Summer break is here! yay! so i should be posting a lot! Ok, so originally this chapter was longer but i wanted to shorten it because...well you'll find out at the end. ^^ but yeah. so enjoy.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I sat on the windowsill looking out at the city. I hadn't come out since yesterday and I barely ate anything. As I was in deep thought, there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

The door opened and Katara came in with a plate of food. "Are you hungry?" I looked back out the window and shook my head. I heard her sigh. "Zuko, you need to eat something. Sitting in your room all sad and depressed isn't going to bring her back."

I looked at her. "I never said it was."

She set down the plate on the dresser then came over to sit next to me. "Hey, I know you miss her. I do too, but…starving yourself won't make things better."

I hung my head down, unable to look directly at her. Her arms were too much like Malika's. "I know it won't."

"So why won't you eat?" I shrugged and looked back out the window. "Do you want one of the guys to come talk to you or Toph?"

I shook my head. "I just want to be alone." She nodded and stood up. She took one last glance at me before walking out of my room and leaving me in silence.

Malika's P.O.V.

"You have no idea how uncomfortable I feel being on this thing." We were sitting on the train that was headed for the Upper Ring.

"What are you really uncomfortable about?" Breana ask.

"Going to see Zuko. Ursa, can't you just go without me?" Breana, Raiku and Nekai discovered her true identity when I told them who she truly is. If I hadn't, it would obviously be confusing as to why she'd want to see Zuko, but they were perfectly fine about it.

"No, I'm not going without you. I don't know where he is."

"And you think I do?" After a few minutes of silence between the five of us the train came to a stop and everyone piled out. I look all around to see tons of houses in the Upper Ring.

"Ok, so what do we do now?" Ursa asked.

"Iroh! I heard that Iroh has a tea shop called the Jasmine Dragon. It's here in the Upper Ring!"

"Then we should go look for the Jasmine Dragon." We began to walk away to who-knows-where.

Katara's P.O.V.

After my small talk with Zuko I went into the front room to eat with everyone else. After Eventually, our meal was over with as we continued in dreadful silence, and Iroh stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm off to check on my tea shop. I haven't seen it in a long time, for I never got the chance to when we came."

"Can I go with you?" I asked.

"You want to help?" I nodded. "Well, we should get going. Whenever Zuko decides to come out of his room you should all go back down to the palace." With a nod, Iroh and I walked out of his house and made a long walk to the tea shop. "Would you mind waiting the tables?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Of course I don't mind." He smiled at me.

We were finally at the tea shop and working right away. Once Iroh was there more customers seemed to have been coming in. I was constantly going back and forth between taking people's orders and serving them tea or a snack. A few hours later it was my break time. I sat at the table closest to the kitchen. Iroh came over to my table and gave me a cup of tea. "So little time can do a number on you here." He said with a low chuckle.

"How can you stand the work?" I asked.

"Making tea is one of many things I enjoy." With a smile he went back into the kitchen.

I slumped in my seat and took a small sip of tea. "I don't know how much longer I can work." I muttered to myself.

Malika's P.O.V.

The five of us asked many people where the Jasmine Dragon was and they all told us the exact same thing: Go that way. "I never thought I'd say this in my life, but I'm tired of all of this walking." Ursa complained. "How can you stand it?"

I smirked. "We've lived on the streets. We rely on fighting and migrating when needed, so walking isn't a problem. We need to keep moving to survive." After a few minutes I finally spotted the Jasmine Dragon. "There it is!" We picked up our speed and found ourselves walking up the steps of the tea shop. We walked in and I looked around, looking for anyone familiar.

"Malika?"

I turned my head around and smiled when I noticed a familiar face. "Katara."

She ran over to me and threw her arms around my neck. "I'm so glad you're here. You have no idea what we've been going through and…where have you been?" She pulled away.

"On Senlai."

"You were there. Malika, we have to go tell everyone. Aang got back yesterday and…we need to tell Zuko!"

