-3 hours earlier-

"Katara is fine, You have nothing to worry about," the earth king told Sokka, Aang and Toph as they all returned to the city before they could even really start their individual journeys.

"But in my vision, I felt so sure that she was in trouble," Aang stepped forward concerned. He saw in a vision when he was with a guru that Katara was in danger and captured or imprisoned by someone. She was yelling for help.

"Well she met with the council of generals to plan the invasion, and since then she's been with your friend and the kyoshi warriors," the king explained remembering what he was told when the scroll was delivered to him.

"See Aang, she's with lee and Suki," Sokka smiled relieved to hear his sister wasn't in trouble. When Aang came to him first thing in the morning with bad news, he couldn't stop worrying about leaving his sister alone.

"They're all probably back at our apartment now, zu-lee is probably having the time of his life being surrounded by pretty girls and they're all probably drooling over the pretty boy," he scoffed.

"Pretty boy?" Toph questioned.

"Listen I'm a handsome guy so I'm not worried about Suki but those other girls, yea I've seen the guys on kyoshi and none of them come close to mine or lees good looks," Sokka grinned confidently, Aang and Toph looked annoyed.

"What I'm trying to say is that Aang is worried over nothing," he waved them off.

"Believe me, if there was danger at all boscos animal instincts would sense it," the earth king agreed as he cooed down at his pet bear.

—

The three flew on appa back to the apartment to see if the girls were still there.
They went inside but it was dark and empty like no one's been there since they left.

"There's no one else here," Toph confirmed.

"Katara is in trouble, I knew it," Aang told them again now for sure.

Sokka felt his heart drop, he left her alone to be with their father and now she's in trouble, how could he let this happen?

"Wait someone's at the door," Toph pointed behind them.

"Actually it's one of ours," she said surprised and went to open the door.

"Glad to know you made it," Toph said before the person could even knock.

"Jet?!" Aang and Sokka yelled surprised. Jet stood there startled but had momo on his shoulder.

"I think somethings wrong, this is yours," Jet grabbed momos scruff and handed him back to the avatar.

"I thought the dai lee killed you," sokkas jaw dropped.

"Nope but they got me pretty good," Jet lifted his shirt and the two boys cringed seeing the dark and deep bruising covering jets entire torso.

"No dead," he winked.

"So what are you doing here then? Is smeller bee and long shot with you?" Aang asked but he was relieved that their 'friend' was alive.

"Long shot said he saw Kataras friend get swiped by the dai lee, I came to make sure it wasn't one of you... but she's not here?" Jet noticed it was only three not four.

"That means.. they got Zuko," Toph said softly. Something was very wrong.

"Who's that?" He made a face.

"A friend we found in the city while back, he came with us to the earth king before we all left," Sokka crossed his arms trying to figure out how they found out about Zuko.

"Do you think it's long feng?" He asked the two younger benders.

"Only one way to find out, I got a gift," Jet motioned them to come outside. They all did only to see a dai lee agent tied up and gagged, Toph bended the earth to lock the agent in place and put him on his feet while Jet took the gag off.

"Azula and long feng are plotting a coup," the dai lee looked terrified with sweat running down his face.

"They're going to over throw the earth king,"

"Who's Azula?" Jet looked back.

"The princess of the fire nation," Aang answered.

"My sister, where are they keeping Katara?" Sokka took out his machete and got in the agents face.

"In the crystal catacombs of old ba sing se, deep beneath the palace," he nodded frantically.

"Well that was easy," Toph hummed knowing he was telling the truth.

"We better hurry," she told the boys.

"I'm coming with," Jet followed.

"Are You sure? You were down pretty bad," Sokka wasn't convinced he was fully okay.

"I can still fight," Jet nodded.

"I guess we can't stop You then," he sighed as they got on appa.

—

"Well what do you know, there is an scientific city down there, real deep," Toph touched the ground as they landed.

She created a hole for them to tunnel down in.

"We should split up, Aang, you and Jet head down to get Katara, Toph I need you with me to warn the earth king about azulas coup," Sokka told them and everyone agreed.

"Here's a torch, if your fast enough one should be enough," he reached in his boot to hand Jet a small torch he was able to get.

They split up as Aang started to bend deeper into the tunnel and Jet lit the torch when he followed behind.

"So where did everyone go before? Trips?" Jet asked walking with Aang down the tunnel. There was a little tension from their past still that made things awkward.

