Tsai was the first one to walk in to the new apartment that the three would be sharing in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Sea. It was spacious, clean and had been built recently. It didn't smell like moisture and had large windows in which you could see the outer rings of the city. It was incredible she even had her own room.

They had really accomplished the dream. Coming into a land with nothing and making something out of themselves. The prince shuffled inside with his shoulders slumped and his dao blades' sheath dragging across the ground. General Iroh behind him.

"You did the right thing." Iroh commented proudly as he entered the apartment and shut the door behind him softly, "Letting the Avatar's bison go free," he reminded.

Tsai was still upset at Zuko but when she looked at him he looked paler than usual.

"I don't feel right." Zuko mumbled weakly as he swayed slightly, his vision going blurry before his eyes shut and he fell forward. Without any hesitation Tsai lunged forward, catching him before he hit the ground, she strained against his sudden deadweight and collapsed to the ground as well holding his body.

"Zuko!" Iroh exclaimed in shocked worry and he rushed forward to see his unconscious nephew.

Tsai looked up at Iroh with an anxious and slightly frightened expression as she gently shifted Zuko in her arms so his back was against her chest and his head was resting on her shoulder.

She exchanged a worried look with Iroh without saying another word.
They took him to the bedroom which belonged to them and laid him to rest on a sleeping pallet on the ground.

He was out cold. She touched his hands, his face and pressed her face to his in order to feel his temperature. His skin was hot and clammy with prespiration.

"He's completely drenched!" She said in an alarmed tone. Her brain racked for the concoction to fix this. What tea to use or what plant had the medical properties that would aid in bringing it down. She rested her palm on his forehead and his eyes fluttered open, they flickered around the dark room.

"You're burning up. You have an intense fever," Tsai remarked.
Iroh knelt next to the prince's form and dipped a cloth in a bowl of cool water then he placed it on his nephew's forehead, "This will help cool you down."

"So thirsty." The scarred teen rasped and he tried to sit up, but both Iroh and Tsai gently made him lie back down.

Tsai then grabbed the spoon from the bucket of clean water, carefully handing it to Iroh before she helped Zuko sit up slightly.

"Here's some clean water to drink." Iroh said as he held the spoon to Zuko's mouth, "Stay under the blankets and sweat this out."

Zuko grabbed the spoon and drank the water quickly, some of it spilling down his chin and chest then he tossed the spoon aside. Tsai shifted in surprise when he suddenly turned onto his side and grabbed the bucket before he tipped the water into his mouth, causing more water to spill. She winced when he threw the bucket aside, hitting the wall with a loud clatter, but she readily helped him lie back down on the sleeping mat. Iroh gently pulled the blankets up to Zuko's shoulders, exchanging a worried glance with Tsai.

"I'm going to get some medical herbs," she said as she quietly left the apartment to go to the market. She came back as soon as possible and wasted no time in working a pasty concoction of basil, ginger and honey. All three ingredients possessing healing properties that would help in reducing his fever.

"I'm going to get some more water," Iroh said quietly as he stood up, picked up the bucket and left the room. Leaving the patient under Tsai's care. She looked at him. He was in a lot of pain.

Sometime had passed and Zuko's condition did not improve.

"Open his mouth," Tsai instructed Iroh. Iroh lifted his nephew's head, his mouth going slightly ajar and Tsai slowly poured the liquid medicine into his mouth. He coughed and gagged as it went inside of his unconscious body. Iroh then took another wet cloth and placed it over Zuko's forehead gently. The feverish teen groaned and rolled onto his side, his eyes moving restlessly behind his eyelids as shudders racked his frame as he was consumed by night horrors.

'Zuko, unscarred and dressed as the Fire Lord, sat in the throne room of the Fire Nation Palace. Suddenly, a red dragon and a blue dragon appeared and began circling around the pillars on either side of him.

"It's getting late." The blue dragon remarked in Azula's voice as it began circling around Zuko, "Are you planning to retire soon, my lord?"

"I'm not tired."

"Relax, Fire Lord Zuko." The blue dragon with Azula's voice whispered in his ear, "Just let go. Give into it. Shut your eyes for a while."

Zuko's eyes started to drift shut, but he snapped them open a moment later when his uncle's voice roared out of the red dragon.

"No, Fire Lord Zuko!" The red dragon snapped in Iroh's voice, "Do not listen to the blue dragon. You should get out here right now. Go! Before it's too late!"

"Sleep now, Fire Lord Zuko." The blue dragon urged softly.

