Disclaimer: I don't own the Avatar or Akura...the usual.

I finally got Chapter Nine up! Yay!!!!!!! Sorry it took so long, I got a major writer's block, and AkuraIce helped me through it (Thanks, Akura!) And I thank you all for waiting so long, I'm really sorry, at least it's a nice, long, chapter! With a little cliffie :)

It's finally my lunch break. For me, today has been exhausting, I stayed up really late since it was so hard for me to go to sleep, I just couldn't stop thinking. And Zuko just smiled whenever he saw me look at him, and pecked me on the lips a few times as we passed each other. Of course I gave him a kiss on the cheek, and we talked a bit, I'm lucky I'm good at hiding the fact I'm tired from him. I don't feel like telling anyone what I was thinking about, unless it's Iroh, he's my shrink.

"Olivia, sit down, I'll get you something," called Akura. That's right, he's here, he was sipping away his tea, waiting for my lunch break.

I ran a hand through my hair as I took a deep breath, holding back a yawn, "you don't need to pay for me, Akura. I have money, you know."

He got up and stood in front of me, he looked at me with his mesmerizing blue eyes, "let me, I want to."

Akura probably knew it was hard for me to resist when he looks at me with those eyes of his. Damn those eyes. I sighed in defeat, "fine." I hate it when people pay for me, I felt like I was using them. Yeah, I'm weird like that.

He grinned and told me to take a seat as he ordered. I did so, and laid my arms on the table, crossing them, and burying my face into them. All I want to do is go back to bed. But then I don't know if I would fall asleep, I would probably think too much. I only slept for a few hours last night.

I heard something being set on the table near me, guessing that was our food, and Akura took the seat by me. He hung his arm around my shoulders. "Tired," he asked, I nodded, without bothering to look, I didn't want to move more than I had to. "How much sleep did you get?"

"Few hours," I said into my arms.

"Why is that?"

Ah, I was hoping he wouldn't ask, but I knew he would ask, if that makes any sense. I didn't know how to reply, except for being vague, and then he would ask for more. He'd know I'm hiding something, he's smart like that. "Thinking," and that was half-true, which I bet he knew, there is always a cause for my thinking.

"About what?"

"About last night," I finally looked up to meet his eyes, which were met with curiosity.

"And...What happened last night," his tone changed, to I don't know what...concerned... maybe a bit of anger, but it wasn't directed at me. "And stop avoiding it, Livi, or we're just going to go on all day." Damn, he caught me, he's a genius.

I finally gave up, and took a deep breath, "Lee went on a date last night… while he was gone, I took a nap. And I had another memory, but it was a happy one, I have yet to wonder about it. Lee came back, and I woke up a few minutes before he came back in." I really don't like telling stories like these that involve me, I HATE it, and I can't read Akura's face, it's mixed with emotion. "he told me what happened…and- and," I was now suddenly scared for Lee, but I skipped over his past part, knowing there was no need for it, "he said it didn't feel right with her… then he said he wanted to try something. And I was in mid-sentence…" I think he got where I was going to.

Akura's face fell, I could tell he was upset, and I felt like it was my fault. But he recovered and looked at me, "he…kissed you?"

I nodded, not sure if I should feel guilty, or be happy, and I felt guiltier than anything right now. Akura smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, "congrats…hey, you should get back to work."

I agreed, and looked at him, "will I see you later?"

"if you want me to," he replied, looking at me with a small smile.

I nodded frantically, "I do. Could you pick me up after work?"

He stood up, "sure. I'll come by to get you." He handed me the tray. "I'll see you later." He waved as he left the shop.

I sighed as I went behind the counter to wash the dishes. Iroh came by. "you told him," it was more of a statement than a question.

"yeah…"

Iroh stood next to me and helped, "how did he take it?"

"Well, a fight didn't break out. And we're still hanging out later," I told him, in a low, guilty-like, voice.

"But…"He always caught that, Iroh was good at knowing there's more to it.

So I just told him, "you should have seen his face when I told him. He was so…hurt. But he smiled, but it never reached his eyes. I feel horrible." Why would I lie to Iroh? He knows my situation, so I guess it's better for him to know what just happened, and I trust him.

