He guys! Awesome, I made up for my lack of updating, by updating again! This is the last chapter. I know this wasn't a long story, but it was good while it lasted, right?

Disclaimer: I do not own avatar the last airbender, or any of it's characters, but I do own the village kids.

Chapter 11:

Zuko and Ayumi ran back to the village. Zuko tried to keep up with his speedy companion. When they arrived, the kids were surprised to see the two together, but that past and turned into panic when they explained that the fire nation had arrived, and was in town. Hara commanded everyone to go to his or her stations. Ayumi and her friends were to keep with the little kids, while Nakashima and her friends were to give aid to the boys as they fought.

Zuko and Ayumi separated to go to their places. Ayumi and the others hid at their house. Nakashima's group split between the battlefield and the river. Zuko grabbed a set of twin swords that he had had with him the day he came, and joined the other boys. They watched the horizon, waiting. Everything was planed, but everyone knew it could still go wrong. The metal tank showed itself, and the boys stood their ground. Oguri and Masahiro stood by Zuko's sides.

Zuko had been worried, but when he saw Oguri and Masahiro, he knew he wasn't nearly as scared as them. Zuko was just a long stay visitor, if the village burned to the ground, he would just be traveling again, but for the others… If the village perished, they would be lost, this was their home. The tank stopped and a door opened like a drawbridge. Out came men of all sizes, and when they were all out of the tank, Hara declared the beginning of the battle. The boys ran towards the men, using everything they could, weapons, bending, martial arts, anything.

"Waah!" Tsubaki cried, and she grabbed on to Emi. Emi held her, and everyone kept an eye out from the open door. Men and boys were thrown and hit at the door, scaring the little kids. Endoh kept in the back with most of them, Ayumi was right in the door. She watched as the boys were burned and wounded. Tsubaki let go of Emi and sat in front of Ayumi, holding on to Ayumi's necklace. "Ayumi, what's gonna happen?" She asked. Ayumi just continued to stare at the destruction. "Ayumi?" She asked again.

"I don't know," she replied, not taking her eyes off the sight. Tsubaki looked around, and began to panic. "Mushi! I forgot Mushi!" she announced. Ayumi looked at her, then back out. "Look! There he is!" Tsubaki told her, pointing out to a stuffed saber-toothed moose cub. Tsubaki's eyes lit up, and with out another thought, she darted out of the house. "Tsubaki, No!" Ayumi yelled trying to stop the little girl, but it was to late. Tsubaki was out in the battle, running towards the animal. Ayumi got up and ran to her.

She jumped on Tsubaki, making them both avoid a fireball. Tsubaki reached out, and grabbed the doll, and said to Ayumi, "I'm scared," tears already streaming down her face.

"It's okay, we're gonna get out of this," Ayumi said over the sounds of battle, "I hope." Another fireball came towards them, and Ayumi used some water from a puddle to stop it. The girls got up and started back to the house. Ayumi shielded Tsubaki as much as she could, and got her safely back, but she wasn't so lucky. Just as Tsubaki entered the house, another fire bender attacked her. "AYUMI!" everyone in the house shouted.

"I'll be fine, keep the kids in there!" She yelled back, and used her water bending to freeze his arm. With only one arm, he couldn't fire bend. Ayumi took this opportunity on the battlefield to her advantage. She left the fire bender, to help some of the boys. They protested, but she wasn't going to leave. She ran over to Oguri, and froze his fire bender in his tracks. She ran off to help the others, and Oguri looked at the bender. "Ha ha," he taunted as he hit the man on the head with a stick. When the man made to grab him, he ran off. Ayumi rolled her eyes at the sight, and turned to help Hara. She was stopped mid-way when a fire bender hit her over the head. She fell to the ground.

"Ayumi!" Zuko yelled. He had seen everything from where he was fighting. He used his twin swords to push his opponent away, and run to her. She was starting to wake up when her got there. She was wide-awake when Zuko blocked a spear from going into her side. "What the hell are you doing out here?" He looked down to her, and she pushed him over from the knees. He fell next to her, and they watched another fireball fly over head. "Helping you, if you must know," she replied. They got up and stood back to back. Stances ready, they fought off some more fire benders.

