Zuko shivered violently as Katara and Smellerbee carried him into Jet's apartment, "I'll start trying to heal him." Katara said, "Hopefully my healing will be able to stop the fever."

Zuko started mumble something, making both Katara and Smellerbee lean in to listen.

"…Jin…" he said softly.

"Who's Jin?" Smellerbee asked.

"I…I think it's the girl he's been with this past month…do you think you could go find her? He might not survive the night."

Smellerbee nodded, running out.

Katara looked down at Zuko, "I hope you don't hurt that girl." She muttered, "Because if you do, I'll kill you, you've ruined too many lives for me to trust you."

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Jin helped Uncle clean up the Apartment, almost everything was boxed up, except for Iroh's tea set and the sleeping mats, "I am thankful for you helping me clean." Iroh said.

"Of course Uncle." She said with a smile, "wat else would I do here?"

"I was hoping to do a tea ceremony for the two of you, one that's been in the fire nation for years, but it only works when the other is here."

"Sorry uncle, I wish I knew where he was." Jin said, looking at the window, "has he ever been out this late?"

"Only a few times, but I had specifically told him to come back early."

A rapid knock on the door made both of them flinch and look at the door in fear, 'I'll…I'll get it." Iroh said, 'who knows, maybe it's Zuko and he forgot his key." Iroh walked over and opened the door, revealing a heavily breathing Smellerbee and his old employer, "Ms. Smellerbee…" he said in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"It's…about…Lee..." she said out of breath, "he's…he's sick…"

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Katara looked down at Zuko, he had stopped shivering and was now lying perfectly still on Jet's bed, his breathing was still rapid but his fever had broken.

"Katara!" Smellerbee shouted, running in, Jin right behind her, "I found her, and Iroh."

"Where's Iroh?"

"At the stairs." Jin said quickly, kneeling down beside Zuko, putting a hand to his cheek, 'oh Zuko," She whispered, tears in his eyes.

Katara watched the girl stunned, "what happened?" Jin asked softly.

"He was helping us free the Avatar's bison."

Jin went slightly rigid, "you idiot." She whispered to him, "I knew you were going to do something…"

"Do you know why he would help?" Katara asked.

"I don't know, he said something about how it would be nice to have a favor from the Avatar…I didn't think he would actually try to find the Bison."

"He did find the Bison…" Katara said, making Jin look at her, "I'm Katara, of the southern water tribe, I've been travelling with the avatar for the past few months."

"He actually did it…'

'Yes he did…but I'm not sure I can trust him."

"Why not?" Jin asked, "He just helped you find the Avatar's bison! And got sick while doing it!"

"It could've been part of some elaborate plan."

"Elaborate plan for what?"

"For capturing the Avatar."

"Just because he's from the fire nation?" she asked angrily.

"No, because he's tried before."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you know exactly who this boy is?"

"He's Zuko of the fire nation, and my Fiancé."

Katara's eyes widened as she said that, "are you serious?"

Jin nodded, "he proposed to me a week ago."

"Jin, I don't think he's told you everything, he's not just Zuko of the fire nation, and he's Prince Zuko, crown prince."

Her eyes widened.

"He's been hunting the avatar for three years…" Katara continued, "We've fought him so many times…he's the bad guy Jin, he's been trying to capture the avatar to lock him up."

"He never showed any desire to capture the Avatar while I've been with him." She said.

"It could be part of an elaborate plan."

'No." she said shaking her head, "I don't believe it, and he wouldn't do that."

Katara sighed, "Believe what you want." She said, "But I know him, and nothing will stop him."

Jin shook her head, "you're wrong."

"I'm not going to argue this, just ask him." Katara stood up and turned to the door just as Iroh bursted in.

"There…were…a lot of stairs…" he said gasping for breath.

Katara looked at him, "I think you have a lot of explaining to do." She said, walking past Iroh, Smellerbee right behind her.

"What is she talking about?" Iroh asked Jin.

"She said…she said Zuko's a prince…and he'd been trying to capture the Avatar."

Iroh sighed, and sat down, 'sit down Jin, i should start explaining."

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Aang stood in front on top of the wall, watching Long Feng get taken away,

"Looks like Long Feng is long gone!" Sokka shouted laughing, "Oh man I've been waiting to use that one."

Aang shook his head with a small smile, it had been a hard day for them, with Jet and Longshot the fighting was easier, but trying to convince the Earth King that the world was still at war had almost landed them in jail.

"Now what?" Jet asked boredly.

"Now we find Katara and Smellerbee." Aang said.

"And Zuko." Sokka said.

"Who's Zuko?" earth king Keui asked.

"He's a…a friend." Aang said.

"But-" Sokka started, until Jet put his hand over his mouth.

"Oh, alright, do what you need to, but I do want to speak to you later, after we sort through all these lies.'

"Of course." Aang said and he and his friends walked back to Appa.

"Why didn't you tell him about Zuko?" Sokka asked him urgently.

"It's not my place." Aang said, "Besides, I don't think Zuko's here to do anything."

"Oh come on! He always is."

