Author's Notes:

Hello and welcome back! It's been a long time, hasn't it? Thank you all once again for returning and following my story!

As you know, Alabaster is my friend and my beta. I thank her in just about every chapter. This time is no different. Her encouragement, patience, honest criticism and suggestions continue to be invaluable! Thank you, Al!

Just one note about the story before we begin: Hualing is the name I have given to one of the Kyoshi Warriors. Sometimes I've misspelled it as Hauling. It's a silly mistake that I try to avoid but somehow still make.

Okay, we're done here. There'll be more notes at the end.

Shall we begin? Great! Sit back, enjoy, and . . . . Action!

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Disclaimer: A: TLA - still not mine.

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Breaking the Promise

Chapter 29 – Friends Don't Let Friends . . . .

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"Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid."

― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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"Never give up on someone. Sometimes the answers you are looking for are the
same answers another person is looking for. Two people searching together
are always better than one person alone."

― Shannon L. Alder

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"Everyone has their own ways of expression. I believe we all have a lot to say, but
finding ways to say it is more than half the battle."

― Criss Jami, Salomé: In Every Inch In Every Mile

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General Mak led Suki and her warriors through the levels and corridors of the Direption, attracting many curious looks and whispers. Out the corner of her eye, Mai watched those who scrutinize their procession. Some stared harmlessly, surprised by their presence, while others openly glared at them. A few had dared utter harsh words under their breath.

Mai wondered if she had been the only one to hear or if it was discipline that kept the Kyoshi Warriors from reacting. Perhaps it was that she was more attuned to her surroundings, ever vigilant of traps and peril. Growing up under Azula's thumb does that to a person.

A renewed sense of danger gripped Mai. Many of the sailors they passed were helmeted, their thoughts and feelings hidden from view. She grew fearful for Zuko. How many were for him? How many against? Enemies and malcontents were nothing new to a Fire Lord. However, Zuko was a different caliber of Fire Lord. Ozai, and Azulon before him, had ruled ruthlessly and effectively used fear to keep everyone in line. Azula had learned to do the same. Zuko had not, or rather would not, could not. Without the threat of repercussion, what did his enemies have to fear? Therein lay Zuko's vulnerability. Those who opposed him considered him weak, unfit, and unworthy.

She bristled in anger at the thought and then sighed and reasserted her control. She chided herself for the lapse. She was tired. She didn't normally give into paranoia. The military did as they were told. They dogmatically followed the chain of command. If there was any danger to be found aboard the Direption, or within the fleet, it would be among the high ranking officers, not among the common sailors.

Hualing interrupted before Mai's thoughts took off in that direction to examine the probabilities.

"He is not what I expected."

She and Mai were bringing up the rear of their group. They had been walking in silence. Only the general and their captain had been speaking on and off. Hualing deliberately fell a step or two behind the others, causing Mai to adjust her pace accordingly.

Though she could have guessed, Mai dispassionately asked, "Who?"

"The Fire Lord. I've seen him a few times while on duty. He can be imposing. He's always buried in work. But I've never seen him . . . ." She fumbled for words. "I mean he always is the Fire Lord, you know? Just now, though, he seems a regular guy."

Ever cautious, not knowing what Hualing was fishing for, and definitely not about to help her, Mai remained silent. Hualing would have to spell out what was on her mind.

A smile broke out on the warrior's face at the memory of what had transpired in the wardroom. They took a few more steps before she declared, "He is very taken with you."

It was an observation, not a provocation. Mai relaxed. Though by force of habit, she rolled her eyes. It was to be gossip then? She envisioned a certain bubbly friend talking to the others about her and Zuko; as children, during the war, and their breakup.

Hualing's smile had vanished. Her visage was now serious. "You know, the Captain feels bad about your breakup. She feels . . . somehow responsible."

"She shouldn't," responded Mai.

"You're right." Hualing turned to face to Mai. "She shouldn't."

Unnoticed by the others, the two girls had stopped in their tracks. They regarded one another. The younger girl surprised Mai. It wasn't gossip after all. Hualing was concerned for her friend and captain. She wouldn't see Suki shoulder unwarranted guilt.

Mai averted her gaze as she considered this. Understanding what Hualing wanted from her and why, Mai softened and nodded in agreement.

"I'll fix it."

"Good." Hualing lifted her hand to rest on Mai's arm. She was happy that her faith in Mai had not been betrayed. "You wear the uniform of a Kyoshi Warrior. You are one of us now. We're sisters and sisters take care of each other."

Mai felt a bit flush. The sudden emotion caught her off guard. Instead of shaking it off or trying to mask it she, she broke into a smile, grateful for the honor to be called sister. She returned Hualing's gesture.

The air cleared between them, the pair turned back in time to see their group turn the corridor. A second later Ty Lee reappeared and beckoned them follow.

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"You broke your promise!" Toph's accusation reverberated off the cabin's bulkheads.

Sokka shrank in his seat, recoiling from the verbal assault being waged by his friends. Things had escalated quickly. Given his friends' polarized positions, he wondered what had made him think it would go any other way.

Zuko shot back, "It wasn't like that!"

"It is exactly like that! You promised you were going to pull the Fire Nation out of the Earth Kingdom and then you turn around and changed your mind."

"I fully intended to remove the colonists, but it is no longer that simple."

"It is simple! It is very simple. The Fire Nation does not belong in the Earth Kingdom, period. Get them out!"

"I can't."

"You can't? Or, you won't?"

Sokka stood up to offer a suggestion. "Maybe we should take this back a step or two." His friends, however, didn't hear him over the anger thundering in their ears.

"I can't!" shouted the Fire Lord.

"What?!" Hands on her hips, Toph was intimidating at four feet ten inches. "What is it that you can't do? You can't keep a promise? You can't be trusted?"

Offended, Zuko recoiled, his fists clenched, anger growing hotter. He opened his mouth, but wasn't given the chance to respond.

She had put her hand up. She wasn't done talking. "No. No. No. No. You've forgotten what the Harmony Restoration Movement is all about. The people of the Earth Kingdom have suffered a century of oppression, fear, and violence courtesy of the Fire Nation. The type of stuff your father was into. You've forgotten that you fought to put an end to all that. You said it was your duty to bring healing to the world. You said you were going to do whatever it took to remove the colonies. You signed an accord with the Earth King to do just that. Now you're backing out. You're turning your back on people who counted on you. You might think that you can turn a blind eye on them, but what about me? We're friends, or so I think we are. Do you know how this affects me? Personally?"

The words struck a chord with Zuko. A voice from the past was instantly recalled. "You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me, personally." Zuko buckled slightly as if he had been physically hit. He groaned. He could always count on his past to come back to haunt him. Katara had lost her mother. Zuko was afraid to ask what Toph had lost. The little bender seemed invulnerable, at times stronger than even the Avatar himself. She could be childlike though, as she was on Ember Island when she clung to him excited for her turn to have a life changing adventure with him. His anger fizzled.

