"Any luck?" Tenzin whispered to Zari.

"No. The conditions are" the Prince opened his eyes, "less than ideal."

The cell the two of them were locked in together with Bumi truly wasn't a spiritual place. Going into the Spirit World from there was hard, but somehow Zari managed it. Even if it was just for a few seconds.

"Yeah. I mean, not even I could get to the Spirit World. And I'm the Avatar's son." Tenzin added nervously. He was actually so happy the young firebender was with them, because if he wasn't they would be doomed since Tenzin was beginning to realize no amount of necessity would help him enter the Spirit World. There had to be another way...

"Looks like you're too scared to concentrate today, Tez. " Bumi teased, but then noticed the look on his brother's face, "But it's OK, we understand. Dad will understand. The most important thing is that we got our message out. Now we just wait."

"I really tried to connect again. But I can't." Zari cut in, "And even if I do, there is no guarantee Su will even be there. It's been hours."

No one had anything to add to that so they all just looked around the dimly lit cell, getting lost in their thoughts. Bumi tried to inspect his burned shoulder, but the pain of moving it was too much. He decided to wait for a healer before doing anything with it.

"I'm sorry we were caught." Zari said out of the blue.

"I'm sorry, too." Tenzin added, "But we couldn't have known there would be so many of them. It was out of our hands."

"Yeah, little man." Bumi smiled, "We did the best we could. Let's just hope the others did better than us."

"I just keep thinking about Kya. Her having to go alone..." Tenzin realized his comment might not have been helpful.

"Hey, unlike our sorry selves, Kya can hold her own. And so can Lin. And so can Izumi." Bumi wondered what was happening to the Princess as they were trapped here. He really hoped she was back in Azula's hideout, safe, catching up with everyone. And maybe... Thinking about him.

"But I really am sorry I couldn't blast that guy..." Zari looked at the floor.

"Listen to me..." Bumi wanted to put his hands on the boy's shoulder, but the chains prevented him, "It was wrong of us to leave the whole mission on you. It was too much to ask. Besides... We all know our team is one fantastic bender short because of me."

"But you were hurt because I couldn't focus. I... I shouldn't have even gone. I should have stayed home and kept to my books." Zari said.

"Don't even joke about that!" Bumi raised his voice, "We need you. And I don't mean just the bending. We need that spirit thing you do... And, most of all, you're actually fun to have around. Like a... Little brother I never had."

"Hey!" Tenzin interrupted.

"Face it, Tez, you were never my little brother... You always acted like you're the oldest."

"Well, I can't help being responsible! You act like it's a bad thing..."

"No, it's not," Bumi started, "I just don't want you to miss out."

"On what? Teenage debauchery, like you and Kya? Because not everyone enjoys that, you know..."

"Look, I'm not Mom, or Dad, I'm not gonna tell you what to do, brother. I just see you... Spending every free day studying airbender culture or out on spiritual trips with Dad... Do you even wanna go on those? Or worse yet, spotting a cute girl and immediately thinking about marriage and whether she'd wanna have children... You look like you're under so much pressure... You need to have more fun."

"Fun? Bumi, no offence, but you have no idea what I need." Tenzin got a bit annoyed. His brother, once again taking the liberty to comment on matters he knows nothing about.

"Let's be honest for a moment here, Tez. In the week since we began this adventure, in the week we've been away from home and our parents, you didn't read a line of airbender text, you didn't meditate in the mornings and you loved it! Because, for once, you forgot about some future destiny you must fulfill and you just focused on things happening right now."

He did love it. If he was being honest with himself, Tenzin had to admit this past week left him wondering how he was ever going to settle for his old life again. He was in a good place with his siblings, maybe for the first time since he discovered his airbending. He was dating Lin, which he didn't think was going to fit in well with their normal lives... He sparred with Princess Azula, he went undercover with the Dai Li and he almost saved the world. After all that, the bar was set pretty high.

Tenzin knew he couldn't tell his brother he was right. He had to deny it the best he could, so he prepared to lie when he felt the ground shake slightly. Could it be Lin? Was she coming for him?

"What's happening?" Zari asked as the shaking got more intense.

