I reposted Ch26 Thank you for suggesting it!!!!!! And Thanks for the reviews.

Zuko paced the landing a second time, stopped looked to the sky for any sign of the flying bison that would be carrying Katara to him. What was taking so long? Aang had written back saying he couldn't make it but that Katara would head out immediately for the Fire nation and he would follow shortly.

A gush of wind blew Zuko's red baggy pants flush against his legs his black silk shirt whipped in the wind as the white bison made its landing. The earth shook slightly when Appa touched ground. Before Zuko could call a greeting he was hit in the chest with a blue and white water tribe pack followed by some other packs and bags. As Zuko tried to not drop any bags a tanned hand took hold of one.

"Let me help you with those." Sokka's voice called as he relieved the packs.

"Sokka?" Zuko asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Road trip, Suki and I heard Mai was sick and we came for moral support. Zuko you don't look good at all."

"Did Katara come?" Zuko asked.

"I'm here Zuko." Kataras voice rang behind him.

"Thank you for coming Katara…" Zuko broke off and began again. "It's been three days Katara and Mai hasn't…what am I doing you must be tired let me show you your room so you can rest a bit."

"No Zuko I am fine let me see Mai." Katara argued as she handed her backs to Sokka.

"And while you do that I'll find Iroh to show us our rooms." Suki said as she added her pack to everything else Sokka was carrying.

"Hey I can't carry all of this." Sokka complained.

Zuko smiled for the first time in three days. "It's good to see you guys again."

Katara smiled back as she linked her arm in Zuko's and walked with him into the Palace.

"Come let me see Mai." Katara said with a gentle smile.

They walked in silence down the hallway and up the stairs stopping in front of Mais room. Zuko made an attempt to follow but Katara gently pushed him back.

"I don't need an anxious husband watching over my shoulder while I examine her." Katara said firmly.

Zuko nodded his head and sat down in a side chair in the hallway.

"A person could get lost for days in this place and never find their way out." Sokka mussed as he walked up to Zuko.

"This Palace isn't near as big as I wish it was." Zuko mumbled he ran a hand through his hair messing up his crown to the point where he finally just took it off.

"You smell and look awful Zuko when is the last time you took a bath?" Sokka said with a grimace.

"Life is meaningless without her." Zuko replied.

"Looks who's being melodramatic now." Sokka said with a smile. "You act as if Mai's dying."

The door opened and Katara walked out bandages in hand. Zuko immediately jumped up.

"How is she, do you know why she isn't waking up?" Zuko asked concern evident in his voice.

"Zuko I healed the burns she won't have any scars but she has a fever, I can't do anything else for her." Katara said softly. "I can however prescribe rest and some healthy food for you."

"I don't care about myself." Zuko snapped angrily. "I care about Mai."

"You can't help her if you let yourself get sick now do as I say. Take a bath put on some clean clothes and come to dinner." Katara snapped right back at him.

"I don't have to put up with this.." Zuko said as he tried to get past Katara and into Mai's room.

Katara stepped in his way and shoved him back. "You can't see her until after dinner."

Zuko's eyes widen in disbelief than narrowed in anger. "Get out of my way peasant!"

"No." Katara snarled.

"Zuko." Sokka warned looking uneasily between his sister and the Fire Lord.

"Do you understand what happens to people who go against my will?" Zuko asked in a dangerous voice.

"What are you going to do throw me in prison?" Katara asked crossing her arms. "I would love to see you explain to Aang why you threw his wife in prison."

"You must really hate me." Zuko sneered.

"Ha! You think to highly of yourself." Katara threw back.

"Katara let Zuko see his wife." Sokka finally interjected.

"No! It's about time someone stood up to mister high and mighty." Katara argued. "Now get cleaned up!"