She began to tug on my arm to go, but I resisted. "No way am I seeing him."

She looked confused. "What? Malika, you have no idea what he's been going through without you. He won't eat, he won't talk to anyone, he stays in his room and looks out the window all day. Looking for you!"

"Look, I need you to take me to him, but I'm not seeing him."

"That makes no sense."

I pulled her aside and leaned in closer to her. "I found his mom and she really wants to see him."

She looked behind me. "That's Ursa?"

I nodded. "You need to take me to him."

She nodded. "Come here." She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back. "Iroh, I'm leaving." Katara said to Iroh.

"So soon?" He turned around and stared at me. "Malika, you're back." He put everything that he was doing aside and hugged me. "I'm so glad you're back."

I pulled away. "Iroh, I found her."

"Found who?"

"Ursa. I found her and I'm taking her to see Zuko."

"You found her?" He took off his apron without hesitation. "My other employees will watch the shop. Let's go."

We ran out form the back and through the shop. Everyone was still standing where I left them. When Ursa looked up, her eyes were bright with recognition and happiness. "Iroh!" Ursa called.

"Ursa! My dear." The two hugged as if they were long time friends, which I'm sure they were.

"Hey, I think we should go. The sooner you get to see Zuko the sooner I can get out of there."

The long walk to the house was full of silence except for the conversation between Iroh and Ursa. Every step I took closer to the house I felt more weight piling onto my shoulders. "Ah, we're here. I'm sure Zuko will be so surprised to see you." Iroh walked up to the door.

"I'm just…gonna stay out here. Don't mention me to Zuko…please." I said, coming to a complete stop. Iroh, Katara and Ursa nodded and they walked inside. Breana, Nekai and Raiku stayed outside with me. I leaned against the side of the house and tried to listen to what was going on inside.

Katara's P.O.V.

We walked inside and no one seemed to recognize Ursa. But why should they? They've never seen her before, but I was surprised they didn't ask questions. "Where's Zuko?" I asked.

"He's still in his room." Sokka said.

I walked to the back of the house to his room. The door was still closed and no sound was coming from inside. I opened his door. He was in the same position he was in when I left a long time ago. "Zuko, can you come out here for a minute, please?"

He looked at me. "Why?"

"Because I need you to come see something."

"You're not going to make me eat."

"I'm not gonna make you eat, but if you don't get out here I'll drag you." He hesitantly stood up and walked out with me. "I guarantee you'll be glad that you came out of your room."

"If it's not Malika then I don't think anything will make me happy."

I stopped and stood in front of him. "You really do love her, don't you?" He looked away. I looked down in guilt, but put a smile on my face. "Well, you might even be happier when you see the surprise." We walked into the front and Ursa stood up from where she was sitting.

"Zuko?"

Zuko looked up and at Ursa. "Mom?"

Zuko's P.O.V.

I stared at my mom. "I-I don't understand…how'd you…where were you all of this time?"

Ursa smiled. "I don't even get a hug? I haven't seen you in about six years." She began to cry. I was speechless and didn't know what to do but shower her in questions that wouldn't even come out. Finally my legs began to move and I found myself in her arms. She pulled away and looked up at me. "Look at how much you've grown. I…I can't believe it."

"How did you get here?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "I-I found my way here. I've been hearing things."

"But how?"

She hesitated. "I can't say."

"Why can't you?" I knew she was holding something back.

"I just can't."

"Mom, after all this time you've been gone in my life you won't even answer a simple question." I heard Katara mutter something. "What?"

She looked at me. "Uh, nothing. I'm just gonna…I think I heard something outside." She ran to the door, but I pulled away from my mother and grabbed Katara by her waist.

"Oh, here we go."

I turned her around. "You guys are hiding something from me." I pulled her behind me and headed for the door. Everyone was suddenly in front of me.

"I really don't think that's necessary, Zuko." Aang said.

"Why?" I glared at all of them. Then I noticed Uncle Iroh sneak out the door.

Malika's P.O.V.

