Here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy. A little feels warning: I was rather depressed while writing this, so if this is sad that is why. I usually write out my chapters whenever I feel a particular emotion. When I am angry, I write out intense battle scenes, but anyway, I hope you like it. This was beta'd by F1nal Front1er. Please read, and reviews will always be welcome!


I groggily opened my eyes. The world around me was a smoky white color, and a shadow was crouched alongside the bed that I was laying in. The fog that surrounded us left me feeling uneasy as I peered at the dark face that seemed to be staring right back at me. The shadow-person extended a small, feminine hand and gently caressed my face; it was almost mother-like. "I'm so glad you are awake, sweetheart," the soft, familiar voice whispered. Her thumb gently brushed my cheek. "You have people waiting for you."

The voice was rather familiar, yet I couldn't quite place where I had heard it before. However, before I could speak, more shadow-people had appeared, but they remained hidden in the fog; I could only see their outlines. The shadow that was crouched beside me stood up as it helped me stand up from the bedding. "Markaia, we've all been waiting for you. You've fought so hard for us," she whispered, holding one of my hands and lifting her other hand. The woman swept her hand as if she was discarding something, and soon the fog rolled away and a bright, unfocused light that imitated the sun revealed the five shadow-people I was standing with in this strange world.

My eyes first landed on the tallest person who stood at the farthest right of the four people in front of me; it was my father. "If…" I turned my head, and the woman who was standing beside me was indeed my mother. My vision blurred as hot, wet tears spilled from my eyes as I turned and hugged my mother tightly. She felt so real and very warm, as if she was alive again. I let out a ragged breath before releasing my mother and then turning and running to my father, who was still much taller than I was. My arms wrapped around his torso and I held him tightly to me as he hugged me just as tight.

"I've missed you, Markaia," he whispered into my ear as he repeatedly kissed my temple just as he had when I was a child. "My strong baby girl." One of his hands gently rubbed circles as I cried tears of pain and happiness into his clothes. I didn't care if this was a dream; I hadn't dreamed of him since he had died. He hushed me, soothingly humming in my ear as he held me. "You have others here too, you know," he whispered when I had managed to stop sobbing.

"Right," I mumbled, rubbing my swollen eyes. I withdrew my arms from my father and turned to look at who the other three people were, and my eyes welled up with tears once more as my heart shattered into a million pieces. "Resie? Tenia? Hilo?" I staggered slowly towards little Resie as I fell to my knees before her and held her shoulders tightly. I was rather confused as to why they were here with my dead parents. To think of them in a time like this was rather odd, but then again, to think of any of them at a time like this was rather odd.

Resie looked pale and sick, but her smile was still just as bright as the last time I had seen her. Before I could speak, Resie gave me a gentle hug with her small, cold arms. "Thank you for fighting so hard for us, Markaia. You can come home with all of us now, and you won't have to fight anymore." I pulled away, looking into her eyes.

"What do you mean, Resie?" I asked. I was rather confused, and now I just felt like waking up from this bizarre dream. She frowned and looked up to Tenia and Hilo as if she didn't quite understand what she had said either.

"She means, Markaia, that you don't have to fight anymore, and you can rest in peace with us. That is why we have come to you now," Hilo said softly, frowning. "This is the border of the dead, Markaia. You are in the process of passing over, and we came here to help you just as you helped us. You fought so hard for so long for us, and we were glad, in a way, that you could take a break now."

I stood up quickly, the blood draining from my face. Staring at Hilo and Tenia in horror, I tried to find my voice. "W-what? What do you mean I'm d-dead?!" I near shouted, my hands shaking in fear. Mother came up next to me and held one of my cold hands; I noticed how pale they all were and how sick they all looked.

"You died, sweetheart. When you were captured, the mass of bodies that were piled on you was enough to suffocate you quickly. The way we saw it, you passed quickly and mostly painlessly." She rubbed my back as tears started to roll down my cheeks, which seemed rather cold now. I fell to my knees, letting the tears fall down my cheeks.

No one spoke to me, and they stood there patiently until I was ready to say something. "I can't die yet, Mama." I turned to Mother, wiping the tears from my eyes. "My job isn't done yet. I haven't completed my task. C-can't I go back?" I pleaded. She thought carefully for a bit before turning to Father, then Hilo, and then Tenia. Little Resie approached me, stroking my cold face with her tiny fingers, trying to brush away the never-ending tears. The world around me slowly grew dark, much like a sunset in the real world. "Isn't this a dream? I'm dreaming aren't I?" Resie shook her head slowly as the adults mulled over a thought together.

"You aren't dreaming, Markaia," Resie whispered. "I wish you were dreaming, because it hurts to see you so sad." I sniffled before holding her tiny hands. They were as cold as ice and white as snow. I frowned.

"How did you and your parents get here, Resie?" I asked quietly. She shrugged and held my hand tightly as she sat down on my lap.