"You're really just going to give up?" Tsai was there too arching a judgmental eyebrow in his direction. At least it looked like her. For some reason she was glowing in a golden light.

"Just make up your mind already!"

Suddenly everything vanished, disappearing before him along with the throne room and the guards that had been watching Zuko crumbled into nothing. The blue dragon reappeared in front of him again.

"Sleep." The blue dragon whispered then it suddenly charged at him with its mouth wide open, "Just like mother!"

Zuko's eyes widened when he saw his mother, Ursa, inside the darkness of the blue dragon's mouth.

"Zuko!" His mother shouted desperately as she turned to look at him, "Help me!"

Zuko gasped when he saw himself in his mother's eyes and the floor beneath him disappeared, pulling him down with it...'

Tsai frowned her eyes lingered on Zuko's struggling face. She wiped away some of the sweat that had gathered around his brow as he lay in his comatose like fever. She fisted the fabric of her shirt as she looked down with worry. What if he didn't make it? She thought darkly. Her mind raced with a hundred 'What ifs' when she felt Iroh placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry, Tsai." Iroh said quietly as he held out a cup of chamomile tea to her, "My nephew is strong, he will pull through."

Tsai took the teacup with an exhausting sigh.

Iroh patted her shoulder then took a sip of his tea, both watching as Zuko continued to shiver under the blankets.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?" Iroh suggested. "We'll take turns," he smiled at her encouragingly. She only starred back with a pair of orbs in disbelief. "I'm not going to sleep."
"I insist," he said. "Prince Zuko is going to need more medicine and I'm going to need you to make it. I'll wake you up before sunrise."

Normally she would've argued, but after having pulled an all nighter the night before exhaustion weighted on her eyes heavily. She sighed and nodded her head agreeing. Iroh was right.
Unwillingly she decided it was best to get some rest and decided to lay down in the same room and try and sleep.

Some moments later Zuko opened his eyes. He felt as if a brick was weighing down on his forehead and every inch of his body painfully ached as he was consumed by his disease.

"You should know that this is not a natural sickness," Iroh said as he poured the tea he had just made into two cups, it was ginger. Tsai had suggested it since it would be good for fighting the fever. "But that shouldn't stop of you from enjoying tea."

He gently helped Zuko sit up and put the cup to the ill teen's lips, letting Zuko drink the tea slowly.

"What's happening?" Zuko asked weakly in confusion and worry after he had taken a sip of the tea, his eyes briefly flickering over to Tsai, who was fast asleep a couple of feet away from him snoring lightly.

"Your critical decision." Iroh explained lowly as he held the teacup in one hand, "What you did beneath that lake. It was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body."

Iroh held the teacup to Zuko's mouth again and the scarred teen took a small sip.

"What's that mean?" Zuko asked before he began coughing roughly a few moments later.

He shuddered and then lied back down.

"You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it," Iroh explained slowly as he turned and put the teacup down, grabbing the damp cloth and gently dabbing at the sweat on Zuko's brow as he continued to speak, "You will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."

Zuko sighed quietly as he fell back into a feverish sleep.

xxx

Zuko's eyes fluttered open and he woke up with a small groan. The banished prince slowly pushed himself up, tossing the blankets off his body as he got to his feet. He walked past his uncle, who was sleeping in a sitting position on the other side of the girl who was fast as sleep on the other side of the room and he entered the small bathroom in the apartment.

Sighing quietly, Zuko reached into the basin of cold water and splashed his face, washing away the sweat from his fever then he looked up at the mirror. The scarred teen gasped in shock when he saw himself without his scar, no hair, and the Avatar's arrow tattoos.

"Ah!" Zuko shouted hoarsely in horror as he jerked upright, flinging the blankets off his body as he panted heavily.

Zuko exhaled heavily and brought his hand up to touch the left side of his face, his eyes closing when he felt the scarred skin beneath his fingertips.

"Zuko?"

The banished prince opened his eyes and let his hand drop into his lap as he turned his head, gold eyes meeting a pair of exhausted light brown ones. Tsai rubbed the drowsiness out of her eyes as she shook the sleep out of her system She looked at Iroh who was fast asleep leaning against one of the walls of the room.

'That dirty old man. Forgot to wake me up!' She quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position fully alert.

"Do you need anything? Are you feeling alright?" She hovered over him concerned and bombarded him with questions. She placed a hand to his forehead. He was still burning up.

"You need more fluids," She said expertly and quickly exited the room and came back with a bucket of water and a small teacup holding the medicine she had crafter earlier. Not even waiting to hear a response from him.

