Author's Note: Hello again, everybody. In response to a question from Shiningheart of ThunderClan, I would like to point out that Pipsqueak was not one of the original passangers on Appa in the episode "The Day of Black Sun, Part Two: The Eclipse." The original passengers were the Gaang, Haru, Teo, and The Duke. I just happened to add three extra to the poor thing's load :3 I also would like to point out beforehand that Longshot is gonna be a little OOC just so I can mold him better to my story. Enjoy!

Zuko sat beside Aang, his gaze focused on the doorway leading inside of the temple. He got to his feet when everyone filed outside, his golden eyes growing worried when he saw Sokka amongst them.

"Why'd you leave her alone?" he asked the Water Tribe warrior.

"She's not. She wanted Longshot to stay with her."

"I'll just go relieve him then," he said, beginning to move past Sokka. The other boy put a hand out to stop him.

"Zuko," he said hesitantly. "She doesn't want to see you."

The firebender stopped, his gaze dropping to the ground in front of him. "Did she tell you that?" he asked dejectedly.

"She just needs time," Sokka said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder before walking over to help Katara with dinner.

"I'm such a screw up!" Zuko said in exasperation, sitting down next to Aang again. "She hates me."

"You were kind of a sucky boyfriend," Aang commented.

"I know that," Zuko growled, shooting Aang a dark look.

Realizing he wasn't exactly helping, the Avatar floundered for something better to say. "I mean, she knew you were a good guy before everybody else did. And she stuck with you when you were a jerk. And she still believed in you…until you locked her in a prison and left her to rot." He laughed nervously at the glare he received from Zuko and got to his feet. "Hey, Katara, need some help with that stew?"

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to sort through his thoughts. He needed to fix things between them if he wanted to get anywhere with this group. They trusted her, and if she didn't trust him completely, then they probably wouldn't trust him that much either. And he couldn't stand knowing how much she hated him. Suddenly, he realized that she was putting him through the emotional pain he had put her through. And he knew he deserved it.

Kai laughed softly at Longshot, fiddling with the wool in her sleeping bag. "I couldn't just walk around with my hood off. That would make me an easy target," she said with a soft giggle.

"You could change it. Maybe shave it all off and pretend to be a guy," Longshot suggested. She never realized how funny he was or how talkative he could be when there weren't a lot of people around.

"Yeah, because baldness would harden my femininity."

He chuckled and tilted his head, studying her. Almost hesitantly, he reached toward her, brushing her hair aside and running his fingers along the scar on her neck. Her smile faded and she looked down after seeing the question in his eyes.

"It was Zuko's fault. I mean, a pirate did it, but it was Zuko's fault."

Longshot tilted her chin up, a meaningful look in his eyes. The sound of someone clearing their throat caused both of them to look up and Longshot pulled away from her at the scrutinizing look from Zuko.

"Could I, uh, have a moment?"

Longshot looked back at Kai and she gave him a small nod. He got to his feet and left the firebenders alone in the room. Zuko took a deep breath and took a few steps in; hesitant on how close he should get to her.

"We need to talk," he started, his golden eyes focusing on her.

"I have nothing to say to you," she said bluntly, not looking at him.

"Kai, please. Just give me one more chance!"

"No, Zuko! No more chances!"

"But-"

"No! You have no idea what I've been through!" Her voice broke and she couldn't hold back the tears as they spilled down her cheeks. "You left me to rot in prison. You told me you regretted spending all of your time with me and then you left me! Do you even know what happens in the Fire Nation prison? Do you know what they do to female prisoners?"

"Kai, I didn't know…" Zuko said softly, kneeling down beside her.

"Stay away from me!" she yelled, getting clumsily to her feet. "They beat me until I couldn't see straight. They tortured me until I begged them to stop. They stole my virginity. And what were you doing? Vacationing with your new girlfriend? Living with no worries except whether your dinner is cooked just right or the water is warm enough? The guards gossip, Zuko. And you have the nerve to ask me for one more chance? You are an arrogant, selfish, narrow-minded idiot and I will never forgive you for what you did to me. I hate you. You left me to die and moved on with your life, with Mai. It's time for me to do the same. Get out, now."

Zuko could only sit there, absorbing her words. Had she really been through all of that in the prison? He hadn't realized…

"Out!"

He scrambled to his feet and left, leaving her alone in the chamber. She sunk to her knees and buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with sobs. A light touch on her back caused her to look up and she almost snapped until she realized it was Longshot. He pulled her to his chest and gently rocked her, letting her cry herself to sleep in his arms.

