"Wait till you see it, Katara." Aang said excitedly as he tightened the rope reins around Appa's horns, "The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world."

Xiaodan bit her lip and glanced up at Aang from where she was putting out of the fire they had lit last night. After what Gran-Gran and Sokka had told her, Xiaodan wasn't sure the Air Temple would even be there still but she didn't have the heart to tell her little brother that.

"Aang, I know you're excited but it's been a hundred years since you and Xia have been home." Katara said gently, turning away from where she was securing their packs in Appa's saddle.

Apparently, Katara didn't have any problems voicing what Xiaodan couldn't.

"That's why I'm so excited!" Aang said eagerly, looking up at Katara with wide, excited eyes.

"It's just that a lot can change in all that time." Katara stated.

"I know." Aang agreed, going back to tightening the reins, "But I need to see it for myself. You do too, right Xia?"

Xiaodan smiled up at him as she straighten from her crouched position by the fire, "Right, little brother."

Aang grinned at her and jumped off Appa's head then walked over to a Sokka, who was still wrapped up in his sleeping bag and snoring happily.

"Wake up, Sokka!" Aang said happily as he stood over the sleeping Water Tribe boy, "It's Air Temple time!"

"Sleep now, temple later." Sokka groaned, rolling over so his back was to Aang and started snoring again.

Xiaodan smiled and leaned against Appa's side with her arms crossed as a mischievous grin spread across Aang's face. She and Katara watched as the bald boy picked up a stick and stood next to Sokka's sleeping form again.

"Sokka, wake up," Aang said urgently, running the tip of the stick up and down Sokka's sleeping bag, "There's a prickle-snake in your sleeping bag!"

"AH!" Sokka screamed, jerking up to his feet then hopping a forward a few times before falling on his face, "Get it off, get it off!"

Xiaodan and Katara laughed loudly at the older boy and Xiaodan jumped up into Appa's saddle, next to the dark-haired girl.

"Now that you're awake," Aang said with an innocent smile on his face, "Let's go!"

Sokka growled lowly while Katara and Xiaodan continued to giggle at his expense. Aang smiled cheekily and hopped up onto Appa's head, grabbing the reins and the three waited for the older Water Tribe sibling to gather his stuff and climb into Appa's saddle, grumbling the whole time.

"Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible." The scarred teen that had attempted to capture Aang growled to the older man walking slightly behind him as they left his battered warship, "I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

"You mean the Avatar?" the teen's uncle, Iroh, asked blandly as he looked at the ground and trailed after his nephew.

"Don't mention his name on these docks!" Zuko snapped, turning around to give Iroh an irritated look, "Once word gets out that he's alive, every Firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?"

Zuko and Iroh turned towards the new voice with surprised expressions on their faces, watching as a dark-haired man in his early-mid thirties, in Fire Nation military garb walk towards them with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko stated coldly, folding his arms over his chest.

"It's commander now." Zhao said with an air of smug condescension as he looked at the teen before turning to Iroh and bowing his head slightly, "General Iroh, great hero of our Nation."

"Retired general." Iroh corrected mildly, inclining his head towards the commander.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests anytime." Zhao said, "What brings you to my harbor?"

"Our ship is being repaired." Iroh responded, gesturing towards the small, banged up and outdated vessel he and his nephew had just left.

Zhao's eyebrows rose slightly before his face took on an expression of concern and curiosity, "That's quite a bit of damage."

"Yes, you wouldn't believe what happened." Zuko agreed quickly, "Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened."

Iroh's eyes widened for a moment and he cleared his throat, "Yes, I will do that."

"It was incredible." The older man said, then leaned over to whisper to Zuko, "What did we crash or something?"

Zuko looked up then down at his uncle as he thought of a plausible lie, "Yes, right into an Earth Kingdom ship."

"Really? Zhao asked, unbelieving before continuing with veiled sarcasm, "You must regale me with all the thrilling details." The commander leaned down so he was looking Zuko in the eye, daring him, "Join me for a drink?"

"Sorry, but we have to go." Zuko growled slightly, turned and moving to walk around Zhao but was stopped by Iroh's hand on his shoulder.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect." Iroh stated calmly then turned to the smug looking commander, "We would be honored to join you. Do you have an ginseng tea? It's my favorite."

