More writing : ) I love that so many people are adding this story to their favorites! I'm so honored! : ) Really, it makes me so happy- so please, comment and what not : D I love to hear from you! Onward we go though!

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"It burns!"

The doctor leaned in, looking at her arm more closely while Felice squirmed. "I know it hurts, but if I don't treat the cut, you'll get an infection," He paused, raising an eyebrow and looking meaningfully at the little girl. "You don't want that, now do you?"

Feclice, scowled at the doctor, but sat still on the large and tall table, opting instead for pouting.

The doctor gave her a smile and nodded, turning to the deep cut in her upper arm again. "That's a good girl," he said, although his attention was focused primarily on the injury.

With a click of his tongue, he stepped away, reaching into a cabinet for a bundle of bandages. "It's not to bad," he said reassuringly. He searched through the cabinet again, taking out some string and a needle. "I'll just stitch it up and it'll be as good as new,"

Felice froze, her eyes wide. "Stitch…it up….?" she asked.

It was a bitter sweet moment, the doctor thought to himself. A little girl, a beautiful little eight year old girl, not afraid of training with adult men who carried swords, but terrified of needles.

"It will take but a second," he smiled at her, then turned as the door opened.

"Uncle, I've got the supplies you needed- Oh!" A young boy, perhaps a year or two older than Felice, stopped, his eyes wide. "I didn't know you had a patient in here,"

The doctor smiled and chuckled a little. "No, actually, Aiden, you've come at just the right moment." He motioned for the young boy to come forward. "Come, talk to my friend Felice here while I stitch her up,"

Interest peaked in Aiden's eyes and he put the supplies he was carrying down on a chair. He was just tall enough to see over the table and get a look at Felice's arm.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "What a cut!"

Felice frowned at the boy, looking down at him. "Who are you?" she asked. "I've never seen you around here before, do you live here?"

For a moment, she saw a glimmer of hurt flash through the boy's eyes and the doctor coughed softly. "Aiden here," he said, "is my nephew. His parents died last week and he is in my care now,"

Felice just stared at the boy, unsure of what to say. They had died? She wasn't quite sure what that meant. Her thoughts were interrupted as the doctor pulled the needle through her arm. Wincing, Aiden let out a quiet chuckle.

"Aw, come on, it can't be that bad," he said, poking her knee.

Felice glared at him. "Says you," she murmured, and he stuck his tongue out at her, crossing his eyes. Felice bit her lip hard, trying not to laugh.

Aiden grinned widely. "Almost got you," he said, waving a finger at her. "You'll see. Give me a week and I'll have you rolling around on the floor in fits of laughter,"

Felice rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah right…"

Aiden held up his hands, "It's true! I'm very funny!" He paused, then glanced up at the doctor. "Right, Uncle?"

The doctor laughed. "Yes, Aiden, you're very funny," With a smile, he wrapped a bandage around Felice's arm and then patted it. "You're all done,"

Felice blinked, looking down at her arm. "Already? But I didn't feel a thing!" She smiled at the doctor, who then helped her down off the table.

Giving her arm a stretch, Felice started for the door. "Hey!" She turned around, startled at the sound of the boy's voice.

He was staring at her, his expression vulnerable. "There's not a lot of kids here…I haven't seen one except for you… If I see you around…do you…will you…want to play with me?" He finished quickly. "I've got lots of cool toys, I promise you can play with them all!"

Felice stared at the boy, her eyes wide. She had never…played before, not with another child. She had been by herself. She had trained. No one had ever looked at her the way this young boy was right now- like he needed her.

"I'll play with you," Felice whispered, turning around quickly and leaving the room when she felt something burning in her eyes. Tears. She was about to cry?

Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Felice stared at her hands. She didn't quite understand what it was that her hands were capable of, but she knew it wasn't good. She knew that she hurt people.

But right then and there, she decided she would never hurt Aiden. Never.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Years passed by at the metal fortress, and yet, like metal, they did not change. People came and went but their faces all blended together. Eight years had gone by, and a general had become an admiral. The walls of the metal fortress were filled with more and more important people and the admiral spent more time out at sea with his servants.

And a young girl, in the time of eight years, slowly became a woman. Her hair fell to her waist, still managing to fall over her one eye, hiding it's scar from the world. Her figure had become fuller, curves more evident in places they had never been before. To anyone who did not know her or the things that she had done, she was beautiful.

She strode into the large chamber hall with a confidence that she had not had in her younger years. Her head was held up high and this time, instead of looking at her with grins, people moved out of her way. They feared her and the stories that surrounded her.

