Aang smiled happily riding Appa alongside Sokka flying on his glider with Xiaodan on her glider next to him while Katara rode on a giant Momo on Aang's others side.

"We need you, Aang." Katara said, her voice ringing out slightly and Aang smiled over at her.

"I need you too." He said then his eyes widened in horror as the clear sky darkened and ugly gray storm clouds surrounded them.

"Be careful, guys!" Aang shouted worriedly, then looked around in confusion, "Guys?"

His heartbeat quickened when he saw that Katara, Sokka, and Xiaodan had disappeared. Aang looked towards the rapidly approaching storm clouds and blinked when Gyatso suddenly appeared, floating in front of him.

"Gyatso?" He questioned, his confusion growing as he looked at his old mentor and father-figure.

"Why did you disappear?" Gyatso's voice rang out, the tone questioning and sad.

"I didn't mean too." Aang replied regretfully, dropping Appa's reins and reaching out to Gyatso only for him to dissipate into black smoke and Aang covered his eyes with his arms.

"We need you, Aang." Gyatso's voice rang out again just as Appa flew into the black storm clouds.

Aang screamed as he clutched Appa's reins, his eyes closed tightly against the blinding rain when lightning flashed across the sky. He screamed again as plummeted into the water with Appa, the sound of another screaming blending with his own for a moment before Aang was completely submerged under the roiling ocean. Appa's reins slipped from his hand as blackness crept around his vision as unconsciousness began to drag him under just like the ocean was doing.

"We need you, Aang." Multiple voices that sound like Katara, Sokka, Xiaodan, Gyatso and many others filled his ears as he sank further into the water, "We need you!"

Lighting flashed again, revealing the dark silhouette of the Fire Lord and-'

Aang gasped and jerked awake, sitting up so quickly that he startled Momo into jumping off him and onto Katara then Sokka. Katara sat up with a gasp followed by Sokka who was holding his bone-jaw knife and boomerang.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked sleepily as he looked around, his knife and boomerang in hand, "Did we get captured again?"

"It's nothing." Aang said quickly, trying to reassure his friends as he curled up on the ground with his back to the siblings, "I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Sokka mumbled as he laid back down.

Katara frowned slightly at her brother before looking over at Aang's back with concern.

"Are you alright, Aang?" She asked softly, her voice compassionate.

"I'm okay." Aang replied, curling up even tighter in a ball.

"You seem to be having a lot of nightmares lately." She persisted, "You want to tell me about it?"

"I think I just need rest." Aang said softly, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again to stare at the sandy ground beneath him.

"You guys wanna hear about my dream?" Sokka asked excitedly as he sat up, only to pout and lay back down when Katara glared at him, "That's okay. I didn't want to talk about it anyway."

Katara looked at Aang worriedly for another moment before lying back down and going to sleep herself. Aang curled into a tighter ball and closed his eyes tightly, desperately wishing Xiaodan was there to comfort him. He could really use one of her hugs right now, especially after thatdream.

"Aang!" Xiaodan cried out as she jerked awake and she clutched her shirt tightly in her fist, right above her heart.

She looked around widely with her chest heaving as sweat slicked her brow, forgetting momentarily where she was. As her heart began to slow and her breathing returned to normal, Xiaodan brought her hands up to rub the sleep from her eyes only to freeze when she felt wetness on her cheeks.

The white-haired girl touched her cheek gently with one hand then pulled it back, staring in surprise at the teardrop glisten on her fingertips. Carelessly, Xiaodan wiped at her eyes with the back of her hands until the tears stopped coming then she folded her hands in her lap and stared blankly into the darkness surrounding her.

She couldn't remember her dream exactly, just an overwhelming sense of terror, sorrow and regret. She also didn't know why she had called out her brother's name, but she speculated her that her dream had something to do with him and it worried her greatly. Along with the worry for Aang came the feeling of loss as she was forcefully reminded that she was not with her brother, but on some grouchy, banished Fire Nation prince's ship.

"Aang, please be okay..." She whispered sadly as she laid back down and shut her eyes tight, a few more tears slipping from the corners.

Appa yawned widely and placed his head back on the sandy beach, covering his eyes with his front paws.

"Look at those clear skies, buddy." Aang commented to the bison as sat on Appa's head and gestured at the beautiful blue sky, "Should be smooth flying."

Katara looked inside a blue bag then dumped it upside down but only crumbs fells out, which Momo quickly gobbled up with a happy chitter.

"Well, we better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, 'cause we're out of food." Katara stated as she walked up Appa's tail which he lifted for her as she climbed into the saddle where Sokka was tying their supplies down.

"Guys, wait." Sokka stated, pausing what he was doing and holding up his hands then turning to look at Katara and Aang, "This was in my dream. We shouldn't go to the market."

Katara and Aang paused what they were doing to look at Sokka curiously.

"What happened in your dream?" Katara asked, sounding slightly exasperated.

"Food eats people!" Sokka exclaimed as he made a face and held up his hands, curling his fingers slightly.

Katara and Aang gave the older boy deadpanned looks and shook their heads, then returned to what they were doing.

"Also, Momo could talk." Sokka continued and pointed at the lemur then crossed his arms and glared at Momo, "You said some very unkind things."

Momo pinned his ears back and chattered at the Water Tribe boy. Katara sighed quietly and rolled her eyes at her brother's strangeness.

