After arriving in the city of Ba Sing Se they were assigned an apartment in the Lower Ring.

"What a dump," said Zuko dejectedly as they entered the apartment.

"It's so much better than being outside every night," said Chiara.

"Lee and I will share a room," said Iroh as they looked at the two small bedrooms.

Zuko put his arm around Chiara's shoulders. "I believe my wife and I will share a room."

"You are treading in dangerous waters, Lee," threatened Iroh deeply.

Zuko smiled and Chiara started giggling at his threat.

"I'll put a mat in the living space if you want your own room," she said to Zuko.

"No," he said. "We should be living in a palace."

"It's still better than a cave," she said.

"I agree," said Iroh.

Zuko just moaned.

"I know just what we need," said Iroh. "A shopping spree."

They left to visit the shops to get food and some new clothes. After returning to the apartment and changing his clothes, Iroh decided to explore some of the city on his own. Chiara remained in the apartment and started on dinner while Zuko just lay despondently on a mat wondering if this was where his life would end.

"Do you want me to make you some tea?"

He opened his eyes to see Chiara kneeling next to him.

"No."

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

She tenderly touched his arm before going back to work in the kitchen.

"Something smells delicious," said Iroh as he walked in the door late that afternoon.

"I hope it's as good as it smells," she said. "It's so nice to cook with regular spices."

Iroh and Zuko knelt around their table, and Chiara placed their meals before them, and then she knelt with them.

"Just like old times aboard the ship," said Iroh softly.

Zuko suddenly missed those days on the ship again. Although he had been banished and destined to search for the Avatar, he had felt freer on his ship than he did at the moment living as a refugee trapped in an enemy city.

The next day, Zuko and Iroh had gone out while Chiara remained in their apartment to clean. Iroh, carrying a pot of flowers, caught up with Zuko.

"Do you think Chi...Lin will like these?" he asked. "She always loved the garden back home."

"This city is a prison," said Zuko. "It'll never be like home, and I don't want to make a life here."

"Life happens wherever you are whether you make it or not," said Iroh. "Now, come on, I found us some new jobs and we start this afternoon."

They returned to the apartment where Chiara had been cleaning. Zuko immediately went to his room and flopped down on the mat.

"I brought you some flowers," said Iroh walking up to Chiara.

"They're beautiful," she said as she took the pot. "Thank you."

She placed them on the table.

"I got jobs for Zuko and myself at a tea shop. We start this afternoon."

She smiled at him as she set some cups on the table. "Sounds perfect for you."

She started heating water to make the tea.

That afternoon, Iroh and Zuko went to Pao's Tea Shop.

"Well," said the owner, Pao, "you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?"

"Ridiculous," said Zuko.

"Uh...," started Iroh struggling with his apron, "does this possibly come in a larger size?"

"I have extra string in the back," said Pao. He poured some tea. "Have some tea while you wait." He handed them the cups and disappeared in to the back.

Iroh took a sip and grunted. "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice," he said disgustedly.

"Uncle, that's what all tea is," said Zuko.

"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?" He walked over to the teapot. "We'll have to make some major changes around here." He dumped the tea out the window.

During their absence, Chiara continued working around the apartment cleaning each of the rooms. In the afternoon, she started cooking dinner, and then she continued cleaning. When Iroh and Zuko arrived home, dinner was ready for them, and as they ate, Iroh animatedly told Chiara about their day at the shop. Zuko had been mostly quiet, and after dinner, he lay down.

"Would you like a pot of tea?" Iroh asked them.

"We've been working in a tea shop all day," said Zuko. "I'm sick of tea."

"Sick of tea?" said Iroh. "That's like being sick of breathing."

"I'll have some," said Chiara as she was cleaning the kitchen.

"Have you seen our spark rocks to heat up the water?" he asked.

"They should be here," she said as she helped look for them. "I used them for dinner earlier."

Iroh disappeared and returned a few minutes later.

"I borrowed our neighbor's," he said. "Such kind people."

One day, shortly after they started working at the tea shop, Chiara walked in carrying a basket.

"Lin," said Iroh happy to see her. "Lee, bring some ginseng tea," he called. He turned back to Chiara. "It's good to see you here."

Zuko came out with a cup of tea and walked over to the table where Iroh was standing.

"What are you doing here?!" he asked loudly and angrily when he saw her.