Toph inhaled deeply and ground her feet firmly into the metal floor leaving indentations. Her fists hit the metal dining table, crumpling its surface.

Then again, Zuko thought, she is the Melon Lord.

"You can't do what you like, Zuko."

"The situation has . . .," Zuko began.

"You've got to do the right thing."

"But . . ."

"The war is over. Just leave and return what doesn't belong to you."

Zuko fought to get in a word edgewise. "My people . . ."

"Don't belong! That is the bottom line. The Fire Nation took what didn't belong to them and you promised to give it back."

He got angry again. "Will you listen?!"

"What's so hard to get, Zuko? Why don't you get it?" Toph yelled across the table, "It's not yours!"

Sokka cringed when vibrations rippled through everything metal in the wardroom, the hull included. He disconnected from reality for a moment and pictured the Ember Island player Tough playing Toph and screaming at Zuko. Funny how the mind works, he remarked to himself. He reconnected a second later when he saw Zuko darken as never before and send his chair flying.

"I know that!" the Fire Lord screamed back.

Sokka blinked and looked quickly between his friends, unable to fathom why the yelling had stopped so suddenly. Then it hit him. The earthbender and the firebender had reached an impasse and as angry as they were neither one was ready to cross the line. Sokka knew Toph was venting as much as she was arguing her position. Zuko was being defensive. Each had their points, but neither one was really listening to what the other had to say.

Sokka reckoned it was up to him to get the two past this, to help them rise above the emotion, and actually start communicating. Before he could do anything though, Zuko had started talking again.

He was more subdued. "The relocation was working. Everything was on schedule and then this . . ." He gestured wildly with his hands, "this, all this, happened."

Zuko sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. His headache, his near constant companion since the whole affair started, was back. After a moment, he picked up the chair and brought it back to the table which Toph had bent back into shape.

Zuko was deflated after arguing with Toph. His thoughts went back to when the Yu Dao mess started. "The assassin was the Mayor's daughter, did you know that?"

"Aang mentioned it," confirmed Sokka.

"If she hadn't tried to . . . ." He was hesitant to speak the words.

Still sore, Toph helped him out. "Kill you."

Hearing the words spoken aloud caused Zuko to wince. ". . . then the colony would have been relocated. Everything would have gone on as planned. But she did try. And I went to Yu Dao. I saw things I never would have imagined."

He was shaking his head again. "I was wrong to sign the Harmony Restoration Movement. I couldn't see past my own nose. I forgot about my people. I know you think it's wrong, that we don't belong in the Earth Kingdom, but this is different; and I'm going to do what I have to for my people."

Toph stood stock still, frowning. She still disagreed, but some of the steam had been knocked out of her.

"Are you really willing to go backwards, to let things revert back to how they were?" asked Sokka. "You know that Earth King Kuei and Aang won't let you."

"But things aren't going back to the way they were," insisted Zuko. "The colonies that have been evacuated are gone. Only the remaining colonies will continue as they are. They are the oldest of the colonies. Generations of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom people have grown up and made their lives there together. They live side-by-side in peace. Isn't that a step towards the harmony we keep talking about?"

"Look, Zuko," started Toph. "That's nice and all, but you aren't seeing things properly. You're taking land that isn't yours. You're trying to hold onto it by force."

"Those colonies existed there before the war, in the time of Avatar Roku, before the . . . ."

"The genocide of the Air Nomads?" supplied Sokka.

Zuko shot him a sarcastic "Thanks."

"Just doing my part to help," Sokka said with a shrug and a smug smile.

Zuko hung his head. The Fire Nation would never be able to answer for all of its wrongdoings. He was doing his best to make amends and place his nation on the path to creating the world that he and Aang envisioned. Still it wasn't good enough. Worse, his mistakes only compounded existing problems, or created new ones.

"I get it," said Sokka. "You're doing what you feel you have to and Earth King Kuei is going to do what he feels he has to." He leaned in dramatically. "It all boils down to one thing: war. Are you willing to risk it?"

Zuko looked Sokka in the eye and held his gaze. "I'm not going there to attack, but to defend. I am not going to let him evict whole families, multiple generations, from their homes. What is more important here; people or territory that hasn't belonged to the Earth King for over a century?"

Sokka slumped back in his seat with a thud. He could hear Katara giving another passionate speech about helping people. He could recite her speeches in his sleep.

Sokka knew the importance of family and home. It was the reason why their father had left them to fight in the war. What he, Katara, Aang, Toph and Suki had been fighting for. It was about preserving their way of life as much as their right to live. Travelling through the Fire Nation in disguise had shown him that Fire Nation people were not unlike everyone else, even if they were full up on their share of jerks. The colonists would be no different. They'd want to live as they had been living for decades, just like anybody else.

But there was something else. He struggled to recall Katara's words. She had made mention of him and Suki. He is Water Tribe and she is Earth Kingdom. It had been something to the effect of starting families of mixed heritage similar to the ones in Yu Dao. "Where will we make our home?" It had been on the back of his mind since she had said it. He'd been too far from Suki for too long. What if they could meet half way? What if Yu Dao could be home for them? Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation people living together there. Why not add a water tribesman like him? Then he remembered her last question. "What will we do when someone decides for us that we have to leave?"

While Sokka mulled things over, Toph had come to a conclusion. Zuko was earnest in his motives and believed strongly in his position. He would not attack unless provoked or cornered. The Earth King may be pushing for a fight and naturally so. Though not an earthbender, the King was from the Earth Kingdom and would hold firm in his stance. It was up to them to get His Majesty and Fire Lord Hothead together to talk.

She huffed in resignation. "Alright, Sparky. I won't pummel you or your thugs. But get this straight. We're your friends. We're here to help. Don't do anything stupid."

Zuko's good eye went wide and his single eyebrow shot up in surprise.

She pointed her finger at him. "You have a bad habit of acting without thinking things through." She shot him a pointed look and added, "Don't deny it."

He looked hurt, but she wasn't buying it.

Sokka smirked at the face Zuko pulled. "She's right. We're here to help, buddy. Aang and Katara went to talk to King Kuei. They'll talk some sense into him and we'll all sit down and talk things out."

Zuko looked as glum as ever. "It's too late," he sighed. "Kuei is going on the offense. Everything points to an attack."

"Have faith in your friends!" replied Sokka. "Aang will find a way. He did before and he will this time too!"

"We all had a hand in ending the war," added Toph. "We can prevent one too."

Sokka jumped up and went to the sideboard. He returned with bottle and shot glasses. He poured them all a drink. "Let's toast to Team Avatar. To the rescue once more!" he exclaimed good-naturedly. He raised his glass of fire whiskey.

