AN: Hey! I'm back! Wow, in the last update I told you it would be summer soon and that I would be able to update more frequently, yet half the summer's already gone by and this is the first. Just so you guys know, I've spent this time at my grandparent's house and I just got back last night. But look at that! I got right to work didn't I!

I'll wait to post the prequel (once again - no idea how to spell!) until i finish this, with special thanks to the most excellent point made by Jordancatgirl7.

Btw - I'm not done adding my OC's! None of my future one's will ever be as awesome as the twins, Layla, and Ruhuo, but what the hay! Oh and I'm going to add a big twist later too!

More about Layla's past in this chapter!

Chapter Nineteen: Memories Not Forgotten

"En - engaged?"

Ruhuo stood in shock. Eleven years had gone by, and all he had dreamed about in that time was seeing his siblings again (and becoming a master firebender, but that doesn't apply here). Now he finds one of his friends, his arms wrapped around his sister, telling him that they were going to be wed.

But, being the good brother he was, he tried to lighten the mood.

Ruhuo gave Hanu and Layla a fake smile before throwing an arm around his sister's shoulder. "Well, when's the wedding?"

The couple looked first to eachother, then to Ruhuo, then back to eachother again.

"We don't know, huo jie." Layla told her only brother. "We've been engaged for almost two years now."

"Hmm... What's been putting it off?"

Layla averted her gaze, stirring up Ruhuo's curiosity. "Things..."

Seeing his love's obvious discomfort Hanu decided to change the topic. "So, do you have a place to stay for the night, Layla?"

"Um... Not exactly."

Azula saw her chance to step in and she grabbed it. "Then you must stay aboard my ship! There is an extra room."

That settled it, and the four raced back to the ship. (Azula won, even though she had to hold up her kimono to do so.)

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Her whole body ached: her head, her arms, her feet. Whether it was from the lack of sunlight, or the lack of food, or even the lack of a human face, she didn't know.

Then came the one voice she had hoped never to hear again.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Although his face was engulfed in shadows, she could tell who it was. She snarled and flailed her legs, trying to firebend, but this only product was a weak, pathetic flame. The chains binding her legs and pinning her arms to the wall ratted as she lunged at him.

"Is this what you have been reduced to Layla - a chained animal? You're definately thier child."

"What do you want?" Layla spat.

"Can an uncle not pay a visit to his imprisoned niece?" His voice was cold; mocking.

"Not when the uncle is you."

"Now, now, would your father want you talking to your elders that way?"

"My father isn't here."

"Niether, dare I say, is your mother." Layla stayed silent. "And do you know why? Because she was a traitor; a waste of life; because she is dead."

Layla couldn't remain silent, nor could she stop the tears welling in her eyes. Yet her voice remained strong. "Because she followed her heart! Because she did what was right! Because you killed her!"

"Keep talking like that, Layla, and - "

"She was your sister damnit!" Layla screamed, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. "She was your sister, and you killed her! You murdered her!"

She hadn't seen the hand coming, and if she had she wouldn't have cared.

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Layla sat up, gasping for air. But it didn't come so easily, for her sobs denied it. She didn't realize that she had screamed, and at the moment, she didn't really care.

Ruhuo was in the door within seconds of hearing his sister's cries, and just as soon was she wrapped in his embrace.

"Shh... It's alright, Layla, it was just a nightmare."

"N - no, it wasn't!" She shouted in between sobs.. "H - he killed her! ...He k - killed her! He m - murdered her! He - He mutillated her!"

Ruhuo gazed at her for a long time. "Who, Layla?" He asked calmly.

"Z - Zhao!"

"And who did Zhao kill, Layla?"

There was a long pause as Layla unsuccessfully tried to calm herself. "M - Mom! Zhao killed mom! He killed h - his own sister!"

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Azula had been standing at the door, listening to every word the two said.

No. No, this can't be...

She backed away from the door as Ruhuo tried to comfort his sister, and and half jogged to the deck. She welcomed the fresh air, and leaned on the rail as she pondered what she had heard.

"Zhao killed his sister, which just so happens to be Ruhuo's mother." She whispered to herself. "How could I have ever loved a man like that?"

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AN: Yay! Azula is forgetting Zhao! (Although the surprise in chapter 21 or 22 may make it harder) Yes, Zhao is the siblings' uncle, and he killed his own younger sister - so sad :'-(

Just as this chapter focussed on Azula, Layla and Ruhuo, the next chapter will focus on the twins and Aang and the gang plus two... (Sorta)

I am way - and I mean WAY behind on this story. In this story :

1.) Zuko hasn't cut his hair yet.

2.) Toph hasn't been introduced.

3.) Accoding to a piece of paper I recently found that dates back to January, I should already be to chapter 30 by now...

1 of these will probably happen in the next chapter.

As always,

- JAAF