Chapter 23

Sokka's POV

What on Earth is wrong with these people?

My entire jaw felt like it was on the floor as I watched Zuko deck it out with Zhong. The two guys wrestled as much as they could with all of the Fire Nation robes on them, and I could see that Zuko was in for the kill when he started punching the guy.

Why aren't they fighting with fire, they both are fire benders right?

"It is such a shame to see such a friendship end based on the sake of distrust and backstabbing."

I looked over at General Iroh, and he held a very saddened face as he watched his nephew confronting his friend. Now I understood that they didn't want to fight fire with fire, but rather skin to skin, to show who was a true man in this fight.

Katara's POV

Zuko…

I saw blood spurting from Zhong's nose, and I nearly went in to heal it, but I could see that this was truly a fight between the two friends. I felt so ashamed at myself for what had transpired within the last several minutes, but I was relieved that I did not have to hide such a secret from anyone any longer.

Looking over at the others, I saw that Aang was uncomfortable watching the two men fight, but I guess he finally matured enough to know that they needed to confront this. Suki looked frightened for the boys and what could possibly happen to them. Sokka I knew understood that they were angry with each other, and he has had experience with this before with other guys. Iroh was melancholy at the fact that his nephew's best friend had betrayed him. Toph looked excited, but I knew that she might feel a little guilt later for what had happened just now. Mai was seething and crying in anger at the same time, and she kept screaming at the boys to stop fighting and at us to stop them.

"What the Hell is going on?"

Whipping around in the direction of the door, I saw that dad and Bato were standing in the hallway watching the spectacle. With me not being the only one to notice, the boys finally stopped fighting with each other and pulled apart. Zuko had gotten up, straightening his robes and looking at dad with a scorned look on his face.

"What is going on is both of the weddings are canceled. Your daughter is not getting married to this ungrateful, backstabbing piece of shit!"

My dad had never looked more confused in my entire life, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Zuko took a breath, "He had slept with my fiancé behind my back for Agni knows how long, before he agreed to be engaged to your daughter."

Mai just about wanted to kill him, "Oh believe me when I say this, but we have been sleeping together for years, and then even after he agreed to the little treaty. Your little tramp of a daughter found out about it too."

Sokka just about jumped up after that, "Shut the Hell up!"

Zuko didn't look at Sokka or say anything to him; he was just staring at me.

"You knew this whole time, and you never told me anything."

I felt tears beginning to prickle my eyes, "I had found out about it a few days ago, but she made me swore not to tell, and then he told you that we wanted to get married as soon as possible."

Once again, amber turned hard, and he glared at Zhong again, "That was why you wanted the whole thing to be quick, so that you could get away with everything?"

Zhong only scowled right back at him and said, "No, I wanted to be as far away from you and Mai as possible. She was still clearly in love with you, and she could never get over it. She only toyed and played with my mind."

Mai nearly pounced on him herself, "That's a lie. I love you, Zhong. That's why I wanted her to feel the pain, I wanted her to understand the pain that I had losing you."

They stared at each other for the longest time, and pretty soon Zhong was looking at Zuko, "I know that I haven't been a friend to you, but if you could find it in your heart to let us just run away from this. We would never have to ever see you again, and we will save you from any of this heartache. You will never see us again if you would only let us do this, just please?"

Zuko's POV

I stared for the longest time at the two of them. Even though the length of a table separated them, I could see that they depended on each other. I knew that I could never give Mai the happiness that she deserved, and that I was never really in love with her, just the fact that she and Zhong were my last link to the past that I had. To the family that never really wanted me…

Looking over to where Katara was standing, I saw that she was staring right back at me. Her soft azure eyes were melting from the icy frost that held them into calming oceans. It took me back to that night that we had shared our first kiss, the night that I told her I loved her…

Snapping out of my thoughts, I turned over to where Mai and Zhong were standing. Both of them had anxious looks, scared of what I could say in the next moment.

"Get out… I never want to see either of you again…"