AN: Hey guys, thanks to everyone who reviewed, you're such honeybunches. Und now, ze drama.

Chapter Three – The Lake of Lost and Found

Song found him atop one of the rocky hills, itself now an island amongst the roiling mist. Above, the storm tore apart the sky, the clouds hanging and shifting like rank upon rank of air ships, each releasing great salvos of rain. Lightning glowed and shattered overhead, followed by the huge voices of thunder and it was then that she truly feared for him.

Zuko did not give up, not without a fight. She didn't doubt that he would find his own lightning, but she hoped, perhaps a little selfishly that the lightning wouldn't find him.

And there he was, shoulders hunched, as defeated as she had ever seen him (her heart broke a little then), almost curled in upon himself. His clothes and hair were sodden, the rain streaming on his skin.

Some inner part of her knew it was mingled with frustrated tears. She didn't think he could truly shed them for less than that.

He only looked up when she stood over him, one small hand upon his shoulder. The sound of the rain beating upon her improvised umbrella was warm somehow and she mustered a rueful smile for him. His gaze was so terribly bleak…

Carefully, she settled herself beside him, fighting not to let her shivers show.

"Lightning won't come for desire alone," she murmured, taking one of his hands in hers. "We're just going to have to endure for a while." Song let her smile grow and gently squeezed his hand. "But we'll get there…we always do…"

He finally smiled back. She felt warmth gather around them as he fed his inner flame, steaming their clothes dry and warming them in the cool air.

For a long time after that, they huddled together and shared the patterns the sky made above them.

Aneko arrived at work that morning just in time to see Zuko exiting the shop's front door.

"Hey Lee."

Her only answer was a snarl.

Both the girl's eyebrows headed north.

"Aah, you okay?"

More snarling.

"Alrighty then. See you inside?"

A snarl that might have been, 'maybe.'

Aneko wisely left it at that and headed into the shop.

Iroh was there, talking to a well-dressed man and what looked suspiciously like his two bodyguards. Pao was sulking behind the counter while Aneko could see Uri peeping out from the raffia hangings that divided the kitchen from the counter area.

"What's going on?" she whispered to her flatmate.

Uri glanced at her, dark amber eyes huge, before fixing back on Iroh and his guests. "Not too sure – I was in the kitchen when they came in – but I heard some it; this guy, Quon, just offered Mr. Mushi his own teashop, in the Upper Ring. He gets to name it and everything."

Aneko's feet immediately went cold – this couldn't be good. Her feet always reacted like this to bad news.

"Uri," she muttered back. "If Mushi goes, so will Lee, and then you and I will be stuck here. With Pao."

There was a pause.

Then Uri's gaze switched onto her and held.

"I have two words you," the shorter girl said. "Screw. That."

Aneko grinned. "Agreed."

It had been a quiet day.

Shan had sent her home early when Jin had dropped by with news of Iroh's teashop offer. Admittedly, moving to a new apartment in the Upper Ring would make getting down through the City to work a little difficult, but Shan understood what an opportunity this was for her new family and had made noises about making a few small time allowances.

That, and Song was looking forward to having running hot water again. Lower Ring plumbing was no great shakes, especially in the region of bathrooms…

She had just set the last folded jeogori into her packing case, next to the little treasure chest Zuko had retrieved from home for her, when she heard the door in the next room slide open as the self same boy entered their apartment.

"So," Iroh's voice filtered through her bedroom door. "I was thinking about names for my new tea shop. How about the Jasmine Dragon‌? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it."

In her room, Song fought to keep from giggling. But the smile faded at Zuko's response.

"The Avatar's here, in Ba Sing Se." There was the rustle of paper. She marveled silently at the unfamiliar malice in his voice. "And he's lost his bison."

What?

"We have a chance for a new life here."

Oh, Uncle...

"If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us."

Good things… And could that possibly have included her?

"Good things that are happening for you!" He sounded so angry… "Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea‌?"

The tears began, gathering traitorously upon her eyelids, stinging. How she could have possibly missed this, this discontent; how could she have not seen it coming…?

Iroh spoke again, so very earnest. "There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want for your life, and why."

Zuko's reply was low, dangerous, and Song shivered at this somehow new quality in his voice. New, because he had never spoken to her like that. How could this be the same boy who had always been so kind to her?

"I want my destiny."

"What that means is up to you." Uncle was philosophical, but she could hear the warning underneath. "But you might recall how this will affect others; what about Song?"

Her heart caught painfully in her throat.

Zuko, savagely: "What about Song?"

No…how can you not care?

Something broke open in her chest, rending almost gently, softly and without sound. Splitting as helplessly as fruit beneath one of Uri's kitchen knives, like one of Iroh's teacups carelessly dropped or the fallen leaves that gathered in the courtyard crushed underfoot.

Please don't leave again…

I won't. I promise…

It was without thought that she jammed her feet into her shoes, blindly flung back her bedroom door and dashed across the living room.