"I don't really understand, but Mama put it like this: a while after you left, two women were looking for you. Mama says that you were a soldier, and that they were people who wanted to talk to you, but Mama and Papa said that you weren't in our home and the two women got really angry and burned down our home. I got pinned under a piece of burning wood, and Mama and Papa fought with the two women." Resie lifted her left sleeve and revealed a black burn mark. "It extends to here." She dragged her finger from the black burn mark on her shoulder to the lower part of her right abdomen. "It hurt a little bit, but Mama and Papa were waiting for me and explained to me why I couldn't go home and what had happened. Then we got to pick some flowers here that made me feel better." She smiled sadly.

My heart clenched. Two women? "Resie, what did the women look like?" I hugged her close as she thought carefully.

"Well, one of them had hair that was cut really straight, and she had a lot of blades on her. She wore fancy red clothes like the Fire Nation. The other girl looked like a ballerina. Her hair was in a braid and she was pretty good at jumping," she concluded. The adults were whispering to each other, and I turned to look at them while gently petting Resie's hair.

Father looked down at me and then frowned slightly. "No, Markaia, I am afraid you cannot return to the land of the living. I believe it is too late. I mean, I know of no other people who have come here and were able to return to the land of the living. If I knew how, I would have returned to you and Mama when I died," he said sorrowfully. I frowned and looked down at the ground.

"Is there any way I could visit people who are still alive before I have to leave with you?" I asked quietly, thinking about the group and Zuko. Mother nodded.

"Yes, you have until midnight tonight to go see anyone you wish before you come back to us. Midnight is in a few hours; to be exact, it is in about three hours." She gave me a small smile. "Go on, we will come and get you when it is time." Resie stood and walked to Tenia, and I stood up and rubbed my hands.

"What if I don't know where they are?" I looked around me in this dark world, until Father answered me.

"Who do you wish to see? I'll help you, Markaia," he said reassuringly. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"I want to see Prince Zuko, the Fire Lord's son," I whispered. It was almost inaudible, but my father had heard it and nodded. The fog slowly reappeared and they became shadows, and then they disappeared along with the fog, and I was in a mountain-like range illuminated by moonlight.

I turned around, facing the direction of the moon. A giant, ghostly palace stood there in its faded glory. Some pillars that surrounded the area was broken and destroyed and laid on the floor collecting dust. It was rather dark out, and the only things I could see, like the pillar, were things that glowed in the moonlight. "Where is Zuko…?" I whispered as I started to walk towards the old palace, hoping they were inside. After passing a few halls, I noticed a slight illumination that only fire could produce, and with my time running short, I began to run towards the dim, flickering glow. Entering through a door that led to the outdoors again, I saw the Avatar's gang. Appa was sleeping quietly with little Momo sitting on his head, and Sokka and Toph were sleeping on his back while Katara, Aang, and Zuko sat around the large fire.

"He is not the enemy, Katara." Aang reassured her. "He just taught me firebending, and we should be happy because now we can defeat the Fire Lord; we are prepared." She huffed before standing up and dusting her hands, and then she left without another word. Aang sighed and looked to Zuko. "Thanks for teaching me today, Zuko. I didn't know there were so many colors." Zuko simply nodded as Aang stood. "I think I'm going to catch some sleep," he muttered, and Zuko remained sitting there by the fire.

I slowly walked towards him, wondering if he could see me. "Zuko?" I whispered. He didn't respond, so I was certain he couldn't see nor hear me. He sat still by the fire and just stared into the flames, and I sat down beside him, hoping I don't run out of time.

"Markaia," he whispered to the fire. I held my breath. His face looked so sad and alone, and I felt guilty for ever leaving him like this. I got nowhere with my plan.

I shifted so I sat on my knees and I leaned towards his ear. "I'm sorry, Zuko. I'm so very sorry I did this." I didn't bother to wipe the tears that were starting to roll down my cheeks. My eyes roamed over his perfect face that I loved so much, which I would miss forever because I could never see him again. I placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, remembering the very few times we had together when I had realized my feelings for him. Now that I was dead, I realized how strong they were; now I had to let him go.

He stilled and touched his cheek, but quickly shook it off as nothing. I sat beside him once more and leaned my head on his shoulder; compared to him, I felt so cold. "I wish you knew, Zuko. I wish you knew how much I wanted to be with you. If only you knew how much I want to turn back time so I wouldn't betray you. I can't turn back now because it is too late, and I hope for the best for you. There's a girl who will be so very lucky to be with you for the rest of her life; it's just sad that it wasn't me."

As if he had heard me, he started talking to the fire as if to answer. "Markaia, if only you knew how much I cared for you. No one has made me as happy, and I don't even care if you betrayed me; I just want you. I need you to help me." I didn't realize I was holding my breath. I let out a shaky breath as I felt more tears fall freely down my cheeks. I quietly wrapped my arms around his warm body and sat there for a while until I heard my father's voice.

"Markaia, it is time to go." His hand was on my shoulder, and when I looked up, his face was full of such sadness. I shook my head defiantly and hugged Zuko tighter as the tears flowed more heavily.

"I don't want to go, Daddy," I cried. "Please don't make me go."


Odd cliff-hanger ending again. What do you think will happen? Could this be the end of the story? Has Markaia finally understood her inner self and feelings for the one she loves? The fire inside that she possesses has a story, and now that she understands it, what will she do about it?