DISCLAIMER: Seriously, what is the point of these disclaimers. It should be obvious that I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. -facepalm-

Chapter 2: Trouble Comes Within the Horizon

Zuko sipped the tea offered by his old friend, no rather acquaintance and felt rather nervous for she was staring at him as if he wore a beard of tentacles. He grasped at the flavor trying to comprehend what she had put in there. This was certainly a tea that could rival his uncle's tea.

He gave a brief glance at the general who seemed to be occupied with a friend of his. He watched as the general gave a hearty laugh and clap a hand on his friend's back. My this general seems to quite...lax. Quite unlike some generals whose eyes scan every bit of detail till they blow a hole in your face. He liked this general. Somewhat like his uncle. Maybe just a tad merrier.

"Do you like the tea Lee?" a voice asked and his eyes snapped up at Jin who looked curiously at him. He nodded, "Yes it's like my uncle's tea." Jin gave a grin that revealed her pearly whites, "I'm glad! I've been experimenting a lot to find out your uncle's secret recipe!" He couldn't help but stare. She had such a pretty smile.

"Is that so?" he asked amused as he poured himself another cup. Best keep drinking before he finds himself completely staring. Jin nodded like a small kid that was telling his parents that she had finished his chores and could now go out to play. "Yes! Since you left no one could ever make tea like yours so I took up that chance! I drank enough of it to know exactly what it tasted like!" So cute. A childish personality, he always seemed to adore that about her.

"Ah I see," Zuko nodded and glanced over at her again, "Tell me Jin. What have you been doing these couple of years?" Jin smiled, "Renovating this!" she motioned at the restaurant that had come back to it's flame once she had taken it. With that Zuko got to see the exposed skin of her flat stomach when the shirt she wore went up. Oh my what creamy skin she has. (A/N: Dude he sounds like the big bad wolf. Haha! Best with the situation I suppose!)

"That's it?"

"Yep!"

"And nothing else?"

"No..."

"So are you married?" The question came unexpected. Her eyes widened and she looked over at the Fire Lord who was looking intensely back at her. He wanted to know, was she involved with another man?! Was she?! She shook her head, "No, not yet." Zuko nodded almost relieved and went back to drinking his tea. She looked side ways, "So what about you? Fire Lord now Lee?"

Zuko shook his head, she has not grasped the fact that his name was Zuko. Well she'll get use to it very soon. "Jin, my name is Zuko. Not Lee." Jin frowned. She liked the name Lee, "How?" He sighed, "It was my alias when I was in the run. Obviously I couldn't run around calling myself Zuko. I would have been burned in a volcano if I was caught."

Jin mentally slapped herself as she smiled sheepishly at him. What the hell? That was the most obvious question in the world! She just made herself look like a joke in front of the Fire Lord! Good job Jin! Zuko watched her face in amusement. Her facial expressions were adorable. Especially when she gets frustrated with herself.

"Oh of course, I...heard that you restored the Fire Country..." she mentally slapped herself again. Duh! Of course he did! Fire Lord! NO DUH!! Zuko nodded, "Yes with the help of Uncle Iroh of course and my wife-" he stopped short. His wife. That's right. His wife. His beautiful Mai.

Jin nodded her smile faltering. His wife. So he was married after all. "I'm glad! You gotten married!" she cheered giving a false smile. Zuko gave a false smile as well. He was in no position to even think of touching this girl in front of him. There was no such thing as adultery, especially for the Fire Lord.

Before he knew it he found himself ready to leave and began to take out money to pay. Jin shook her head, "No no! You don't need to pay! It's just an honor to have you here!" with that she gave a bow and exposed her breasts to him. Zuko gulped. This is bad. He gave a deep breath and said, "It's alright." Jin looked up at him and found a bag of gold coins offered to her.

She gasped when she saw that it was full of coins, "I can't take that!" she refused. That's too much! Too much! Zuko sighed and placed it on the table. He strolled out to the exit following the general and looked back, "It's for restoring back my Uncle's shop. Thank you."

She blushed. Lee said thank you! No-no-no...Zuko said thank you! Oh what a turn of events! She glanced at the bag full of coins, and he became quite generous too.

Zuko sighed as he laid on his bed. He closed his eyes and went back to what had happened just an hour ago. He should not have been think all those things about Jin. There is no way he could ever think of that. He was married to a beautiful and rather dangerous lady. He growled out. Crap. But Jin...was...she was just...

