Sunny

After five months in Ping Yao, the team has finally successfully gathered enough information to leave this dreadful city.

It's kind of strange how when we first arrived I sort of wished that this mission would never end. But, after Zuko and I broke up, I suddenly felt like I didn't want to be here at all. Though, lately, I can't say that I actually want to be anywhere. I thought that breaking up with Zee would help me focus on my work without constantly wanting to go home and be with him but it seems like the longer I'm away from him the more I want to just go home.

Life is just so dull without him. And the work that I used to value and enjoy so much suddenly seems so meaningless and mundane.

Plus, I'm just really sad that I can't talk to my best friend when I feel like it. I mean, Azula has been nice enough to spend most of her free time with me when I'm in Ba Sing Se but, let's be honest here, she's not very comforting at times.

Sigh, I miss Zuko so much that sometimes I think I'm going to go insane.

I just want to go home.

But I know I can't. I know that I've made too much of a mess of our relationship for it to ever go back to the way it was. I mean, who just walks out on their wonderful, amazing, loving, sweet fiance?!

Maybe I'm already crazy.

I touch the necklace he gave me and begin to cry as I think about how much I wish I didn't ruin everything. Why did I leave the only person I've ever loved?! What was I thi-

"Hey you, ready for dinner?" General Zhang asks as he pops his head into my office, interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh, hey. Yeah." I wipe the tears from my face and pretend that everything's okay.

"Crying again?"

"No..." I lie though, considering he's not blind, I'm sure he can clearly see that I'm lying. Plus, it's not like he doesn't randomly catch me crying at work like every day anyways (though, not literally of course. It's more like every few days to be precise). I don't know why I even try to lie to him about it. I guess I just sort of wish he'd leave me alone.

"Right. Of course not," he says sarcastically, but in a nice way.

We walk down his favorite restaurant on the pier by the beach and are seated on the patio in a booth that overlooks the ocean. I stare at the sunset on the horizon and imagine that I'm back in the Sun Chief's island bungalow with Zuko.

Ugh, I need to stop thinking about him!

I shake the thought of Zee from my head and force myself to try and focus on the moment instead. It's been three months since we've broken up and, besides the Ping Yao status updates I provide, I rarely see him. From what Suki tells me, he seems to be doing okay. So it's probably best for me to just get over it.

The waitress comes and I order the sea-trout (Zuko's favorite).

We talk about our mission tomorrow and he tells me about his 'brilliant idea' as to how we can infiltrate the Loyalist's camp, find their leader, and interrogate him (or her). Blah blah blah.

Our food comes and he changes the subject.

"So, do you think you'll ever date again?" he asks. His question is so direct that it makes me kind of uncomfortable.

"Maybe." Though, considering all I can think about is Zuko, it's probably not going to be very fair for whoever I would date.

"That's good. I think perhaps it would help you move on if you gave someone new a try," he suggests.

"Right..." I can tell where he's going with this and would really prefer not to have this conversation so I pretend to suddenly be completely distracted by my food. He must think I'm so weird. But I don't care. I sort of just want to finish dinner so I can go back to my hotel room and be miserable by myself.

"Perhaps you'd give me a chance to try and make you happy, Sunny," he insists after I finish picking at but not actually eating my food.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," I hear myself say though I'm actually thinking more along the lines of: 'Thank you but no one could ever possibly make me happy besides Zuko. And you're clearly not Zuko so, no thank you.' or 'Thanks but I've already successfully ruined my life so I think I'd prefer to continue to be sad and alone by myself.'

He finishes eating and I let him walk me home though I would sort of prefer him to just go away. Politely, I thank him for dinner and then go upstairs and cry myself to sleep.

The next morning, we head out to the campsite where some Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom troops are already set up. We spend the morning meeting the troops and then wait for the members of the Joint Tactical Leadership Committee to arrive from their respective nations before we head into a strategy meeting.

Blah blah blah, they begin to discuss General Zhang's 'brilliant idea' but half way through the meeting, we are disturbed by one of the Fire Nation Sergeants.

"Fire Lord Zuko has arrived," he announces and then steps out of the tent.

I feel my heart drop as Zuko enters the tent. He's in his typical Fire Lord outfit and has a pretty serious look on his face as he scans the room to see who is present. I look away before he catches me staring and pretend to read the 'notes' that I've scribbled on my notepad.

Ugh, what is he doing here!?

Though... I suppose he is usually pretty involved in major military operations so I guess it makes sense that he'd show up. I just wish I didn't have to see him right now. I mean, I can barely hold myself together when he's not around so I can't imagine having to pretend like everything's okay with him in the tent next to me or something.

Zuko

I step into the tent and see that the Tactical Committee has already started the meeting. I guess they didn't realize I was on my way. Oh well. They re-cap the plan - the best firebender and the best earthbender will sneak into the Loyalist's camp tomorrow to collect intelligence and, depending on the report, we will attack or whatever the day after.

"Sounds like a pretty solid plan to me," I say after I listen to them describe it in more detail than necessary. "So, I guess Ambassador Sunshine is going with whomever you choose from the Earth Kingdom then."

"That's a cute nickname," General Mak comments.

Oops, I can't believe I just called her 'Ambassador Sunshine' in front of the whole committee. Ugh, I'm so stupid! I look over at her to see if she caught my mistake but she didn't seem to notice. She just continues to scribble notes on her notepad. What could possibly be interesting enough for her to be taking notes about?! I stare at her for a moment, admiring how pretty she looks in her green dress, but then force myself to look away before the committee starts to think I'm crazy or something.

"Well, Toph is here so she will go with," General How says.

"Great, then it's settled," I respond and then get up and step out of the tent.

Woah, that was weird. I know Sunny broke up with me months ago but, for some reason, I still feel like we're together. I guess I'm just in denial or something. I head back to my tent and lay in bed for a while but then decide that maybe I should go see how she's doing. I know that even though she's the one who broke up with me, it's been really hard for her so I hope she's doing okay. I wish she'd just talk to me so we could work something out together. I hate the idea of her being so miserable.

I knock on her tent door and she opens it.

"Yes?" she says when she sees that it's me. She looks irritated.

"Oh, just... never mind," I say and then turn around to go back to my tent.

I shouldn't have come.

"Zee... I..." I hear her say as I begin to walk towards my tent. Her voice is so sad and so sweet that I feel my heart break as she calls out to me. I miss her so much that I can't stand to turn around and look at her in her cute robe and slippers. "I mean, is there something you need Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Just making sure you're okay with going with Toph tomorrow," I lie, still facing the other way. "I didn't mean to volunteer you but you are the best firebender we've got."

I know it's weird to talk to someone with your back to them but I don't dare to turn around because I'm sure, if I do, I wouldn't be able to control myself. I'd probably kiss her or something and that would be really inappropriate.

"Yes, we'll be fine," she says and then goes back into her tent.

I turn around after I hear her tent door close and stare at it for a while. I fiddle with her ring, which I keep in my pocket whenever I travel, and think back about our trip to the Sun Warrior's ancient city together. I shouldn't have pushed her to get married. I should have waited for things to settle down with the Loyalists or whatever.

Maybe we'd still be together if I didn't rush her.

I wish I didn't.

I head back to my tent and imagine that she is there next to me, in my arms, as I fall asleep alone.

The next morning, Sunny and Toph head into the Loyalist's camp.