Everyone in the shop looked up at him.

"I'm visiting the tea shop," she said calmly.

He lowered his voice. "You shouldn't be out on the streets by yourself."

She was not sure what to think.

"Don't you remember what happened in that village?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just came by to bring lunch to my two favorite men." She placed the basket on the table and opened it revealing the food inside.

"Ooh," said Iroh when he saw it. "I'll be taking my break right now."

He sat down at the table, and Chiara began placing food in front of him. Zuko huffed before turning away from them to clean off a table.

"I was thinking about looking for seamstress work or a cooking job," Chiara said softly to Iroh as she sat down across from him.

"No!" said Zuko turning back to her.

Everyone looked at him again. He sat down at their table.

"You worked enough," he said, lowering his voice. "You don't need to work now."

"But I don't mind," she said. "It'll keep me busy during the day..."

"No," insisted Zuko.

"Lee," started Iroh, "she cannot be kept locked up in the apartment."

"My wife doesn't need to be running around town on her own," said Zuko.

Iroh glared at him before taking a bite of food.

"I'd like to see the city," said Chiara.

"You'll be safer at the apartment," said Zuko.

"May I suggest children," said a patron sitting at the table next to them.

They looked over at him surprised by his suggestion.

"Once my wife had children, she was quite content to remain home with them," he said.

"That's a good idea," said Zuko as he looked back at Chiara.

Iroh stopped eating and looked at him. "I don't think you are ready for children, Lee," he said deeply. "Were you not just saying that you didn't want to make a life here?"

"Um...I made some tea cakes," interrupted Chiara as she pulled out cakes wrapped in cloth and began unwrapping them.

"I have always loved your tea cakes," said Iroh as he took one. He looked at her. "Maybe we could sell them to the customers."

"May I try one?" asked the man next to them.

"Of course," smiled Chiara as she held out the cloth containing the cakes.

He took one.

"These are delicious," he said after taking a bite. "I'd buy some."

"Thank you," she said.

"There, you found a job," said Zuko. "You can stay home and make cakes and raise babies."

Iroh glared at him again.

Chiara pulled more food out of the basket and placed it before Zuko. "You need to eat."

One evening, Iroh and Zuko were busy working in the tea shop.

"This is the best tea in the city," complimented one customer after Iroh poured his tea.

"The secret ingredient is love," said Iroh.

"I think you're due for a raise," Pao said to Iroh.

Suddenly, Jet stormed into the shop. "I'm tired of waiting. These two men are firebenders!" he said pointing at Iroh and Zuko. He pulled out his hook swords and threatened them. "I know they're firebenders. I saw the old man heating his tea."

"He works in a tea shop," said one of the patrons.

"He's a firebender," insisted Jet. "I'm telling you."

"Drop your swords, boy," said the patron. "Nice and easy."

Jet ignored him and slowly walked towards Iroh and Zuko.

"You'll have to defend yourself," he threatened them. "Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do."

Zuko walked towards him grabbing the swords of another patron. "You want a show, I'll give you a show."

He kicked a table at Jet who jumped over it and attacked him, and they began fighting inside the shop, and soon it moved out onto the street.

"You must be getting tired of using those swords," said Jet. "Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?"

"Please, son," said Iroh watching from the doorway, "you're confused. You don't know what you're doing."

"I bet you wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now," said Jet as he and Zuko battled.

Zuko pinned one of Jet's swords to the ground. "You're the one who needs help."

Jet jumped up onto the edge of a well.

"You see that?" he said to the crowd. "The Fire Nation is trying to silence me. It'll never happen."

He attacked Zuko again and as they continued fighting, the Dai Li showed up.

"Drop your weapons," one of them ordered.

"Arrest them," said Jet. "They're firebenders."

"This poor boy's confused," said Iroh. "We're just simple refugees."

"This young man just wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees," said Pao.

"It's true, sir," said the patron from the shop. "We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city."

"Oh," said Iroh blushing, "that's very sweet."

The Dai Li approached Jet. "Come with us, son."

Jet swung his sword at one of the Dai Li who caught it and disarmed him.

"You don't understand," said Jet as he was being dragged away. "They're Fire Nation. You have to believe me."

They loaded him into a cart and took him away.

That night, Iroh and Zuko were telling Chiara about the event as they ate dinner.

"...because somebody couldn't restrain himself at the monorail station," whispered Zuko.

