A/N: OK, really sorry I haven't updated, but I've been really busy with school and studying and stuff. Yeah, wow. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter…

Disclaimer: Um… yeah, Avatar doesn't belong to me... why do you think I'm writing this?

I hate feeling like this

I'm so tired of trying to fight this

I'm asleep and all I dream of

Is waking to you

"Comatose" by Skillet

Rebirthing: Chapter 3

New Body, New Life

"Aagh!" Zuko yelled, waking up about five other men sleeping around him.

"Take it easy there, Soldier," a man next to him patted him on the back. "Having nightmares, are ya?"

"Who do you think you are speaking to?!" he demanded. How dare this man not address him as the fire lord!

"Um, I think I'm talking to a soldier in my squad." The man looked at him like he was crazy.

Oh, yeah, new body, Zuko thought. "Um, right, sorry. I need some air."

The fire lord looked around to see the five other men starting to get around. They were all in a cave that seemed to be close to a road. He walked out into the increasing light and stepped onto the road. It looked like the one he took to get to the airships, but he couldn't be sure. Zuko yawned and turned to go back into the cave, but something on the road caught his eye. It was a tiny figure walking towards him. The person was far away, but he could tell that is was a girl. Good, probably not a threat then. As she got closer, he could see long, red robes billowing in the slight breeze. OK, so she was Fire Nation nobility. She came closer and he could make out pale skin, an angular face, and…

"It's Mai!" Zuko whooped out loud. She made it! She was all right!

He had an irresistible urge to run to her, sweep her off her feet, and cover her in kisses, telling her that he would never leave her again. And he almost did just that, but reality came crashing down on him all too soon. If he did that, she would rip him to shreds. So he just watched, heartbroken, as she stopped in front of him, with not even a glint of recognition in her silver orbs.

"Who are you?" Mai demanded.

Zuko felt like he was going to throw up. Right then, he didn't want to do this anymore, he didn't know if he could handle this.

"Well, are you going to answer me?"

"Y-yes," he felt weak. "M-my name is… um, Lee. I'm one of the six soldiers that survived the attack."

"There's six of you?"

Zuko nodded. He was dedicated now.

"Good. Go round up your buddies; we're commandeering an airship," Mai said matter-of-factly.

"But Mai…"

"As long as you are in my services, Soldier, you will address me as Lady Mai."

She could've ripped his heart out and stomped on it for all Zuko was concerned. It wouldn't have felt any different. In fact, that would have felt like Heaven compared to what he was feeling right now. Mai kept looking at him expectantly, so he did what he was told. He walked sluggishly back into the cave and looked up at the soldiers in there. These were the last of them. The last remaining citizens of the capital city of the Fire Nation.

"Come on, you guys." He meant it to sound like a yell, but it came out like more of a hoarse squeak. "We've been called to help the Lady Mai."

Mai groaned sadly as she tried to push Zuko out of her thoughts. There was something about that stupid soldier that seemed to infest her mind with memories of him. She smiled slightly as she remembered the night after their wedding. Zuko had been so nervous, but it had been one of the best nights of her life. Mai felt tears burn at the back of her eyes, but she quickly shoved them away like she had done with everything else. She had decided that she couldn't sit around and cry like a weakling when her nation needed her. So she did what had become somewhat of a habit to her. She pushed it away; she didn't think about it. It was easier that way. Mai was snapped out of her reverie by the soldiers lining up in front of her.

"OK," she heard her voice waver. She quickly covered it up and continued, "I'm going to need all of your names if we want to stay at least semi-organized."

Mai went down the line, trying her best to remember most of the names. When she got to the last one, the one she had met earlier, the thoughts of Zuko resurfaced again. But she had always been able to keep a grip on her emotions, and that meant controlling her thoughts as well. There was definitely something different about this soldier. Mai also noticed that he didn't immediately ramble off his name like the other soldiers, he seemed transfixed with her.

"Do you have a name?" she knew it was Lee, but, for some reason, she was interested to see what he would say.

"Sorry," his eyes seemed misty. "My name is Zu— um… Lee."

"Right," she looked at him doubtfully. "We should go."

A/N: End chapter three. Well that was fun! Yup, Mai totally has no idea, while Zuko is forced to be close to her, yet separated from her at the same time… this seems interesting… how will it end?! Duh, duh… DUH!! Oh yeah, please review. You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get inside when you read a nice review? Well, I love that feeling!

B/N: I take responsibility for all spelling/grammar in this chapter. Peace, punch, Cap'n Crunch. -3Vad