Jin stood with Iroh, it seemed weird to call him that but it was his real name so she tried to not call him Mushi, as he gave her a tour of the palace, pointing out the different areas and interesting histories of the different rooms and details. Unfortunately for him she barely paid attention, thinking of how Zuko had talked to her and the kiss they had almost had, she had felt and tasted his breath and within her she longed for more.

Across the hall she saw him again, but before she called out to him she saw there was another girl on his arm, wear an extravagant green dress it made hers look like a throwaway. She despaired as she saw the woman's arms wrapped around his, as they walk and chatted. As she watched they both laughed at something hilarious one of them said and she felt crushed inside.

Iroh looked where she was looking to see what distracted his charge. He looked from the pair as they disappeared around the corner.

She turned to him and composed herself thinking there was a likely reason for this, "Who was Zuko walking with there?" she tried to sound casual and as if she didn't care but felt her voice break a bit.

Iroh, unnoticing, answered "That's Toph Bei Fong, nice young girl, daughter of one of the richest families in the Earth Kingdom."

Of course, the Bei Fongs, everyone heard of them. Jin felt a pinning weakness fall over her like a smothering blanket, how could this little peasant compare to a powerful Earth Kingdom family, they seemed so close laughing together, holding hands.

She turned back to Iroh and encouraged him to continue with his tour, "Please go on."

He shrugged and led her until an aide approached him and whispered in his ear. Iroh Turned back to her saying, "I need to go, Zuko has requested my presence at a meeting." He seemed disappointed, but left.

The aide turned to her, and asked "Is there anything I can do for you?"

She thought to her current problems and responded "No, I don't believe you could."

***

The sun was almost completely set as Zuko got out of the defense meeting, behind him Iroh chatted with the old generals he had known from so long ago. Zuko left him to his old friends and decided to catch a breath of fresh air and relax before bed. He stalked outside and rounded the far end of the garden to see a small figure shivering by the edge of the pool, now he felt the fall wind chill the air, while it was a tropical location they were on the top of a volcano and it was getting to cooler.

He approached Jin who looked up to him and said nothing, in the darkness he thought he saw her wipe her cheek.

"Are you ok?" he knelt beside her, seeing as most of the servants that had made this place bustling would be home or doing a quick cleanup, they were alone, "What's wrong?"

She looked up at him with those large round green eyes and shook her head "nothing." She said.

He didn't know what to do, not following what had happened to her. He helped her to her feet and walked her inside. Once in the warmth of the palace she seemed to cheer up, but as he began to guide her to the room she would be staying in she asked him a question.

"The room I am in is so beautiful but I am curious, how big are royal chambers?" Zuko smiled knowing even her own room was probably more elaborate than anything she had even seen. He was still wide awake so he felt inclined to show her the entire wing that was dedicated to him and led her down past the two guards, who shot each other knowing glances, but said nothing.

He moved down the large entry area, which held a series of decadent couches, in fact decadent would describe almost everything here, decadent couches and rugs and tapestries and tables. Around the room was a series of doors which ranged from an eating area, to a bath room larger than her apartment to a training room to a meditation chamber to his bed room, the bed itself was massive in proportions and covered in thick blankets that made her old matt and blankets seem like little more than rough cloth.

She sat at the side of his bed and ran her hands along the top, which was smooth in a heavenly sort of way, a softness and warmth that was unknown to her. Zuko showed off the different object around before finally plopping down on a couch against the far wall. Jin smiled again to him, her soft feature brightening with an impressive light.

"This is amazing, it's like a manor within a palace," Zuko smiled but knew he spent little time here, preferring to eat with the palace guests and train outside.

She stood and strode towards him trying to do her sexiest walk; this was her prince charming, a kind and caring royal to take her away from the toil and work. He seemed as oblivious as ever to her advance. She sat beside him, "What's it like here? I mean compared to when you were Ba Sing Se." He turned to her and shrugged.

"Its strange, like I'm on a whole other planet. In Ba Sing Se I was a normal kid who met normal people and who no one paid attention to, it was a quiet and simple way to live. Here my every move is watched; people spread rumors of my every move of everyone I talk to, of what I'm doing. There I could be myself and not worry." He smirked to her, "What about you? What's it like to go from the lower ring to the Fire Nation Palace?"