Stay, stay, stay… I've already lost so many; I won't lose you too… Please stay and I promise I'll do everything I can to put you back together again.

Peripherally, she registered the shock on Iroh's face and the dawning horror on Zuko's.

Are you okay?

In my dream, he killed you…

She slammed open the door to the hallway and was halfway down it before she heard him calling her name.

I know what you've been through. We've all been through it. The Fire Nation has hurt you…

Then she was clattering down the stairs, and nothing else mattered but that she run, run, run…

It's okay. They've hurt me, too…

"I'll kill him."

The savagery in Uri's voice was suspiciously familiar.

Song lay upon Aneko's bed while her friend held one of her hands with her own and combed out Song's long hair with the other in smooth, gentle strokes. It was calming, comforting and very slightly bittersweet; Aneko combed hair just the way Song's mother had.

She hiccupped softly in the aftermath of her sobbing and her eyes felt scratchy, dull as she and Aneko watched Uri pace back and forward across the girls' apartment.

"Somehow," Aneko replied, "I don't think that's a feasible option. Don't get me wrong," she added, as Uri glowered. "I totally share the sentiment, but ripping him into tiny bite-sized pieces and feeding him to Dee-Dee (however satisfying it might be) isn't really going to solve the problem."

"I don't think it's a problem we can solve," Song whispered.

Two pairs of eyes – hazel and amber – gazed at her sadly.

"Oh, bao bei," Aneko said softly.

Song shook her head, scratching her cheek on the bender's skirt. "No. You can't change how a person feels…"

"Maybe," Uri said, peeved. "But you can sure as hell punish betrayal."

"Uri –"

"That's what this is," the little firebender snapped. "Zuko's our friend. We trusted him – and now he's decided he's just going to abandon us (and Iroh!) to follow this will-o-the-wisp, wild hog-monkey chance of capturing the Avatar. The Avatar for crying out loud!" Uri threw up her hands in disgust. "It's ridiculous!"

Aneko sighed. "I hate to be the demon's advocate here –"

Uri growled.

"But while, yeah, it's ridiculous for us, it's not ridiculous to him. He wants to go home, Uri, and he sees capturing the Avatar as the return ticket."

"That's it though!" Their Fire Nation girl shook her head. "This is home now – I'm happy here, why can't he be?"

Aneko's voice was quiet, and very, very sad. Never once did she stop combing Song's hair.

"Because there's a crucial difference between you and Zuko; you ran away, but he was banished. Boiled down, you chose this…"

Aneko squeezed her hand – a silent apology.

"…he didn't."

Song closed her eyes, tears running anew, and began to understand.

It was late when she got home. Uri and Aneko had walked back with her (just in case) and hugged her on the doorstep.

And so, here she was, hesitating on the landing outside the apartment, full up with a better, albeit reluctant understanding of the boy she had lived with for the past three months. Her mother had always said people only change if they want to; you can led an ostrich-horse to water but you can't make him drink. It would have to be up to Zuko to decide where his future lay, and Song would have to make the best of it.

She sighed quietly and was careful to slide back the door with as little noise as possible. Iroh was sleeping – she smiled – she could hear his snores from here. This probably meant Zuko would be too…

Or not.

He stood at the living room window, clad completely in fitting black, his Dao across his shoulders. With his back to her, she could see his fingers working at the final tie of a ceramic oni mask.

Not again…

She remembered nights waiting on tenter-hooks for him to come back; watching full of fear as he put on that mask, believing that she slept as he crept away and back, sacks full of thief-in-the-night treasure left around the campsite. Once, it was a bag full of silks that he laid at her feet…

She padded silently over to him and just as he balanced upon the windowsill, making ready to leap out into the night, she caught his wrist.

He turned his head sharply, relaxing only minutely when he registered it was her.

Song simply gazed back at him, letting her hand slip down into his and running a comforting thumb over his knuckles.

His choice…

"Just promise me you'll be careful," she whispered.

He gave a single sharp nod…and then quite unexpectedly, raised her hand to the face of the mask and gently pressed the backs of her fingers to its grinning, painted mouth. She saw his eyes, glinting, uneven, within the hollow orbits of Blue Spirit.

Both smiled, one unseen, before he let her go and disappeared into the balmy Ba Sing Se dark.

In that same Ba Sing Se dark, the Fox stood, cloak billowing slow and easy in the summer breeze, Noh mask shining like a second captive moon. They stood upon the apex of a neighbouring building, watching silently as the Blue Spirit took off, leaping with enviable grace across the rooftops.

"He's searching for something."

The Fox did not stir, but made a soft affirmative noise in their throat. At their feet, riding low on the apartment building's roof were two men in Dai Li garb, waiting, at attention, ever at the ready.

"Your orders?"

"Follow him, and do not let yourself be seen."

One agent immediately set off after the Blue Spirit, silent as ever.

"As for you," the Fox continued, addressing the remaining man. "Continue your watch detail on the Avatar and his friends."