"There is a storm coming." Iroh stated wisely after taking a deep breath of the sea air, "A big one."

Xiaodan looked at the old man curiously from her position crouched on the railing of the top deck of the warship beside him then looked out at the sky clear blue sky uneasily.

"You're out of your mind, Uncle." Zuko commented drily as he closed his telescope and walked over to where his uncle was standing, ignoring the white-haired girl's existence, "The weather's perfect. There's not a cloud in sight."

"A storm is approaching from the north." Iroh said firmly as he turned to face his obstinate nephew, "I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is traveling northward," Zuko retorted, taking a few steps forward and pointing north, "So we will do the same."

Xiaodan shifted uneasily then hopped down from the railing and walked over to stand on Iroh's other side. It was irritating that the grumpy prince had been able to figure out where Aang was headed despite her never talking about it, but that wasn't what worried her at the moment.

"You're uncle's right, Firebug." She remarked and tilted her head back to look at the blue sky again, "Something doesn't feel right. The sky may look clear now but looks can be deceiving."

"Stay out of this, you little pest." Zuko snapped harshly without looking away from his uncle, deciding to ignore the face he saw the girl make out of the corner of his eye.

Iroh shook his head and looked at his nephew imploringly, "Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew."

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko snapped, then looked behind him just as Lieutenant Jee walked onto the deck and cocked an eyebrow at the prince with a frown on his face.

Zuko's expression hardened and he stalked towards the older man, "Finding the Avatar is more important than any individual's safety."

Xiaodan actually felt her jaw drop at the grouchy prince's words. She knew he could be a jerk, but that seemed terribly cruel even for him, although she didn't quite understand why she thought that but she was willing to blame Iroh and how he constantly tried to redeem his nephew in everyone's eyes. She watched the prince give Lieutenant Jee a hard look then walk back into the command tower, slamming the door behind him.

"He doesn't mean that." Iroh stated in an attempt to sooth the anger even Xiaodan could feel coming off of the lieutenant as the three of them turned to look at the closed door.

"Actually, I think he did." Xiaodan quipped from behind the two older men then ducked her head when Iroh gave her a reproachful look over his shoulder.

"No, he doesn't." He insisted and looked away from the sheepish white-haired girl, "He's just all worked up."

"If you say so..." Xiaodan mumbled then smiled innocently at Iroh when he looked over his shoulder at her again with slightly narrowed eyes.

"It's good. It's perfect. I'm telling you!" A merchant woman insisted angrily.

"I don't think I like the sound of that swishing." Katara stated as she shook the watermelon in her hand.

She, Aang, and Sokka had landed Appa in harbor of a small fishing town where they were currently buying food from the market.

"Swishing means it's ripe!" The watermelon merchant woman snapped as she came around to the front of her stall, "It's the ripe juices swishing around!"

"I think it's true, Katara." Aang quipped from his spot leaning against the other side of the watermelon stall with Sokka, "Swishing means it's ripe."

"I just realized we're out of money anyway." Katara said with a small smile as she put the watermelon back with the others and looked at the woman with her hands folded under her chin, then she and Aang walked away.

The merchant woman groaned angrily and snatched the basket of fruit and vegetables from Sokka's hand, kicking the Water Tribe boy in the backside as he walked past her after his sister and Aang.

The three stood on the dock, Sokka rubbing the spot on his backside where the angry merchant woman had kicked him.

"Out of food and out of money." He grumbled sourly, "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"You could get a job, smart guy." Katara commented drily before all three of the teens' faces deadpanned at the idea.

"You shouldn't go out there!" A woman's voice suddenly called out from behind them and the trio turned to stare at an old man and woman on the dock.

"Please, the fish can wait." The elderly woman insisted, "There's going to be a terrible storm."

Aang's eyes widened and he felt his heart stutter a bit at the old woman's words.

"You're crazy." The old fisherman stated to his wife, "It's a nice day. No clouds, no winds, no nothing, so quit your nagging woman!"

Aang looked away from the elderly couple and towards his two friends.

"Maybe we should find shelter." Aang suggested in a slightly nervous tone.

"Are you kidding?" Sokka asked then looked at the blue sky, "Shelter from what?"

"My joints say there's going to be a storm!" The old woman insisted, grabbing the trio's attention again, "A bad one."

"Well, it's your joints against my brain." The fisherman stated pointing at his wife then the side of his head.

"Then I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish, 'cause I ain't coming!" The old woman retorted angrily.

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you get!" The fisherman snapped right back, "How do you like that?"

Sokka walked forward and raised his hand in the air briefly, "I'll go."

"You're hired!" The elderly fisherman stated, pointing at Sokka happily.

"What?" Sokka questioned when he saw the looks Aang and Katara were giving him from behind, "You said get a job, and he's paying double."

"Double?" The fisherman squawked, turning to look at the Water Tribe boy incredulously, "Who told you that nonsense?"

Sokka's expression dropped and Katara palmed her face while Aang tried to keep the fear from his face as he looked at the still blue sky.

Xiaodan looked warily up at the gray clouds the ship was sailing towards, her bottom lip clenched tightly between her teeth as she shifted nervously on her feet beside Iroh on the top deck.

"Huh, looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all." Lieutenant Jee taunted as he crossed his arms and looked at the banished prince.

