1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, this is my first story but I just want to quickly explain some things. Well first of all I am super excited to finally be writing a fanfic, I've been reading them forever. So, I have had this idea in my head forever, now don't get me wrong, I'm an absolute Kataang shipper, as well as Zutara or even Taang, basically I like anything as long as it is well written…on with the note—don't get me wrong I love Kataang but I think that this storyline is cute and it took me no time to write, so I just decided to go with it. Also, please review and tell me what you like I am a starving writer and so far my only fans have been my English teacher and my mom, I want to know what you think, whether it is good, bad or ugly. Also, I don't know what to do with Katara, should she go all feminist and be alone or should she secretly want Aang? Should she be with Zuko? She is not with Aang though, he meets a new 'girl' and I really didn't want it to be one of **_**those**_** stories, where Aang or Katara cheat on each other because I really don't think that they would do that, so I came up with a creative solution about the breakup, but not who Katara gets back together with. Also, tell me what to do with Toph, I was thinking of creating my own character for her, you know bringin' in fresh meat..? Too much? I don't know. Also, (you are probably like ahh! More note? Get on with it) this will be kind of a sad chappy but never fear, it gets nicer so just stick with it, love brings peace and drama and boy, will this fanfic have both.**

**Oh and by the way, Tsuri in Japanese means tree and Hana means flower, also, any other references I might make will be Japanese. On with the story. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing; if I did it would be steamier.**

She had always known her name was perfect for her, being a spirit of nature and having a name like Tsuri was like fate. Yes, she was a spirit, a tree or tsuri spirit to be specific, and speaking of spirits. The Spirit world; it was nothing like the humans of Earth, the Physical world, thought it to be. It was full of eerie, never ending jungles, dark, winding caves, hot, desolate fields with thorn bushes up to one's knees, conveniently hiding snakes and huge, prehistoric bugs. However, it could be a nice place, like the relaxing hot steams similar to the ones in the Fire Nation, or pretty canyons engulfed in low clouds, or rainforests with the most supple, beautiful, exotic animals.

But, alas, the bad had outweighed the good so, six hundred years earlier, she, along with her best friend, went to the physical world and saw it was the opposite of her world, her old world. Here, there were blue skies; in the Spirit World most places have an orange or black sky, the darker realms have no sky, more of a non-existence, it is like looking into a glass wall that never ends. The other difference was the ground, here, there was, well, nothing. She was used to trees and life. So, she made some. Together, along with her best friend Hana who came to the new place with her. Tsuri made many beautiful trees and Hana provided even more different flowers to color the ground. Thinking of Hana brought sadness, Hana _was_ her best friend. They were the same. They had created the land in there forest together, they had done everything together, but then… Hana met a human boy, he was a nameless earth bender, no one famous or so special enough to come between Hana and Tsuri, but, he did. Hana gave up her immortality for the boy. And now most of her pretty flowers were gone, for Tsuri did not know how to make more. Hana had urged Tsuri to come with her but Tsuri, frightened and confused had said no, she did not want to be what humans called a 'third wheel'. Years later, Hana came back to the forest, children and grandchildren surrounding her, she was so loved. She had come back for a reason though; to say goodbye to her long lost best friend…

Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Zuko and Momo and Appa decided to land in a clearing in the middle of a large forest. It was a bit before sunset and everyone (Toph) was tired. After an hour of complaining (Toph), they had decided to stop flying. Appa was tired and everyone else was getting jittery from flying so long and being so close together on Appa's saddle made them grumpy, so, they made camp.

Katara's motherly instinct took over immediately and she took control, "Aang, Zuko, and Sokka, try to look around the forest and find us some more food, we're running low, Suki, Toph, and I will stay here and set up camp."

So, the boys set out. It was a quiet walk they were all tired. Aang started to think about his life since the end of the one hundred year Fire War. It had been a little bit over two years since Aang defeated Firelord Ozai. It had been a hard two years though, full of peace treaties that needed signing (not to mention writing) and rebirth-of-the-world meetings. Finally, the gAang had caught a break and decided to take a vacation, they mutually decided to camp all over the world, visiting friends and family as they went. Currently they were somewhere between the Southern Air Temple and Ba Sing Si, in a random unoccupied land of the Earth Kingdom. It was a lot like the good old days.

As they walked, Zuko said, "Aang, maybe you should look for some edible berries and nuts and stuff since you know more about it than Sokka or me. We'll look for some meat, don't wander too far though."

Aang agreed and said, "We'll meet back here at sundown."

"Yeah!" Sokka yelled, excited to go hunting. Zuko and Sokka started to bicker as they walked. They were just like brothers, lovable, but obnoxious.

Aang walked on and Zuko and Sokka walked the other way. He started to see berries on bushes and nuts and trees so he gathered some of each and kept going. He started to notice that the flowers got lesser and lesser and the trees got denser, actually, _too dense_, he noticed, so much that it was making the roots grow improperly. And Aang knew there could only be one reason for this and it was not natural. 'The spirit of this forest is upset', he thought, though, he doubted it was a big enough problem to delve in _right now_. 'Later', he decided, 'I'll find food now and then I will come back and calm the sad spirit.'

After finding Zuko and Sokka, Aang headed back to camp.

"Ahh just like old times huh you guys?" Sokka said making conversation.

"Well I guess but Zuko wouldn't know," Aang teased his older friend.

"Oh yeah, " Sokka started, "You were still trying to hunt us down when we were flying around the world camping."

"Hey! The only reason we didn't camp when I joined the group was because _I_ provided us with a house!" Zuko always got defensive when Sokka brought up his troubled past, so Sokka brought it up more often.

A few minutes of silence rolled by and then Sokka started whining, "Zuuuuukoooo…"

"What?" Zuko snapped, stilled frustrated from the earlier conversation.

"I don't wanna keep carrying this, it's heavy." Sokka was referring to the hog-chicken they had caught.

"Too bad, anyway, Sokka, didn't you say you wanted to carry it back to camp to show everyone," Zuko said then made a fake cough that sounded suspiciously like 'Suki'.

And that was when Aang heard it. A noise that sounded like a moan.

It was the sixtieth year anniversary of Hana leaving Tsuri. Now that she had been thinking of Hana earlier, her feelings were raw and she felt that it was ironic that today was the day and she had just happened to have been thinking of Hana also. Tsuri felt so mortally sad and alone, she had long-since forgotten what it was like to have a true friend to talk to, someone she never got tired of, someone she loved, who loved her back.

Tsuri sighed, her eyes watered and she started to cry in a low voice. Strangely and unlike a human, when she was sad, she was not also mad, just low. She cried harder as she looked around at how few flowers were left. After each flower died, she seemed to feel emptier, so, she tried to fill the void of her lost friendship with Hana by filling up each place a flower was, with a tree.

Aang could tell they were getting closer to the camp because he could faintly hear Appa roar and about fifty yards away from him, a flock of birds flew out from the trees.

"So Sokka," Zuko started in a playful tone, there last dispute solved by Aang who said it was 'just my job as the Avatar'. "How are things between you and Suki?"