Iroh just chuckled sheepishly. "Well...cold tea...that's a crime."

"They don't arrest people for cold tea," said Zuko. "But I'm sure they arrest people for firebending."

"It sounds like he was pretty obsessed though," said Chiara. "He must've been following you since we got here."

"I don't think we'll have to worry about him anymore," said Iroh. "And Pao's been very impressed with my tea making skills. He's going to give me a raise."

Chiara smiled at him. "That's great. I know you've earned it."

Time went on and they lived their quiet lives in Ba Sing Se. Most days Iroh and Zuko worked in the tea shop, and every evening they went home where Chiara had dinner waiting for them. On days Iroh did not work, he and Chiara would go to the market together to get supplies, and often in the evenings after dinner, Zuko would take Chiara around the city to get her out of the apartment.

On Lu Ten's birthday, Iroh took the day off and spent the time on his own while Chiara spent the day at the tea shop helping Zuko. She wished she could visit the site of Lu Ten's cremation at the old Fire Nation campsite, but she did not want to ask Iroh for permission to do so, so that evening she stayed in her room and quietly mourned Lu Ten in her own way. Zuko did the same in his room as he missed his older cousin who had been more like a brother to him.

Early one afternoon, Iroh and Zuko were working, but it had been a slow day.

"Lee," said Iroh, "why don't you take the rest of the day off. It's been slow, and Pao said you can leave."

Zuko looked at him suspiciously. "But what if it gets busy later?"

"I think Pao and I can handle it. Just do me one favor."

"I knew there was some catch...," started Zuko.

"If you don't want to do it, I understand," said Iroh in a voice intended to make Zuko feel guilty.

"What is it?" Zuko asked still suspicious.

"Chiara has been working very hard in the apartment and even here in the shop. I think it would be a nice surprise for her to get out for the day."

Zuko was surprised by his request as he was expecting a favor that required work. He enjoyed his alone time with Chiara on the evenings they went out; in fact, it was the only time he found enjoyable during his exile. To be able to spend most of the day with her was an unexpected treat.

"I would do it myself," said Iroh, "but then who would make such delicious tea, except Chiara of course, and then she would just be cooped up here in the shop..."

"Okay, I'll do it," said Zuko interrupting Iroh's rambling.

Iroh smiled and walked over to him. After Zuko removed his apron, he saw Iroh holding out a small bag.

"Take her somewhere nice to eat," he said.

Zuko nodded, and then he started walking towards the door. He opened it, but just before he stepped out, he turned and looked at Iroh.

"Uncle..."

Iroh looked up at him.

"Thanks," said Zuko softly before walking out.

Iroh smiled and continued working.

Zuko started walking back to the apartment, and on his way he passed by a flower vendor. Stopping, he turned back to look at the flowers that were on display and saw some beautiful red ones with a color close to the shade of fire lilies, so he purchased a few. When he arrived at the apartment he could smell the tea cakes that Chiara had baked, but when he entered, she was not in the kitchen area. He heard the floor creak behind him, and when he turned around, Chiara had her knife in one hand, and she was ready to throw a shuriken with the other.

"It's just me," he said as he held his hand out. His heart was pounding, but he was not sure if it was from the threat to his life or that he found himself even more attracted to her with weapons in her hands.

She breathed a sigh of relief and put her weapons away. "What are you doing here?"

"Is it normal to think you look even more beautiful when you're about to kill me?" he asked, not answering her question.

"No, it's not normal," she smiled. "You sound like Father flirting with the ladies in the tea shop."

Zuko cringed at the memories of his uncle flirting with some of the female patrons. "He sent me home early."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. He wants us both to get out for a while." He held the flowers out to her. "I got these for you."

Her eyes lit up, which made his heart beat a little faster.

"Aww...they're beautiful," she said as she took them. She pulled out a vase and began filling it with water. "They remind me of fire lilies," she said as she set the vase of flowers on the table.

"That's what I thought too."

She looked at him. "Thank you."

He smiled at her and then took her hand. "Come on. He said we should eat somewhere nice."

They left the apartment and started walking through the town. Zuko kept her hand on his arm just as Iroh had always done when they walked together, and he led her to a restaurant he had heard the patrons rave about.

"I heard there's a new zoo," he said as they were eating.

"Really?"