"I agree with Aang." Jet said, making all of them look at him in surprise, "what? If he wanted to try anything he would've already done it, instead of helping Aang get Appa back."

"But...you hate Zuko!"

Jet glared at Sokka, 'correction, I hate fire benders, and…I guess…not all fire benders are bad…" he said through gritted teeth.

Longshot looked at him in surprise,

'Oh shut up, I can kill or save whatever I damn well please! Now lets go find them!"

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Zuko slowly woke up to a pain in his head, "ow…what…happened…' He croaked out.

"You were sick." Jin's voice said, making him jump, he looked over at her, she was sitting beside him, looking down at the floor, "but a friend of the avatar's helped you."

"The water tribe girl…" he mumbled.

"Yes…she…she told me some things…things I didn't want to believe…uncle Iroh tried to explain it…"

Zuko slowly sat up, grunting at the effort and looked her in the eyes, "What did she tell you?"

"She said you were the son of the fire lord…that you were trying to capture the avatar."

Zuko looked down in shame, his hands slightly shaking.

"What she was saying is lies right?" Jin asked, "You're not the son of the fire lord, and trying to capture the avatar."

"Not anymore." Zuko said, looking up at her, "I am no longer Ozai's son, and I no longer want to capture the avatar."

"Why'd you want to capture him in the first place? He's the savior of the nations!"

"It was the only way to go home." He said, "I told you that my father gave me this scar, because I disrespected him…I had spoken up during a war council, against a plan that would've killed so many new recruits…so e challenged me to an Agni kai…when I wouldn't face him he gave me this scar, and told me I had lost my honor…"

Jin looked down, 'I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

"Don't be." Zuko said, "I don't care about that anymore."

"What?" Jin asked.

"You heard me." He mumbled, "I don't need to go home, or regain what little honor I had to begin with, I don't care about it anymore, all I care about is you, that's why I proposed to you, and that's why I went to go find the avatar's bison…I needed a favor from the avatar so we could live in peace and-" eh was cut off as Jin kissed him, he returned it with a glad heart.

When she broke it she looked him straight in the eyes, "I love you so much…and I'm so proud of you." She whispered.

"I love you too…" He said softly.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Katara leant against the wall right outside of Jet's room, listening to Zuko's story, "He really has changed…" she mumbled.

"That he has, Ms. Katara." Iroh said, walking over with a pot of tea and cups, "Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?"

She nodded and they sat down, "how has he changed so much just from one girl?"

"It's love." Iroh said, "It has a way of opening the eyes of the soul, and letting you understand a great deal more then you used to, i've never seen Zuko so happy, or so determined to get something then he Is when he's with young Jin, she makes him a better man."

She nodded, "is it true? That he wants to make a deal with Aang?"

"Apparently so, if he has the Avatar's support, then he wouldn't have to continue hiding his true name as he does, he could live in relative peace with Jin."

She nodded, 'I could talk to Aang, he'll probably be all for it."

"I'm glad to hear that, now let's enjoy this tea!" Iroh said as the door opened, making both him and Katara look over as Aang walked over. "hey Katara." He said with a smile, he nodded to Iroh and then looked back at Katara, 'what's happened so far?"

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Aang walked into Jet's apartment, looking at Zuko, "hey…how are you feeling?" he asked hesitantly.

"Better than I was, thank you." Zuko said softly.

"Thank you for helping us get Appa," Aang said, "Without you…we would've actually lost some people."

Zuko nodded, 'I…I know I'm in no position to do this…after everything I've done against you and your friends…but…I have to ask a favor…"

"I know…Katara filled me in." Aang said, Making Zuko's eyes widen, "and I'm fully supportive of helping you find a way to stay here in peace."

"t-thank you…but...what about Long Feng? He might cause trouble for you."

'Oh he got arrested, he is no longer the head of the Dai Li." Aang said with a smile.

'Have they been disbanded?"

"Well…no but they aren't the ones that concocted this whole plan, they were just doing their job."

Zuko shook his head, "They have absolute loyalty to Long Feng, just because he's arrested doesn't make him powerless, I assure you the Dai Li will still be following him."

"What do you suggest then?"

"Get them disbanded, have guards with the generals."

"Why the generals?"

"If Long Feng wanted control back then he would simply have to capture the Generals, immobilize the army, and the city falls."

Aang nodded, "I'll talk to the earth king…would you be up to helping us with that?"

Zuko hesitated, "I...I don't know…"

"I don't think it would be wise to make a decision now." Jin said to him, "you're still injured, and a little dehydrated from the fever, rest and you can make a decision when you wake up."

Zuko nodded, "Jin's right…"

Aang looked at Jin, "you're the Jin Katara talked about."

Jin nodded and bowed to him, 'It's an honor to meet you, Avatar."

Aang laughed, "just call me Aang, so I heard you and Zuko are getting married/"

"Y-yes, hopefully in another week or two…"

"Why so early?" Aang asked confused.

"With the war, anything can happen." Zuko said softly, "it's better to do it quickly before something bad happens."

'Well…do you got everything you need?"

"Uh…kinda?"

