Fire Lord Zuko moved through the hallways at a striding pace even as his hairdresser tried to fix his hair, which had been slightly unruly, but he brushed the woman off, unconcerned with his manner of dress around one such as his uncle. He turned the corner swiftly leaving her behind and came to the doors which led to the central entry way, the guards posted there opened the door as he approach and he moved through seeing his uncle instantly through the nobles and servants who spoke and moved about the long room. He made to push around the standing groups but they quickly made room for him as soon as they noticed him.

He came up to his uncle who bowed but he didn't even stop, drawing him into a long hug, having missed him for so many months they had been apart. Iroh returned the gesture with a squeeze before pulling Zuko back and holding his arms outstretched, but still gripping his elbows. A grin crossed his face and Zuko felt the same happening to him.

"Uncle, I am so glad you decided to visit home so soon again, I have been meaning to ask you some advice on a topic of mill workers rights." Zuko moved to stand beside him so they may walk and talk but Iroh moved to face him, his body language suggesting that he wasn't ready to walk and talk, which seemed strange for him.

Irohs smile did not lessen in the slightest as he spoke, "Such things can wait dear nephew I have found someone you may be interested in meeting again." Zukos brow furrowed as Iroh gestured behind him to a girl standing there; she was gazing in awe at the architecture around her.

She was slim, she wore a long red kimono, edged with an exquisite gold trim, playfully etched with delicate patterns of dragons skirting up her sides and back, her hair was long and thick, a mid tone brown and fell down in a finely crafted braid which laid lazily across her right shoulder, in her hair was a gold wrought hair piece. Around her waist was a simple yellow sash; still he couldn't help but admire her curves and figure as she stood oblivious to him. His eyes passed up to her face where he saw the beautiful almond shaped eyes, gentle and caring, a subtle shade of green that betrayed her earth kingdom heritage.

"Jin?" he spoke, now having wished he had allowed the hairdresser to complete her job, the single loose hair feeling like a ball and chain around his neck. She turned to him and had a look that equally mixed shock and happiness.

"Lee?" she moved to hug him but stopped quickly, taking a quick bow "I mean Fire Lord Zuko." Embarrassment flashing in her voice and across her face; she stayed in the bowed position for a moment unsure when to return to standing.

He was wearing a long deep red robe, trimmed with silver designs that followed the edges along the bottom and across the collar and sleeves, underneath you could see he had simple black pants made of the finest fabrics and a tight fitting shirt that was visible as the loose sleeves of the robes fell back a bit. His scar was still as it always was, but his hair was much longer, pulled back into a clean top knot. It gave him a handsome look, his jaw was solid and he had grown a little taller; now towering over Iroh.

"Jin? How? Did you get?" He looked at Iroh, who interrupted him

"You two should do some catching up, I will direct the servants to unload our belongings," he ushered for four men carrying bags and cases behind him forward and led them through the palace to the Royal wing where he had always stayed whenever he visited.

"So," Zuko started still sweating over the unexpected turn of events, "Do you want to see the palace?"

Jin nodded still taken aback by the sights that surrounded her.

They moved down the long main hall that connected the sprawling wings of the palace to each other.

"When did you find out I wasn't Lee?" he asked attempting to find where her knowledge ended.

"Your uncle tried to keep it a surprise, for what reason I do not understand, but I made him spill the beans on the boat ride here." She chuckled, covering her mouth with her sleeve, "I'm glad I made him though, this would have been too much for a sudden thing."

He smiled at the thought of such a huge revelation would have on the poor girl. Around him he noticed the servants move out of his way, and saw two servant woman whisper at the sight of the Fire Lord walking and talking to a girl his own age.

He mused to himself at how long it had been since such a sight had been seen in the palace. He imagined the rumor mills running overnight trying to figure out who this girl was. He looked back down to "this girl" taking in her simple beauty and style, it would be obvious to any that she was not of noble birth, though she tried she did not move the right way, her steps heavy and almost clumsy by comparison to those women who had been trained since birth to act it the "proper" way.

