AN: Okie-dokie, here's the rewritten version of the prologue! I just want to say hello to all my new readers and give a welcome back to all my old ones (if any of you are prone to rereading stories like am that is!), I hope all of you, new and old readers, enjoy this new version of the story!

DISCLAIMER FOR THE WHOLE STORY: I own NOTHING you may recognize as belonging to the creators of AtlA, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, nor am I a writer for Nickelodeon. This story was written for my sister's and my own entertainment a little over a year ago and has since expanded into one of my most well done pieces on this site. Any OCs that pop up belong to me unless stated otherwise in an author's note. Enjoy!

PS - AND AS A SIDE NOTE, I AM GOING TO ADD THAT, YES, THIS STORY IS PRETTY MUCH A NOVELIZATION OF THE ACTUAL EPISODES WITH AN OFC THROWN IN. EACH CHAPTER IS A QUITE DETAILED VERSION OF THE INDIVIDUAL EPISODE IS NAMED AFTER. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS FACT, well you can just hit that pretty little arrow button in the left hand corner of your screen. Thank you.

Dark brows furrowed in concentration and molten orange eyes narrowed at the pudgy brown fingers that were being held up in front of a cherubic face that was twisted with childish vexation. The young girl-child the pudgy digits and plump face belonged to pursed her lips and puffed out her cheeks, her brows furrowing further as she continued to glare at the offending fingers held up at eye level until a brief flicker of flame appeared at the tips of each chubby finger.

"What are you doing, Pupil Xiaodan?"

The young girl yelped and jerked her eyes upward, the small wispy flames that had been dancing around her fingertips flickering out as soon as her concentration was lost, "Monk Gyattho!" She exclaimed in surprise, her young voice lisping endearingly, as she clasped her small hands in front of her chest and stared up at the serene old man from behind the messy white hair hanging in front of her face, "Good morning, Thifu!"

The bald monk smiled down at the young girl-child, the innocence in her brilliant orange eyes warming him fatherly affection. He reached out a wrinkled hand and gently brushed the shaggy mess of white locks back to reveal her plump features, "Practicing, young one?"

"Of courthe, Thifu." The young girl, Xiaodan, lisped proudly with a sweet smile and she rocked back on her heels, clasping her hands behind her back, "I almoth had for a full five theconds!"

"That is quite the accomplishment, young one. I am very proud of you." Monk Gyatso praised the young female bender, his smile widening when she beamed up at him with a pleased expression, "Now, come with me child, there is someone I'd like you to meet."

"Oh, yeth pleathe!" Liquid reddish-yellow eyes widened with excitement and Xiaodan bounced on the balls of her feet enthusiastically while Monk Gyatso looked on in amusement. She paused her excited bouncing to stare up at the elderly monk with a perplexed, but excited, expression, "Who ith it?"

Gyasto held out a wrinkled and calloused hand for the four year old girl to take, gently leading her back into the great temple the Southern Air Nomads called their home when she placed her little hand in his, "You will be meeting my new charge, Pupil Xiaodan. He was born only a few days ago."

Xiaodan swung their joined hands gently as they walked, the expression on her young face thoughtful as she peered up at the monk who was like a father to her, "Your new charge? Doeth that mean he'th like my brother?"

"If that is what you wish, young one." Monk Gyatso replied easily as he led the young girl into the temple nursery where all infant Airbenders stayed, "I think young Aang would like that very much."

"Aang?" Xiaodan mumbled to herself, coming to a stop beside the elderly monk when he stopped walking and she looked up at him with raised brows, "Ith that my new brother'th name?" Monk Gyatso nodded in confirmation and the young girl smiled happily, "I like it."

Gyatso smiled back at her then gestured for one of the patiently waiting priestesses to come forward. The dark-haired woman smiled serenely as she approached the elderly monk and the white haired young girl, a yellow bundle held securely in her arms. Xiaodan wiggled in place excitedly as the priestess carefully crouched down in front of her so that the young girl could get a better look at the squirming bundle she held in her arms. Gyatso kneeled beside the young girl and gently peeled the blanket away from the bundle, exchanging an amused look with the priestess when Xiaodan gave a quiet squeal of exhilaration.

"Xiaodan," Monk Gyatso said softly, his wise voice full of affection as he gazed between his older charge and his newer one with a small smile, "Meet your new brother, Aang."

The baby cooed and wiggled one chubby arm out of the restricting blanket he was swaddled in, waving his pudgy hand in Xiaodan's direction as he gurgled at her. The four year old girl giggled and gently took the warm, tiny hand in her slightly bigger one.

"Hello," Xiaodan cooed gently as she stroked the back of Aang's hand with her thumb, her orange eyes never leaving his gray ones, "I'm Xiaodan. I'm gonna be your big thithter."

The baby gurgled some more, a toothless smile forming on his chubby face as he squeezed Xiaodan's hand, causing the older child to giggle again. She smiled softly at the baby and leaned down, pressing a small kiss to his forehead.

"He'th perfect, Monk Gyatso." She whispered reverently and she looked up at Gyatso with a determined expression, "I'll be the betht big thithter ever!"

The elderly monk smiled and took her her hand again as he and the priestess stood, the female Air Nomad moving further into the nursery to put baby Aang back in his cradle for a nap.

"I know you will, little one." Gyatso replied affectionately, gently brushing her messy white hair out of eyes where it seemed to perpetually fall, "I know you will."

Xiaodan beamed up at him happily then looked back to where the priestess had disappeared with Aang, where he was no doubt sleeping peacefully in his cradle.

'I swear I'll protect you, little brother. Alwayth.' She thought to herself with the fierce determination of a child.

"Aang!" Xiaodan screamed as the raging storm tossed her off of Appa's back and towards the thrashing water below.

"Xia!" Aang cried out in terror, lunging forward and grasping her hand as he hung off the sky bison's head, "Don't let go!"

"I wasn't planning on it!" She yelled back, trying to mask her fear with sarcasm as she held onto Aang's hand for dear life while her legs in the air.

The wind and rain thrashed the two young Airbenders and sky bison from all sides, screams erupting from Aang and Xiaodan's throats and Appa roared as they were forced into the roiling ocean below without mercy. Xiaodan gasped stupidly when she hit the water, which filled her mouth and lungs before she was able to snap her mouth shut. Blackness began to encroach on her vision as the thrashing ocean pushed her further away from where she could still faintly see Aang and Appa. She gritted her teeth and ignored the darkness slowly covering her eyes as she used the last of her strength to Airbend herself through the water towards her little brother and the sky bison.

She reached Appa first and weaked stretched out her hand, grabbing the reins that floated in front of her then she twisted around and reached for Aang. Her eyes widened in awe as she stared at her brother, watching as his eyes and his arrow tattoos began to flow bluish-white while he seemlessly shifted into the Lotus position and pressed his fists together. As unconciousness began to pull her completely under and her vision was almost entire obscured by darkness, Xiaodan saw a sphere of air swirl outward from her brother and encase him, herself, and Appa. Then everything went black.

Author's Note: Just a quicky note, this is a ZUKO/OFC slow burn romance, that I've tried to make as realistic as possible while keeping in tune with the rather unrealistic aspect of romance you sometimes see in cartoons. Also, Xiaodan is roughly pronounce shi-ah-oh-d'ah-n or shou-dan and yes, she is a dual-bender, but with what I like to think is a bit of an unconventional twist. Anyhooties, I'm done rambling now, so...Yeah, I hope y'all liked the edited prologue!