Author's Notes: Last chapter. Yay me. Possible chance of crying. No more comments. I dont like to waste my breath.

Deds: Celtic goddess of fertility, because she's been so nice to me by reviewing all the time!! She makes me feel so good inside...

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, never will, and wont have to remind you for a very long time.

Zuko's shirt was torn, revealing a burn that stretched from his shoulder, across his chest, and all the way down to his hip. I didn't expect him to live from this.

I kneeled down on the ground next to Zuko, and picked up his wrist.

It was cold.

But a faintest, tiny beat unsteadily pulsed.

There was hope pulsing through his veins.

My mind raced. Save them... The problem was, I couldn't. But I had to. Who can save them? There was no one here.

My heat pounded as a life-saving solution dawned on me.

Waterbenders have healing powers. But I had only known one Waterbender in my whole life!

Where was Katara?

I closed my eyes in frantic thought. I checked Zuko's pulse again, but it was slowing.

Water, of course...

A million different choices rushed past me. Take them both to water, and hope to find a Waterbender there! How was I supposed to carry them both?

Take Haka. He was already dead, and even if I did find Katara, there would be slim chances of him being saved. And when I got back, Zuko would be dead.

Take Zuko...

I closed my eyes once more. I walked over to Haka, and lightly kissed him on the cheek for the last time. I wrapped my hand in his, and whispered, "Take care."

I heaved the ex-prince onto my shoulders, and limped out of the forest.

I adjusted Zuko again, and ran faster. Water was only a few yards away, but there were no Waterbenders to be seen. I saw this coming, and yet I was literally carrying a prince on my shoulders.

I had two choices: stop running around with a sprained leg and watch my last connection to the world slowly fade from my grasp, or keep running.

Running sounded good.

I followed the river for ten minutes, adjusting Zuko every two. I reached over my shoulder, and felt his wrist.

Alive. Barely.

I quickened my pace, tears spilling from my stinging eyes. I couldn't tell whether they were from exhaustion or pure anguish, but I didn't care.

I had one thing to do, and I would finish it.

I had to save Zuko.

I continued down the river, wiped the sweat and tears from my face and adjusting Zuko on my shoulders.

More tears spilled from my eyes as I saw a familiar Waterbender practicing her bending a few yards ahead.

This time, tears of joy.

I conjured all my energy I had left to sprint to Katara, and gently laid Zuko down at her feet.

Katara smiled wide, apparently not seeing Zuko, and opened her mouth to say something, but I wouldn't let her. As she was smiling, the life was slowly draining out of Zuko's body.

There was no time for heartfelt hellos.

Katara was my only chance to save one of the last things in my life.

"Save him."

"What?" she shrieked. "This is Zuko! He's been tracking us all over the world, trying to kill me and the Avatar, the world's last hope, and now you want me to save his life?" Her hands moved wildly; she looked a frightening mixture of enragement and confusement.

"Yes."

"No," she stated. "I- I won't save him."

"But you have to!" I pleaded. She was my friend, and friends should help friends in their darkest hour. Or so I thought.

"I don't have to do anything."

"He's dying!" I screamed.

"If he was alive now, I would probably be the one dying."

"You don't understand."

"What is there to understand?"

I love him...

"He's the only thing left in my life. Without him, I have nothing. Without him, I am nothing. Let him die, and I'll die on the inside. He is my everything. Save him."

Katara's face went blank. I hope it was from realization.

And Zuko's chest was still.

"I won't forgive you for making me do this," Katara said as water on her hands began to glow. She placed them over Zuko's chest, and waited for a ten seconds that felt like an eternity.

Zuko gasped for air.

I leaned over him, calming him down. "Run," I whispered to Katara.

"Mika..." I couldn't believe he was alive, and that was all I needed to live.

"I'm here," I cried. "You're Ok." I helped him stand. We were alone together, and I was surrounded with everything I could ever need.

I couldn't describe the joy I felt at that moment with Zuko here beside me. Alive.

