KISSING! ...(Cough) um... Update! ... Anyway, hehehehe. This is the second to last chapter... Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be the last "chapter" and then the epilogue... Wow. (Wednesday is also the "topless Zuko" update;- ) Well, I don't own Avatar... Do I even need to say it after all this time? Gr. Alright, enjoy! (Evil laughter)

I woke the next morning under a blanket, and lying on the cold ground. Lucky for me, I wasn't cold at all for some reason. The sun was still very low in the sky and the only person up and about yet was the cook.

Stirring softly, I was about to get up when I noticed my pillow: Zuko's arm.

Hooooly cow.

My eyes got big and I looked over my shoulder toward Zuko, still sleeping peacefully, but his arm extended to the side where I had been tucked warmly during the night. I didn't remember moving, and I didn't remember going to sleep like that. I blushed and moved away as quietly as possible.

I wandered a short distance away from the sleeping caravan and found some water. It wasn't much, but it was water. I lifted it into the air and ran it through my hair, soaking it in what I'm sure looked like a giant floating water droplet. After finishing with my hair and pinning it up to keep it out of my face I arrived back at the camp in time to catch the cook finishing up preparations.

"Breakfast ready!"

"Awesome." I grinned and stood in front of him, grabbing two bowls. He eyed me suspiciously. "For Zuko." He nodded, and poured the … cream of wheat looking substance into the bowls and I headed back to Zuko's bed.

"Rise and shine!" I cried cheerfully to Zuko, who looked like he wanted to go back to sleep. "Eat it while it's warm."

"Are you always so cheerful this early?" he grumbled, as he began eating.

"Mm… not generally. I just woke up really early after… a nice sleep." I peered at him suspiciously, wondering if he had any idea of why I was sleeping on his arm that morning. His face didn't change at all, giving no sign. "And I washed my hair, which woke me up even more and I was first in line for breakfast! All good things."

"I see. Well if it interests you at all, we'll be making it back to the ship by noon and on our way again."

"Awesome. I'm sick of riding these things." I glared in the direction of the sleeping Komodos. "But guess what! Since you're injured, I get to steer it now. Bwahahaha!"

Zuko watched me very oddly.

"Haha alright, sorry. I got a little hyper."

A little over an hour later we were on the road again, all packed up and heading for the ship. I held the reigns, while Zuko reclined on the rhino's back. After a safe and uneventful journey, we finally reached the inlet Zuko's ship was tucked in. The crew who remained on board to guard it rushed to land and in a few minutes we had unpacked everything, taken the injured to the medical room, and loaded the Komodos below deck.

Zuko was made to stay in the medical room until he was a little better, but before we took him down he commanded the helmsman to set a course to follow the Avatar.

At least he's somewhat back to his usual self.

I went below, back to my room after being gone for so long. Finally starting to feel at home again, I put all my stuff into drawers and in small, organized piles and admired my room again.

After that, the day passed pretty quickly. And after that, the next day passed pretty quickly in a similarly dull, relaxed manner. That night, Zuko was proclaimed healthy again and set about on his usual obsession: Avatar hunting. The next three days passed exactly the same: Iroh taught me bending, I practiced swordsmanship, Zuko hunted the Avatar, and we spent meals discussing just about everything.

One afternoon while Iroh and I were practicing, Zuko came on deck. After a little, Iroh approached Zuko staring into the sky.

"A big storm is coming."

I looked at the sky. Clear blue and bright. Riiight… storm.

"Uncle, now isn't the time for your silly jokes."

"I'm serious, Prince Zuko. I can feel it in my bones."

On second thought, if he feels it in his bones it might be true. Come to think of it… the air does feel a little off today.

"Actually, something does feel a little weird in the air."

Zuko glared at me. "We don't have time to stop for some silly storm. We've lost enough ground on the Avatar already."

I shrugged. "Alrighty then."

"But Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew!"

"That isn't important, Uncle. What's important is that I capture the Avatar. Nothing else matters." Zuko turned moodily back to face the calm seas.

I swear, sometimes… I could just strangle him! I turned on my heel and went quickly below deck. I couldn't take much more of his prissy Prince attitude. Or spoiled brat-ness. Or whatever else I thought up to call him.

The Lieutenant passed me on my way down, looking pretty angry as he went to confront the Prince. Heck I would be too if the Prince said the safety of my crew wasn't important.

When I got to my room I stood still a moment, wondering what I had intended to do going there. I walked slowly to my dresser and pulled out the black and white mask, running my fingers over the cold metal. I tossed the mask onto my bed.

I wish there was something I could do to help change him.

I sighed resignedly and set to work taking my mind off things. That didn't take long, and soon I was immersed in reading a book. It seemed like hardly and time had passed when the ship's movements began to change. The rocking grew unsteady and more turbulent and I could feel a change in the waters. At first I ignored it, supposing we were passing through rough area. But when the rocking continued, and in fact grew in turbulence, I decided to figure out what was going on.

