a/n: Second of the new four of my return! Oh, this was posted on LJ. But part of the ending has been re-written due to popular suggestion. Thanks if you're reading this, those who know who you are.

"D-Did you—"

"No. I burned your letter."

She stopped, and she stared, leaning her back against the cold metals of the cell. He was a prisoner of war at this very moment, a man who failed his duty and was captured while the others pressed on without him, and he was the man she once loved (and still does).

"How could you leave me like that?" Mai asked slowly, "Why?"

With tattered clothes, he breathed slowly, bowing his head shamefully. He would not, could not, look at her now. So he just stared at the floor, examining his burned hand that his sister had expertly damaged. Right now, he knew. The Avatar would be fighting his father soon. The others would be right by his side. Blinking furiously, he only remembered a few things.

His sister.

Lightning.

And the cold, hard floor.

So, after all, his part was done. He had protected the Avatar while he escaped and that was that.

"I had to follow my destiny, Mai," Zuko whispered, "And I'm sorry."

Folding her arms, she shut her eyes and tried to understand. "You never loved me did you?" Despite the crack in her voice, her face was emotionless. Pale and hard, like a bone, but so fragile, and so breakable. "All of that was a lie, wasn't it?" She began to wonder who really was more vulnerable in this cell. The boy who was tied to the chair, or her.

"No, Mai, you have to understand, that's not it all—"

She stood straight, returning her frown back to the taut line on her face, letting her arms fall by her side.

"Oh no, Zuko. That's just it. I do understand."

Heavy footsteps echoed outside the door.

"Zuko, you've changed from the boy I fell in love with a long time ago—"

He looked up.

"—And how am I supposed to be part of someone's destiny that I barely know anymore?"

Blinking up at her, he felt his heart beat like a drum, thumping with this guilt and the blood of the old Zuko still in him. But he has changed, just like she said. And she was right. Nodding, he swallowed the tiny amount of regret in him and looked her in the eyes.

"Mai, I never meant to hurt you in anyway, and I'm sorry if I ever did. I just did what I had to do…I had to leave because this just wasn't my home anymore. I had to do my part in stopping this war. It was my destiny."

Suddenly, the door of the cell he had been locked in flew open, the limp metal door flung to the side.

"Zuko!"

Without hesitation, Zuko's face lit up at the worried voice, his eyes brightening with a light Mai has never seen before. "Katara!"He called out, turning his head to see the waterbender at the broken door, her blue eyes staring cautiously at the girl guarding him. There was a crack in his voice, a desperation that he has never spoken to her before, a need, a wanting, and a hopeless love.

There was a sudden realization in his voice. One that Mai saw before he even did.

Mai stared back, her ebony fingers reaching for her knives hidden in her sleeves.

"Please," Zuko whispered, "Please."

And there was a look on his face, one that she could not recognize, but knew what it was. There was a longing to escape, to be with the water peasant, and she should have saw it coming the moment he heard his name be called. Why hasn't he ever looked at her like that before?

Mai gripped the knife.

And she flung the sharp blade with no hesitation, and a perfect accuracy.

It hit the target.

The rusty keys dangled from sharp knife.

Katara opened her eyes, blinking at the sharp weapon embedded into the wall next to her head. Just an inch from her skull, nothing more and nothing less. She held her breath, slowly looking back at the other girl with certain uncertainty. But understanding, always understanding. She didn't have to thank her, even if her life had been spared. It would mean nothing. Snatching the keys, she dove for Zuko's chains and unlocked them, her eyes on Mai as the metal fell to the floor loudly.

Zuko smiled at Mai, a small one, if just for the sake of the world.

"Thank you Mai. For understanding, for everything."

She watched him run behind the waterbender, taking her hand and following her out into the darkness. For a moment, he glanced back, an eternal and grave thankfulness in his eyes. His beautiful golden eyes. She chose to ignore it, waving a (fake) careless hand at him. Mai was left alone. Like always, except this time, it would be the very last.

"Yeah, you go follow that destiny of yours, Zuko."

Her.