Ayumi flipped a man out of her way, when she saw Nakashima. She was helping one of the younger boys, and didn't realize her other company. "Nakashima!" She yelled. Nakashima looked up and Ayumi through an icicle at the fire nation soldier standing behind her. "Thanks, Ayumi," she said. The girls helped move the boy into a house, where some other girls waited to bring him to the river for first aid. The girls went back out, and were stopped by a blockade of fire nation men. Ayumi stood in front of Nakashima, and said, "Sorry for the arm."

"Sorry for the hair," Nakashima replied. Ayumi made a blade of ice from the little water she had, but it wasn't enough. One man broke the ice before she could use it. The girls grabbed onto each other, Nakashima closed her eyes, and Ayumi tightened her grip on Nakashima's shirt. The man smirked, then fell forwards. The girls looked to see Oguri with his stick at hand. "Now there's a sight I never thought I'd see!" He stated. The girls glared at him, and he ran off.

"Nakashima," Ayumi said, she was looking up. Above them was the village's supply of rainwater; they used it when there was a drought. "Go get Watari, and hurry!"

Nakashima nodded, and ran to the house where Watari and the others were. Ayumi unfroze her broken blade, and turned it into many icicles. She threw them at the rope holding up the water. When it broke, the water spilled over the battlefield. She smiled at her achievement, and ran to meet Watari and Nakashima. She and Nakashima hit knuckles to show a thanks and your welcome. Watari and Ayumi stood next to each other, and at the same time, froze everything that was wet, including the fire nation soldiers. They stood in frozen tracks, and the kids realized the battle was over, they had won.

They all rejoiced. Oguri hit his frozen opponent with his stick, and Masahiro joined him in a laugh of victory. Zuko stood over on the side, and everyone began to go back to their houses. Ayumi stayed in place and watched them leave. Zuko watched her, and called out her name, but he was late.

One soldier was still standing, and he had hit Ayumi. Zuko ran over and fought the man. Ayumi lay on the ground, and Zuko tried to stop the man from killing her.

He pushed the man away, but the man came back, and rammed Zuko in the stomach. He fell over, and tried to get up. He forced himself to fight the pain, like he had always done with Ayumi. The man stood over Ayumi, raised a sword over his head and when it stared it's decent, a fireball hit him. The crowd of kids that remained gasped. Zuko was standing, and his swords at hand were smoking. He started towards the man again, and now the swords were a flame. The fire bender was as surprised as the other kids, but he wasn't going to back down. The two fought, and Ayumi began to come to.

She sat up and rubbed her head, then realized the show. Watari, Emi, Endoh, and the others, including Nakashima, ran to help her. They helped her up, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Zuko and the soldier. Zuko pushed the man away, again, with a fireball shaped as an "X." The man was knocked out. Zuko sighed, and realized what he had just done. He turned to the kids, all of which were looking at him with either fear, or anger. Oguri stepped forth, "You're one of them?"

Zuko lowered his head, the time had come, and he was found out. "You're like the bad people," Tsubaki said. She grabbed onto Ayumi's hand. Zuko looked at her, then to Ayumi. He couldn't identify the emotion she had right now, but he didn't want to find out. She looked scared, confused, betrayed. Hara stepped forth, and announced, "One hour. You have one hour to gather our things, and leave."

The kids departed, leaving Zuko alone. He walked over to Masahiro and Oguri's house; they threw his belongings at him, and told him that he was a back stabber. Oguri had told him that if the fire nation hadn't attacked, Zuko would have probably killed them in their sleep. Without a word, Zuko got his ostrich- horse, and headed out. Everyone came outside to see the liar leave. Ayumi stood with the other girls. They talked of what he might have done if he had stayed. When he was out of view, the kids left.

"Wow, Ayumi," Watari said, "I wish I had the same judgement you do."

"Yeah," Nakashima added, "No wonder you hated him. You could tell something wasn't right."

Ayumi didn't leave with them; she stayed in her spot, looking out in the direction Zuko had left. "Ayumi?" Emi waved her hand in her face. Ayumi closed her eyes, and turned her head. "Ayumi, what's wrong?" Kojima asked, getting worried.

Ayumi ran. She darted off in the same direction she was staring at. "Ayumi!" Endoh yelled.

"Well, come one," Watari said, "If we don't start running now, we'll never catch her!" They ran off after her, not stopping.

Ayumi made her way past the trees and rocks, and when Zuko came into view, she yelled out to him, "Wait!" Zuko stopped, and looked back to her. She ran up to him, and caught her breath. "I have something I wanted to give you," she said. She threw a little pouch of money up to him, and leaned against the ostrich-horse with her head down and eyes closed. "Here's a hint, you weren't going to get anything, even if I did give your money back," she looked back up at him, " They don't take fire nation money."