"Lucky guess." Iroh said pleasantly, his hands raised slightly as he walked closer to the lieutenant with Xiaodan trailing behind him.

"Lieutenant! You'd better learn some respect," Zuko barked as he marched towards Jee and jabbed him in the chest with two fingers, "Or I'll teach it to you."

"What do you know about respect?" Lieutenant Jee demanded harshly as he glared at the prince's back, not noticing the way Iroh was making a silencing motion with his hand.

"The way you talk to everyone around, from your prisoner to hard-working crew to your esteemed uncle, shows you know nothing about respect!"

Xiaodan quirked a brow and then scowled when she had to dodge one of Iroh's flailing hands as his gestures got more exuberant. Her eyebrow rose further when Iroh slapped his hand against his forehead in exasperation, then she looked back at Jee and Zuko, who still had his back to the lieutenant.

"You don't care about anyone but yourself!" Jee ranted angrily then sneered, "Then again what should I expect from a spoiled prince."

Xiaodan flinched backwards slightly when Zuko whirled around, his right arm extended in a Firebending position and Lieutenant Jee was quick to the same.

"Easy now." Iroh said soothingly and moved to stand beside the two when Zuko and Jee wrist blocked the other's arm and smoke began to rise from the prince's hand.

Iroh looked at the smoke for a moment then smacked both of their wrists about and pushed them back slightly, "Enough! We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."

"I think it'll take more than just a bowl of noodles, my friend." Xiaodan murmured after she had shuffled over to stand slightly behind and to Iroh's left.

Lieutenant Jee turned and walked away, the few other crew members that had watched the scene followed after him. Zuko turned his back on his uncle and the white-haired girl, taking a few steps forward.

"I don't need your help keeping orders on my ship."

Iroh stepped forward and placed his hand on his nephew's shoulder only for Zuko to shrug it off and walk away, leaving Iroh with a crestfallen expression on his aged face. Xiaodan pursed her lips and placed her own hand on Iroh's shoulder in a silent gesture of comfort as she glowered at the prince's turned back as the dark storm clouds moved closer.

"Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea." Aang commented warily as Sokka walked passed him with an armload of supplies, "Look at the sky."

"I said I was going to do this job." Sokka stated firmly as he walked onto the fisherman's boat, "I can't back out just because of some bad weather!"

"The boy with tattoos has some sense." The fisherman's wife snapped at her husband as she walked away, "You should listen to him!"

"Boy with tattoos?" the fisherman mumbled then turned around and looked at Aang, "Airbender tattoos... We'll I'll be a hog monkey's uncle. You're the Avatar, ain't ya?"

"That's right." Katara replied happily as she and Aang smiled at the old fisherman as he stopped in front of Aang.

"Well, don't be so smiley about it." The fisherman snapped and the two teens frowned at him in confusion, "The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years! You turned your back on the world!"

"Don't yell at him!" Katara shouted angrily as she stepped forward and glared at the fisherman, "Aang would never turn his back on anyone!

"Oh, he wouldn't, huh?" The fisherman asked sarcastically as he rubbed his small beard, "Then I guess I just have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering!"

Aang's eyes widened and he looked at the fisherman sadly. Katara scowled and stepped in front of the young Airbender, her hands on her hips.

"Aang is the bravest person I know. He's done nothing but help people and save lives since I him!" Katara defended Aang fiercely while Aang backed away slowly from them, his eyes widening even further, "It's not his fault he disappeared, right Aang?"

Katara turned to look at Aang then frowned in concern when she saw him backing away from, "Aang, what's wrong?"

Aang didn't answer, instead he turned and snapped open his glider, flying away from them. Katara's eyes widened and she reached out her hand but it was too late.

"That's right!" The fisherman shouted as he shook his fist at Aang's disappearing form, "Keep flying!"

"You're a horrible old man!" Katara screamed at the fisherman then brushed past him and hopped onto Appa's head, grabbing his reins, "Appa, yip-yip!"

Appa grumbled and surged out of the water, splashing the old fisherman as he flew after Aang.

"Hey," Sokka whined as he walked back onto the top deck of the ship and saw his sister fly away on Appa, "They left without saying goodbye!"

"Your friends ain't too polite, are they?" The fisherman asked in a grumble as he wiped the water from his clothes.

"I know!" Sokka exclaimed, "This one time, I was-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." The fisherman snapped and shoved a crate into the Water Tribe boy's hands, "Get below deck!"

Sokka huffed but did as he was told.

Katara held her hand above her eyes to keep the rain from getting into them as she flew on Appa in search of Aang with the rain pouring down on them. She lowered her hand when she spotted a ledge with a cave on the mountain Appa was flying by and she quickly tugged the bison's reins in that direction, landing him just outside.

The Waterbender hurried into the cave, wiping the water from her clothes but she paused when she saw Aang sitting on the floor of the cave with his back to her and his head bowed.

"I'm sorry for running away." Aang apologized quietly.

"It's okay." Katara said soothingly, "That fisherman was way out of line."

"Actually, he wasn't."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked in confusion as she walked closer to Aang.

Aang glanced over his shoulder at her then looked away, "I don't want to talk about it."

Katara pursed her lips slightly and walked in front of him, kneeling down and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"It has to do with your dream, doesn't it?" She questioned softly, "Talk to me."

"Well," Aang sighed and looked at her sadly, "It's kind of a long story."