But I wouldn't enjoy that wonderful, exquisite feeling. I probably couldn't. Because at that moment, as I saw one last streak of dark blue accompanied by a bright orange dart through the trees, I did something I shouldn't have done.

If Zuko was the last thing in my life, I might as well follow in his footsteps.

I am famous for doing things that I regret in the future.

Maybe it was the chaos of the past few hours. Maybe it was the despair at the loss of my brother. Maybe it was the fear that Azula was out there somewhere, trying to kill me. Maybe it was the joy of seeing the prince resurrected. And maybe I shouldn't have uttered the words,

"I can lead you to the Avatar."

"B-,"

"I can't chase them! Whistle, loud!" I wish I had the ability of whistling, and hope Zuko did.

Zuko let out an earsplitting whistle, and sure enough, the blue stopped in its tracks.

"Follow me," I whispered. "Hide in the bushes. They know me."

I watched Zuko walk to the bushes, while I limped to the path. I could see Katara and the Avatar perfectly.

"Katara!" I yelled.

She ran towards me. "What are you doing? Where's Zuko?"

"H- He ran away. I don't know where he is." I pretended to look innocent, but I had never been guiltier.

Katara aided my in limping toward that kid in orange: The Avatar. And I couldn't help glancing toward my rustling in the bushes.

I walked with them, not bothering to say hello or introduce myself to the oh-so-famous Avatar. I didn't care. All I could do was regret.

Regret.

And regret some more.

I led them to a ruin of a village with collapsed buildings and stores. I walked them to a single white brick wall.

"Where is this?" the Avatar questioned.

"I'm not sure. But we can just stop here and rest for a while." I sat and waited in silence. I couldn't see Zuko anywhere, but I could sense him presence.

So I waited.

Waited for my game of treachery to finally begin.

Fire Lady Mika...

I stared in front of me, too ashamed to look at them.

Ashamed of what I had done. Ashamed of what I was doing. And I wouldn't be ashamed any longer.

"You guys get out of here!" I screamed at them, straight out of the blue. "Zuko will be coming any mi-!"

I was thrown aside by the prince, and had to watch the Avatar and my best friend be tied up and held hostage.

I had led them straight to it.

Neither of the two was able to bend their way out of this one. I had trapped them.

Zuko had a flame to the Avatar's face, while Katara put all of her last will into protecting him. Tears leaked from both of their eyes.

"I'm sorry Katara! I didn't want it to end like this! Please forgive me, please!"

"Why did you do this to us?" Katara panted. "I thought I could trust you!"

"I just- I didn't know what got into me!"

"Do you expect me to forgive you for this?" Katara cried as she strained to keep her arms in front of the Avatar.

"Yes. Because I'll make you."

I turned to Zuko, his eyes still fixed into the Avatar's.

"Zuko, listen to me! I changed my mind! I shouldn't have led you to the Avatar! You don't even need him!" I bellowed. Every expression on Zuko's face read, "What?"

"You're not the prince! Your father isn't even the true Fire Lord! You don't have anything to prove to him!"

He stood in front of two squirming children as his lost expression deepened.

"Sozin! He lied to make himself Fire Lord! Zuko, he killed his own parents! It was his brother who was meant to be put on the throne! My great grandfather was the rightful Fire Lord! And the girl you're looking at right now is the Fire Lady."

Zuko's expression of bewilderment evolved into pure rage and hatred.

"And I order you to not hurt them."

"Oh well," he whispered. "I will bring the Avatar to my father, no matter what you say." My face turned scarlet as the setting sun.

"Then do it for me!" I cried. Zuko did not respond.

"If you want to kill Aang, you'll have to kill me too," Katara stated as she slid her body in front of the Avatar's, her face painted with despair.

"Fine then," Zuko muttered as he stood back, ready to deliver his hardest blow.

"You can't do this to us, Mika!" Katara screamed as she bored into my stinging eyes.

As a streak of white-blue lightning blazed through the sky, both of our hearts stopped beating.