As Sokka started talking about romance and love, Aang thought about what used to be his and Katara's. When they had first gotten together after the war, it had been true love. They did everything together. Not even Sokka could complain because they made each other so happy and filled the room with warmth. But then, Aang had to leave her. For six months he was gone, they wrote letters to each other but it was never enough. Aang had to take on his Avatar duties and Katara had to stay home. It was a terribly hard separation for both of them. Aang had finally gotten the girl of his dreams and then he and to leave her. For Katara, she had finally realized that she was in love with her best friend and then he left her. She knew that it wasn't his choice, she knew the world needed him but all she thought about was, why him, knowing all of that did not make her feel any better and no amount of brotherly-Sokka affection or talks with Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors could fill the hole in her heart. And then two weeks before Aang could finally come home to Ba Sing Si where Katara lived with Sokka, waiting for Hakoda and Bato to be finished with their duties. Before she had to return to the South Pole she lived with Suki, Toph, Ty Lee, and the other Kyoshi Warriors, a terrible raid happened. Some, unhappy, rogue fire benders burned Iroh's tea shop to the ground along with all of the other buildings in the area. Five people were killed, including a Kyoshi Warrior. Katara, along with many other people were injured.

Once Aang had finally come home, he was stricken with devastating grief. Aang did not eat for days, he just lied in his bed, not sleeping or talking to anyone but Katara. Because both he and Katara knew that if he had been there, if one meeting hadn't been delayed and he had come home just a little bit sooner, he could've stopped it and saved all of the people who died. It tore them apart. For weeks, Aang could not even look at his girlfriend because of the small scar above her left eye. It was not that noticeable if you didn't know it was there, but Aang knew it was there. It was all he could see on her beautiful face. The scar reminded him of how much he had betrayed the world so many times, how he had betrayed _her_. Katara tried everything, she told him it was not his fault but nothing worked and they grew farther apart each day until they barely even talked anymore.

But that was the past, this was the present and he and Katara had –sort of- worked it out. He tried not to look at it be he always felt a wave of grief when he noticed the scar mare her beautiful face. It was saddening. He missed being so close to her, as a best friend and a lover. He missed doing things with her, like practicing water bending, but he really missed kissing her and just talking with her.

Aang was thrown out of his haze though, by the sound of the moaning again. Except now it was louder and it sounded like a girl…crying?

"…and then, she's telling me it's my fault! I honestly never understand what Suki means, why doesn't she just tell me what she wants in English not her girl lang-"

Sokka had been babbling about Suki. "Sokka BE QUIET," Aang commanded in his I-am-an-all-powerful-avatar-fear-me voice. Making Sokka trip and fall over in shear shock, even Zuko stumbled.

"Geez! What?" Sokka yelled, still not properly on his feet.

"Don't you hear that," he looked at the older boys, "It-it's a girl…crying, I-I," Aang trailed off looked back and forth between Sokka's and Zuko's faces. But Zuko just shook his head slowly.

Sokka wore an odd expression as he finally found his fragile balance. "Spirits!" Sokka yelled, "What the heck is wrong with you Aang?"

"Sorry Sokka," Aang said, "I'll uh, I gotta go," and then Aang was off dashing toward the sound of the crying girl, "I'll catch up with…" Aang's voice faded and he was off, using air bending to help his speed.

"Boy, that kid is crazy," Sokka told Zuko, "You know, this one time he was telling me about the Spirit world and that there is this monster thing that eats your face!" Sokka said as he made all sorts of hand gestures to emphasize his point. Can you believe that?"

"Don't forget the time he learned energy bending from a giant turtle lion," Zuko added.

"Weird kid," Sokka continued babbling about Suki again and then a little while longer they made it back to camp. Entering the clearing, they saw Katara mixing stew over a fire using her water bending, Suki, laying out the last sleeping bag, and Toph bring in more fire wood. Katara looked up to greet them and took in the strange expression and immediately stood up, "Where's Aang?" she asked with the urgency of a mother moose-lion looking for her cubs.

"Calm down Katara," Sokka said to his sister lazily.

Zuko told the girls about Aang's sudden and strange departure. However, Toph dismissed the whole notion with a wave of her hand, to her it was a non-issue, "Oh he's probably just doing some weird Avatar Spirit World mumbo-jumbo, Twinkle-Toes is a big boy, I'm sure he's fine."

"I know he is a big boy!" Katara snapped back at Toph, "Anyway he still could be in danger," Katara was worried and muttered, "I hope he's okay…"

"Ahh he's fine… look what I caught Suki!"

"That's great Sokka!" Suki replied to her boyfriend.

Aang kept running toward the sound. He couldn't explain why though, it was like, it was like it was the most beautiful noise he had ever heard, softer yet clearer than any music he had ever heard, but also the most eerily sad noise he had ever heard uttered from another's lips. It got louder and louder as he progressed, so he ran faster and faster. And finally he saw a girl. It looked like she was bent over the ground planting something. She had very long, wavy hair and robes the color of Mother of Pearl billowing around her. From Aang's distance away from this girl, it looked like she was under water by the way her hair and robes swirled around her almost unaffected by gravity.

Also, she glowed blue.

Aang called out to her but she didn't seem to have heard him, so he called louder, and again, finally, she looked up; except she looked not at him, but through him. Upon seeing her eyes, he knew two things instantaneously: she had been the one crying, he could tell by the look of betrayal in her silver-blue eyes, and she was a spirit. Aang was sure she was the spirit of the place. When they stared in to each other's eyes, his heart wretched, 'I have to help,' was the only thing he could think.

Tsuri looked up, strait in to soulful grey eyes. She immediately loved something about the eyes, but what she did not understand was, why were the looking at her? More importantly, _how_ were they looking at her? Mortals from the physical world could not see spirits unless the spirits wanted to be seen, and she certainly was not letting him see her. But, the evidence was against her. She stood up (though technically she had been floating a foot off of the ground the whole time), and in no time, the boy was running toward her.

She looked so upset that Aang just had to run towards her, it was not a decision. He was running from the edge of the trees into a small clearing with lots of flowers. She was in the middle. It took him no time, with his air bending, to reach her. And when he did, he looked up, very curious and an expression mirroring hers, and she looked down.

**Okay, that was sad; anyway yes I am going to leave you with a cliffhanger. You just have to read and see what happens. So, one more question for you to answer in the review, I am definitely going to be updating this weekly but I don't know what day, Mondays or Fridays, I'm thinking Monday… And do not worry I know this is a bit short, but give me a break it is my first upload ever and they will get longer/more detailed/generally better over time. Please R&R tell me what to do with Toph because I love her character and if she had a boyfriend she would have more drama and therefore be in the story more. But then again, I think she is so independent and self-sufficient that she does not want one… decisions, decisions.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**

**Man, I hope you guys read this because I really like writing it, anyway. Please review and tell me who I should pair Katara and Toph with. Should I bring in my o/c for Toph? Come on that little button is not hard to press. I would do it for you…**

"Oh, do you think Aang is okay? He sure has been gone a while…" Suki said sounding worried.

"Hehe, Suki, are you stealing Katara's role as mother of the group?" Sokka teased his girlfriend.

"_No_, I am just worried because it's getting dark," Suki replied sarcastically.

"You're right, I can hardly see," Toph muttered.

This eased some of tension as everyone laughed.

"Toph," Katara said sounding weary, "do you think you could check and see where Aang is using your earth bending?"

"Katara is right, maybe we should look for him, as much as some people love the Avatar, others have not forgotten the war and his…hundred year disappearance," Zuko said bringing up a good point.

