The conditions in the Fire Nation had become better, though recovering from the lasting effects from the war would take years. As the colonists came back to their beloved country, the population raised to a staggering number well over 1.2 billion, causing the rate for homelessness to also rise. However, the chaotic riots that plagued the region soon after the war died down, along with the countries radical thinking toward the three other nations. Famine had become a reacquiring problem as well, though with the help of the other nations, it was easily controlled.
But as the Fire Lord looked down upon his country from his library window, these issues seemed far from his thoughts. He stared blankly at the deep red sky as the sun set beneath the horizon, casting shadows on dormant volcanoes and the cool blue sea that streched out below them.
A small quite knock sang though the small library.
"You can come in," the Fire Lord said quietly his voice quiet, small, and defeated.
"Zuko?" A small voice asked.
"Yes."
"I...I heard the news, about Mai. I'm really sorry." A small hand brushed up against his arm, clinging to him slightly.
He turned around slowly, looking upon his guest with pleading eyes and forced a smile.
"It's not your fault that she left you know," the blind girl reassured him. "Mai wasn't worth your time anyway, she was emotionless and she didn't care about anything, and-"
"Toph," Zuko stopped her before she could go any farther, "It is my fault. I should of know if she was unhappy, it was my job. It was my responsibility to make sure she was okay. But she couldn't stand it here anymore, there was no place for her here anymore, and I was being selfish for thinking I could keep her." He sighed, "It's nice seeing you again Toph." He patted her on the head on his leave for the door leaving it open for when she left.
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That night as he laid in bed, he couldn't sleep, just like the night before, and the night before that. It had been three days since she left, and the memory of what she said still rang in his ears.
It was cooler that day then usual, the clouds were large and threatened to bring rain. Zuko sat at his desk filling out countless sheets of paperwork. He had been Fire Lord for almost six months now, and had already made huge changes. He had lowered taxes, and ordered that more houses should be made for the colonists, which created jobs for his countrymen. He helped build a memorial for both the men lost from his nation and the other nations as well.
The war had left scars deep with in the hearts of the worlds people, but slowly he was helping to healing them.
He had proposed to Mai only a month before and while she was busy with the wedding preparations, he was rebuilding a country.
Though as the days went by, he began to noticed something was wrong, something he couldn't understand, something that had been nagging him. It was Mai, and he knew something was wrong. But yet, when he did ask she didn't say a word and changed the subject and Zuko decided he would leave it at that, because he didn't want to upset her. He wanted her to stay, and for that he might of done anything.
He entered his bed chamber, smiling as he saw his future wife standing there by the window, a faint breeze blowing in her hair. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist nuzzling her lightly.
She remained staring at the scenery, not saying a word.
"What's wrong?" He asked
"I...I'm not sure if I can do this anymore." She whispered.
He released his grasp from around her waist.
"What do you mean?"
"Pretend," She replied avoiding his gaze, "that I'm happy here." Zuko mouth gaped, he was at a loss for words.
"What...I-I don't understand."
"Yes you do," She met his eyes.
"Mai, what do you mean?"
She placed a soft hand on his face and he kissed her palm, holding it there. "I'm sick Zuko."
"Don't worry. We can fix it, I can call a healer right now. I'll go call one for you." Zuko turned to leave the room but Mai held onto his wrist.
"I already called a healer a few days ago, and I even sent Katara a letter asking her to come but it wouldn't of made a can't do anything. They wouldn't be able to do a thing."
"I don't understand."
Mai sighed, breaking her gaze from Zuko's eyes and returned to observe the stormy sky. "It's not like a fever, or a cold. Only of a few healers here have seen it before. They compare it to a permanent parasite. There are a few lucky people who are able to survive, but most can't or just give up. They call it cancer," Mai explained. "My type of cancer is too advanced, even if they could fix it, the likely hood of me surviving is slim.
"I'm dying," she whispered. "I've been dying this whole time and I didn't even know it."
Zuko looked down onto the floor, unable to look Mai in the eyes. She kissed him on his forehead lifting his head up for him to meet her gaze.
"I'm leaving, Zuko, and I'm not coming back. I can't stay here not knowing how much time I have and not doing anything about it. If I stay here, all you'll do is sulk, and that's not what I want. I don't want anyone's pity. I just want to finish the things I never got to do.
"Please stay Mai. Please." Zuko begged.
She let her hand drop and walked toward the door. "Goodbye Zuko." She whispered and shut the door, leaving Zuko alone and broken.
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"Rise and shine Sparky!!!!" Toph called throwing the sheets off of his bed. Zuko grumbled digging his face into his pillows.
"Go away!" He cried
"Guess who's here to see you?"
Zuko sat up in bed his hair ragged and wild eyes looking back at Aang, Katara, and Sokka, staring questioningly back at him standing in the door way. Zuko jumped out of bed and grabbed and Toph collar from the back of her shirt and dragged her across the floor, throwing her out of the room.
