Well, we had some revelations in the last chapter and there are bound to be more! In the upcoming chapters, I will follow through with my promise for more going on between Zana and Zuko! I also feel bad that this chapter is so short, and I will try my best to make them longer in the future! I do need reviews to make the story as good as possible, so (I will repeat for like the BILLIONTH time,) read and reply please!

Emotions

Zuko strode over to Zana's side. He was dumbfounded over what his uncle had said. Pervert… Zuko thought to himself as he shook his head. "I hate to admit it, but that was pretty good," he said to her hunched-over frame. She seemed to tense a little at the sound of his voice. She handed him a finished fish on a stick and sat back to start her own. Zuko sat down as well and stretched out his legs. The two of them ate in silence as Iroh came over and began his own meal. Zuko refused to look his uncle in the eye.

Zana spoke up, "I noticed you both cut your hair…" she'd said it without looking up. Zuko and Iroh turned to each other. They hadn't really thought of it. "I know that it's for disowning the Fire Nation, but could you at least make it look good?" Zana snorted with the last word if her sentence. She looked from Prince to General-Ihro's gray hair was now thinner on top than everywhere else atop his head and Zuko's own coal-black hair a mere stub entwined with his royalty sash. "We weren't very concerned about it at the time since we were running from Fire Nation soldiers and all…" Zuko rolled his eyes. "Well, why not let me help?" Zana stood and went to her cloak. From an inside pocket, she pulled out a little switchblade. Flipping it open she walked over to Iroh and kneeled behind him. Zuko watched as bits and shreds of Iroh's hair floated to the pebbles. Soon enough, Zana stood, "There…" she smiled. He hated to admit it, but it did make his twisted uncle look a bit better.

"You are next, Prince," Zana walked over to Zuko. "I don't know about this…" his head followed her movements. "I won't hurt you if that's what your worried about!" she sounded slightly offended. "No, its not that," he said to the air since she was now situated behind him. "I don't know…" he trailed off. "Ok, then, let's start," she seemingly coaxed a splash of water out from the river as one would a timid creature. It rotated and stayed elevated as she cut loose his royalty sash and dropped it over his head into his lap. He fingered the golden silk. He had long forgotten what it looked like-it had since assumed a role as an everyday part of him. Zuko felt he should keep it with him and he proceeded to wrap it around his wrist.

"You, uh, need to tilt your head back. I can't reach, you're too tall," Zana meekly spoke up. Zuko gave an exasperated sigh and did as he was told. The brilliant sunlight blinded him, so he was forced to close his eyes. The warmth was such a pleasant contrast to the icy water on his scalp. He had never liked the cold, he was never really forced to get used to it. That was until his recent trip to the North Pole…and a humiliating defeat in which he'd nearly lost his life. Zuko allowed himself to daydream of better days as Zana 'fixed' his hair. Iroh looked on at the two of them. Most likely, if that had been anyone else behind Zuko, they would have had multiple burns by now-telling him what to do, having power over him… Zana seemed to release a gentler side of Zuko he had not seen in years.

When she finished, Zana stood, waiting for the, now officially, ex-Prince's approval. Zuko came back to the real world and let his weathered hands graze his smooth skull. "Am I bald?" he looked up at her and gave her the most childish look she'd ever seen. "Yes," she laughed, "It was the only thing I could do for you." Then Zuko did something completely out of character and unexpected: he laughed.

The laugh itself wasn't much, but the way it softened his stone face did wonders. It made him look his age, and not the battle-hardened man he made out to be all of the time. "I probably look like that Avatar!" he gasped while catching his breath. Zuko had used muscles he hadn't used in years and the sensation gave him a high. "The Avatar's bald?" Zana looked puzzled. She had never seen a sketch of the Avatar before-she'd just always assumed he had hair since everyone said he was merely 12 years of age. "Yes, but this is good…it's very different," he stood up next to Zana.

