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Chapter Finale: Lonely in Gorgeous

"You go on ahead, Prince Zuko," said Uncle Iroh, as they docked at the town where Aang and the others were sighted. "I have to speak with Mao just for a moment. We'll catch up very soon."

Iroh's hand was already locked on Mao's arm, firmly but not aggressively. Mao swallowed hard. Her heart started beating faster than it really should. Zuko was looking at her. She gave him a nervous smile.

"Ye-Yeah. You go on ahead. We'll catch up," said Mao, nervously. Somehow, Iroh's grip meant it was an urgent matter. Something that's between the two of them.

Something Zuko should never know.

Zuko left the navy ship with his men. As soon as they were out of earshot, Iroh turned to look at Mao with his soft old man look. He took her right hand and patted it. He looked right into her eyes.

"Is…there something wrong, sir?" Mao asked.

"This was an agreement, wasn't it?" Iroh asked.

"Wha-What?"

"Between you and Zhao. That's why he dropped you off on the ship."

Mao pulled her hand away slowly. "I… just wanted to see him…"

"But you do know that this will hurt him if he knew."

Mao turned away from the old man's face. Seeing how he had been nothing but kind to her from the day she was born up until that very moment was more than she could bear. She took a deep breath and started walking off the ship.

"If you love him, you'll know what's good for him, Mao," Iroh called.

Mao stopped. Without turning around, she told him, "I know, sir. I know what to do. Just trust me." She ran towards the direction Zuko and his men had went to.

Katara splashed some water on the burn marks on her neck. For some reason, it started heating up but she didn't feel pain. It was just hot and uncomfortable. Sokka was already eating his catch of the day. Aang was playing with Momo.

Katara just stayed by the river bank.

She touched her neck. She couldn't believe that the mark on her neck was what connection Mao's feelings to her. She never knew anyone could do something like it.

Then again, she never knew she could heal anyone with her bending.

It struck her. She didn't try to heal the burn.

As she touched the water, she realized, she didn't want it to be healed. For some reason, she wanted it to stay. She sat down and stared into space.

"Hey Katara," said Aang, sitting down next to her.

"Oh. Hi, Aang…"

"You've been quiet. What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

"…"

"It's about her again, right?"

"Umm… I don't know why. I just can't stop thinking about what she said, how she feels… about, you know, Zuko."

"You know… I might be 112 years old, but I guess I've missed out on stuff like these. Feelings and love and romance. Stuff like that. Since the two of them might already know how they feel towards each other, I guess they could figure things out by themselves."

"You're probably right… still…"

"Don't worry about it, okay?"

Katara smiled and finally said, "Okay."

"Come on. You should go eat before Sokka finishes the fish."

Katara and Aang stood up and turned around. But what they saw wasn't exactly a pleasant view. Sokka was held up by two Fire Nation soldiers. Zuko standing next to him with a smug on his face. Katara felt someone putting an arm around her neck. Aang was hit at the back of his neck and was held down.

By Mao.

"Hello, hello, princess," said Mao, looking at Katara at the corner of her eye. She took out a strand of wire and tied up Aang.

She stood up and picked Aang up. She threw him next to the fire they made to cook the fish. The soldiers who held up Sokka and Katara followed suit.

"Do you know, how hard it is to catch you, Avatar? But now, you have nowhere to escape," said Zuko, looking down on them.

"Thank you, Prince Zuko, for leading us right to the Avatar," said a familiar voice.

Zuko looked pass Mao and saw Zhao standing behind her. Around them were Zhao's men. Mao stood, looking down.

"How did you know we were here?" Zuko demanded.

Zhao walked closer to Mao. He placed a hand on her head. "A little birdie led us."

Zuko looked at Mao with disbelief. Mao refused to look at him, fearing that her tears would betray her once again. She couldn't face him.

"You didn't. Tell me you didn't," Zuko pleaded.

Mao swallowed hard and clenched her fists. "A pigeon."