Zuko laughed in spite of himself. Moments ago they were arguing bitterly. Nothing had changed really. He was still tired, but felt better and was more hopeful.

"To Team Avatar," toasted Sokka. His friends joined him and downed the liquor.

"Smooth," squeaked Sokka. Toph choked back a cough.

They had another round. Zuko sported a crooked smile as his friends struggled through a coughing fit. As the oldest in the group, he put a stop to their drinking by taking the bottle from Sokka.

Toph downed the last drop in her glass then slammed it upside down onto the table. Also tired, but enjoying the warmth brought on by the fire whiskey she declared, "Good stuff! Now on to more important things. Where can one get some shuteye around here, oh Lord of Fire?"

"We'll find you a place." Zuko opened the door for his friends. Outside the corridor, Imperial Firebenders took up their positions around them.

"Toph? May I ask a favor?"

"You may ask, Sparky."

"Please don't punch a hole in my ship."

She chuckled because he asked so sincerely. She was in good spirits because they were acting like friends again, and in some part because of the fire whiskey, so she gave Zuko a swift punch to the arm sending him against the wall.

"Ow!"

"Sure, Zuko. Anything you say."

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The cabin made available to them was to double as their quarters and base of operations. There was enough space for them to rest while off duty and secluded enough to convene with Sokka and Toph away from unwanted eyes and ears.

Captain Suki didn't waste any time getting down to business.

"General Mak was good enough to provide us with the layout of the ship. Study it. Nuying, you and Daiyu will take the first watch. The rest of us will get some rest and then two of us will relieve you and so on. We'll resume the normal rotation after everyone gets enough sleep."

The warriors nodded their assent.

"Mai?" Suki asked. "We didn't talk about this, but we could use your help. It'd make our number even and help get us back to top shape quicker."

Mai considered this. Her plans hadn't gone past getting the group to Zuko. Thinking on it, she realized that going home – or wherever – would take planning and effort she hadn't the energy for. She was tired; getting through the night's events had drained her. A bunk bed waited for her, she wasn't in any danger and she hadn't any other place she needed to be. She might as well stay aboard and help out the warriors. Besides, doing so was also the best way to take care of Zuko as Iroh had asked of her.

Mai dipped her head in affirmation.

"Thank you," said their Captain sincerely. "We'll keep it short; four hours on and then switch. Nuying and Daiyu, you are up first. Ty Lee and I can take the second watch, then Mai and Hualing."

Orders received, Nuying and Daiyu left to relieve the Imperial Firebenders presently guarding Zuko. Suddenly beat, the remaining warriors prepared for bed. Hualing fell asleep as soon as she hit the bunk. Ty Lee took the one opposite her and dosed off shortly. Suki lingered longer and shot Mai a sad smile before settling down.

Fatigued though she was, Mai didn't lay down. She sat on her bunk staring at the floor, unable to stop her thoughts from racing.

"Can't sleep?" Suki called from her bunk.

"No. Not really," replied Mai.

"Me neither." Suki sat up and swung her legs off the bunk to the floor. "What do you say to going for a walk and get some air?"

Mai regarded the Captain. She looked like Mai felt. The logical thing to do was to lie down and try to get some sleep. Since that wasn't happening, Mai agreed, "Sure."

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Toph had collapsed on her mattress. She and Sokka had survived the mad dash from the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation capital, to Azulon's Gates and finally to the Direption to reach Zuko. Then she had it out with him. She was dead tired and fell asleep instantly.

Sokka had elected to stay up longer. Zuko looked like he needed the company; and what were friends for?

The two teens were on the balcony overlooking the weather deck. The one-eighty panoramic view – the entire Fire Nation naval fleet against a backdrop of deep blue waters under a moonlit night – went unnoticed. The youths were talking softly despite being out of everyone's earshot. Nuying and Daiyu were posted behind them at the entrance back to the conning tower. An additional two Imperial Firebenders were posted just inside.

"We're talking hypothetically?" Sokka would rather not play these games, but Zuko persisted.

The Fire Lord nodded yes.

"If? Okay, if. If things go wrong, horribly wrong, and it comes down to war, well then, I guess the Water Tribes will step in. We don't have much left in the south, but we've reestablished contact with the Northern Water Tribe. We will be united in this." He put his hand to his chin, laying a finger aside his face, in thought. "As long as we're talking about it, there is also the Order of the White Lotus to consider."

Zuko groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Something else I didn't think of."

Sokka looked his friend up and down. The idea was to get some air and relax. Zuko was doing the opposite by hyper focusing on improbable scenarios. "Relax, Zuko, it's not going to get to that."

Zuko said solemnly, "I am not so sure. I wish I had more time. Aang should have sent word by now."

"That bothers me too." Sokka gazed up at the moon for answers. "Wait. Aang might have sent a message to the palace."

"Any message would have been redirected to me here. Maybe something happened to him and Katara."

Memory drew Sokka back to the last time something didn't go right during a visit to the Earth King. Then it had been that Azula had infiltrated the palace, took command of the Dai Li away from Long Feng, and Katara had been imprisoned in the catacombs. Sokka shook his head. "King Kuei wouldn't do that. The Dai Li is under his control now and, well, Kuei isn't like that."

"What if Aang agrees with him?"

Zuko didn't want to speak it aloud, but his thoughts were leaning towards the idea that the reason why Aang hadn't contacted him was because he agreed with Kuei and was going to peacefully oversee Kuei's incursion of Yu Dao.

"Look. Aang may not agree with your position. He believes in balance: four elements, four seasons, four nations. You know how Aang is. He is all for talking and mediating. He doesn't want a war. He wants peace and harmony. He'll get the two of you together to talk. In the end, though, it is up to you and Earth King Kuei to settle this."

"Yeah." Zuko remained unconvinced.

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Suki and Mai stepped out from the conning tower onto the main deck and approached the starboard bulwark.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," said Suki. "I've got a headache."

"I do too."

"I'll ask Hualing to take the next shift with Ty Lee. We'll pair up after that."

They leaned over the gunwale and watched the other ships in the distance. It was a tranquil scene, despite the fact that they were warships. The waters were calm making for a smooth ride. The sound of the ships cutting through the water was soothing.

Feeling the need to make conversation, Suki said, "It's a large navy."

"Everything the Fire Nation does is big." Mai absentmindedly rattled off, "Big ships, big shoulder pads, big egos, big drills."

Suki spluttered and broke out into giggles. Worn out, Mai followed suit until they were both laughing nonsensically. Tension relieved, the laughter died down and both girls caught their breaths.

"I want to apologize."

Suki went wide-eyed. "What for?"

"If I was harsh with you . . . about leaving Zuko's side, I . . . ."

"Oh, that." Suki averted her gaze. "It's okay. I understand. I left him unguarded. I take my duty very seriously, Mai. I was wrong to leave him. When I heard him talking with General Mak about sending spies to the Earth Kingdom I got upset. With everything else going on, well, it looked really bad and my first thought was to get word to Aang."