They both jumped when Momo suddenly ran past them and deeper into the cave, Appa tromping into the cave right behind the lemur. The sky bison rumbled quietly and nuzzled Aang with his nose and Aang smiled softly. He turned slightly and rubbed the soaking wet bison's chin affectionately while Katara stood and moved deeper into the cave.

"I'm going to get a little fire going."

Xiaodan stood at the front of the ship, her orange eyes staring intently at the storm clouds as she bit her lip hard enough to draw a small amount of blood.

"Please, please be safe, Aang..." She whispered worriedly.

Katara poked the small fire she had started with a stick, looking discreetly at Aang, who was sitting across from her with his eyes closed and Momo curled up in his lap.

"I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar." Aang spoke suddenly as he looked at Katara, "I was playing with Xia and some others kids just outside the South Wall. I was trying to teach them how to do the air scooter..."

'Aang stood next to Xiaodan as he explained how to air scooter to some of the other kids.

"First you got to form the ball," Aang explained as he created a medium sized sphere of air between his palms, "Then you got to get on quick!"

Xiaodan laughed and clapped happily when Aang hopped onto the air sphere and began riding it around the area.

"Okay, here goes." One of the older boys said as he formed an air sphere then hopped on, only to yell out as he spun around crazily then fell off.

Aang paused and gently hopped of his air scooter when he saw the boy fall. As the oldest of the group, Xiaodan hurried over the fallen boy and helped him to his feet.

"You kind of have to balance on it like it's a top." Aang stated, moving his finger in a circular motion.

"Man, that is hard." The boy that had fallen stated, rubbing his head while Xiaodan checked him for any injuries before stepping back to stand by Aang's side like she usually did.

"Where'd you learn that, Aang?" The youngest of the group asked, tugging on Aang's shirt slightly.

"He made it up. He's a genius, right?" Xiaodan replied proudly and wrapped her arm around Aang's shoulders in a side hug and Aang blushed modestly at her praise.

"Wow!" the youngest boy exclaimed, spinning in a circle and waving his arms in the air then stopped when he got dizzy.

"Ahem."

The group of children turn to look at the Council of Elders standing on the steps.

"Aang, come with us." Monk Gyatso said calmly from his spot in front of the other four Elders, "We need to speak with you."

Xiaodan stepped forward to follow, but Monk Gyatso held his hand up to stop her.

"Just Aang, Xiaodan." He said gently, "You stay here and play with the others."

The white-haired girl frowned slightly but gave Aang a bright, reassuring smile when he looked back at her.'

'Aang looked at the Elders in disbelief.

"How do you know it's me?" Aang asked, almost desperate for them to be wrong.

"We have known you were the Avatar for some time." Monk Tashi replied calmly then Airbended wrapped up mat over to where Aang was sitting in front of them, "Do you remember these?"

The mat opened and revealed four toys and Aang smiled as he looked at them.

"Those were some of my favorite toys when I was little!" Aang exclaimed as he looked up at the Elders, "Xia would always play with me with them."

"You chose them from among thousands of toys, Aang." Tashi explained softly as Aang picked up the pull-string propeller from the mat, "The toys you picked were the four Avatar relics. These items belonged to Avatars past. Your own past lives."

"I chose them because they seemed fun." Aang stated skeptically as he pulled the string and sent the propeller flying towards the Elders.

"You chose them because they were familiar."

"Normally we would have told you of your identity when you turned sixteen," Gyatso piped in and Tashi looked over at him, "But there are troubling signs. Storm clouds are gathering."

"I fear that war may be upon us, young Avatar." Monk Pasang stated sagely and Gyatso looked at Aang softly.

"We need you, Aang."

Aang blinked then closed his eyes and bowed his head, his lips pulled into a small frown...'

Katara looked at Aang sadly as he stopped talking for a moment, his eyes closed and head bowed just like in his memory.

"I'm sick of taking his orders! I'm tired of chasing his Avatar!" Lieutenant Jee ranted angrily as he and a couple of the other crewmen had a drink around a small barrel-fire in the boiler room of the ship, "I mean, who does Zuko think he is?!"

"Do you really want to know?"

The men stood and Jee looked at the stairs that lead down into the boiler room.

"General Iroh. We were just-" Jee started but Iroh cut him off with a raised hand as he stepped into the light of the fire along with his near constant shadow, Xiaodan.

"It's okay." Iroh stated quietly then gestured to the barrel-fire, "May we join you?"

"Of course, sir." Jee agreed instantly and Iroh walked down the stairs, taking a seat on of the wooden barrels the men had been using at seats.

"Will you join us, Xia?" Iroh asked, looking up at the white-haired girl who was lingering near the doorway.

Xiaodan hesitated, her curiosity about Zuko's past and the reason he was such a jerk warring with her sense of respecting someone's privacy, even if that someone was a fire-shooting grouch. Finally, curiosity won out and Xiaodan jumped down in a single move then took a seat on the ground beside Iroh. She hoped the monks would forgive her for not respecting Zuko's privacy but her inquisitiveness had always been her greatest weakness.

Iroh nodded at her then stroked his beard as he thought about where to start. Xiaodan folded her hands in her lap and prepared to listen to whatever Iroh had to say.

"Try to understand. My nephew is a complicated young man." Iroh finally spoke after a moment of contemplation, "He has been through much..."