Zuko growled and fire shot from his fists as he threw them to his sides, following after his uncle and the commander reluctantly.

Xiaodan used a rag she had found in the pocket of her pants to clean her staff, carefully rubbing the wood with the cloth. A loud rumbling grabbed her attention and she looked over at Sokka who was scowling and clutching at his stomach.

"Hey, stomach be quiet alright? I'm trying to find us some food." Sokka said to his stomach.

Xiaodan cocked an eyebrow and watched as Sokka rummaged around in his pack and pulled out a tan bag. She continued to watch as he first stuck his hand in the bag then dumped the contents in his hand, but only crumbs came out.

"Hey!" Sokka exclaimed, looking towards Xiaodan, Aang, and Katara, "Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?"

"Oh…" Aang spoke up, sounding sheepish, "That was food? I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry."

"You what?!" Sokka demanded, looking irritated then despondent, "No wonder the flames smelled so good."

Xiaodan laughed loudly, tucking the cloth back into her pocket then crawling over to the front of the saddle and hanging over the rim so that she could watch where they were flying.

"The Patola mountain range!" Aang cried out happily, "We're almost there!"

Xiaodan smiled happily, excited to be returning to her home or at least what was left of it, if what Gran-Gran and Sokka told her was true.

"Aang," Katara said quietly, looking over at the bald boy sitting beside her on Appa's head, "Before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the Airbenders."

"What about 'em?" Aang asked, glancing at her curiously for a moment then looking forward again.

"Well," Katara started to explain quietly, "I just want you and Xia to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my mother and they could have done the same to your people."

Xiaodan pursed her lips and looked away from the two, staring at her clasped hands instead. She knew what Katara was talking about, even if she didn't want to believe it.

"Just because people haven't seen an Airbender doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all." Aang stated optimistically, glancing back at Xiaodan hopefully, "They probably escaped."

"I know it's hard to accept," Katara said softly, placing her had on Aang's shoulder and he smiled slightly at her.

"You don't understand Katara," Aang explained with slightly amusement, "The only way to get to an Air Temple is on a flying bison. And I doubt the Fire Nation has any flying bison. Right, Appa?"

Appa grumbled loudly, whether that was in agreement was unknown but that's what Aang was going to take it as. Xiaodan smiled softly as Aang steered Appa closer to where the Southern Air Temple was located in the mountain range.

"Hold on." Xiaodan called out, grabbing Sokka's arm and holding onto the rim of the saddle as Aang steered Appa upwards.

Xiaodan, Sokka, Katara, and Aang held on tightly as Appa flew higher and higher until they crested the top of the mountain.

"There is it," Aang said happily as the Southern Air Temple appeared beyond the mountain, "The Southern Air Temple."

"It's amazing you guys!" Katara said excitedly as she leaned forward slightly and Aang smiled at the sight of his home.

Xiaodan smiled and hopped onto Appa's head, sitting on Aang's other side, "We're home, little brother."

"Yeah, we're home, Xia." He murmured, "We're home."

"And by year's end the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule." Zhao explained the plan to take over the Earth Kingdom, his back to Zuko and Iroh as he faced the large map on the wall of his tent, with his hands clasped behind his back.

He turned to look at Zuko, sitting with back to Zhao and his golden-eyed gaze on the ground, "The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willing then he is a fool." Zuko stated coldly, glancing to over when Zhao took the seat next to him.

"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." Zhao said mockingly.

Zuko glanced away from the smug commander and looked back at the table in front of him.

"So," Zhao started, tone still mocking, "How is your search for the Avatar going?"

A crash pulled the man's attention towards Iroh, who was standing beside the rack of weapons he had just knocked over with a surprised expression on his face.

"My fault entirely." Iroh stated, backing away from the weapons with his hands folded in his robes' long sleeves.

"We haven't found him yet." Zuko answered Zhao's question, looking at the older man out of the corner of his good eye.

"Did you really expect too?" Zhao asked rhetorically, "The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the Airbenders."

Zuko looked away, his lips pursed as he suppressed a scowl, a reaction Zhao was quick to notice. The commander's expression turned almost predatory as he looked at the scarred teen with a slight smirk.

"Unless you've found some evidence that the Avatar is alive."