Setting my book aside I headed toward the steps leading above deck. Along the way I heard Iroh's voice, coming from a small room with the door partly open. I allowed myself to be sidetracked and stopped to listen outside the doorway.

"… The general proposed sending a regiment of inexperienced soldiers as a decoy, knowing they would be slaughtered. Though I had warned him to keep silent, Zuko couldn't take this. He spoke up against the general, saying what he planned to do was wrong." Iroh sighed. "There was nothing I could do after that. Even though Zuko was right, the war meeting was not the place to bring it up. The only thing that could settle the matter at this point was an Agni-Kai."

I listened harder, trying to catch Iroh's words over the rising noise outside.

"Apparently, Zuko had thought he would fight the general he spoke up against. But the person he had dishonored was his father, and it was his father he would have to face. When he discovered this Prince Zuko begged for mercy, but the Fire Lord wouldn't give it. He claimed the only way for Zuko to learn respect was through suffering." Iroh looked into the flames, sadness etched into every line on his face. "Zuko didn't fight back."

No… how horrible. My heart literally felt sore hearing those words. I had wondered how Zuko had got his scar, but I never even dreamed it was something so terrible. Iroh had told me about the reasons for the quest to find the Avatar, I just hadn't heard the entire story in detail.

My body felt stiff and numb, and I no longer wanted to see what the weather was like. I walked back toward my room in a sort of daze. All I could think of was Zuko, and what had made him to be what he is now. I reached my room and found the door ajar.

Funny… I don't remember leaving it open…

I pushed it open and spotted Zuko, standing in front of my bed. His posture was odd… rigid and harsh, but also pained. I'm a good judge of body posture, so stop teasing me.

"Zuko?" I couldn't keep the sadness or pity from showing in my voice, though I tried.

He turned slowly, gripping something in his hand. His face looked strained, and angry. My eyes widened when I saw my mask.

No… I forgot-

Zuko moved incredibly fast, pinning me to the wall of my room with his arms while shutting the door with a resounding clang. I winced as he grasped my arms tightly. Zuko's face was a mere three inches from mine, his eyes narrowed to slits and his voice harsh and dangerous.

"It was you! All along… you kept this from me!"

"It's not like you don't have secrets too!" I argued pointedly.

His eyes showed recognition, and he glared angrily. "That's no excuse. You followed me!"

"It was to keep you safe! I knew you'd be getting into trouble, so I followed you to help. It just so happens that I'd bought the mask a while ago in case I'd need it! And guess what, I did!"

"But you could have been hurt!" His eyes looked almost pleading as he said this. But as soon as the words were out of his mouth he realized what he said and became silent, looking away from me.

"I'm sorry… I didn't…" I was at a loss for words. The last thing I had thought was that he would be concerned about me.

I watched him closely, his head lowered and turned away from mine, showing the scar I had just learned the history of. Reaching out slowly, I gingerly touched his damaged skin. He unconsciously flinched under my touch, and looked up at me surprised. His grip on my arms loosened.

Without really knowing why, I quickly enveloped him in a hug. At first, it felt weird to hung someone again after so long. The last person I had hugged was Iroh after he gave me the fabric so long ago. Zuko must have been feeling the same way because for the first few seconds he stood stiffly and awkwardly in my arms. After a moment, he started to relax and wrapped his arms around me as well.

This makes it feel like home … I squeezed him tighter, trying to hold on to this feeling of being home again.

"Thank you…" I whispered, my face pressed against his shoulder.

"No…" Zuko leaned back, taking my chin in his hands and directing me to look at him. I thought I'd done something wrong; his face showed a rush of emotions one after the other so that I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I thought he would push me away.

Instead, he leaned in quickly, tilting my face up at a slight angle and pressing his lips to mine. I was so shocked at first I didn't know how to react or feel. But his kiss wasn't like any other kiss I'd ever had before. It wasn't like my dad's peck on the cheek, or my ex-boyfriend's faint pressing of lips against mine.

Zuko's was passionate and in control: his kiss was deep. I felt a strange warmth sweep through my entire body and set me tingling. And without really knowing it, I kissed back for the first time.

It felt like the moment lasted forever, but in reality only a few seconds. We broke apart, breathing heavily. I felt dizzy and all my senses were singing, the blood rushing through my head.

"… Thank you." Zuko finished, smiling softly. "For helping me feel loved and cared for again. Thanks."

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as I blushed and looked away. Zuko's arms encircled me in a hug again, and we stood that way for a few minutes.

Our moment was broken when the ship gave a sudden lurch, throwing us against the wall and separating us. For a split second we stayed still, leaning against the wall, before we turned quickly and ran above deck to see what had caused the sudden motion.