Blood Matters

The western air temple

It took the girls half of the day trying to find Aang, they looked through the insides of the temple until Sokka called them out seeing he was flying around through the cliffs with momo.

Sokka jumped on appa and the girls climbed on the saddle immediately trying to catch up.

"Aang Wait!" Sokka cried out.

"Slow down or I'll shoot you down!" Azula called as Aang was ignoring them.

"Aang can we talk about you learning firebending now?" Katara called back rolling her eyes.

"What's that? The wind is to loud to hear you!" Aang called back. Azulas fist bursted in blue flames but Katara shook her head.

"Check our this loop!" Aang laughed back as he did tricked in front of them but far enough that they couldn't catch up.

"Aang I think we should be making some plans about the future!" Sokka whined.

"Okay we can do that while I show you the giant pai sho table," Aang landed on the ground again as they followed him and got off before Aang could escape again.

"Oh and your going to love the all day echo chamber," he beamed brightly at them.

"I think there's more important things to handle," Toph said and pointed back behind appa as the bison moved.

Zuko was walking over running a hand through his hair. He looked up seeing everyone looking at him already in shock.

"Uhh hello... Zuko here," he waved awkwardly.

"You're okay!" Azula gasped running to him and threw her body against his as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Yea I'm fine, you're okay too," Zuko smiled hugging her back tightly.

"Where's uncle " he looked around confused.

"He wasn't there," Azula whispered looking down.

Zuko let go as he looked at the others.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

"We couldn't find Ozai, the fire nation was a step ahead," Sokka told him as Zuko looked at them confused.

"Uh... I saw Ozai..." he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Did you kill him?" Aang asked wide eyes.

"No..." he shook his head.

"I have to talk to you," Zuko grabbed azulas wrist.

"Why?" Sokka asked confused.

"It's person," he said calmly.

"Zuko if it's going to help us-" "it's not," Zuko cut Katara off as azula held onto his arm wanting to know what he had to say.

"Anything Ozai says can help us Zuko," Aang tried and Zuko shook his head.

"It's about our mother," he said flatly as azula froze.

"She might be alive, grandfather never killed her, she committed treason before Ozai could kill me," Zuko looked at azula calmly as she covered her mouth.

"She was banished," he gulped.

"She's alive?" Azula whispered.

"We have to find her," Azula grabbed his wrist but he shook his head.

"No, not now... Aang will you let us stay and help you end this war? I know we said we've leave after the invasion but..." Zuko was lost for words as he looked down at his feet.