Thank you to the following people; .Difficult, Vampireknight1fan, maddy555, Lady Esme, childofdragons1, Mistyblueshadows, bendystraws and ErikaLynne.

Chapter 10: Not Just A Game.

The next day we got moving, things were tense between Iroh and I. I mean, what I said to him was hurtful but he deserved it! I know he is keeping something from me, it's the way he looks at me, with his amber eyes, he's pitying me, but I can't figure out why. Zuko is as clueless as ever; seriously, if the Fire Lord came flying past he wouldn't even notice.

Just like the tension between Iroh and I, it was so thick you could almost see it, every time my eyes flicked to his, his head would conveniently turn away, or his eyes would quickly dart somewhere else. We were still riding, Iroh had now healed up and was fine, and Zuko still had his trademark frown upon his face, it never wavered.

We finally stopped at the edge of the forest, what lay ahead of up was an endless plane of desert.

"We aren't crossing that, are we?" I whined, Zuko and Iroh both turned back to me and raised their eyebrows at the same time, I sighed and slumped onto Lou's neck.

"I'll get us some more water for the trip," Zuko said as he dismounted his ostrich-horse. He quickly grabbed our water skins and disappeared in into the trees behind us. This left Iroh and I alone, together, with tension the size of Ba Sing Se.

I could see that Iroh was in discomfort; being in a meter radius of me was making him shift on the saddle. I decided to be the bigger person and man up and speak first.

"Iroh," I said quickly, his head turned slowly to me and I nudged Lou forwards as he came up beside the fat man.

"I know that whatever your hiding must be important, I don't care about that, but I would appreciate it if you stopped looking at me like I'm about to die." I said calmly.

Iroh looked shocked, he probably didn't even realize that he mad been making the face.

He nodded without saying anything and turned his face away from me, I sighed quietly and moved Lou to the edge of the desert. His big feet sunk into the sand as the hot air blew my hair around my face. I wanted to look behind me at Iroh, but I could feel his gaze on me, burning holes into my back.

I decided that I wasn't going to pressure him into telling me, that if he wanted to he would have told me already.

After a few more minutes I heard Zuko fall through the bushes, exclaiming that he had filled up our water skins. He walked to my side and handed me my water skin, our fingers grazed over each others' gently as they tingled, our eyes locked as he took his fingers away, he then mounted his ostrich-horse and we all set off into the desert.

It took us a day to reach this, spa thing. It didn't look like much of a resort, I mean, it was hot, sandy and gross, the buildings were falling apart and what used to be a glacier was currently melting in the middle of the resort. I gave Zuko a sidelong glance as he looked over at Iroh who was grinning broadly. I rolled my eyes as they both dismounted as I looked around the resort again. There were all types of people here, some looked like bounty hunters and others were completely wrapped up in bandages. Being in this place made me feel uneasy, I just hoped that we weren't going to be staying for too long and continue on, wherever we were going in the first place.

I felt a hand rest on my arm as I looked down, it was Zuko, his other hand was outstretched to mine. He was offering to help me down, I gave him a small smile as he helped me down from Lou, we took them over to a post and tied the both up, there was a trough of water and hay underneath as we left them and headed into the building.

Just as I was about to enter the run down building a voice called out, "Look! Fire Nation Wanted posters!" I spun my head around, and saw two men standing there, they looked like they were from the Earth Kingdom, they were both wearing green grabs, one was extremely muscly and had on a green jumpsuit, his sleek black hair fell straight past his shoulders, the other one had his black hair up in a neat bun and was wearing fancy green and crème clothes.

The one in the jumpsuit was pointing to a poster as they both looked up, our eyes met as the one who was dressed nicely quickly looked away but the other held my stare. It was like that for a few seconds before I heard Zuko call my name, "Hana, stop daydreaming and get in here," Zuko emerged from the building as I saw the burly man's eyes widen then narrow as Zuko grabbed my by the shoulders and pushed me inside.

I couldn't shake the feeling that those two men meant trouble, to us and anyone else who crossed their paths.

Zuko and I both entered the room at the same time as I gave him a look, the place was crawling with miscreants, they were all shifty looking people who were drinking too much and hoping the get cheap money.

I saw some of the men turn around and look at me, then start making gestures for me to come over, I turned my nose up at them as I heard Zuko growl as he took my by the arm and led me to a table at the very back where Iroh was already sitting, his eyes were looking over everyone, maybe making sire that we weren't attacked or something, though if someone attacked us, they would have a hard time finding anything valuable.

Zuko and I sat down at the table as my eyes kept on glancing over at the door, thinking that those two men were going to walk through.

"No one here is going to help us. These people just look like filthy wanderers," Zuko said under his breath, I added silently in my head, and thieves.