She was like an angel. So childish, so very innocent but then there's this provocative side of her. This enticing side that beckoned him closer and closer till he was locked in place unable to move. She was a mysterious one she was.

But he had Mai. And he knew her inside out. Her personality was like fire. Usually mellow, a soft flickering flame. She has her moments though, and he loved to see those moments. It's like had changed into a roaring flame of danger and beauty. And her body, oh don't get him started. She was a drug he could never stop taking but...Jin...

Why the hell is this happening to him! He had just met her! Just a few hours ago! What the hell is wrong with him!? He turned sideward. He somewhat regretted leaving Mai now. It was for the best but he wanted her here. Perhaps if he was with her then he would not at all be thinking like this. He almost knew for a fact that Mai and he would be having some fun right now. She always seems to get him into that position every time they were alone. And now if she was here they would be alone.

He let out a groan. Crap, damn, shit! This is not good. He breathed in deeply. He can go on with this. Just one more day here and he would go back to the Fire Nation and back to his wife's arms. Okay Zuko calm down. He closed his eyes and pretended that he was back in his bedchambers snuggled close to his wife.

Then his wife would kiss him on the forehead and whisper lovingly, "I love you Zuzu," and he would sleepily answer back, "Me too Jin--"

He sat up abruptly and shouted, "Crap!"

Zuko quickly made all the preparations. He had rushed the contract so suddenly and had begged for it to be finished that day. And so now here he was heading out of the city as quickly as possible. He shook his head and never looked back. It had scared him to even think about loving someone other than his wife.

He had always loved his wife. He has never felt any love for any other ones except his mother but that was different. Now it seems he loved another girl. Even if he wasn't married at all she could never be his wife. She had to be in a high rank, she had to be refined in everyway, she had to be a perfect figure for other women to look at.

Mai had fit every category. She was in a well placed society, she had money, she was beautiful, she was well-bred, she even helped with battles as well as help mothers give birth to their children. But Jin was...well she was like a pauper.

She didn't live in a sophisticated part of the community, she was clumsy, she was a bit too curious with business that men handled, she was pretty but doesn't exactly have the air of refinement about her. In short she did not fit any of the aspects that the wife of the Fire Lord should have.

Plus he added rather miserably she was part of the earth bending community. Even today where there was pure peace many people marry their own kind. Fire benders marry other fire benders or women in the fire bending community. Earth benders do the same. Its almost a rule that was followed through the beginning of time.

His auburn eyes scanned the skies for any signs of unsolicited weather. The skies were clear and it was a nice sunny day but he knew that at any moment they could find themselves trapped within a hurricane. He had tried it before, he was not willing to do it again. He spotted a rather familiar bison idly flying smoothly across the sky. He watched amused as the Avatar shouted, "Appa! Could you please fly faster!? You're going too slow!!" The sky bison gave a low groan indicating that he did not feel like flying fast today but rather haze across the sky enjoying the wind.

Zuko had immediately ordered his crew to signal the Avatar and his sky bison. The ship can hold Appa, it held about five machines each about fifteen tons. Why not the bison? That is unless Appa had eaten a rather large meal today. The horn was blown loudly making the Avatar look to the direction.

Zuko waved at them and Aang immediately landed Appa with a great thud that rocked the boat slightly. Zuko sighed well at least the bison didn't make the ship turn over, though he noted at his men were almost in a state of panic for a moment.

"Hiya Zuko!" Aang greeted as he jumped off Appa. Aang didn't exactly loose his childish personality but he learned to be more serious when time came. He lost his childish build into a more muscled and taller form. Of course his blue arrow shown along his bald head but it was a normal sight. He stood grinning as he went to join Zuko, "Uncle Iroh said that you were due back for a while. Why are you going back so soon?"

Zuko looked down at the water that slapped the sides of the boat, "I wanted to get back home as quick as possible. I had nothing to do there," well it was somewhat the truth. He did want to get out of there as quickly as possible. As for the things to do, he could always compromise and never get bored.

Aang frowned slightly and rolled his eyes, "You suck at lying," he pointed out. Zuko looked over at him with an eyebrow raised, "What makes you think I was lying?"