"Aphf! Fine we'll look for him! We should split up though, to cover more ground," Sokka said deciding to take charge of the situation, "Suki and I will take that way and Katara, Zuko, and Toph take that way," he pointed to the opposite direction.

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Aang was mesmerized by the girl's eyes. The color was more silver than blue, though, flecked in white. He was memorized by her in general; she was beautiful. The girl had very red lips and pale skin with an evervescent glow to it that could only be described as magical, even whiter than Aang's sallow pallor. But it was not a love-at-first-sight, stare, it was more of a wow-I'm-looking-at-a-real-spirit-who-is-not-my-past-life-! kind of stare. She was different from almost anything he had ever seen, though, the floating did remind him of Yue, Sokka's first girlfriend. Except this girl looked ageless, she looked attractive to him but he was sure that if someone much older than him saw her, she would be attractive to him too. Though, it was hard to look at her, not because she looked strange, but more of her…purity. It was like looking at undiluted light, like staring at the sun when it is highest in a cloudless sky. And her form also sort of shifted. It was like she was not fully in this world, more tethered to the spirit world even though she was here right now. However, what he could see, looked like her skin was made of rose petals, soft and warm with a velvety texture.

Then Aang remembered it was rude to stare and he was doing just that. So, he said the first thing that came to his mind, "Are you the spirit of this forest?"

For a moment she looked taken aback and confused, then realization took over her face. She ignored his question and instead said, "Hello Avatar," her voice was just as pretty. It was high but low, like an entire symphony of instruments that played high at the same time as others played in a low key. Once again his brain fogged as he took in everything about her.

Aang bowed and said, (also forgetting about his question) "How did you know I am the Avatar?" truly confused.

She smiled, and it was heartbreaking because, like her voice, it was nice but covering sadness. She said, "Most humans cannot see spirits. You are the honored and honorary bridge between my world and this one," she sounded nostalgic when she differentiated herself from the Physical world.

Aang's brilliant response was, "Oh." Then something she said donned on him, "What do you mean honorary?"

"You caught my words. I mean that humans have not always exsisted and will not always exsist. The Avatar spirit lives on but the human body will be lost some time in the future and something else or maybe nothing at all will connect the worlds." Near the end of her speech it seemed that she had stopped talking to him and started musing to herself. Aang thought about this but was interrupted when she spoke, "And, yes I am." When she saw Aang's confused expression, she said, "Yes, I am the spirit of this forest."

She raised an eyebrow that seemed to be challenging his intelligence. But somehow he knew that she was not being serious, he knew that, under her calm, serious exterior, there was another girl, lost in the folds of her memory and past. A fun, cute girl was dying to get out. –Wait, had he just described another girl as CUTE? Two years ago he had thought penguins and babies and Katara were cute, and now it was a new girl. Not even a corporeal girl! He was not even sure if he was OVER Katara! He felt like he was not sure of anything anymore.

But the spirit girl was still waiting for his answer, during his small panic attack.

And since he could not think of something smooth to say (which seemed to be happening a lot with this girl), he went with a very direct approach to the problem, "Well as the Avatar, you know, I keep the peace and balance of this world and the other," his sentence ended unwantedly as a question. He tried a new approach, "What I am trying to ask is umm, are you okay," he said it fast because of his embarrassingly direct question.

"W-what-do you mean?" the look on her face was easy to decipher. The conversation had easily shifted to awkward and tense.

"Well see, the trees are growing unevenly and it-I am not saying it's your fault-I just, I ran in to this problem before. It was um because the spirit of the place was…unhappy. The uh, the Fire Nation, during the War, had burned down the entire place and the spirit of the forest there was so unhappy he started kidnapping people so I wanted to help you… because the forest…"

"You're really nice,'' she said softly. Her comment was so unexpected, he was caught off guard.

"I-thanks," he stuttered.

"You are welcome," she breathed, not having to talk loudly because they were standing (/floating) so close together.

Both of them realized this at the same time and Aang felt the urge to take a step back, blushing. Then he realized, "You never answered my question," he said in a cocky way.

"Well, maybe I just get…lonely," she answered, still sad. If Aang hadn't known better, he'd have thought she might have lost someone dear to her.

He jumped to the chance to help someone because that was just the kind of person Aang was. "Oh, well I can fix that, I'll come back tomorrow!"

"Yes, okay…" She seemed to like the idea. So did Aang…who had totally forgotten that he and his friends were only staying one night in the forest before they headed to their next stop on the trip.

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Toph was bored. That was really it. Zuko and Katara obviously had more than platonic feelings for each other, but…they were hidden. So well hidden, in fact, that neither of them might ever know or have ever known, yet. Of course, however, Toph knew that neither Zuko nor Katara would EVER do that to Aang.

'Oh who am I kidding?' Toph thought, 'I have no idea what either of them will do…' Toph thought. And like always she was correct. Though, usually she had heightened senses, like she could tell when people were lying or some other cool thing.

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Why was she so nervous? Katara was not one to GET nervous. She knew it was not because of Toph or…Zuko. But, then again, Zuko hadn't seen Mai in a long time. But every time she looked in his eyes, his so intense eyes, it was like a chill ran through her body. It ran through her… self, she felt funny inside, happy, but she also felt sad. She had no idea how he felt. But she knew that her feelings were mixed up and weird. Her feelings were softer for him than they used to be. Katara did not think her feelings still classified as platonic, however, she never thought that she could love anyone liked she'd loved Aang. But she vowed to look for someone.

'Maybe having feelings for Zuko will open my eyes,' Katara thought. 'Maybe this is the Universe's way of telling her that it is okay to be over Aang. 'Maybe it has been a long enough grieving period.'

After Aang it wasn't like she didn't want to date again, but more like, she did not want to have to go through the troubles and tribulations and trials of finding a boy to, be with. Then, the hard part was falling in love with him. And of course because her real home was in the South Pole, he would have to be…flexible. But maybe now because of Zuko, she would. She felt like she had a new attitude.

Katara, Zuko, and Toph had been walking around the stupid forest for a while and had nothing to show for it. None of them had any idea where Aang was and quite frankly, it was very dark. The stars had not yet come out and she moon had been behind the clouds for the whole time they'd been walking. This was not helpful because for all Katara knew, Aang could be on a Spirit world trip with his body high up in a tree.

She was interrupted however (finally), by Toph's voice, "Look," she started, "it is getting late, maybe we should go back to the camp sight."

"You're right Toph, Aang knows what he is doing…" Zuko agreed and Katara nodded.

"But um," Toph, for the first time, sounded unsure, "Which way _is_ home? I can't _see_ anything. There are too many trees here crowding my vision. It is giving me a headache!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sokka and Suki walked through the forest but had no luck in finding Aang so they sat down on the forest floor.

"Suki, do you miss Kyoshi Island?"

"Of course I do Sokka, but if I went back…I'd miss _you_ even more," she looked up at him sweetly.

They started to kiss. And then the kiss deepened, so much so that they were sprawled in each other's arms with the underbrush around them.

"You know what _I'm_ thinking?" Suki teased Sokka.

"Yeah…" Sokka said eagerly.

"Well, since the others are probably still out, maybe um," she talked slowly and in a low voice and when Suki paused, Sokka said, 'yeah…' again. She continued, "We should go back and…" she seductively teased him more, "Go back and prepare the sleeping bags and tents!"

"WHAT? That is cruel Suki!"

"Oh what did you think, I'd say we would go…you know."

