Hi! Sorry tthis Chapter is kinda long but I was on a roll! I even started another fanfic, but it's not up yet. I think I'm going to be able to finish this with one more chapter, but I need feedback becaue there's two different endings. So let me know if you want me to continue this one! :D

It was mid- day and Zuko had been drilling me on the same set for hours. I landed on my butt for what felt like the thousandth time that day. WE had started my fire bending training before the sun had come up. Iroh worked on breathing techniques and we worked through the basics of fire bending. I had managed to do fairly well on the first 3 sets that we went through, but I couldn't get the hang of the last one. "Zuko I need a break." I said laying on the ground to catch my breath. "No you need to get this set right." He said sternly. "We've been at this for hours! I'm exhausted." I whined. "You're the one that wanted to learn how to fire bend, so I'm going to teach you." He said. "Now try again." I dragged myself off of the ground, but soon found myself on my butt again. "Zuko enough I need a break!" I roared. "This is simple basic stuff! If you can't get this right how do you expect to get any of the complex stuff right?" he roared. "I don't plan on learning all of this in just a day!" I yelled back. "You should be able to do basic sets though! You are 16 years old!" "I haven't had training in 10 years!" Zuko and I stood toe to toe yelling at each other. "It's like breathing! You don't forget to breath do you?" he roared. "I haven't been able to fire bend since I was 6 years old! It was torture not being allowed to." "Then why didn't you?" "I don't know… maybe because I was working as a slave to Gwen!" "That's no excuse!" "You're so infuriating!" I roared turning my back to him and walking away. "Well you're impossible!" He roared at me. I stormed into the house and towards the front door. "How is practice going?" Iroh asked as I got to the door. "Go ask your hot headed nephew." I growled walking out the door.

What had gotten in to Zuko? Why was he being so mean and bossy? After yesterday I thought everything would be perfect, but I guess I thought wrong. I found myself walking towards the market. I made sure I had some money in my pocket and went and got food for the house. I was walking towards the bakery when a familiar voice called out to me. "Hey Kail!" I looked behind me to see Sokka running towards me. Ugh this guy is so weird… I should just pretend… "Hey Kail!" he said stopping in front of me out of breath. "Hey Sokka…" I said quietly. "Funning see you here?" he said with a laugh. "Funning seeing me at the market where they sell food?" I asked staring at him. "Yeah… Right.. Sorry… Wanna grab some lunch?" he asked. I pushed my anger at Zuko away and stared at Sokka. He seemed sweet, but… "Just as friends! Strictly platonic." He said with a bigger smile. "Just as friends?" I asked. "Yep… I'll even let you pay for yourself." He said with a dorky smirk that made me laugh. "Ok… lets have lunch." "Sweet! I'm having friendship lunch with my friend Kail! This does mean we can be friends right?" he asked. I nodded as he took one of my bags. "Doing some shopping?" he asked. "Yep… how about you?" "I'm just exploring Ba Sing Sai." He said with a shrug. "It really is a wonderful city if you know where to go." I said with a smile. "Would you mind showing me around sometime?" he asked. I thought about it for a moment and then agreed. Zuko might be mad, but I'm allowed to have friends. He led me to a small restaurant that served generously sized portions of food. Sokka ate all of his food and part of mine. "This is soooo good!" he said between bites. "So what's it like traveling around with the Avatar?" I asked. "To be honest it's a lot of fun, but I sometimes get annoyed being around so many benders.." "What do you mean?" "My sister is a water bender and Aang is the Avatar, master of the four elements…" "Aren't you a water bender?" "Nope. It's me and my trusty boomerang." He said with a smile. "What about you? Are you an earth bender?" "Nope… I'm.. not an earth bender." I said "Ah… Are you from here?" he asked studying me. "I moved to Ba Sing Sai when I was a child?" "Oh I'm from the Southern Water tribe." "Amazing! You can all this way to help the Avatar?" I asked. "Yep. I was actually hoping to see my father…" he admitted quietly. "Isn't your father back home?" "No he's off fighting in the war. He's been gone for 2 years now…" he said hanging his head. "I'm sorry." I said taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "It's ok… Where were you from before you came here?" he asked. I bit my lip as I argued with myself about the truth. He would surely hate me if he knew the truth. "I'm not sure… I was to young to remember…" I lied. "Ah… So about showing me around?" he asked. "How about tonight? Meet me at the market at around 7?" I asked. "Ok!" he said with a dorky smile. There was something genuinely sweet about Sokka that I really liked. We paid for our meal and then parted ways.