"All I can say right now is to follow your heart," he said, "how about you take a few minutes of fresh air, I'll cover for you."

I smiled at him, "thanks, Iroh." I walked out the back and stepped outside, taking a deep breath of fresh air. I looked up, and look; paper, it landed right into my hands. It was a missing poster for Appa. I gasped as I realized who's it was, Aang. I guess it's good to know that he's ok, but he's missing Appa. I hope they find Appa. I folded up the paper and put it in my pocket.

After a few moments, I walked back in, and saw two dudes talking to Iroh. "My own teashop? This is a dream come true," I heard him exclaim.

Huh, that means Zuko and I will be helping him run it, that'd be cool. I decided to stay tuned in, but wash the unused tables as Zuko got the plates.

Our current manager stepped in, "what's going on here? Are you trying to poach my tea maker?" The manager stepped in front of him defensively, apparently, he doesn't want Iroh to leave, since he makes awesome tea.

"Sorry pal," the man with funky hair chuckled, "that's business for you, am I right?"

Our manager was frantic, "Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you Assistant Manager. Wait, Senior Assistant Manager!"

The dealer countered, "I'll provide you with an apartment in the upper ring. The teashop is yours to do whatever you want complete creative freedom."

"I even get to name the shop," asked Iroh.

"Of course!"

The manager looked at Iroh desperately, "Uh, Senior Executive Assistant Manager?"

Iroh handed him the teapot and bowed to the dealer, accepting his offer while our now ex-manager pouted and walked to the kitchen. I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction.

Zuko came walking by with a tray, and Iroh saw him, "did you hear nephew: this man wants to give us our own tea shop in the upper ring of the city."

"That's right, young man," said the dealer, "your life is about to change for the better."

Zuko dropped the tray onto a table. "I'll try to contain my joy," he said sarcastically as he walked out the front door.

Iroh looked at me, "did you hear the news, Olivia? The upper ring!"

I smiled at him, "yeah, that's gonna be cool."

The dealer grinned at me, "that's good to know."

I quickly looked away, getting back to work, like my shy self; as they gave Iroh more info, I promised Akura that I'd hang out with him today, and I'll do it. The rest of the work day went by quickly, because I was so thrilled to have a tea shop with Iroh as the manager.

As I finished up, Akura came in and leaned against the wall. I took off the apron and set it on the shelf in the closet. I went back to Akura. "I'm ready," I said enthusiastically.

He smirked, "And I'm thrilled that you are."

Akura got up off the wall and held the door open for me. "Thanks," I said as I passed him. He closed the door and walked by my side, "so what are we gonna do?"

"We could just venture around if your ankles are up to it," he suggested, "and have dinner."

"My ankles are doing well today, so we can do that," I replied happily with my usual quiet voice.

He looked at me, "you seem giddy…what happened?"

"Mushi was offered his own tea shop up at the outer ring, and we're moving to a new apartment tomorrow," I said, practically jumping as I told him.

He laughed at my excitement, "well that's good; it'll be a shorter walk for me. Since I'm a visitor here; I'm closer to the outer ring."

I tilted my head in curiosity, "oh, you don't live here?"

"No, I just move around a lot. I guess you could say me home is the Northern Water Tribe, since that's where I was born and raised," he explained, looking up at the sky for a reason unknown to me.

"The Northern Water Tribe," it rolled off my tongue, like if I had said it many times before, that's when it hit me. My grandfather is from the Northern Water Tribe.

He nodded, "yeah, remember I told you I'm a waterbender?"

"I remember," I replied, my head was swarming with memories, and I was getting a bit dizzy, some memories were coming back rapidly. I wanted to sit down, but I didn't want to worry Akura, I'm not sick or anything. Then I couldn't stand it anymore, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my balance soon, "Akura, I need to sit down. Now."

He looked at me, with obvious concern, "are you ok?"

I leaned into him so I wouldn't fall. "Flashbacks," I murmured as he rushed me to a bench.

"Tell me what you're remembering," he softly demanded.

"There's so much," my life was flashing before my eyes, but in a way, I knew it wasn't everything. It was like they were being purposefully blocked out. But everything I've remembered, just now, was about my family, or more so, my grandfather. I sharply gasped as I was pulled out of the tank of memories. "I should start with what I remembered last night."

