•seven years ago•

Aang sat at the top of the trees as his little island moved through the ocean but he had no idea where he was. He didn't know how long he's been at sea. He put himself in the spirit world every day to connect with the spirits and the lion turtle he traveled on, speaking to Roku for advice but it was no help.

Suddenly momo sat on top of aangs head that now also had hair that covered just almost half his arrow on his forehead. He tried to pull his lemur off but momo kept pulling at his cheek almost as if he was trying to get the avatars attention.

"Momo stoooop I'm trying to meditate," aang shooed him away but momo pulling on him.

"Momo what's your problem-" he stopped and saw land to the side.

"Holy spirits that's land!" Aang jumped up on the branch with wide eyes.

"Momo let's go!" He floated down to the shell of the lion turtle that he's been calling home.

He grabbed his staff and put momo on his shoulder before taking off to the seas waters, bending ice as a platform and used his air bending to make an air tunnel that moved him forward and took off to the land immediately. Tears in his eyes of excitement to find his friends again, to find them all and make sure they're okay. Hes been so worried.

Aang jumped off the ice and his bare feet landed lightly on the earths sand on the beach, he fell to his knees touching the land with relief. It was real.

"I can earth bend again momo," Aang stomped to move the sand even if it was weak. He had so much to practice once he finds Toph.

"Let's see where we are, we have to find people," he started to walk quickly to the forest behind the sands shore and went on a hunt to find civilians.

The brunette monk walked for a few miles and already was exhausted by the travels. He climbed the trees a few times to try seeing if there was any camp fires or openings of towns. He couldn't even tell if he was in the fire nation or earth kingdom.  He wished he had his staff but somehow he left it behind.

Soon enough he saw the sun was going down and stayed in the trees to sleep till the next day.

He missed appa, he missed all his friends. He still had no idea what made him go in the ocean that night and found himself on a giant lion turtle. And without his staff he had no way to get home without behind lost to sea, his safest option was to stay on the shell till he was sure he'd be able to get back to land. It couldn't have been more than a couple of weeks he was stranded.

The next few days Aang traveled by foot in whatever strange lands he was in, he slept in the trees and found food in the wilderness. He used it as an adventure and stayed optimistic, finding new plants, making friends with other animals he found on the way.

"Momo I hear people!" Aang gasped hearing laughter in the distance.

He started to run as momo flew over his head, he saw a fence just past the forest and used his bending to take him above and stood on top of the fence.

Refugees.

But it confused Aang when it was fire nation refugees. He jumped down and moved his hair enough to cover his arrow more and kept his head down while momo crawled inside his shirt to hide.

He looked around seeing there was a lot of children and teens more than adults. He noticed how a lot of them looked like they came from poverty.

"Excuse me," Aang waved over a boy who seemed more of Sokka and zukos age.

"You okay?" The boy looked more worried.

"I'm not sure where I am, I'm trying to find my friends," he explained keeping his head down.

"Oh your in fujitori, but I guess it's pretty close to hihara, where are your friends?" The boy asked but Aang couldn't help but notice he was missing his arm from the elbow and below.

"Ah don't worry about this I just lost it during sozin's comet," he chuckled but used his short brown cloak to cover his amputation.

"What do you mean? That-that wasn't that long ago," Aang was startled at the casualty, that arm looks well healed and the boy didn't seem to shaken by it.

"I guess it hasn't compared to other things, a lot can happen in a good year," the boy shrugged.

Aang looked at his mortified.

"A year?" He whispered. He lost another year. He was gone for a whole year?

"A bit over a year yea, what you've been hiding in the woods since you heard about it?" The older boy teased.

"I think I'm going to be sick," aang covered his mouth.

"Where's the nearest city?" He asked quietly as a tear fell down his face and his hands were shaking.

"'Kid you should sit first, we'll get you something to drink so you can calm down," the boy set a hand on his shoulder and led Aang to a tent.

Aang was trembling as he started to cry in shock, he was sat on the side and a cloak was set over his shoulders and a hand pulled the hood up to cover his head.

"Here drink some water," the boy knelt down in front of him.

"What's your name?" Aang sniffled wiping his nose.

"Nozu," the boy with bright golden eyes smiled kindly.

"Nozu, what happened since sozins comet? I've been away for a long time," Aang whispered pulling the cloak tighter around him.