"What…?"

"That's how I told Zhao where we were."

"But why…? Why are you doing this?"

"At first, it was just a deal for me to see you. I missed you, Zuko… I really did. But when Admiral Zhao had told me that there was a catch…I had no choice."

"You did. You could've waited for me back home. I will catch the Avatar and come back."

"But I couldn't wait. I got impatient. I wanted to see you so badly. I did… for a very long time. And I had to tell you… how I feel…"

"Awww… Look at the lovebirds. Cut it short, we're leaving, Mao," Zhao commanded. "Take the Avatar and his friends to the ship. We leave the banished one here." Zhao grabbed Mao's arm, pulling her.

Mao pulled her arm away. Zhao stopped and turned around. Mao looked at him with a forced determination in her eyes.

"The deal is off," she told him.

Zhao laughed. "Off? After I brought you to your Prince Charming? You ungrateful little tramp."

There was an awkward silence. Crickets could be heard. Mao's unsteady breathing was clear. She turned to look at Katara. Her strong features turned soft, looking Katara right in the eyes. She smiled a weak smile and took out a dagger from its sheath.

As Mao charged at Zhao with the dagger in her hand, that same hand went ablaze. She swung her arm right at Zhao, causing Zhao to blast her back. Mao was thrown back by the flame that engulfed her entire body, causing her to hit a large rock in the river.

In a split second, everything went haywire. Zuko started attacking Zhao, Aang started attacking the guards, Sokka started cutting Katara and himself loose with the Fire soldier's spear and Katara started Water bending.

Lying on the ground with half her face in the water, Mao just overheard the chaos. She couldn't move. It hurt to move even her fingers. Her back felt wet, but she was sure that it was her blood, not water. She felt her bones shattering. It was painful. She opened her mouth, water came in but her voice couldn't seem to reach out.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" asked 10 year old Mao, tugging her father's shirt.

Her father lowered his hammer and turned to look at her. He kneeled down and placed a hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her.

"Promise daddy you won't tell anyone if I tell you what I'm doing." He held out a pinky.

Mao locked her own pinky with her father's. "Promise."

"I'm making something for you."

"For me? What is it!"

"Shh. It's a secret. You'll only get it when you're 16."

"But I have to wait a long time!"

"Sometimes the wait is better than the prize. Promise Daddy you won't tell Mommy or anyone else, okay?"

"Promise!"

Mao ran through the corridors and up the stairs of the Fire Lord's palace to Zuko's room. A smile was plastered on her face. She knocked on the Zuko's door. After a few loud knocks, Zuko opened his door, groggy and grumpy.

"What is it, pest?" Zuko asked, unhappy.

"Listen, listen! I wanna tell you something!"

"Well, I don't wanna hear."

Mao pushed her way through into Zuko's room and sat down on his bed. Zuko groaned and closed the door. "What is it?"

"My Dad was making something for me in his workshop. He was hammering away on his anvil and stuff."

"And…?"

"But I don't know what it is."

"You can just ask him."

"He won't tell me. He said I won't know until I'm 16."

"Then wait till you're 16."

"But I can't wait that long."

"Jeez, you're such a pest. Sometimes the wait is better than the prize, don't you know that?"

"That's exactly what he said!"

"Then he's a smart man. Now get out of my room, I need some sleep."

"You're no fun. Come practice fire bending with me."

"GO!"

I should've just waited, she thought to herself. This would've never happened if I hadn't showed up.

Her whole body was numb now. But she felt gravity pulling her up and turning her head to look up. It wasn't gravity that pulled her up.

It was Zuko. He held her up, touching her cheek, wiping away the tears Mao didn't know she was shedding. Her blank brown eyes stared up at Zuko. She saw his lips move. He was saying something but she couldn't make out what he was saying.

Did Aang escape again?

Where was Zhao?

Why is he by her side…?

Everything happened so fast.

Too fast.

She didn't like it.