Zuko turned his head to fix Zhao with a withering glare, his fists clenched tightly on the armrests of the chair he was sitting in.

"No," Zuko denied and relaxed his clenched fists and looking away, appearing despondent, "Nothing."

"Prince Zuko," Zhao began, rising from his own seat and moving to stand in front of the banished Prince with his hands behind his back, "The Avatar is the only that can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found."

"I haven't found anything." Zuko said firmly, turning to look Zhao in the eye to prove that he wasn't lying to the commander, "It's like you said, the Avatar probably died a long time ago."

Zhao looked down at the younger man, searching his face for a lie but the teenager's expression was a stone mask.

Zuko rose to his feet, fist clenched at his sides as he walked past Zhao, "Come on, Uncle, we're going."

Two guards stopped the scarred prince from leaving by crossing their spears while another guard stepped forward.

"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed." The guard reported, moving to stand a few steps behind his commander, "They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody but let him escape."

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment and pressed his lips into a tight line, then glared darkly at the tent flap in front of him as the guard finished his report.

"Now remind me," Zhao started, a haughty expression appeared on his face as he turned to stand behind the young banished prince, "How exactly was your ship damaged."

Zuko's expression turned murderous and he bowed his head slightly, his gold eyes narrowed as he refused to look at the gloating man leaning over his shoulder.

As soon as Appa landed, Xiaodan leapt off his head and twirled around with her arms outstretched, laughing happily. She stopped spinning and looked up at Aang, Katara, and Sokka who were still sitting on Appa.

"Race you to the temple, little brother!" She cried out as she darted up the path that lead towards the main temple, "Last one there is a rotten platypus-bear egg!"

"Cheater!" Aang yelled back with a laugh as he raced after Xiaodan, the Water Tribe siblings jogging after them.

"So where do I get something to eat?" Sokka asked, clutching at his stomach with a frown as he watched Xiaodan and Aang run ahead of him and his sister.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an Airbender temple and all you can think about is food?" Katara asked drily, with a sarcastically amused look on her face.

"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Sokka retorted as they finally caught up with Aang and Xiaodan.

"So that's were Xia, me, and our friends used to play airball." Aang said, pointing to the airball court then pointing to another part of the mountain the Southern Temple resided, "And over there is where the sky bison used to sleep."

Aang sighed and Xiaodan put her hand on his shoulder, a frown marring her tan face as she took in the emptiness of temple ground.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked curiously and Xiaodan glanced over at her.

"This place used to be filled with monks, lemurs, and bison." Aang said, looking at the emptiness despondently, "Now there's just a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how much things have changed."

"Don't give up hope, Aang." Xiaodan said softly as she turned to look around as well, "Maybe they're in the temple or something?"

The Water Tribe siblings exchanged looks behind the two morose Airbenders, but neither contradicted the pale-haired girl.

"So, uh, this airball game." Sokka said, coming up to stand beside Xiaodan while Katara stood on Aang's other side, "How do you play?"

Xiaodan and Aang grinned at each other then looked over at Sokka and Katara with equally mischievous smiles on their faces.

Xiaodan laughed as she watched Aang try and teach Sokka how to play airball. She laughed harder when Aang sent the ball at Sokka, hitting the older boy in the stomach and sending him through the goal.

"Aang, seven and Sokka, zero!" Aang cheered with a laugh and Xiaodan leapt up onto the post beside Aang, slapping a high-five to his hand with a laugh.

"Aang, Xia, there's something you need to see." Katara called out suddenly, grabbing the two Airbenders' attention.

Xiaodan and Aang jumped off the posts they were standing on and ran towards the siblings.

"Okay." Aang said as he and Xiaodan used their airbending to toss the ball back and forth as they ran.

"What is it?" Xiaodan asked, spin the ball through the air towards Aang as they came to a stop in front of Katara and a snow covered Sokka, "What happened to Sokka?"

"Uh, just a new waterbending move I learned." Katara explained, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Nice one." Aang said sweetly then gestured back towards the temple, "But enough practicing, we have a whole temple to explore."