"So do we," Iroh said, pointing at himself, "Ah, this is interesting. I think I've found our friend." Iroh said nodding his head towards a corner. Zuko and I both turned in our seats to see an old man sitting up straight at a Pai Sho table. My eyebrows rose in disbelief, are safety was in the hands on another old man who liked Pai Sho. Was he hiding secrets too? Probably.

"You brought us here to gamble at Pai sho?" Zuko hissed under his breath.

Iroh shook his head, "I don't think this is a gamble," he said as he rose from the table. Zuko and I both looked to each other as we shrugged our shoulders and stood up too. We followed his uncle to the table. My eyes were drawn to the left as I saw the two men from before glaring at us. Even me. I walked closer to Zuko and I accidently bumped into his shoulder, he looked down at me as I apologized softly.

I looked back to the two men, as they seemed to be having an argument to themselves. We reached the table as Iroh sat himself down at the table as Zuko and I both crossed our arms at the same time.

"May I have this game?" Iroh asked the man.

"The guest has the first move." The man nodded his head. Iroh placed one of the tiles in the center of the board, from what I could make out; it was the white Lotus tile. "I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those who do can always find a friend," Iroh nodded his head as Zuko and I both looked to each other, our eyebrows rose again as we both knew that Iroh knew this man.

"Then let us play." The Pai sho man said as he placed a tile on the board. Then Iroh, then the man. I saw Zuko sit down and watch the two men intently as my own eyes widened as I saw the shape that was being made by the placing of their tiles.

After a few seconds the old men finished their game and they both bowed to each other, Zuko and I looked to each other as we saw the shape that they had made was a white lotus.

"Welcome, brother. He White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets." The old man said.

"What are you old gasbags talking about?" Zuko cried out, throwing one hand out. Iroh turned to his arrogant nephew and smiled softly, "I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more then just a game."

Zuko had a confused look on his face as I stared at Iroh and the board. Iroh twiddled a tile over his knuckles and caught it in the palm of his hand; I raised one eyebrow as I looked to Zuko. He had that familiar frown on his scarred face.

Suddenly a loud voice shot over the crowd, making everyone become silent.

"I'm not waiting all night for these geezers to finish yapping! It's over! You two fugitives are coming with me!" one of the men I had seen earlier said as he stood up and pointed to our group.

He had called Zuko and Iroh fugitives, of the Fire Nation? I knew that Zuko had been banished but they had never told me what for, so why were they calling themselves fugitives when Zuko had told me he was banished.

I felt sad and betrayed, after everything Zuko and I had gone through, he was still keeping secrets from me.

I could feel tears pricking at my eyes but I blinked them away as I realized that we were in trouble, this whole bar was filled with bounty hunters, and that loudmouth had just called out Iroh and Zuko.

Iroh, Zuko and I all stood up as the two had their mouths open wide, then a voice called to my left, "I knew it! You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!" the Pai Sho man had yelled out.

Zuko head and mine shot to the man, I didn't think that he knew that he did it, but Zuko inched closer back to me. He was putting himself between me and the bounty hunters.

I could almost feel his back against my chest he was so close, it was if he was trying to protect me.

Psshh, like that would actually happen. He hated me, well, not hate. But he tolerated me because he felt bad that I had no family.

"Looks like he's a real great help!" I yelled at Iroh, he turned back to me and gave me, "He is. Just watch." He said sharply.

"You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?"

I could see what he was doing, he was trying to cause a scene, the other bounty hunters would fight each other to see who would capture Iroh and Zuko.

Most of the men raised their heads at the world 'gold' and pulled out shiny daggers and started advancing towards us. I could feel Zuko move back more and his back finally hit my chest, he almost pushed me over and I had to quickly grab his top around his waist to steady myself. Soon the fighting started, war cries and grunts were heard as the two men started Earthbending. Some of the bounty hunters were Earthbenders too. Soon, tables, glasses and chair were flying everywhere.

Zuko made me duck down as a giant piece of rock came flying towards us, the rock shattered over our heads as Zuko covered me with his body. What had gotten into him? Why was he so protective of me all of a sudden?

I heard Iroh yell something as I felt Zuko grab my hand and started pulling me away from the fight.

We left the building and headed for a cart around the corner of the building. Zuko still had my hand as we both climbed into the back and Iroh went in the front part with the Pai Sho man. As soon as we climbed in the cart it shot off and I almost fell out the back if it wasn't for Zuko still holding my hand. I looked behind me quickly and saw the two men running out of the building. I locked eyes with the one who was scruffier looking and had pin straight black hair. He gave me a fierce glare as Zuko pulled me back into the cart.

It was full of different merchandise and balls of hay. The small of hay made me think of home, and the days I would lie under the sun in the sunflower meadow and Lou would be beside me.