The hidden mouth behind the lipless shell smiled.

"I have a feeling their paths are about to cross, however small that crossing may be."

It felt spectacularly odd to be at work without Iroh manning the teapots. When customers ordered one of his famous white teas or delightful greens or invigorating blacks…Aneko would have to say with regret, "Mr. Mushi doesn't work here anymore, I'm sorry. Pao is making the tea from now on."

Whereupon she would politely turn her back to give them time to flee with all haste. She didn't blame them.

As the day progressed the customer base got thinner and thinner, and Pao despaired. Aneko stood yawning at the counter. Uri had the oven and steamer down to their lowest ebb without putting out the flame. Both girls were bored out of their collective skulls.

Uri stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Hey."

"Mmm?"

"Now's as good a time as ever, d'ya reckon?"

Aneko scanned the tables. Two cops and a trio of old men playing a rather sad game of Ba Sing Se Hold'Em. Uri was right; now was as good a time as ever.

"Yeah," she said easily. "Alright. Let's do it."

The two girls picked themselves up and dug around in Aneko's bag (with the two of them living a working together it seemed silly to have separate bags – although Aneko always seemed to be the one carrying it…) emerging with two near identical slips of paper. Together they went to find Pao, who had currently abandoned the teapots and was sulking again in his office.

"Mr. Pao?"

Their boss looked up. He looked a little haggard, and Aneko briefly felt sorry for him. Then she thought having to work every day without Zuko and Iroh. Oh hell to the N-O.

For one thing, she would miss them.

And for another, Uri would quickly go stark raving mad.

"Pao," Aneko announced. She'd had a speech planned…but at this point, it seemed somewhat…redundant. "Here," she said instead, putting down her slip on his desk. Uri did the same.

Pao looked at the girls, then at the paper slips. "What are these?"

Uri and Aneko exchanged looks. Uri glowered. Aneko sighed.

"They're resignation letters. We quit."

"Head waitress!" Pao called after them as the girls walked from the shop's front door.

Aneko raised a laconic eyebrow. "I'm the only waitress."

"Head of staff! Assistant Manager! Wait, wait – Senior Assistant Manager!"

Ohh, boy…

Aneko exchanged looks with a disgusted Uri.

"Pao, who would I manage? Uri?"

The shop owner blinked. "…yes?"

"No," Uri overruled disinterestedly, rooting through Aneko's bag. "I'm unmanageable."

Aneko sighed, shooing the little firebender away and digging out the tightly wrapped packet of honey-roasted bamboo shoots she had been after. "Look," she told Pao as she did so. "This isn't personal. Its just business. The money is where Mushi goes and in order to pay our rent, we have to follow the money…"

Uri grinned around a mouthful of shoots. "Yeah, stick-y bid-iss."

Aneko rolled her eyes and dragged the smaller girl away from the pained shop owner standing in his doorway.

"Aneko? Uri? What are you two doing leaving so early?"

It was Song, her satchel upon one shoulder, smiling despite the faint circles under her pretty brown eyes. To her mild surprise both girls cried "Song!" and leapt forward to hug her.

"Um, hello. Nice to see you, too. What's going on?"

"We quit!" Uri cried, executing a neat little pirouette of euphoria. "We quit and we're going to work in the new shop with Gener – Mushi!"

Song was bewildered. "What?"

"Steady on," Aneko added. "We have to ask him first."

Uri laughed and Song smiled again.

"Yeah right," went Uri, sneering good-naturedly. "We'll so get hired. I'm the bakeist and everyone only stuck with Pao before Mushi and Lee showed up because they knew you liked the tips." She slung an arm around Song's shoulders. "'Sides, Song'll put in a good word for us."

"You hardly need one," Song murmured, eyes sparkling with good spirits.

Uri squeed and gave her a squeeze. The three girls linked arms and began strolling.

"So," Aneko began. "Since we're on the subject, why have you finished so early, sweet pea?"

Song sighed, smiling a little sheepishly. "I'd like to say that Master Shan was being charitable and giving me the afternoon because he saw I was feeling…delicate."

Uri grinned. "But?"

"But, his exact words were 'Holy gods and ancestors, girl, if you can't get your act together go home and get some rest!'"

"Yeah, that sounds like Shan."

"So you're going home for the day?" Uri was all big eyes and eagerness. "Will Mushi and Lee be there, d'ya think?"

Song gave a one shouldered shrug. "They weren't when I left this morning. I think they got up early to go begin working on the new shop."

They strolled towards Song's place, chatting as they went about what the new shop could be like, what name Iroh would settle on, what the kitchen would be like, what kind of new staff would be hired…

When Song bid them goodbye she was in far better spirits than she had been last night.

"Think Zooks redeemed himself?" Uri whispered as they headed towards their own apartment.

Aneko held up her crossed fingers. "Here's hoping," she whispered back.

AN2: Review jammy people.