"Well I don't know, a guy can hope! You have taken away my dignity, how can I go on?" Sokka made some crazy hand motions to show his sadness.

"Ugh, come on, I don't know why I love you," she teased. She grabbed his hand and pulled her boyfriend back the direction they came from and said, "Anyway Sokka that is so irresponsible! What if someone walked in on us? I would just die!"

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"I promise I will come back, but I guess I should go check on my friends, they're probably getting worried," when Aang looked at the dark sky, he knew that at least Katara would be freaking out.

And with that, Aang was running in to the distance only leaving Tsuri to wonder if he would keep his promise. Aang tried to run but then something distracted him.

He yelled, "KATARA?"

After a few seconds, Aang heard back his name and, "Where are you?"

Aang ran towards the sound of her voice and found Katara, Toph, and Zuko.

"Geez Twinkle Toes! Where have you been?" Toph yelled.

Unwisely, Zuko deemed this the time to make a joke and say, "Man Toph, I didn't know you cared so much about Aang!"

For the comment, however, he was earth bended sixty feet in the air. Thankfully for Zuko, he the tops of the dense trees broke his fall and with some clever bending, Zuko was back on the ground.

After shooting a glare that Toph could not see, Zuko said, "Sorry…"

"Anyway," Katara veered the conversation back on subject. She turned to Aang, "Do you mind telling us where you have been? I've been worried sick!" Katara said fiercely.

"Oh you are the only one who was worried, huh?" Zuko said, once again teasing Katara.

"Well uh…" Aang actually had no idea what to tell them, thought Katara and Zuko and Toph were his best friends and family, they just did not understand some things (spirit things), and what _could_ he tell them, '_I met an all-powerful, depressed tree spirit who seems to be causing trouble and might be dangerous.'_ No, not that. So, he decided to be subtle. He turned to Zuko and started, "Well, when I was walking with you and Sokka, I heard a noise. So, as my duties as Avatar, I felt like I should check it out. And it was this girl, and we talked and uh, she was nice."

"Psh, that was smart," Toph said sarcastically and punched Aang in the arm.

"Aang…I feel like you aren't telling us something," Katara said slowly, "I mean do you even know her name? You could have been hurt."

Katara put her hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off. "Katara, I'm not the stupid kid you found in the iceberg three years ago. I'm a fully realized avatar and I can handle myself. I'm an adult!" But he did not feel like an adult when he saw her hurt face, and quickly said, "Katara I-I'm sorry, I- just she is not dangerous, she's…" he sighed and Zuko studied Aang's face to see something only another man would recognize.

Katara looked away, but Zuko and Toph still kept their attention on Aang. So, he continued, "Anyway, the noise was crying, she was crying." Toph's blind eyes looked confused so Aang said, "I don't know why I did it, but I told her I would go back tomorrow."

"Aang," Katara said, Aang knew that voice, it was her I-am-worried-about-you voice. "We have to leave tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah I know but I think I have to do this."

"Well, if you think it's right, okay."

Zuko said, "You know best Aang."

"Go for it Twinkle Toes!" Toph vigorously agreed.

And just when Aang thought it was going well, Katara said, "But of course we have to meet her."

"I really don't know if that is such a good idea…"

"Why not?"

"Well see," what was he supposed to say? "I'll let you meet her, just not now."

Katara still looked unsure and worried but Aang pleaded.

She sighed and said, "I hope you know what you are doing." But she smiled so Aang knew she was okay.

"Oh I do!" He grabbed her hand in haste and said, "Now let's get back I'm starving."

So, Zuko proceeded to sigh for no reason and then they headed back.

Katara, Zuko, Toph, and Aang made small talk on the walk back to camp, and decided to stay in the forest and explore nearby towns. Then the topic started to shift to where they should visit next.

Zuko said, "As much fun as this is, Aang, you and I have responsibilities. We'll have to get back to the fire nation in a few weeks."

"Oh, yeah, I guess you're right," Aang said looking a bit crestfallen.

"Hey, the world needs ya,"Toph said and slapped Aang on the back.

"Uh, thanks Toph."

"I suppose the world does need you…" Katara said aloud even though she was clearly lost in her own world.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Suki bent over to assemble a tent and heard, "Hubba-hubba."

"Shut up you perv!" she yelled at Sokka, "We are not doing anything dirty here, especially not right now," she yelled at him, she wasn't actually as mad as she let on but since he'd been with her so long, Sokka knew how to read Suki, and knew she was overplaying her emotions.

Purely being cocky, Sokka decided to press his limits and put his arms around Suki. Forgetting that she was even mad, she kissed him back. His hands were on her waist and hers around his neck.

"Oh Sokka," Suki moaned.

Sokka yelled passionately, "Come on baby, let's GO!"

Suki paused for a moment to ask in a snarky way, "Since when do you call me baby?"

"Uh, I don't know, do you like it?"

"No, it's fine. Just a little unexpected."

"Yep, that is just the kind of guy I am! Mr. Unpredictable," Sokka replied.

She giggled and said, "Okay _Mr. Unpredictable_, just kiss me."

Suki and Sokka continued to make out. They kissed some more. Then some more. And then his mouth ventured down to her neck, kissing her gently.

Suki moaned and said half-heartedly, "We shouldn't be…um…doing…this…"

She shivered but he kept moving, now down her arms, then back up until he managed to make it to her ear and whisper, "I love you, Suki," which really set her off. And she kissed him until her hands decided that he had on way too much clothing.

So, her clever solution was to take some of it off of him. She pulled off everything until his chest was bare. Sokka did the same thing until the only thing remaining on Suki was her bindings. The clothes being strewn across the ground made both Suki and Sokka very happy. Suki moaned as Sokka continued his journey across her neck, chest until her was at the tip of her wrappings.

Suki threw her head back and laughed in pure joy. Loving every sensation and every passion filled moment with her love.

And that was the scene Toph, Aang, Zuko, and Katara walked in on.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Toph knew that Suki and Sokka had somewhat of a physical relationship. She also knew that they had gotten back to the clearing, however, she did not know what they were doing because of all of theleaves on the ground clouding her "vision". And on account of them standing on a blanket of what seemed to be clothes?

But once they entered the clearing it hit her. Just like it hit Aang, Katara, and Zuko.

Katara screamed, and as a hit to Aang's nonexistent manly-ness, he screamed too. Zuko made and 'errg', type sound like a grunt and jumped back a little, very freaked out. Toph did the same, only her feet slipped, but she sent up a pillar using her bending to catcher back.

Sokka and Suki both screamed and jumped apart, however this was all in fluid motion so it sounded like an earthquake had happened. Sokka fell over and Suki nearly did the same as she tried to find some clothes to cover her mostly bare body.

"Holy Bejeezus! What are you doing?" Toph yelled in shock.

"Oh Spirits, Sokka put your pants on!" Zuko yelled, very grossed out.

The shock wore off as Suki and Sokka managed to find some modesty and cover themselves up. By this time Katara started to tease her brother, "Wow Sokka," she said, "I didn't know you had it in you!"

Katara's comment took away some of the awkward tension and everyone laughed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

In all, it was a weird and awkward evening that turned into a weird and awkward night which made everyone on edge, yet bond a little bit more over the embarrassment shared by Sokka and Suki.