"What else was going on?"

Suki looked embarrassed at first. She took a deep breath and launched into an explanation. "There were rumors, and he had been seeing his father in secret. Then you called him out about keeping secrets. With the spies, and after he had broken the Harmony Restoration Movement agreement, I thought that perhaps, maybe, he was changing."

Suki could feel Mai tense up.

"You were thinking about the promise Zuko asked of Aang."

"Yes."

They regarded one another. Suki grew uncomfortable and Mai had donned her mask.

Mai sighed. "After what happened at Yu Dao between him and Aang, I don't blame you for thinking that he had changed."

"Sokka told me that Katara had to talk Aang out of the Avatar state."

"Sokka was there?"

"No. Katara told him later."

Mai looked into the distance. "He's been under a lot of stress, but it doesn't make sense that he won't let anyone help him."

"Mai?"

"Hmm?"

The Kyoshi Warrior placed a hand on Mai's forearm. "I'm sorry about your breakup."

Mai's walls came down a bit, her interest showing.

"I'm sorry for how you learned about everything. I wish he had told you about the promise," she paused and weighed whether or not to say what was on her mind. ". . . and I wish you and I were closer so that we could have talked about things before you confronted Zuko."

The walls fell. There was regret and vulnerability there that Suki would not have guessed Mai to possess. The difference between the girl who stood before her moments ago and this one showed Suki the depths which Mai kept hidden from everyone.

"You're not responsible for my breakup with Zuko. He's been distant and keeping things from me for a long time."

Suki gave Mai a crooked smile. She felt no relief even hearing it straight from Mai.

"Thank you though. Ty Lee and I were almost never without Azula. It's hard to open up and trust someone with what can be used against you."

"I would never . . ."

"I know. It's hard though. I need time."

"Of course." Suki's heart felt a bit lighter and she smiled openly.

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The sound of laughter had caught Sokka and Zuko's attention. They had been watching the warriors talk and then hug.

"Who do you think it is?" queried Sokka.

"I don't know. You can't tell from this distance."

"From the shape of the headpiece, I think it is Suki."

"You want it to be Suki."

"And if I am not wrong, judging by height, that's Mai."

"It's not Mai."

"Why not?"

"They were laughing and now they are hugging."

"Mai can laugh and hug."

Zuko whirled on him. "How would you know?"

"You need to relax, buddy! I've seen her with you."

"Oh, well, that was then."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." Sokka began to shuffle his feet. He had to come clean and now was as good as ever. "Uh. Um. Er . . . ."

"What?"

"Well . . . ." Sokka got busy scratching the back of his neck to stall.

"Out with it Sokka!"

"You, see? It's . . . uh." He inhaled quickly and braced himself. "Alright. Here goes. You remember the promise you asked of Aang?"

Zuko tensed. His brow furrowed. If Sokka's hesitation was any indication, Zuko was sure he wouldn't like what followed. "Yes?"

"Well." He took a step backwards, another deep breath and spat it out. "I told Mai about the promise you asked of Aang."

If it weren't for the fact that he thought Zuko would kill him where he stood, this time he would have laughed at the look on Zuko's face.

Zuko had lost it. "You did what? Why?"

Sokka's arms went every which way as he spoke. "I don't know. She tricked me. I thought she knew. We were talking about you. Well, about needing her help to talk to you and then getting you to talk to Aang so that he could get you to talk to Kuei."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. His head felt like it was about to explode. Mai had accused him of keeping secrets. She said he'd be able to keep them better on his own. He started for the doorway back inside and turned around again.

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"I don't know. I don't know."

"I'm sorry, you know. I wish things were different, but after that . . . ."

Zuko blurted incredulously, "There's more?"

"Yeah," he admitted unhappily. "After Mai took off, she and Suki talked."

Zuko's eye went wide. He figured it out before Sokka uttered another word.

"She reported your nighttime excursions."

Things fell into place. He had asked who had told her about his visits to Ozai. He should have known that the Kyoshi Warriors would have shadowed him.

He had been surprised and elated to see Mai again. She hadn't abandoned him. She was there with the warriors and his friends. They had gone through great lengths to reach him. He had forgotten about the breakup, not completely, but somehow her presence made it seem temporary and in the past.

"Zuko?"

"It's alright, Sokka. I'm just going to go to bed. My head is killing me and if I don't lie down, I'm going to fall down."

"I'm sorry. Let me help."

He waved his friend off. "I'll figure it out in the morning."

"We'll . . . we'll figure it out in the morning. I think the problem is that you are doing things alone. Remember when you wouldn't let me go off to the Boiling Rock by myself? How you knew what I was up to and you made sure I wouldn't leave without you? Well, buddy, I'm here now. I am going to help. I don't know about things between you and Mai. You made a mistake and Mai is hurting even if she doesn't look it. But, I am going to make sure that you don't walk into a mess or make things worse with Yu Dao. You kept me going when I needed to regain my honor, and get my dad and Suki out of prison. I'm going to keep you going now. You are not alone. Get that through your head. We're here to help. All of us."

His speech earned him a weak smile from Zuko who nodded.

"Okay, then. It's past our bedtime. Shall we go?"

Emotionally exhausted and physically tired, Zuko lead Sokka back inside the conning tower where the Kyoshi Warriors and Imperial Firebenders fell in place around them.

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..00..

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The Direption's officer of the deck spotted Toph's bare feet as being out of place before he noticed anything else. That clued him in as to who she was. He and his fellow officers had been briefed on the late night arrival of their guests. By order of the Fire Lord, they were to be treated as honored foreign dignitaries. That, however, did not mean that they had free reign over the ship. So when she did not slow down, ask permission, or announce her intentions, he stepped into her path.

"You are not supposed to be here without an escort. You can't just walk in here."

"Watch me." She pushed him aside.

He wasn't about to physically stop her for fear of what would happen to him. He had heard about this particular earthbender. They said she was a master and could manipulate the tiniest particles of the earth element. They said she could bend metal. They said that she had single handedly bought down the airships on the Day of Sozin's Comet. Tall tales to be sure; no doubt fanciful exaggerations told to sailors by the airmen who wished to embarrass them for falling for such rubbish.

He wasn't a coward, but he knew his place. He also took pride in the knowledge that he was part of a well-oiled machine. The Direption's Captain ran a tight ship. It was not his job to stop her. Everyone was witness to her trespass, the Fire Lord's security detail included. Surely, the Kyoshi Warriors and the Imperial Firebenders would detain her. He did not have to worry about taking action against the little girl with the big reputation and possibly embarrassing himself; or, worse dishonoring himself, his Captain, and his Fire Lord by wrongly accosting a dignitary. So he let her continue.