'A younger Zuko walked through the halls of the Fire Nation Palace towards his father's war room only to be stopped by the guards at the currents.

"Let me in!" Zuko demanded just as Iroh stepped forward and touched his shoulders.

"Prince Zuko, what's wrong?"

"I want to go into the war chamber but the guard won't let me pass!" Zuko explained, trying to keep the whine out of his voice.

"You're not missing anything, trust me." Iroh joked as he lead his young nephew away from the curtain, "Those meeting are dreadfully boring."

"If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko reasoned carefully, smiling slightly up at his uncle.

Iroh pursed his lips slightly then nodded in consent, "Very well, but you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know?"

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko said excitedly as he bowed and Iroh lead him into the war chamber.

'"The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here." General Bujing stated as he pointed to a place on the large map, "A dangerous battalion of their strongest Earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the forty-first division."

"But the forty-first division is entirely new recruits." An older general stated, gesturing with his hand in a confused manner, "How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?"

"I don't." General Bujing stated smugly as he looked towards where the Fire Lord was sitting behind a wall of flames, "They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?"

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" Zuko shouted in protest as he jumped to his feet, oblivious to the stricken look on his uncle's face, "Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?"

All the men in the war room stared up at the young prince in shock and in Iroh's case, dismay...'

Xiaodan stared up at Iroh with wide eyes, surprised the Zuko would do such a thing in defense of a bunch of soldiers he didn't even know.

"Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out." Iroh stated gravely as he stroked his beard again, looking off to the side, "And there were dire consequences..."

"So you were upset that you were the Avatar?" Katara questioned, trying to wrap her mind around what Aang was telling her, "Why wouldn't you be excited about it?'

"Well, I didn't know how to feel about it." Aang explained, his knees drawn up close to his chest and his arms wrapped around them, "All that I knew was that after I found out, everything began changing..."

'Aang walked into the area behind the South Wall with Xiaodan at his side and they both saw the other kids zooming about on air scooters.

"Hey, not bad!" Aang complimented when he saw how good the other kids had gotten at the air scooter, "You guys have been practicing!"

"Not only that!" The youngest of the group called out as he rode the air scooter around Aang and Xiaodan, "We made up a game you can play with the air scooters!"

"Great!" Aang exclaimed happily and made his own air scooter while Xiaodan stepped back with a laugh only to stop when she saw the other kids make their air scooters vanish.

"What's going on?" The white-haired girl demanded, her arms crossing over her chest.

The tallest of the group rubbed the back of his head, "Now that Aang's the Avatar, it's kind of an unfair advantage for whichever team he's on."

"What?!" Xiaodan squawked in shock as she looked at the group of kids with wide orange eyes.

"But I'm still the same!" Aang protested then smiled up at the other boys, "Nothing's changed!"

The boys just looked at him sadly and Aang gave them a confused look, still on his air scooter.

"So, what? I can't play?" He asked and the tallest boy nodded.

"That's the only fair way."

"Oh...Okay." Aang murmured, his air scooter dissipating and he turned and walked away.

Xiaodan glared at the boys angrily for a moment then hurried after her despondent brother.

"Sorry, Aang." The youngest murmured sadly as he watched the two leave.

"Very interesting move, young one." Gyatso commented after Aang had moved one of his Pai Sho tiles and ignored the groan of dismay from Xiaodan who sat slightly behind him.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked, looking at the only father-figure he and Xiaodan had ever known confusedly.

Xiaodan slapped a hand over her eyes when she saw Gyatso use airbending to create a spiral and flip a part of Aang's shirt of her head, covering his eyes. The monk then quickly moved two pieces on the board around and Aang flipped his clothing back into place.

"Hey!" Aang protested and pointed at the board with a grin.

"You cheater!" Xiaodan added with her own grin, as she giggled behind her hand.

The three looked at each other then began to laugh, the door to the room opening to reveal Monk Tashi.

"You're playing games with him?" The sternest monk on the Council of Elders demanded, "The Avatar should be training!"

"Aang has already trained enough for today." Gyatso retorted calmly as Xiaodan wrapped an arm around Aang's shoulder.

"Time is short." The smaller Elder snapped then gestured for Aang to follow him as he started to walk away, "Come with me. I must test you on some high level techniques."

"No." Gyatso stated, holding his hand out and stopping Aang from following Tashi, "As long as I'm his guardian, I will decide when he trains...and when he gets his butt kicked at Pai Sho."

"Hmph."

Xiaodan gave Monk Tashi as smug smile as the small monk stalked down the hall with his nose in the air. She grinned and pulled Aang back into a sitting position at the Pai Sho table to beginning a new round with their guardian...'

Katara looked at Aang in understanding when he told her how the other kids, with the exception of Xiaodan, had treated him differently when he learned about being the Avatar.

"After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him." Iroh said softly as he looked at the flames dancing around in the barrel in front of him, "He said the challenge against the general was an act of complete disrespect! And there was only one way to resolve this."

"Agni Kai." Jee muttered then clarified when he saw the confused look on the white-haired girl's face, "A fire duel."

Xiaodan's eyes widened and she looked up at Iroh, almost afraid to hear what happened next.

"That's right." Iroh nodded in agreement, "Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general."

Iroh paused and closed his eyes before starting to speak again, "Zuko had spoken out against the general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

Xiaodan made a soft noise, feeling slightly distressed as she imagined exactly what happened the too the much younger prince and she felt her heart clench with compassion for the angry prince.

