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ARA TRIES TO KILL ZUKO?????????

You'll have to keep reading! I Hope you still like it, cause it's far from over!!!!! Please READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!

A few hours later, Zuko's tent was dark, except for a stray candle, which he was sitting in front of, his eyes closed, his breathing deep and calm, his hands open on his knees in meditation. The shadows cast by the candle on his scar made it look more like flames dancing on his face, smooth skin in patches, rough in others. But his focus was not on his scar, but of what his conversation with Iroh had been.

All was silent and still as the snow fell outside and the moon shone full, and the only sound the young prince heard was his own breathing and his own strong heartbeat pulsing in his ears.

He heard the tent flap open behind him, and a burst of cold wind hit him, making his loose hair wave a bit, but he didn't open his eyes as the person who entered walked toward him on silent feet and sat down next to him. He breathed in and out deeply, still meditating as a few seconds of silence passed between them. The new person gently touched his hand.

"You alright?" Mai's now soft velvet voice floated through the silence.

"Mmm-hmm."

"Did you tell them?"

Zuko's eyes opened, and he sighed, holding his face in his other hand, rubbing his eyes. "No, I didn't."

Mai turned to face him calmly. "Zuko…"

"What was I supposed to do, Mai?" he answered as he faced her, his voice calm, but the flame in front of him rose in its height. "I can't tell them. It would break their hearts for me to leave."

"It's better than you not telling them and them coming to terms slowly with your leaving," she said, her piercing eyes starting deep into his, breaking deep into seeing the confusion and sadness. "They know already," she added. "They've known for a long time that you had to go, even though you wanted to stay here. They'll understand."

"It's not about them understanding," he whispered under his breath, standing up and turning away from her. "And it's not just because I'm afraid. Oh, I am afraid. I just can't do this to them."

"Her."

"What?"

Mai walked toward him, wrapping her arms around his middle and leaning her head on his back, while the prince took her hands that were in front of him and brought them to his lips, kissing them lightly in his grasp. Gently Mai took back her hands and walked to his side, where she brought his face with one hand to face her. She smiled sadly.

"You know of the young one I'm speaking of," she whispered. She looked down, but then stared ahead of her as if she could see what lay beyond their sight. "The others are grown and understand the task you must face, your responsibility. They always have. And yet, so does she. She is wise beyond her years. But there is something different between you and Ara than the others; a deep bond that can't be torn apart. And I think you can't-and won't-leave because you think it will be torn. But believe me. It won't."

Zuko sighed. "You're right," he whispered, looking down. "You're right. Then what do I do?"

She looked at his face. "I can't help you there. You'll have to face her, and what you do after that is your decision. But whether you choose to stay or go, I know my place is by your side. I won't leave you, no matter what."

He looked up to stare into her eyes. How he loved the glow and spark that shone when they had reunited those years ago. Emotion had come into her form when they had. It seemed that because of him, she was so much happier. And that happiness returned back and flooded back into him.

He smiled, gently lifting a hand to stroke her cheek, and she closed her eyes as his lips brushed hers.

"You mean that?" he whispered, his breath tickling her lips. She opened her eyes, his face only an inch from hers. She smiled.

"I've waited for you and have been by your side for 15 years. Isn't that enough?"

He smiled too. "Nope."

She laughed. "Well, soon you'll have your proof. You still want to marry, right?"

"Of course," he said, placing his hands on her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling them closer to the other. "And to only you. I love you Mai."

She smiled. "I love you too." She brought her lips to his, this time harder and longer, passion-filled and forceful. By the time they pulled back, they gasped for air, resting their foreheads on each other, smiling and sighing.

Finally, he looked up into her eyes. "You promise you won't leave me?"

She kissed him quickly.

"I promise."

He smiled and took her hand in his. "C'mon. We have to go see Uncle. But first I need to stop."

They stepped into the cold night air, the silent snowfall, the frozen ground crunching beneath their feet, hand in hand, making their way through the night. But as they got to a tent, Zuko stopped and put a finger to his lips.

"Wait here," he whispered, and he entered.

