After the End

by Sara Jaye

Longshot and Smellerbee after the events at Lake Laogai. Without the Freedom Fighters, who were they? What did they have? The answer, of course, was nothing.

Jet was gone, and the Freedom Fighters had died with him. Now they were just an archer and a tomboy walking the streets of Ba Sing Se.

"Let's get out of here," Smellerbee said to her ever-silent companion. "I hate this city, I never want to come back! Let's just start new lives somewhere else in the Earth Kingdom, or the Water Tribes, or-"

He gave her a sad smile.

"They'll never be home. Not to us."

Her chest tightened, and tears pricked at her eyes. He was right, of course, the Fire Nation had destroyed their true homes long ago and no matter where they went, it wouldn't be the same.

Sobs suddenly wracking her, she fell to her knees. As he caught her in his embrace, she felt him shudder and then the wetness of his silent tears against her face.

"Without the Freedom Fighters...who are we, Longshot?" she mumbled. He only tightened his arms, but his silence said everything.

We're just no one.