"That, kiddo, is our salvation." Bumi felt the ground.

"Earthbender army?"

"No, that's just Toph." Bumi smirked.

Outside their cell, the guards were becoming more and more confused as the supposed earthquake didn't seem to be stopping or even calming down. They all hurried to the windows since it looked like the sun suddenly set, when in fact they were just surrounded by a thick vale of fog. When it got thick enough they couldn't really see anything useful through the windows so they started gathering in small groups discussing what to do next. Then the lightning started flashing outside.

Zari heard the thunder and immediately knew it was his mom. There was no doubt about it.

"Hey, officer?" Sokka knocked on his cell door and got one of the guards to open up the metal slot to talk to him.

"That's Team Avatar out there. Now you're finished." Sokka smirked as the man made a scared expression and started running towards the stairs. In fact, many of the guards decided it was a good idea to go outside while they were clearly under an attack. As Toph's quaking got stronger many of them tumbled down the stairs since the ground was not steady enough to stand on.

And those that did make it outside... While Toph, Katara and Azula made sure to completely terrify and confuse the Red Lotus forces, Zuko's job was to wait and take on the ones that made it out.

While the adults took on the Red Lotus, finally, the kids were already inside the prison. Kya basically flooded the whole first floor with sea water, getting rid of all the remaining guards with the help of Izumi, while Lin and Su ran through the prison bending the metal doors open.

The Beifong sisters were in a hurry and Kya took it upon herself to heal any prisoner that had been hurt so when they finally met up with their parents again, they realized none of them saw the people they actually came here for.

Just as Katara was getting ready to run into a hallway full of distraught prisoners, they saw Mai come from around the corner.

"They're fine, they're all fine." she said, seeing the worried look on Katara's face, "They just stayed back to help some people."

As soon as he saw her, Zuko ran to his wife, only to stop just a step away.

"Hey, you." Mai sad, seeing him just stare at her like a lovesick idiot. Spirits, she missed his stupid face. She kissed him and later pulled Izumi in for a group hug.

Azula really wanted to talk to her old friend. She really did, but right now, the only thing she could do was stare at that corner... And then she saw him. Zari, half-burned cuffs still attached, running towards her with a big smile on his face. She crouched down so he'd run right into her arms.

"I wasn't even scared... I knew you'd come to get me." Zari said, still holding onto his mother.

"Neither was I." Azula lied. She was happy everyone else was too preoccupied with reunion hugs and kisses to notice her wipe away two tears from her cheeks.

"Mai, can I just say-"Azula tried to speak to her former friend, but was interrupted.

"Azula, I just want to say it's good to see you alive and not crazy." Mai said, "Izumi tells me nothing but how good you've treated her."

"Yes, I was hoping we don't ever have to drag our children into what- Excuse me." Azula turned away from Mai and to Zari who was pulling her sleeve. He didn't have to say a word to her, she immediately knew what he wanted.

"Zuko, I would like you to meet my son, Zari." she said, resting her hands on her boy's shoulders.

He gave her another look.

"Prince Zari." she corrected herself. Since he was finally satisfied with the introduction, Zari stepped forward and bowed to the Fire Lord.

"Come here, nephew!" Zuko smiled and pulled the boy in for a hug. Even Azula couldn't keep herself from smiling, seeing how Zari's eyes lit up.

Next one from the hallway was Sokka, helping an elderly woman walk. The first one to run to him was Katara, but as soon as Lin gave her a little tap on the shoulder, Su was running to greet him too. Sokka beamed as soon as he saw the little girl coming and he was ready when she reached him to lift her up and spin her around in the air.

"Sokka!" Su's voice was the definition of excitement, even when he stopped spinning her and just held her in a tight hug, "Put me down, silly!"

He laughed, but didn't let her go yet. Instead he pulled Lin to him, wanting her too feel included too. Spirits, he couldn't live without either of them...

"No, no! What do you think you're doing, Meathead?" Toph objected when she felt Sokka let go of the girls and was heading in her direction. She could have prevented it with earthbending, but she didn't. He hugged her, too.

"My hero." he said in a girly voice. And she laughed. She could pretend all she wanted, he felt her return the hug. She missed him.