Xiaodan laughed and followed after her little brother as he walked back towards the main part of the temple. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Katara and Sokka were following and furrowed her brow when she saw the guilty and sad expression on the Water Tribe girl's face. The pale-haired girl shook her head and turned back around, hurrying after Aang who was already in the courtyard of the temple. She smiled when she saw him standing in front of a statue of a familiar monk. Xiaodan hurried over to stand by Aang's side, looking up at the familiar face of Monk Gyatso.

"Hey guys, I want you to meet somebody." Aang called out to the siblings, gesturing for them to come closer.

"Who's that?" Sokka asked, looking at the statue curiously.

"This is Monk Gyatso." Xiaodan said, touching the statue's knee fondly as she looked up at him.

"The greatest Airbender in the world." Aang added, "He taught me and Xia everything we know."

Xiaodan smiled as Aang bowed to the statue, she could tell he was remembering something. The pale-haired girl shook her head and walked around the statue, leaving Aang to his memories as she walked up the steps that lead into the Air Temple where she waited for her little brother.

"You must miss him." Katara murmured, touching Aang's shoulder as he came out of his memory.

"Yeah." Aang muttered, moving around the statue and walking up the steps.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked as she and Sokka moved to follow him.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary." Aang explained, pausing beside Xiaodan and glancing at the siblings, "There's someone I'm ready to meet."

Xiaodan held her hand out to Aang and smiled encouragingly at him. Aang returned her smile and grasped her hand in his, letting her lead the way to the Air Temple Sanctuary. Katara and Sokka exchanged looks then followed after the two Airbenders, both curious about who Aang had to meet and how would be alive after a hundred years.

Xiaodan let go of Aang's hand when they stopped in front of the large wooden door with the intricate lock in the middle.

"But Aang, Xia, no one could have survived in there for a hundred years." Katara stated matter-of-factly.

"It's not impossible." Xiaodan said, looking up at the door.

"Xia and I survived inside the iceberg for that long." Aang added with a grin as he too stared up at the door.

"Good point." Katara said with amusement.

"Katara," Aang said to the other girl with excitement, "Whoever's in there could help me figure out this Avatar thing."

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious cured meat." Sokka piped in, running towards the door only to slam into it.

Aang, Xiaodan, and Katara watched in amusement as Sokka tried to open the door.

"You're not gonna be able to open the door." Xiaodan stated idly, her lips quirked in amusement as she rocked back on her heels.

"I don't suppose either of you have a key?" Sokka asked, sliding down the door to sit on the ground.

"The key, Sokka, is airbending." Aang said wisely.

Xiaodan glanced over at Aang, "I'll take the left if you take the right."

Aang nodded and the two stood side-by-side then took a deep breath, holding their arms out horizontally from their bodies. Simultaneously, Aang and Xiaodan lunged forward and shoved their hands towards the horns that made up the start of the lock. Two gusts of air spiraled from their palms into the opening of the lock, sending air through the twisted pipes and flipping the three blue spirals that made up the Airbending symbol so that they were now dark purple. With a creak the door unlocked then opened inward slowly. The four stared into the darkness of the room that the now opened doors revealed.

"Hello?" Aang called out, cupping his hand around his mouth as his voice echoed through the large room as he walked forward, "Anyone home?"

Xiaodan followed after Aang, looking around curiously as the Water Tribe siblings followed after the two Airbenders.

"So a twelve year old boy bested you and your Firebenders." Zhao stated, pacing in front of Zuko, who was back in the seat he had previously vacated with two of the commander's guards standing behind him.

Zhao sighed and stopped in his pacing, clasping his hands behind his back, "You're more pathetic than I thought."

"I underestimated him once," Zuko snapped looking at Zhao briefly then back to the floor, "but it will nothappen again."

"No it will not." Zhao agreed, his tone stern and his back still turned to the prince and his uncle, "Because you won't have a second chance."

Zuko started to protest, "Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I-"

Zhao spun around, a crescent of fire coming from his palm as he faced the banished prince, "And you failed! Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands."

Zhao looked down at Zuko, his expression hard and unmoving, "He's mine now."

A snarl twisted Zuko's face and his fists clenched the armrests for a moment before he lunged at Zhao, the guards grabbing him by the elbows and pulling him back before he could get too close to the commander.

"Keep them here." Zhao stated to the guards as he turned away and left the tent.

Zuko growled and kicked over the small table with the tea cups and teapot on it, his face still twisted into an angry snarl.