Toph walked straight up to Ty Lee and Hualing who were standing on either side of the hatch to the war room. Ty Lee smiled at her. Hualing cocked her head in salutation and was surprised when Toph winked at her.

The officer of the deck gawked when they didn't stop her either. He congratulated himself on making the right choice and returned to his duties before anyone thought to comment.

Mindful of Zuko's request not to tear up his ship, Toph expertly bent the lock open on the hatch and helped herself inside. A dozen heads synchronously turned at her entrance, surprised by her appearance and that she was able to get in.

Murmurs of "how . . .?", "who . . .?" and "why . . .?" were interspersed with tempered outrage and imploring looks directed towards the Fire Lord.

Unintimidated as ever, she called out, "Don't you sleep?"

General Mak had almost intercepted Toph when Zuko spoke up. "It's alright. We're done here for now."

Obediently, the officers packed their things in silence. They bowed respectfully and exited the cabin without further comment.

On top of everything else Zuko was juggling, he mentally noted that he needed to speak to Toph about being more respectful to him while they were in the presence of his subjects as not doing so would undermine his authority and set a bad tone. As if to punctuate the necessity, his arm started to ache where she had punched him the night before. His hand went to the spot and started rubbing it.

He had meant to say something about it earlier; just as he meant to do and say many things, but never got around to it. It was not lost on him that as of late out-of-sight proved out-of-mind. His life had become reactive, instead of proactive. Seconds after thinking that he should say something to his friend about her behavior another thought intruded and pushed the former one out. Their argument still weighed heavy on his conscious. Thinking about her loss and how the Yu Dao situation personally affected her had kept him up after he and Sokka had parted ways.

"Well, do you?"

He quickly directed his thoughts back to the present conversation. "I slept."

"I can't get Sokka out of bed even for food. He mumbled something about you guys staying up late. What time did you get to sleep? How come you're up? Exactly how much sleep did you get?"

Zuko backed up to prevent her from mowing him down as she fired question after question at him.

"When did you become Katara?" Somewhere in the midst of everything swirling in his mind, he knew that the comment was unfair and that he shouldn't have snapped at Toph like that. It did stop her though.

"Sugar Queen?" She sounded slightly offended. "I'm not that bad, but you look like you've been trampled by a parade of kimono rhinos."

He gave her a sloppy smile. He knew it was true. Quick to redirect attention from himself, he inquired, "Did you eat yet?"

"No, I came looking for you first." She caught on to what he was doing and turned the tables back around. "Did you eat?" she shot back.

"I did."

"What time did you get up?"

"The usual: sunrise."

"What? That's insane! That was just about two hours ago. How are you still standing?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "I have a little time. I'll have some food brought here for you. I could keep you company."

"Thanks. But you should use this time to get some sleep."

She was talking to his back as he had already gone to make the arrangements with someone outside the room about the meal. When he returned, he sat down at the head of the table.

He needed the rest, but if he wanted to play host she'd let him. She took a seat next to him and put her feet up on the table.

"What is it that you have to do that is keeping you from resting?"

He gave her another shrug. "All sorts of things."

"What were you and your goons talking about? Planning an attack?" She waggled her eyebrows, Sokka fashion.

"They're not goons, and no. I was going over what I expect from them; making sure that orders are passed down correctly so that everyone knows what to do and no one does anything stupid."

"Expect them to do something stupid, do you?"

Amused by his friend, he snorted and shook his head. "No. I don't. You're the one who told me not to do something stupid."

"Ah. You gave them their orders and you've covered your bases."

"Yeah. You can say that."

"Do you trust your people to carry out your orders?"

"Yes."

"Exactly how you tell them to and exactly when you tell them to?"

"Yes."

"Then your job is done! Get some rest."

Ruling made, Toph flashed him a victory smile and cradled the back of her head as she reclined all the way back, balancing her chair on its hind legs.

The hatch opened at that moment. Three servants brought in food and drink and began setting the table.

"There's enough food here for us and Sokka!"

"Luck favors the prepared," quoted Zuko. He believed that Sokka could detect food, like Toph could detect lies. It was his superpower.

"There is such a thing as being over prepared, you know? It's called burn out." Toph waved a picken leg at him for emphasis. "You'll be useless to everyone if you collapse."

The servants paused in their work and looked at the Fire Lord with open concern.

Zuko cringed and waved them away. He really needed to speak to Toph about saying things like that around mixed company. It wouldn't do to have his servants think he was ill. Not that he thought the servants were prone to gossip, but one never knew. It occurred to him then how sure he would have been of the exact opposite a day ago. Since the first attempt on his life to the very latest he had gone from being vigilant to paranoid. He noticed that his friends' presence was helping take the edge off.

His thoughts drifted again. Toph seemed much more at ease than during their heated exchange last night. It was obvious that revoking his support of the Harmony Restoration Movement had upset her, but he didn't know how. How had it affected her personally?

When the servants departed, he gently asked, "Is everything okay with you?"

"I'm perfect." She flashed him a rogue smile.

He returned a smaller smile and pressed on. "What about what you said last night; about how things were affecting you?"

Toph's head jerked up from her plate, her sightless eyes opened wide like saucers. Last night, she had understood how Aang must have felt when he tried to talk to Zuko at Yu Dao. She understood now why Aang had gone into the Avatar state. Zuko was being obstinate and she had wanted to beat some sense into him too. Not wanting to rehash things, she tried to play it off. "Oh, that. Well, you know, everyone is affected by this."

"Toph?"

Half protesting and half warning, she said, "You've got a lot on your plate already."

"I want to know about you. How are you affected?"

The gentleness with which he spoke touched her. He was sincerely concerned, he really cared. Here was the Zuko she knew, not the Fire Lord, not the Zuko who went back on his word. He was being the concerned dorky big brother now.

She considered him carefully. He hadn't gotten near enough the amount of sleep he needed. He was likely to grow irritable again. But he did ask. Now, where to begin? She had been giving some thought to what he had said and so that's where she started.

"You are right about one thing. When it comes down to it, people are more important than territory. Going back on the relocation of the Fire Nation colonists has upset a lot of people, not only the King and his ministers, but regular people too.

Things are a mess, Zuko! While you were holed up inside Yu Dao with Aang and Katara, Sokka and I were outside the wall. The Freedom Fighters had joined the protestors."

"The Freedom Fighters?" Zuko instantly pictured Jet and knew how he would have felt about the situation. He was gone, though. Smellerbee and Long Shot were the only other Freedom Fighters he knew and they weren't as keen as Jet was on violence. Were they at Yu Dao?

"Yeah, and trust me, they weren't happy. Everyone's upset, Zuko. You made a promise and then you broke it. The war is over and everybody wants all remnants of the Fire Nation gone. They fear the worst. They think that things aren't going to change, that things are only going to get worse and that if the Fire Nation has even a toehold on Earth Kingdom soil that the Fire Nation will try to expand again. If not you, then another Fire Lord somewhere down the line.