Kai was finally back to full strength and it had only taken a few days. She sat with Longshot, their legs hanging over the edge of the temple as they gazed down into the seemingly bottomless canyon below them.

"Kind of reminds you of home, doesn't it?" she asked him, swinging her feet idly.

"I don't know. I don't think the forest is home anymore," he replied.

"Then where would home be?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Wherever you are," he said softly. Slowly, he began to close the space between them. Kai froze in shock, his words unexpected. She hesitated as his face drew closer to hers, unsure of what she wanted. She let her eyes fall shut and Zuko's face flashed in her mind. Before their lips could touch, she pulled away, shaking her head.

"I-I can't."

Longshot pulled back, his eyes flashing with hurt for the briefest moment before he looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Longshot," she said softly. She waited patiently for him to look at her before continuing. "It's not you. It's just…Zuko is the only person I've imagined my life with. It's hard to try and move on."

Longshot studied her a moment before looking down at his lap. "You still love him…"

"I…don't know…"

"No, you do know," he said. "You just don't want to admit it to yourself."

"Longshot, please," she pleaded as he got to his feet. He looked down at her, his brown eyes gentle.

"I'm not angry. I want you to be happy."

He turned and left her on the cliff edge to think over his words.

"I know you're nervous, but remember… firebending in and of itself is not something to fear," Zuko instructed as he stood with Aang, ready to begin their firebending training.

"Ok. Not something to fear," Aang said nervously.

"But if you don't respect it, it'll chew you up and spit you out like an angry komodo rhino! Now show me what you've got. Any amount of fire you can make."

Aang took a deep breath and attempted to firebend. His only result was a small poof of smoke from his palm.

"Maybe I need a little more instruction. Perhaps a demonstration," he said sheepishly.

"Good idea. You might want to take a couple steps back," Zuko warned. He fell into a firebending position, took a deep breath, and attempted to firebend. A small stream of flame came from his palm and a look of incredulity crossed his face. "What was that? That was the worst firebending I've ever seen!"

"I thought it was…nice," Aang said with a shrug.

Zuko let out an angry grunt and attempted to firebend again, getting the same result. "Why is this happening?" he asked angrily.

"Because you lost your source," Kai said, walking up beside him. He was a little surprised to see her willingly walking up to him after the lashing she had given him only a few days ago. And where was Longshot? It seemed like he was with her wherever she went.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have anywhere to draw your bending from. You were fueled by your anger and now you don't have it."

He fell silent and mulled over her words, trying to remember the last time he had used his bending. It had been before he had joined the group.

"Maybe it's just the altitude," Aang suggested.

"My bending is fine," Kai said matter-of-factly. To prove her point she let out a large blast of white fire into the mist over the canyon.

"Have I mentioned how cool your bending is?" Aang said with a grin. Kai rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, what's your source?" Zuko asked.

"Light, love, life. Something you can draw from at all times," she replied. Jealousy flashed through Zuko at her words. She must be talking about Longshot when she spoke of love. You left me to die and moved on with your life, with Mai. It's time for me to do the same. Her words rang in his ears and he looked away, knowing he should let her move on with someone better than himself.

"Okay, well since Zuko can't firebend, will you teach me?" Aang asked.

"Of course," Kai replied with a smile.

"Do you mind if I stay?" Zuko asked. "I might be able to fix my bending if I watch."

"Fine," she said, her voice edged with cold. "But I don't want any of your input on my technique."

He nodded and moved to take a seat against a stone pillar. Kai turned to the Avatar, her expression softer than when she had glared at Zuko.

"First, you need to locate your source. When you're waterbending, where do you feel the tug of the water?"

Aang paused to think before replying, "In my heart."

"And when you're earthbending?"

"In my stomach. And my lungs when I'm airbending."

"Those are the places where your source for each is. The source for a firebender is in the heart and lungs. Fire is made with the energy of your body and controlled with your breath."

"How can three different elements have the same source?" Aang asked.

"Think about it. Earthbending is about strength, which you feel in your core. Waterbending is fluid, like the blood in your veins. Airbending is quick and light like your breath. And firebending is life, which your heart and lungs provide."

Aang paused to think over her words and then understanding gleamed in her eyes. "I get it!"

"Good. Now that you understand where it comes from, try to firebend and focus on where you feel it inside of you."

