Falling for the Enemy (Sun and Moon Book 1)

Chapter 57 - Storm

"Where did this even come from?!"

"I don't know! But we've got to land! Now! I can't keep up this air shield much longer!"

Appa growled loudly, agreeing with Aang's words.

"There!" Hakoda pointed through the lashing rain and raging winds. "There's a waterfall. It's got to go to a river and that means a valley! There might be caves!"

Aang just nodded and steered Appa down. Already the winds were tearing at his shield- if they didn't land soon he'd los-

"aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The scream tore from all of their throats as a fresh gust tore through Aang's shield, and Appa went spinning down into the grip of the violent storm.

Sokka tried to hold onto Suki but she flew away from him, down into the storm. He screamed her name, calling for Aang to help, but they were falling and his own grip was failing- and then two glowing orbs appeared through the darkness, and Aang's arrows lit up.

And they were flying towards a shape in the distance, heading straight down into the arms of nature. Sokka closed his eyes and prayed.

**__**

"Mommy, why's it so loud outside?"

I set down my cup of tea and stroke her coal-black hair off her forehead. We're in the tavern- everyone else has cleared out and gone home because of the storm, but Lia wanted tea so we came downstairs and lit up the lanterns.

"Because it's storming, sweetheart. Storms make lots of noise."

"Oh. Can we go out in it?"

"No! We don't want to get blown away, do we?"

"Uh uh. But maybe I could bend the rain and we'd be fi-"

"I'm sure we could bend the rain, but we can't bend air, so we'd still get blown away."

"Oh." With a sigh she goes back to sipping her tea, and I hide a smile. I kind of want to go out into the storm, myself, but I won't put Lia in that kind of danger.

It hurts, though, because her dark blue eyes look so sad, and I hate it when she's sad. So I start tickling her.

She starts, then laughs.

"Stop it! Mommy!" She tickles me back, and in moments we're rolling on the floor gasping with laughter.

"My tummy hurts!"

"Mine too!"

But we don't stop laughing. It feels so good to laugh. I was right- a little girl was exactly what I needed to get my mind off... him.

Amber eyes flash through my mind, and my laughter leaves. I roll onto my side and stare at the scarred floorboards. Lia crawls over me and curls up beside me.

"What's wrong, mommy?"

"Nothing, sweetheart. I'm just tired, that's all. What say we go to bed?"

"Do we have to?"

I laugh, wincing as it hurts my stomach. "Yes, Lia, we have to."

"Oh. Okay." I stand and pull her up with me. My hair has come out of its careful braid, and I plait it again quickly. Lia holds her arms up to me.

"Up, mommy! Up!"

I chuckle and swing her up into my arms, rubbing my nose against hers. She laughs and tugs on my braid as I head for the stairs.

Just then the door slams open and wind and leaves thrash through the room, blowing me back a step and pelting me with icy drops of rain. I hold Lia closer and step towards the door to close it, when it closes itself. When the lanterns have stopped flickering and I've pulled Lia's hair out of my eyes, I see that four people stand in the doorway, soaked and shivering. And on second look... no, it can't be, it can't be...

"Aang? Sokka? Suki? Dad?!"

They stare at me with pale, shocked faces, and I stare right back, completely blown away.

This can't be happening.

___

OHMIWORD OMIWORD OMIWORD!!! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! lol :)

Whatever will she do? o.0

COMMENT!! Five if you want an update tomorrowz... 8P

-Tess