But the difference was, Katara's would never beat again.

"But I can."

My eyes opened wider. No. Gone. Lost. Forever.

Horror erupted inside of me, along with hatred beyond all hatred I've ever known. I couldn't think straight enough to recognize that venomous voice.

I backed away, unable to comprehend everything that had happened in the last few hours. Unable to comprehend that I had just lost everything I had ever known. Again.

Azula pushed Zuko aside, and stepped over Katara's lifeless body. She approached the Avatar, and untied him.

Aang did not bother to fight back. He simply closed his eyes and opened his arms as to say, "I don't care. Kill me."

I couldn't watch the world fall; it would only be one more thing to lose. I sprinted up a hill, forgetting to wipe my eyes of the tears. I pushed the few leaves in front of me out of my way.

I limped as fast as I possibly could up the cliff, the grass and trees turning into dirt and rocks.

As the grass disappeared and crumbling rocks took their place, I stopped. The treacherous cliff didn't threaten me. I simply stared over the edge of the cliff side into the water. I had nothing to lose! Who was there to miss me? I couldn't hurt this much, it was unbearable. I gave a cold, broken laugh out of pure defeat. How hard was it to cut in Death's line, unable to wait any longer? It wasn't difficult, I had seen it been done before.

"Dad? Dad! Wake up!" I shake him madly but his eyes are still closed. I peer over to his bleeding hand. His wrist is cut in a diagonal line. A few feet away is a dagger covered in crimson blood. No.

There was nothing stopping me from simply falling a hundred feet over the edge, and merely crashing into deadly boulders below.

I cry over his lifeless body, thrashing up the papers of good-bye. I shake him again, but he will not wake. I pick up one of the still whole papers, and force myself to read it.

I brought myself to the very edge.

'To My Beloved Wife,

I am terribly sorry. At the loss of my first son, and the disappearance of my only daughter, my only wills to live are extinguished. I cannot take the sorrow anymore.'

It's my fault! I think. If I hadn't run away, I might've still had a father... I throw the dagger across the room and grieve once more over his body.

The freezing winds spread the tears on my face, and with closed eyes and a pounding heart, I let my nerves go. I fell forward with no restrain.

I fell for an eternity through icy winds, the breezes whipping me in punishment for committing this sin.

I didn't open my eyes to look at the deathly rocks hiding in the water.

I felt water rush in on all sides of me, stinging my skin.

My body went into shock. In instinct, I waved my arms in panic, but not for long. My body went absolutely numb; all feeling was gone. I couldn't feel consciousness. I breathed in the salty water, and the world became dark.

-Fifteen minutes before-

(Zuko's POV)

"Azula! No!" I screamed. I had to bring the Avatar to my father, alive.

You don't have anything to prove to him...

"Why not? Can't you see he doesn't want to live? Let's do him a favor."

"No," I growled.

The Avatar fell to his knees, and whispered a single word. "Please."

You don't even need him...

"Azula, he's the world's last hope for peace, the last hope for balance. You don't have to kill him!"

"It would please Daddy, wouldn't it?"

I was at a loss for words, but not for the reasons you would expect.

Azula formed lightning on her fingertips, and pointed them at the Avatar's back.

I created a wave of fire, and sent it at her when she least expected it. She fell and skidded a few yards. She did not rise.
I stood over her, and gave her my full blow.

She did not move again.

"Get out of here, now! Even if you think you've lost it all, you haven't! There are always things that drive you to live, even if you don't know it yet. You have to save the world. Get out!"

The Avatar rose to his feet, and bowed slightly. "Thank you," he muttered before running off.

The Avatar was taken care of. But there was someone even more important on my mind.

Mika was gone. And I had to find her.

I ran up the same hill that Mika had run. I followed the path, and hoped that it would lead me somewhere. Anywhere.

I stumbled over a stone, falling face-first into the mud. I spit the dirt out of my mouth and kept running.