Over dinner and before bed, everyone sat around th campfire, courtesy of Aang and Zuko, and laughed. They talked about all sorts of things, mostly memories from the good 'ole days, like when Zuko joined the group, or when Sokka got crazy on cactus juice. After that, the topic shifted to Suki and Sokka.

Toph said, "So…you two really got it on, huh?"

Both turned bright red and Suki said, "We haven't actually, um,"

"Sealed the deal," Zuko provided with an indignant chuckle.

"Hehe, Sokka, the look on your face was so priceless," Aang said. It only made it funnier that Aang had said it because, even though he was one of the youngest in the group, he was also one of the most mature. So, obviously, he did not tease and make fun very often.

And so, the group of friends laughed the night away, teasing Suki and Sokka 'till no end.

**BTW, I told you this chappy would be happier than the last one, also, I have finals next week so this will be the last chapter for like ten days. After that I go to camp for a MONTH, so I am sorry but PLEASE don't give up on me I will bring in a plentiful new amount of chapters I promise!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay this chapter may be kind of short BUT I will have at least three in the next couple of days. I just got out of school and all of my friends just had birthday parties and I have been busy. Thank you for everyone who has reviewed! **

**No ownership :P**

When Aang awoke the next morning, he the sky was a bit cloudy but it smelled like the spring season that was approaching. What few flowers there _were_ in the forest, were in full bloom.

Aang felt inexplicably good; the opposite of how Tsuri felt. She felt like she had a raging storm cloud inside of her. And of course, this was affecting the forest. All of the animals sensed her feelings and she knew it. It also seemed as though the sky around her forest was getting cloudier by the minute.

But of course, Tsuri knew why. It was Hana. She had repressed her feelings for so long that now they were practically eating her alive. Since she had met Aang the day before, she had felt this way. She hadn't had contact with another person in so long that finally when she did she remembered all of her feelings. She realized just how well she had repressed these thoughts because now they were powerful as a hurricane. Tsuri remembered the when they had left the spirit world together.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_Hana and Tsuri arrived in a desolate wasteland. It had desertous terrain but it had potential. There was a river nearby. Her first thought mirrored Hana's words, "I love it, we've searched and I think this is our place. The place we are meant to be."_

"_Forever," Tsuri agreed._

"_Forever. Promise that we will always stay here? I like it," Hana asked._

"_I promise." _

_Even though Hana had, it was a vow Tsuri would never break. It was the place they had built together and had intended to stay forever._

_Until her best friend betrayed Tsuri. Leaving her in this forest where she no longer had purpose. _

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Just that little memory, that seemingly unimportant promise that turned out to mean nothing. Nothing to Hana. To Tsuri it still meant the world.

She couldn't believe how she now thought of her best friend: as a traitor!

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When Katara awoke the next morning, she felt terrible. She had the sense of being watched and her arms and legs were sore, which is never good for a bender.

Feeling nervous, she looked around, noticing dimly that Aang and Zuko were missing from their sleeping bags. She decided to wakeup early and explore their surroundings because for some crazy reason of Aang's, they would be staying here a while. She felt the need to write a note, telling her friends where she would be.

_Sokka, Suki, Toph, Aang, and Zuko, _

_I am going to go in to town. I will come back later in the afternoon. Don't wait up_

_Katara_

She felt it would suffice so she grabbed her bending water and took off quickly, hoping to find the town soon. According to Sokka the place was called Shin Tok Wey.

However, when she arrived, it was nothing like she had hoped, she did not know why but after the war had ended, she'd felt the world shift and it was as though, miraculously, everything had gotten better. Of course she knew it was impossible, but everything just seemed so much more hopeful… This place was the opposite of inhibitions.

The people looked bedraggled and sickly. She saw a man who looked fine however, and walked up to him, "Um, excuse me, but what is wrong with this town? After the war was over didn't things get…better?" she couldn't help asking.

"Oh, I guess you are not from around here," he said it sounding…mad.

"Well what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well we have been having a lot of-of problems," he said, still annoyed and angry.

"Like what, if you don't mind my asking?" her genuine concern seemed to lighten his mood.

He said, "Well, a few weeks ago, we had the worst drought in our history, then a tornado struck a few days ago," he gestured to some wrecked houses and huts, "there was also an earthquake, it was not powerful, we were lucky."

"Oh that's awful! I-I want to help."

"Well thank you, but with the food shortage, I don't know what we'll do."

"I am a water bender, there has got to be something I can help with!"

"Thank you. But…"

He trailed off, but Katara thought of something, "You either need more people…or a more powerful person!" He looked confused, but Katara smiled, "I am traveling with the Avatar," she told him excitedly.

He gasped, "You must be Master Katara then!"

"Oh yeah," she blushed, sounding modest.

"Oh it is an honor, thank you!"

"Thank you, um…"

"Gon Yu."

"Thank you GonYu, I will bring Aang back here," Katara said with a great sense of satisfaction. She knew Aang could do just as much as she could, but he seemed to be a sense of hope for people.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Aang, do you ever wonder what your parents were like?" Zuko asked his friend as they walked around the forest, collecting food and fire wood.

Aang sighed and sat down on a rock. He gestured for Zuko to do the same, "Zuko, for airbenders, parents weren't your family," Zuko looked a bit appalled and Aang continued, "the entire Temple is-was your family and home. I was a monk and my parents were not benders, so we weren't exactly close… but I-I had Monk Guatso," he said trailing off with a smile. The memory of his former mentor was no longer a sad one, but now it felt like a friend who he had grown estranged with, but was still fond of.

"Oh…but, Aang aren't you ever curious who they were at least?"

"Zuko, where is this coming from," it was kind of a painful memory and Aang was anxious to hear why Zuko wanted to know about his background so much.

"Please, just answer."

"Well," he sighed, "I guess I knew who they were but I was never close to them. I was brought up as a monk and learned air bending, it was like they were from a different universe. I just didn't _know_ them know them."

"Aang?"

"Yes?"

"I want to find my mother. I know she is alive,I can feel it but i-I don't know where, and I know I should get back to the Fire Nation…but."

"Zuko, I understand, and if you want us to watch over the palace while you, um, search…"

"Thank you Aang."

"Yes well, I guess we'd better get back."

Through the entire walked back to camp, Zuko thought of his mother. He thought about her sweet smiled and her laugh and her clothes and the sweet perfume she wore, the way she would hug him every day and tell him she loved him. She was amazing, everything about her was kind and nice and beautiful. And she was gone from him. Forever. Zuko didn't know how Aang could not feel like this all the time. Zuko supposed it was because he had never really known what he was missing, Zuko knew. He also knew that there was a lot Aang had not told him in their conversation. Like about Monk Guatso, _I guess it is too painful for him…_Zuko thought.

He was fire lord, his people were happy the world was happy, everyone but him was happy! His mother should be by his side, so proud. Instead, she was supposedly off in a cave somewhere or something. He tried to get it out of his father when in prison, but the only hint Ozai had given was that his mother had been banished to the mountains near the Northern Air Temple. Which was no help.

Zuko had felt empty ever since his uncle had gone back to Ba Sing Se.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

As Zuko and Aang arrived back at camp, they both looked and felt distant toward their friends. Katara had still not gotten back so Suki read Zuko and Aang the note she left.

"Huh, that's weird, she usually waits," Aang said.

"I guess she was…bored?" Zuko replied to Aang's comment.

"Anyway, did you two get some more food?" Suki asked.

