It had been a week since Jinora had seen Skoochy. It was her last day at the hospital and she'd begun to gather all her things.

She stuffed the many books and clothes that cluttered the room into her bag. Under normal circumstances she would keep her room very clean, but with recent events she had lost her interest in organization.

Jinora was just about to pick up the last book when a large pile of letters fell off the table. She looked at them sadly. They were all from Skoochy. He had sent her one everyday during her stay, but she hadn't opened them.

She didn't know what was stopping her. There was a large part of her still furious at him for dashing away and playing the hero when she needed him.

She held the stack in her hands for a moment. Slowly, she began to open one of them, then stopped, quickly throwing the pile into the bag.

Jinora slowly walked out into the hot sun several minutes later, expecting to see her father with Oggie. Instead Korra was there, leaning on Mako's car.

"Korra, what are you going here?" Jinora asked, struggling to keep all her things from dropping.

Korra quickly helped put Jinora's things in the trunk. "I, umm… told your dad I'd drop you off later… I thought you may want to hang out at my house for a while…"

Jinora's heart sank. "I…really don't feel like seeing Skoochy at the moment."

"He's leaving tonight…I couldn't talk him out of it. He's already gotten into the Alliance."

"What?" Jinora asked in a hollow voice. She felt her legs move on their own as she jumped into the front seat. "Let's go."

Korra quickly hopped in, speeding away, narrowly missing a light pole as she backed out.

"Yeah, Mako doesn't know I'm borrowing his car," Korra said, obviously trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Jinora said nothing, but just looked out at the quickly moving buildings.

It was near the house when Korra finally spoke again. "I know how you must feel…"

"No, you don't." Jinora growled, not able to keep annoyance out of her voice. "You have no idea!"

Korra breathed deeply. "Maybe not, but I can tell you this; he needs to do this Jinora. He'll never be happy as long as the Bending Alliance is still powerful."

Jinora felt the bubble of protection she had tried to maintain the past week break. "It's stupid! He's…he's just leaving me when I need him most! Doesn't he know that I can't live without him!"

Jinora broke down into tears. Finally revealing her true feelings.

Korra put an arm on Jinora's shoulder, comforting her as best she could while she was still driving. "Jinora, I know Skoochy feels the same way about you. But what you've got to understand is when you were captured Skoochy probably felt for a moment that he had lost you."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jinora sobbed.

"Because when he had finally rescued you, a part of him knew that you would never be safe again as long as the Bending Alliance was still at large; that he would have to make this sacrifice to protect you."

Jinora looked away, trying to wipe her tears.

"Listen, you don't have to understand it, you don't have to like it, but you do have to respect it. This may be hurting him more then it is you. If you had grown up in the same environment Skoochy did, I think you would do the same thing…"

Jinora said nothing else until they got to the house. She slowly walked in. Korra pointed down the hall to the last room. Jinora moved even slower, half scared to see him. Why was she so scared? She loved Skoochy. She'd never missed a chance to see him.

She pushed the half closed door open, peeking inside. Skoochy turned around. Something like sadness filled his face, though he covered it up though with a smile.

"Hey, Jin… I'm really glad to see you," he said tentatively.

Jinora looked at Skoochy. She noticed something like imminent dread in his eyes. His hair had been cut and he seemed to have painted several scares on his face. He looked very different from the old Skoochy.

"Hey…" Was all she could say. Why wasn't she jumping into his arms? "You're leaving today then."

"Yeah… I know how you must feel about this but I-"

Skoochy stopped suddenly as Jinora put a finger to his lips.

"Even though I wish you wouldn't do this… I-I'm with you… All the way," Jinora said, her voice crack. Finally seeing him again seemed to set her mind straight.

Skoochy leaned in for a kiss. Jinora started to close her eyes. However, a moment later, like waking up from a dream, he slowly drew back. Jinora blinked at him. It seemed like it took all his will power to resist.

"We shouldn't…" He began.

Jinora grabbed him by the neck and forced his lips on hers. Skoochy reacted immediately, giving up his attempts at resistance and forcing himself back on her.

Skoochy finally broke apart. He was still holding her arms tightly, looking deep into her eyes.

"Jinora…" He started. "We…we…can't be together anymore."

A part of Jinora had seen this coming from the very moment she had seen that look on his face. But she wasn't going to break down and cry into his arms or ask why. She knew why he was doing this. It still didn't fill the gaping hole in her though.

"It's…just too dangerous for you to be with me. If they used you to get to me…I can't let that happen."

"I knew this was coming," she whispered.

Skoochy closed his eyes, a small tear trickling down his face. "I promise we'll be together when this war is over."

"But what if it never ends, Skoochy?"

"Of course it'll end-"

"What if it takes months, or years, or decades? And who even knows if you're…you're coming back." Jinora now felt her eyes water. She moved away from Skoochy who tried to wrap his arms around her.

"Jinora, you know, for as long as I'm undercover, you wont be safe with me."

"What if I don't care?" she said with an unnatural panic in her voice.

Skoochy's voice was beginning to break. "I care. How do you think I'd feel if you died because of me?"

Jinora looked away from him. "This is ridiculous. You're in more danger going out with me then I am with you. I'm a councilmen's daughter and one of the last Airbenders. And you're just a…a…"

"Street rat…" Skoochy finished.

There was an awkward silence.

"You know I didn't mean it like that…" she started.

"It's okay. I am a street rat. But perhaps I can become something more."

Skoochy turned her around wiping a tear out of her eye. He seemed to want to keep a distance though, not wanting to lead her on, Jinora guessed.

She pulled him down to eye level and pleaded, "Promise me you'll come back. Promise me…"

Skoochy kissed her on the forehead. "I promise."

Hope you liked this chapter :) Please review, maybe we can get up to 150!