Before you read this chapter, you may want to read another fanfiction of mine ("If I Could Have You Back") because it gives some information having to do with this chapter's storyline. In "If I Could Have You Back", Jin returns to the Fire Nation shortly after peace has been returned to the four nations. She and Zuko talk, share a kiss. Jin tells him that she knows about Mai, and then she leaves.

An Old Friend

Zuko walked down the path in the forest. The smell of ash filled his nostrils, soothing him during his quiet vigil. Finally he spots the source of the pleasant aroma: a crackling fire at the edge of a cliff. There's a figure sitting in front of the fire, its arms outstretched towards its warmth, its security. Zuko found himself drawn to the familiar scent, the feeling of protection and comfort it promised. As he approached the figure, he noticed that it wore a crimson cloak, reminiscent of his own; Zuko looked down at his chest, partially exposed beneath the thin fabric, and stopped slowly in his tracks, realizing that somehow, he and the person near the fire were connected.

The figure's head turned slightly in Zuko's direction as a twig snapped beneath Zuko's bare foot. Zuko felt warm blood trickle from the spot where the twig's sharp edge dug into the sole of his foot and winced at the pain.

"Hurt?" an unrecognizable voice, coming from the figure's direction, asked.

Zuko ignored the question and demanded, "Who are you?" His own voice sounded raspy and strange in the cold night air.

He watched as the figure stood up and doused the fire with a vase of water. Now only the soft light of the moon allowed Zuko to look at its face, but the features were indistinct and blurred. Suddenly the figure's pace quickened, until they shoved Zuko to the ground furiously.

"Who are you?" Zuko repeated.

But suddenly the cold, dark forest disappeared, revealing his bedroom. The forest, the figure, and the twig that had pierced his foot, have all vanished.

"Get up, sleepy head!" Aang's voice ringed in Zuko's ears, causing him to put a pillow over his head to drown out the noise.

"Are you okay?" Katara's voice sounded muffled.

"Fine," Zuko moaned.

"Maybe we should just leave him alone, Aang," Katara whispered.

"I'll be out for breakfast in a few minutes," Zuko found himself saying, regretful to fall back asleep and find out the ending of the nightmare.

"We're going to The Jasmine Dragon. We're going to fly there on Appa," Aang explained, slightly lifting the pillow off of Zuko's head and peering through to see Zuko's eyes. "You don't look so good…"

"I'll be there soon."

"Okay…" Aang replied slowly, and Zuko listened as the door slammed shut behind them. He stood up and stretched his arms out, and then heard a small knock on his door, which swung it open to reveal a bored-looking Mai and an energetic Ty Lee, who was donned in her Kyoshi warrior uniform.

"Ty Lee," Zuko sighed, looking just as excited as Mai was to see their friend.

"The Kyoshi warriors are in town," she grumbled.

"Oh my gosh, it's so good to see you, Zuko!" Ty Lee exclaimed, suffocating Zuko in a tight, long hug. Mai grimaced at them, and Zuko gave her a quizzical look. "You have no idea how much I've missed you guys! Especially you, Zuko," she added quietly in his ear. She proceeded to give him a big kiss on the cheek, making Zuko blush slightly.

"Ty Lee," Mai said, sounding annoyed. "I think I heard someone call your name."

Ty Lee looked at Mai, then back at Zuko, and turned towards the door. "I didn't hear anything."

"Why don't you just go check? And make sure everyone's ready to fly over to Ba Sing Se."

"Okay…" Ty Lee walked out of the door, reluctant to leave Zuko's side. He blinked after her a few times and shrugged.

"You know, you didn't have to do that."

"You wanted her around?" Mai snapped, closing the door to Zuko's room. He paused slightly, staring at the crimson cloak—the same one from his nightmare—and then slipped it on. "She doesn't bother you?"

"She does. Trust me," he chuckled, "but you two are best friends."

"Yeah, well you don't see me going around and flirting with all the guys that she's involved with."

"She wasn't flirting with me."

"Please," Mai rolled her eyes.

"She's never shown interest in me before."

"She has. You just act like it's nothing."

"It is nothing. It's not like anything would ever happen."

"Whatever," Mai groaned, and Zuko decided to drop the subject and started to fill a bag for his journey.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going on a trip," he answered. She shook her head.

"A trip? Where?"

"The Earth Kingdom."

"You wouldn't need all of that for one day in Ba Sing Se," she ventured, but he didn't respond. "Zuko," she said, grabbing his arm to make him look up at her. "Tell me what's going on."

