Luke was leaning over the railing, watching the remainder of the fire burn out. Was it fate that only the center part of the forest – the part she had been in – had caught fire? No, it couldn't be just a coincidence. It was almost like they hated her, the spirits. They always had of course, from the death of her mother to the disappearance of her father.

Luke sighed and rubbed his temples. And the worst part was that he never got to tell her who he was, because she obviously didn't remember him.

He remembered how, when they were younger, they used to play just outside the palace wall, and how when she was twelve he had taught her to sword fight.

After that she had vanished and he had gone into a state of pure hate, but meeting her in the forest was pure fate, for what were the odds?

A sound alerted him to a carrier bird flying towards him. When it landed he took from its claws a letter, but his heart sank when he read the address.

Alex

It was for her, from her friends.

Shakily, he tore open the letter and read it. Dropping it slightly, he knew he had to tell her poor friend what had happened.

Josh,

I regret to inform you of a tragic accident which occurred as of six hours ago. In an attempt to save the crew, Alex perished in a terrible fire that struck through the forest we were traveling through. But she did not die in vain. When all of our soldiers were taken by a band of rebels, she rescued us just as she saved us from the pirates (which I'm sure you are aware of). She was a great woman, I knew her well. You may not have heard of me, my name is Luke, I'm an old friend of Alex's, from when we were younger.

Troy is stricken by grief, but he is also terribly proud of his sister. You should be proud too. She would have wanted it to be this way.

I'm sending Watcher with you, he was her's and you should do with him as you wish, she would have wanted you to have him.

Best regards and my deepest sympathies.

Luke

He sent it away, and he wondered briefly if Alex was with Zuko.


For six hours Alex sat there as the fire burned down, but when it was safe she removed the shield, exhausted beyond belief.

Sighing, she lay Zuko's body down and collapsed next to it. She would just rest for a moment, just a moment.


Alex awoke in a crisp fog. She would have shuddered but for some reason she did not feel cold.

She looked over at Zuko, and again she felt the stab of pain. She stood and surveyed the forest. It seemed eerie, almost like a dream.

She turned back to Zuko and screamed. Her body was there, lying peacefully next to him, and arm wrapped protectively around him.

She took deep breaths; she was in the spirit world that was all. But why?

The scene changed and she turned to face a strange looking man with long black hair and even blacker eyes.

She gasped and took a step backwards.

He smiled, "You did a very heroic thing, Alex."

She eyed him, she wasn't all that surprised that he knew her name, but what did he know about her?

He laughed, "You didn't have to save his body like that, you could have saved yourself. But instead you did, just as you saved him from the pirates, risking you own life when you and the crew could have taken the ship you were currently aboard. In both cases you proved your love for him could cut through the deepest traumas of your lives. I admire that,"

She eyed the strange man, "Who are you?"

He laughed and circled around her, "I am Shakra, you know who I am child, just think!"

Alex regarded him and thought carefully, "Shakra—Prince of the Underworld."

He chuckled and looked at her, "I prefer spirit of the Dead."

She narrowed her eyes, "Then why are you speaking to me?"

He turned sharply and faced her fully, "You have not only disrupted the order in the other world, but that of your own."

Her eyes widened, "What are you talking about, what's happening at home?"

He eyed her sharply, "You are home. Alex, you were really born here."

She backed away and he too walked, toward her, "You were born in the fire nation, to the house of Baja, the noblest house in the nation aside from the royal family. When you were only three your family was evicted by the fire lord on a false charge of treason and sent to live like commoners. When you turned thirteen, the day after Prince Zuko's Agnai Ki, you were sent to the other earth for protection," he rolled his eyes, "But leave it to you to find your way back." He said dryly.

She stared at him, memories were flooding back to her in a wave of information she could not explain. She remembered everything now, everything.

Stumbling backwards he reached out and steadied her. "I know what you must be thinking so many things Alex, but your past is not why we are here." He absently moved a strand of hair out of her face, "I am here to offer you a bargain."

She narrowed her eyes and took a step back, "What sort of bargain?"

He shrugged, "I am prepared to offer you the chance to restore Prince Zuko's life."

She thought for a moment, "and what would I give you in return?"

He laughed, "Nothing at all. For it is not me you would gives something to, but Zuko. I am prepared to allow you to give him your life source. In doing so you will be killed, naturally, and will be allowed to freely roam the earth as a spirit."

She laughed, "You must be joking."

He didn't laugh along with her, his face showed no emotion, "I can't joke, it's an emotion I am incapable of."

She looked at him seriously, "I can really do that?"

"If you wish."

"I have a feeling you don't offer this choice to everyone."

He shrugged slightly, "Well, not everyone risks their life twice for the same person. I offer this to you with no strings attached."

"None at all?"

"Nothing."

She bit her lip and thought carefully for a moment. Sure, she would be dead, but did that really matter if it meant saving someone else? And who deserved to live more, her or the heir to the fire nation?

She didn't think people had thought about that. If Zuko died that meant that the next heir, his sister, would be just as evil as her father. If Zuko lived there was a better chance of him becoming fire lord, and thus a better chance of him turning a leaf and ending the war if it so came to the point where the Avatar had failed.

She nodded to the spirit, "I agree, Shakra."

He smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. She noticed then how young he appeared, he couldn't' be portraying someone more than nineteen years old, "I am very proud of you Alex," he bent his head and kissed her forehead softly.