Oh no. Lou!

"Hana? What's wrong?" Zuko asked me as he probably saw my shocked face. He stepped closer to me.

"I left Lou! I have to go back!" I went to jump from the cart but Zuko grabbed me around the waist.

"Hana no!" he tried to pull me back but I started squirming and kicking him.

"Hana you cant go back, he'll be fine!" I cried out as he pulled me back further into the cart. I cried out, "no! I can't leave him, he'll die!"

Zuko was finally able to pull me back, my hands slipped from the wood as we flung back onto the floor. I felt Zuko's breath leave him as I crushed him under my weight. Our heads both banged together as a throbbing pain shot through me.

We were both groaning as I rolled off him and put my face to the floor. I could feel the tears flowing freely down my cheeks. I didn't want to leave Lou behind, he was my best friend. I had owned him for half of my life and he was the only thing I connected to. He would always listen to me; he couldn't really do anything else other then that anyway. But I loved him with all my heart, I didn't even get to say goodbye to him.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder as I looked up, Zuko had a sympathetic face, "I'm sorry, Hana. When we get to wherever we're going, I'll ask them to look after him, ok?"

I sniffed and nodded, and then I noticed that Zuko's eyebrow was bleeding, it was when we clashed heads. That was my fault.

"You're bleeding," I stated as I pointed to his face. Zuko touched his eyebrow and winced slightly.

Without thinking I reached my hand out and pressed the palm of my hand over his eyebrow. I closed my eyes and felt a tingling sensation wean its way up my arm and through my fingers.

I could feel Zuko relax under my hand and then I took my hand away and opened my eyes, Zuko was already staring at me. My eyes flicked up to his eyebrow as I gasped and leaned back.

"What?" he said in shock as his hand flew to his head, he touched his eyebrow as his mouth shot open.

"I healed you!" I cried out in surprise.

I couldn't believe it, I had healed someone other then myself and I hadn't even used water, what the heck was going on?

"Hana…"

I looked up at him speechless, I gazed down at my hands, there was no trace of the tingling feeling I had felt but I knew that I had unlocked something. I could feel a power bubbling inside me and I knew that this was only a small fraction of what was to come.

I started shaking, I was changing, something was happening to me and it was scaring me senseless.

Zuko's had shot out to mine and grabbed my wrists. My eyes shot to his as his intense gaze was boring into my blue eyes.

"It's alright," was all he said. I suddenly felt calm. This was a good thing. Now I could help people, I wasn't going to be a liability anymore. Like with what happened with the Rough Rhino's, I'll train more and become strong like Zuko. And brave like the Avatar.

I nodded at Zuko as the cart came to a stop, we both climbed out as the Pai Sho man and Iroh met up with us, I looked around and saw we were in a small village just on the edge of the desert. Just up a hill were trees and grass.

I had already had enough of this desert, the sand was getting in my toes and the blazing hot sun was irritating my skin.

"Come, quickly." The Pai Sho man said as he ushered us towards some building. I stayed close to Zuko on one side, while Iroh walked ahead with the Pai Sho man. He opened the door for us as he looked around nervously and we all walked inside. He shut the door behind us as I looked around the room.

"A flower shop?" I asked in disbelief. The Pai Sho man walked in front of my quickly, nearly knocking me over if Zuko hadn't grabbed me out of his way, we both shot a glare at his head as he bowed to Iroh, "it is an honor to welcome such a high ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets."

Zuko and I looked to each other, The Order of the White Lotus? That sounded so familiar, like I had read it before once when I was very little, but I couldn't remember when.

Zuko crossed his arms and pouted, "Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is this club going to offer some real help?" Zuko growled.

Iroh shot him a look and turned back to the Pai Sho man, "forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." The two old men started walking towards a door at the back as Zuko and I followed. He knocks on a door and a small window in the middle slides open and a man peeks through.

I jumped back slightly as the man spoke, "Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries."

I made a noise at the back of my throat as Iroh glared at me and I turned my head away from him.

I heard the door unlock and Zuko and the Pai Sho man entered, I sat back on one of the benches as I watched Zuko try to enter but the door was shut in his face. I heard Iroh say something as Zuko growled and stomped over to where I was, he sat down next to me and placed his elbows on his knees and rested his head on his hands.

He sighed deeply as I folded my arms behind my head. I decided that I could trust Zuko, so I was going to tell him my secret, but I wanted to know a few of his first.

"Why are you and Iroh fugitives?" I asked suddenly. I felt Zuko look to me as he stiffened.

"I don't know what you mean." He looked away.

I scoffed and punched his shoulder, "Don't give me that! I was in that bar, those men said you were Fire Nation fugitives. You told me you were banished," I said as I pointed a finger at him daringly.