"Well I guess that's a loaded question, a lot of the earth kingdom was destroyed into ashes by the Phoenix king, but it effected the fire nation too, I lost my arm when the fire lord Azula sent her troops to find any earth kingdom refugees that might've been hiding in the colonies, I uh I didn't give up where they were hiding so she punished me and others by taking out right hands, that's if your lucky," nozu smiled sadly and looked over his shoulder. Aang looked and saw two other kids that were probably 16 or older, missing their right arms from the elbow.

"It's so we can never respect our own in bows now," he sighed.

"I'm so so so sorry," aang started to cry again.

"It's okay avatar, you can't save everyone," Nozu whispered. Aang looked at him with guilt.

"Are you going to save us now? It's never too late," nozu asked hopeful still.

"I will, I'm going to save all nations from this, what do you know about prince Zuko and the water tribes?" Aang wiped his cheek determined to fix this war again.

"Prince zuko and the others have been traveling back and forth from South Earth kingdom to the colonies to help those like us, one that don't want to be ruled by the Phoenix king, but stuck in the fire nation cause earth benders will kill us," nozu explained to him.

"But no one knows truly where they are cause they lay low till there's a battle," he shrugged a little.

"Where are they known for being again?" Aang asked softly.

—

Weeks went by as Aang traveled across the fire nation using others wagons to travel here and there. He asked around if there was water tribe near by but no one said anything in each village or was met with a disgusted look. He fell asleep under the stars each night alone but prayed for their safety to the spirits.

"Oooh look momo they have papaya here, and I have enough money," Aang gasped as he now wore more covered clothing to hide his tattoos and a headband over his arrow.

"We'll eat good tonight," he licked his lips excitedly.

"Hey i found the woman who maked that necklace you got me," a voice stood out to Aang. He turned around seeing a girl in red with long dark brown hair down her back. She turned her head with a beautiful smile on her face holding up gold jewelry.

Aangs breath was stolen from him as he couldn't believe she was right in front of him.

"Oh no way," the only teen who could have a scar like that walked to her and set his hand on her arm to look.

"I'll buy you a bracelet if you like it," zuko looked down at the jewelers collection and Katara smiled kindly at her.

"It's good to see you kids again," the woman smiled at them.

"I see she liked the anniversary gift?" She teased.

"I had a feeling he had help," Katara laughed lightly as she wrapped her arms around zukos.

They chatted with the lady and Aang felt himself being pulled to go see them. To go be with them. He wanted to see his friends let them know he's ok. He's here.

"Kata-" Aang went to open his mouth but was frozen when he saw Zuko press a gentle kiss to Kataras lips, and she stood on her toes to kiss back.

"Come on we have to get back to camp," Zuko smiled down at her with only love on his face.

Katara agreed but felt eyes watching her. She turned around to make sure they weren't being followed.

No one was there.

"You coming Tara?" Zuko asked concerned.

"Yea I'm coming sweetie," she shook her head and grabbed his hand.

Aang covered his face as he hid behind a wall, holding in a small cry of heart break seeing the girl of his dreams, a girl he has been in love with, his forever girl... she was with someone he thought of as family. They were together. He couldn't believe it. He was gone for a year and his two best friends were together.

Aang heard them leaving as Katara burst out laughing and Zuko was laughing lightly gripping her hand in his. He swallowed back his sorrows and got back to follow them. See where the others may be and to come find them.

"Hey wait tophs close," Zuko pulled his hand back and Katara looked sad when they stopped.

"We'll go for a sunrise stroll tomorrow don't worry," he kissed her forehead seeing the disappointment.

"Yea we better," she smiled.

"Ugh I just wish we didn't have to hide, it's exhausting," katara pushed him away and he smiled a little.

"Doesn't seem like tophs onto us so if she doesn't know there's no way Sokka and Suki know," Zuko walked side by side with her.

"We'll tell them eventually right?" He asked softly.

"Of course, i do like having our relationship private though, no pressure no expectations," she sighed placing her head on his shoulder.

"One day," zuko hummed. He felt eyes on them and looked over his shoulder confused if someone was near, he saw nothing but said nothing if it worried his girlfriend.

Aang hid behind a bush as he sat in the grass, his eyes down but he didn't cry, he was empathetic in his heart to their relationship. He wondered how fresh the relationship was, if that's why they kept it a secret.

He waited for them to be further away and got back up with a sad look on his face.

Maybe it wasn't his time to return as their avatar.