Part Two: Spring

Chapter Four: The Weakest Flame

He's awake.

He has a chance, and

I need you to believe in him again.

We're losing him,

I can see it in his eyes.

He loves you,

And his heart is breaking.

Listen to me

And tell me that you know this.

Tell me that you understand.

Part One: Zuko and Mai

Mai,

I'm sorry that my letters are so short now. There's so much to be done, and I have to do it all if I want to go home and see you again. I hope you're doing well.

The North Pole is magnificent, but cold. I don't know if you'd like it here, but in any case, know that I'm thinking of you.

Yours,
Zuko

The prince watched as the Waterbender walked to the infirmary.

He remembered the look in her eyes when he told her that Aang was awake. There was a mixture of confusion and disbelief, but there was a spark of hope as well. A small spark, barely enough to convince him that she believed in his recovery. But as a Firebender, he knew firsthand that flames, no matter how small, could become something more.

She had accepted this fact without a word. If she had thought Zuko was lying, he would've never guessed it. Her face was blank, and there was no joy or relief or happiness in her face when he told her. It was as if she were internally preparing herself for disappointment, and although Zuko knew better than to tell her this, he knew that she had some reason to.

He also remembered the look in the boy's eyes. His face had held an expression that wasn't quite explainable- some semblance of anger and fear and curiousity meshed into one emotion. He had just looked, and the prince could see it there, in the Avatar's eyes. He could see that he wasn't welcome.

It was somewhat disheartening to know that the boy preferred Katara's company to his own, but he had never really expected to have Aang trust in him completely since the day Azula struck him down. Firebending Master or not, their conversations had been brief, momentary, never really personal. Zuko hadn't thought of the boy as a friend before, and when the war ended, the first thing on his mind had been his home and his reclaimed honor.

It was only now that he realized how selfish he had been.

This boy was suffering, and his friends were as well. He could see the pain in Katara's step, the quiet way she handled things. It was as if what was left of the joy in her life was draining away, day by day, until it was as faint as the pulse in Aang's heart. He could see that the bond between them was stronger than she let on. Their desties had been entwined together until one couldn't live without the other.

Zuko then understood that if the boy died, Katara would as well. She wouldn't get over it or learn to accept it, like she was pretending to do now. She would break down and disappear completely, and become a ghost of herself. Aang had been her passion in life, her joy.

Death was better than being deprived of those things. Zuko realized, then, that Aang's life was more important than he had thought.

--

Prince Zuko

Thinking of me? How touching. It would have more of an effect on me if I knew you meant it.

I know that you're not as busy as you say you are. Your last letter was too neat to be done in a hurry. I can tell, Zuko. I know you that well.

I would be a little less irate if I knew you had been honest with me.

Mai

She walked into the throne room, her footsteps echoing in the half-darkness of the chamber, and bowed her head in respect as she stopped in front of the Fire Lord. If Iroh had shown any surprise at seeing her enter, he didn't show it, and motioned for her to sit down.

"Prince Zuko sends his regards," she found herself saying, even though Zuko hadn't thought to do so in his last letter. There was a short silence before she realized that Iroh wasn't going to reply to that. She took a deep breath.

"He's reached the North Pole now, and he's safe. I wanted to let you know."

The Fire Lord considered this for a moment, and then looked at her calmly.

"Something seems wrong, Lady Mai. You don't seem like yourself."

"I just..." she didn't know what to say, really. She had expected Iroh to do all the talking.

She could go the easy way, then, and lie.

"I miss him."

It was a bit painful to say, partly because it was saying something personal in the prescence of the Fire Lord, and partly because what she had said was true. It was a bit embarrassing nonetheless, but she remembered Azula's plan and put her emotions aside. After all, it was worth being a kiss-up if it meant living another day.

Azula wouldn't accept failure from her, so she had to play her cards right. Getting on Iroh's good side was a start, even though she knew she would probably have to sit through a lecture of "princely duties" and "love finding a way, despite the distance".

She almost expected to hear as much, but instead, Iroh smiled in that wise way of his and replied thoughtfully.

"Zuko always seems to move so fast. Every time he's able to rest and start a new life, he has to go another direction. It is the course of his destiny, and he knows that leaving will be hard on both himself and the people he leaves behind. But it's the path he has to follow."

He paused for a second. Despite Azula's plan, Mai found herself listening to what the Fire Lord was saying to her. She had actually missed talking to someone other than Azula and Ty Lee, and she knew that none of them understood what she was feeling. None of them had that wisdom and insight.

But she had a job to do, so she couldn't get too comfortable. She nodded once to signify that she understood, and Fire Lord Iroh continued.

