The next morning, Prince Zuko was in the mess hall sipping on some tea. He has been upset for a log time now about Leiko's secret. How could she be engaged? It wasn't fair, and it couldn't be true. And of all the people to Kilix! Zuko remembered him well, the boy who used to throw rocks at Leiko and tease him until he felt like a nobody. Now all of a sudden he comes back and magically acquires marriage rights to Leiko. He didn't even see why Kilix would want to marry Leiko, Leiko wasn't very lady like, and it was very rare you ever saw her dressed like a girl. That was the exact opposite of what Kilix liked.

He was taken from his thoughts when Tila flew into the room and perched on the table in front of Zuko. She peeped at him and then flew up, taking his ponytail in her talons and tugged at it. He swatted her away. "Tila, stop that!" he barked. The bird stopped but then began to tug again. The prince grew frustrated and shot up from his seat, making Tila fly out of the mess hall. Zuko stormed out, following the bird. Tila stayed in the hallway and screeched before disappearing into Leiko's room. Zuko snorted and entered after the bird. But he was taken aback again when he saw Leiko standing in front of him, dressed like a…like a girl?

Her hair long, black hair was out and rested down to her mid-back. There was makeup on her face and red lipstick on her lips. Other than her face, she was in a dress! It was the same dress she had worn when she met Kilix and General Kisho. She looked…beautiful. Zuko's mouth gaped open and he rubbed his eyes. "Leiko?" he asked in disbelief. She smiled and Tila flew over and perched on her shoulder. "Leiko…what…why are you…" he struggled.

"In a dress?" she finished for him. She crossed her hands in front of her like a lady would and spoke softly. "Because today is very important day for the both of us. Today is the fall equinox. This day holds many memories for us, Zuko." Zuko's face went into shock for a moment and then he bowed his head.

"I remember." He said flatly. "This is the day I was banished." Leiko nodded.

"That's right." And she explained more, "Today was the day your father took you away from your home and everything you loved."

"How is this day so important to you?" he asked harshly.

"Because, I lost my friend." Her voice hardened. Then it went back to normal, "I'll never forget this day, just like you. I'm sure you remember it. But you haven't heard it from my perspective. And I think it's time you did."

Leiko walked out from the stadium and looked at the sun. She had some time if she was quick, and she really needed a break from sparring all day with her trainer. She knew just who she would do see. Knowing her father would kill her if he found out she skipped her next practice, she ran to the Fire Nation Fortress. Upon arrival, the guards greeted her with a bow, knowing to give her respect, and she returned the favor. Then she ran through the palace, listening to her foot steps echo off the floor and a smile on her face. Disobeying her father was a big thrill, especially if she got away with it. She spotted just who she was looking for and ran over. "Zuko!" she waved. He turned from his Pi Sho game and stood up to say hello.

"Hey Leiko." He greeted her and they hugged. "You're all sweaty," he laughed.

"I know, I just got done training Master Shei. I should be going to my next practice session but I decided to play hooky." Zuko gave her a serious look. "What?"

"Leiko, you know how your father gets when he's upset. And skipping practice will only make him furious."

"Don't worry, he won't find out."

"Find out, what? Leiko." Zhao said from behind her. She spun around and looked up to see her father glaring down at her.

"Father." And she bowed. "I was just…"

"Skipping practice? I told you to go straight to your next session."

"Forgive me Father. I just wanted to take a break." Leiko tried. "I saw Zuko and decided to say hello."

"But what were you doing in the palace, in the first place?"

"Uh…" Leiko couldn't think of a lie. Zuko watched as Zhao grabbed Leiko roughly by her upper arm and pulled her away.

"If the prince is such a distraction, than maybe you should just be banned from seeing him." And he dragged Leiko away. Zuko knew immediately what Leiko had gotten herself into.

Later that night, Zuko snuck out of the fortress and went to go see Leiko at her family fort. He picked up a pebble and tossed it at her window, telling her it was him and to come down and let him in, like he always did. "I'm right here Zuko." He heard Leiko say. He turned and saw Leiko lying on the ground behind some bushes.