Let me listen to his voice just this once…

"Mao! Mao, can you hear me?" Everything was coming together.

Her lips trembled. She forced herself to speak, no matter how much it hurt. "Zu…ko…" She forced a weak smile.

"You're going to be okay. I'll get you back on the ship and we'll find someone who can make you well again and-"

"N…No… You're better off without me…"

Just then, a pigeon landed on Mao's leg. She looked at it and smiled. There was a note strapped on its leg. Zuko looked at it and picked it up. He took the note and turned to look at Mao. She was smiling.

She was also crying.

But the only thing she wasn't doing was breathing.

She wasn't breathing.

Zuko's arms and lap were already drenched with river water and Mao's blood. Slowly, he brought up her limp body and held her close. She was cold. He had never felt a body this cold in his entire life. As much as he wanted to sit there, hold her and cry his sorrows away, he knew that wasn't what she wanted.

She knew him better than that. He wouldn't cry. He would never.

He closed his eyes and held her closer. He then stood up, carrying her in his arms. He walked towards Aang's demolished camp and set her down on the ground. He kneeled down and held her hand. He gave her one last kiss…

Before setting her on fire. He stood up and watched her body burn.

Iroh placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder. He looked at Zuko and then at the burning body in front of his eyes.

"She had always smelled like flowers. Ever since we were kids," said Zuko.

"Zuko…" Iroh muttered.

"I will defeat Zhao. I will capture the Avatar." He gripped Mao's note. "I swear."

And for a moment, Zuko saw tears streaming down her cheek as the flames engulfed her body.

Katara touched her neck. It stung for a split second and then it was gone. She traced the line where the burn should've been.

But it was no longer there.

"It's gone," she announced, surprised.

"What is?" Sokka asked, turning to look at his sister.

"The burn she left on my neck. It's gone."

"How? It couldn't have just disappeared," Aang wondered.

"I don't know… It's not there anymore."

The area where the burn mark was suddenly turned cold and then warm. The temperature rose and then it was gone. It was weird.

Too weird.

"She's… gone," Katara said, finally.

If you're reading this, I probably can't talk anymore. I'm sorry for what I've done. I should've just stayed back home and wait for your return there. But I chose to go to you. It was hard to live without you for two years, Zuko. I had no one to talk to, no one to impress, no one to turn to. I only had you.

The deal I had with Zhao was he would send me to where you are but the catch was us leading him to the Avatar. It was selfish. I realized it a little bit too late. I'd understand if you won't forgive me, I don't expect you to.

I can't bring myself to tell you. Instead, I chose this path. I told Zhao where we are. I know fighting him was futile, I won't win. But you wouldn't know unless you try right?

My pigeon, Lulu has been with me ever since you left. I used her to deliver the messages to Zhao. But she's also the closest friend I ever had since you've been gone. She knows me. I instructed her to only give you this note if I don't survive after attacking Zhao. That's why, if you're reading this, I'm gone.

I love you, Zuko. You know that already. But you don't know how much. You have no idea.

Catch him, and go home. Your place is there. I'll be there waiting for you. Even if I'm not really there.

Always,

Mao.

Zuko sighed heavily. The candles in front of him dimmed. He folded the note and slipped it in his armor. As he walked to his door, he turned and looked at the table. He walked to the table and bent down. On the table was a few strands of hair.

Her hair. She cut it here.

He stood, turned and walked out. The candles went out the moment he closed the door.

He left the strands of hair there as how he had found it.

As he walked through the corridor, he closed his eyes. He imagined himself back home after capturing the Avatar. He sees her. He smiles.

"I'm home," he would say.

"Welcome home," she would tell him, smiling.

But some things, everyone just has to let go. This was his. He'll let go of her, and move on.

That's what she would want, anyway.

author's note: hopeless romantic is the me. like my sister said, there'll be people who'll like your story, or hate it. oh well, you cannot please everyone.at least i mightve some people who like it :D see you next life, folks.