"This path will take him far away from the people he loves. It will take him far away from you, and he knows that. But, in time, he will see the world from a different perspective and know what it truly means to be Fire Lord. That is where his destiny leads, and he will have all the wisdom he needs to rule the Fire Nation fairly."

He smiled, and Mai tried not to let his words get to her. But it was true, Mai missed Zuko. And now that she understood exactly what the prince had set out to do, it was a little less painful to her.

"I understand," she found herself saying. Mai was saying a lot of things subconsciously now, just like she had done with Zuko. There was a certain air of comfort in the throne room, one that distracted from the cold, hard floor and the shadows of the dancing flames behind the throne. And although it was against her better judgment, Mai realized she could say anything in front of Iroh, and he would understand. It was one thing that he and Zuko didn't have in common.

--

Mai,

I'm sorry if you feel that way. Separation from my home has been hard, and I can only imagine how it must feel like for you in the Fire Nation. Bleak, depressing, boring. I feel that way too, sometimes.

The truth is, Mai, I'm not sure what to think of these things anymore. I'm seeing things through my eyes now, not through the eyes of a prince. The war's torn apart so many lives, and before, I used to be part of that. Now, I need to help fix the mistakes I've made. To do that, I have to stop seeing things like Crown Prince and look at the world through someone else's eyes. Through the eyes of a seventeen year old boy, I suppose.

Mai, I don't know what to make of this new perspective, but it's taking my mind off of the loneliness. It's just keeping me preoccupied for the time being. I'm sorry that I can't devote more time to you, Mai, but I know I need this wisdom, and I can't really be spending too much time on what I left behind, though it hurts me. It's what I have to do, and I know you'll understand.

Send Uncle my regards.

Yours,
Zuko

PS. Busy or not, my letters to you will always be neat. You deserve as much.

--

Zuko,

When you said that this "new perspective" was taking your mind off the loneliness, did you mean that it also took your mind off of me? You're so busy seeing this world with new eyes that you can't even stop to appreciate the people who miss you. Zuko, I know that you need this wisdom to become a better prince and a better Fire Lord. I know that you might have felt a flicker of homesickness. But really, do you expect me to believe that short, fake sentiments would make me feel any better?

It reminds me of the letter you wrote me a while ago. I'm sure you'll recall what it drove me to.

You could've at least told me that you still felt something for me.

--

Mai,

You didn't sign your last letter. I miss seeing your fancy handwriting.

To be honest, I do still feel something for you, Mai. I can't tell you right now, through these letters, because I can't really explain it. The truth is, I've always cared for you, and I still do. But right now, I can't really tell how much.

Zuko

--

You are a master of sarcasm, Zuko. "Fancy handwriting"? That made my day.

Part Two: Toph and Sokka

Hey, Sokka.

You're probably wondering how I wrote this note. Well, I didn't. I asked one of the servants to help me.

My parents are going to take me to pick out arrangements for the ball, so you'll be alone for the day. You can go shopping or something.

Toph

"Shopping or something. The escape present, huh?"

The sixteen-year-old examined the piece of paper attached to the window and took it, skimming it again.

"Then again, I have no idea what she would like..."

He sighed, pocketing the note, and walking down the path to the stables again. Despite Toph's requests for a room for Sokka, her parents had remained steadfast and firmly stated that they didn't want her "escort" contaminating the premises with his strangeness.

At least, that was what he had interpreted a "no" as.

The garden was slowly resurrecting again, and it made his walk a little more fascinating as he studied the buds forming on the trees and the tiny hints of a plant poking out of the soil. By the time Toph had her birthday, the garden would be in bloom completely. It would be beautiful, and it would be the last time they ever saw it again. He grinned as he pictured how ecstatic she would be when he flew her away, flew her into the clouds and into the northern skies. They would laugh about their time at the Bei Fong estate and agree that it was much better to be free. Toph would admire her escape present just as much as she had obsessed over the piece of meteorite he had given her a year ago. It would be just the two of them again, laughing and joking and being their sarcastic selves.

Freedom sounded so good right about now.

Instead of walking to the stables, he made a quick turn and made his way towards the front gates. The guards were there, as always, but regarded him with nothing more than a nod. Sokka had been at the estate long enough to be a familiar face, and he walked outside with a sigh, realizing that this was the life that Toph had to live for twelve years. It hurt to know that such a great girl had to be confined to this boredom.

--

Toph could hardly care if there were pink, fluffy clouds sewn onto her dress. She just wanted to get out of it.