"I'm going to find my mother."

"That's great," she smiled slightly, taking his hand in hers. He pulled away and continued filling his bag up with necessities. "You're not going alone?"

"Why wouldn't I go alone?"

"I'll go with you," Mai offered.

"To get out of hanging out with your best friend?" Zuko frowned. "Not a chance."

"It's not just for that—though that is a plus."

"It could be dangerous. I don't know what I'm going to find… where I'm going to find her… I have to do this by myself."

"I can fight, you know," she murmured, running a finger across one of Zuko's twin swords. He grabbed them, stuffed them in their sheath, and then put them on his belt.

"Forget it. I'm not letting you get involved."

"Then take Sokka, or Aang."

"I can't—"

Mai put her arms around Zuko's neck from behind and sighed. "Fine."

"Fine?" Zuko asked, seeming surprised.

"You need this," she shrugged. "I get that."

"That's it?"

"What do you want me to say?" Mai frowned.

"I don't know—I thought you'd be more…"

"What? Upset?"

Zuko made a face. "Concerned."

"Why? You're going to do whatever you want, regardless of what I say."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I don't know. It shouldn't be like that. We should be able to talk about stuff."

She kissed him lightly and took a step back, dragging him with her towards the door. "I am all for you going. This is something you need to do, now that the war is finally over."

"You're really okay—?"

"Time to go!" Ty Lee exclaimed from the other side of the door.

Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki all climbed off of Appa's back and onto the ground, then walked into the Jasmine Dragon.

"Uncle," Zuko called, waving at Iroh, who was calmly brewing a pot of jasmine tea. The fire burning in the fireplace reminded Zuko of the nightmare, of why he'd come to speak to his uncle in the first place. Zuko cringed at the sight of the flames and the light they made, which danced on the walls opposite the fireplace. Iroh noticed his nephew's discomfort at once and quickly poured the tea.

"You all came at the perfect time."

"Anything new on the menu?" Sokka asked, watching a plate of fish with noodles pass by on a waitress's platter.

"You're drooling," Katara rolled her eyes as Suki walked the entranced Sokka to their usual table, followed by Toph, Aang, Ty Lee, and Mai. Katara paused, seeing the serious expression on Iroh's face, but turned and went to sit at the table to give the two men some privacy.

"I visited my father."

"About Ursa," Iroh guessed, and Zuko nodded. "Where is she?"

"He doesn't know." Iroh snorted. "Jet is still alive, though, and he stole something of hers. If I get the thing he stole and bring it to June, she can help me find my mother."

"How will you find Jet?"

"Azula put Jet away in a prison here in the Earth Kingdom somewhere during the war."

Iroh frowned. "He could be anywhere, now that the war's over…"

"My father seems to think that Jet is still there. I have to try to find him. The Earth Kingdom is crawling with those Freedom Fighters—they probably know where he is. I'll find them, and they'll take me to him, and then I'll be able to continue my quest." Zuko paused, spotting a man with a crimson cloak, identical to his own. The memories of that nightmare flooded back into his mind—what had it meant? Was this the man who had been sitting near the fire?

"Something else is bothering you," Iroh noted.

"Do you know that man?" Zuko gestured to the cloaked man, who had taken a seat near the table where his friends were seated.

"No. I haven't seen him here before."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the cloaked man, who turned and glared at Zuko. The man has straggly gray hairs, barely visible under the hood of his cloak. Zuko noticed the man's wealth of wrinkles, and tried to remember anything distinguishable about the figure in his nightmare, other than the crimson cloak. Then, Zuko heard him order some tea from a waiter, and somehow, he knew that the voice was different from the voice in his nightmare—

So who was the hooded figure from the nightmare?

"I—" Zuko paused and scratched his head.

"What is troubling you?"

"A nightmare I had… do you think I should, I don't know, look into it? What should I do, Uncle?"

"You are your own man, Zuko. You can make your own decisions. You don't need my guidance anymore."

Suddenly, Iroh spotted someone behind Zuko, and gave his nephew a slight nudge and a wink. "Remember that pretty girl who you went on a date with?"

"Excuse me—" someone's sweet voice rang in Zuko's ears as a finger poked his shoulder. He spun around to see Jin, who must have just walked into the tea shop.

"Zuko," Jin smiled warmly. "It's so good to see you again."

