When Hatred turned to Love (ATLA Zuko x OC)

Chapter Thirteen - The Great Divide

"Here it is, guys, the Great Divide!" Aang said.

"Wow, I could just stare at it forever!" Katara said amazed.

"Okay, I've seen enough," Sokka said turning around.

"How can you not be fascinated, Sokka?" Katara asked "This is the largest Canyon in the entire world,"

"Then I'm sure we'll be able to very clearly see from the air while we fly away," Sokka said.

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But that's not how it really happened. Two tribes one fighting the other showed up in need to pass through the Canyon as well. Aang and Iris made sure they'd share the Canyon Guider letting the older and sick people fly to the other side on Appa. While passing through the Canyon a Canyon Crawler attacked hurting the old man that was supposed to help get them to the other side leaving the two siblings to take care of the two Tribes' safety.

"Sokka, you go with the Zhengs, Katara you go with the Gun-Jings, Iris will stay with me. See if you can find out why they hate each other so much," Aang said and everyone nodded in agreement taking separate ways.

Night came easily and the sun started hiding behind the mountains of the horizon. The two Tribes set to camp and Aang with Iris remained on a cliff some meters away.

"Sure it would be nice to be sitting around those campfires," Aang said resting his chin on his hands looking towards them.

"It's okay, Aang, besides you have me," Iris said placing her hand on her brother's shoulder smiling. He turned and looked at her with a wide smile on his face.

He placed his hand on hers and he said "There's no one else I would ever wanna be with," He sat beside her crossing his legs and he continued "But you're way different than back then,"

She raised an eyebrow and she shrugged "Well, I'm three years older,"

"No, I didn't mean that what I mean is..." He hesitated and he bit his lip trying to find a word to describe it. She was no longer the innocent fifteen-year-old girl she was back then. "...you are... darker," he finally managed to say.

She didn't say anything and she took her gaze away from her brother's. He was right and that change was only visible to him. She was of course 'darker' after everything she had seen and everything she'd been through the last years. She was no longer the innocent little girl Aang remembered.

"I've been through a lot, Aang," she said sadly.

He clenched his fists. He was smart enough to realize that everything that might have happened to her was because of the war. He couldn't help but accuse himself. He had heard her mentioning that she had been in a Fire Nation prison. "I'm sorry," he said.

"What are you apologizing for?" She asked.

"If I hadn't run away..." he tried to say looking away as well.

"Aang, it's okay," She said and she placed her hand on his making him turn and look at her.

"No, it's not. They had you, didn't they?!" Aang asked angrily.

"It doesn't matter-" She tried to say but she stopped when she noticed that he was pushing the sleeve of her left hand off. He had probably noticed the scar of the chains around her wrist. She immediately pushed the sleeve back against his hand.

"Let me see it," He insisted. She couldn't stop him, she knew it. She had seen that look in his eyes so determined... she sighed and she pulled her other hand behind. Aang eventually pushed the sleeve back again revealing the old scar around her wrist. He tried to choke his tears and replace them with anger. "What did they do to you?" he asked angrily and worriedly and he looked at her.