gemsofformenos: It had to happen and she was definitely nervous. "Sokka is hurt and lashes out cause his pride is hurt and his little bubble which has helped him to survives finally collapsed. Life has moved on without him. He has heard and seen how all these grief and weight has nearly killed Azula." It also doesn't help that he's still in pain from the whole experience and stressed about what the mainland has in store for him. But her confessing that she was struggling to stay afloat kind of helped him understand better. "None of this would have happened if he wouldn't have gone on this trip." The worst part is, it was all just an innocent adventure that had taken a wrong turn. "Azula who choose to retreat, who has exactly feared such a reaction, who sees the prove in his reaction that she would have done all the mistakes by moving on too soon." She felt like she'd only make it worse in staying. So she left him with some time to think. "Both, who can be so logical are acting only emotuinal here." I feel like, with high enough stress, emotion is what they'd resort to. "Sokka knows this but it has took him moments to long to push away the anger." And because of the stress and emotional pull, usually impulse takes over and unkind things are said. "Azula is so hurt and lonely beside the fact that she has found him. Poor girl." It really stung to have him back but at the same time, lose him. "Take care of you and keep on having fun with your stories." Thanks again and have a nice night (or day) whenever you're reading this lol!

SOKKLAFIL: He took it a bit hard too. He was also frustrated that he couldn't be there to help her when she needed it and guilty that his disapperance had a hand in her struggles.

starbuck151: Yeah, me too. Like that was in the initial plan to make it totally a story about moving on and coping with loss. But I figured that she could do that with her mother. There's just a whole lotta sad IRL so I wanted to make something happy. And thanks for following from the start. :) I'm really glad that you like all of them.

He is almost terrified to see her again. He shouldn't be, what he should be is excited. Excited that he is still in a bed on dry land with his-is she still his girlfriend?-on her way. Or maybe she isn't on her way, she might just send her brother or his sister. The heart monitor beeps and drones, oblivious to the ache in the heart that it watches over.

He hears footsteps and his heart quickens. It is only a nurse. He hears them again some forty minutes later. Again his heart quickens and once more as Azula slips into her usual chair. "I was thinking of bringing Jet along and then I thought better of it." She pauses. "But one day all three of us…" he wants to interject but he knows better. "Will have to talk."

Sokka doesn't think that she is wrong. His heart begins to settle. A talk means that there are things to discuss. And if there are things to discuss then she hasn't written him off. "It must have been lonely." He starts. "I get. Trust me, I do. Chimps aren't very good conversationalists, but they do have a sense of humor."

"In other words, you found your true family?"

"Apparently starfish have a sense of humor too."

She smiles.

"I tried to think of you guys whenever I saw a fish, but I kept forgetting who was what fish."

"You mean you didn't bring your cheat sheet?"

He resists the urge to make a poorly timed joke about cheating on him. She waits a few moments and he curses at his missed opportunity when she mutters, "because I didn't and Jet was the first name on it."

"I know that you were just joking," he begins. "But you didn't cheat. You thought that I was gone. I was gone."

"I should have waited longer. Until after this trip."

"I don't know. From the story you told me, it sounded like you needed somebody."

"Yes." She pauses. "But I had Zuzu and your sister…"

"That's a little different than a romance, wouldn't you say?"

"It is, yes."

She grows quiet and he lifts a hand to stroke her cheek. He can't remember the last time he has had the opportunity to do so. Can't remember the last time that he has heard her soft, happy hum. He is in a hospital bed but he feels like he is home. He holds his and still and cupped against her cheek.

.oOo.

Azula isn't sure that she is supposed to, but she climbs into the bed and lays next to him. It has been too long. She would much rather be in laying on the bed in her room with the wind propped open and a breeze wafting through, carrying on it, the sound of crashing waves and gull cries. She can't be too picky though, all things considered.

She can't exactly wrap her arms around him, being as she is laying on the good one and the injured one is still confined by the sling. It is probably for the best, she can't imagine that it would be good to put any extra pressure on his blisters, even if they are healing.

She sits up, having another more practical idea. She washes her hands and finds the salve that the nurses usually rub onto his back. "Sit up."

He does as instructed and she carefully spreads the salve over his back. At the largest and worst of the blisters, he flinches. Admittedly she keeps forgetting to warn him first. It is just as well, she will never get through the process if she does. She remembers when he'd fallen from his bike in their haste to get away from what turned out to be a not-so-abandoned seaside shack. Every time she hovered the alcohol wipe over the scrape his face would comedically bunch up and he'd tell her, "no wait! I'm not ready!"

"Ow!" He hisses for the fifth time. "How would you like it if I just stung you without warning?"

"Would you be doing it to clean a cut?"

"Yes."

"Then I would like it very much." She replies, dabbing at a final blister. "It is better to get it over with."

"Or we can delay it a little and…"

"Savor the pain slowly?" She asks. "The more you hesitate, the longer it will take." She draws back and reaches for the salve. "Your record was two hours and twenty-four minutes."

"Lets go for three." He grumbles.

"Yes, let's go for three." She agrees. She doesn't tell him that she had been speaking in terms of minutes, though he catches on fairly quickly. He makes a point of letting out exaggerated moans of pain. So much so that the nurse comes in and scolds her for hurting him and then lectures him for 'joking around like that, this is serious stuff!'

They wait for her to leave to begin laughing. It is just like when they were children. If she ignores the heart monitors and the smell of antiseptics, she can almost pretend like nothing has changed at all.

Their laughter dies down and she twists the cap back onto the salve as he lays back. They are quiet for some time. She doesn't think that she has to, and really, she only asks for the sake of formality. "You aren't angry about Jet?

He chuckles again. "I feel like Jet is the one who should be mad."

"He is." She confirms with a slight tickling in her belly.

"He's been spending all of his time in the hotel hot tub listening to depressing rock ballads. And then he goes back to the hotel room and goes to sleep."

"He doesn't like rock?"

"Exactly." She sighs. "He hasn't talked to me. He hasn't talked to Zuzu either. Your sister has been listening to him talk for hours."

"She's nice like that."

"At least he has someone." Even still, she feels horrible. There is a part of her that feels guilty for feeling so elated when he is miserable. It almost feels as though she has sacrificed his happiness for her own. But she can't imagine that he won't find someone else, he is a charming boy. "I think that he just needs to get back home."

"He isn't the only one."

"You're parents are in for a horrible surprise."

"Horrible!? They're going to be thrilled to have me back."

He gives a soft jolt at the opening of the door. "Visiting hours are up."

Azula nods. "I'll bring Katara along tomorrow, she could use a break from Jet." She leans over and kisses the tip of his nose.

"You missed my lips."

"Lip kisses are for people who don't whine and take fifteen minutes to have their blisters cleaned." She flashes him a smirk before closing the door behind her. She thinks that she will go down to the beach today, she will invite Jet along to talk over smoothies and fries.