I was standing outside the house and I couldn't hear a single thing going on in there. Suddenly the door opened. I looked at it to see Iroh. He was shooing us away. We needed to go. I grabbed Nekai's arm. "We need to go, like now." The four of us broke into a run. We ran and ran, dodging people that were going the opposite way.

"We should stop." Breana said. The four of us stopped and turned around. I was breathing heavily. I couldn't see the house anymore which means we ran pretty far.

"Are you really afraid of the guy?"

I turned to look at Raiku. "I'm not afraid of him."

"Then why are you running away from him?"

"Because I hate him."

He looked into my eyes. "You always told us that, afraid or not, we have to stand up to things we have no intention of thinking about or seeing." I searched his face then turned around to look back the way we came. "You need to face him after so long, Malika." Raiku continued.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I nodded. "But you guys have to come with me." I said as I looked at them. The three nodded. I sighed. "Let's go back." We began to walk back towards the house.

Zuko's P.O.V.

"You need to tell me what's going on." I said.

"Nothing you need to know." Uncle said.

"Obviously I do. What are you hiding?"

Uncle and my mother exchanged glances. "Zuko, you'll probably find out sooner, but not now." My mother said. There was a knock on the door. She walked over to the door and poked her head out. "I thought you left. What are you doing here?"

"Facing what I've been running away from so long." I knew that voice. Way too well. My mother moved away from the door and Malika came in.

"There's obviously something I'm missing. Fill in the hole." I said.

"I was living on Senlai and I ran into your mother. I moved in with her for awhile." Malika responded.

I looked at my mother. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because Malika didn't want you to know she was here." She said.

I looked at Malika and our eyes met just before she looked away. "You have to talk to me." I said.

"I know." She looked at me. Her blue eyes meeting my gold ones again.

"Well, I think we should leave the two alone. Why don't we all go down to my tea shop for some tea? I need to go back anyway." Iroh walked out with everyone following except three others I didn't recognize.

Malika looked at them and smiled. "Go on, I'll catch up with you guys later."

One girl and guy left, but another one stayed. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Malika nodded. "You always knew you couldn't protect me for long. I thought I made that clear a year ago." His jaw clenched and something flashed in his eyes. He nodded and walked out of the house. I sat down at the table, but Malika continued to stand. "Why'd you keep it from me?"

I looked at her. "What?"

She met my gaze. "Why'd you keep that secret from me? You could've just told me that we couldn't be together."

"No, that's not what it was."

She shook her head. "Of course it was. That's exactly what it was. Why else would you say it if it weren't true?"

"Malika, you weren't supposed to find those."

"Obviously. Why'd you even ask me to marry you if that's what you were thinking?" "It was at the time. But as we got closer…I knew I was wrong about it. I should've burned those. I should've burned them all."

"But you didn't, and it's too late to take it back."

"Malika-"

"No. Will you just listen to me for once? You should've thought about what you were writing. I would've found that note anyway. You never should've written it if you really loved me."

"I still do-"

"Just stop! You put lies into my head, Zuko. You told me lies. Telling me that you love me. And the burn…" Malika looked at the large burn on her right hand. She closed her hand into a tight fist and shut her eyes. "You agreed to it. We both agreed to it. To be together. Never able to turn back."

"Malika, you know I love you."

"You don't understand what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" I stood up and walked closer to her. She backed up against the wall. I stood a few inches away from her. "Malika, you need to tell me everything so I can make things right again."

She shook her head. "It's too late for that." A tear fell down her face. I reached up to wipe it away from her face, but she turned her head. I dropped my hand.

"What can I do to make things right?"

"That's another problem. You've already done so much and you can't take anything back."

"I would if I could."

She looked at me and whispered, "But like I said you can't. There's nothing else you can do." Suddenly the door burst open.

A/N: Cliffhanger! haha! sry i had to. i did continue originally, but i wanted to give you all an evil CH. and i won't post until i get some reviews saying who it might be. hehe i'm so evil! not really, but yea. Review please!