Better

Disclaimer:D I own Erica, her father, mother and any other OC's.I do not however, own the Avatar characters :D but I wish!

What to do...? Zuko asked himself, still soaking in the bath with his eyes closed. Can't capture him myself...If Jhou does...Im not going home. I can't give Erica the home she deserves...what do I care if she has a home anyway? Just because she is my wife and I couldn't stop myself from kissing her this morning doesn't mean...does it? He felt a presents, but he figured he was just paranoid. What to do...? He felt a rag to his back, his eyes shot open and saw Erica sitting behind him, rubbing the rag on his back.

"What are you doing?" He asked her half bitterly. The other half kind of enjoyed it.

"I want to be sure Your really okay. You were pretty upset." She told him, rubbing the rag under his collorbone. It wasn't just a plain old rag; it had soap on it.

"I told You I was alright." He slightly hissed. No one really cared that much as she had. His uncle always left him by himself, but Erica won't rest untill she is 100 positive.

"Yes you did, but you always say you are; but you don't mean it. Like with your mother, I made you mad and you acted like nothing was wrong. Knock that off. I can't help you if I don't know if you really are upset." There was a silence between them. "I am your wife afterall." That word still sounded weird. Wife. Zuko was sixteen years old and already had a wife, how old would he be when Erica gave birth to his children? That is, if they do..things..

"Im fine." He lied again. He was leing to his own wife. Not just his fiancee anymore; but the woman he was spending the rest of his miserable life with. Erica sighed.

"Whatever, Im not going to try anymore if your just gonna lie to me." She could tell he was lieing to her; his voice always lightly cracked when he was nervous. Lieing can make people nervous. Zuko thought about that in silence for a bit, as Erica stood up to leave, Zuko grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. He looked at her in silence for alittle, and then started crying.

Erica let him cry on her shoulder, she hugged the back of his neck; tightly and securely. Letting him know that she was there for him, that he could cry on her when he needed to. Zuko looked at her, and she wiped away the tears from his eyes with her index finger.

"Think of it this way." She began with a smile. "This is your chance to make things right. You can help Aang to end this war, and anything else you want. Your sixteen years old for god's sake. You shouldn't be waisting your youth in tears like this, and being so angry." She had a point, Zuko knew that. But he couldn't help doing what he does, everytime he looks in the mirror, he sees that scar; and is reminded of why he is out there in the first place. Her grip around him tightend.Her soft fingers trying to cling onto his bare back. "And I'll be right there with you...like a good wife is suppost to." Zuko softly smiled and kissed her.

"You are already a good wife." Erica blushed, but kissed him back. "Im sorry I couldn't be a better husband."

"Like I said," Erica began. "You can make things right now. So what if you don't live in the fire nation anymore, and won't be fire lord. That doesn't mean anything." Zuko gave her a tight hug.

"Your the best." He whisperd in her ear. That was his vow from then on, he was gonna try harder to be a better husband, if not a better human being. He was inhuman before, but Erica showed him that his journey to capture the avatar was pointless; Jhou wouldn't find him. Zuko had been at sea for two years and hadn't yet captured him completely. Now, he gives the best of luck to Aang.

"Now." She said smiling at him. "No more crying over something so stupid." He nodded, the heavieness in his heart had lifted a bit, knowing that he had Erica to care about him so deeply just seemed to make everything better. Erica almost left so he could finish his bath in peace, but he stopped her.

"Erica." He called after her. "One more thing." Erica turned around and knelt down beside the bath again. "I promise I'll try harder to be a better husband. I mean it." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Alright." With that, she was gone. Zuko sat in the water that was starting to get colder. So he made it boil some more with his fire bending.

Iroh met Erica on deck. It was almost sun set and a few stars were starting to be visable.

"How is he?" Iroh asked her, she smiled.

"He'll be just fine.Infact; he may start being less...grouchy." She reported to him, smiling to herself with her accomplishment, she had tamed the wild beast known as her husband; and let the sweet prince inside out.

"What do you mean?"

"I told him that he has alot more to live for than just capturing the avatar and trying to fufill an impossable task. He is too young to be so upset constantly." Iroh nodded in agreement with her.

"Thank you Erica, for getting that through his thick head." Erica smiled proudly. Angelique walked upto her and barked. She smiled and sat beside her dog.

"I think things are going to start getting better Angelique." She told her dog with a smile, Angelique barked happily, and licked Erica's face.

Zuko shortly got out of the bath and felt a bit more refreashed. He put his clothes on and walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the dining room. Erica and Iroh were already seated at the table; just waiting for both Zuko and the food. The food was brought out shortly after Zuko took his seat beside his wife. They had been married one whole day and Erica already worked wounders on Zuko's perosnallity. He actually liked being alittle happy again.He actually laughed during their dinner conversation, and it wasn't over someone else's expence.

"Its nice to see you so happy Prince Zuko, Last time I saw you this happy was two years ago I do believe." Iroh told him during dinner. Zuko nodded in agreement with his uncle. "You know Erica, You've been with us for a long time, and yet; we don't know very much about you." Zuko knew all he needed, she was sweet, and pretty. That was enough for him! "Except that you practice Kendo."

"My mom always wanted me to be a refined girl, so when I wanted to practice Kendo, she made me play Piano or something boring like that." She told them, he did have a point,She had been there for over four weeks, and they hardly knew anything about her. While she talked, Zuko pretended to lison; he knew he'd pay for it later, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He had been thinking about her after she left from giving him that pep talk. He had never truely noticed, she was beautiful.

Dinner ended and both Erica and Zuko went to bed at about the same time. Zuko lived upto his word; usually he'd just say 'goodnight' and even that was rare for him. He'd almost always go to sleep without a word. But this time, he kissed her goodnight, and held her in his arms. Erica actually felt wanted by him during the night, and comfertable in his arms.

"Goodnight." Zuko whisperd to her uncontiousiansally. I don't know if thats a word, but it basically means that he didn't know he was saying it.

"Goodnight." She whisperd back to him,holding him close to her.She just plain loved how she felt in his arms, his muscular...sexy...warm arms...

"I love you..."


I couldn't wait for six reveiws. Four is good for now but please reveiw alot in the future.