Disclaimer: Yep, yep. Another chapter. I was out of town (seeing Josh Groban in concert!!!) and wasn't able to get back to this as much as I wanted. However, it's here now! There's probably a butt load of grammatical error that I'll weed out later. T RATING IS STRESSED in the chapter for slight mentions of nudity, but nothing explict. IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM is this chapter slash. Don't even think it, even if it could have the potential to be. Enjoy!

"Secret TUNNEEELLLL!"

When in the company of General Iroh and Avatar Aang, there is no better pastime than singing. Of course, there was no Sungi horn to accompany them. Which, for Zuko, was a gift from God. Had there been one in their trappings, he would have been the one to play it. For three hours, he had endured their rapturous melodies. By the look on Mai's face, Zuko could tell that she would, at any moment, snap. In fact, she appeared as though, if there were one available, she would be slamming her head against a wall until she lost consciousness. Had he not have been miserable himself, Zuko might have laughed at seeing her this way.

"Ooo! Ooo! Remember my song? Badger moles, coming toward me…" Sokka trailed off, his arm cradling Suki's sleeping form. Though significantly better, she still was in need of a lot of rest. Suki mumbled softly and turned away from the group.

"Actually, Sokka, we don't. We weren't with you." Katara pointed out.

"Oh, that's right. You were too busy smooching." Her brother teased. A dark blush spread over both Aang and Katara's faces.

"Sokka, your singing sounds like a hog monkey in labor." Toph said to disrupt the awkward silence.

"Oh, and I suppose you can sing!" He frowned. Toph waved her hand in dismissal. Mai plopped her head into her hands, ready to scream. These people were crazy. Not just crazy, but one hundred percent bona-fide loopy. In fact, their cheer was comparable to Ty Lee's. It was then that Mai realized that it was the first time she had given thought to her friend since leaving Ba Sing Se. Hopefully, she had survived Azula's rage. Mai glanced over at Sokka, who was leaned over kissing Suki's hair, smiling playfully. Ty Lee didn't have a chance, she mused. Also, it was the only time she had ever seen Sokka resemble his father so much. This was, of course, fleeting, for it appeared as though there was a blob of the jook, the same jook that just wouldn't go away, dripping down his elbow. This did not sit well with him, seeing as he screamed and rose to his knees, knocking Suki off his lap with a thud. She woke with a start, clearly dazed and confused.

"Sokka!" she yelped in that commanding voice of hers. Sokka apologized quickly, interjecting some excuses as he rambled on. Mai was not certain how much more of this she could take. If there were ever a reason for her to completely snap, it would be because of them. Seeing the look in Zuko's eyes, he was feeling the same. Mai looked to the side, face downcast. Suddenly she could feel his gaze upon her and she knew that her blush would be very visible to the others. Zuko was acting strangely, ever since they left Kyoshi. Unusually nervous, slightly paled, and fidgety were all conditions that could describe him. Mai decided not to bother him at the moment, seeing as the others were doing a better job of it than she ever could.

The hours passed slowly and soon the singing and merriment dissolved into silence and napping. It had been decided earlier in the day that they would stop one last time before heading to the fire nation. The place of choice would be at the mouth of the same river that the Gaang had 'liberated' the water bending scroll from pirates and, ironically, Zuko. Of course, bringing up the incident made the prince increasingly uncomfortable and Iroh put a stop to it quickly by going off on some Pai Sho tangent. And Mai was bored. So very bored, in fact, that she took to looking for dagger-shaped clouds. Or Zuko shaped ones. Once or twice she could have sworn that one was smiling at her, though her mind could have just been mocking her boredom by supplying her with fantasies. She sighed and glanced dully towards the direction they were flying. As the glint of the sinking sun on the river sparkled, Mai let herself relax. Finally, they would be landing. Flying hadn't been as nearly as terrifying as she had initially presumed. It beat riding a mongoose dragon, that's for sure.

Appa descended and everyone was more than happy to walk around and stretch their legs. The smell of salt from the ocean, only a few miles away, laced the breeze. It was invigorating and seemed to put everyone in a better mood. As the men, all four of them, set up camp, the girls ventured out to gather supplied and wood for the night. It would be their last night on friendly territory.

"Yuck…I could sure use a bath." Katara said, picking fur, dirt, and other oddities from her tunic and hair. Suki gave her a sideways glance and agreed.

"It would be nice."

"Well, I'm fine without one." Toph shrugged; Mai was certain that a cloud of dust followed this motion.

"Oh yeah…I forgot about your 'healthy coating of earth' thing." Katara laughed. "Even after being pampered like crazy…" she added.

"That was a one-time thing, sugar queen." Toph said, seemingly to justify her reasoning.

"It couldn't hurt." Mai spoke, directly to them for the first time. "It is really our last chance." She shuddered at the thought of grime and sweat caking onto her with not a moments' peace to clean up. Mai's skin crawled.

"I guess we'll have to use the river. Upstream, though. Wouldn't want anyone getting an eyeful of anything they shouldn't." Suki smirked, clearly referring to the males that made up their party. Katara giggled and Mai almost smiled. That is, before her mind brutally attacked her.

'He wouldn't even want to look at you.'

"After we eat then. It'll be nice to squeeze in some girl talk before we head out." Katara said cheerfully.

"Girl talk? You're kidding, right?" Toph half giggled, half snorted. Mai had to agree with the short, witty earth bender. Girl talk with these girls? She barely knew them. For Agni's sake, she would hardly ever even talk with Ty Lee like that. Unless she was exceptionally bored…or annoyed. Unfortunately, she was a bit of both at the moment. Mai exhaled loudly and began to brainstorm for some kind of conversation-starter. Azula had always complained that Mai wasn't good at initiating banter, save for that with the enemy. Perhaps tonight she could get in some practice.

