Chapter Three: The Passage of Time

Aang around at the family he missed all the time. The rebuilding process was going slow. There was so much damage done at the end of the war, even the Avatar could not repair. So, he drug on, fixing what he could, replanting the dead trees and rebuilding the broken houses. At least he had Toph. Thinking about the blind Earthbender made him smile. Four years ago, they were best friends, and he was with Katara, but something changed over the years. He started to fall for Toph. It was slow going, and finally he realized that he was in love with her and not Katara. It took all the courage he posessed to confront Katara and let her know.

When he did, he was surprised that Katara felt the same way about them and gave her blessings to the new relationship. Now, it has been three years and they were still going strong. They were both sixteen and got along great. He and Katara stayed friends, and they would never trade that for anything. Looking around at his family, he smiled. He missed this.

"What's the smile for, Twinkletoes?" Toph looped her arm through his and leaned against him.

Aang kissed her on the top of her head. "Just thinking how much I have missed the whole family getting back together. There is just one person missing from the reunion." He sighed and put his head on top of hers. " I just wish I knew why he didn't talk to us anymore."

Toph snuggled into his side and smiled. "Then why don't we go pay Sparky a visit. We can always leave if he gets pissed off."

That was best idea he had heard all day. Aang patted her in the arm and proceed to get up. "Attention everyone. I vote a change of scenery is needed for this year. I say we all get on Appa right now and go visit Zuko."

--

Katara looked up at the Avatar. He said they were going to visit Zuko. Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Fire Lord's name. I wonder if Sokka talked to him about going to the Fire Nation. She glanced at her older brother and the look on his face told her he was as surprised as she was at Aang's comment. Well, I'm not going to let this oppprotunity go. She stood up and smiled. "I think it's a great idea. Most of us have not seen him since the day of his coronation. Let's go."

Sokka stood up smiling. "Alright! Fire Nation food! How I've missed you so." He hugged Suki while dancing in place.

She and the others just laughed at Sokka. He was always thinking with his stomach. Katara turned to Aang. "I think I speak for everyone here when I say, we are ready when you are, oh wise Avatar." She bowed slightly at the waist, smiling the whole time.

Aang stuck his tongue out at her, but laughed. "Let's go before someone changes their mind, like Toph."

"Oh no, Airhead, you are not going to pin changing their mind on anyone. I haven't even said that we should go." Toph stood up and put her finger in Aang's chest. "You are so full of yourself, Twinkletoes, it's disgusiting."

Aang put his arms around her waist. "And that's why you love me. You love me being cocky, just like you." He kissed the top of her head.

She pulled back, but Katara saw the blush staining the cheeks of the Earthbender. "You are so gross. Please P.D.A, soo gross."

Aang just smiled and turned to everyone. " Be ready in an hour. we'll leave then and make our way to the Fire Nation Palace."

--

Mai knew she had to do it. She thought cutting off communications between Zuko and that girl would make him fall out of love with her, but her well thought out plan backfired. He seemed to love her even more with the cummunications cut. She sat there and stared at the stack of letters that she had intercepted. Better late than never to give them to him. She knew there was no future for them, but she still loved him no matter what.

Standing up, she walked Zuko's study, knowing that he will be there.

Knocking on the door, she heard him bellow "Enter!"

She walked in, and as always he was bent over a stack of papers. "Zuko, we need to talk."

He turned around and looked at her, a scowl on his face. "What is it, Mai? If you are here for another fight, you're not getting it. I want to finish this and go to bed. I have a lot of things to do before the aniversery in a few days."

Mai sighed and walked over to the desk and threw down the letters. "Here. I have been keeping these from you for a few years. I should have burned them, but I didn't. I don't know why I didn't, but here they are. All of them."

Zuko looked down at the stack of letters she threw down. There had to be at least twenty letters there. He looked up at her. "Why?"

She looked down at the ground. "I saw how you looked at that waterbender, and I knew how much you really liked her, and I was afraid I would loose you if you kept talking to her. So, I took matters into my own hands. I took any letter that was sent in for you and any letter you sent out." She looked up at him. Tears welded up in the corner of her eyes, but she blinked them back. "I didn't want to loose you, Zuko, but know I see what I did was wrong."

Zuko didn't know what to say. Mai, the woman he thought he knew just destroyed the only friendships he had ever had. He kept his emotions in check. "I think you need to leave. I don't know what to say to you right now."

Mai knew now it was over between her and Zuko. What she did was unforgivable, and she knew it. "Good bye Zuko." She turned and walked out of the room.

This was one hard chapter to write. Not because I was running out of ideas, it's because it's really really hard to type with one hand. My 4 month old daughter had to be up my butt today. Oh you are all going to love this! My husband desided to name one of our new kittens Zuko. His left eye is really messed up from all the eye infections he keeps getting. Thought you all would get a kick out of that.