The young girl was silent and still in her bed as the prince gently knelt by her side. He moved a lock of her chocolate velvet brown hair back and moved to kiss her forehead. And as he held her limp head in both hands, his tears started to fall as his lips brushed her arrow softly and silently. He squeezed her hand gently in the darkness.

"Thank you Ara, so very much. I love you. Oh, spirits, I love you. And I came to say goodbye."

He kissed her forehead again, left the tent, and took Mai's hand as they continued walking. And neither spoke upon reaching Iroh's tent. Zuko took a deep breath, and he and Mai entered.

Aang sat on his side of the bed, watching his wife get ready to go to bed as she brushed out her hair and quickly pulled all of it into a loose braid behind her. She hummed as she did it, and even though Katara was beautiful, she seemed like a miraculous angel to him tonight. Maybe it was the full moon. Maybe it was her trick of her hold on him. And maybe it was just his love for her.

Katara finished with her hair, and turning to her husband, she saw his dreamy smile at her. She smirked and smiled as she suddenly had an idea, and walking over ever so slowly, stared at him with a mischievous look and tantalizing smile.

Aang's heart skipped a beat as he opened his mouth partways. He knew that look. And he just smiled.

She then stopped in front of the end of the bed, smiling even more seductively, and he gulped. He saw the fire and passion in her eyes. He knew she was her most powerful and dangerous during the full moon, which made him even more nervous, yet he wanted her. Her heart, her love, her body. He craved it. And she knew it.

But she did something he didn't expect.

With a flick of her wrist, he felt himself move onto his hands and knees on the bed, crawling towards her. He looked down at his hands that he now couldn't control, and he looked up at Katara who was moving herself in a few water bending poses that he knew, as well as some even he didn't recognize for once.

"Katara?" he squeaked, and her sexy smile grew bigger. He swallowed and his heart raced faster as he got nearer to her. She pulled him closer, and she lifted his head to stare her in the eye. She smiled.

"Hi, Aang…"

He gulped again. "Uh, hi…K-Katara. I never thought you'd use blood bending on me…"

"Well, I'm just full of surprises." she bent him into a kneeling position, his eye level to her chest, and his eyes widened. But she bent down to his level, stared him in the eye with a lustful smile, and suddenly dropped her hands, where Aang fell off the bed onto his face, complete control of his body again. He looked up with a sarcastic look, only to find that she stared at him in the same way.

He smiled. "You know," he said, slowly getting closer to her, "you just let me go, and I'm--" he lifted himself up and kissed her lips softly "--also full of--" kiss "--surprises."

She smiled. "Let's see them." She kissed his lips and suddenly he grabbed her, airbending her onto the bed, and he crawled over to her. She then flipped him onto his back, and he laughed.

"You win," he whispered as he lifted his head and met her lips again. She ran her hands down his chest, and he gently ran his own hands down her bare shoulders, feeling her skin. She leaned into his kiss once more, and he gently blew a gust of wind towards the candles, blowing them out.

Iroh and Mai were still discussing between themselves over drinking some tea, while Zuko paced in the corner, not really hearing them, as he was staring into his tea, thinking about his plans to come. He looked up and cleared his throat.

Mai and Iroh became silent and looked at Zuko as he closed his eyes.

"Uncle," you need to tell me. I need to know. When are we supposed to be leaving for the Fire Nation?"

Mai looked up at him with worried eyes, but looked back at Iroh.

Iroh set his tea down and sighed.

"I thought you'd ask that. I'm sorry my nephew."

Zuko took a deep breath, staring deeply at his uncle. "Well?"

"Tonight. The ship leaves at midnight."

The tent was still, except for the night wind blowing the flap slowly back and forth, and the young girl who lay inside slept fitfully.

BRRRMMMPH!!!

A ship's horn sounded and came with the wind.

Ara gasped, waking up instantly and sitting upright, her hair flying forward and her eyes wide. She knew that sound. The Fire Nation ship was leaving, and she somehow knew who was on it. Her heart started to race as she dropped out of bed, pulled on her boots, and grabbed her blanket. She ran out into the freezing cold, looking for the ship.