"Here," she hovered bringing the cup to his lips. "Drink this," she instructed.

"Tsai," he rasped tiredly.

Regardless she grabbed his jaw roughly and tilted his head back making him drink the sweet medicine.

"I-I'm fine," he coughed and cleared his throat of the thick liquid. He reached for her wrist and tugged her hand away from him.

"No you're not!" She scolded. "Fevers are dangerous! And I…" She lowered her eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to you," she said sadly with worry and something else in her eyes.

A weak smile grew on his face and he held her hand tightly in his.

"Nothing is going to happen to me." He gave it a tight squeeze and smiled faintly at her. It was the kind of smile that you always remember. The kind that delivers a painful loving.

Flustered she averted her eyes from him.

"This doesn't change the fact that I'm still angry at you!"

xxx

It was like the morning after the storm.

Sunlight was creeping through the windows and birds chirped loudly outside the window. Zuko awoke. He was alone in the room and dressed. Despite the internal hellish turmoil he had endured the night before he felt well rested and full of life, more than he had ever been in his entire life. It was almost like if he was a new man.

He yawned lazily as he walked out of the bedroom and into the main room of the apartment he shared with Tsai and his uncle. He caught sight of Tsai sitting at the small table near the window, her gaze was distant as she sipped a cup of tea. Her thoughts far away from the room. Much to engaged in more important matters. Besides, she was still mad at him. The fact that he almost died didn't excuse him from his terrible behavior towards her.

The scent of Iroh's cooking had awoken him and flooded the kitchen.

"What's the smell?" Zuko asked curiously, rubbing at his eyes as he walked over to his uncle, who was standing in front of the stove and stirring a pot of pasty, white liquid which resembled oatmeal.

Iroh glanced over at his nephew as he stirred the thick white liquid, "It's jook. I'm sure you wouldn't like it." He retorted already knowing his nephew's distaste for these kinds of food. Tsai observed curiously. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but there was something different about him…

Iroh took a step back when Zuko moved to stand in front of the stove, sniffing deeply holding his hands behind his back.

"Actually, it smells delicious." Zuko complimented as he straightened and grabbed one of the bowls from the counter and he held it up, "I'd love a bowl, Uncle."

Tsai's eyes went wide in shock and she turned to look at Iroh who was looking at her with the same shocked expression. His eyes reflecting the same surprise. Iroh stared at him strangely for a moment then ladled a spoonful of the jook into Zuko's bowl, "Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow." His eyes were almost narrowed in suspicion.

"Alright, jokes over," Tsai said bitterly as she put her cup down and jumped off the table. "Where's Zuko and what have you done with him?" She raised an eyebrow looking at the stranger before her with mistrust. I mean- it looked like him, it sounded like him- but something was off.

"It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of Uncle's new teashop." Zuko replied with uncharacteristic optimism as he walked over to the table.
"Aren't you excited?" he leaned down and pulled her close as he pressed an affectionate kiss to her cheek before sitting at the foot of the table.

Tsai didn't know if she was swooning because of the bold display of affection or because of his optimistic words. Could it be that he was finally becoming the die hard optimist she was?
She shook her head snapping out of it and holding her cheek. She sat before him and glared at him with intriguing suspicion. There was only room in this relationship for one optimist and let's be real it wasn't about to be him.

'I mean- it is him.' She starred inconspicuously. 'Same hands, same face, scar is not the right side of his face... This alien was just as handsome as the old Zuko.'
He sat with a sincere smile on his face, a rare one that she had only seen seldom times. His gaze lost as he starred out the window.

"It's me I promise," he took her her hand in his and just held it on top of the table. Then he turned to face Iroh. "Things are looking up, Uncle." Zuko said lightly and he took a sip of the rice porridge in his bowl.

Tsai glanced at Iroh with a quirked brow still perplexed but the older man just shrugged one shoulder and smiled softly before turning back to the pot on the stove. She turned to look at him once more and felt her face burning when he caught her eyes and once again smiled at her. He tightened the grip he had on her hand.

"Things are looking up," he repeated again in a softer tone.

She knew she should be happy but...

'This is too weird!' An internal panic was set ablaze inside of her mind.

Xxx

The next day Tsai woke up extra earlier. Not that she was avoiding the new and improved Prince Zuko, but - Okay. Yes, she was. She looked over her shoulder as she was swift on her feet and tiptoed in getting out of the new apartment. She eyed the door to his and Iroh's bedroom cautiously. She could still hear his uncle snoring and assuming both were still fast asleep. Sighing in relief she opened the door open and gave a rushed step forward bumping into something - or someone.