"More tea please." Iroh said in his typically jolly tone of voice as he held up his small teacup.

"Wow…" Xiaodan murmured, looking at the hundreds of statues that were inside the room as the four walked further into the room.

"Statues?" Sokka demanded, stopping in front of one of the statues, "That's it? Where's the meat?"

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked, looking up at one of the statues from where she had stopped walking beside Aang.

"I'm not sure." Aang answered, "But it feels like I know them somehow. Look that one's an Airbender."

"And that one's a Waterbender." Katara said, pointing the statue in front of her, "They're lined up in a pattern. Air, water, earth, and fire."

"That's the Avatar cycle." Aang stated helpfully.

"These are all the past Avatars, Aang. You're past lives." Xiaodan said quietly as she came to stand on Aang's other side, looking around at all the statues.

"Of course." Katara said, looking around in awe, "They're all your past lives…"

"Wow, there are so many!" Aang gaped, starting to around the room again.

"Past lives?" Sokka asked skeptically, looking at his sister with his arms crossed, "Katara, you really believe in that stuff?"

"It's true." Katara said defensively, "When the Avatar dies, he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle."

Xiaodan glanced over at Aang, who was staring at one of the Avatar statues. The white-haired Airbender walked over to him and looked up at the statue as well, seeing that this Avatar was a Firebender.

"Aang, snap out of it." Katara said suddenly, grabbing Aang's shoulders and giving him a slight shake.

"Huh?" Aang muttered, blinking and looking up at the statue while Katara and Xiaodan shared a concerned look.

"Who is that?" Katara asked, looking up at the statue as well.

"That's Avatar Roku." Aang explained, "The Avatar before me."

"That's right." Xiaodan murmured, glancing at Sokka when he came over to stand beside her.

"You were a Firebender?" He asked, "No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met."

"There's no writing." Katara stated, looking at the bottom of the statue, "How do you know his name?"

"I'm not sure." Aang said, "I just know it somehow.

"You just couldn't get any weirder." Sokka stated drily, crossing his arms over his chest.

Xiaodan laughed slightly and shook her head in amusement, "It's an Avatar thing. He subconscious is aware of all of his past lives."

"Really?" Katara asked, looking at the other girl curiously, "How do you know?"

Xiaodan shrugged one shoulder and crossed her arms, "I liked to read about the Avatars when I was younger."

A sudden noise had them all tensing and turning to look at the still open door. Sokka and Xiaodan hid behind one statue while Aang and Katara hid behind the one next to them.

"Firebender." Sokka whispered, "Nobody make a sound."

"You're making a sound." Katara hissed and was shushed by Sokka, Aang, and Xiaodan.

Sokka grabbed his club from his back while Xiaodan pressed closer to the back of the statue they were hiding behind.

"That Firebender won't know what hit him." Sokka muttered, holding his club at the ready as he stood and the sound of footsteps got closer to where they were hiding.

Sokka poked his head around his statue first, club raised but paused when he saw what was standing in there. Xiaodan, Aang, and Katara peeked around their statues as well, their eyes widening when they saw their 'attacker'.

"Lemur!" Aang and Xiaodan exclaimed excitedly.

"Dinner." Sokka groaned at the same time, beginning to salivate as he looked at the lemur.

"Don't listen to him." Aang said, smiling at the lemur happily, "You're going to be my new pet."

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka yelled, lunging towards the lemur at the same time Aang did.

Xiaodan and Katara moved out from behind the two statues and stared at the boys who were now chasing the fleeing lemur. The two girls exchanged exasperated looks.

"Boys." They chorused with a simultaneous eye roll.

"I'll go get them." Xiaodan said, rolling her eyes again as she followed after the boys, "Wait here?"

"Sure." Katara agreed with a smile as she turned back to the status.

Xiaodan smiled briefly and used her airbending to run faster as she darted down the hallway after the two boys.

Zuko didn't look up when Commander Zhao reentered the tent, keeping his golden-eyed gaze firmly on the spot between him and his uncle and his arms over his chest.

"My search party is ready." Zhao stated as he came to a stop beside the two chairs that Zuko and Iroh had moved to face each other, "Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why?" Zuko asked, jerking his head around to glare up at Zhao, "Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?"