"What're you doing behind these bushes?" he asked, but then he saw her bloody lip and her black eye. Her right arm was limp as well. Zuko gasped and got down next to her. Leiko turned away and began to cry. "What did he do to you?"

"What do you think?" she replied, "What he always does to me whenever I disobey him and get caught." Zuko helped her up. "He beat me for hours." She told him as she leaned on her friend, gasping in pain, "He threw me into the walls and dislocated my shoulder."

"Come on, let's get you to a doctor." Zuko tried to pick her up but she wouldn't let him.

"No," and she sat back down on the ground, "I can do it." And she took in a deep breath and popped her shoulder back in with a loud crack and a wince from pain. Zuko grimaced from the sound of her bones. She moved it to make sure it was okay. "Good as new."

"Leiko, we've got to get you out of here! Zhao can't keep beating you! He'll kill you if we don't do something!"

"And he will if we do!" Leiko told him. "I have to stay."

"No, come with me." He offered, "Live in the palace and be safe."

"Oh Zuko," she sighed and looked up at him, "I have to stay with my father."

"Leiko," and he touched her cheek, "I promise, when I am the leader of this nation, I will take you away from all of this. I will protect you with my life."

"But there's nothing you can do until then." Leiko reminded him, "Look, I'm counting on you." She smiled up at him. Zuko's eyes softened as he looked at Leiko who was shaking in pain.

"I love you, Leiko." He said, "And I promise this will never happen again. I'll make sure of it." And then he hugged her and ran off into the night.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Zuko asked. Leiko sighed and bowed her head.

"I don't blame you or your father for your banishment." She said and she looked up, "I blame myself."

"What? But Leiko… why?" The prince had to know.

"Because I let you see me in that state of helplessness too much. And I told you I was counting on you."

"So?"

"So, that's what spurred you to do it." And she touched her heart with her first, "After that night when you found me in the bushes, bleeding and aching, you were inspired to become the fire lord more than ever…weren't you?"

"I was." Zuko admitted after a long time. "Seeing you like that made me angry, and I couldn't wait to rule. I knew that once I did, I could take you away to safety."

"It was something that concerned you so much that you went into the war chamber for the meeting…didn't you?" Zuko stopped to think. She was right!

"I did." He said, "How did you know?"

"I know you better than anybody else. I disobeyed my father and went to see you, and then I got caught. My father beat me, like he always did, and then I let you see me beat up and torn. I told you that I was counting on you and for that you went on to challenge the general, General Kisho. The father of my fiancée."

"That's right." Zuko was surprised, he had never looked at it that way before. "But Leiko, you can't blame yourself for what happened."

"I can…and I do." She said. "If it wasn't for me you'd be home, safe and sound, awaiting to take your place on the throne…your face wouldn't be scarred."

"But then you'd still be getting beaten by your father everyday."

"It would be what I deserve."

"Nobody deserves that Leiko, especially you." Zuko offered.

"I do for what I've done. It's a burden I've carried for years; knowing that it was my fault you're on the ship and banished until you capture the avatar. After you left people asked what it was that inspired you to go into the war chamber that one day. I never told them that it was me. I probably should have, but they would still blame you and I wouldn't have been right. It's my fault. It's my fault you're here." And then she went on, "I'll never ever forget what happened the next day."

Leiko was training extra hard with her master, despite the pain that stayed in her right shoulder. The mast told her to stop and take a break, and as she did a visitor came and spoke to her master. It was Kisho and his son Kilix. Leiko stopped when she felt a pebble hit the back of her head. She turned and saw Kilix, although she didn't know it was him at the time. She listened to the conversation between the adults. "Prince Zuko challenged my authority in the presence of Fire Lord Ozai. He is very upset about the actions of his son. For one reason or another, the prince must have been feeling extra ambitious this morning."