Of course.

Her eyes became slightly wide at the sight before her.

"Tsai," it was Zuko he greeted her just as surprised. Regardless he smiled at the sight of her.

"I wanted to surprise you," he said nervously. On one hand he held a medium sized bouquet of large sunflowers on the other a gift wrapped with gold paper and a red ribbon at the top and a box of fresh strawberry pastries.

'Was all this... for me?' She poised her head to the side with a confused look in her eyes. He seemed so sincerely genuinely happy to see her. Why couldn't she just accept this "new" version of himself? After all wasn't this what she had wanted for so long? For him to be an optimist to change and begin seeing things her way?

She suddenly felt a pang of guilt for trying to avoid him and for running away from him. He had woken up extra extra early to surprise her like this and this is how she reacted?

"You-You really shouldn't have!" She protested stepping back awkwardly, her eyebrows were twisted yet there was a small smile on her face. She was unsure of how to proceed. She stepped back allowing him back into the apartment.

"Do you like them?" He asked as he handed her the bouquet of vibrant yellow flowers. "How do you know they are my favorite?"

"I have my ways," he stated cooly.

She was too distracted looking at the sunflowers which were facing her that she barely noticed his embrace and the way he kissed her temple. She was about to ask what the occasion was but instead she snaked out of his grip and put the flowers and her gifts on the kitchen table.

"Alright-" She panicked, her tone sounding gravely irritated. She struggled to control her emotions and felt weird. So, so weird. This did not feel right. "You are freaking me out."

Optimistic Zuko wondered if this is what their relationship had been like before? Except they had swapped positions and were now in the opposite's shoes. Had he really been so hostile?

"Did you not like them?" He asked with both of his eyebrows twisting in concern.

"No, I love them," she insisted. She meant it. She really did. "It's just that- this isn't you. I mean it is, but it's not you you," she eyed him warily with great mistrust.
"I just wanted to thank you," he admitted. She blinked twice confused. "For what?" She asked confused.
"You were right all along," he spoke and to her it seemed like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "We have everything we need. A home, the teashop and each other. For once I have a found my way and I'm happy." He took her face in his hands and looked into her brown eyes. "So, excuse me if I want to spoil my girlfriend," he learned forward but the kiss never came.

"Ha!" She pulled away. "I am not your girlfriend," she stuck her tongue out. "Last I remember I broke up with you the other day." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him with a pair of narrowed eyes. Somehow it seemed like a life time ago that that had happened.

"I'm finally the man you need me to be Tsai," he stated proudly.

There was still something about him that didn't sit right, but that didn't mean she had stopped caring for him. Loving him.

"Maybe so," She raised an eyebrow and turned away grouchily.

She felt his arms wrap around hers as he held her close. "Guess I have no choice but to ask you out again."
"Fat chance I'll say yes," she said trying to fight the smile off her face, her voice holding an edge of flirtation to it.
"Then, guess I'll just have to try, again, again, and again, until you say yes," he pecked her face with every word making her contort away from him from the embarrassment. She knew that if Zuko was one thing it was nothing but determined. He wouldn't back down. "No!" She cried out playfully.

"Ah, young love," Iroh sighed happily as he stood by the doorway of his bedroom. Tsai wanted to hide away mortified of having been caught in such a soft intimate act specially in front of his uncle. However, Zuko knew better and held a tight grip around her holding her in place.

"Have you met my girlfriend Uncle?" He asked beaming proudly.

"I'm very happy for you nephew. Tsai is a lovely young lady," he nodded in approval.

"Iroh, Zuko won't leave me alone," she cried out for help unaccustomed to the over-bearing affection.
"Get used to it," he whispered only to her making her face turn bright red and a chill run down her spine.

Iroh stroked his beard and laughed gingerly. It seemed like finally all was in order.

Sometime later the three headed to brand new teashop. Tsai still wasn't used to Zuko being overly affectionate towards her. They walked hand in hand to the shop next to Iroh who was happy for the young couple and extremely proud of his nephew. (Not just because of his excellent eye for the ladies, but for his growth).

Iroh's new teashop was in one of the most luxurious areas of the highest rings of Ba Sing Se. It was grand almost two stories tall with elegant fountains of clear water outside. A red roof, green walls and traditional Fire Nation architecture. It wasn't home, but it reminded Tsai of Yu Dao. Now more than ever she ached to write to her family. At least to let them know that she was okay, that she was happy, that she was being taken care of.