Zhao laughed mockingly at the younger man.

"You? Stop me?" Zhao questioned scornfully after his chuckles had died done some, "Impossible."

Zuko lurched to his feet, eyes narrowed and fists clenched as he turned to face the commander fully, "Don't underestimate me, Zhao! I will capture the Avatar before you."

"Prince Zuko," Iroh snapped warningly as he stood as well, "That's enough."

But Zhao wasn't finished taunting the banished prince.

"You can't compete with me." He said coolly, "I have hundreds of warships under my command and you; you're just a banished prince. No home, no allies, your own father doesn't even want you."

"You're wrong." Zuko growled through clenched teeth, "Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with honor and restore me to my rightful place on the throne."

"If your father really wanted you home," the commander taunted coldly, "He would have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation."

"That's not true."

"You have the scar to prove it."

Zuko growled and moved forward so his and Zhao's faces were only inches apart, "Maybe you'd like one to match!"

"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked with a scoff.

"An Agni Kai," Zuko snarled, standing toe-to-toe with Zhao, "at sunset."

"Very well." Zhao agreed, straighten and taking a small step away from the scarred prince, "It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do."

Zuko scowled as Zhao turned away from him and left the tent again.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh chided gently from his spot behind his nephew, "Have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?"

"I will never forget." Zuko stated, his gold eyes narrowing slightly.

"Hey, Aang, you find my dinner yet?" Sokka asked, pushing aside the ratty curtain and stepping into the room he had seen Aang go into.

The Water Tribe boy frowned when he saw the younger boy on his knees with his head bowed as he sobbed. Sokka walked closer, reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder.

"Aang, I wasn't really going to eat the lemur. Okay?" Sokka said softly then started when he saw the bodies of Fire Nation soldiers and the skeleton sitting against the wall in the Air Nomads yellow and orange robes, "Oh man…"

"Come on, Aang." Sokka murmured, placing his hand on Aang's shoulder, "Everything will be alright. Let's get back to Xia and Katara."

Sokka gasped when Aang's arrow tattoos began to glow white and he quickly jerked his hand away, his eyes widening as he looked at the younger boy.

Katara walked around the Air Temple Sanctuary, smiling slightly as she looked at all the statues. She wondered when Xiaodan was going to be bringing the boys back. She stopped in front of the statue of Avatar Roku. Katara gasped when statue's eyes suddenly began to glow a bright blue-white, the same color Aang's arrows and eyes glowed when he entered the Avatar state. The other statue's eyes began to glow next and Katara's eyes widened further.

"Aang!" The young Waterbender cried out in shock, spinning around and running out of the room in search of her friends and brother.

"Aang…" Sokka said warily, only to gasp when air began to swirl around the younger boy's feet, gradually picking up speed until a sphere of air surround Aang, "Come on, snap out of it!"

Sokka yelped as the air sent him flying and destroying part of the small abode they had found Monk Gyatso's body surrounded by the bodies of Fire Nation soldiers. The Water Tribe boy groaned when he smacked into a piece of rubble then pulled himself up slightly so that he could see over another piece of rubble that was in front of him.

"Sokka!"

Sokka glanced over his shoulder and saw Xiaodan and Katara running towards him, the girls having met on their way to the broken down hut.

"What happened?" Katara asked, as she and the other girl stood on either side of Sokka.

"He found out Firebenders killed Gyatso." Sokka explained, holding onto the rubble in front of him as he glanced over at his sister.

"What?" Xiaodan gasped, looking over at Aang, "Aang!"

"Xia!" The Water Tribe siblings shouted together as the pale haired girl leapt over the rubble and used her own airbending to make a buffer between her and the tornado around Aang's body.

"Katara!" Xiaodan shouted, looking over her shoulder at the other girl, "Follow me, we need to calm him down!"

"Hurry before he blows us off the mountain!" Sokka shouted at the two girls.

"Remember your Firebending basic, Prince Zuko." Iroh advised his nephew quietly from his spot in front of the scarred teen's kneeling position," They are you're greatest weapons."

"I refuse to let him win." Zuko stated determinedly, his eyes closed as he rose from his kneeling position and turning to face Zhao.

"This will be over quickly." Zhao said confidently as he faced the younger man as they assumed their stances.

