A/N- Thank you for all the nice reviews. This is the second to last timeline chapter. After this is a prologue.

Broken Expectations, Perfected Destiny

Zuko finally reached Mai and held her arms down. He leaned in and kissed Mai gently but passionately. Mai simply froze and couldn't move. He whispered gently.

"It is because I love you."

Zuko walked away to join the rest of the group. Mai called out.

"I… don't understand…"

Zuko simply replied.

"I'm sure you will when you realize your destiny…"

Mai stood motionless for what seemed an eternity, her mind trying to process everything that had happened. What was destiny? And why did it have to ruin her life time and time again? It seemed destiny had a tendency to disappoint her every time something favorable happened.

Had destiny made Zuko leave as a banished prince? Had destiny made her life miserable when her father was appointed to be governor of Omashu? Had destiny constantly fallen short of adequate for her well being during the pursuit of the Avatar? Had destiny taken Zuko again? Surely these were indisputable truths!

Yet had destiny let her become one of the most influential women in the Fire Nation? Had destiny found her acquaintance with Azula and Ty Lee? Though they did not get along all the time, surely they were friends. Had destiny brought Zuko back?

Everything was as a fallen kingdom now, but destiny had been good at times. But she didn't know what to believe anymore.

As her mind was in chaos, a thought surfaced.

"Zuko! Remember who you are! You are not the bloodthirsty Fire Lord Sozin was or even Your Father! Control your own destiny!"

"Control your own destiny!"

Destiny was not absolute and never should have been as Zuko had defied it many times while given the opportunity. It was so pointless to do nothing as she experienced what happened as what destiny had "chosen". It was time to take the reins of her life. Destiny was no longer going to dominate everything she held dear.

So with a deep breath, she collected her emotions and proceeded to collect the knives scattered on the ground.

"It is because I love you."

Zuko raced through the many corridors in search of the Avatar's group. His heart hoped that Mai was coping well with how he left her as he ran. The pain on her face was so utterly visible that it killed him to leave her in that state, so he decided that when this was over, he would reconcile with Mai. But right now, his priority was the Avatar, as only Zuko knew how to defeat Ozai.

He reached the throne room in time as the Avatar did, but he wasn't seen. Unnoticed, he decided to lurk in the shadows until the right moment, the fundamental Earth jing. And so he heard Aang's proclamation of dominance firsthand.

"Fire Lord Ozai! The time has come for this war to be over!" Aang spoke boldly to the man behind the flames.

The one behind the flames simply sat still and silent.

Aang tried again "You have no chance anymore. Surrender now!"

Still, the man behind the flames said nothing at all.

Zuko was as puzzled as Aang was. Why isn't my father doing anything? He simply sat there, unwavering.

He soon saw why- A movement was seen from behind the curtain as a shadow slipped away. A Yuu Yan archer was aiming straight for Aang's head, but no one was aware of the man in the shadows except Zuko.

"Ozai! Answer me! You are powerless against us! Stop this useless war!" Aang was furious at this point.

All that happened behind the flames was a near invisible flick of the wrist and the Yuu Yan archer let loose the arrow on his bow.

"No!" Zuko rushed forward, but realized that it was too late. Aang turned around in time to see the arrow…

-clang-

…miss his head by at least 5 feet. Everyone turned to see Zuko standing speechless as Mai also walked in with her arm outstretched. She quickly disabled the Yuu Yan archer with a quick movement and then faced Zuko. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Mai… you're… here…" Zuko was well beyond surprise as he interjected.

Mai solemnly replied back "It is my destiny…"

A/N- I felt lazy so I made it 2 part. I ended the chapter with the same word as last time. Next is part 2 of Perfected Destiny.