Disclaimer: "He's our leader. We'll take care of him."

(An: I think this is my favorite chapter… it was just so much fun to write. Plus, it has Iroh's only appearance… even if it is as Mushi.)

78: Drink

The old man, Mushi, looked over their spoils and found a dusty-looking bottle. "Earth Kingdom wine!" he cried, sounding even more excited than at the offer of tea. He picked it up and uncorked it, taking a deep whiff. "Smells like a fine vintage." He poured a glass and offered it to his nephew, who just walked away, shaking his head with his usual sullen scowl. Mushi sighed and looked at Jet, who accepted it, shrugging.

Even though it would undoubtedly make him do something he'd regret, he took a glass as well. Tonight was a night for fresh starts.

86: Seeing Red

She didn't know why the old man's mistake had bothered her so much; after all, it was a common one. It was an image she had actually tried to cultivate, back in the old days when the chestplate had protected her, not hurt her. She had liked being genderless once, but now… now she hated being reminded of how people viewed her. She rubbed her arms, shivering in the salty spray the boat kicked up. He'd only kissed her less than a week ago, so why did she already want so much for him to see her as a woman?

32: Night

The sky was a dark blanket above them; the sea was a quiet roar below. The two ancient spirits, Tui and La, swirled in their endless dance. They were starting over, he reasoned; what better time to let go of his fears and just do for once? It probably had something to do with the wine stolen from the captain, but it was a fine night for such a fine idea.

So when she ducked her head and murmured a contrite apology, he smiled and leaned closer. She seemed confused, and then he kissed her softly, and all was clear.

94: Last Hope

It was reckless. She had already said she didn't want to, but that had been before. It felt like ages since then, even though it was only a few days. It was probably just the wine thinking. But really, when else would he get this chance? They were alone together, and for once he didn't care about the consequences of his affections. This was really his last hope, and if she crushed it, he wasn't sure what he'd do.

But then she kissed back, and the small part of his mind that wasn't wine-soaked and thus thinking about things quieted.

100: Relaxation

He pressed her close, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, wondering what she'd been so afraid of. At the end of the day, it came down to her and him, and that was all she wanted. She had never answered to anyone for her actions before, so why start now? She loved him, and he loved her; it was just that simple. So she kissed him, replacing the chill from the spray with a wonderful warmth.

It was wonderful, letting down her guard, and she chastised herself for not doing it sooner. She could always trust him. Always.

21: Vacation

It was nice to just be able to relax for once; on the ferry, they were all in the same boat, pun or not. They were all trying to find a better life; they were all trying to start over. There was nothing to worry about until they got to the other side; those few days without fighting were the first vacation they'd ever had, and they spent it enjoying each other.

It was why they reacted so fiercely when Jet tried to change things. Fighting the Fire Nation was in their past. Was a break really asking too much?

24: No Time

Their first days in the city made them irritable, although Jet never realized why. Just as he had never realized the reason Katara reacted so fiercely to his betrayal was because of her love, he never noticed theirs. It made them cross because they had little time alone together.

Jet didn't know, and they intended to keep it that way, but it was frustrating. He stayed up late into the night, often staying awake all night. Jet never noticed how close together they slept or the lingering pace they took through alleys so they could have their time by themselves.

39: Dreams

For a long time, their dreams had been different. They respected their differences, but they also confused each other. She thought only of revenge, of making sure no one was hurt the way she was. He dreamed of reclaiming lost honor, of being able to be proud of his reflection. She had never been able to understand why he thought he needed improving; he seemed just fine to her. He never understood why she felt such rage; it was, after all, just a distraction.

But when they came to Ba Sing Se, they finally agreed on what they wanted: peace.

71: Obsession

In their old home, Jet's obsession had been nothing new. Everyone there had been marked, from those who had visible scars to those who woke up screaming in the night, dreaming of fire.

But here in Ba Sing Se, nobody seemed to worry about the war outside their doors. They saw the attack on the outer wall, but that was only because they were still passing through the checkpoint. When she brought it up with a merchant, he blinked, shrugged, and handed her her change.

In the forest, his obsession had kept them alive. Here, it would only cause trouble.

.92: All That I Have

"But aren't you scared?" she'd finally demanded.

He'd looked at her, his eyes widening in utter confusion. Then, slowly, as if wondering if she'd hit her head, he shook his head.

She crossed her arms, miffed at the implication that she wasn't thinking straight. "Well, I am," she insisted. He seemed surprised at that. "I am! I mean… we owe Jet everything."

He stopped short at that, shaking his head. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, shaking his head again. We don't owe him anything. He'll say that we do, but all we have is each other.

43: Two Roads

For once, he saw it more simply than she did. There were two roads now: one was Jet's, and one was theirs. He was fine with it, since she was going with him. Their roads would probably end up converging again at some point anyway, and he put his arm around her thin shoulders and tried to reassure her of this. He knew she was scared; they owed everything to Jet, and their destinies were knots tangled around Jet's straight cord. But now they owed more to each other, to the new life they were trying to adopt, to themselves.

6: Break Away

They discussed it a lot, even if they rarely actually spoke. She would turn to him and meet his eyes, and he would nod. She knew it was the right thing to do, but it was difficult. Jet had always led them, and now they would have to find their own way. She was young, and this was frightening. But he wasn't much older, and he was sure, so things would be all right. He was always sure.

Jet didn't react well, as they expected. But they had followed him blindly for too long. Things had to be different here.

89: Through the Fire

He was pleased with how things had turned out. They weren't wonderful, but the two of them had passed many tests and instead of shattering, they had been tempered and were stronger for it. The rage in her heart had cooled. She still wished revenge, but she was willing to put her head before her heart in all things save one, and that went doubly for him. And himself, he knew he was different. At last, he was satisfied with who he was, with the way things were. Both of them had walked through the fire and come out smiling.

(I do love writing about the separation from Jet…character development is so much fun.)