"But I can't-"

"It doesn't matter if you make fire or smoke. Just try," Kai commanded. Aang sighed and then took a deep breath, closing his eyes. With a small movement, he managed to make a few embers poof from his hand. He opened his eyes and a wide grin spread on his lips.

"I felt it!" he said excitedly. "Right here." He placed his hand over his heart and Kai nodded.

"Good. Now sit," she instructed. He did what he was told and she sat down beside him, crossing her legs. "Close your eyes and picture something in your head. Picture someone you love, who no matter what happens, you could never stop loving." A small smile spread on Aang's lips and Kai glanced across the camp toward Katara, wondering what he was thinking. "Now take in a deep breath, and let it out through your mouth."

Aang did as he was told, and when he exhaled, a few flames escaped his mouth. His eyes opened in surprise and Kai smiled at him. "You found your source," she said proudly.

"Kai, you're the best firebending teacher ever!" Aang said happily, throwing his arms around her neck. She hugged him back and then pulled away, laughing.

"I didn't realize it meant that much to you."

"It does. You're ten times better than Sifu Hotman," he said with a grin.

Kai giggled and glanced at Zuko, who was wearing an agitated expression. "Just practice that until tomorrow and we'll move on to the next step."

Aang nodded and rushed off to the others, leaving Kai and Zuko alone.

"Where did you learn that?" the prince asked, his golden eyes curious as he studied her.

"Your Uncle taught me."

"Firebending?"

"Yeah, what I taught Aang is how I started. Iroh learned it from the dragons."

"How come he never told me this?"

"You wouldn't listen," she said, getting to her feet and starting toward the others.

"Hold on," he said, getting to his feet. "Will you help me find my source?"

She paused and thought it over a moment, her blue eyes guarded. "Meet me at sunset," she finally said.

The sun cast an orange and pink glow on the horizon, painting the sky a multitude of beautiful shades of red and gold. Zuko stood at the cliff edge, lost in thought as he watched the light beginning to fade from the sky.

"You ready?" Kai asked, startling him. He turned to look down at her and nodded. She motioned for him to follow and led him into the forest, his curiosity peaking once they reached a clearing.

"Why are we here? And why wouldn't you teach me earlier?" he asked, watching as she sat on the soft grass and made a makeshift fire pit.

"Because you already know how to firebend. You're just finding a new source."

"What makes that different?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"You're going to keep trying to pull from your original source."

"Which is?"

"Your anger. You were taught that anger should fuel your bending."

"Just father feeding me more lies," he said angrily.

"Let's start." She lit the fire with a few sparks from her fingers. "Focus on it," she said softly as the flames grew. "Clear your mind and focus on your breathing.

Zuko's golden eyes fell on the fire and he focused on the flames before him, breathing in and out slowly. He stayed like that for what seemed like forever before giving up when nothing happened. "It's not working," he growled in frustration.

Kai sighed and closed her eyes. "I thought so." She opened them and looked at him, and he noticed how conflicted she was.

"What's bothering you?" he asked.

"I think I know how to help you," she said softly.

"How?"

"What happens next doesn't mean anything. Focus on the fire."

Zuko gave her a confused look before returning his gaze to the fire.

"No, Zuko. Look at me. Focus everything else on the fire."

His golden eyes met hers and he realized how close her face was. His breathing stopped and everything seemed to fade, leaving them suspended in darkness. "The fire," she whispered before pressing her lips to his. Her words barely registered until he felt a strange spark in his heart. He could feel the fire calling to him, stronger than before. Kai broke the kiss and the night came rushing back to him, the perfect moment lost.

"Try again now," she told him, not meeting his gaze. He hesitated, wanting to reach for her again, but aware that she didn't want to be touched. Instead, he focused on the fire. Closing his eyes, he focused on the pull he felt within and pictured her beautiful face, his love for her filling him. He opened his eyes and inhaled, watching as the fire moved with his breathing. He grinned and released the pull, looking beside him for praise from Kai. But the place she had been was empty. His eyes flickered across the clearing and a frown fell on his lips. She was gone and he knew deep down, he would never get her back, no matter what he did.

A/N: Wow, lots of good stuff happened in here. I know a few of you want a little more action and I promise next chapter there will be some. We're nearing the last few chapters of our journey and I just want to thank all of my dedicated readers for their support. When I'm writing this for you guys, it feels like I'm reading it right along with you and I never know what's going to happen. So, thank you for the reviews and constructive criticism. I really appreciate all of you guys and I'm glad I got to share my story with you. R&R!