She laughed bringing her sleeve up to her mouth again, "Oh it's quite different, I can say the beds seem to be a big difference also the people asking me if I need help. I'm like a fish out of water, everything is so strange, but here I have you. And for once I feel truly safe, because I don't worry about muggers or robbers, about break ins or crime. Here I have you to protect me, plus the Palace guard." She leaned to him and unintentionally bit her lower lip ever so slightly. He saw it coming and leaned to her their lips finally meeting again after so many years. She felt and explosion of sensation, of warmth only a firebender would have. She smelt the ash tinted scent on him, the taste of wine he had consumed at dinner, the bitterness of it made her want to reel and yet she wanted more.

She swung her arms around his shoulders and he brought his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, their bodies were in contact in a dozen different ways and it made her feel drunk, she want more, it was almost addicting to her to feel this. She leaned back and drew him forward until he lay on top of her, he in turn took full advantage of his position running his hands up and down her body but tried to contain himself, she was a lady after all. She, with her hands, felt the back of his head and to his amazement managed to quickly release his topknot cause a cascade of hair to fall down in her face. She sputtered as hair tips seemed to find their way into her eyes and mouth. He pulled away to get the hair off her and joked;

"Seems my hair doesn't like you too much."

She laughed and maneuvered past his hanging hair to find shelter face to face with him and plant another kiss, he shifted his weight and together they tumbled off the couch with a noisy crash, from the couch bumping to the wall, she let out a quick yelp at the sudden and violent movement. Instantly she found herself on top of a head of state on the ground of his bed chamber. She sat up, seated directed on his abdomen.

"Perhaps we can continue somewhere other than the floor." His voice was calm and he was smiled at the situation he was in. She nodded and allowed him to get up. The door burst open with two royal firebenders standing in the frame, fighting stances, ready to strike.

"Sir, are you ok?" They looked at him, catching him merely standing beside a woman, dusting himself, hair loose and unkempt. "We heard a loud crash."

"It was nothing, a small accident." The two men loosened up.

"I see, it's late sir, do you want me to escort the lady back to her room?"

Zuko sighed, seeing that it was late but wishing to continue.

Jin answered, "Yes that would be wonderful." To the shock of Zuko she strode with a purpose he had not seen in a long time and allowed herself to be escorted out of the room, the guards closed the doors behind her. Zuko fell back onto his bed, a feeling of bliss before striping down and falling asleep alone, thinking what it had been like with Jin.

Jin walked in silence with one of the guards, smiling to herself. He liked her too, and she was banking on her early departure making him want her more, plus she needed to keep up appearances. Jin mused to herself that this was a strange thought process for her, a strangely political way to act. Still she was sure he wouldn't forget her for any rich girl.

She took a deep breath, taking in his scent that remained on her clothes and remembering the he felt. She had shivers.

***

The next day Toph sat at breakfast, the table they were seated at had room for easily twenty or thirty people, right now there was merely about fifteen; mostly Earth Kingdom nobles like her father and a few Fire Nation Nobles, the conversation was small and only between their respective groups. Toph did not participate.

The noble around her stood in almost unison as she felt Zuko's footfalls across the room, she stood in the way she had been taught and sat as Zuko motioned them too. He sat across form her and one seat down. The servants brought breakfast to him and he joined with the eating in almost silent. He broke the silence asking her across the table;

"So Toph, were there any sights in the Fire nation you wish to see?"

Toph didn't move her head, "I can't imagine anywhere more impressive than this palace, perhaps a tour is in order, I didn't get one last time I was here." She stopped thinking the 'looked' Zuko in the eyes "Besides don't you owe me a 'life changing fieldtrip'." He smirked.

"I guess I do, but everyone else chose their own destinations so it's up to you."

"We can start with the palace and see where to go next." She went back to the meal at hand as Iroh walked in, followed by a small girl. She paid no attention.

Lao Watched as his daughter and Zuko spoke, of a 'life changing field trip' apparently it was some sort of joke but the Fire Lord seemed serious and Lao saw it only as a good sign. General Iroh and a young girl entered and immediately saw something that chilled him. As the girl walked she made eye contact with Zuko, they both blushed and smiled showing some sort of attraction. This could very well be trouble.

Iroh and the girl took their seats beside Zuko, the girl closer.

"General Iroh, who is your guest?" Lao asked giving off the most sincere tone he could. From this close she looked downright not firenation and the way she sat herself suggested she was not a noble.

Iroh gave a chuckle, "She is in fact Fire Lord Zuko's guest, we all met while refuges in the great city of Ba Sing Se.

She nodded to him and spoke; her voice a sing songy "My name is Jin."

This explained a lot, he surmised that she was some gutter girl who is overwhelmed by this new pace she finds herself in, still he couldn't allow one such as that ruin a perfectly good setup. His mind reeled and he formed a plan.