Coming to the desk and the man who sat behind it, Felice got to her knees. "You called, master?" she said, staring down at the floor.

Zhao nodded, motioning for the men standing around him to leave. "I did. I wanted to tell you, apprentice, that my plan will soon be put into action,"

Felice looked up slowly, nodding gravely. "I understand. You wish for me to assist. I will burn what you please,"

Zhao let out a short laugh. "I'm not quite sure what part you will play in this, yet, but you will play an important role…"

Felice nodded, standing when he waved a hand for her to do so. "Do you wish me to train harder to prepare myself?" she asked, her expression stoic.

Zhao regarded her carefully. "I suppose so. As for now, go pack your things. You may train on the ship as we sail. For now, simply get ready for departure."

Felice bowed at the waist, looking at Zhao with admiration. "Of course," With that, she backed up a little and turned, heading out of the room.

As she walked, she kept her shoulders straight, but the further she got away from that room, the more her stance relaxed until finally, she simply strolled along to her room.

Suddenly, from a corner, a hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and pulling her sideways. Wise enough not to make a sound, Felice went with the pull, her eyes wide with shock; shock that did not recede even when she felt lips against her own.

But after a moment, the shock turned into a soft chuckle and she pushed the figure away gently. "Aiden…" she whispered. "You're foolish,"

Aiden smiled at her, and what a smile it was. The years had turned him from a long limbed, straw of a boy into…well, a man. He held onto her waist with strong hands and she pushed a strand of caramel colored hair from his eyes. "I'm in love," he whispered, shaking his head at her. "That's not foolish,"

Felice rolled her eyes at him. "It's the most foolish thing in the world,"

Aiden's look was serious as he spoke to her. "Not with you. Never with you,"

He leaned forward, pressing another kiss to her lips and after a moment, Felice relented, her own lips moving softly against his own. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the woman he loved- he was only eighteen and yet he knew it. She was two years younger than him but already her mind was mature. She wasn't like the girls he met in town; she was different. Sure, he heard stories about her, terrible stories that made the hairs on his arms stand up on end, but he didn't believe them. They weren't true.

"I'm in love with a fool…" Felice laughed softly against his lips. She felt Aiden smile.

"As long," he whispered. "as I am your fool,"

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"You did beautifully," Zuko whispered, kissing Kaori on the forehead. She was so tired, her skin pale, and yet she smiled widely as she held her new baby close to her. The baby girl in her arms let out a soft gurgle, her eyes still closed.

"I'm not sure why," the doctor had explained earlier, "She has not opened them yet. It is not normal,"

But Kaori had looked him straight on and told him flatly, "She'll open them when she's ready,"

The doctor had said no more.

Now, the door flew open and a young boy, ten years old, bounded into the room. Aliruko followed behind him, breathing heavily.

"I tried…to stop him…" she wheezed, grabbing her side and Kaori laughed.

"It's alright, Aliruko," Zuko said, smiling at his son.

"I want to see her!" the young boy exclaimed, trying to climb onto the bed, but Zuko grabbed him quickly, setting him back down on the floor so he would not jostle Kaori.

Laughing, Kaori lifted up the baby in her arms so that her son could see. "What do you think, Heero?" she asked, her smile wide. "Isn't she perfect?"

The young boy, Heero, stared at the baby with his golden eyes for a long moment. Then he wrinkled up his nose and frowned. "She's red," he stated. "And pruny looking,"

Kaori laughed and Zuko rolled his eyes at this statement. "She's just been born, silly!" Kaori exclaimed. "She'll look more like the babies you see in town soon,"

"But her eyes aren't even open yet!" Heero pointed out.

"She'll open them in her own time," Kaori said, glancing at Zuko, who nodded in agreement.

Zuko reached down, picking up Heero, who had been struggling to see the baby. "Well, what's her name?" Heero asked, scowling down at the newborn.

Kaori glanced up at Zuko. "You choose," he said with a smile and Kaori looked at the girl thoughtfully.

"Jin…Jin-Swe," she said at last, smiling. "Do you like your name, little baby?" she cooed and Heero made a gagging noise.

"She did the same thing with you," Zuko whispered to Heero, nodding seriously.

"I'm lucky I turned out okay…" Heero muttered to Zuko, grimacing at the sight of his mother gushing over the baby.

Chuckling, Zuko reached down, taking Kaori's free hand in his. He smiled down at her as she held the newly arrived Jin in her arms. The four of them, they were a family. Nothing would ever tear them apart. Not time, not anyone.

At least, that's what they thought.