"Well he managed to pull a fast one on me anyways. It was quite a shock seeing you here after so many years." Zuko gave her a reassuring smile.

She looked back up to him with a smile displaying the face that had sent him all aflutter when he was a mere refuge in the earth kingdom, it was disarming, a powerful Lord laid to the level of a lost youth, but it was in a good way.

"Well I thought it was a big story to get me to stop bugging him, I mean why would a Fire nation general be running a teashop in a rival capital? Then he bought me this dress, and I started to believe him." She looked down at the expense Iroh would have mustered for such an outfit.

"Iroh bought that for you?" He raised his eyebrow, but it seemed obvious that he must have, as it would be unlikely that she could afford such a thing herself.

"Of course, he stated that even my nice dresses were unsuitable to meet the head of a nation."

Of coarse Iroh was right, anything less would have likely gotten her turned away at the door, not to mention the earth kingdom colors coupled with being completely unannounced would have marked her as an assassin. They passed through a set of double doors, leading to a smaller side hallway and continued to walk.

"So… what do you do, for a living that is?" Zuko questioned feeling a bump in the conversation as they passed a series of large windows revealing the gardens behind the palace.

She watched the perfectly kept trees and flowers in awe, "well, I bake and make crafts to sell on the street," she turned back to him and humorously added "not all of us can lounge in a palace with servant serve our every whim."

He took in a breath and look down at her, "I assure you I am expected to work more than I ever have before." He led them out into the garden doors opened by the guards posted at them, "I, in fact, miss the carefree days of merely working in a teashop, where my evenings were free to pursue other interests."

She smiled at the mention of her home. "Oh is that right?" she looked around taking in another beautiful vista, "Where are you taking me?"

"Do you remember the firelight fountain?" he asked as they passed a row of simple trees.

"Of course, how could I not, it's my favorite place to go."

He smiled and waved his arm across where they stood, "Well this is mine."

In front of her was a small turtle duck pond, laid within sight of a simple path and gazebo, behind that was the inner wall of the palace, but her eyes were draw to where Zuko stood, in the shade of an angled tree, he motioned her to follow, and he sat at the edge of the pool. From there she moved beside him and sat, curling her legs underneath her and resting on her left arm to lean closer to him.

He looked at her and smiled, "this is where I come to think and relax. It may not be a firelight fountain but it's the best we can do her."

She watched as the turtle duck played and swam, "awww, they're so cute." She turned back to him and smiled, "I think it's wonderful."

They sat there together and made idle conversation for another half hour, time Zuko had set aside to speak to his Uncle but cared not that he was missing out of Iroh's wisdom. It had been too long since he had been with a girl like this, not since the haze of post-war optimism with Mai that he had had this simple bliss. She was natural and surprisingly okay with the situation at hand, especially given all she had been through. He was glad of someone who treated him as Zuko, not "the Fire Lord". Finally the conversation led back to the date they had shared.

"I had always wondered how you were able to light all the candles. You were so smug, but then again it was impressive." She admitted to him.

"Impressive? I could have been killed had someone seen." Zuko defended himself, seeing it as a huge risk, but he had fallen prey to a pretty girl who had given him a sad look and decided it was worth it.

"This also explains the 'it's complicated', though I probably wouldn't have believed you had you told me the truth." She admitted turning from the little ducklings. She looked him in the eyes and asked, "So I guess it's not so complicated anymore?"

He saw her slightly bite her lower lip and lean forward a bit; he moved closer longing to feel those lips after so long. And brought his hand up to brush a wayward bank away from her face, pulling closer

A man cleared his throat behind him, causing Zuko to sit up pulling away from Jin, so close to the touch they both had sought.

Without looking he responded "Yes?"

"My Lord, you have a meeting with a group of Earth Kingdom merchants and nobles; the topic is trade rights."

He didn't need to turn around to know it was one of his aides, and though he loathed the interruption he knew how important this was to the recovery of the world was so he stood

"I need to go to this." He had a weight in his words as he turned from Jin; a tone of sadness, "Thank you for the splendid time." He strode away adjusting his shirt, "be sure she finds her room and has anything she needs." He spoke mostly to the aide but at a volume so she could hear. She watched sadly as he moved to the inner palace.