"Oh yes," Aang said showing her the fruits and such.

Toph said, changing the subject, "Hey Twinkle Toes, do you wanna train later?"

"Sure Sifu Toph, I still have a lot more metal bending practice until I am half as good as you," he said sweetly and she blushed. Every time they trained, Aang thought of Toph as 'Sifu', but otherwise she was just 'Toph'.

"Wait," Sokka said, "Where are you going to find any metal TO bend?"

"Hmm, good point…" Toph said, "oh well we'll find something!"

Sokka said suspiciously, "Hey, um, Suki, I have something that really needs tending to in our tent…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

So, later that day, Aang and Toph set out to practice bending. However, it did not go down that way, on the way, they met something interesting… It was a swamp. But like the one the swamp benders lived in, this one was also mystical.

They were walking to find another good clearing to practice in. Aang did not notice until the ground started getting mushy and then Toph refused to walk anymore.

"What in the world is this, it definitely has not been here…"Aang mumbled.

"It is a…swamp?" Toph said.

"Yeah, you're right!" Aang agreed.

"Hey Aang, do you…feel that?"

"Feel wha…OH Spirits! It is pulling me…" he trailed off; the swamp was pulling him and Toph toward it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Once Katara got back to camp, her brother cornered her. He said, "Look Katara, you have been acting really strange and I'm kinda getting worried. So-so-"

"Sokka stop, I am fine-"

"No! Katara stop it. I know you aren't okay. You always act like you are grown up and you never need help, but you do! Katara, everyone needs help…please?"

"Okay," she let herself succumb.

Sokka said, "Great! Because we are going to bond!"

And so, he took her to the beach, it wasn't on the ocean, just a large lake and the water was a little bit cold but Sokka had brought all of her favorite foods and a blanket.

Sokka and Katara ate their picnic in silence but then started to talk as they looked at the waves and the sunset. Sokka started, "Katara,I know you've been pretty sad since, uh, last year and I just wanted you to know," but she cut him off and said,

"Sokka, I meant it when I said that i was fine. I don't want you to worry."

"Well okay," he replied.

"I just need some time, like you did with your breakup with Yue," Katara felt bad bringing up Yue because she could see the hurt in his eyes but she was desperate for him to understand.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Well what do you say we do, oh wise Avatar?" Toph said sarcastically.

Her sarcasm however, left once she tried to start walking. "Toph…can you," he grunted, trying to walk but his feet seemed to be rapidly sinking in quicksand, "move?"

She tried to bend her was out but it wouldn't work. Then Aang gasped and said, "I got it," and grabbed her hand in his, and with his other hand he stretched, reaching up for a tree branch.

"Good thinking Twinkle Toes," Toph said. The worry was gone from her voice because she knew they were going to be okay.

However, it turned out that Aang's idea did not work when the tree started to sink with them, soon the branch broke off and now Toph was up to her stomach in mud and Aang's legs were buried.

"Well this sucks!" Toph yelled.

"Okay Toph just-just calm down, we will be fine," Aang tried to reassure her.

"Yeah, and what do you think we should do?"

"Well you felt the energy of this swamp just like I did, so maybe, um, the spirits want us to sink," he trailed off and his statement sounded like a question.

"Yeah? For what reason?"

"Oh I don't know!"

"Great," Toph muttered, now she was up to her chest and Aang's lower body was gone.

Aang then had an idea. He let go of Toph's hand and she whimpered a little (since her feet were covered in quick sand, she couldn't "see"), but he paid no attention, he was trying to get in the spirit world. And he did.

"_Hei Bai__..? Hei Bai?" Aang called for his panda friend, wanting some guidance._

_And then the bear appeared. It led him to the physical world but in his spirit form so that no one could see him. He saw a white flash and was at the spirit oasis… it was strange because instead of peaceful hues, it was as though the air of the place was tinted red. Aang looked at Hei Bai in confusion and then all of a sudden he was being pulled back into his own body. When he tried to get to the spirit world again, he was blocked._

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**Hey you must hate me for leaving this dang cliffhanger and I am also so sorry this is so late, it has been a busy week and I wanted to get this up last night but I just couldn't make it. But I have BIG plans for this story, so keep reading!**

**REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry, I know that last chappy was very short and this one will be too but what can I do? I would also like to thank the people that have reviewed, so thanks to: Blackrose108, Zutarafan14, and seven()! I know I know, so many fans, but hey ya gotta start somewhere!**

**Blah blah disclaimer blah blah blah**

As Aang was 'whooshed' back into his body he heard Toph screaming. She was up to her chin, sinking in quicksand and it did not look good, "Aang! Aang! Are you back yet? Oh I don't want to die!"

"Toph! Calm down!" Aang took the blind girl's hand, "I am going to contact Roku, maybe he knows what is happening because I don't think that any spirits we want to deal with are behind this."

Aang centered himself and then Avatar Roku appeared, "Roku! What is happening to us?"

Roku's tone was just as urgent as Aang's when her replied, "Aang, I do not know. But you must understand: lately, dark forces have been arising and I cannot tell you what, there is only one being old enough who may know how to deal with the evil that will soon be upon earth!"

"Koh!" Aang said, he had had to face Koh, the Facestealer once before, it had been two years since he had even seen The Facestealer and yet he knew that everything bad that ever happened always seemed to be linked to Koh, which was unfortunate, "Wait Roku? Can't you get Toph and me out of this?"

"Aang, I do not have the power to get you and your friend out, but I think someone else is coming to help you…" He said with a sly glance.

Then Roku disappeared, '_what had he meant about someone else coming for Toph and me?'_ Aang wondered. But after a moment it did not matter because they were still sinking. Toph's whole body was already gone except for her head of course; he did not think he would be able to forgive himself if she sank any further because he had already let down so many people. However, now Aang was not far behind her.

He was so scared, he tried to pull her out but couldn't and it only made him sink more! Soon both of them would not be able to breathe.

"Toph," he said with a quiver in his voice, "I am really sorry, I'm so sorry, I wish this had never happened to you, I-I think of you as a sister I never had."

Toph started to cry, "Thanks Aang, I'm gonna miss you and everyone else…" She had called him Aang. And now she was gone.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Katara and Sokka talked for another hour and then decided to go back to camp, it was getting rather darker now and they both were walking very slowly.

"I think that we should go home for a while," Katara said a bit out of the blue **(a/n hahaha get it? Because they are water tribe so, 'blue' is ironic)**.

"Oh yeah…"

"What is it? I thought you'd want to see dad and GranGran and Master Pakku?"she was genuinely concerned.

"Katara, I do but I don't want to leave Suki…"

"What? Just take her with-"

"Just drop it Katara," he snapped.

"Jeez! What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!"

"Fine."

"Fine."

And then they both walked faster and Katara kept thinking, '_why doesn't he want Suki to come home with us?_' however, she could come up with no legitimate reason, '_well fine, I am sure he will tell me when he is ready._'

"Katara, I am sorry," Sokka said suddenly.

"It's okay. But um Sokka? Why do you not want to bring Suki home with us?"

"Katara, it is not me, she has to go home to-back to Kyoshi Island…and I just don't want to think about it, if you can keep a secret..?"

"Oh yes."

"Well, I think I love her, like LOVE-love and I don't want to leave her!"

"Well, have you told HER that?"

"Yes, but now I gonna ask her to marry me," he said sounding nervous.

