Chapter 1:

"Come back" Mai yelled down the long sunny hallway at Zuko who was slowly jogging, hood up on his cloak.

"Leave me alone Mai." He said sternly, turning his head to see how close she was to catching up. He could outrun her he thought quickening his pace. He saw his chamber doors in the distance. Huge red doors outlined in gold with shinny golden handles. He let out a sigh of relief as he pushed them open, shutting them in a hurry and keeping his back pressed against the strong metal doors. He locked them securely as he slid down into a squat, trying to catch his breath. He had been in good shape before, but weeks of getting waited on hand and foot had caused him to lose a big chunk of his stamina and he was feeling it now as his heart beak wildly in his chest. Mai had chased him all the way from the pond even after he asked politely to be alone. Or not so politely he never could tell. Then he heard the banging on the door. He got up to his feet.

"Zuko" It was Mai. "Open up this door." She continued to pound and with each pound Zuko grew more and more frustrated. He tilted his head back letting out a loud scream as well as a bit of fire and a thick grey smoke from his mouth. He hung his head down as the grey smoke filled the room in a thin layer. He stepped forward, holding his arms out wide and fell face fist on his bead, bouncing a few times as the springs settled. He let out another scream deep into his pillow. Why was he being like this he thought, he had everything he wanted. After three long painful years as sea he was home, his father accepted him, ha, he even thought he was a hero, yet the emptiness consumed him. For so long he wanted to go home, yet now that he was home he was angrier than ever and he didn't know why and Mai… Mai, dear sweet emotionless Mai. She was by his side since he came back and where was she now pounding on the door, yet all he could do was lay there in anger. After a while he heard the banging stop.

Zuko gets up slowly, opening the door an inch. Mai pushes by him going inside. Zuko shuts the door behind her.

"Gosh Zuko open a window in here!" She says harshly to him as she goes over to the window opening it wide, sitting on the window sill.

"Sorry" Zuko mumbles going to sit on his bead, Head held down, legs straight, arms pushed against the bed supporting him.

"Sorry doesn't excuse the way you have been acting lately. What has gotten into you?"

"I don't know." He says kicking his left foot.

"stop keeping secrets from me and would it kill you to come sit by me." She says. Zuko gets up sighs and goes to sit by Mai, he puts his arms around her. She throws it off. "I'm still angry at you."

"I'm sorry. For so long I thought if I was back home I would be happy, I'm back home now, my dad talks to me, he even thinks I'm a hero, yet I'm angrier than ever and I wish I knew why." He says trying to put his arm around her again.

"Well who are you angry at?" She asks? Zuko looks up, staring at the fire nation insignia hanging proudly on his wall across from him.

"Everyone." He takes a breath. "Well, I don't know." He closes his hands into tight fists. "I'm angry at myself" He says at last getting up and punching a large fireball towards the wall, just missing the poster. He jumps up and turns to face Mai. "Happy? I said it."

"Why?" She asks.

"Because I'm not sure I know right from wrong anymore."

"Well." Mai says getting up, she takes a step in towards him and leans in for a light kiss on his lips. "I know what might cheer you up, if you boss some servants around. I bet I could go for a nice cream pie right about now. What about you?" She says giving him another soft kiss. Zuko finally returns it, pulling her in towards him, placing his hand on her neck and his other on her cheek kissing her forcefully.

"Okay." He says