One of the guards hit the gong, the ringing sound signaling the fighters to begin. Zuko made the first move, shooting a fireball from his fist that Zhao easily dodged by side-stepping. The young prince sent another fireball at the older man, but Zhao simply dispersed the flame with his arms.

Panting slightly, Zuko growled and used a new tactic, kicking streams of fire at Zhao but the commander effortlessly nullify the blasts. Zuko paused to catch his breath, panting slightly while Zhao merely smirked smugly at the prince.

"Basics, Zuko." Iroh called out from the sidelines encouraging, "Break his route!"

Scowling slightly, Zhao begins to send out his own fire blasts from his fist. Zuko manages to block each blast, but is slowly forced backwards each time he does. Finally, Zhao launches a powerful blast with both his fists at the young prince which knocks Zuko onto his back. Pressing his advantage, the commander leaps into the air and lands in front of the downed teenager, aiming his neck fireball at Zuko's face.

Zuko's eyes widened as the fireball heads straight for his head but before it can connect, he rolls out of the way, kicking his legs up then bringing them down and swiping Zhao's feet out from under him before landing on his own feet. With a smirk, the banished prince begins send streams of fire out of the side of his feet, causing Zhao to retreat away from the blast.

With a fierce growl, Zuko kicks his leg up and sends a powerful fire blast at Zhao, knocking the older man to the ground. Quickly, the scarred teen moves in front of Zhao, his fist pointed at the commander's face, ready to finish the older man off.

"Do it!" Zhao snarls from his position on the ground, brown eyes glaring up at Zuko's golden ones.

Snarling, Zuko launches a fireball past Zhao's face, hitting right above the man's shoulder.

"That's it?" Zhao demanded, "Your father raised a coward."

"Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back." Zuko promised, his tone dark and firm as he turned away from Zhao.

Growling, Zhao rose to his feet then spun around and shooting a fire blast at Zuko's turned back only for his foot to be caught by Iroh. The old man shoved the commander away, then caught his nephew by the shoulders when the young prince lunged forward to attack Zhao.

"No Prince Zuko, do not taint your victory." Iroh said calmly as Zuko straightened, still scowling in Zhao's direction.

Iroh turned to look at Zhao, who was sprawled out on the dirt, "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful." The old man sniffed in disdain, "Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you. Thank again for the tea, it was delicious."

Iroh turned away from Zhao and began walking away, Zuko trailing after him.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko asked his uncle quietly as they left the arena and headed towards his warship.

"Of course." Iroh said, a smug look on his aged face, "I told you ginseng tea is my favorite."

A small smile appeared on Zuko's face and he looked away from his uncle and towards the harbor where their ship was waiting.

Katara nodded and hopped over the stone slab she had been standing behind with Sokka then moved over to stand behind Xiaodan.

"Grab my shirt!" Xiaodan called over her shoulder, focusing on keeping the air from throwing them off the mountain.

The white-haired girl felt the other girl grab the back of her shirt then Xiaodan slashed her hands outward, slicing a path towards Aang. She walked forward slowly, keeping the path clear by holding her arms out as she shuffled along with Katara at her back.

"Talk to him, Katara!" Xiaodan shouted as she saw Aang begin to rise into the air, "Hurry!"

"Aang!" Katara called the bald boy's name, "Aang, I know you're upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom."

Xiaodan grunted and faltered slightly, causing her and Katara to be pushed back a slightly but the wind but Xiaodan was able to throw her arms out again and keep the air from beating them back any farther. She continued to shuffle forward, which encouraged Katara to continue talking to Aang.

"Monk Gyatso and the other Airbenders may be gone but you still have a family!" Katara called out, pleaded for the young Airbender to listen to her, "Xiaodan, Sokka, and I, we're your family now!"

"Please, Aang!" Xiaodan implored, looking up at her little brother's floating form, "Please, little brother, I know it hurts! I loved Gyatso too, Aang! He was the only father I've ever known and now he's gone. I can't lose you too, please come back to us, Aang!"

Katara clutched at the back of Xiaodan's shirt and the wind began to die down enough for Sokka to come running towards the two girls. The three teens watched as the sphere of air surrounding Aang began to lower to the ground. The sphere disappeared as soon as Aang's feet touched the ground and Xiaodan rushed over to him, not caring that his eyes and tattoos were still glowing. Sokka and Katara hurried after her.

