How to Deal

Chapter Two: Sickness and Health

Thankies guys for the reviews and reads, it's muchly appreciated. Just to warn you, this chappies gonna be a bit short, so I'll try to update the third one tonight as well. And yes, there will be a little more about Mai until I kill her off. -mwahaha- So please bear with me on that too. Welp, here yah go! You guys deserve it! :D

Mai couldn't sleep, there was too much on her mind. She wanted to be near Zuko, holding him, caressing his warm chest. She just wanted to know she was beside him. The fresh tears climbed to the brims of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. They soon went away and she felt a portion of her strength return. 'Well, so much for sleep. I don't feel a bit tired now.' She stood up and walked over to the window, looking for a promising sign in the Heavens. She dragged the chair Zuko had sat in just hours ago to the window sill, trying to settle herself through the pains in her chest. For a few moments there was just silence and floating lights. At last a blue shooting star came streaking by and Mai started to pray. "Agni, what does this mean?" She sat in thought until she got her answer, mouth hanging wide open. "This isn't funny if it's a joke." A minute later she spoke to the sky again. "How do I tell him? And why her?" Her eyes got sad and she gave a depressed sigh to match her expression. "I always thought their friendship was platonic, but it does make sense. She's a good person I guess. But why do I have to suffer?" This time she couldn't stop the tears. "Of course, for every good thing that happens to us, we have to suffer a loss. Give and take. How long do I have to go through this?" When she was answered, she dried her eyes and shrugged. "Then I guess I only have that long to show Zuko I really love him. One more question?" Half a second passed by. "How much pain will I go through before I die?" Her eyes got wide as she listened to the gods talking to her. "That much," she whispered questioningly. "Well, thank you Great Agni. Please be with me." She lowered her hands and went back to bed, finally able to sleep, even if it wasn't exactly peaceful.

Zuko walked down the hallway to his throne room. There was a pile of paperwork waiting for him when he got back, and he was so tired. It was time to rest. He opened the doors and found his father sitting in his chair. "Good evening, Zuko. It's so good to see you." Ozai's face was decorated with a sneer as he stood up.

"What are you doing here? I locked you away for good." The doors shut behind Zuko and he walked forward to meet his wretched father. What was going on?

"You should have known you couldn't keep me away from my rightful place. Even you don't have that power, my dear son." Ozai stopped right in front of Zuko, staring him down.

"I asked you a question. What are you doing here?"

"I came to challenge you to an Agni Kai. And in case you decide not to accept, I brought a little insurance." Two of his own guards dragged out a girl... wait...

"Mai!" Zuko turned to his father and snarled. "Let her go."

"Accept my challenge."

"I accept." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Ozai threw a wave of flames at Zuko. Luckily, the younger one dodged the furious heat and threw a fireball of his own. It barely missed the former Fire Lord and he cackled. Zuko continued to throw fire at his father, not caring if it killed him. He messed with the wrong person when he took Mai. The self-proclaimed Phoenix King continued to try to fry his son with huge flames until at last, Zuko spun around behind him and shot him in the back with a blue flame. Ozai fell onto his back with a groan and as Zuko turned to look for Mai, she was gone. He looked back at his father and watched as he turned into Mai instead. She laid motionless on the ground where his father had been, the flames eating away her flesh. "Oh my... Mai! Mai!" He watched as everything caught fire and she disappeared. "Mai, Mai..."

"Wake up, Zuko." He flew up and punched at the hand that shook him, only to find that someone caught his fist. "Punch your own uncle, what is the world coming to?" A candle came to life and Zuko saw his Uncle Iroh smiling.

"Uncle, where have you been?" He embraced his father figure as tightly as he could and found the older man giving the hug back fully.

"I've been with the White Lotus and decided to check up on my favorite nephew. You seem troubled, where is Mai?" Zuko's face fell and he sat down on the end of his bed. Any other time it was so comfortable. Tonight it had only been a lump of sheets.

"Why did you come so late, uncle? What have you heard?" Iroh sat down beside Zuko and put his arm around the younger one.

"I've heard nothing. A feeling told me to come and see you. Something told me you were troubled, and my timing couldn't be better. Now, where is your wife?"

"She's sick, we don't know what's wrong with her yet."

"Have you talked to Agni?" The young king shook his head.

"But I had a dream about father. I defeated him in Agni Kai and he turned into Mai and the whole palace burned down. I'm so scared of losing her." He put his face in his hands as Iroh patted his poor nephew's back.

"I'm sure things will be fine, but you must face a universal truth. Eventually everyone dies, you can't stop it."

"But she's so young." Zuko thought of his lost cousin as he said it and saw that Iroh's face dropped as well.

"Younger than her have died before, Zuko."

"But why?" Zuko stood up and walked over to the balcony. Mai used to love watching the sun rise from there of the mornings.

"She must have been chosen to reside with the Great Ones who have passed. Take whatever time you have left with her to show the most love to her that you possibly can if you are that afraid of her passing."

"Thanks, uncle. But I hope that isn't the case." Iroh stood as well and walked over to stand beside Zuko. "So, how long are you staying?"

"As long as you need me here." They watched the moon disappear together in silence. "As long as you need."

Okay, I hope that was longer than the first part. & I hope that you guys like it so far. Now gimme those reviews so I can continue. :D lol