A/N: Hello all waves I would first like to say that I am very glad that you have chosen to read this story. I'm hoping that it will live up to your expectations.

Sadly this entire story will not be a complete Zutara fiction, but there will be some of the Zutara-goodness. Mainly this will be a pairing between Zuko and my OC…so I'm sorry. Another story is in the making and it will be a Zutara, but there are no promises to when it will come out, gomen.

I plan for this story to have: mild-language, violence, sexual themes, lemons, and maybe even some major scenes of complete and total cute Zuko moments. IF any of this will make you feel sick or upset, please read no further. But, if this does 'blow your skirt up' feel free to R&R…flames are always welcome…considering I'm a pyro.

FINALLY…. insert drum roll here ….I don't own Avatar: The Last Air Bender, all of that credit stuff goes to the creators. I do, however, own my OC. WUAHAHAHA!!!

Prologue

Eyes would open slowly to look at the land of destruction that existed around them. No evidence existed of what had happened, but only one person was left from it all, this lone girl knew the truth of the destruction that had taken her homeland.

A small group of warriors had come and gone, taking the lives of everyone in the village with him, and the girl silently prayed that it wo9uld have been her body lying on the ground instead of her beloved sisters. Those men, mere fire benders, had taken everything that she knew and loved. Simple hate and greed had led them to do this. They had come only to destroy and take what they wanted for the 'glory' of their nation.

Charred remains of her people laid scattered around her and her older sister…her sister laid in her lap, slain, and the ones that had gone in the most valiant of ways. Her sister had fought for the sake of her home and to protect the ones she loved but in the end nothing mattered, everyone was gone; the men had killed the innocent without a single regard.

The young girl didn't know exactly why the men had begun their attack on the world, the lands had lived in peace, but they just attacked out of nowhere. The people of the village had cried out for the help of the Avatar, but no one came, then they turned to her in seek of help. She was able to guide both fire and water, but she hadn't been chosen as the Avatar, she was just a simple bender. It wasn't until she looked down at her sister's body and realized that she was now truly alone.

"Sister…sister, please wake up…don't leave me. Please…" Her voice came out in choked sobs as tears began to roll down her cheeks and her body trembled from both shock and fear. "Just like mother…don't go like mother did…"

She sat there and cried, cradling her sister's body to her chest until she fell asleep, only to awake later when she heard the sounds of beasts stopping and a man's gasp of shock. "Spirits, what happened…"

She was too weak to move as she listened to the man move around her. Travelers frequently visited her home, but she didn't want anyone to see it now. She didn't know what the man was looking for but she'd release a cry of fear and pain when he placed a hand on her shoulder to move her. "Go away!"

"You're alive?! Young one, you're hurt." The man was startled by her scream but didn't back away; instead he gently turned her to face him. "Aki, bring some water and a fresh cloth from your bag."

"Of course." A woman's voice broke out from behind her, the sound of her steps and rustling of a bag reaching the girl's ears. Once the woman approached them she'd hand the items requested to the man and kneel in front of the girl, obviously with child. "How long have you been here, dear?"

Had it really been that long since the attack? The girl then looked around at the area, the air now barely smelt of charred flesh…instead the smell of rotting corpses filled the air. With the way that the area seemed the girl could only guess that it had already been days since everyone was killed, but it only felt like she had been sleeping for a few hours. Once her eyes landed back on the man she'd speak up softly, "who are you?"

"Ah, yes, my name is Dante of the Earth Kingdom…" he then motioned to the woman and gave a wider smile. "This is my wife Aki. Now…I must ask young one, who did this to you?"

"Fire benders…"