Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or any of its characters.

This one is in honor of the Maiko shipping, considering I usually go for Zutara or even Tokka. Please R&R and enjoy. (I love constructive critsizm by the way!)

-Ardala91


The sun has fallen at last, leaving the sky to enter the twilight. Stars were just beginning to dance across the vast heavens. Zuko watched the sky above him, sprawled down on the lush grass of a hillside. The air was finally cooling down after a typical hot day of the Fire Nation. Zuko welcomed it gratefully as it soothed his skin.

It had been a long day. He was quietly thankful that he wasn't the Fire Lord…yet anyways and hopefully not for years. To be honest with himself, it was not something he really wanted anymore. Yet he was his Uncle's only heir. He shuddered at the thought of Uncle Iroh obtaining another heir. Not that the old man couldn't, but he was old. The old man had been hinting at an unwanted pressure on his frustrated nephew of late.

Kids. Zuko grimaced deeply. He wasn't ready to be a father, and he wasn't even married! He grinned as he recalled Sokka's wedding from only a few months before. The fur ball house Appa had decided to mutilate Sokka's pride by licking him in front of all his guests right before his vows. The look on his face would be one he'd always treasure with a snicker. Sokka had married one of the Kyoshi warriors that he had ironically fought when he'd still been trying to capture Aang years ago. Suki. He didn't know her, but he could tell that she was completely in love with Sokka. (Though he wondered why briefly.)

Zuko stretched out his arms to flex them. To think about it, he'd never really been in love before. Yes, he'd felt strongly for Mai and she'd been the first girl he'd ever felt for like that. Yet he didn't think it was actual love, maybe it could have been, but he'd never know now. His eyes searched the stars, wondering where she was now. Was she happy? Did she hate him for what had happened? A watery sensation prickled his eyes and Zuko touched them, examining the salty water on his fingertips.

Before the end, they had confronted one another amidst a turbulent battlefield. It had only been them it seemed. Her golden eyes, usually so expressionless, had narrowed at the sight of him. They stood a breath apart, poised to fight, but neither making the first strike. It had seemed hours as they stared at each other in this truce. He remembered witnessing the conflicting emotions in her eyes, speaking of hurt, anger, and…Mai had let out a tiny gasp as her eyes widened. A spear had run through her with blood weeping from the wound as she fell to her knees. Her eyes did not leave his. She drilled her eyes into his as her face became whiter by the second and the light fleeing her eyes.

He had quickly kneeled in front of her, speechless with horror as he extended out his hand. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but collapsed face first towards the ground instead. His arms had stopped her fall and turned her around to cradle her. Blood bubbled in her throat and dripped from her trembling lips. He held her as he became ready to speak, to say something…I love you? I'm sorry? He never got that chance. She left right then and there with her eyes forever blank as she watched him…

Zuko cradled his own arms as he remembered that day. He could still feel that guilt and the aching wish that she had lived.

Had he loved her?

He wondered.

And he knew the answer.