Zuko looked at her surprised. The things she had said to him over the past few days ran through his head. "You knew?" He asked. She looked down again, "Yeah, I knew."

Zuko got down from the animal, "Then why didn't you tell the others? Why did you make me stay?""

Ayumi looked up to him, and he backed off. He knew that face, it was the face she gave him at the river when she told him about her family. "Sorry," he said. She looked back down again and explained, " I don't know, I think it was… your scar."

Zuko was a little shocked. His scar?

"The day I stole from you, I found out that you were fire nation, so the money was worthless, but when I saw you, I got confused. Why would a fire bender have that large of a burn on his face? I would've told the rest of the kids, but I knew they would make you leave, and I wanted to know how you got he scar, so I kept quiet, sorta. I guess I thought the longer you stayed here, I would figure it out on my own, then tell everyone else, but I didn't." She looked up to him, and said silently, "Your father did that to you, didn't he?"

Zuko looked at her again, still shocked, and he nodded, "My father and I had an Agni Kai, that's…"

"A fire bending duel, I know," she cut him off.

"Right. My father had planned to sacrifice some new recruits in the war, I said that it was murder. For a punishment, I had to fight the person I had insulted with my outburst."

"Your father."

Zuko nodded. The two stood in science for a moment, trying not to look at each other.

"You better get out of here. The rest of the way will be to hard if you ride the ostrich-horse. It'd be easier if you walked." Ayumi said. Zuko nodded, and began to lead the animal away. Ayumi turned to head back, when she was blocked.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Ayumi?" Watari yelled.

"Yeah! What were you thinking?" Emi added.

"I'm sorry!" Ayumi said.

"Sorry isn't good enough, Ayumi! How could you pull a stunt like that?" Endoh said with her hands on her hips.

"Look, okay, it's over now, so it doesn't matter."

"I don't think so, you get back there and kiss him, or else I'll hit you right in the kisser!" Nakashima demanded.

"Look! I… Wait, what?"

"You heard me! Now go!"

Watari pushed Ayumi in the direction she had come from. Ayumi looked at all of her friends as they smiled at her then ran after Zuko again. She called out his name again, and he stopped. "What is it now, Ayumi?" He asked. She averted her eyes from his and asked, "Do you have to go back?"

Zuko nodded, and Ayumi put her arms around his neck, bringing him into an embrace. He felt her tears on his shoulder, and hugged her in return. "I don't want him to hurt you again, Zuko," she said through the sobs. Zuko put his hands on her shoulders, and brought her face to face with him. "He won't," he said as he used his thumb to wipe away a tear streaming down her cheek. She put her hand over his, and forced a smile.

He pushed back the hair that had fallen in her face from running in the woods, and brought her lips up to his. She closed her eyes as they wrapped their arms around each other again. When he let go he promised her that he would see her again, someday, and left.

Ayumi stood there, watching him leave. Within moments, he was gone. She wiped away her final tears, now she was ready to go back. Until she was ambushed.

Six girls jumped out of a nearby bush, and landed on Ayumi. Emi and Endoh squealed with excitement, while Nakashima and Watari hugged her.

"Man, Ayumi, that was awesome!" Watari said, "So tell us!"

"Tell you what, to get off of me?"

"You know what we mean," Emi said, "Give us details!"

"Come on you guys, get off!"

"No way! Tell us!" Nakashima demanded.

"Fine, jeez, if it will get you off my back, literally. He was good."

The woods filled with squeals and laughter. The girls got off, and headed back to the village. When they had started walking Hasagawa looked up to Ayumi.

"Ayumi?" She said.

"Yeah?"

"That was romantic." The girls all laughed again, and went to go clean up the mess from the battle. Ayumi stayed behind, and looked back into the woods, "Good luck, Zuko," she whispered, "I hope you find what you're looking for."

So what did you think? She knew the whole time, but still managed to fall for him. I thought it was cute, but I'm the author so my opinion doesn't count. Tell me what you thought. If you haven't been reviewing for the chapters, give me an over all opinion!

And guys, be sure to check out my other stories. I'm working on a new avatar one called Silent Jee. Zuko meets up with a pirate, and he's far from normal. A lot of pirates of the carribean one liners, but and orginal story!

R&R you guys!