"Well, we're off." Suki announced after piling the eight dirty dishes atop one another. Momo purred quizzically on Aang's shoulder.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Sokka questioned, almost frantically. He was still a bit over zealous when it came to protecting Suki. She laughed lightly and said coyly, "Us girls are going to get cleaned; it'll be the last opportunity we'll have for a while." Suki wrapped her arms around the wooden bucket filled with soaps and cloth and set out to catch up with the other three.

"Guys are so nosey." Toph said in that blithe tone of hers. She held her hands clasped behind her head and she grinned. Mai shuffled at the earth bender's side and behind Katara, who led the way. It took about ten minutes to reach the spot that she had suggested, a part of the river that bent inward and flowed slowly. Mai was more than happy to remove her shoes and step onto the cool sand. And boy, was the water cold. It was a mistake on her part to wade into the river slowly. It was a mistake on Katara's part to dive under the water and pull Mai down. Of course, the gaffe was that Katara had been aiming for Suki's unsuspecting person, not Mai's. Needless to say, the brooding assassin was rather put out by the whole experience. Mai half swam, half walked several dozen feet from the others and got down to the business of scrubbing away the grim and sweat that had accumulated in various places. She'd forgotten how stuffy her fire nation garb was and almost forty-eight hours without a bath was just about all she could take. Divesting herself of the remainder of said clothes, Mai sank gratefully into the cool waters. She took a breath and went under the currents. It was silent, with the exception of the dull booming of her heart echoing in her flooded ears. How she treasured the absence of sound, knowing from the muffled splashes and squealing that it was not to be. When she finally bobbed to the surface, Mai heard something that she wished she hadn't.

"I feel really bad about it. I…I shouldn't have kissed him."

"Well, the way it sounds, neither of you meant it. It was all 'in the moment'." Suki was rinsing her hair of suds, talking softly to Katara.

"But I don't know that. It's not the best way to start off this journey, with Zuko avoiding me."

"Sounds like Twinkle-toes is getting the short end of this stick." Toph huffed; she was already dressed and drying her hair. Mai felt the heat rise in her face and she clenched her fists. Not only were they talking in a manner that excluded her, they were talking about Zuko. Kissing Zuko. The very same Zuko that she had kissed. Mai made her way quietly to the shore and collected her garments. It was against all impulses for her to simply slink off back towards camp, but it was not contradictory to her better judgment. It would not have been wise for her to act out in anger. The water that cascaded down her face hid the tears that she refused to believe were there. Angrily, she dressed, tugging the silk in every direction, and dried her hair. This predicament would not help the already shaky rapport between Zuko, herself, and the Avatar's company. She should just keep it to herself and not mention it. She should just forget about Zuko and let him go on his merry way. She should, but Mai knew she couldn't. Unfortunately, the young assassin didn't have much time to contemplate it further, for she suddenly found herself laying on her back with none other than the object of her affection opposite her, rubbing his forehead. How did she not see him? That's what happens when your thoughts are consumed with romance, Mai supposed.

"Are you alright?" Zuko offered his hand to the pale woman. Much to his surprise, she abruptly declined.

"Yes." She snapped, picking herself off of the ground. Mai attempted to maneuver past him.

"Are you sure?" the prince eyed her, blocking her with his arm. She batted it away and made a move towards her sleeping mat. Zuko, as determined as ever, grabbed her hand. Stopping dead in her tracks, Mai turned to glower fiercely at him.

"I don't want to talk to you." She spat.

'Dear Agni, she knows.' Zuko felt a lump rise in his throat. She scowled and continued towards her makeshift bed. He let her go for a moment, waiting for her to settle and turn her back on him. The prince sat next to her and whispered curtly.

"I've been beating myself up all day over it."

No response.

"I made a mistake, Mai."

"No kidding." She interjected audaciously. Zuko was now aware of just how ticked off she actually was. It was almost frightening. Almost.

"You're smart enough to know that I don't feel that way about her."

"Then why did you kiss her?!" Mai hissed, finally rising to meet his stare. He could see in her eyes more than anger, but that she was hurt. Did she really care that much about him? Her body was stiff, eyes sharp. Zuko had several choices before him now: He could keep talking and end up with his foot in his mouth again. He could leave her alone. He could kiss her. The first option was unappealing and the second would leave both of them unsatisfied and brooding. The last…he wasn't quite sure how she would take. 'Gee, Zuko, thanks for sucking face with some other girl then coming back to me.' Not a likely reaction.

"Mai, I'm sorry, okay? It was an impulse and I should have resisted." Zuko sighed. He wasn't just saying that, either. Sure Katara was nice and friendly, but he didn't think that there was any substance to go on; at least not now. Mai sat there with a frustrated pout on her lips. Then Zuko heard the distant sound of the others returning. It was now or never. He took advantage of the moment that Mai looked away and kissed her ardently. Her gasp made clear her surprise and the fact that she did not refuse him was comforting. Mai was the last person he would think of kissing like that. Now it seemed natural and right. Zuko slipped his hand around her waist and breathed in the clean scent of her slightly damp hair.

"See? You were still mad, but you couldn't refuse." He smiled sheepishly.

"Zuko, shut up." Mai whispered and kissed his cheek, rolling over to finally sleep. At that point, Zuko wasn't entirely sure what to do now. He sat there for a moment, listening to Mai's steady breathing. Then Zuko made a decision and planted a light kiss on her temple just before retiring to his own mat.

AN: Hmm…Mai and Zuko seem to have made up, but will it last? With tensions of the coming journey rising, will the GAang be able to stay together? Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming soon!