The Freedom Fighters are especially angry and may resort to drastic action to get the colonists out. The protestors fed on that. Sokka had tried to calm things down, but they started in on him. I had to break that up before they hurt him."

A deep frown etched Zuko's face. He wasn't happy to hear that he had a rebel group to contend with in addition to How's army. As good as it was to learn of this, she still hadn't answered his question. "You haven't told me how this affects you personally."

Toph put her drink down. "I have a metalbending school in Xinhai – The Beifong Metalbending Academy. My students are from Yu Dao though. Their families were trapped there during the lockdown. My students were scared for them, and rightfully so.

The war may have ended, but the scars are still there. The people of the Earth Kingdom still distrust the Fire Nation and the colonists. One hundred years' worth of painful memories and experiences back that distrust. Memories like that aren't erased in a year or ten years, or however many for that matter. I still hear horror stories that would rouse you to our cause.

It doesn't help that the Fire Nation colonists act so superior and as if they have a right to everything. They didn't like that they had to leave, but they were committed to it because you backed the Harmony Restoration Movement. Now that you've withdrawn your support, things are worse."

"How so?"

"The firebending instructor who owned the building where I have my school sold it to me when Xinhai was to be relocated. When everyone was turned back from the Fire Nation, he and his students returned demanding that we leave. You don't demand things from me and I'm not going to let him have it even if he offers me double what I paid for it."

This was new. Zuko hadn't considered that legal transfers would have been made in light of the relocation and that now things were in dispute. Xinhai was governed by Mayor Nishi. He mentally added needing to speak to the Mayor to the list of things he had to do. If people had taken up residency upon the colonists' departure, where were the colonists now? Most people weren't like Toph, was it possible that new tenants would have been thrown out by the colonists upon their return? He groaned. Things were piling on again.

"How did you leave things?"

"Everything is on hold. The Mayor promised to settle things between us after my return. Till then, I am still in possession. But I worry for my students. Who knows what will happen with the increase in tensions and angry protestors ripe for recruiting by the Freedom Fighters?"

"A property dispute can be resolved, and with Aang's help we can circumvent any trouble with the Freedom Fighters."

"It goes deeper than that. Remember that time when we were supposed to have our big life changing adventure?"

"You mean when we were looking for Aang?"

"Yeah. Remember I was telling you about my childhood?"

"Sure."

"I had run away a few times before I met Aang, Katara and Sokka. I had always felt suffocated at home. My parents thought I was fragile. They wouldn't let me do anything on my own. They had no idea who I really was or what I was capable of. When it all came out, they couldn't accept it. They couldn't accept me as I was. They only saw the little girl they always thought I was, blind and helpless.

It's not quite the same with my students. They are a trio of misfits who have been getting by in life, not really doing anything exceptional, or reaching for anything in particular. You'd miss them in a crowd, but they're special. Each one was able to make my space bracelet move which proves they are metalbenders.

None of them had studied traditional earthbending and their talent would have gone unnoticed if it weren't for our chance meetings. They had no idea of their potential. They didn't think much of themselves. No one had ever encouraged them to do anything. Even after they had signed up for metalbending classes, they didn't really have faith in themselves. But I believed in them and once they were convinced that I truly cared they started to apply themselves, really apply themselves. You should see them now.

Anyhow, I've grown attached to the lily livers. That's what I call them. I won't tell them, but they are like family now. I am their teacher, their master. They are my responsibility. I cannot let you hurt them or those they love. The Earth Kingdom belongs to the people of the earth; not the Fire Nation."

Zuko took Toph's hand in his. "Thank you for telling me this. I feel the same way about my people, the colonists. They are my responsibility. I won't let anyone hurt them either."

Toph let go a deep sigh. It saddened her that they remained divided. She hadn't even told him that she missed her parents and that she worried for them. She decided not to bring it up.

"Zuko, if fighting breaks out. We'll start taking sides. You know which side I'll take."

"We'll get through this peacefully," he said confidently, finally believing it. "You and Sokka came to make sure that I sit tight and wait for Aang to do his thing. You didn't automatically turn against me. I'm grateful for that, for your friendship. I agree to let Aang mediate. I'll work with the Earth King to figure this thing out. I promise. Okay? Toph?"

When she didn't respond, he gently took her chin and tilted her head up to face him. "We may not see eye to eye on this, but I can't do this without your help. I am asking you, like Sokka asked me, to trust Aang to find a way."

"Twinkle Toes," she whispered. It seemed to always come down to Aang to figure a way out of a mess.

"He found a way to deal with my father without ending him, didn't he?"

"I guess . . . ." she trailed off, sounding unconvinced and distracted.

Zuko wondered where her head was at. So many messes, so much struggle, both then and now. Had her thoughts drifted back to the past or was Toph pondering the future in all its possibilities?

She perked up suddenly and Zuko had to smile. The earthbender seemed more like herself.

"What?" he asked, curious about her transformation.

"A wise man once told me that there is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you. He was right."

Zuko was relieved to see her smiling again. "Sounds like good advice, the kind I have trouble following sometimes." His thoughts drifted, drawn to moments in his youth, thinking of all the times he fought Iroh, reluctant to heed the old man's sage words. "Who said it?" Zuko wondered aloud.

Toph flashed him her best gotcha grin. "Only your uncle."

"Of course!" Zuko slammed a palm against his forehead and groaned.

.

.

"Eight hours till we arrive at our destination, Fire Lord," announced the Direption's Captain.

Zuko shot his council another question. "Are the air balloons in position?"

"They are anchored at Jang Hui Island," fielded General Mak.

"And Takeko?"

"Lieutenant General Takeko is due to arrive shortly, Fire Lord."

"Make sure the aerial force knows that they are to stay put, but have them remain at the ready. They are not to take off without direct orders."

"Yes, Fire Lord." Mak motioned to his aid to carry out the order.

The woman bowed appropriately and departed the war room. She crossed paths with four Imperial Firebenders who entered following her departure.

Zuko looked up from the maps and charts spread out on the table and flashed a questioning look at Mak.

The General responded, "The Kyoshi Warriors are in debriefing." Nodding at the Imperial Firebenders, he explained, "They'll return to their posts once the Warriors are in position."

Zuko turned back to the plans without comment. He was grateful for the increased security. Between the Kyoshi Warriors, Sokka and Toph, Zuko felt a significant reduction in stress. He was still on alert and there was still a lot on his mind, but he wasn't as anxious as before. He only wished that Aang and Katara would contact him already.

.

.

Down the corridor, in another room, Hualing and Ty Lee were reporting to Suki and Mai.

"He seems alright," said Ty Lee, "but Toph had indicated that he has been up since about six."