He sighed and rubbed his hand down his face, "We are banished, but we are fugitives as well. Part of my banishment was that I would only be allowed to return home when I had regained my honor, and by doing that I needed to capture the Avatar. But in the Northern Water tribe—"

"WHAT?" I yelled, Zuko covered his ears and silenced me but I waved him off, "You never told me you had been to the Northern Water Tribe! I told you what I thought and you couldn't think to share the tiny piece of information?"

Zuko held out his hands," I'm sorry, it wasn't one of my fondest memories so don't blame me for not wanting to bring it up. Anyway, in the Northern Water Tribe I failed at capturing the Avatar and I was an embarrassment to the Fire Nation. So my father sent Azula to come after us and bring myself and Uncle back to the Fire Nation as prisoners, we got away and were labeled fugitives. There, now you know."

I sat back on the bench, so his father had banished him and he had to regain his honor. But that didn't explain his scar that marred the left side of his face.

"What did you do…to get that scar?" I asked softly, I believed that he hadn't heard me but he answered me.

"I spoke out of line in a war meeting, my father then challenged me to an Agni Kai, and…I lost." He finished softly.

His words sunk in as my face slowly turned to his, I could feel my mouth wide open, he wasn't even looking at me. Then I could feel my anger bubbling, I hated Ozai for what he had done, how could have done that to his only son? Forcing him into an Agni Kai then burning one side of his face.

I balled my fists up as they started shaking with anger, I felt sorry for Zuko I wanted to cry. Instead, I calmed down and placed my hand on his shoulder, he still didn't look at me.

"In the cave, when I passed out, Yue came to me. I had another dream. In this one I was already missing and my mother was pregnant. I have a sibling."

Zuko still didn't turn to me, "I didn't want to tell you because it was something close to me, and you already knew everything about you and I knew nothing. But, what you shared with me. Thank you, I know it must have been hard for you."

He finally turned to look at me as Zuko smiled softly at me, it wasn't a happy smile, it was a half one and was an understanding smile. Like we both knew each others pain.

The door opened and Zuko and I jumped up as did Zuko.

"What's going on? Is the club meeting over?" Zuko asked as I rolled my eyes.

Iroh walked to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Everything is taken care of. We're heading to Ba Sing Se."

I grinned happily. I had always wanted to go to the great city. The tall wall and magnificent food. I was terribly excited.

"Ba Sing Se? why would we go to the capital of the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked as he crossed his arms.

The old Pai Sho player stepped forwards, "the city is filled with refugees. No one will notice three more."

I laughed and stepped around Zuko, "Sorry, but I'm not a refugee, I am merely a traveller." I pointed out. The Pai Sho played laughed as he clutched his stomach. "Not anymore, as of now. You are Iroh's adoptive daughter and Zuko is his son. Iroh is now your guardian."

My mouth hit the floor and shot back up, I looked to Iroh and he seemed just as displeased as I did.

The front door opened as a young man walked in the door, "I got the passports for our guests, but there are two men out on the streets looking for them.

I gave Zuko a worried look as the Pai Sho player ushered us over to two giant plant pots.

"I had these specially made for sneaking members out of meetings if things started to get suspicious, but I only have two so Hana will have to squeeze in with Zuko.

I groaned as Zuko and Iroh climbed into the pots. I looked in and saw there was enough room for me as one member helped me in which I thought was odd. And when did I ever tell the Pai Sho player my name?

We started moving and I realized that it was now really cramped with Zuko and I in it together, and very stuffy. We could hear a commotion and I held my breath, thinking that a slight noise would alert the two men to our presence.

After a few minutes I felt someone knock on the pot as the lid was lifted up. The sunlight nearly blinded me as a hand reached down and pulled me out. I saw Iroh climb out of his and wondered why I was being helped and the Grand Master wasn't.

He didn't even help Zuko out of the pot.

Once the man said his good byes I called out to him.

"Wait! Back at the springs, I left my ostrich hors, his name is Lou, please make sure he is either set free or goes to a nice home." I said as I clutched my hands together, the man nodded as he left down the hill with the trolley. This left Zuko, Iroh and I with no rides and little supplies. I turned around and saw Zuko and Iroh looking at me.

I walked up to Iroh, "Well, lets go…dad."

So tell me what you think? what do you think of Iroh now being her guardian, and has anymore guessed why Hana can heal yet? or why Iroh might know her, though if you don't most will be revealed very soon. and some more of Hana's abilities will show very soon. and why Zuko is becoming protective of her. this chapter was 11 pages. my longest one yet! :D

Sorry for the delay again, please review on what you think and give me ideas! they may come into the story at one point!

myperfectnightmare