Sorry for the delay. I'm just not good at writing adventure fics like this and trying to stick to the cartoon timeline makes this hard to write. It's fun to think up the plot for this story, though.
To be alone is, well, a very lonely thing. Zuko had never actually realized that fact until now. He had always had company of some kind. Until her disappearance, his mother was always there for him. After he was banished from the Fire Nation, he had a whole ship full of soldiers to accompany him on his wild goose chase for the Avatar. Though, it would probably be quite a huge understatement to say that Zuko didn't get along with that cruise. The fault was mostly on his part of course, but even heaven wouldn't be able to help those, apart from his uncle, who dared to point that out to him back there. He thought back on the time spent on that ship with some amusement, imagining the soldiers contemplating ways to drown their prince and leave the body to become fish food over their drink. That mental scenario might not be that far of a stretch away from the truth, though. If anything, that was the watered down version of what was really going on. Zuko didn't blame them. Looking back now, if he had been present on that ship at the same time with his past self, he could just see himself kicking the arrogant ass wearing his face over the board where he would sink into the sea (Of course, even if he were somehow actually there, he wouldn't be able to do that for real since it was a majorly bad idea and would definitely create some giant mess, the kind that would ruin everything. Still, it made a fun thought). He sure had changed a lot since then.
His mind kept flickering back and forth between past and present. He missed his uncle, who had stayed with him through thick and thin. He missed Aang and his friends, whom had turned from his enemies to his allies and, by the look of it, back to enemies again. Most of all, he missed Mai. He missed the smiles she reserved for him only when they are alone together, missed the flowery scent of her hair whenever he pulled her in for a hug. He wondered how long had he been gone and if anyone was looking for him. Sitting here, totally isolated, stranded in god-know-where for who-know-how-long, Zuko longed for company-he craved for it. He closed his eyes and let his consciousness drift, immersed himself in the memories of his home. The Earth Kingdom was likely still days away by his estimation, Aang group left a clear trail (sky bison sure lost a lot of fur) and he had got nothing else to do, so Zuko supposed he could at least have this luxury, else he would go insane. The Firelord (prince?) had been considerably calm and collected about this whole space and time thing, but the truth was, the urge to panic was still there, bubbling just under the surface and being alone just serve as fuel to his terror. He might be head of a nation, but, as his advisor once said, a teenager was still a teenager. It didn't help that his rational part of the brain tell him to consider all possibilities, which included the worst case scenario where he wouldn't be able to return to where he belonged and would be forced to remain in hiding for the rest of his days. No matter how hard he consider it, he couldn't, and wouldn't endure that kind of life. He'd rather die. Even more unbearable was the idea that he would be forced to watch his past self going through all that struggle, knowing that it would be for nothing in the end. Would it become some kind of time loop? A time loop that only he would be stuck in, repeating himself over and over again? Not for the first time, Zuko wondered if the universe was out to get him.
Feeling his panic parameter rose to dangerous level again, Zuko squashed his negative thoughts to the very back of his head and tried to get some sleep. He had to remain optimistic for the sake of his own sanity. Who knew? Maybe a few days later this would resolve itself without him doing anything and his trip to the past would soon be a good laugh. Still, here was one of those time when it would be better for the bigger picture if he thought carefully before he acted, but the reverse order would help maintain his lucidity until the whole thing was over. So he wouldn't ponder thing over and over anymore. Right now, his immediate goal is the Earth Kingdom, and until then, the thinking part can wait.
Next time will be in the Earth Kingdom, although I'm not so sure when next time would be.