"I SAID I DIDN'T WANT ANY VISITORS!!!!" he screamed slamming the doors in all of their faces.
"Well, that went well." Aang said rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah, real well." Katara replied.
"Are you kidding me? That was worse then the time when Aang was freaking out the day before the invasion during the eclipse!!!"
"Was I really that bad?"
"At least he's not having hallucinations about talking animals." Toph pointed out.
"That we know of, he could be having one right now!"
"Guys," Katara chastised,"Give him some time, he just lost somebody he loves, come on." Katara guided everyone away from the door, looking back over her shoulder to Zuko's closed door.
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"Uncle!!" Zuko screamed barging into the dinning hall like a crazed maniac.
"Why hello Nephew, have you tasted this tea yet? It is quite delicious!" Iroh asked
"Uncle, I don't want to hear about your stupid tea! Why did you bring them here?"
"Who?" Iroh asked, seemingly innocent.
"Aang, Katara, and Sokka." Zuko hissed his voice as sharp as a dragon's tongue.
"Oh yes, well, you see, I believe you needed some support and-"
"Uncle..." Zuko shook his head disapprovingly. "I asked you not to invite them, I have you to support me, I don't want to burden anyone else."
"Zuko, who ever said they were your guests? I invited them, I missed their company."
Zuko sighed heavily, he was never going to win this fight was he?
"Well I better go now, it seems I must go and attend my tea shop.
"It's Sunday." Zuko sighed.
"All the better to go then."
"What about your guests?" Zuko asked
"Their not my guests, I thought they were yours!!" Iroh laughed his fulled hearted laugh as he walked away. Zuko couldn't help but smile.
He still hated his uncle for doing this to him, though I suppose it is for the best...
Zuko walked from the dinning hall, and went to go find Aang and the others, luckily it wasn't hard to do. They were all relaxing in the courtyard laughing and having a good time. Toph was the first to notice and stopped her laughing suddenly,
"Hey Sparky." She said. The others stopped and turned to look at Zuko.
"I apologized for what I did this morning, it was rude of me." He said bowing his head. "It really is nice to see you all again."
"You too, Zuko." Aang said.
There was a strange silence between them all.
"Sooooooo," Sokka started "When do we get to eat?" Katara jabbed him with her elbow. "Owww!!!" Sokka hissed.
"What he means is...Uh..." Katara looked to Aang for help
"He means...Is that....ummm...he was wondering if we could she the rest of the palace!" Zuko smiled a weak smile.
"Follow me."
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The conversation between them was slow as first, but as the day went on, Zuko soon realized how much he missed all of them. They kept in touch often writing each other letters and sending gifts, but even with the letters, Zuko still learned much of his old friends and the plans they had for the future.
Sokka now lives with Suki on Kyoshi Island where he plans to marry her soon. He has yet to propose and is trying to find the right way to do it and when.
Katara still lives at the South Pole with her father and Gran-Gran but will soon be traveling to the North Pole to help Master Pakku with training the other young water benders in the North Pole.
Aang continues to live with Katara at the South Pole but plans to try to find if there are any hidden survives of the raids of the air temples so many years ago.
After dinner, Zuko made sure every one was settled into there rooms, and sat in the courtyard watching the Turtle Ducks swim happily in their pond. A piece of bread was tossed into the pond, but not by Zuko, it was from Aang.
He was much taller now, about an inch or two taller then Katara is now, and it shocked Zuko how quickly he had grown in such little time. He no longer looked like a child anymore, he now reminded Zuko of a young man such as himself.
Aang sat next to Zuko, but said nothing as he continued to fed the Turtle Ducks small pieces of food.
"Did you know?" Zuko then suddenly asked. "About Mai."
Aang's head sunk. "Yes." He answered honestly."Katara told me, after she received Mai's letter a few days ago."
Zuko sighed, and looked up toward the sky. The stars twinkled in between the swaying branches of the tree they both sat beneath.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me? Did I not have a right to know?!" Zuko cried to the heavens.
"Katara made me swear, Mai made Katara swear, there was nothing we could of done."
"You should of told me any way Aang, you should of. Maybe if I knew before hand I could of...I could of stopped her, we could of given her help sooner."
"We couldn't do anything Zuko. It's not like we didn't want to-"
"What if it was Katara? What if it were you in my position, you would of told me to do the same thing!" Zuko yelled.
Aang guilt rose. "Yes," He whispered "Yes I would have."
His anger then melted away, and was replaced with his own guilt and sadness.
"I should of know it wasn't going to last long." Zuko admitted. "I should of asked her more often, I should of paid attention her more, and maybe...maybe she would of told me sooner, or at least stayed."
"I'm sorry." Aang whispered.
"I know," Zuko whispered back. "Me too."
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