The Love Between Water and Fire

Author's Note: I'm no longer on Hiatus. It was a short break, but I finished all my homework, and now Chapter 18 is up.

Chapter 18 - Zuko's Undying Promise

Zuko woke up this morning, and had found a tray of breakfast on his nightstand. He picked up the card that was on his tray.

"To Zuko, From Mai."

Zuko burned the card into ashes. Mai watched from the door as he burned the card. Zuko ignored the breakfast andgot up, and went over to the balcony to watch the sunrise.

"She's gone." said Zuko. "Why did I have to accept this role as Fire Lord?"

"Because it's your duty." said Mai from behind.

"Stay out of this. This is my problem." said Zuko, as he kept looking toward the horizon.

Mai held Zuko behind the waist and laid her cheek upon his warm back.

"You have no idea how long i've been waiting for this to happen." said Mai.

"What do you mean?" asked Zuko.

"I really like you, a lot." said Mai. "Eversince we were children."

"That's nice." said Zuko. "But, find someone else to love."

Mai held him tighter.

"Why?" asked Mai. "Why can't I love you?"

"I love Katara, and I love our daughter Mei." said Zuko. "They're everything to me, without them, I'll probably die."

"Don't say that. If you die, then I'll die with you." said Mai.

"You do too much." said Zuko.

Mai remained quiet. Zuko took Mai's arms off of him.

"Don't follow me." said Zuko as he headed for the door.

"Wait." said Mai.

Zuko looked back. Mai leaned in to kiss him. Katara was on her way to his room to say good bye. She was holding her necklace, the one that her mother had given her, as she reached the door, she peaked in to see if Zuko was there. Katara's eyes widened, from the unforgivable sight she saw, she clutched the necklace in her hand and walked away with a burdened heart.

"You promised." said Katara, as tears started to form from her eyes.

Zuko pushed Mai away and wiped his lips with his sleeve.

"Do that again, and i'll have your head sliced." said Zuko, and he slammed the door behind him.

Zuko headed for the duck pond and noticed a figure standing at near the water's edge. His heart started to feel warm, and his angry grin turned into a smile.

Katara, who was standing at near the duck pond, took off the ring Zuko had given her. She was about to throw it into the duck pond, until a strong grip stopped her.

"What's this?" asked Zuko, as he grabbed the ring from Katara's hands.

"Keep it, I don't want it." said Katara, and she took her hand away from Zuko's grip.

"Why are you throwing away something that means a lot to the both of us?" asked Zuko.

"Because it means nothing anymore." said Katara, and she started to walk away.

Zuko followed her.

"What do you mean it means nothing?" asked Zuko, as he grabbed her by the hand.

Katara tried to pull her hand out his grip, but after several attempts to break free, she gave up. She stared at the ground, and she began to cry. Zuko let her go, and he placed his arms around her.

"It just doesn't mean anything anymore." said Katara. "We don't mean anything to eachother."

"Of course we do." said Zuko. "Why are you giving up hope in us?"

"You'll never come back." said Katara. "You'll break your promise, and you'll never come back."

"I will come back." said Zuko. "For you and for Mei."

"Liar." said Katara. She walked away from Zuko's embrace.

"Katara come back!" shouted Zuko.

The sound of Zuko's voice made Katara hate him even more, she started to run. Zuko ran after her, but before he could catch up to her, he was stopped by Azula.

"Mai is looking for you." said Azula.

"I don't care about her! I need to go after Katara." said Zuko. "Out of my way Azula."

"Still caring for that water tribe girl?" asked Azula. "Shame. Even though you're Fire Lord, you still put shame upon your nation."

Zuko gritted his teeth, and blasted Azula down with a fire blaze.

"That was uncalled for you cheater!" shouted Azula.

Zuko ran to find Katara, but she was no where insight. He ran to the harbor, and saw a little girl boarding the ship.

"Wait! Stop the ship!" shouted Zuko to the captain.

"What for your highness?" asked the captain.

"I need to speak to someone." said Zuko.

"We can stop it for several minutes." said the captain.

Zuko ran to the ship.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sokka.

"Where's Katara?" asked Zuko.

"She's already on the ship." said Sokka. "She seemed upset. What did you do to her?"

"I don't know." said Zuko. "Mei!"

"Go away!" shouted Mei, as she held onto Aang.

"But Mei-"

"I hate you!" shouted Mei. "You don't love me and mommy anymore."

Zuko walked towards Mei.

"Mei, why would you say that?" asked Zuko.

"I was with mommy at the duck pond before you came. She was crying." said Mei. "She told me that you broke our promise."

"I never did break our promise Mei." said Zuko.

"Go away." said Mei. "I never want to see you again!"

"Zuko, maybe it's best you leave." said Aang. "For Mei's sake."

"But-"

"Just go." said Sokka. "I don't know what you did, but you must've done something. This is the first time i've seen Mei like this."

"The ship will board soon your highness." said the captain.

Zuko got off of the ship. He looked up and saw Katara looking down at him.

"Katara!" shouted Zuko.

Katara gave him an angry look and walked away.

Zuko looked down at the ring and placed it in his pocket.

'It's not over between us Katara' thought Zuko.

Even now I remember The dream I had on the day you left When I reached for your tear-streaked cheek It vanished into the darkness

I suddenly awaken As reality intrudes on my reverie I found you within a crimson-stained man

Because I now understand The meaning of the promise we exchanged I look up at the fleeting shooting star Shining in the distant sky and smile

Whenever my eyes waver, I remember that Though I gazed into your eyes, I was looking from afar

Because I now understand The meaning of the promise we exchanged I look up at the fleeting shooting star Shining in the distant sky and smile

Because I now understand The meaning of the promise we exchanged that day I look up at the fleeting shooting star Shining in the distant sky and smile

End of Chapter 18

Author's Note: Zuko's theme for the ending of Chapter 18, is the English Version of Morning Glow from Final Fantasy X2. I thought it could relate to how Katara and Zuko feel toward eachother, well, accept for the part where it says, "I look up at the fleeting shooting star shining in the distant sky and smile."