Iroh was recovering through this entire conversation. He had nearly keeled over when he had heard Zuko's long-forgotten laughter. "Zuko, I haven't seen you smile, let alone heard your laugh in nearly three years!" Iroh was shocked. "We should definitely keep this girl around, she's good for your health," he said as he threw his fish carcass into the river's current. It was easily swept away and downstream. Both teens' faces became a bright red, but both turned away so the other would not see. Zana began walking back to her cloak to replace her switchblade. Zuko spun around to Iroh, "Why must you always pester me about the smallest things. I'm a man and can make my own decisions without your help…" he snarled. All Iroh did was shrug in response, "Just be sure you make the correct ones…" Iroh went quiet and collapsed backwards with a sigh. He had obviously decided that they were going to rest there for longer than expected.

Zana walked back to the fire. She couldn't help but think about Iroh's comments. Had Zuko really not smiled since he'd been banished? Everyone had to smile at one point, even she did. Suddenly, a sharp pain went up and down her back. Zana was forced to inhale a deep and quick breath to keep from crying out. She hadn't felt that pain in such a long time…she figured it must have been when Zuko had her up against the tree in their fight… "Are…you ok?" Zuko interrupted her thought, "You're grimacing," there was a quick flash of something that resembled concern in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. "Yes, I am fine, just…tired, that's all," Zana forced a smile.

They both sat down beside the fire. Iroh was across from them, already snoring loudly again. Zuko glared at him, "We should have made much more progress! It's all his fault; Uncle is just so damn lazy," Zuko growled. It looked like the old Prince was back, "Don't blame him. Iroh is just not as young as he used to be and he can't do as much as he used to be able to. It's not his fault-" Zana spoke up to defend him. "Well, then explain to me how yesterday he took out multiple Fire Nation troops and prevented Azula from killing me? He didn't seem all that tired to me!" Zuko explained.

"Hmm, guess you're right, he is lazy," Zana laughed. Zuko watched her face light up when she did. Her lips curled slightly and just barely crinkled her smooth features. "What are you staring at?" she felt she had done something wrong. "Oh, um," she had caught him, "I was just thinking, now you can't call me Prince anymore…" "What to you propose I call you then?" she looked at him, knowing full well the answer, but wanting to hear it from his lips. "Zuko…just Zuko," he looked thoughtful. "It has been so long since I was just Zuko, no title or curse attached. I think it would be nice to just have a name…" he looked into her eyes-amber locking onto crystal. "Yes, it is nice," Zana smiled, but soon broke the eye contact.

She scooted away from him a little, "But if you don't mind, Zuko, I would like to rest. We should be able to make up more time if we are all well rested." Zana laid out her cloak and situated herself on top of it to provide a little bit of a barrier from the harsh stones. Zuko watched as her eyes closed even before her head hit the fabric. All he could do was stare at her relaxed features. His mind flicked to a flash back of earlier that day when he's witnessed Zana at the river. She was beautiful, there was no denying it and he had to restrain himself from brushing his fingertips across her cheek. She was stubborn though: when she wasn't beating him. That was the part that infuriated him-she never listened, had a cocky attitude, and was too good at things for her own well-being. They really were too much alike.

Zuko watched as the sun dotted her complexion and her breathing evened out, indicating that she had indeed fallen asleep. He had to force himself to look away to shake out what he felt inside. The feelings were totally alien to him and he didn't like the way they felt. He thought those emotions indicated weakness and he couldn't afford to be weak, not when he was planning on going up against his father as soon as he could. Zuko scowled and laid back, legs straight, arms resting on his chest-just as he had always done back on his now demolished ship. He felt a pang. That ship was what would have carried him back out to the main Fire Nation land with the Avatar's head in victory… Too bad he didn't have that ship and he would never have the Avatar's head, because he had decided not to hunt him any longer. Zuko's eyes closed to block out the sun's rays and he fell into a restless sleep.