Zuko growled as he stalked away. An hour later he found himself reclined in a chair a drink in hand listening to Iroh play his horn. Tom Tom sat nearby laughing at Suki who was goofing with the child. Since Mai's accident Tom Tom and her Mother regularly visited several times a day. It usually ended each visit with Mai's Mother crying and Tom Tom begging to stay which Zuko thought was fine, another familiar voice talking to Mai might wake her.

Katara suddenly sat down next to Zuko.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Much better thanks." Zuko replied. "I appreciate you coming."

"I am flattered you think so highly of my healing abilities." Katara joked.

"I will be honest I was surprised you came. Did Aang force you?"

Katara cleared her throat uncomfortably. "What happened in Ba Sing Se is water under the bridge. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that or made things worse with the treaty signing."

"An apology, never thought I'd hear that from your lips." Zuko said sarcastically as he took a long sip of his wine.

"Well this apology will be the first and last you hear from me." Katara retorted. "In fact since you're so slow in looking into the matter I did so myself."

"You're really trying to provoke me aren't you?" Zuko said.

"Am I succeeding?" Katara asked with a smile.

"You are." Zuko said with a glare. "I was looking into the matter."

"Well I can narrow down your investigation." Katara said ignoring Zuko's look and stealing a piece of fruit from his plate. "Do you happen to know the Kimura family? I understand it was run by the family."

"Go right ahead and eat my fruit." Zuko said sarcastically as he watched Katara take another piece of fruit. "I wasn't going to eat it."

"Don't be a jerk." Katara snapped.

"The Kimura family sounds familiar." Zuko mussed aloud.

"It should it's the family Ty Lee's older sister Lee Anna married into." Iroh commented as he sat down next to Katara.

Zuko glanced at his uncle wondering where the horn was until a screech came from across the room. Tom Tom sat with the horn in his lap trying to play it.

"You think that's a good idea?" Zuko asked nodding his head toward Tom Tom. "That infernal noise could wake the dead."

"Maybe it will wake Mai." Iroh commented.

Zuko sat up straight he had forgotten about Mai. "I should check to see how she is doing."

Katara smiled. "Felt good to spend part of the evening not worrying, didn't it?"

"No it didn't." Zuko snapped as he stood up. "Are you going to try to stop me from seeing my wife again?"

Katara just rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "I wouldn't dream of interfering."

Zuko ignored the comment and left his guests. The sun was setting casting shadows through the tall windows in the hallway. He entered Mai's room dismissing the servant to wait outside the door. Sitting next to the bed he held Mai's hand in his smoothing his thumb over her skin. Katara was right there was no scar on Mai, her skin was flawless white, smooth, and as cold as marble. He caught his breath for a moment thinking she wasn't breathing but her heard the shallow sound of her breath pass between her lips.

Running his hand through his hair like he always did when he was upset, he caught his crown and pulled it out. Shaking his black hair out letting it fall around his face.

"I love you Mai, just you, and as your husband and Fire Lord I order you not to leave me. Do you hear me Mai?" Zuko ordered loudly his voice breaking several times he still held her hand squeezing it.

Than Zuko felt it her small hand grasped back slightly. He searched her face and saw her eyebrows turn down and she wrinkled her nose.

"Mai." Zuko shouted in joy as he brought Mai's hand to his lips kissing her knuckles tears running down his face.

"I hear you." Mai whispered so low he had to bend over her to catch the words. "Did you try to pull rank on me?"

Zuko let out a soft laugh. "I had to do something to bring you back to me."

"Zuko." Mai whispered softly.

"Don't talk, rest." Zuko ordered softly as he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I want to hear those words again." Mai said softly.

Zuko smiled as he gently laid down next to Mai and held her body against his. "I Zuko, Fire Lord of this grand nation, love you Mai the Fire Lady, my wife, my everything."

Mai touched Zuko's face with her fingertips and smiled. "I Mai, Fire Lady of this grand nation, love you Zuko the Fire Lord, my husband, my everything."

Zuko smiled as he pulled the red comforter around his wife and himself. It was the first night in three days that he finally had a good nightsleep knowing Mai was going to be fine.