I got back home to an empty house. Zuko and Iroh were nowhere in sight. I put everything I had gotten at the market away and decided to go visit Sia. She and the girls were staying in the room above the tea shop. I walked in and was attacked by the youngest girls. "You're ok." They squealed. Sia and I sat down to tea and I told her everything. I told her about defeating Gwen and Zukos recovery, and about our first date. "Aw Kail I'm so happy for you!" Sia said hugging me. "Oh you'll never guess what happened." she gushed. "What?" I asked. "I met the nicest guy the other day… and I think he likes me." he squealed girlishly. I pretended to listen while Sia droned on about the boy she met. My mind was a million miles away. I was thinking about Zuko and how angry he had gotten. What if he left me for good? Just the thought of never seeing him again made my stomach twist up with fear. I just got Zuko back in my life and I don't want to lose him again. I was so lost in thought that I didn't realize the time. Sia stood and smiled. "I guess it's time to close up." She said cheerfully. "Oh no I'm late." I said rushing out the door. I ran to the market and saw Sokka leaning causally against a wall. "Sorry I'm late!" I yelled running up to him. "Oh hey Kail!" he said with a smile. "Sorry I got caught up talking with my friend Sia." I said. "Ok… So where do you want to go?" he asked studying me. "Ummm… oh I know! Come on!" I said taking his hand, dragging him along with me.

We cut through a few side streets until we came upon my favorite place in Ba Sing Sai. There was a stream that ran through the city to a river. I dragged Sokka over the small bridge and to the soft grass that was on the other side. The wall there had thousands of tiny papers sticking out of it. "Kail what is this place?" Sokka asked taking it in. "I know it's silly, but it's my favorite place." I said quietly. "This is where people pray for the dead. They write their prayers for loved ones that have dies and then put them in the wall, and then they light a floating lantern for their loved one." I explained. "Kail why is this your favorite place?" "My parents died before I came here." I said in barely a whisper. I quickly covered my mouth as my cheeks turned bright red. "Were you staying with relatives?" he asked studying me. I looked down at the notes stuck in the wall. I pretended to be very interested in the notes as I debated on whether to tell him the truth. I could feel his blue eyes burning into me. "Kail? What's wrong?" he asked taking a step towards me. "I could fel the truth burning inside me. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't. I felt tears start to fall hot down my face. "Kail?" "If I tell you the truth you will hate me." I whispered. "Why would I hate you?" "You would hate me…" "Kail you can tell me… I promise I won't hate you." He said softly grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. I took a deep breath and focused on steadying my breathing. "My parents were killed and I was kidnapped…" I started. "I was sold to a vile women named Gwen…" "Kail that's awful." He said as he wrapped his arms around me in a hug. I tried to push away but gave up and cried into his chest. "My parents were part of the royal court… I'm originally from the Fire Nation." I whispered. I could feel his body stiffen. His arms dropped from around me and I backed away from him. "You're from the Fire Nation?" he asked in a barely audiable whisper. "Yes. And I'm a fire bender." I whispered looking at the ground. "You're a what?" he asked staring at me. instead of saying it again I just held out my hand and let flame dance across it. He stared at me half in horror and amazement. "So you're a fire bender… from the Fire Nation?" "Yes.." "When were you kidnapped?" "When I was six…" "Do you share the Fire Lords outlook?" he asked studying me. "You mean Ozai? He was a big jerk. I never understood why Ursa married him." I said with a laugh. "You mean you don't follow him?" "Would I be here talking to you if I did?" I asked finally meeting his gaze. He smiled and held out his hand. "Still friends?" he asked. "Still friends." I said shaking his hand. "You know Fire Nation killed my mother." He said quietly. "I'm so sorry." I said giving his hand a squeeze. He looked up at me and smiled. "Can I do a prayer thing for her?" "Sure… I leave you alone to write your message." I said turning toward the bridge. Sokka was busey writing so I walked back into the market. I bought a few thing and when I returned Sokka was finished. "Time for the floating lantern part." I said holding up the supplies I had just bought. Sokka put the candle in the lantern and I lit it. He put it in the water and we stood on the bridge watching it float away. "Thanks for this." He said softly. "For what?" "For taking me here, and for being honest with me…" "Thanks for still being my friend." I said with a small laugh.

"You know your boyfriend is a really lucky guy." Sokka said softly as he walked me home. "Thanks… but I'm the lucky girl that he chose." I said with a blush. All my anger from this morning had faded away and I was excited to get back to Zuko. We got to my front door and Sokka gave me a quick hug. "Thanks for showing me around." He said with a smile. As he was turning to leave the door swung open. Zuko stepped out and glared in Sokka's direction. "What are you doing with him?" Zuko asked disgusted. "He's my friend… I was showing him Ba Sing Sai." I said confused. I looked back at Sokka and saw that his body had gone ridged. He turned around slowly and it was like his eyes were going to bulge out of his head. "HE'S your BOYFRIEND?"…