"Oh Sokka, I know she loves you too, but are you sure that's a good idea? Are you ready for marriage?"

"YES, of course."

"Okay," she said sounding very unsure.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o

Back at camp, Zuko asked Suki if she would help him feed Appa.

"Sure Zuko," she sounded like she was in a very good mood.

"So um, how about that Sokka? Real cool guy…"

"Um, sure Zuko."

"You know I think he might like you."

"Really? I don't know. I have a thing for him too." Suki said and she and Zuko kept joking around. Lately they had actually become pretty close friends. They had some stuff in common, like Suki realized that they had both lost their mothers around the same age, him ten and her nine. They were both raised as fighters, her as a warrior and him as a prince. Though, her dad was not as bad as his; in fact, he was actually very nice, kind of a befuddled man, but nice nonetheless. Suki had grown to love Zuko just as she had grown to love all of her other friends.

Zuko and Suki continued to talk for the rest of the evening. Until Sokka and Katara came back; the two were getting along miraculously well and were joking and teasing each other as they walked back. Once Suki and Sokka's eyes met, they excused themselves, telling Zuko and Katara that they had business to attend to, but neither even noticed. Katara and Zuko were totally wrapped up in some hilarious story Zuko was telling.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Upon getting back to their tent, Suki and Sokka immediately started kissing, but before things could get too steamy, Sokka broke apart, which was VERY unusual.

Sokka had something in mind, he thought that this was the perfect and most romantic time to ask her, "Suki," and she looked at him with love and lust and he got a little bit nervous, realizing that he had no idea what to say. He never thought about the 'before' speech that led up to the question! He needed to prepare something later but he couldn't do it now. His face fell a little bit and he said, instead, "I love you."

"Oh I love you too Sokka!" Then they went back to kissing. It got intimate very fast and they both decided that tonight was a good night to go all the way. They had had sex before, they were each nineteen years old and even though they'd told their friends it had never happened…it had. Sokka was sure nobody had believed them when they said that he and Suki had never had sex. It wasn't like they had wanted to LIE; they just did not want to broadcast their _business_ to all of their friends plus Sokka's sister. _It_ only happened on special occasions though, not every night.

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**Thanx so much for staying with me! Please, please, I beg for you to review, otherwise how will I post more? I didn't want to have to do this but I will not post anymore until I get 2 reviews, hey come on that isn't even that much, BUT you must put on specific thing you did like and/or one you did not like.**

**REVIEW**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am really sorry about how late this is, my mom took away my computer. Anyway, this is gonna be a good one, and have some major drama! Howevs, once school starts I won't be updating as much so…be ready. But until then I will have new chapters (I hope) once a week. I love ya and if you REVIEW I will give you a shout out!**

Aang had never faced anything like this in his entire life. He could hardly breath and it was obvious that it would be no use to use bending, his sinking form was legitimately stuck. Quick sand was new to him. He had never had an "enemy" that he could face, couldn't hear, this muffled his senses. The sinking was everywhere and it was confusing. When he had faced Firelord Ozai, he had had a target.

But now, he was sinking, if possible, MORE rapidly, his whole body, up to his nose, was gone. In a few inches he would not be able to breath. He didn't even want to think about what kind of shape Toph was in either. Aang's whole body felt numb, yet there was a lot of pressure beating down on him. Otherwise there was no feeling.

And as Aang's he vanished he knew he was going to die. It was a slow realization as he thought, "There is no hope left."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

There were a lot of bright colors here. He could see Toph in the distance. Yet, Aang's brain felt very…slow. He did not process that this was the Spirit world until he looked back on it the next day. Though he did realize that he was, '_not in Kansas anymore_'.

"Toph! Toph!" Aang yelled but he didn't hear any sound. It felt like he was stuck in jello. He yelled again and again. But Toph never heard him. So he started to run towards her. Her back was facing him, and when he reached her, he was two then one foot away, and then…he wasn't. He was back where he started.

Then Aang saw something approach Toph. It was huge and reptilian. It was Koh. He strained to hear what they were talking about but all he caught was his name and then Toph turned around as if to look at something, and he saw where her face should have been, was just smooth, porcelain skin, she had no face.

And then something like cold water was splashing his entire body and he was julted awake as if he had just had a nightmare and was violently woken up.

"Toph? Toph where-" And then he saw Tsuri. An unspoken bond formed between them and he realized who Roku had been talking about saving him and Toph, "Tsuri I-I- thank you."

She smiled and gestured to Toph, "She is okay, but she won't remember what happened and I would advice not telling her all of the details, but Avatar Aang, there is great trouble arising between both the Spirit world and this world. You might already have guess, but this is not a normal happening, _usually_, spirits look out for the safety of this world, they do not try to harm it. Spirits should not do this. Something is happening to the bond between the two worlds."

"Thank you, but-what can I do about it?"

She gave him a sad smile, "I'm afraid I cannot answer that, Aang an Avatar must choose the right path or himself and for the world, but you must choose, my chooses are not yours to pick from."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Back at camp, Zuko and Katara were practicing their bending together. It was easy stuff, Zuko would blast a flashy show of fireworks at Katara and then she would gather a great bobble of water and extinguish his flames.

But when Aang walked back into the clearing carrying the seemingly lifeless for of Toph, Katara screamed and ran to them. The others followed her, and she asked, "What happened?"

So Aang told him the entire brooding tale but did not mention the part about Tsuri saving them.

At the end Zuko said, "So Roku saved you?"

"Yes but I think that this was the fault of the Spirits, there is something going on…"

"Yeah definitely."

"I think so too."

"Of course!"

"Yes, but what should we do about it?" Zuko asked.

"What CAN we do about it; we can't just walk into the spirit world and ask them to stop messing with our world." Sokka said.

"Well maybe YOU can't; but I can." Aang said.

"Yeah good thinking Mr. Bridge-between-the-two-worlds!" Sokka said.

"Yes but Aang how would you-"

Katara had started to say something but then stopped when they heard a noise coming from Toph. Then her eyes started fluttering and she murmered, "Aang…Aang…"

Aang, as well as everybody else leaned closer to Toph, "Yes Toph?"

"Who- who was that, Sur-Suri? It-it-she said that the bond between the two worlds is…"

_Oh no._ What could Aang say, he couldn't tell his friends who Suri was…yet. They wouldn't understand anything from the spirit world, a small voice in his head asked if maybe he was under estimating his friends. _No! _Anyway, he didn't know what their reactions would be, fear? Shock? What if they didn't like her or thought she was dangerous?

_Wait, why do I care?_ The voice in his head asked, _because maybe I want her to—_to what? Why would he need to introduce her to his friends, weren't they leaving in a couple weeks? Then he would never see her again. Except…that wasn't what he wanted. When he thought about leaving her it made him…sad.

"Aang?" Katara asked, looking at him gently.

"Oh, yeah, she's…" he looked around their faces and said in one short breath, "the spirit of this forest!" No need to tell them HIS relation to her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Sokka woke up the next morning feeling extra good, he was going to do _it_ today, tell Suki he loved her. He wanted to take the next step with her; he knew they would end up together.

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After breakfast Sokka asked her, "Suki, can I talk to you?"

He wasn't even nervous, she was also in a very good mood so far.