"What will the Fire Lord do? You don't think…" but the general nodded.

"An Agni Kai at sunset."

"When I heard about it," Leiko began, "I dropped my things and ran out of the arena. I forgot all about practice and ran straight to my father's quarters. I begged him to change the fire lord's mind."

"Father you must do something!" Leiko pleaded on her knees with her hands out, praying to him.

"The Prince has shown utter disrespect to his father, and there is nothing I can do about it." Zhao replied.

"Yes there is! You have authority; tell Fire Lord Ozai that it's all a misunderstanding!"

"Leiko, today at sunset, the prince will fight his father. He will lose, and he will suffer the consequences of his actions, just like you do." Zhao told Leiko. Leiko stood up and looked at her father, shaking her head as tears spilled from her eyes.

"No…" and she ran out of the tent.

At sunset, Leiko ran to the palace and went to run in, but the guards wouldn't let her in. They said they had been told by the Fire Lord not to let her in. She walked away, but ran to the back and climbed up the wall using a rope tied to the branch of a tree. Upon reaching the roof, she opened the hatch and climbed in. There was nothing that was going to keep her away from Zuko, there never was and there never would be. She had to warn him! So she ran down the stairs until she reached the main floor, where she snuck past the guards and went onto the balcony. There were other people there, much taller than her, so she just pushed her way through. She could hear the fire lord's voice and Zuko begging for forgiveness!

"I won't fight you." She heard Zuko say. She pushed through harder, making people push back or complain about her being a nuisance. She still pushed through, knowing she was running out of time!

"You will learn respect. A suffering will be your teacher!" she heard Ozai say! She pushed herself through until her stomach hit the wall of the balcony! There she saw the horrible nightmare! Zuko's face was being burned.

"NOOOO!" he screamed! Tears streamed down her face as she reached out to her far way friend!

"ZUKOOOO!" she cried! But she was too late, and she had just witnessed her best friend being torched by his own father. Leiko slumped over the balcony and cried. "NOOO!" and she crumbled to her knees.

"Leiko!" Zhao yelled, "What are you doing here?" and he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder as she kicked and screamed, still reaching out for Zuko.

"NO! ZUKO!" she yelled.

Leiko wiped a tear from her cheek and spoke again. "I never saw you again." And she looked back up at him. "That's what happened. Not only did we meet on this day, but we were separated." Zuko just stood there with his hands in fists. "But now time has changed everything. After seeing you torched, you're here now…in front of me." And a tear fell from Zuko's eye. "I know this memory pains you just as much as it pains me. Seeing you ripped away from me." And she began to cry. "It wasn't fair."

"Leiko," Zuko tried, opening his arms to Leiko and they collapsed into each other's grasp. Both of them let their tears spill. Zuko held onto Zuko like he would his mother after a nightmare. Leiko clung onto him, never to let him go.

"I tried! I tried so hard Zuko, to save you! I failed you." She said while crying on his shoulder. "I tried to hard to make things right." Zuko shushed her and stroked her hair.

"It's not your fault."

"It is, and I'm so sorry." And then they backed up and looked into each other's teary eyes. "But they're coming again. They're coming tear us apart." And she touched his cheek. "I swear to you, like you did me, that I will not let them." And then she sniffed while wiping away one of his tears. "You said you loved me. We were friends then…but…I do. I love you, Zuko. I always have. And I always will. Can you find it in your heart to love me back? I may be betrothed to your rival, and the daughter of your enemy, but I still love you. Please tell me you feel the same way." And she looked desperately into his eyes, searching for the answer.

"Leiko…I've loved your forever." He said. "I don't care if you are engaged to Kilix or Zhao's blood runs through your veins, I still love you." Leiko leaped back into Zuko's arms, and he held her there.

"Please say it."

"I love you Leiko Sikari." Leiko smiled and looked up at him, and then gave him a passionate kiss.

"I promise you…Zhao will not run this ship." She said, "It's time for me to step up to my destiny."