It had been a couple days since I had that dream. I'd been having more and more dreams like that lately, some touching, some terrifying. I would remember the beautiful days of childhood, and the excitement of fighting by Azula's side. Other times I would remember how she would abuse me when I upset her a great number, or how she would lock me in the boiler room at random times. Mai never got locked in the boiler room, and she never would talk about what went on when I was in there…I still wonder. She never wanted to talk about it; she always pushed the subject away.

Once I day I guess I woke up screaming, Mai had to run in and shake me awake. I couldn't remember what I had been dreaming, however, she just sat there and patted my back. I told her I was fine and she let me be. It'd been days since then anyways…

Today I left the house; I was slowly but surely getting back into the habit of things. Feeding turtle-ducks by the ponds, shopping in the plazas, gardening new crossbreeds of tea leaves, and gymnastics of course. Today I decided I would make my way down to the beach, it would be hard for me, I knew this, but I would overcome it.

"See you around later, Mai. I'm heading down to the beach." I held by bag full of my towel, water and other stuff in my right hand.

"Alright. If you see Zuko while you're out tell him to come home, I want to talk to him." She kept her head buried in a book she'd been reading for a few days now.

"Can do. Maybe I'll pick up some marshmallow chatter monkeys on the way home…"

"Whatever…" She looked up and nodded her consent.

I made my way out the door and walked down the cobblestone path, the sun was high in the late morning sky and the pleasant breeze made this the most enjoyable day to go to the beach. The scent of coconuts and pineapples filled the air. Probably from a nearby fruit vendor, tis the season for tropical fruits around here…

I walked slowly down the shortcut me and Azula make to the beach a long time ago. It cut through a small section of town, running through a small forest, I could see the pressed down brush of where we used to walk together. I inhaled deeply; I could almost smell her, that deep mixture of morning dew and mandarins. It sent a feel of chills down my spine.

The beach was soon in my range of sight. Relatively empty today, other than a few kids on the far side of the beach and a shore walker. I could see a man sitting by the sore, his bare feet resting in the occasional wake of the ocean waters. I gained some distance and saw that the man had actually been Zuko. I sat next to him when I reached where he was. I approached him carefully, being sure not to startle him.

I sat down on the sand and placed my bag next to me. Zuko didn't even move.

"Haven't seen you out here in a while." He stared off into the sea.

"Yeah, well, you know…" I knew that he knew darn well why I wasn't coming down to the beach. It was scary going to the place of your best friend's departure from the land of living.

"Yeah, I do. I'm sorry, Ty-lee." He took a deep inhale, held it there, and then exhaled in total relaxation. "I know she was a good friend of you'r-.."

"She was my best friend. No offence to you or Mai, but…Azula was…just different." I felt bad for interrupting but I had to correct such a serious error. "She knew how to make me smile, she knew how to pick me out from all of my sisters, and she could always pick out the best banana at the top of the tree…the one's she always knew I liked."

"Yeah, I noticed. She always had some kind of weakness for you." He drew his name poorly in the sand. I watched his fingers curve this way and that. "She talked about you often…"

"She…did?" I felt flattered and shocked at the same time. I never dreamed that Azula would think about me when she wasn't with me. I pried a bit further from my cursed curiosity.

"What…what would she say, Zuko?"

"That all my mean jokes about her never meant anything because alls she needed was herself and you. That she would have to wake up early the next morning to get to school early and leave a chocolate fire cookie on your desk…" he smiled at me as he spoke. I was astonished.

"She was the one leaving those on my desk?! I always thought it waste teachers way of thanking me for getting good grades…" I blushed hard. That was so…sweet of her…so…unlike Azula.

"She was the cruddiest sister to ever walk the Earth; however, I guess she must've made up for it with your friendship…"

"Yeah, she really did, Zuko, she really did…" I braced myself for a question I just had to ask. I didn't want to ask Mai, it would only lead to an awkward pity party and another talk about getting past the distress. I, for some reason, felt maybe that Zuko would…understand.

"Zuko…do you…think….maybe, she's still out there?" I looked out into the deep sea. It was so vast…so endless. She could be anywhere. I wondered how far she made it…

"Sometimes…I do, Ty-lee. Sometimes I do. But In my mind, I know she isn't. I know she's dead. I don't want to mislead you but…There's a chance…It's Azula."

I smiled. "That's all I needed to hear…"

"Yeah, just don't take it too far, ok? I like you Ty-lee. I don't want to see you get hurt." He patted my back.

"Zuko…can I tell you a secret?" I swallowed hard.

"Sure, Ty-lee. Are…you ok?"

"Sometimes…sometimes…I…" I started off stuttering like crazy.

"Yes?"

"Sometimes I hear her, Zuko. I can still hear her…"

…She was everywhere to me.