Aang looked at the fire dancing in front of him, "Then just as I was starting to feel better, something worse happened..."

'"Aang needs to have freedom and fun." Monk Gyatso stated firmly as he looked at Monk Pasang, "He needs to grow up as normal boy."

"You cannot keep protecting him from his destiny!" Monk Tashi retorted with a scoff as he glared at the other Elder standing next to him.

"Gyatso, I know you mean well," Monk Pasang stated soothingly, "But you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment."

"All I want is what is best for him." Gyatso replied firmly.

"But what we need is what's best for the world." Pasang commented quietly, "You and Aang must be separated! The Avatar will be sent away to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training while you and young Xiaodan stay here so she can complete her own training."

Unbeknownst to the Elders below, Aang heard every word from a small hole in the room where he could see into the meeting room. His gray eyes were wide with shock...'

"That's awful, Aang." Katara said softly as she reached for him, "I don't know what to say."

"How could they do that to me?" Aang demanded suddenly as he jumped to his feet and paced around the cave, "They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!"

Air swirled around him as his anger increased with each word and his arrows glowed, the fire flaring up.

"Whoa!" Katara gasped as she dodged a few cinders from the fire, "Hot cinders!"

Aang glared at the wall for a moment, his tattoos glowing before fading away as he calmed down.

"I'm sorry I got so mad." Aang apologized as he walked back to sit by the fire.

"You have a right to be angry," Katara assured him as he sat down across from her then crossed her arms, "After the monks sent you away like that."

"Well," Aang hesitated and looked to the side, "That's not exactly what happened..."

Katara waited for him to continue and after a moment, he did.

"I was afraid, confused." Aang explained quietly, "I didn't know what to do..."

'Monk Gyatso walked towards Aang's room and knocked gently on the door only for it to swing open by itself.

"Aang, I'm not going to let them take you away from me and Xia." Gyatso stated as he opened the door fully and stepped in, "Aang?"

Gyatso walked further into the room then spotted a scroll on Aang's bed. The monk picked up the scroll and gasped, turning quickly to look out a window in the room. He stared worriedly at the roiling storm...'

"I never saw Gyatso again..." Aang stated quietly as he remembered flying through the storm with Xiaodan then being hurled into the water, "The next thing I knew, I waking up in your arms after you found me and Xia in the iceberg."

"You ran away..." Katara said sympathetically.

"Then the Fire Nation attacked our temple." Aang murmured despondently, his voice full of self-reproach, "My people needed me and I wasn't there to help."

"You don't know what would have-"

"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!" Aang cut Katara off, throwing his arms in the air.

"Aang..." Katara said softly but Aang cut her off again.

"The fisherman was right!" He said, his harsh tone directed at himself and not Katara, "I did turn my back on the world."

"You're being too hard on yourself, even if you did run away." Katara stated firmly, "I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed , you and Xia would have been killed along with all the other Airbenders."

"You don't know that." Aang muttered into his arm as he looked at the cave wall.

"I know it was meant to be this way." Katara insisted, a small smile appearing on her face, "The world needs you now. You give people hope."

Aang turned his head to look at the dark-haired girl, a small smile appearing on his face as he began to believe her words. Momo chattered, running around the fire over to him and Aang scratched his back gently.

"When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy." Iroh continued speaking, his hand coming to rest on Xiaodan's shoulder as she looked up at him along with the rest of the men.

'"Please, Father!" Zuko begged, "I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"

The Fire Lord stalked towards his son slowly.

"You will fight for your honor." He growled and Zuko got on his hands and knees with his head bowed.

"I meant you no disrespect." Zuko said, pleading for his father to understand, "I am your loyal son!"

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!" the Fire Lord ordered, now looming over his son's kneeling form.

"I won't fight you."

"You will learn respect," The Fire Lord's voice rumbled through the arena, "And suffering will be your teacher!"

Zuko looked up at his father, tears streaming down his face as his father pulled his fist back....'

"I looked away." Iroh stated, his eyes closed as he looked away the same way he had in his memory, the sound of his nephew's pained scream ringing in his ears.

Xiaodan placed her hand gently on his knee, her own eyes filling with tears as she wondered how cruel a man had to be to do something like that to their own flesh and blood.

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." Lieutenant Jee stated quietly, looking at Iroh in shock.

"It was no accident." Iroh practically growled then his voice became calm again as he opened his eyes and looked at the men, plus Xiaodan, "After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

"So that's why he's so obsessed." Jee muttered in understanding, "Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

"I doubt things will ever return to normal for him." Xiaodan murmured quietly as she looked into the flames, her tone sorrowful.

"You are right, Xia." Iroh agreed, taking a sip of the tea that had been brought to him, "But the important thing is the Avatar gives Zuko hope."

"Yeah..." Xiaodan murmured so quietly only Iroh really heard her, "Aang's always been good at that..."

Zuko breathed carefully as he meditated in his room, his mind wandering to when he was younger and happier, to the time in his life before he had been scarred and banished by his father. His meditation was broken when his ship rocked violently after being stuck.

"Help! Oh, please help!"

Katara and Aang looked towards the entrance of the cave where the fisherman's wife was standing, completely drenched from the rain. Katara hurried over to the much older woman and lead into the cave and out of the downpour.