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Toph sat outside listening to Sokka and Jet talk.

"I'm telling you, we should just go with a head on attack on the fire nation on that day! With the Avatar we won't lose!"

"We need a better strategy, the eclipse will only last for twelve minutes, which means we'll have to have a sustained attack for most of the day!"

Jet rolled his eyes, "whatever."

"can we discuss this when a fire nation general isn't' sitting right in front of us?" Smellerbee said suddenly, making everyone look over at Iroh, who was simply drinking tea.

"Do not mind me, if anything I could offer my support if it will help." Iroh said with a shrug.

"Give them advice like you gave me?" Toph asked with a small smile.

"Ah, you remembered that, I thought you had forgotten." Iroh said.

"You've met him before!?" Sokka shouted at Toph, who simply rolled her eyes.

"Yes I did, he convinced me to continue on with you guys." Toph said, "I'm guessing everything worked out with your Nephew?"

"good." He said with a smile, 'he's getting married!"

The door slid open and Zuko crawled out, "help me…" He said pitifully.

"What's wrong?" Sokka asked, Jet gripped the handles of his hook swords.

"Zuko! Don't you want to be apart of the decisions!" Aang shouted from inside, Jin could be heard laughing inside, "we're about to discuss the flower arrangements!"

Sokka laughed as Jet just shook his head.

"Zuko, come back in." Jin said with a giggle, "you can lay down and sleep, me and Aang will move downstairs so we don't disturb your sleep."

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Stryker walked through the streets of Ba Sing Se, his men right behind him, "I'm not too sure about this boss," Balefire said, "what if she double crosses us?'

"Don't worry balefire," the bowman said, "she wouldn't dare."

"You're right Reever, she wouldn't dare, especially since she already paid us." Stryker said, "Groop, I want you to shadow General How, he's the strongest of the generals and will need extra attention."

The large man nodded to him, tapping his war hammer.

"Gin, you got General Sung, he shouldn't be much of a problem, but his Terra team might be."

Gin smirked, "please, don't make me laugh."

"Ghost." Stryker said turning to the dark robed man, "you know what to do."

The man nodded, looking away.

"Now, get to the apartment we'll be staying at, I have a meeting with the princess, you know the rules, if I'm not back by sundown."

"Get out of town." They said in unison with a laugh, turning down a side street while Stryker kept walking.

"You don't have to follow me around you know." Stryker said as soon as his men were gone.

"I didn't' want you to leave town with my money." Azula said, stepping out, dressed in Earth kingdom peasant attire, 'what would I have done if you had double crossed me?"

"I'm a man of my word Princess, if I wasn't then I wouldn't be much of a mercenary.'

"True, but still."

He laughed, "Come on girl, let's go get some food."

"Excuse you? Who do you think you're addressing?"

"A peasant who's hungry." He said with a raised eyebrow.

She turned red, "why you- I had to wear this so I didn't draw attention to myself! That Kyoshi armor was too bulky and attention drawing.

"Well I say that formfitting shirt is attention drawing." He said, "Now come on, let's get some food."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to eat with you, I think I'd rather eat on my own." And with a huff she turned and walked down the opposite alley, 'who does he think he is talking to me like that." she grumbled, kicking over a trash can.

"Hey girl." Someone said, making her turn around, five guy's stood behind her, and another three were walking up, "whatcha doin here?"

'just walking, I was about to go get something to eat."

"I see somethin' I want to eat." One guy said, his eyes shining with lust.

She took a step back, 'I don't think you know what you're about to get in to."

"And what are we getting into?" another voice said, making her look behind her again, another six guys were behind her, some had knives.

"C'mon girly, just come quietly and we might take it easy on you."

Azula took up a defensive stance, backing up into the wall.

The men slowly started closing in on her, 'you're out numbered girl, give up!"

I can't use fire bending, too many witnesses… she thought, maybe I could fight through.

"I'm gettin' tired of waiting!" one snarled, lunging at her, before his hand could even grab her, it seemed to explode at the elbow, he screamed as his arm fell to the ground, blood spewing out of the stump he now had.

"Now, now, what have we here?" Stryker asked, his Katana's in his hands, both stained in blood, he stood beside Azula, "princess, how many times have I told you not to wander off."

Azula glared at him.

"hey buddy, what the hell are you doin'?" one guy growled.

Stryker glared at him, "she's claimed, and if you try to do anything against her, you go against me."

The guy's stepped back, unsure if they should try or not.

Stryker got into a fighting stance, 'anyone?"

Almost instantly everyone ran off, going every different direction, Stryker smirked and turned to Azula, and was greeted with a slap, "well that's uncalled for." Stryker muttered, rubbing his cheek.

"What was that?! Saying I was claimed?"

"If I hadn't of said that, they would've attacked, and I'd like to avoid violence."

"I can see that in the arm you lopped off!"

"Believe me princess, if that hand had grabbed you, you wouldn't be standing here fully clothed." He said, putting his swords up.

She glared at him for a few seconds, then shook her head, "Well…I guess I owe you a thank you." She mumbled.

He smirked, 'thank me over dinner, I'm starving."