Author's Note : Yay. Chapter six is finished! Squee. Again, it's a Zuko x OC fanfiction, so yeah. I'll probably throw in some Zutara somewhere along the line...maybe. I haven't decided yet. The liklihood of Zutara showing up in here is pretty small at this point... Anyway, I ask you to please read and review so that I can get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thank you guys so very much, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer : I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Mike and Bryan. The only things that Mike and Bryan don't own are my stories and the characters I create. Though I'm going to absolutely laugh my ass off if they bring someone like Kaida into the show...though I do doubt that.

Fire in the Skies

-- Happy Birthday --

Zuko didn't move. He couldn't believe what he had just said. He knew that Kaida was more than a bit touchy on the subject of her not being able to bend. He knew that and yet he had still said it. He could tell that she was hurt terribly by his comment. He cursed himself over and over and then over again as he got up, his Uncle Iroh behind him and thinking of what to say to comfort his nephew.

The Prince really did not know what to do. He wanted to go apologize and comfort Kaida. But he knew that she was only going to push him away again…and he didn't feel like trying to explain to a girl who was older than him and who he respected why had been such an ass and why he had said those things. He sighed and moved to a small chair, sitting down as he was followed by his uncle. "Uncle, what do I do?" He asked, his face in his hands as his black ponytail fell forward. The old man shrugged and attempted to give his nephew a cup of tea. The teenager merely shook his head and Iroh shrugged, taking the tea for himself.

"I could talk to her if you like, Prince Zuko." The man stated in his gruff voice, one of his bushy brows raised quietly. The prince merely shrugged, then nodded. "Sure, if you can get her to talk…" He said, but his uncle didn't hear him. Iroh had turned on his heels before the prince could get an answer out.

--

Kaida had forced herself to stop crying when the knock came to her door. She wiped her eyes and glared at the metal. "Go away!" She yelled, her voice shaky with unresolved anger. She took a breath and stepped forward, nearly jumping when she heard Iroh's calm voice calling to her.

"I brought you tea, Miss Kaida. I thought that maybe we could talk about my nephew's -"

"I don't want to talk. And sorry, Iroh, but I don't want any tea." She stated, still shaky with her voice and body as she stared at the metal, eyes puffy and swollen. She waited for a response, but one didn't come for a few seconds. She figured the old man had left, so when she went to sit down on her bed and he spoke again, she almost jumped.

"Fine. We don't have to talk. But I would like to come in and give you tea. It will help calm you." Okay, that got her. Kaida did want some company, anyway. She sighed and shuffled to her door, unlocking it and opening it a crack. "Zuko isn't with you…is he?" She asked, when she received a shake of the head in response, she opened it wider and allowed the old man entrance. She respected him…that was one of the reasons she couldn't turn him away. Plus, he did make a mean cup of soothing tea. And that was probably what she needed most at this moment.

--

Despite how much Kaida tried to refuse speech with Iroh, he eventually coaxed it out of her. And she told him everything…her entire life story took up most of their time. And when their tea was finished, he would refill and wait for Kaida to continue. Nothing else had happened that day to cause them to pull out of their conversation. They were chasing after the Avatar and his friends, and Kaida wasn't too keen on seeing Zuko again for the moment. Iroh was a good listener…he always had been. Maybe that was why he was so easy to talk to. Kaida couldn't talk to Zuko…he interrupted her too much and made her nervous. Something about him always had.

"So why haven't you told Prince Zuko this?" Iroh asked after she had finished with the story of her life.

"Because. I can't. I've never felt like I could tell him. I've always figured he would…do something that would screw me over for the rest of my life."

"Why would he do that?"

"…Because, no offense or anything, he was born and raised a Fire Nation Prince in war. What are they supposed to do to invaders and whoever threatens their throne? Eradicate them…"

"But you don't threaten his throne, and you aren't an invader. And I was born a Prince in the time of war. Do you see me sauntering down to my brother with you in tow?"

"…No, I'm not. And no, you're not doing that. But still. You and Fire Lord Ozai are completely different. He screwed you over and brought his family into it. He raised a crazy, psycho little -"

"Alright, I get it. I understand. Have you ever told him why you can't bend?"

"I told you that I can't…it would -"

"Yes, I know. Ruin your life. So you said. I didn't mean directly…what does he think the reason is?"

"He thinks that I can bend, but I don't because it could kill me…" There was silence as Kaida finished her reply. Iroh blinked and raised a confused, bushy brow at her.

"…What? You told him that?" It was then that she realized how stupid it had been of her to say that. Only once in the recorded history had a bender been killed by his own bending. And that was an accident. "What does he think it is because of?"

"Yeah…haven't told him that. After I told him that it would kill me, he pretty much backed off…" The candle on her table spluttered, there was wax spreading slowly all over the surface. It had burnt out in the time the two spoke. Kaida sighed and blew out the dying wick, a fresh aroma of cherries and their blossoms spread. Yes, the candle wasn't necessarily there for light, but for smell. She smiled softly as she removed a knife from underneath the forearm of her kimono. She began scraping up the quickly drying wax with the dull edge of the blade, focusing on that rather than explaining her reasoning more to Iroh.

"Well, I think we have spoken for long enough, Kaida. And would you please join us for Prince Zuko's birthday celebration? I know he would enjoy it if you showed…" That made her pause in her work, looking up as the old man stood and made his way to her door.

"I'll think about it, Iroh…I don't know yet." With that, Kaida was left alone. What was she going to do? She did want to go to his little party…but she didn't know if that would make it seem like she had forgiven him. And she most definitely had not.

--

Zuko had been holed up in his room for the rest of the day. He simply lay in his bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering what Kaida was saying to his Uncle right about now. He had stopped by her door before continuing to his room. She was talking about something with her family. He had decided not to disturb them. Of course, that was best considering the look he had received from the older girl earlier that afternoon…

A knock came to his door and he sat up, looking at it and silently hoping it was Kaida. "Come in." He called, sitting up straighter and moving so that his legs hung over the side of the mattress, gold eyes watching as the door opened. His heart sunk as he saw it was his uncle. He sighed and lay back down. "What do you want?" He stated, cold in his tone.

"I just finished talking to Kaida, she's really quite upset, Prince Zuko." Iroh said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed at his nephew's feet. Zuko raised his brow and lifted his head, glaring at his uncle with his good eye.

"Really? Because you know, I really couldn't tell with that look she gave me earlier." He said sarcastically as he brought his head back down. "I take it she wants to get off at the next stop, and never speak to me again." Iroh smirked and chuckled at his nephew's reaction.

"No. Actually, she said she would think about coming to your dinner tonight." Zuko looked up at his uncle, hope hiding somewhere in those distorted features of his. Iroh merely nodded before standing up.

"Come on, dinner will be ready soon, Prince Zuko. It's your birthday, come celebrate."