Then I told him about my parents, and my grandfather, along with my ancestry, he was vividly interested, "huh. That's intriguing, that means, if you can bend an element, it would be just about anything."

"But that's the thing, I have no memories on bending…the memories I just got were mainly with my grandfather…" I smiled, mostly to myself as I studied the ground by my feet, "I called him 'Papa'. He was from the Northern Water Tribe…but since I was so little, I can't remember his name. The memories…they were mainly about the stories he told, and when I used to play with him whenever he visited." I sighed, "It's so weird, because whatever I remember, it doesn't give much information anymore, since I was so little." I leaned my head on Akura's shoulder as I wished that I could remember everything, or at least everything important.

He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me in, "don't you think your grandfather is important? Aren't' you glad you have memories about him?"

Well, he's right, I should be happy with what I have, and just deal with it. I nodded.

"Well," he said softly, "why are you complaining?" If he said it in any other tone, or if he was any other guy, I would have been offended…I can't get mad at Akura, he makes sense when I need it. And he helps me express myself a bit more…with him at least.

I took a deep breath, "I don't know…I guess I just don't know what I want to know." I sat up, "I'm hungry."

He smiled, "let's get dinner then. Where do you want to go?"

"How about the shop, the boss has night shift employees working," I replied.

He shrugged, "It's fine, I guess. And I guess I should walk you home afterwards, too."

I smiled innocently, I always get lost here for some reason, maybe the buildings move. "that's a good idea."

I stood up and walked by Akura. I stared down at the ground, avoiding the gazes of basically everybody. I have no clue why I'm like that, but I usually get nervous when I talk to people, too, for example, my hands get all sweaty. Iroh can read my like a book, just by studying my eyes and my hands, and by how I hold myself.

After a couple of minutes, we got to the shop. Iroh and Zuko were off, well, Iroh left early because he thinks he knows where Zuko went, and we really don't want him in trouble. Iroh made me stay at work so there was at least one person working.

After a couple of minutes, we got to a restaurant and ordered our food. I looked at Akura, "so you're from the North Pole? Why did you come here?"

Akura looked away, and i could tell i hit a nerve. "Revenge," he finally said. "After my father died, I decided to fight the Fire Nation. It gave me a reason to hate them." I saw him glance at a painting of me and Zuko at a party, Zuko's arm around my shoulder. "Now I have two." he said darkly.

Oh yeah, I remember him saying that the North Pole was attacked by the Fire Nation, when he was fourteen, so it was two years ago...and his father was killed. Honestly, I didn't know what to say…wait, Akura said he had two reasons. "What's your other reason," I questioned. Why was Akura looking at the painting...unless...no he couldn't possible like me, there's nothing special about me.

Akura was silent, it seemed that he just didn't know what to say, so for once, I decided to fill the silence, "you don't have to answer that, I shouldn't have asked, I've been prying."

Akura held up his hand to stifle my apologies. "Its okay, i know you probably have a lot of questions. But i f i told you, you'd hate me, and it would hurt you. I don't want to hurt you, Olivia." There were those deep blue eyes again, staring straight into mine.

Could it really be that bad? It would hurt me...and he said that I would hate him, "I would never hate you, Akura, i just can't." I didn't care about the answer now, I just want him to know, it's hard for me to hate people, especially a close friend, and he's been so good to me. I don't know how I could possibly hate him.

Akura looks deep into Olivia's eyes. "Olivia, how can you trust Lee?" You KNOW he's a firebender, you KNOW what happens under Ba Sing Se because of him. The Avatar almost died because he helped Azula." His eyes narrowed. "And you STILL trust him?"

I nodded slowly, but confidently, "I do trust him. He's helped me, he's comforted me." I didn't avoid his gaze, but instead, I looked straight into his eyes, desperate for him to understand, Akura, he's done things he's regretted, doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?"

Akura looked away again. Unless my eyes were deceiving me, a tear rolled down his cheek. "Fine, Olivia, if you wanna be with Lee, i won't get in your way." And with that, he got up, paid the tab, and left the shop.

Thanks for reading the uber long chappie! And please review!!! :)