"I'm here, Aang." She whispered, hugging him from behind, "I'm here, little brother, and I'm never going to let anything happen to you, I swear."

"Katara and I won't let anything happen to you either, Aang. You or Xia." Sokka said firmly with a small smile as he and his sister stood on either side of the two Airbenders, "I promise."

Katara smiled softly and took Aang's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Xiaodan hugged Aang tighter as his arrows and eyes stopped glowing, his gray-blue eyes filled with tears as he collapsed and Xiaodan lowered him to the ground carefully, still holding him tightly to her.

"I'm sorry." Aang whispered sadly and Xiaodan rested her chin on the top of his head.

Katara crouched down beside them and Xiaodan wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer so that Aang was leaning against both girls.

"It wasn't your fault." Katara said reassuring, resting her cheek against the side of Aang's head, still holding his hand in her.

"But you were right." Aang whispered, "And if Firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones too."

Xiaodan bit her lip in an attempt to keep the tears that were threatening to fall from escaping.

"Xia and I really are the last Airbenders." He whispered brokenly as his eyes closed and a single tear slid down his cheek.

Xiaodan pulled Aang and Katara closer to her just as Katara tightened her own arms around Aang and her. Sokka stood beside them, placing his hand on Aang's shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Everything's packed." Xiaodan said as she and Katara walked into the Air Temple Sanctuary where Aang was standing in front of the statue of Roku.

"You ready to go?" Katara asked as the two girls came to stand beside him, both of them looking up at the statue.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang questioned no one in particular.

"Maybe you'll find away." Katara said, sounding more hopeful than she probably felt.

"Yeah, between the four of us, we're bound to come up with something." Xiaodan stated, placing her hand on Aang's shoulder.

A familiar noise had the three turning towards the door where the lemur was standing. Xiaodan, Katara, and Aang watched as the lemur hopped over to where Sokka was standing a few feet away from the open door then dropped the armful of fruits it was holding in front of the Water Tribe boy then hopped away as Sokka began to devour the fruits.

"Aww…" Xiaodan cooed, smiling at the lemur.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." Aang said with a happy smile.

"Can't talk." Sokka muttered with a mouthful of food, "Must eat."

Xiaodan and Katara giggled when the lemur leapt onto Aang's shoulder, its tail curling around his neck as he looked at Sokka over Aang's head.

"Hey, little guy," Aang said, smiling slightly at the lemur on his shoulder.

"What a cutie!" Xiaodan practically squealed as she rubbed one of the lemur's ears, "Are you gonna come with us, little fella?"

The lemur chattered at her then licked her fingers, causing Xiaodan to giggle again.

"You, me, Appa, Xia," Aang said as he stood beside Appa's head with the lemur perched on his shoulder while Xiaodan stood on his other side, "We're all that's left of this place. We have to stick together."

Xiaodan smiled over at where Katara and Sokka were snacking on some of the fruit they had found at the temple, "Guys say hello to the newest member of our family."

"What are you going to call him?" Katara asked as the two Airbenders walked over to her and Sokka, the lemur perched on Aang's arm.

Xiaodan giggled when the lemur leapt off Aang's arm and snatched the fruit from Sokka's hand then leapt back to Aang.

"Momo." Aang answered with a grin as he looked at the lemur who was happily eating the fruit.

Katara, Aang, and Xiaodan laughed at the irritated look on Sokka's face as he looked at his empty hand.

"Alright, come on you guys," Xiaodan stated, gesturing for her new little family to finish getting ready, "Let's get going, yeah?"

The other three nodded and Sokka grabbed the two bags of fruits and nuts then they all climbed up onto Appa, Xiaodan taking the reins while Aang, Sokka, and Katara sat in the saddle.

"Yip-yip!" Xiaodan called out and Appa grumbled, smacking his tail against the ground then leaping into the air.

The white-haired girl looked over her shoulder as she steered Appa away from the Southern Air Temple, memorizing it as best she could as it began to get smaller and smaller. She could see Aang doing the same thing at the back of the saddle, Momo on his shoulder.

'Don't worry, Aang.' She thought determinedly, 'We'll be back, I promise.'