"It's okay, your safe." The Waterbender soothed as she lead the elderly woman towards the small fire.

"But my husband isn't!" The woman stated worriedly as she pulled the hood of her small cloak down.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, her own worry beginning to grow, "Where's Sokka?"

"They haven't returned!" The woman explained, her voice rising as she spoke, "They should have been back by now! And this storm is becoming a typhoon! They're caught out at sea!"

Aang jumped to his feet with a determined expression on his face, "I'm going to find him!"

"I'm going with you!" Katara stated firmly.

"I'm staying here!" The elderly woman exclaimed, crossing her arms and closing her eyes as she sat by the fire.

Katara and Aang quickly lead Appa to the mouth of the cave and Aang looked at the old woman by the fire.

"We'll be back soon. I promise." He vowed firmly then jumped onto Appa's head with Katara in the saddle.

Aang flicked the reins and Appa leapt into the air, flying into the raging storm.

"Where were we hit?" Zuko demanded as he rushed onto the top deck where the rest of the crew, plus his uncle and prisoner were standing, trying to keep their footing as the ship rocked dangerously and water splashed around their feet.

"I don't know!" Lieutenant Jee cried out as he tried to keep his footing.

"Look!" Iroh and Xiaodan shouted and pointed at the top of the command tower which was smoking.

"The helmsman!" Zuko shouted when he saw the hanging precariously by one hand from the ruined observation deck.

Zuko rushed forward and began rapidly climbing the service ladder on the side of the command tower with Lieutenant Jee right behind him. Xiaodan watched them worriedly, holding her hand up to her eyes to keep the torrent of rain out of them.

The white-haired girl cried out when she was suddenly pushed to the floor of the deck and she looked up just in time to see lightning strike where she was standing, where Iroh was now standing. Her eyes widened as lightning hit him and he redirected it back into the roiling ocean on the other side of the ship, his shoulders, hair and hands smoking.

"Oh my gosh..." She cried in stunned amazement then she jumped to her feet and started checking him for injuries, "Are you okay, Iroh?"

"I am...Fine." Iroh practically squeaked and the two shared flabbergasted looks before looking up at the tower just as the helmsman lost his grip and plummeted towards the deck below.

Xiaodan screamed again then sighed in relief when Zuko caught the falling man by the wrist then carefully lowered the helmsman into waiting Lieutenant Jee's arms below him. The lieutenant smiled gratefully up at the scarred prince and the corner of Zuko's lips quirked upwards in a return.

"Where are they?" Katara shouted as she and Aang looked at the churning ocean for any sign of the fisherman's boat.

Aang's eyes widened when he saw a large wave coming towards them and Aang flicked the reins, urging Appa to go higher.

"Come on, Appa!" Aang shouted encouragingly and Appa roared, flying upward but the wave was already to close and would be closing down on them.

Aang's glared determinedly and continued to fly Appa straight at the wave, grabbing his staff and twirling it around rapidly while using Airbending to create a hole in the wave that Appa was able to fly through.

"The boat!" Aang cried out, pointing to the small vessel being tossed around by the ocean like a ragdoll, "There!"

Aang urged Appa to fly faster towards the fisherman's boat, not noticing the Fire Nation ship off to the side.

"The Avatar!" Zuko shouted in surprise when he saw the familiar flying bison soaring through the storm.

"What do you want to do, sir?" Lieutenant Jee asked, his back straight as he awaited the prince's orders.

Zuko hesitated a moment then looked over at the lieutenant, "Let him go. We need to get his ship to safety."

"Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm." Iroh stated sagely before a suddenly blur of white caught his attention and he looked to see Xiaodan racing towards the front of the ship, "But first, Prince Zuko, I suggest you stop your prisoner from being sucked into the ocean.

Zuko looked in the direction his uncle had gestured and his eyes widened when he saw the Airbender girl heading towards the edge of the ship.

"That's stupid little..." He snarled and ran to grab before she did get sucked into the ocean.

"I'm too young to die!" Sokka screamed, clutching a rope on the main mast as the boat was tossed around by the storm and the angry ocean.

"I'm not, but I still don't wanna!" The fisherman shouted, clutching onto a different rope.

Appa suddenly appeared and Aang leapt down onto the boat just a lightning hit the top of the mast and it began to fall straight towards Aang. The young Airbender gasped then stared determined as he used Waterbending to split the wooden mast in half, the two pieces falling on either side of Sokka and the fisherman. Sokka quickly grabbed a loose rope and tied it around his and the fisherman's waist just as Aang skidded to a stop in front of them.

"Hang on to the rope!" Aang shouted, grabbing the other end of the rope then raced back towards Appa, jumping on the bison's head and tying the rope to Appa's head.

Sokka and the fisherman watched for a moment then screamed when Appa jerked his head and yanked them off the boat then swung them around into the saddle on his back. The two grinned at each other only to scream again when a massive wave appeared behind them and dragged them all underwater as it crashed into them.

"Aang!" Xiaodan screamed when she saw the wave drag Appa under the water, lunging towards edge of the boat only to be pulled back by a pair of strong arms around her waist, "Let me go! No! Aang!"

The arms held her tightly as she struggled, vainly reaching her one hand out in the direction Appa had disappeared into the water.

"Stop it!" Zuko roared in her ear so he could be heard over the crashing of the ocean and the thunder, "There's nothing you can do!"

