Jay POV

My body's exhausted. I can hardly move. What happened again?...Oh yea... Laogai...Jet...

I open my eyes sitting up, "Zuko." I was in a room I didn't recognize. I kept myself on high alert because I didn't know who moved me after I blacked out. I felt footsteps approaching my door, but it was too difficult to tell who it was. I jumped out of my bed and hid next to the door in case I had to make a run for it. The footsteps stopped in front of the room I was in, and the person opened the door quietly. Wait a second. I know that heartbeat. "ZUKO!" I jumped out from behind the door and tackled him to the ground.

"Ow! JJ you're squishing me!"

"Sorry Sorry! I don't know where I am, and I thought I was kidnapped."

"Pssh. Who in their right mind would want to kidnap you?"

"Hey" I punched his arm. "I happen to be desired by men AND women across the land."

"You wish. Anyway, how're you feeling?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm fine I guess. My body aches a little but other than that fine." Zuko looks down and closes his eyes as if thinking about how to relay something to me. "Zuko, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Nothing really. I was just wondering how you found me. I mean I understand how Uncle knew where I was, but you left."

"Well yea. I was... I was with the avatar helping find his flying bison, and I happened to find you along the way." I left out the fact that Jet died and that it was my fault. I didn't want to talk about it.

"You're leaving something out. Tell me."

I tried changing the subject. "It's no big deal. Where are we anyway? Where's Iroh?"

"We moved after you left cause Uncle got his own tea shop. He's out working right now."

"That's great! We should go help him."

"Yea sure, but first you're going to tell me what you're hiding."

"Zuko, I really don't want to talk about it." My voice cracked a little trying to hold back tears.

"Jay."

"Fine. Before I found you guys, the leader of the Dai Lee attacked and separated Jet, the avatar, and me from everyone else."

"Why were you with that psycho?!"

"He wasn't psychotic! Now do you want to hear what happened or not?!" He shut his mouth. "Now if I may continue. Apparently at Lake Laogai, the Dai Lee hypnotize people, Jet was under the leader's control. When Aang and I snapped him out of it, he... it was my fault... his ribs were crushed by a rock the leader threw at him." I bit my lip to keep from crying. He put his hand over mine.

"It wasn't your fault." I take my hand out from under him.

"None of this means I forgot what happened Zuko. I'm still upset with you." Jeez I'm a hardass. He began to protest but his expression hardened.

"You know what? Fine! You want an explanation? Here it is!" His intensity surprised me, so I shut up. "I'm pretty dense when it comes to those who love me. My dad never gave me any attention. My sister's crazy. Not to mention, my mom has been missing for years." I didn't know about his mom. "So excuse me if I don't understand the feelings you have for me!"

I was frozen in place. How do I respond to that? Wait, how could he have not known! We KISSED! "What do you mean you don't understand!? We kissed Zuko! How was that not clear!? I've risked my life so many times for you even though every fiber in my being tells me what I'm doing is wrong! For Koh's sake I should be killing fire nation soldiers and the royal family right now, but I'm not!" I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Yelling isn't going to help my situation. "I'm here with you and Iroh, and I haven't run away yet because I know something's different. You're different."

"Yea. Different. "

"You look more pale than usual Zuko." I put my hand on his forehead. He's burning up. "I'm going to go make that tea, k? You just lay down."

"I'm fi-"

"Shut up and lay down hothead." He glared at me, and I smiled back. "Hey I wouldn't say it if you did what I told you to." He complied, grumbling as he got comfortable. I bended a rock levitating above his entire body. "I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that."

"Nothing. Nothing."

"Good that's what I thought."

I went out the door closing it behind me. He can be so stupid sometimes. I placed the pot on the burner and used my fire to light it. I'm never going to get used to that, but it's getting easier to control. I made Iroh's special jasmine tea and put cups on a tray taking it back into the room.

What happened next, I wasn't prepared for. I dropped the tray shattering the china cutting my feet. I hardly noticed though. Next thing I know, I'm running around looking for the tea shop he told me about.

Where is it?! I don't even know its name!

I stopped my running and felt the ground.

Cmon! Where are you!

My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't distinguish individual people. Everyone was melting together.

Breathe Jay. Freaking breathe.

I slowed my heart almost to a stop and searched for the beat I recognized as family.

There.

I chased the steady beat to a shop labeled 'The Jasmine Dragon'.

Of course he would.

I ran inside shouting for Iroh. He soon came out from the kitchen eyes big. Everyone was staring at me like I lost my mind. "It's-"

"Lee. I know." Lee? Oh yea.

"Something bad happened. You have to come help me Uncle." He followed me out the door, and we hurried over to the flat. I led him over to the room careful avoiding stepping on the broken china. Iroh kneeled next to Zuko placing his hand on his forehead.

"This isn't good Little Jay."

"What's wrong with him?"

"Well he's at war with himself. His desire for his father's approval and pressure he places upon himself to be good are fighting against each other. His fate is changing because he's finally taking control."

"What can we do?"

"We can't do anything. If you really want to help, try keeping his temperature down." He got up to clean up the mess and make more tea. I got up and filled a bucket with cold water grabbing a wash cloth. I dipped it in the water and placed it on his forehead. Please be ok.

I don't know when it happened, but I fell asleep. I was wakened up by Zuko pushing my arm. "Hmmm?"

"Hey stupid."

"What?" I sat up noticing that I fell asleep on his lap. I jumped back a little blushing fiercely.

"What's with the face?"

"Nothing Nothing!" I hid my face behind my black curls. Before I could embarrass myself further, I got up and grabbed the now lukewarm bucket of water. I went to the bathroom to dump it out when Zuko put his arms around me.

"Where are you going?"

"Whaadya mean? I'm just dumping out this water." What is he doing?!

"Why are you running away from me?"

"I'm not."

"Then why won't you look at me?" I turn my head so he can't see my face.

"Cause..."

"Yea?" My eyes begin glowing again. Oh Koh please no. Don't do this to me. He reaches his hand through my jungle of curls and grabs my chin slowly turning it towards him. "Look at me JJ." I couldn't stop him. My skin started burning. My black curly hair slipped away from my face. Please. And then it happened.