Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or its characters.

Okay, here's the newest one and I hope you all like it!

-Ardala91


"If you have love in your life it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don't have it, no matter what else there is, it's not enough." –Ann Landers


His most Royal Highness the Fire Lord Zuko, son of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa had everything he could have possibly wanted. His honor was restored to him by helping the Avatar Aang restore the world and ending the war that his own forebear had started. Fire Lord Zuko had power, wealth, and his throne. He knew that he should be content with his life, but as he stood by a window, peaking out of it he finally realized what was missing.

His beloved Uncle had died in the war and he had never found any trace of his mother, though he still passionately hoped she was alive and well. This day he spied through a window as if he were some small irksome child up to no good. It was a clear and sunny day, creating a rather romantic scene out in the royal gardens. Aang had come to visit him, bringing along Katara with him. They strolled down a garden path together holding hands. Aang let out a soft laugh as something Katara had said, his grey eyes sparkling as he looked at her. Katara's dark hair was down, rippling down her back and she was smiling mischievously. Zuko couldn't hear what words were exchanged between them but as he saw Katara's mouth move, he knew what she had said. Three precious little words that could mean so much…

Zuko turned his head away from the window shamefully. Why on Agni was he spying on them in his own home? He walked down the hallway slowly, deep in thought. Aang and Katara had been together since the war and loved each other deeply. He knew that. They were his friends after all. Why had he been watching them and been feeling a desolation, as if he were missing something that he couldn't understand? He'd been jealous and he knew it was because the happiness he'd seen on their faces. How could they happy while he wasn't, he was the fire lord after all!

Was he in love with Katara, he pondered, is that why he was so jealous? That thought was quickly shoved aside. He hadn't thought of her in a romantic context for a long time. She was just his friend and he realized that it wasn't that.

He was jealous; he felt that gap in his life because there was one. He, Fire Lord Zuko, didn't have anyone who loved him or who he loved. The last person he'd loved…Mai…but she had died years ago. Zuko looked back out through a passing window and saw the backs of his beloved friends. They had love and he did not…and he swore to fill the hole in his life at last.