Aang shrugged, "I dunno. No eye contact, voice is weak and hesitant, and you fidget when you lie." Shit he's still got to practice the art of lying. His feet always move when he says a lie. He was not like his sister Azula who could lie as if it was the truth. That was her main strong point really plus her mental issues...no er...mental condition? He as her brother wouldn't ever say she has mental issues of any sort but more of...a delicate personality. Either way she's just dangerous. Up to this day she walks around the jail dungeons mumbling to herself, though Zuko wouldn't call the dungeon as one for those entrusted to villains like her. More of a mansion underground for his baby sister to be confined in. He'll have to check on her later and bring her her stuffed bunni bun bear, maybe a cup of tea too. (A/N: Hey! She's still a girl! Ah well just pretend she has one! It'll go somewhere!)

"Well I wanted to talk to Uncle about something," Now that was the complete truth. He was going to trust his uncle's tips. It saved him numerous times and no way was he disobeying them now.

Aang nodded and averted his eyes to the water, "Ah...Katara says hi," he began and Zuko nodded, "and that you should take of your wife before she beats you..." Zuko raised an eyebrow. Aang shrugged, "Hey she said it!! She thinks your somewhat of a bad guy still!"

Zuko sighed. Still and how long was that when they battled each other! Please! She's married to the avatar and is expecting a child! Yes that was long ago. My she has trusting issues she does. He muttered rather darkly, "I'd like to see her try..."

Aang shook his head, "Never face a pregnant woman Zuko! She will burn you and kill you with your own fire! She has the scariest mood swings and when she's angry she whips you with water!"

Zuko snorted, "Just too bad you live near water," Aang pouted, "And how is that my fault that she wanted to be near her grandmother and father when she gives birth to the baby!?"

Zuko looked at him oddly, "You."

"How is this my fault?"

"You made her pregnant didn't you?"

"Well yah...but I don't get...wait...oh."

Zuko rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wonders how Aang became an avatar. He was powerful and all that but he was somewhat clumsy and rather dimwitted at times. Ah well he'll leave that alone. Best not to wonder to much.

"So?" Aang pressed grinning at his fire-bending sensei. "So...," Zuko let off trying to rack his brain for any answer he could possibly give. The only person he would ever talk about this would be his uncle.

"Uhm it's about Mai...," he concluded after some final thought. Well that wasn't a complete lie now was it? Of course not. It was really about Mai...and another certain girl but it was about Mai.

"Oh you missed her huh?" Aang questioned nudging Zuko on the ribs, "Can't wait for some fun tonight right Zuko?" The Fire Lord blushed to an interesting shade of red before stammering, "N-no! We-we...I was just wondering...how everything is going is all!" he defended.

"Ah I see..." Aang nodded rhythmically still grinning deviously, "Hey Zuko can I stay for the night?" Zuko raised an eyebrow, "I thought you were on your way back with Appa?"

Aang nodded, "Yeah but Katara was kinda in a bad mood so..." Zuko rolled his eyes. Cowering and hiding from his pregnant wife. Some avatar he turned out to be. "Fine," he muttered and Aang clapped him hard in the back shouting, "Thanks good buddy!" That sent Zuko to stumble and almost drop into the water. Aang chuckled retrieving a piece of paper and writing his note to Katara.

After finishing he folded it into bird origami style and blew on it. As if the bird were alive it flew to the direction of the south where Katara was. Aang smiled contently, "That should arrive there during the morning." It was one of those nifty little tricks he had picked up poking around the old Air bender ruins. He found some pictures of Air benders doing such things as a use of mail and decided it was how he would send his mail. It took a while to develop the right style for the thing to fly though.

Zuko looked forward as one of his crew man signaled that they had reached Fire Nation waters. Well at least he was nearly there. Closer to Mai and perhaps with her present he'll forget everything he had just felt about Jin. Then he'll be back to his regular life.

Leaning against the railings he idly listened to the avatar talk about something he really had no interest about. That is before he was whacked hard on the head and had him rip his ears apart as he yelled, "Listen for once Zuko!"

"What?!"

Author's Note:

I know this is an open ending, but I did NOT write this fanfic. It was written by somebody else, who deleted right after I reviewed it asking him to continue. HOW RUDE...Luckily, I was able to copy and paste it before the author deleted it...I honestly have no idea how to continue this story. If anybody has an idea of how this fanfic should continue, write the story yourself. You can call it "Yearning: Part 2"...Just remember to give ME credit for reposting this in the first place, (and try to keep the content at K+ or T.).