching.

"We'll handle this, Gyawa." Aang reassured making me want to go back to my bed even more.

I then stopped at the hallway entrance I was too far to hear anything. Sokka followed me, we peeked out the door.

"They know!" Toph yelled after they were back on they're way to their ship.

Aang immediately flew over to their ship but I couldn't see anything.

"I'm gonna give us some cover." Katara said and soon Aang flew back. I held to the door when the ship moved, I was way to stiff and sore.

"How we doing?" Toph asked as I slowly walked out.

"Things couldn't get much worst." Sokka replied to the blind awesome girl. Just then the giant sea monster popped up and hissed at us.

"The universe just loves proving me wrong doesn't it?!" Sokka yelled as he put his arms out.

"You make it too easy." Toph remarked Making me chuckle and then regret moving too fast. The sea beast instead of fighting us, wrapped itself around the other ship.

"Thank you, the universe."

                                     ~*~

"Hey, Gyawa. We're going into town to find some dinner." Toph said, as they all walked in my room that night.

"I am hungry, let's go." I replied after hearing my stomach growl.

"Here tie this around your head. It will cover your arrow." Sokka walked over and handed me a red headband.

I looked at it for second before I was about to put it on.

"Gyawa, you can't be serious." Aang snapped as I just realized he was wearing his air nomad clothes.

"What do you want me to do, Aang? Go into a Fire Nation town and go 'I'm the avatar! And you gotta deal with it!'" I scoffed.

"Maybe." He replied not looking at me.

"Maybe? What's your problem Aang?" I hissed, holding the bed sheets tight.

"What's my problem? You let Ba Sing Se down. You let the whole world down!" He yelled making everyone but me back away.

"Ya'll go head." I stated before the door closed to the room of two air benders at each other's throats.

"Oh, so Ba Sing Se is my fault?! Azula was too powerful, you would have done exactly the same in my position." I yelled pointing at his chest.

"Oh yeah?! You did the wrong thing from the beginning, Gyawa!" Aang yelled back, throwing the bandanna on the floor.

"What do you think this is, Aang?! That you can correct me when ever you don't agree with me?! I didn't see any other way!" I defended throwing my arms up.

"You should have just talked to the Earth King! Maybe you wouldn't have been killed! And maybe we wouldn't have lost!" Aang threw his arms up before I felt like socking him, I found this aggravating he thought he could do a better job when it would be exactly the same.

"We didn't lose! There's still the invasion plan." I replied trying not to scream at him.

"And I hate the invasion plan too! You failed it's as simple as that!"

I growled and held my head, the worst part was he was right, I could have maybe won somehow.

There had to be a way.

I looked back at him and wanted to punch him for making me feel this way. "Just leave me alone!" I growled, my jaw was clenched and I bursted out of the room.

                           ~Zuko POV~

When I got to the Fire Nation I wasn't greeted by my father, but by crowds and nobles. I didn't care about crowds and nobles.

Three days passed, till I decided to go meet my father, I walked up to the throne room with anger, I did mostly everything in anger.

I didn't care about what he'd think anymore, or what he'd say even though that was all I cared about for the last three years, the last three years and my father didn't even ask for me.

I took a deep breath before I pushed the curtains aside, and there the Fire Lord, my father, sat behind yellow and orange flames.

Walking closer I took bow to the ground.

"You have been away for a long time. I see the weight of your travels have changed you. You have redeemed yourself, my son." My father stated, standing up. "Welcome home." He had a tight smile walking down to me.

He stepped close enough to were I could see his feet, I looked up to see my father exactly the same from those three years ago. I had waited three years to hear those words yet I didn't feel right.

"I am proud of you, Prince Zuko. I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se. I am proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing. And captured the traitor. And what I am proudest of all is your legendary accomplishment. You slayed the Avatar." Father circled me a few times before stopping at my back.

I hated the thought that Gyawa was dead, she didn't deserve it. That I cared about her drove me crazy, I had waited for this day and yet I was wishing she was alive.

But then it hit me he said I killed her. My eyes flinched, what was Azula up to now? "What did you hear?" I dared to ask.

"Azula told me everything. She said she was amazed and impressed with your power and ferocity. At the moment of truth." After circling me he stood in front of me again.

But it was sinking in, maybe she was dead. No matter how hard I would try to block it out, I would have to except it one day. Unless she survived somehow, and to be honest I was wishing she did.

                            ~Gyawa POV~

I flew off the ship and to the nearest town, which was a Fire Nation town.

When I landed I looked down and hoped my Fire Nation shirt and jacket was enough. I put my bangs in front of my forehead to cover my arrow and started to walk through the streets.

Each step I was starting to regret even leaving the ship, however, I was there and I had to find a place to be alone.

I slowly walked in an alleyway and sat down leaning on a building.

Every time I try to make things better I only made them worse. I didn't learn from my mistakes before I repeated it.

I felt helpless, even useless, I was wounded and almost broken, I let Azula get the better of me. "What if I fail?" I asked to myself, although a bright light shined from the sky to where I laid.

"You won't fail, Gyawa." Roku said, with his arms in his sleeves.

"Roku? But I've failed at Ba Sing Se, no matter how hard I tried what if I'm just going to make things worse? No matter what I do I'm losing the war." I replied not looking at him, leaning on my staff.

"If anyone is to blame for the state of the world it's me. I should have seen this war coming and prevented it. You inherited my problems and my mistakes. But I believe you are destined to redeem me and save the world." When Roku finished he vanished and I was once again left alone in the alley.

                                     ~*~

"You're okay!" Katara's voice woke me up as I saw her and the rest of the Gaang above me.

They lifted me up with a big hugged me.

"Don't do that again." Aang smiled before hugging me again like a worried father.

"I have so much to learn." I sighed as I leaned on my friends.

"I know, but you'll have our help." Katara replied, braking the hug.

"You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the fire nation did you?" Toph grinned.

"What's going to happen with the invasion?" I looked over to Sokka.

"We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse." He quickly explained.

"Well then I guess it will be like old times huh?" I asks looking around at Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Toph, I knew I could beat Ozai with they're help.