Behind these Hazel eyes

Hilda stayed up all night that night. Not dreaming of death. But worried about Zuko. She never before thought she would be so worried about him. Iroh had fallen asleep at midnight. Three o' clock rolled around and Hilda still was wide awake with worry. Her eyes were filled with tears.Her cheeks were red. She was given word that Zuko was alive. In alittle pain, but they managed to remove the arrow without breaking a vein or blood vessel. She asked if she could see him. The docter lead the way to the room he was sleeping in. Hilda was hesitant with walking in, but she did so. Approching Zuko's body. She grabbed onto his hand and held it. Feeling a choke come to her throat.

"When you're all alone,
and you need a light,
someone to guide you through the night,
just remember that I am here,
to hold you close and dry your tears.
Oh-ooh
And just when you thought you were falling,
but you know I'll always be right there.
When you're all alone,
and you need a friend,
someone to help you to the end,
when you need someone to catch you when you fall,
I'll be there through it all.
oh-oh
Cause just when you thought you were losing,
but you know I'll always be right there.
And I'll be there through the good times,
and the bad,
and we'll be there for each other,
cause you're the best friend I've ever had.
And just when you thought you were falling,
but you know I'll always be right there.
oh-oooh whenever you need me,
I'll always be right there." She softly sang to him. Soft enough so that no one else could hear her, but loud enough for him to hear her if he was contious. His hand rose to her face and caressed it.

"good to know." Zuko whisperd to her. Apparently he wasnt asleep, just lieing down with his eyes closed. He opend them and gave her a light smile. Hilda's small frown turned into a large smile.

"Im sorry.." She mumbled to him. He sat up and pulled her into a hug.

"Nothing to be sorry for. Just alittle arrow. No big deal. Im just glad that you don't hate me anymore." He admitted to her. Pulling her out of the embrace and into a kiss. Hilda and Zuko pulled away from their kiss and took a second of silence to stair at eachother.

"I don't know what I would have done if you died. Im so happy your alive." She admitted to him, hugging his neck softly. Zuko mangaged to pull her into another kiss.

"I am glad im alive too. I couldn't stand the afterlife without you." He admitted silently. Hilda smiled and could barly contain her reliefe. Hilda laughed. "what is so funny?"

"You have my lipgloss on your lips." She laughed. He smiled and wiped it from his mouth with his sleeve. That just caused Hilda to laugh harder.

"What?" He asked her, placing his hand on the bed. She pointed to the side of his mouth.

"You smeared it and now its on your face." She laughed. He smiled a bit and wiped it from his face. She smiled "Its gone now." No sooner had the moment passed than Iroh came in, happy to see his nephew alive. Hilda and Zuko had hidden all the signes that they had been kissing. Hilda wiped off her lipgloss because it was smudged. They hid all the smiles to prove that they had been kissing. Knowing Iroh would find out and probably tease them about it. But Iroh saw right through them. Zuko still had some lipgloss on his face from when he tried to wipe it away. Either his nephew had been wearing lipgloss, or he had been kissing someone who had. He rememberd Hilda was wearing some.He mentally smiled to himself over his wisdom. But he hid his knowledge with a question.

"How are you feeling Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked him, Zuko forced back a smile.

"I'd be fine if it wasnt for her." He fake pouted, pointing to Hilda. Giving her a look that said to just go along with it. Hilda understood. She just lowerd her eyes and smacked him across the face. Enough to leave a red mark but not enough to really hurt him. Iroh for a minute considerd that he could be wrong. He then knew he was right. Hilda was wearing lipgloss and unless his nephew was going fruity, he knew they had been kissing.

"Your a dumbass." Hilda hissed. Faking it.Thats when they started to fake fight. "I told you you jackass that we should have just left! But noo! Nothing will happen! well look who is in the hospital!"

"Uncute." was the only remark Zuko could think of at the moment. "I've seen better built things at demoliton."

"Jackass." She barked. Iroh laughed.

"Buisness as usual." He joked. Zuko and Hilda didn't face eachother. Faking like they were angry with one another. Iroh grinned at them and went to wake Ashli and Violet. Once Iroh was out of the room, Hilda and Zuko snuck in another kiss and then acted mad again. It was during the moment of fake angry silence that both Zuko and Hilda rememberd what Zuko had said before he passed out. That just pushed the silence even more. Zuko was embarrised that he had said that, figuring he would die anyway, But he is still alive. So now he didn't know how Hilda would react to it. She had kissed him, which would probably mean that she liked him alot too, but did she love him? She could just have alittle teenage crush. Truth be told. Hilda, she did have a large crush on Zuko, enough to enjoy the kisses. But she wasnt positive her true feelings about him. She did think she loved him, but she didn't know if it was true or not. So much to confuse her. She had never been in love before, never. So she didn't know what this feeling was. It was deep in her heart but so unfamiliar.Zuko hadn't known what his feeling for her was at first either, but he eventually figured it out. He also figured that such a pretty girl must have felt like this before. But she hadn't. Zuko didn't know wiether to get the awncer out of her, or just wait for her to say something.If he waited he would feel anxious to know how she felt about him. Hilda tried to figure out really quick how she felt, she didn't want to lead him on. She knew that was bad.

"Zuko..I.." She said hesitantly. Zuko looked at her. So far it sounded like she felt the same way about him as he felt about her. "I...Don't know." His heart sunk.

"What?" He asked in disbeliefe. Hilda hung her head.

"Im not sure how I feel." She told him all at once, just to get it out of her throat. "I mean I really do like you. Alot but I don't know yet if I love you." Zuko was silent after he heard that. Unsure of what to say. Luckly he didn't have to say anything. Iroh came in and Zuko orderd that they leave. Zuko stomped out with Iroh following him. Violet and Ashli stayed behind untill Zuko orderd them to come on. They didn't know who to go with, Zuko or thier sister? They saw Hilda might want to be alone right now, feeling like they wouldnt help her much, so they followed Zuko onto his ship. Hilda stood up and started to walk twords the large ship when she was grabbed by earthbending soliders. Knocked out before taken.

Zuko waited for her to hurry up and get onto the ship. He wanted to just leave. Andie had been taken into custady on the ship by his soldiers and thrown in a cell. But no where near Hilda's. Zuko sat on the railing of the ship, mending his broken heart. It was near noon before Iroh grew worried about Hilda. About eleven o' clock. He consulted his nephew and Zuko just growled.

"If that bitch wants to stay here, we should just let her." Zuko barked at Iroh. Unsteadieness in his voice. Iroh couldnt believe what his nephew was saying, one day he is putting his quest to get the avatar on hold to save her from being married off and then now he says she should just stay.

"What if she got hurt Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked him. Zuko didnt care if she did or not. She hurt him.

"Like I give a damn."

I'll be right there--Michelle Branch