"How are the voices?" Zuko whispered to his little sister while they were both watching Zari and Su share experiences about the Spirit World.

"They're quiet." Azula said.

The next one from around the corner was Bumi, again wearing his Unite Forces jacket, which has honestly seen better days. As soon as she spotted him, Katara prepared to run to her son, but stopped when she saw Izumi had beaten her to it. The Princess put her hands around Bumi's neck and put her lips on his, before anyone could react, even Bumi.

"Don't." Azula and Mai both simultaneously held Zuko back. They were surprised too, but they couldn't let him ruin this moment for his daughter.

Spirits, that kiss lasted a while...

"Agh!" Bumi let out a whimper when his lips were finally free from Izumi's, "It's my shoulder, it was hurt."

"Oh, I'm sorry." the Princess pulled back, not wanting to cause him any more pain.

"Don't be. It was worth it." Bumi smirked before his mother finally walked over and stood between them.

"I'm sorry I have to interrupt. Let me see that... Oh, Spirits, Bumi, how long ago did this happen?" Katara complained while taking off Bumi's jacket to get a look at his wound.

"We'll talk later, OK?" he told Izumi, trying to make eye contact over his mother's shoulder. She nodded. His injuries had to come first.

Since Izumi wasn't really interested in what her parents had to say, she turned around avoiding eye contact and then swiftly walked over to Kya, pretending she wanted to tell her something. Everyone was still a bit shocked when Tenzin came from the hallway, helping a man with a broken leg move.

Katara took over the care for the injured man immediately so Tenzin was free to receive Kya's big, suffocating hug.

"I'm fine..." Tenzin mumbled before receiving a cheek kiss from his big sister. He had to face it, he was always going to be the family baby.

He looked over to Lin and saw such distress in her eyes... And it was all because of him. He wanted nothing more than to run over and hold her until that look was gone. But he couldn't. Everyone was there.

Lin wanted more than anything to put her hands around him, just to prove he was really here. That he was really OK after everything. But she didn't.

Su eventually caught them exchanging pained glances, but remembered it was supposed to be a big secret. She was actually proud she was the one entrusted with that important information and not someone older.

"Aren't you even gonna say hello to Lin? I thought you like her?" Bumi blurted out before realizing what he just revealed to the whole room.

"Shush, Bumi!" Tenzin said through his teeth as his face turned red. And that would have probably been the end of that if Su didn't add:

"Wait, you told him, too?"

"Told you what?" Katara directed her focus to Bumi.

"Nothing, Mom." Tenzin said, a bit more loudly than necessary.

"Oh, Spirits..." Toph couldn't listen to it any longer, "Those two have been canoodling behind our backs!"

"Tenzin?" Katara turned to her other son.

"Wait, how does Mom know suddenly?" Su asked.

"Mom, why?" Lin was beginning to blush too.

"Oh, if you wanted it to be a secret you wouldn't have told Su." Toph defended herself.

"Hey!" Su objected.

"Wait, did everyone know except me?" Bumi asked.

"I found out." Su answered.

"And I told Mom." Lin said.

"I knew." Azula cut in, "It was easy to deduce, really... I can't help it sometimes."

"And she told me." Zari confessed.

"And he told me." Izumi said.

"Wait, so I really am the only one?" Bumi asked.

"No, I had no idea." Kya finally said something, "Why, Tez? Why wouldn't you tell us?"

Tenzin looked at Lin's embarrassed face and realized this was exactly what she was trying to protect their relationship from. This drama-filled, police-grade interrogation.

"We just didn't want to move the focus away from the mission." he lied and everyone seemed at least somewhat convinced, because they all cleared a path between the two teens. A few seconds later they met in an embrace somewhere in the middle. Tenzin placed a gentle kiss on Lin's forehead.

Most of the remaining guards made their way off the island long before the prisoners were freed, but that meant most of the boats were gone. And since that was the largest prison Team Avatar was faced with a problem. Even with two bison it was going to be a long process, especially since the animals needed rest from time to time. All things considered, they were stuck on that island for the time being. Again.

"Can we talk?" Azula pulled Kya aside at one point.