After several more minutes' running, the grass faded into dirt and rock. I walked on the dry, dead ground, and came to a cliff. This girl had no limits. She could, and would do anything.

I called her name in pure panic.

No answer.

I tried not to trust my own thoughts, but I looked over the edge.

Rings had formed in the water.

So I dived in after her.

I tried my best to dive where there weren't rocks to rip me open.

My body stung as it hit the water. It was almost enough to knock me out, but I couldn't let go now. Not when I had seen her.

Mika was there, floating down, down into the darkest depths. I gathered enough energy to dive again, though my muscles were tensing up. I knew I was just a few minutes from faint, but I reached an arm out to her...

I grasped her hand and swam as fast as possible, but barely fast enough.

I gasped for air, finally at the surface.

She was here.

I swam toward the shore, Mika in one arm. I struggled and groaned, but we made it to the sand.

Alive.

I lay her down on her back. I felt her neck; there was nothing. "No," I whispered. She, her, dead...

I pounded on her chest, my own beating furiously. I had learned some CPR a long time ago, and strained to remember it.

I checked her again: even less of a beat. I struggled and strained to remember the other thing. Pump their heart; every 5 seconds blew air into their mouth.

A kiss.

I checked Mika's pulse once more. I could barely feel anything.

I leaned down, and blew into her mouth.

I pumped her chest. "One...two...three...four..."

I leaned in again.

Head light, body freezing, I felt her neck. It was beating faster.

One last time, I leaned in over her...

She opened her eyes and coughed up water. "Z-Z- Zuko..."

"Yeah," I watched her cry as tears forced their way through mine. I wrapped my arms around her and sat her up.

She was alive.

Her head rested on my shoulders, and her body wrapped around me.

"Don't leave me," she cried. "I- I love you, Zuko," she muttered, her arms wrapping tighter around me. My heart swelled with joy at the words.

I rested my lips on her cheek as she fall asleep right there on my shoulder.

This was a feeling I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. The warmth of Mika's love was enough to warm my freezing body.

Still holding her, I whispered my true feelings, the ones that I had felt ever since the beginning, though I never showed them to her.

"I love you too."

(Mika's POV)

Zuko lay awake, a smile instantly tugging at his lips as I opened my eyes. "Good morning," he whispered, tenderly kissing me on the lips.

"You too," I replied.

He placed his hand in mine, as we stood. The tangerine sky and the violet waves said their good morning by lapping at our feet.

"Walk with me," I said.

"Sure."

We lined the beach, the cliff-side on our left.

"It's amazing how stupid I was, Zuko," I said, "when I thought I had nothing. I thought I had lost everything, but I forgot to see that man standing in front of me." I caressed his scar and wiped the hair out of my face.

"Sometimes I feel that way, like the entire world is against me. But I know that if we just look deeper, you'll find that there are people on your side," Zuko added. He looked into my eyes, while I searched into his.

We smiled.

"Tell me, Zuko," I said. "Did you ever want to be a prince?"

"I'm not sure. But I know that if I hadn't been, I would've been different. It doesn't matter though. That was the past. And we have the entire future to play with." I giggled.

"Yeah."

I felt his hand once more. He faced me, and wrapped his arm round my waist. He leaned in, and kissed me. There was truth, even in his kiss.

"I love you," Zuko said to me.

"Same here."

"How did you get so beautiful?" Zuko questioned, looking into my eyes. He ran his fingers through my hair and down my neck.

"I guess it runs in our nation." I pecked him on his pale pink lips, and he put his hand into mine. "How do make me love you like this?"

"Do I have to answer?" His wry smile brightened my heart. "I just...do. I don't resist it."

"You shouldn't," I said softly. "Thanks for completing me, Zuko."

"I should be thanking you." He leaned in to kiss me, and rested his hands on my waist. "I love you."

It was hard to believe that I was standing next to one man that held everything I could ever need from life.

I had someone to tell my every secret.

I had someone to fill my every need.

I had someone to cry my burning tears.