Her mother was nervously fretting over the tiniest, most insignificant details the twelve-year-old could imagine. The amount of pins needed in her hair, the tempo of the music, how much sugar was in each fruit tart... and, of course, what adjustments needed to be made to that annoyance of a ball gown. it was suffocating her, pinching her in places she never wanted to be pinched in, but she stood perfectly still and waited like the good little girl they wanted her to be.

It was like making wedding arrangements for the youngest bride imaginable. Toph realized then, with a sudden feeling of dread, what an absolute terror a real marriage ceremony for her would've been like.

At least Sokka's gonna get me out of here, she thought as the adults conferred over which fabric would be better suited for the trimming. There was doubt in her heart about his plan, but it couldn't hurt to hope a little. Thinking about Sokka was a good distraction, she mused. It took her mind off of the endless prodding and measuring and murdering they were doing to her.

Her mind wandered to his "escape present" idea. It had seemed like another frivolty to her until she realized that it was Sokka offering a gift to her. He didn't have to do it, she knew, and it touched her to know that he would go to so much to celebrate getting out of here with her.

The first thing she would do when she was free would be to burn this dress.

--

"Jewelry's out of the question. She doesn't want anything fancy." He looked at the displays set around the streets, the bright colors turning the corners of Gaoling into minature festivals. "Let's see. There's wooden stuff... Toph can't bend that. There's metal stuff, but she won't like those... they're boring." He sighed, noticing how desperate he was getting.

Yeah, I'm so desperate that I'm talking to myself.

He rounded a corner and surveyed the shops, eyeing the merchandise on sale and trying to pick out something Toph would like. Appearance didn't matter much, as the Earthbender had no vision, but he still wanted to choose something nice. She deserved as much, anyways.

He sighed and walked down another path, beginning to lose hope. It was getting late, and Toph would probably be back soon. He wanted to see her again, to know what had happened during the arrangements.

Of course, she would be expecting a present, so he had to hurry.

The stalls of the next street were all but closed. Merchants stumbled over each other as they struggled to pack their merchandise and cart it away. It wasn't the busiest street, but a lot was going on. Sokka found it hard to maintain his sense of direction as he got swept away by the crowd of people.

"A fabric shop, closed. A bakery, closed. A- wait."

He stopped, and a merchant nearly collided with him as he stood in front of the only store that was still open.

"I think she might like this stuff."

Part Three: Aang and Katara

"Aang."

She knelt by his bed, her fingers gently caressing his, as he lay quietly by her side.

"You need your rest. Don't waste your energy on me." She looked into his eyes, trying to find some flicker of understanding hidden in his gaze. There was nothing but confusion and a hint of sadness.

"I'm not tired." He whispered faintly. It was the first thing he had tried to say, and she looked at him sadly, a small smile on her face. "Why is Zuko... why is he here?"

"He's here to apologize for what his nation's done. He won't hurt you."

A short silence before the boy replied, his words pained and soft.

"I missed seeing you. And... everything's changed now."

"Yeah." She gently stroked his cheek, trying to erase the anguish in his eyes. "It's different now. We're at the North Pole, and we're going to try to get you well again." She looked at the bandages, at the broken bones and cracked heels. "Does it hurt a lot?"

"It hurts, but it's not so bad now," came the faint answer. "You helped me."

"Mm." She sighed and stood up, removing her hand from his face. "Zuko and I. We helped you."

There was no reply, and the Waterbender smiled for a second before placing a soft kiss on the tip of his arrow.

"You know that I'll do everything I can to help you, Aang. Get some rest."

Silence, save for the sound of Katara's footsteps as she left the room.

He lay alone and wondered why Katara hadn't hugged him, hadn't wrapped her arms around him and told him that everything was all right.

Things had changed, he remembered. It was different now.

It hurt him even more than anything.

--

Aang didn't know why Zuko was so ignorant.

Of course, the prince had caught his expression when the boy finally woke. The look in his eyes was enough to make him leave. Zuko probably had no idea why, though, and that was what bothered the young Avatar most.

No matter how many times he had tried to disregard that night as a bad dream, the thought of Katara in Zuko's arms haunted him. It was a vague memory to him, but he remembered the feeling of his heart shattering completely. And how he held her... he held her with a gentleness, a possesiveness, a certain sort of care. And she had sank into his arms completely, not making an effort to move away or care about anything other than his arms around her.

The pain of this memory haunted him when he closed his eyes, but most of all, it wormed into his thoughts every time the prince came near him. And whenever he saw Katara, he couldn't help but try to hold her near, to try to ask her why he had fallen into Zuko's arms so easily.

He did try the second time she came to visit that day. He did try, but the words couldn't form in his mouth. He just lay there, as she looked at him with that same expression, that same, sad smile.