"Actually, according to the customers, it's really the old zoo, but it was moved."

"Where is it?" she asked.

"Near the Agrarian Zone."

"Can we go?"

"Yes."

He smiled at her which made her heart flutter as he smiled so rarely, though when he did smile it was never as bright as she remembered so long ago before she had left the Fire Nation after Lu Ten's death. She missed that bright-eyed Zuko, and she hoped that one day she would see his bright smile again.

After eating, they started their walk towards the monorail station. Zuko stopped at a vendor and purchased some bread, and they continued walking until they arrived at the Firelight Fountain. Whenever he took her out during the day, they always stopped at the fountain to feed the turtleducks and in the evening to enjoy the lights, and this day would be no different. They sat on the edge together tossing crumbs just as they had done as children the first day they met and countless times after that. These were the moments he enjoyed the most since they allowed him to relive the happier experiences of his childhood. He stopped and watched Chiara as she held out her hand so the turtleducks nibbled at the crumbs. He was reminded of the first day he met her, and he reached out and tenderly moved some of her locks over her shoulder. She looked at him, the golden fire of his eyes piercing her heart.

"You're really beautiful," he said softly, making her smile.

Both of their hearts were racing.

"You're so sweet," she said.

When they tossed the last of their bread to the turtleducks, they continued walking to the monorail and then rode it to the other side of the city. Still keeping her hand on his arm, he refused to let go of her even as they sat on the monorail. She was a constant in his life, one he was reluctant to let go of after losing so much. Departing the monorail station, they took the long walk towards the zoo.

"This place is huge," she said as they entered. "Where did they move it from?"

"I don't know; I hadn't heard."

"Look at all the dragonflies," she said as they looked at a large cage housing the dragon-like insects. "It's amazing their wings can even lift them.

"Maybe they're part airbender," said Zuko.

She smiled at him. "I've seen a few of them when I was fishing."

Slowly walking on they stopped at a habitat containing a platypus bear.

"Remember the big one we saw swimming in the river?" she said.

He thought back to their trek through the Earth Kingdom. They had just left the mountains and were heading towards the Great Divide. As rough as the journey had been, he smiled at the memory. "Uncle wanted to eat it."

She giggled. "Until you told him he'd have to fish it out of the river."

They could laugh about it now, but he was thankful it was in the past. Those days of wandering and wondering when they would eat next had been difficult. And as much as he hated his current situation, when he considered what they had been through, he was relieved that they had a roof over their heads and that he and his uncle had jobs that provided regular meals.

"That would've been a lot of meat," he said looking at the large animal.

"I don't think we would've been able to cook something that large."

They took their time as they strolled to the next habitat which a rabaroo.

"Look at the babies!" she said making him laugh at her excitement. "Aww, there are three of them. They are so adorable."

They stood watching the mother rabaroo hop around with her three babies in her pouch.

"I know that sound," said Zuko as he turned towards another section.

They walked towards the barking noise and found the turtle seal.

"I can't believe they have one of these here," he said as he remembered the group of turtle seals at the North Pole.

"It's a long way from home." There was a hint of sadness in her voice as she recalled the ones on the icy beach as they were building their makeshift raft. She had been tempted to kill one at the time and bring it on the raft with them for food, but she had seen so much blood that day, she did not have it in her to slaughter one.

"You okay?" he asked as he thought she looked distant.

She looked up at him. "Yeah." She gently smiled, and he placed his hand over hers on his arm and they continued their tour.

"This is the first one I've seen alive," he said of the tigerdillo.

"I think I counted over ten carcasses between Chin Village and Gaoling when Father and I were traveling."

They watched as it ate the meat that had been thrown to it.

"I wonder what they feed it," she said.

"Baby rabaroo," he said.

Her jaw dropped as she looked up at him, her eyes wide. He started laughing.

"No, you can't say that," she said as she moved to pull away from him, though she was laughing too.

He kept hold of her hand, and he was still softly laughing at her reaction as he pulled her close. "I'm just kidding."

"Aww," she gently giggled. "They were so adorable."

"And so are you."

He pulled her along and they visited the rest of the habitats before heading towards the exit.

"I noticed there weren't any goat gorillas," she said.

"Yeah," he laughed. "That's probably a good thing. Uncle would probably push me in with it if there were."

