Amethyst

A/N: Oh you wonderful people! Thank you so much for the unending support! XD Your reviews make my day! And for all my lovely anonymous reviewers: you are the best! There are so many of you too!

On a side note, I saw the Amazing Spider-Man last night and just about died. If you haven't seen it, go see it now! It truly is amazing.

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Restless

"Starky," Asami said to herself. Her eyes opened and she leaned up out of bed to grab the pen on the desk beside her. "Starky, Starky. Need to schedule meeting for transport," she wrote on the pad placed on her bedside. She eyed the four other notes she had written down throughout the night and sighed, placing the pen down before flopping back into bed. She had no idea what time it was, but she knew it was late; her mind just wouldn't shut down. She'd close her eyes and attempt to sleep, but something else would come to her and she would sit right back up to write herself another reminder.

This had been going on for months now. Ever since she took over the business, she'd been so stressed out and high strung, trying so hard to put things in order and bring Future Industries back to its feet that she was starting to feel the effects of trying so hard. Sleep eluded her, and no matter how desperately she desired it or knew that she needed it, she just couldn't fall asleep. After hours of tossing and turning and wishing that sleep would come, she'd snag a couple right before she needed to be up and that would have to suffice for the entirety of the day. Most days, she had to hide the dark, sleepless bags under her eyes with her make up. She didn't want people worrying, and she most definitely didn't want to skip out on her duties because of a lack of sleep.

After trying to fall asleep again, Asami gave up. She sat up, fully awake, and looked around her moonlit room. It was the same room she had grew up in, only with all her updated likes and interests. Some of the magazines that interested her, or the clothes she had bought before the Equalist Revolution still sat in the places she left them, leaving a constant reminder of how different her life was now. On her vanity near the window, her driving goggles and gloves sat next to her helmet, long untouched in her attempt to prove to the world that she was a capable woman. Now in the moonlight, the artifacts of her "past life" seemed to call out to her. She got out of bed and wandered over to them.

The helmet felt so familiar as she lifted it from the table; a heavy weight that always seemed to calm her frazzled nerves. She turned it around in her fingers, a sudden desire to pull it on and ride off on her motorbike too difficult to resist. She took a quick glance around her room before making her decision. She yanked a pair of riding pants out from her drawer and pulled them on under her night gown. She grabbed her jacket from the stand nearby, a excited smile pulling at her lips as she yanked up the heavy zipper. She strapped on her boots and grabbed her helmet, goggles and driving gloves before running out the door.

At such a late hour, there was hardly anybody out and the hum of her engine echoed across the closed up buildings. From behind the handles, Asami released a delighted laugh. Working for Future Industries was one thing, but her true love still lived in the driver's seat. The wind whipped at her hair and stung her exposed cheeks, but she urged the bike to go faster, racing down streets and whipping around corners. The thrill of the race pumped through her veins, singing through her soul. If there was something she truly missed about the life she lived before, it was the freedom to just drive.

She drove for what seemed like ages until she brought the bike down to a slow putter along the harbor of Yue Bay. The water glistened and lapped against the shore, Air Temple island and Avatar Aang's statue glowing faintly in the distance. Brining her motorbike to a stop, she turned off the engine and closed her eyes, listening to the soft sounds of the ocean in the quiet night. Far enough away from the central business district, she couldn't hear the sounds of the sleepless side of the city, and for a brief moment, she felt like the only person in the world. When she opened her eyes again, she noticed the other figure walking along the harbor. He stopped and stared out at the ocean. She stood from her bike, making sure that it was parked correctly before she approached him.

"Some how, I don't feel like I should be surprised seeing you here," she said, holding her helmet behind her back as Iroh turned to face her. He looked startled; legitimately surprised to see her there.

He coughed, trying to cover his shock. "Miss Sato," he greeted belatedly.

"General," she greeted back with a small smirk. It wasn't often that she caught him off guard. "What are you doing out here?"

The General of the United Forces sent a small glance out towards the dark ocean before giving a small shrug. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go on a walk."

"Across the bay?" Asami asked in surprise. He gave her a confused look. "Er, aren't you staying at Air Temple Island?"

"Oh, no." Iroh gave a small chuckle. "I was at first, but I joined some of my men on this side of the harbor to keep an eye on them. They're getting a tad antsy that we're staying in one place for so long, but Commander Bumi just wants to be sure that the situation in Republic City is stable." He pulled a face. "Of course, that's what he said."

Asami looked up at him in amusement. "You don't believe that."

Iroh looked sheepish. "No. I have the misfortune of knowing the Commander at a personal level, and I know how much he enjoys being with his younger brother. Although, I can't say that Councilman Tenzin enjoys Commander Bumi's company quite as much."

Asami laughed, knowing how easily Tenzin gets irritated. For a monk, he had quite an issue with his temper.

"If it's not too much to ask," Iroh continued. "Why are you here? From my knowledge, you don't live close by."

"I don't," she confirmed with a shrug. "I was having a really hard time falling asleep tonight, so I decided to go on a drive." She gestured to her motorbike. "Although, if I knew I was going to see you, I would have dressed a little better." She laughed at the small blush that dusted his cheeks when he realized she was still wearing her nightgown. He politely turned his eyes away.

"R-regardless, you still look lovely, Miss Sato," he told her. She hid the small smile that turned up her lips at his bashful compliment. Fiddling with her helmet a bit, she met his eyes again.

"I hope this doesn't sound rude," she started. "But I've noticed that you're always very formal in the way you speak about people. Why is that?"

Iroh lifted a hand to his lips thoughtfully. "I suppose it's a matter of respect," he decided. "If a person deserves to have the title bestowed upon them, then I figure it is my honor to call them by the title they have been rewarded with. My grandfather used to tell me that a man could work his whole life to achieve greatness, but it is the people around him who truly determine what is 'great'." He gave her a sidelong glance. "I suppose my formality is just a way to honor a person's efforts to achieve greatness."

Asami smiled softly at the proud look in his eyes. "You must really love your grandfather."

His lips turned up in an honest smile. "Yes. I do."

Asami let the smile stay on her face as she looked out to the ocean again. "I know we haven't spent that much time together," she said quietly. "But I just want you to know that I've truly enjoyed the moments that I've shared with you." She met his slightly surprised look with a genuine look. "They have helped me more than you think. Thank you, General."

He let her words sink in for a moment before nodding. "It has been my pleasure, Miss Sato."

She nodded, staring out at the ocean for a while. She tried to ignore the flutter in her chest when their eyes met again. She grinned sheepishly.

"Something tells me that neither one of us is going to sleep anytime soon," she joked.

"You are probably right," he agreed.

"So…" She glanced over her shoulder at her motorbike. "Would you like to go for a ride? I could show you the places that really makes Republic City shine at night."

He took a moment to look at her bike and the city that rose up behind them before allowing a smile to cross his face. Asami found that she couldn't resist smiling at his subtle excitement.

"Yes," he said honestly. "I would love that."

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A/N: Thank you lovely people for keeping me motivated! I love you all! Thank you for reading, and Happy 4th of July to my American friends! Much love!