"I have to help him!" Xiaodan wailed desperately as she struggled for another moment before going completely limp in the prince's arms, the tears streaming down her face mixing with the rain, "I have to help him..."

Zuko continued to hold the white-haired girl tightly as her body shook with sobs, a grimace on his face as he looked out at the calming ocean as the ship reached the eye of storm and the rain turned into a soft drizzle instead of a raging torrent.

Aang's eyes opened slowly as Appa's reins slipped from his hands and he saw Sokka, Katara, and the fisherman clutching onto Appa's saddle in an attempt to keep themselves from drifting away.

The reins almost slipped completely from Aang's grip when his tattoos and eyes began to glow as the Avatar State was activated and he grabbed the Appa's reins tightly, moving to float cross-legged above Appa's head. The young Avatar then put his fists together and massive sphere of air just like the one that had trapped him and Xiaodan in the iceberg surround him, Appa, Katara, Sokka, and the fisherman.

Zuko carefully lowered the quietly weeping girl to the metal deck as his uncle walked over to stand beside him.

"Uncle," Zuko said quietly as he looked at Iroh with a slightly bowed head, "I'm sorry."

Iroh smiled faintly and put his hand on his nephew's shoulder, "Your apology is accepted."

Zuko nodded and looked out at the ocean while Iroh turned and crouched down beside the white-haired girl, pulling her gently into his arms in a paternal embrace as she cried against his shoulder.

Zuko sucked in a breath when he saw the Avatar's bison burst from the water in front of his ship and fly over him. His gold eyes briefly met the Avatar's gray ones when the boy looked at him over his shoulder before his gaze slipped to Zuko's left.

"Aang..."

Zuko looked to his left and saw Xiaodan staring up at the retreating bison in wonder and relief, as she watched the bison fly towards the spot of blue sky at the top of the storm's eye.

Xiaodan closed her eyes and her whole body when limp with relief as she leaned heavily against Iroh's side.

"He's okay." She whispered quietly, like a mantra, "He's okay..."

Iroh stroked her hair gently as he listened to her repeat those two words until her voice faded and she passed out against him.

"Oh, you're alive!" The fisherman's wife cried out happily as she ran towards her husband and threw her arms around him then she pulled away and pointed at Aang, "You owe this boy an apology!"

"He doesn't have to apologize." Aang said, slightly distracted as he replayed the memory of seeing Xiaodan on Zuko's ship.

The fisherman rubbed his beard and grumbled, "What if, instead of an apology. I give him free fish and we call it even?"

"Actually, I don't eat meat."

"Fish ain't meat!" the fisherman exclaimed, giving Aang a weird look.

"Seriously? You're still gonna pay me right?" Sokka asked he walked towards the couple with his hand held out, only for the fisherman to place a slimy fish in his hand.

Aang walked towards Katara with his head bowed slightly, "Katara, I think you were right before. I'm done dwelling on the past."

"Really?" Katara questioned happily.

"I can't make guesses about how things would have turned out if Xia and I hadn't run away." Aang stated, his heart clenching when he thought about his sister, "I'm here now and I'm going to make the most of it."

"I don't think you're going to have those nightmares anymore." Katara said with a proud smile on her face.

Aang smiled weakly in agreement only to think how his nightmares would now most likely be about Xiaodan being Zuko's prisoner.

"And if you weren't here now, well, I guess I wouldn't be either." The fisherman said suddenly, pulling Aang from his thoughts as he walked over and put his hand on Aang's shoulder, "Thank you for saving my life, Avatar."

"Do you hear that?" Sokka asked suddenly, "It stopped raining."

Katara, Aang, Sokka, the fisherman and his wife all walked out of the cave, taking in the now peaceful ocean at least until Appa shook the rainwater from his fur, splashing everyone.

"Appa!" Aang exclaimed in exasperation while the others groaned at being wet again.

Zuko carefully followed his uncle down the hall of the command tower that lead to where his uncle's, his own, and a few empty cabins were, Xiaodan's unconscious body curled up in his arms.

After she had passed out from stress and emotional exhaustion-if what his uncle said was to be believed-Iroh had enlisted Zuko to carry her to her cabin so that she may rest and after a lot of grumbling and complaining, Zuko had done as his uncle asked. The girl had curled up against him shortly after he had first picked her up, her head resting against the crook of his neck so her rapidly drying white hair brushed against his chin while one of her hands rested against his chest, right above his heart.

"Here we are." Iroh whispered quietly as he opened and held the metal door to Xiaodan's room, allowing Zuko to enter first then hurrying in after.

Iroh quickly pulled the blanket from the sleeping mat and directed his nephew towards it with a nod of his head, "Put her gently on the bed."

Zuko rolled his eyes in exasperation at his uncle's coddling of the girl but again did as he was asked, this time without complaining as lowered the slumbering Airbender onto her sleeping mat as gently as he could without waking her.

"Good." Iroh said, his voice still quiet as he tucked the blanket around the white-haired girl's body, "Thank you for your help, Prince Zuko."

The scarred teen grunted in response and hurried out of the room, resisting the urge to rub his chin where Xiaodan's hair had caused it to itch. Iroh watched his nephew leave before lighting a few of the candles in the room to generate some warmth then left the room as well to prepare some soothing jasmine tea for the young woman he had started to think of as a niece or daughter when she woke up.