When they left the zoo, they did not go back inside the walls. Instead, Zuko took her up a path that led north, and they continued walking until they came to a small grove of trees where they sat facing west. The sun was low in the sky getting ready to sink behind the western mountains.

"Where was the camp?" he asked her softly.

She looked at him wondering what he meant.

"When you came to stay with Uncle," he clarified.

She thought about it as she scanned the view in front of them. "It was somewhere along the western wall," she answered as she pointed at it. "I'm not sure exactly, but I know the mountains were behind us."

He thought about his cousin. "Is that where...where Lu Ten was?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how he died?" he asked softly. He had never heard the story, and though he had always wanted to know how his cousin lost his life, he had never had the courage to ask anyone, especially Chiara and Iroh.

"After they broke through the wall, Lu Ten and some other soldiers went on a scouting mission and they were ambushed by earthbenders," she answered sadly.

He imagined how different his life would have been had Lu Ten survived. His uncle would be Fire Lord instead of his father. He would not have his scar. He would not have been banished, but he would still be living in the Fire Nation. Maybe his mother would still be there with him too. Instead of Chiara visiting him at the palace, he would be visiting her there, and he might have even been able to marry her since Lu Ten would have been next in line for the throne.

They sat in silence watching the sun sink behind the mountains, and as it disappeared it put off a brilliant display of colors against the distant clouds.

"That sunset is so beautiful," she said.

He was having trouble taking his eyes off her to look at it. "I see something even more beautiful," he said softly.

She looked at him, his fiery eyes capturing her heart and causing the flutter she knew she should not allow.

"Are-are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"I miss this," he said, taking her hand in his. "I miss our life in the Caldera."

"I do too," she said softly, looking down. "But life goes on. Changes happen, but it still goes on. How we react to those changes and how we let them affect us determine who we become."

"You sound like Uncle."

She looked up at him. "What a beautiful compliment," she smiled.

"It wasn't meant to be," he said flatly with a straight face.

"I know."

He was unable to hold back his smile, and they started laughing. He put his arm around her and held her close, and he forced his eyes away from her, and they both watched the sunset. Despite the beauty of the scenery, his mind was on her words: life goes on; changes happen. He thought back to everything they had been through. She did not change. To him she was the same now as she had been when he first met her, but he recognized her better. As Iroh had once told him, she was fiercely protective of those she cared about. He understood that more clearly now: how many times she had protected him from Azula, even standing between them risking her own life; ready to jump into the burning remains of his ship to find him; seeking justice from Zhao for the attempted assassination.

He lightly rubbed his lips and cheek against her soft hair. "I love you, Chiara," he said softly, unable to keep the words locked in his mind.

Tears came to her eyes and she looked down.

"I'm glad you're here with me instead of Zhao," he added.

She was surprised that he brought him up. "I don't think Zhao'd want to be here with you anyways."

He opened his mouth to speak, but then hesitated as her words sank in. "...uh...I...that's..."

"I know what you meant," she smiled.

He laughed.

She leaned back and looked up at him. "Why are you thinking about him?"

"I could've lost you to him," he said sadly.

"But you didn't."

"I know, but I've lost so much, sometimes it hard to believe that you're still here with me."

She tenderly caressed his hand. "I'd rather be a refugee here with you, than anywhere else in the world without you."

His heart melted at her words, and he desperately wanted to kiss her. He restrained himself as he remembered his loss of self-control the last time he kissed her, and he lifted her hand and pressed his lips against it. He wondered if he could make a life in Ba Sing Se. He could give up his search for the Avatar, give up the throne of the Fire Nation, give up everything he felt he was destined for. He imagined living in the Lower Ring working in a tea shop serving others for the rest of his life as some nobody named Lee. He would never be able to firebend again. He thought that might be the most difficult part to live with. He could marry Chiara and they could raise their family in their tiny apartment. He knew she would accept him no matter who he was, prince or refugee, rich or poor. She was always content wherever they were whether it was in the palace or sleeping in a cave. In some ways he envied that she could accept whatever situation in which they found themselves. He wondered about their children. What if they had little firebenders in the Earth Kingdom capital?

"We should head back before it gets too dark," she said interrupting his thoughts.

He put his thoughts in the back of his mind and stood up helping her up as well, and they started walking back towards the monorail station. When they arrived back to their side of town, they stopped at a restaurant where they ate dinner. It was dark as they headed back to their apartment and the Firelight Fountain was lit up, so they took their time as they strolled around it.