They stepped away from the group and he just went for it, "Suki, we've been together for a long time and the more I've gotten to know you, the more I like, so, Suki, I love you! So, will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened and she looked shock for a moment then he faintly heard her mutter, "I knew this was coming…" but then she seemed to put on a happy face and say, "Oh Sokka, I love you too! But…I can't"

"You what?"

"I just, I can't marry you," she said with tears in her eyes, "I'm so sorry!"

She started to run away and confused Sokka didn't chase after her. He didn't know whether to be mad or sad. So he screamed at nothing and fell back onto the grass and stayed there for a very long time

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Katara had gone to the nearby town again in the last couple of days and she planned to go again today. In the last few days she had been helping heal their sick but now she was going to ask Aang to come.

"Hey Aang, I know you probably must be very tired from yesterday but I was wondering um," she paused to see his reaction and was glad that it was a positive one.

"Yes what is it Katara?"

"Well I've been visiting the nearby town here, and they have been having a lot of problems-"

"Like what?" He interrupted.

"You'll see, anyway I was wondering if you wanted to help them, they really need it?"

"I'd love to!"

Katara was very glad that his response was so positive.

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Aang was glad to be able to fulfill more of his Avatar duties by helping the town of Shin Tok Wey.

However, on the walk there he sadly did not think of this village, he thought of Tsuri. He had gone to visit her the day after he'd met her like he told her he would, however, that had been two days ago, he needed/wanted to visit her again, however, right now he just wasn't very sure of his feelings. He thought he wanted to visit her, but what about the girl standing next to him, the girl that, for the last two years, until most recently, he'd been in love with. Oh, how his life had changed.

But all of a sudden he could no longer worry about his expanding love life, because he heard screams, apparently so did Katara because like him, she started running toward the town. As they got there, horrors struck. There was an earthquake happening!

Now, there was no time to run back and get Toph, so Aang was going to have to deal with this on his own. With one glance at his face, his best friend knew what he was thinking and Katara said, "Not alone."

He yelled over the impacts, "Round up all of the people and take them away from here! I'll try to stop it or hold it off!"

She gave Aang a very worried glance but did as he said, gathering people and telling them to go into the woods and not worry about possessions, just their lives.

'_Let's get down to business',_ Aang thought. He cracked his knuckles and looked at what was happening.

And what he saw was overwhelming, the earth, the entire ground of this place was cracking! He didn't know how to handle it on his own so he called the Avatar State. His eyes glowed and he felt the knowledge of his past lives flood into him, he also felt their power and skill.

Aang looked for a moment to see if anyone was in danger or in his way, then started bending the earth, filling the cracks and pulling them together, it was hard but he knew he could do it.

Then he knew something unnatural was happening when the earth he bended started to fight him. _This has to be the 'bad' spirits Roku and Tsuri were talking about._ He pulled and was winning when the worst thing ever happened. The spirits must've been very angry, because a…wave (like a wave of water, only made out of land) of rocky land started coming towards him, it was very tall, maybe sixty feet in the air or more. This was bad, especially because this village wasn't big, it would be wiped out, Aang feared for everyone's lives, he looked back to see Katara staring in horror, holding a little girl.

Aang took a deep breath and thought of it as an enemy to battle. As the wave started to rush over his head, trying to engulf him, he made an air ball around his body and at the right moment right when it looked worst he used every bit of power he had and thrust out the air and fiery swirl all around. It sufficiently broke the wave and with lightning fast reflexes he ran to the villagers and bended the debris away from hitting them.

But the spirits just wouldn't accept defeat and Aang had another problem, from the cracks in the ground had emerged none other than a lot of magmic lava. It started to flood the ground and a few craters opened up and started to spray toxic gas. Then the world stopped for a moment as Aang started panicking. He was already very tired and now this. It also seemed to be the exact same way that Avatar Roku died, which frightened him more.

"Katara!" he yelled at her, she was at the edge of the forest and the front of the group, "Take them all back to our camp and do NOT come back!"

He was very serious so she only argued a little, for his safety and such, but this was his job.

So as the lava flooded the ground he used his fire bending to "pick it up" and at the same time, used water to freeze it. He air bended the toxic gas away and used earth bending to cover the craters it was coming out of. Aang then used a mix of water and earth bending to cover the cracks in the surface of the earth then to finish it off, he took almost all of the water from the river and made a huge wave that flooded over where Shin Tok Wey used to be and clean up the mess.

By now, he was so worn out he almost collapsed, but he took time to survey himself for injuries. He had a few burns a very sore ankle that he thought might be broken. But of course, there was one last thing. A small tornado had sprung up, it through Aang across the town and he used air bending to stifle his landing. He felt a loss of breath for a moment but still feeling the power of his past lives he pushed on. He used air bending to take care of the tornado and then collapsed right there on the ground. It had been exhausting just to battle and unheeding earth quake but when the bowels of hell opened up and filled the ground with lava, he had thought he might lose but he did succeed…sort of.

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Katara had done what Aang had asked, she had taken all of the townspeople, led by her and GonYu, back to the clearing where she and her friends were staying. Toph and Sokka had been nowhere to be found, but Suki and Zuko had helped take care of the people. Her friends had wanted to help Aang but she advised them to stay there.

Katara, however, did not take her own advice, she ran as fast as she could back to where Aang was. And what she saw terrified her, he was battling a tornado! She could do nothing to help him but it looked like he was winning, and right as she ran into the clearing he did win. And she saw him collapse. '_He won the battle but lost the war…'_

Aang was completely passed out; Katara ran to his body and immediately took out her healing water. She moved it over his body until she found where the energy was most stressed: his ankle and, his back, over his scar. Then she realized that Aang's scar looked like it was getting worse. The scar he got after Azula did the unthinkable, killed Aang. Actually, she remembered the last time that Aang had gone in to the Avatar state, he had complained about his scar hurting afterwards. Then she realized, _this scar is affecting Aang more than he knows, it is doing something to his Avatar abilities!_

Katara did as much as she could with her healing powers but Aang didn't make any signs of waking up, after a couple minutes she realized she was silently crying, but she still held on to his seemingly lifeless body. She knew he was not _gone_, but he was in VERY bad shape.

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Toph, was on a mission! She knew that the angelic girl that may or may not have saved her and Aang was not…human. Toph could sense that 'Suri' was a spirit. But what would Aang have to do with a spirit? Was this the girls he had talked about and perhaps the reason that they were staying here?

These questions fueled Toph as she searched the forest. She 'felt' where the girl was and when she got there she found a clearing of the trees

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Sokka didn't know what to do. He loved Suki, for spirits sake he had thought she'd loved him too. She told him every day that she did. Was she lying? He didn't think so, but he had also not _thought_ she would say NO when he popped the question. Now what was Sokka supposed to do? Stop loving her too? Ignore the woman he loved?

_Why Suki? Why did you break my heart?_

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_2 DAYS LATER…_

The first thing he noticed was how sore he was. Aang woke up and immediately wished he had not; every bone and muscle in his body hurt.

"Aang? Aang?" he heard a female voice sound very excited.

"Katara?" he tried to say it but he heard no sound, so he tried again, this time sound came out and he opened his eyes to see Katara and Suki bending over him. Katara had tears in her eyes as she said,

"Oh Aang, you're awake after three days!"

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**So how did ya like it, I thought it was peachy! Press the button, don't be shy, do it, REVIEW AND I WILL GIVE YOU A COOKIE! Oh I have so much planned…muahahahah! **

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