Hualing added, "Other than Toph, General Mak has been the only one to see the Fire Lord between meetings. I think he has been keeping tabs on him and helping him pace things."

"How close together have the meetings been?" asked Mai.

"Not very. A few hours pass between," reported Ty Lee. "Zuko has had an hour here and there to himself. He could have been resting."

"What do you think, Mai?" Suki asked.

"He looks drawn, worse than yesterday. Sokka was the last one of us to see him?"

"Mm-hm," Ty Lee and Hualing said in unison.

Suki added, "Sokka says he is eating some, but that he survives mostly on tea."

Mai inhaled sharply. "Blends that act like pain killers and stimulants, most likely. He won't last long on that."

Ty Lee's eyes went wide. "Do you really think he is running himself ragged?"

Thinking back to what she had seen since their arrival at the palace, Suki wasn't surprised. "The way he's being going at it, he will eventually. Mai?"

The golden eyed girl met her captain's stare.

"I know things between you and Zuko aren't what they were, but for his sake, would you please talk to him?"

"If Toph and Sokka can't get him to rest . . . ." Ty Lee let her words hang.

"Don't have much of a choice, do we?" Outward appearances hid Mai's worry. "I'll talk to him, but I have no authority here. At the palace I can order the servants around, but here . . . ."

Hualing suggested, "How about General Mak?"

Ty Lee bounced on the balls of her feet. "That should work. He seems as concerned about Zuko as we do."

"We'll make General Mak our ally," agreed Suki. "You two get some rest. I'll stand guard while Mai talks to Zuko. Nuying and Daiyu will take up their positions after us. We'll keep an extra imperial guard on with us on this shift just in case."

"What about appearances?" asked Ty Lee. "It will look funny if a Kyoshi Warrior is missing."

"I'll stand guard with Suki," volunteered Hualing. She quelled Ty Lee's concerns before she voiced them. "I'm fine. I'll take my break later."

"Alright," Suki assented. "We'll continue to make changes as necessary. For now, we have a plan. Ty Lee, you take care of things with Toph and Sokka."

.

.

Ty Lee stepped out onto the weather deck. After checking their cabin and the mess hall, it was the next logical place to look for Toph and Sokka.

Instantly, a commotion on the ship's starboard caught her attention. A group of people were boarding. Curious, she walked over to the nearest sailor to inquire about the goings on.

"Excuse me. Can you please tell me what's happening? Do you know who's coming aboard?"

The sailor turned to see the Kyoshi Warrior at his side. Knowing that the warriors were the Fire Lord's personal guard, he saluted her and proceeded to comply with what he assumed was a security question.

"Lieutenant General Takeko is boarding, Ma'am. She is the commander of the Fire Nation Aerial Fleet and is expected by the Fire Lord."

"Aerial fleet?" Mounting dread caused the hairs on her nape to stand up. What would Zuko want with a fleet of airships?

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Hey," a voice called out from behind her. "We've been looking for you," it said accusingly.

Ty Lee turned to see the friends she was looking for. She Lee excused herself and walked over to them. "I've been looking for you!"

Sokka raised a finger and took a deep breath. Fearing that he would drag their reunion out, Toph cut him off.

"Okay, we've found each other. Let's move on."

Ty Lee ushered her friends away from the sailor towards the far end of the railing. "Listen, don't look obvious, but see that woman who just boarded the ship?"

"Yes, the tall one in the red uniform and helmet," joked Toph.

"She's not wearing a helmet," complained Sokka. Then as expected, he did a double take and frowned sternly at Toph.

She anticipated him. "Yes, I must."

Protocol satisfied, the woman was escorted inside the conning tower.

"Well, what about her?" asked Toph.

"She's a Lieutenant General, commander of the Fire Nation Aerial Fleet."

"Air fleet?" Sokka's brows arched up in alarm. "What would Zuko want with an air fleet?"

Toph put a hand on Sokka to steady him. She knew his mind was churning out possibilities, but she had Zuko's assurance that he was going to talk, not fight. He wasn't lying.

"Good question," replied Ty Lee. "Suki asked me to find you and arrange for us to meet after she gets off duty. We'll discuss all this then."

Sokka asked, "And when will that be?"

"In about four hours."

Sokka grew antsy. "Four hours is a long time. Maybe we should tell her now."

"She's on duty. She and Hualing will be at their posts while Mai tries to convince Zuko to get some sleep."

"At last! Mai can work her magic on Grumpy Pants." Toph gave the pair a broad wink.

"Huh?" chorused Sokka and Ty Lee.

"She'll probably pin Zuko to his bed with her blades and hit him on the head with the hilt of her knife. Why? What were you thinking?"

Chortling, Toph wandered away, leaving the warriors speechless.

.

.

Enlisting General Mak's assistance turned out to be a delicate proposal. He was indeed helping Zuko with scheduling and had agreed to bump the meeting with Lt. General Takeko in favor of a quick audience with the Kyoshi Warriors. The purpose, he was told, was to discuss the role their security detail would play while the campaign was underway. Unbeknownst to him, this was a ploy. After consideration, it had been agreed that General Mak would not in good conscience allow Mai to do what she had in mind. Mak knew that the Fire Lord was not in the best of shape, but even if he agreed that letting Zuko direct a military operation in his condition was irresponsible, he was first and foremost an officer under authority. He followed orders and would not second guess the Fire Lord. Therefore, the Warriors had come up with the ruse.

On impulse, rather than foresight, Mai had grabbed the pouch of tea bags Iroh had sent her and stashed it inside a pocket when she was fitted as a Kyoshi Warrior. Iroh had been experimenting with magnolia bark, valerian root, and rhodiola rosea to produce a tea blend in response to her concerns about Zuko's insomnia. She was glad that she had because, one way or another, the Fire Lord was going to get some sleep.

Zuko had gone to his stateroom with thoughts of resting in between meetings. He was going through the latest communiques when the knock came.

"Enter," he called as he continued reading. The hatch opened and closed without his notice.

"Aren't you tired?"

His head shot up. "Mai?!" He had been expecting Suki, consequently he was dealt a shock.

"Surprised as ever, I see."

"I . . . uh . . . ." He hastily put down his reading material on a side table. "I was . . . ." His mind was stuck on trying to reconcile what his eyes and ears were telling him.

She sighed in annoyance, but stood still giving him time to get used to her appearance.

He looked her over, heat-to-toe, quickly taking in the differences and similarities between Mai of the Fire Nation and Mai, the Kyoshi Warrior. Her mannerisms – the sharp intake of air, the quick release, the roll of the eyes – convinced him that they were one and the same.

A cock of her head signaled that she was losing her patience. He asked the first thing that came to mind. "Did you join the Kyoshi Warriors?"

"It's temporary."

"Oh."

She had looked him over too and was wondering how he kept going. "When was the last time you ate?"

"I'm eating," he said absently.