"I hope Father didn't have to go through too much trouble to make his dinner," she said as they approached their apartment building.

"I'm sure he didn't. He pretends to be a bad cook so you'll do it."

She giggled. "I don't mind taking..."

Zuko suddenly felt her yanked from his arm. Looking to his right he saw a stranger holding a knife to her throat. If he was not so worried about burning Chiara, he might have sent a stream of fire at the man just for touching her, and it took every ounce of his strength to keep the fire from emanating from his hands as his anger spiked. The man was pulling her slowly backwards down the alley.

"You put your hands on the wrong person," said Zuko in a deep, threatening voice.

"Just give me your money and she won't be hurt," said the guy nervously, clearly intimidated by Zuko's threat.

Chiara quickly elbowed the guy in the abdomen while pushing his arm away from her neck, and then she spun around and kicked him away from her. Her counterattack caught him off guard as he was not expecting her to fight. Zuko immediately took advantage of her release, and he attacked the guy, knocking him to the ground, and then he took the thief's knife. The man was now scared and tried to crawl away, but Zuko brought the knife down embedding the blade through the guy's pant leg and in between the stones of the alleyway.

"Look...," said the guy nervously as he turned towards them, his pant leg twisted as it was still pinned to the alley. "...I...I-I just n-need the money."

Chiara walked towards him, pulled one of her coins from her pocket, and tossed it towards the man. "Next time ask for it or sing for it," she said.

Zuko looked at her. "What'd you give him that for? He just threatened to kill you!"

"I was just paying for his knife," she said as she pulled it out of the ground.

"I should kill him for touching you," said Zuko deeply as he slowly pulled out his swords.

"I...I wasn't really going to hurt her...h-honest," said the man now shaking at Zuko's threat, his eyes on his swords.

"It wouldn't be right to take his life for that," she argued with Zuko.

"Then I could make sure he can never touch you again," said Zuko. "I'll cut off his hands."

"Wait...wait...," said the guy still sitting on the ground. Realizing he had his hands up in front of him, he quickly moved them behind his back.

"He won't be able to rob anyone either," said Zuko.

"That is an idea," said Chiara thoughtfully.

Both the man and Zuko were surprised.

"Really?" said Zuko expecting her to argue with his suggestion.

"No," said the man. "You don't need to do that. I-I won't rob anyone anymore."

"Prove it," said Chiara. "Sing something."

The man was puzzled. "L-like what?"

"I don't care," she said. "Anything."

"Uh...uh..." He hesitated.

"Let's just take his hands," said Zuko impatiently as he raised his swords.

Chiara shrugged. "I guess."

"Wait! Wait...!" cried the man. "Um..." He started singing, but he was nervous and felt frightened as Zuko stood over him with his swords.

"You're off key," said Chiara. She started singing his song with him, and as he heard her voice, he stopped singing. "I'm not doing a solo," she said.

"Oh..." He started singing with her, but he was still having trouble keeping in tune.

Chiara pulled out another coin and tossed it to him. "Keep working on it."

Zuko was annoyed that she gave him more money, but he sheathed his swords, grabbed her hand, and took her out of the alley. They quickly went home, and when they walked into the apartment, he turned and looked at her intending to scold her for her charity.

"You're bleeding!" he said as he saw a small trail of blood running down her neck.

He pulled her over to the kitchen, and then he dipped a towel into the water bucket before cleaning the blood from her skin.

"I hate this city!" he said angrily. "We don't belong here!"

"I had a nice time today," she said sincerely. "Thank you for taking me out."

He paused and looked at her. "Are you serious? Even after that...that jerk nearly cut your throat?"

She shrugged. "He was one guy against us. He wasn't going to win."

He knew she was right, so he sighed and did not argue with her. When he finished cleaning her wound, which was not as deep as he thought, he picked up the knife and looked at it.

He laughed and shook his head. "I can't believe you bought his knife."

"Well, I wasn't going to steal it."

He smiled.

"Do you want some tea?" she asked him.

"I work in a tea shop all day. I'm..."

"Sick of tea," she finished for him. "I know."

They laughed, but she prepared the tea anyways.

"I wonder where Father is," she said as she was working.

"Probably playing Pai Sho with some of the customers."

After making the tea, she worked on having dinner ready for Iroh when he arrived home.