"I was with a guru to help me unlock the avatar state, Sokka was with his dad and the southern water tribe, and apparently Toph almost got kidnapped instead of meeting with her mom," Aang shrugged.

"But I had a vision when I was with the guru that showed Katara in trouble, she was tied up and yelling for help, i had to come back to help her," he explained as they stopped and Aang pushed further into the tunnel making the ground shake.

"So what are You up too now? You seemed to recover fast it's only been a week or so, are You back in the war?" Aang looked at Jet as they walked together.

"I don't know, I want to still fight but smeller bee and long shot want a peaceful life, they've seen enough of their friends die, we all have, but I don't want to give up the fight yet," Jet sighed a little. He made the freedom fighters, that was his way of making a difference in this war.

"I get it, our friend Zuko was the same almost, he's lost a lot of friends in the years and some were my fault, but he came to ba sing se to heal and have that peaceful life, I was almost jealous at the idea but it seems no matter what this war will come back to us no matter where we are," Aang explain keeping his eyes down.

"How were the deaths your fault?" Jet asked.

"I couldn't control my avatar state, I didn't want to admit it at the idea I was the reason for someone losing their brother or sister, child or parent, but I've learned the reality of the war, one day I hope Zuko can forgive me and himself," the avatar smiled sadly back at the older teen.

"So can you do it? Control the avatar state?" The boy asked and Aang pursed his lips.

"No, I couldn't finish unlocking the avatar state, I had to let go of someone and I couldn't do it," he sighed in defeat.

"That's hard, being the avatar is a lot, you have to sacrifice everything before yourself... but whoever you have to let go would understand if you did, I know they would," Jet nodded keeping his eyes ahead.

"It's good to have You back Jet, just don't go off killing the innocent again," Aang laughed a little and one more push they entered the crystal catacombs.

"I won't, you have my word," Jet smirked back.

-present-

"Katara!" Aang ran to them. Katara hugged him but her eyes were glued to the other person that joined the avatar in their rescue.

"Jet?" Katara saw the other teen holding a torch. She thought he was dead.

"Thought you saw the last of me?" Jet grinned as Aang hugged her.

Jets face dropped when Aang went to Zuko to see if he was okay as well.

"Zuko how did they get you?" Aang asked quickly.

"I'll tell you later but we need to get out of here," Zuko told him but he and Jet look at each other.

"You," Jet pointed.

"Not again," Zuko groaned.

"You know each other?" Katara asked.

"We were on the ferry to get to the city," Zuko told them.

"You got me arrested, fire bender," Jet snarled, but he noticed Katara moving protectively in front of the older teen.

"He knows?" Katara asked.

"Yea I figured out lee was a fire bender but that doesn't seem to be his real name," Jet barked harshly.

"Secret identity?" Zuko raised a brow.

"Duh?" Aang agreed like it was obvious.

"You two can't be starting a fight down here, let's get out of the catacombs and out of the city, we'll explain later," Katara grabbed Aang and zukos wrists before dragging all three boys out.

"Well well well, I knew you'd come back," Azula stood at the tunnel that lead further into the dark catacomb.

"I'm getting a prisoner either way, let's just see who's coming with me," she smiled cruelly.

"Let them pass," Zuko glared.

"Aw don't tell me your going to be a noble hero and sacrifice yourself?" Azula cooed a little.

The siblings stared at each other but Zuko nodded.

"Go ahead without me," he told Katara. "I'm right behind you, there's just something we need to discuss,"

Katara looked at him and at his sister. She nodded trusting him and the three took off running past Azula, the princess didn't stop them as she smirked at her brother.

"You really joined the avatar, true treason to the fire nation brother," she sighed softly with her hands behind her back.

"I have nothing left, you left me to die," Zuko told her with a glare.

"What if I let you redeem yourself?" Azula offered. He didn't understand.

"Join me, no tricks, no arrest, join me to bring glory on this day, taking ba sing se and destroying the avatar," she smiled confidently at him.

"Why would I do that?" He wasn't a fool.

"You have my word, join me and I'll bring you home, no prisoner, but as a prince, as my brother, father will respect you," she walked towards him.

"We can win this together," she told him.

"After today you will have your honor back, but you are free to choose, today you will make a choice that will effect the rest of your life," Azula nodded.

"Prince, or prisoner,"