***

Toph moved among the long corridors, which bustled with people, she settled softly along the marble floor, her long dress trailing behind her, though she really didn't know what it looked like but according to her father and the sound of a few heads turning it was likely both expensive and elegant. While she wanted to be out in the wilderness again, she enjoyed the strange feeling of this new place having only been here for a short time right after the end of the war. Now she had a chance to see what the Royal Fire Palace was like.

She stepped towards a large double door off to one side and moved to enter it when a guard challenged her.

"Sorry miss, this area is off limits to guests." The guard moved to block her path while the other looked on.

Toph considered showing these men what an earth bending master could do but decided it may be cruel to her father to cause such a ruckus while he was in a meeting.

"Don't worry, I will take of this." A voice spoke with unmistakable footsteps behind her.

Zuko pushed through halls glad to be away from the cut throats he had known as businessmen, the Bei Fong group had been especially ruthless in negotiations and it frustrated him as they stood to rake as much profit as they could from the betterment of their own people.

In the hall to his right something caught his eye, turning he saw a woman in green, her dress was a simple pattern of Kimono but the detail betrayed the expense of it, along the outside was a well formed floral pattern, painstakingly handcrafted, the edging was a simple red line to the deep passion of green that made up the outfit. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail but fell in a perfect balance that suggested much work had gone into it and locking her hair in was a silver hair clasp lodged with a large crystal in addition to a series of small petaled flowers woven into her hair. Her figure was shapely and intoxicating to look at.

She turned to reveal sightless glazed eyes of green and Zuko was shocked to realize this was little Toph, very much grown up. A guard had stopped her as he had attempted to enter the royal wing where he stayed. Zuko moved towards them and raised a hand as he spoke

"Don't worry I'll take care of this."

Toph turned halfway and without fully facing him spoke, "I was wondering when I would bump into you. What's behind these doors?"

He smiled slyly as a comeback formed in his mind, "Well we haven't bumped together yet at all, but given you were trying to get into my bedchamber maybe you had other plans." Toph lashed out with her fist and connected with his shoulder.

"Nice try loverboy, but in your dreams;" She turn to him, "or should I say Fire Lord Loverboy." Her causal but powerful attitude was refreshing to the scraping and groveling that he normally dealt with on a daily basis, and he was shock that the dirt covered little girl had… changed so much.

"You came with your father?" He surmised as he turned to walk her down the hallway to the guest quarters where her father would be staying.

"Of course," she said while wrapping her arm around his and reaching over to grab with her hand to allow him to guide for them, "But really anything to get out of the house, I thought it might be an adventure of sorts, plus how else was I to bug my favorite Fire Lord?"

He shook his head at her teasing, but allowed it, "I'm a little surprised, to be honest, I've never seen you so…" he looked for the word roll it around in his mouth, "Dressed up."

She slapped with him in the stomach with her left hand, "If I didn't know any better I would say you were coming on to me," and she ended her sentence with a laugh.

Zuko also laughed with her but couldn't deny that she was stunning at her age of fifteen? Could that be right? Still he left it at a laugh.

So they continued chatting down the hallway until they reached the wing she was staying in and he had to bid her goodbye and told a passing servant to insure she reached her room alright. He waved then left to attend another meeting he was now late for and told his aide to ask Iroh to join him.

***

Lao Watched his daughter enter the wing they had been placed, wave goodbye to the young Fire Lord and inwardly congratulated himself, such was his plan, but now was just the beginning, in time the Bei Fong Family will have strings to pull in both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom.

His daughter breezed past him without a word, but then again he had nothing to say to her.

***********

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnn

What could happen next? Will Lao succeed in his evil(?) plan of hooking up Toph and Zuko, what will happen to poor lovable Jin? And where the heck is Ty Lee?

The more reviews I get the faster I update, and thanks to young fool for managing to review in the 8 hour difference between when I posted chapter 1 and 2!