Jin Returned to her food, trying to act like she didn't care that she was sitting beside Zuko, still she found her eyes drawn to him repeatedly. The noble across from her seemed oddly interested in her but she didn't worry. Now she saw Toph from close and realized she was blind, which would explain why she had needed to hold his arm, still she was beautiful and jealousy panged up in her stomach.

Surely she had nothing to worry about.

By the Afternoon Lao and the other Earth Kingdom nobles were leaving and Zuko bid them farewell, still he felt a pit of sorrow in his gut saying goodbye to Toph, it was almost as if she was a connection to his youthful change, from when he first truly tried to do good, and but for a fleeting moment he was filled with the optimistic energy they once shared. Still she said a long goodbye and in his mind he wondered if she felt the same way. He watched them leave and strode back to the palace; he had other matters to see to.

Later, during a lull in the work he had gone to see Jin, she was playing Pai Sho with his uncle and when he entered she stood and bowed. He smiled, she was getting better at this, and maybe she would become a true noblewoman. They had talked exchanging flirty words until he suggested they see the city;

"You must be getting tired of being inside this palace all day, we should see the sights."

She laughed, "Are you kidding? I haven't seen half of this place, I swear I could spend years her and not grow bored."

He gave a slight shake of his head forgetting where she was from, "alright, but I would like to get out as I have been here for years."

She stood and dusted off her lap, "Alright, lead the way;" then moved to walk beside him.

His uncle, no longer having an opponent added in, "I too will join you."

For a moment Zuko was irate of him budding in but the thought of how he had reunited them made him cut back, at least a bit.

Together they walked amongst the crowds, she had worn the same dress as yesterday, he surmised that she in fact only had one dress, and noted that he should buy her some more. It was exciting to be there with her, every boring thing was like an ancient relic of a bygone age. She would stop and talk of the street vendors and look at products that shocked and amazed her, she had an energy he couldn't even place, something that filled those around her and made the weariness of months of toil melt away. He smiled despite himself, watching her run a short distance to see something close up only to run back to him to tell him what she found so amazing.

The as she ran up to him she stopped and staggered into him, at first he thought she had hit him for a hug, which while improper, he was willing to ignore, then he saw a long arrow protrude from her shoulder.

She was wide eyed then began to scream in pain, in a flash he saw a masked archer leap away from the rooftops near him. She had the poor luck of stepping between his assailant and himself as the arrow was loosed, the implications were staggering, his life had been saved by her. He clutched her more concerned about her than any assassin; Iroh on the other hand leapt, with a speed and grace unknown for most his age, in pursuit.

In his arms she cried and screamed and he held on, consoling her. Calling out for a doctor, until deciding to move her through the scattering crowds back to the palace, in his arms she sobbed in agony.

Jin awoke from the sedatives they had used during the operation, Zuko had quickly carried her back to the palace and she wondered where he was, beside her sat Iroh who saw her awake and grinned.

"It's good to see you awake, you had I worried, my nephew most of all."

She groggily tried to sit up but pain flashed through her shoulder and Iroh helped her lay back down;

"What happened?"

"You saved his life, an Assassin attempted to kill him," He made a two fingered motion to his own heart, mimicking a kill shot; "but you blocked the shot with your shoulder." He gave a chuckle, "It could have been a lot worse. Good thing he has such a capable bodyguard."

Jin had wanted to chuckle at the thought of it but she restrained herself

"Where is he now?"

Iroh looked a little taken back by the quick question and she didn't know why; "He's gone to the south to oversee the construction of a new port, it has been three days after all;" his head sank heavily; "He has told us we are to return to Ba Sing Se."

"But why?" She thought of the short time they spent together, "Why would he send me away." And three days? She must have been hurt a lot worse than she thought

"He only worries about your safety, if there are people threatening his life they may also target you directly." And he cannot risk that until he gets to the bottom of this assassination attempt.

She rolled onto her good side in defeat, so that could be the last she may ever see Zuko. Maybe she would have been better off to only remember him as the young refuge instead of tasting what him being the Fire Lord was like to have it torn away.

"But don't worry I will also be there if you need any help."

Zuko felt sorrow having to send Jin and Iroh away, but she said the best part of being here was the safety she felt and now it was no longer safe. He spoke to Iroh and ensured he would take care of her. Still in saddened him to push one away, but it was a tough choice in a tough life.

***

There we go, another chapter, that 3 in less than 20 hours, don't expect me to keep this up but still. So who is this masked man, what will become of Jin? When is Toph coming back? who would have thought Lao would be a Toko shipper? Seriously, where is Ty Lee? (next chapter I promise, I had originally planned for her to show up earlier, but that plan fell apart)