"Sure." Kya agreed and followed the woman outside for a chat. She was a getting a bit tired from all the healing she'd done today.

"About that letter..." Azula stared once they were alone.

"I'm not mad." Kya interrupted.

"I know. But I want you to hear me say I really didn't mean any of it. Not a single letter. It was all made up for a specific purpose. Purely fiction."

"I understand. I'll admit, it was hard to read."

"I would hate it if you-" Azula suddenly stopped talking and diverted her glance to something behind Kya. She turned around immediately to see what was so shocking.

"Dad!" Kya ran and jumped into her father's arms like she was five years old again. Whatever. She didn't care. She was just so happy to see him.

"Hello, Sweet Pea." Aang smiled up to the point he saw Azula standing there, a few feet from them. Then he let go of Kya and tried to gently push her behind him.

"No, Dad! She's on our side!" Kya pulled his hand back.

"Avatar. We meet again." Azula tried to manage a benevolent smile.

"What are you talking about, Kya?" Aang asked.

"She helped us. She saved us!" the girl insisted, "Go ask your wife."

"The Avatar's here." Azula found Zuko looking at his wife and daughter talk from afar.

"That's great news." he smiled.

"Aren't you going to go hug it out or something?" she teased.

"No, we aren't that cheesy... And he should really have some time with his family first."

"Understandable." Azula turned to leave.

"Wait, I... I wanted to talk to you about what we'll do after this is over."

"What is there to talk about?"

"I want you to come live with us, Azula. That palace is your home, too."

"It used to be my home. It hasn't been for a long time. I agreed to let Zari visit you, but after that he's coming back home to me."

"Can't you just consider-"

"No, Zuzu, I won't. I don't need you taking care of me or feeling sorry for me."

"I know, I know... What if I told you I needed you back?"

Azula let out a small chuckle discarding his words.

"I'm serious, Azula." he continued, "I've been looking for a capable main advisor for years. And I have never met someone more fitting for the job. You're the best at strategizing. You know the Fire Nation's history and capabilities better than anyone alive. I really do need you. The Fire Nation needs you."

"Fine, I'll do it. But no doctors. And I get to walk away any time if I feel like it." she demanded.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Mom, would you please drop it already?" Bumi was alone with his mother while she tended to his burn, so he couldn't get away when she started discussing his love life. It was true that Izumi made it public knowledge when she kissed him earlier, but that didn't mean everyone's opinion on the matter was welcome.

"I'm simply trying to remind you that you have to get back to your unit soon, for who knows how long. And Izumi's life is in the Fire Nation. All things considered..."

"All things considered I like her." Bumi interrupted, "And she likes me. That has to be enough."

"Oh, to be young and believe in things like that..." Katara smiled at him.

"Young? You were fourteen when you met the man you'd marry. I'm twenty-one."

"That was... I was always serious for my age."

"Like Tenzin?" Bumi chuckled.

Katara immediately started explaining something, but Bumi didn't hear a word of it since he saw his dad entering the room. Katara had her back turned to the door so she couldn't see him and just kept talking. Aang gave Bumi a signal to keep quiet and slowly walked closer to his wife. Then he blew some air in her direction, messing up her hair a bit.

"Tenzin! What do you think you're-" Katara turned slowly and let out a small scream when she saw Aang was right behind her. She immediately jumped into his arms.

"I thought... I thought I'd lost you! When Appa came back alone I thought you were..." Katara cried into his shoulder.

"I love you." Aang kissed the top of her head and then looked over to Bumi, "All of you. What happen, son?"

"Oh, this... Nothing. I jumped in front of a fire blast to save a child's life. What anyone would do really..." Bumi started.

"Where's Tenzin?" Aang asked and then immediately went to look for him after Katara showed him the direction.

"He didn't mean it. He's happy to see all of you." Katara said, seeing Bumi's pained expression.

"It's fine. He can go see Tenzin."

"I'm sure he'll love to hear your story later." Katara cupped Bumi's face in her hands. She had a habit of doing this whenever they were having a serious talk.

"It's like he said." she continued, "He loves all of us so much. But he has too much on his mind, he sometimes has to prioritize. But I'll always be here if you need someone to nag you."