He felt like he was paralyzed, a living soul trapped in an unmoving body. A living soul seeing the girl he loved sit there and look at him, pitying him, wishing there were some way this poor boy could be free. And the thing was, he knew that although a part of him thought that there was some hope, the look in the girl's eyes gave him the impression that she didn't think so. All the talk of making him better and such... it was all a lie.

He knew, in his heart of hearts, that he wasn't going to make it. If Katara believed it, then it might as well be true.

He did learn a few things, though. He learned that he was thirteen now, and that she had made him a cake that nobody had bothered to eat. She had brought a small carved bison out of her knapsack, placed it gently in his hands, and told him that Toph and Sokka had spent hours making it. It was hard, she said, because Sokka's clumsiness kept getting in the way of things. Aang had listened with a small smile, but there was a gnawing feeling in his heart that told him there was so much more that was left unsaid.

Aang also learned that he still didn't have hair. He had been asleep for far longer than before, but Sokka had taken care of everything. He wasn't quite sure why, but Katara assured him that it was a small detail. He shouldn't waste his energy thinking about such things. He was told that only Katara and Zuko were here with him, as Toph and Sokka had gone to Gaoling as requested by the Earthbender's parents. The thought of Katara and Zuko alone made his heart sink a little, and he got a little mad at his other friends for letting Katara go like that.

Finally, the young Avatar learned that Katara was different. The gleam in her eyes was gone. Her voice didn't hold warmth and comfort anymore; the music in her words had been worn down and defeated until the only thing left was a quiet desperation. No matter what she said, he heard it in her breathing and saw it in her smile. He was glad that he was awake now, so that she could hold on to that one fact. He was awake. He was alive.

--

The only thing that told Katara that Aang was still living: he could talk to her.

The things that Katara heard were things that she never thought she could hear again. For example, the way Aang laughed. It was different now. There was some sort of maturity in the way he smiled, the things he said. She said that she was proud of him for hanging on for so long, and he had smiled sadly and asked her if she had believed that he would.

She couldn't answer that question truthfully, so she had remained silent, gently stroking his hands.

The healers had outdone themselves, and slowly, she could see some of the strength returning to the boy. It was only a fraction, though, of the Avatar she had known so long ago. She would tell him stories, talk to him, answer his questions about Toph and Sokka. Once, he had even gone so far as to ask about the Fire Lord's defeat. She wouldn't talk about it, and replied only with a simple "he's gone, and I'm proud of you for being brave."

It hurt to see the hope in the boy's eyes. Hope was just another word for wishful thinking, and wishes never really came true.

One thing Aang had avoided asking about was Zuko. Katara wasn't sure why this subject was so hard to bring up, but she didn't say anything more about the prince after he had requested her not to talk about him. There was something in his voice that day, something that she recognized, but didn't want to name.

It was jealousy.

Katara longed to tell the boy that Zuko had a loving girlfriend and had no intentions of being with her. Aang wouldn't hear an more on the subject, though, so she kept quiet and watched him breathe. It was a miracle that he had lived through winter, but he was still on thin ice.

She knew that things could never go back to the way they were before. She didn't regain her hope; just abandoned what was left of it. She talked to Aang every day, knowing that their moment together could very well be their last.

Her hope died away when she realized that he wasn't getting any more stronger after that point.

--

She walked into the room again, like she had done so many times before, and stopped when she realized that his eyes were closed.

Aang had never been asleep when she visited, and she had always come around the same time each day.

She walked over, her heart beating quickly, as if it knew that something terrible was going to happen.

Touching his face, she quietly moved her hand down until it was at his chest. She kept it here, anticipating a pulse, and stopped when she felt the tiniest flicker underneath her fingertips.

The weakest flame. The only thing keeping him alive.

She sat by his side, her fingers still pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat and hearing him breathe into the silence.

Author's Note: This was a pretty long chapter, and it wasn't as action-y as the other ones. I wanted to try something new in this story, and I kind of went in-depth with Aang and Katara's side of the story. As for Sokka and Toph, I think I need to develop that storyline a little bit more. Mai and Zuko aren't having the best of relationships right now... wonder how that'll play out.

Since it's been about a year since they set off on their journeys, Zuko is seventeen, Sokka is sixteen, and Katara is fifteen. Aang is thirteen, and Toph is still twelve (but almost another year older). So if you noticed the years I've written in this chapter, please note that it wasn't a mistake.

In the Next Chapter: Aang asks Katara a very daring question. Sokka and Toph get ready for the Bei Fong Ball. Mai is torn between loyalty to Azula and newfound respect for Iroh... not to mention growing hate for Zuko. And speaking of our favorite prince, what will he do when he finally confronts a certain young Avatar?