"Mm-hmm." Mai crossed her arms in displeasure. Though he had only meant not to concern her, she saw it as a deflection of her question, essentially shutting her out again.

"Are we waiting for anyone?"

"Only for someone to bring the tea and mooncakes."

"Oh," he said, gathering her prior meaning. "I meant the meeting."

"It's just me."

"Mm. Have a seat." He motioned for her to sit on the bed. Then pulled the chair from the desk and sat backwards using the back of the chair as an armrest.

They met and dodged each other's stare for a few more heartbeats, the awkwardness creating a palatable tension.

She should have known he wasn't going to take the lead. Normally she didn't care, but she felt a little resentful that it always seemed to fall to her. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tucked away all the pain and anger into a corner of her mind. This wasn't about them. This was about the Fire Lord, about his wellbeing, and his ability to think clearly and to think things through. Agni only knew what would happen if Zuko slipped up. The repercussions could be drastic. What would the Avatar do if Zuko persisted to the point of hostilities? What would he do if he believed that Zuko had turned?

"Look, Zuko, I'm not here to argue. We want what's best for you. You need rest. You look worse than before."

He couldn't help but focus on her choice of words. "We?"

"Sokka, Toph, Suki, Ty Lee, and the warriors."

"And you?"

"Have I ever given you a reason to doubt?"

It was just like him to run smack into a wall of guilt and hurt, pain that couldn't be eased by healers. He exhaled heavily. Giving up all pretenses, he let all his exhaustion show. Shoulders dropped, posture slumped, his head dropped to rest on his arms. She had said goodbye, not him. And though he hadn't had the time to process their breakup, he knew what he felt had more to do with what came before than after she had spoken the words.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing for a minute. Slowly, he brought his head up to face her. He noticed that her expression had softened. A faint smile crossed his lips. No matter what their current status was, she still cared for him.

"I'm sorry, you know?"

"I know." Avoiding that road, she quickly asked, "Any word from Avatar Aang?"

"No. Nothing." Zuko slumped further. "I'm just . . . ." His mind busied itself with 'what if's,' and 'should have's.'

It irritated her that he had fallen silent again. As his girlfriend, sympathetic to his need to let go, if but for a moment, that which weighed heavy on his mind, she would have let it slide. That bond broken and in light of the situation, she pressed on.

"What is it?"

"I'm worried about this. One false move and we could be back at war," he said glumly. "I had thought the hard part was over. The world had let go a collective sigh and there was peace. But it was never real. There was still fighting going on. It was just a different kind. I didn't see it. Too busy celebrating. Everyone was cheering, but I was never wholly accepted."

The extent of the opposition he had faced hadn't been readily apparent. The assassination attempts, however, served to reveal it. Doubt and fear clouded him. It had worn him down and he had withdrawn, keeping things to himself . . . even from her.

He wanted to apologize, to tell her that he had never meant to drive her away with secrets, to ask for her forgiveness, but now was not the time. She had put the brakes on that conversation. There was no time for the back and forth needed to get to the heart of the matter. Lt. General Takeko was waiting, reports needed to be read, and plans put in effect.

Mai's thoughts were on his words. It was true that Zuko had not been wholly accepted. Some had not accepted the war's conclusion either. Mai's father had been one of them. He had refused a position in the new government, spoke out against Zuko and openly maintained support for Ozai. There were more like him. Some had even tried to kill Zuko. Anger surged in Mai. She hadn't stood up to Azula just to let some disgruntled colonist, or Ozai sympathizer, kill Zuko.

She knew then that despite everything that had happened, she still loved Zuko. She knew, too, that even when she forgave him – because it was a matter of when and not if, he hadn't consciously meant to hurt her, after all – she couldn't and wouldn't let herself get sucked into a bad relationship. She had seen too many of those in her lifetime. She wouldn't stay with him only to later resent and hate him; or worse, have him resent and hate her.

Not banishing hope for a reconciliation, but shelving it for another time, she'd put everything aside to comfort him.

"It was to be expected. Changing the direction of our nation is going to be hard for everyone, but for the young who didn't feel it, or had it ingrained in them yet. Generations grew up believing that we were fighting a righteous war, bringing civilization to barbarians." She paused. "We did, remember?"

They gazed at each other bashfully, sympathetic to their shared guilt.

She continued, "We never questioned what we had been taught. Not until our Fire Prince found out differently and showed us another way."

He rewarded her with a smile.

Not a second later, it turned sad when his thoughts wandered back to the mess he was in. He was in over his head. His first year as Fire Lord had brought unbelievable stress. Throughout he had been tired, overwhelmed, sleep deprived, scared for his life, plagued by doubt, so much so that he had gone on autopilot. He had defaulted back to his former self, struggling to keep above water, trying to stay one step ahead, relying only on himself and failing. To compound it, when he had reached out for help he had turned to his abuser, the only available authoritative figure at the time.

Mai's heart plummeted as she watched his fire falter.

"Come on," she says as she gets up. "Switch places. You'll be more comfortable."

There is no fight in him. She takes his arm to lead him to bed; then arranges his pillows as he likes them. He is pleased by her attention.

There's a knock on the hatch.

"Finally!" she huffs.

She takes the tray from the servant and sets it on the desk. "Ship full of firebenders," she mutters, ". . . takes forever to boil water."

She turns at the sound of a soft snore. Zuko has fallen asleep. She watches his chest rise and fall. She breathes a sigh of relief. Iroh's blend was not needed after all. She is captivated by how tranquil he looks. She does not know that this is the first time in a month that he has fallen asleep content.

Instinctively, she places a hand lightly on his chest, the other cradles the top of his head. Mai bends down and kisses him.

.

.

A/N:

Toph's height: I google'd Toph's height and went with what I found under "What do you think the character's heights are? - .net", which was 4'10.

Picken: Avatar wiki says a picken is what you call a chicken and pig hybrid. Picken for breakfast, you ask? It's like chicken bacon, sorta. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The Lily Livers: Toph's students do not appear in this story, but if they did the lily livers wouldn't be silly as they were in the comics. I mention them here and there.

Jang Hui: We were first introduced to Jang Hui Island in the episode The Painted Lady. When looking for a location to anchor the Fire Nation Air Fleet, I chose Jang Hui because of its position on the Avatar Political World Map by djinn327 ( art/Avatar-Political-World-Map-267063656). I did my best to match the characters on the map to the island names. I believe the island I chose is Jang Hui. Great map, by the way!

Disclaimer re distances and travel times: I don't know distances or time zones, or anything in the Avatar world that would help determine how long it would take to go anywhere by land, sea, air, or astral projection. I make it up as I go along. Forgive me.

Re 'Zuko turning': Yeah, it's a nod to the all-powerful Force that surrounds us and binds us . . . , well you know.

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Let me know what you think. Reviews are welcome!