"Jin," Zuko whispered, recalling that night she'd come to the Fire Nation, only a week before, not long after he'd met with his father in the prison cell. "I…"

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to say anything," she sighed. "I understand what you have with… her," she gave Mai a sideways glance.

"You should've stayed in the Fire Nation longer. We could've… talked more," Zuko ventured, biting his lip—what was he thinking? Mai was in the room—and if she found out about that kiss, she'd never forgive him. It's not like she trusted him anyway, if the whole deal with Ty Lee was any indication.

"We're talking now," Jin offered.

"Yeah," Zuko breathed, feeling a strange wave of anxiety pass over him.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Jin brightened up. "I'm seeing someone."

"Oh, yeah?"

"He's great. He reminds me of you…" she laughed reminiscently.

"Maybe I could meet him," Zuko shrugged, suddenly feeling a presence behind him.

"I don't mean to break this up, but—you have got to try this soup your uncle made!" Sokka exclaimed as he chewed a mouthful of clam. "Oh, who's this?" Sokka raised his eyebrows. Zuko saw Mai and Ty Lee both looking over at the three of them and he frowned.

"An old friend," Zuko explained, eyeing Jin, who shook Sokka's hand and beamed at him.

"It's nice to meet you. I don't know if I've ever met any of Zuko's friends."

"Well, then let me introduce you," Sokka offered, putting his arm around her. Suki's evil-eye darted their way, but Jin seemed unfazed, and Sokka didn't seem to notice. "Well, I'm Sokka, and that's Suki, Katara, Aang, Toph, Ty Lee, and Mai—"

"Zuko's girlfriend," Mai cut him off. "How do you two know each other?"

Jin took a seat beside Sokka's and smiled, despite Mai's condescending scowl. "Well—"

"We met when Uncle and I first opened up the Jasmine Dragon," Zuko interrupted, hoping Jin wouldn't mention their date.

"Yes," Jin nodded, seeming to read Zuko's mind. "You know, I really should be going. I promised my parents that I would go buy us something to make for dinner." Jin stood up to go, and Zuko followed her to the door.

"We should hang out," he told her. "Really."

"Is that such a good idea?" Jin laughed uncomfortably. "Your girlfriend doesn't seem to like me very much."

"She's like that with everyone," Zuko shrugged, and they both laughed.

"I've missed your sense of humor," she smiled.

"I'm planning on staying in town for a little while."

"Are you?"

He nodded. "I have some business to take care of."

"Ah, some high-and-mighty Firelord duties, I presume?"

"Something like that."

"And will Mai be with you?"

"No. It's… she can't."

"Can't?" Jin frowned. "Or won't?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess I just never understood why you would like someone like her."

Zuko sighed. "It's hard to explain."

"It's not that I'm not happy for you," Jin quickly added. "I just… I want you to be happy."

"Thanks," Zuko grinned as she squeezed his hand.

"I'll be here tomorrow morning then," she promised, kissing his cheek lightly before walking out the door. Zuko spun around to a glowering Mai and a confused, but pleased, Iroh.

Mai stomped over to him and pointed a finger at his chest.

"Who was that?" she practically shrieked.

"At least now I can get an ounce of emotion out of you."

"What's that supposed to mean? And who was that little—"

"Don't," he held up a hand. "I went on a date with her once, a long time ago."

"I swear, Zuko, if it was while we were dating—"

"It wasn't," he shook his head. "I don't want to talk about this right now. I have some things to take care of." He started towards the door, but Katara rushed towards him and grabbed his arm.

"Do you need help?"

Zuko's brow furrowed. "You told them?" he demanded, glaring at Mai.

"It's a good thing she did. How could you possibly think it would be a good idea to do this alone?"

"Yeah, Zuko. You went on adventures with all of us—" Sokka started, but Toph cut him off.

"Not all of us."

"Adventures?" Ty Lee chirped.

Zuko frowned at all of them, then turned to Katara. "Thank you, but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, Zuko?" Aang asked quietly. Zuko eyed Mai, but she turned away stiffly.

"I am. I'll see you all soon."

Everyone but Mai nodded, and Zuko hugged each one of them—though Ty Lee seemed to hold on for a little bit too long—and then Iroh approached him.

"Some oolong tea leaves for your long journey," he said, handing him the leaves. "Your destiny is to find her, and bring her home, Zuko. Be safe on the long road ahead; you never know what lies in your path, but always know that when you reach the path's end, you will be home again."

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko nodded, and they hugged one another for a long time before Zuko turned and began his journey.