Tears came to her eyes when she saw it leaving, and began to run. "No!" she cried, limping faster to catch up. "No! You can't leave! No!!!"

Aang suddenly sat up, shocked awake by someone crying out. He looked down next to him, where Katara was undisturbed and still fast asleep.

"No!"

He turned his attention back to the girl's cries, and he heard the crunching of running boots on snow run past their tent.

"No!" the girl's voice cried.

"Ara…" he whispered. He shot out of bed, pulling on his boots and a long shirt over his bare chest and shoulders. He ran out.

Aang looked down the hill toward the harbor, and underneath the moonlight, he saw his daughter running toward the ship. Immediately he began to run and bent up an air scooter to ride, taking off at high speed.

Ara ran as fast as she could go with her injured knee, trying to catch the ship that slowly left the harbor. She used her airbending to push her faster, and ahead of her, the end of the ice was nearing even closer, and she intended to bend the water towards the ship.

Aang saw it and knew he had to catch her before she took off the shore. He cried out her name, but she didn't hear him as she called out the name of her best friend on the ship.

Ara took a flying leap off her feet and nearly made it to waterbend, when Aang grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. "No Ara!!!" he yelled, his teeth gritted. "Let him go!!!"

"No!!!" she cried out, struggling against her father's grip. "How could he do this to us??!! How could he leave!? WHY?! Why did he leave us? Why did he have to leave without telling ME goodbye?! No!" she collapsed into her father's arms, not crying, but out of breath from running. She clung to him and felt his heart racing beneath her. He stroked her hair as he looked toward the ship slowly moving away from them toward the horizon, and the moon that lay stretched across it. And for a moment, he felt anger at his friend who had left without a single goodbye. Nothing. Not even a warning. So he knew what Ara felt as she regained her steady heart rate and broke away from his grip, walking slowly towards the shore, where she fell to her knees as she looked across the mirrored star-filled ocean and the waves slapped gently near her. Her grey eyes shone in the velvet blue darkness, skimming the water for the slowly disappearing ship, and then she looked out at the endless stars above her. She bowed her head and shivered, pulling her polar tiger blanket tighter around her.

Aang slowly walked forward and bent down, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, saying nothing but the small squeeze he gave to her arm, trying to comfort her. He heard the soft crunching of boots behind him, but didn't bother to turn around until a hand was on his own shoulder. And when his eyes met the other's his widened to a full extent and he backed away from Ara.

She felt her father's grip leave, but a new and very familiar hand softly touched her back. She gasped, suddenly twisting around and surprised to find herself staring into the golden eyes of the scarred prince who meant so much to her, down on his knees behind her, smiling gently. Her heart wanted to burst.

"So kid, whatcha doing out here chasing a boat in the middle of the night? You're not trying to leave without saying goodbye, are ya?"

Ara smiled as she fell into his arms. "Zuko!" she cried, burying her face in his parka, then looked up. "But…but I thought you were on the ship when it left."

"I had to be," he started, looking up at Aang, "but I couldn't leave without saying goodbye first, and give thanks to all of you guys, who've saved me more than once," he looked back down into Ara's eyes. "especially you, little miss screaming-at-midnight. Geez, you woke me up real quick."

Ara grinned, but it quickly faded. "So, um, when do you really leave?" she asked quietly as she struggled to look up into his gaze, and when she did and he smiled, her heart melted. He pulled her into a strong hug, which she gladly returned.

"I leave soon."

"How do you get home with Iroh, Mai, and Ty Lee, now that the ship is gone?" Aang asked, bending down next to him.

"I've been to see Hakoda. He offered me a Water Tribe Ship. And it'll just be Mai and Ty Lee and I. Uncle is the one on the ship. He said he apologizes until the day he dies, but important matters concerned him at the Palace. He had to leave. But I refused. For now."

"When do you actually leave?" Aang asked. Ara looked up.

"What time is it now?" Zuko asked in reply.

"About midnight, why?"

Zuko looked straight at Ara. "I leave this morning, at dawn."

Dun dun duh!!!!!! hOpe you guys liked, so here you go!!!! READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for all your support guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!