She watched them drag him away. For once in her life, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to run up and rip him away from the guards. He was her leader after all. But for some reason her feet wouldn't take her. Because deep inside she knew that there was nothing she could do. She knew that she couldn't fight the guards herself, even if Longshot helped her. But she also knew that he was lost.

Jet was many things. He was her leader, her friend, her hero. She had looked up to him all her life. But they had come here to start a new life, but Jet couldn't change. Jet couldn't let go. He had been hurt deeply, she understood that, she had been too. But everyone deals with their pain in different ways.

"You see, Smellerbee," he said to her once. "The Fire Nation has hurt us, scarred us. And that pain will either kill us or make us stronger. We have to let it make us stronger. We have to let it help us fight them." But which is it doing to you now, Jet? She thought sadly.

She felt a strong arm encircle her shoulder. She looked into Longshot's dark eyes.

Let him go. Longshot gave her an understanding look. He has to do this for himself.

Do what? She wanted to ask him. But deep down, she understood. Grow up. Accept life's pain and move on. Smellerbee had only recently come to that understanding, but she had the feeling Longshot knew it all along. And by the way his arm rested on her shoulder, she knew why he had become one of them.

She buried her face in his shoulder, a rare display coming from her. She considered herself self-sufficient. She didn't need anyone's help. But this was something she couldn't weather alone. Her whole world had been turned upside down. It seemed like everything she ever believed was wrong.

"They're fire benders!" she heard Jet yell. She knew Jet too well, she knew he couldn't change. Maybe even if he wanted to. His hatred had become such a huge part of him, she wasn't sure what he would be without it.

Her heart was heavy as she turned away. Jet…You taught me everything I ever knew. You made me who I am. But for her own good, and perhaps for his own, she had to let him go. She felt a hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that she was doing the right thing.

"I'm sorry, Jet."

-------

He was lying on the ground, his breath was shallow. Hot tears poured down Smellerbee's cheeks, and Smellerbee never cried.

"Hold on, please hold on," she whispered. Bur she had heard what the blind girl said as she left. Even Jet knew he wasn't going to be okay.

Jet was many things. He was her leader, her friend, her hero. She had looked up to him all her life. She still did. She didn't think he could change, but he did. He fought alongside the Avatar. For one moment he abandoned his pathological hatred of the Fire Nation. And then… it just wasn't fair.

Smellerbee picked up his twin swords and placed them in his hands. Longshot stood on Jet's other side, his bow drawn, covering the door. He looked calm and ready, but inside, she knew he was as shaken as she was.

Jet told her once that the pain they felt, the loss they had suffered, would either kill them or make them stronger. It wasn't fair. He was finally getting stronger. He was changing, growing. He was her hero once more.

Smellerbee bowed her head, not even trying to stem the flow of tears down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Jet."

A/N: NOOOOOOO! DON"T DIE JET!!!!!! I still refuse to believe Jet is dead. He just can't die. He just can't. Whether he dies at the end of this fic is up to your interpretation. I just thought the topic would be interesting to write because I love Jet and the Freedom Fighters and I felt like writing something sad and um this was what came out. And it's not meant to be Jet/Smellerbee she just looks up to him as a leader and a friend. It always seemed to me that she was the one who looked up to him the most as a role model. But that was just my interpretation. As always PLEASE review. Pretty please. Thanks!