Chapter 1: Will it ever stop?

The Fire Nations assault on the Northern Water Tribe had finally subsided. The Fire Nation was gone, and Water Benders and Water Tribe Warriors alike were taking part in the reconstruction of their city. Amazingly, the royal palace had remained untouched, but a room would remain vacant. During the battle, the Spirit of the Moon was killed. Years ago, when Princess Yue was born, the Spirit of the Moon gave her life. When the Moon died, Yue gave her life. Now, the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe sat on the stars of his palace and stared with tear flooded eyes at the one who saved his tribe: Aang. Will it ever stop? He asked, thinking of the Fire Nations raid. "Only he can save us, but he is just a child."

"He's not just a child." His wife spoke as she sat besides him. "He has the wait of the world on his shoulders. It is his destiny to save the world from the Fire Nation, but will it ever stop?"

The Chief looked at his wife with saddened eyes. "I knew this day would come."

"What are you talking about?" His wife asked.

"The Spirit of the Moon shoed me a vision the day Yue opened her eyes." He spoke, reminiscing of the day their daughter was born. "The Spirit of the Moon showed me a vision of a beautiful woman with white hair that had ascended from our Oasis and became the Spirit of the Moon. I never knew it was our Yue until today, but I knew this day would come."

"Why had you never told me this before?" His wife spoke. He expected her eyes to be filled with sorrow or rage, but instead, they were filled with curiosity. "She was my flesh, my blood. Why had you never told me of this vision?"

"I didn't understand it." He spoke softly. His wife embraced him. His eyes slowly filled with tears as he cried into her shoulder. "My baby girl, she's gone." He sobbed into her arms.

While her husband sobbed in her arms, she stared off at that Avatar. He's too young to have to go through this alone. I hope for his sake, this all stops. She thought to herself.

Aang stood in Katara's embrace, staring at the rising son. Will it ever stop? He thought to himself. He had just been forced to unleash a powerful force upon the Fire Nation Invaders, killing several of them. His job was to protect the world, but all he was good at was bringing the Fire Nation to wherever he was. "We should get going." Katara spoke, slowly letting go of Aang.

"Get Appa ready." He spoke remorsefully. "I'll be there in a minute."

Katara released him. Slowly she walked away, still watching him. She headed towards the Oasis where she left Appa, Sokka, and Zuko's uncle, General Iroh. Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing Aang. I love him, but will he ever be able to love me? She thought. Will it ever stop? Will the Fire Nation ever leave him be? She knew the answer to that; they all did. Until Aang could stop the Fire Nation, or the Fire Nation captured him, they wouldn't stop. Katara swallowed her tears and ran back to the Oasis.

"She's gone now." Aang spoke, still staring out to the sun. From behind frozen Fire Nation tank, Prince Zuko emerged.

"How did you know I was here, Avatar?" Zuko asked.

"I was just one with the Spirit of the Sea. It still speaks with me. It told me you were near by." Aang replied. Slowly he turned to look at Zuko, the one who started the Fire Nations obsession with him. "That and I could smell burning flesh." Aang stared at Zuko's newest burns. Aang walked closer to Zuko. "What do you want from me?"

"It's complicated." Zuko replied, standing his ground.

Aang continued to walk closer to him. "Complicated?" He began with every still walking closer to him. "Complicated? Complicated is being the Avatar. Complicated is being a bridge to the Spirit World. Complicated is trying to master all four elements while the Fire Nation is hunting you down." Aang now stood inches away from Zuko. "What you want from me is not complicated. It's simple. Just tell me." Zuko stared down at Aang. Aang's young eyes were filled with much sadness, much grief, yet Zuko couldn't help releasing his soul to the Avatar. "So you want to use me, just like everyone else." Aang spoke in a soft, hurt voice.

"That's not all I want." Zuko spoke, lifting up Aang's chin.

"Then what do you want from me?" Aang spoke, his eyes filled with some distant yearning.

"That is complicated." Zuko spoke.

"Is it as complicated as the fact that I really and truthfully like the one person who started hunting me in order to regain his status in the Fire Nation!" Aang exploded. As soon as he realized what he just said, his eyes widened with fear.

Zuko stared at Aang, surprised with the words that the Avatar just exploded. As Aang realized the words that just slipped past his mouth, he took off in a sprint back to the Oasis. "Yeah, it is that complicated." Zuko spoke softly as Aang opened his glider and flew off. Will it ever stop? Zuko asked himself as he turned around and repelled down the city wall.

Within moments, Aang arrived in the Oasis. Appa was all ready loaded up and Sokka was at the reigns. Aang landed gracefully in Appa's carrier. "Zuko's alive, Iroh. He's waiting for you in the outer walls of the city." Aang spoke as he curled up into a little ball with his back to Katara. "We can bring you to him if you'd like."

"That would be much appreciated, Avatar." Iroh spoke as he climbed onto the gigantic flying bison. He took a seat in the carrier opposite Katara. "Why are you still so kind to us, Avatar?" He asked as the bison launched itself into the air.

"Because you're a person, and it's my duty as the Avatar to protect you." Aang spoke, his eyes still at his feet.

"This is still much appreciated, Avatar." He spoke.

"My name is Aang." Aang spoke remorsefully.

The rest of the flight was silent. A boat awaited Iroh at the entrance to the city; Zuko was on the deck. Water Benders surrounded the ship, ready to defend their kingdom. Appa got closer to the boat, close enough for Iroh to join his nephew. "Until we meet again, Avatar," Iroh began once he had landed. "Thank you, but do not think for a moment that this means you are free to go forever. We will capture you in the name of the Fire Lord Ozai."

Aang looked up and watched Zuko as Iroh spoke. "Yeah, I'm sure." He spoke. Something inside of him stirred when Zuko locked eyes with him. He wasn't quite sure, but Aang thought that Zuko smiled at him. It was a small smile, but still, Aang couldn't help but smile back. Suddenly he felt Katara's eyes burning in the back of his head. Aang's smile quickly vanished and he returned to his same curled up position. "Let's go."

Appa took off with great speed back south. Aang knew where he was going now; the Earth Kingdom. Aang still had to learn Earth Bending and Fire Bending before summers end. Will it ever stop? Aang thought to himself.

As the giant, flying bison took off to the south; Zuko couldn't help staring after it. "Why are we letting him go, Uncle?" He asked Iroh, who was standing next to him.

"Because you owe your life to him, and the world owes him everything for doing everything he could to protect the Spirit of the Moon." Iroh spoke watching his uncle. "Your thoughts aren't impure, Zuko."

"What?"

"I understand your new desire for the Avatar." Iroh spoke. "You don't want him simply to regain your Fire Nation status, do you?"

"What do you know?" Zuko yelled as he stormed off to his quarters below.

Will it ever end? Iroh thought as he watched his nephew storm off. Will this obsession ever stop?

Zuko had locked himself into a room he claimed as his own. It was barley lit by scattered candles until Zuko lit the remaining candles. Now the room was a shade of red. In the corner of the room, Zuko found an untouched bed. He removed his snow covered clothes and changed into something dryer. After he changed, he walked over to the bed in the corner and tried to fall asleep.

His mind raced with thoughts of the Avatar. Will it ever stop? He asked himself as the memory of the most recent encounter flashed into his mind. I wish it would stop.