The teashop business was thriving. They had even managed to hire more servers and two hostesses to greet clients at the entrance. Now Tsai and Iroh focused mainly on brewing the tea in the back. While Zuko made sure to administer the business.

Iroh smiled proudly as he stood at the back of his teashop with his little family, observing the chattering customers happily.

"Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own teashop?" Iroh stated with a contented sigh, "Follow you passion, and life will reward you."

"It's the dream," she beamed and hugged Iroh. "Congratulations! It's beautiful."

"Yes," Zuko agreed with a smile, "Congratulation, Uncle."

Tsai stepped back from Iroh and clasped her hands in front of her as she turned to look at the front of the shop again. It was so elegant. She loved the emerald and gold rug with the two dancing dragons that stretched all the way across the shop.

"I am very thankful." Iroh stated as he closed his eyes, a small smile on his face.

"You deserve it." Zuko commented as he looked at his uncle with his own smile, "The Jasmine Dragon will be the best teashop in the city."

"No." Iroh replied with a small shake of his head, "I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know."

Tsai smiled when Zuko embraced his uncle warmly and she slipped past the two, heading to the tea-making room at the back of the shop.

"Now, let's make these people some tea!" Zuko suggested with an almost unusual amount of excitement and he followed Tsai to the back.

"Yes," Iroh agreed with an excited smile and he hurried after the two teens, "Let's make some tea!"

Xxx

Working at the teashop was great. For the first time in what seemed like his whole life Zuko was happy. For once he knew what it was like to be a normal teenager his eyes. He had no royal pressure or duties to attend and no guilt about his honor or pride being torturously hung over his head. He had his uncle with him a loving girlfriend and the three had succeeded at the immigrant's dream.

He specially loved working with Tsai. She was the little sun in his life and he made sure to constantly revolve around her. He would do little things that would maker her stand up with her back straight or look away hiding a blushing red face.

He loved brushing his hands over hers whenever she handed him a tray or a teapot. Or when they would be washing the teapots in the back of the kitchen and would begin to splash each other with water only to end up drenched. Or tickling her when she was standing on the latter restocking tea shelves. He would still get slightly jealous whenever she interacted with a client, however she would usually look up and flash him a wink in his direction. He would find any excuse to touch her, so stand next to her, to care for her.

xxx

Katara smiled slightly as she walked to the new teashop that had just opened in the Upper Ring, Momo on her shoulder. She held a scroll in her hands distracted as she walked in.

"What do you say, Momo? A cup of tea before we get back to the king?" Katara asked the lemur playfully as she walked up the steps to the entrance of the teashop and she looked at the hostess, "Table for two, please."

The hostess bowed and gestured for Katara to follow her.

"Uncle! I need two jasmine, one green, and one lychee!"

"I'm brewing as fast as I can!"

"Coming!" She saw Tsai it was that Fire Nation red-head chirp and run out of the kitchen carrying a tray of varied teas.

Katara jerked her head around and stared wide-eyed in horror at Zuko standing in front of a counter at the back of the teashop, his uncle in the back brewing the tea. All of the air in her lungs escaped her in a gasp and she whirled around, running away from teashop before she was spotted.

xxx

Some time later that evening. Tsai stood by the counter polishing some tea pots as a royal messenger entered the teashop.

"A message from the Royal Palace." The messenger said and he handed Iroh a scroll then left without another word.

Iroh opened the scroll curiously, his eyes widening with shock before he smiled widely, "I...I can't believe it!"

"What is it, Uncle?" Zuko asked as he stopped sweeping and gave his uncle a curious look while Tsai moved to read the message behind Iroh's shoulder.

"Great news!" Iroh exclaimed excitedly in reply, "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!"

Tsai and Zuko exchanged amused looks when the older man ran to the back of the shop excitedly. He had much preparations to go! Tsai didn't think she had ever seen him move so fast before.

"How exciting!" She clapped her hands together.

It was then than it hit her. This meant more than just having tea with the Earth King. This granted her the audience she had always wanted with this political leader. And maybe- She mind raced with wild thoughts and scattered ideas. Just maybe she could chew on his ear for a minute...

And make an actual difference... Would she succeed?

"Tsai?" She shook her head shaking off her cloudy thoughts.
"What's on your mind?" Zuko asked leaning on a broom he was holding.
"Nothing," she smiled at him.

"Things are looking up," she whispered before leaning forward and planting a soft chaste kiss to his lips. Both of them smiled slightly at each other before she turned returning to the teashop's counter.

Things were certainly looking up.