Author's Notes: I had a bit of a problem with this prompt, because in a romance story involving Ma-Ti "Heart" can be interpreted in about a hundred different ways. And yet somehow I wound up with this story, with its only vague connection unless you read between the lines. Ah well. I suppose my brain was just eager to get a "'Teers in the Hood"-based chapter out—corny as it was, it has my favorite Gi moment.

Gi reached the top step and froze, staring in terror at the stone prison doors before her.

Ma-Ti stopped on the step behind her, frowning. "Gi? Are you alright?"

Gi was silent for a moment before looking down, shaking her head suddenly. "I can't—I don't think I can do this."

"Sure you can," Ma-Ti said, climbing the last step to stand beside her.

"No—no, I really can't," she said, and Ma-Ti frowned when he saw that her breathing was heavier than it should have been. "This was a bad idea."

She turned away suddenly and leaned down over the steep's stone landing, looking away. Ma-Ti's frown deepened as he moved beside her, resting his arms on the cool concrete and examining his friend's face.

"Are you sure, Gi?" he asked, and though this whole trip had been his idea his voice was gentle and kind. "We came all this way. But if you really don't feel like you can do this..."

"It's just..." Gi sighed, turning to her friend, whose face showed his usual patient curiosity. "Why do I have to see this guy?" she asked quietly, her head sinking down to rest on her arms. "I don't want to see him. I never want to see him again."

"I know," Ma-Ti said, letting his head fall to rest on level with hers. "And I didn't mean that you should do this if you don't feel like you're ready. It's just that..."

"You think this will be good for me," she said dully, the words she had been repeating in her own head the entire flight here.

"Well, yes," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Gi sighed again. "Zap almost killed a friend of mine. Two friends of mine," she amended, giving Ma-Ti a significant look.

"I know. Believe me, I remember," Ma-Ti said, forcing a wry smile and hoping it would lighten the mood a bit.

This, however, backfired. "Well, then how can you just expect to go in there and—visit him?" Gi suddenly yelled, throwing up her hands and startling her friend. She began to pace across the prison landing, gesturing wildly. "This Zap guy—he shot Mr. Keane, he left you to die in a fire...what kind of a person is he?" she asked, and her voice cracked. "How can somebody just..."

She trailed off, head bowed, her hair falling over her face and hiding it from Ma-Ti's view. He didn't have to see her expression, though; instead he just walked over and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"...This isn't just about what Zap did, is it, Gi?"

Gi took a deep breath. "I tried to kill him," she said softly. "And I really wanted to. If Wheeler hadn't stopped me..."

"But keep in mind, all Wheeler did to stop you was remind you who you really were," Ma-Ti pointed out. "That's not the kind of person you really are."

"It is when you make me mad enough," she murmured.

"But it's not the person you chose to be. Your heart's too good for that."

There was a long silence.

"I don't know if this will help anything," Gi whispered. "And I...I feel like I should apologize to him. But I know he won't apologize to me, or you. He was more willing to kill people than to own up to what he did."

"You never know."

"And I'm not sure I can apologize to him. I know I should, but..." She trailed off.

It was another moment before Ma-Ti answered. "Well, maybe you're not ready yet," he said simply. "But if you know you should, I think you will eventually. You don't have to rush it. And I think the same goes the other way, about him apologizing for what he did."

Gi suddenly laughed, startling him again."What?" he asked, startled.

"Oh, Ma-Ti. You really do see the good in everybody, don't you?"

He chuckled and smiled. "Well, it's not that hard."

"Well, it's one of the things I love about you. I don't think I even could have come this far without your help."

Ma-Ti felt his face heat up. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "So, do you want to go, try this another day?"

Gi nodded silently. Ma-Ti gave her his usual friendly smile, and the twisted knot in her stomach loosened a bit.

Without another word the two turned and walked back down the stone steps.