Author's Note

Hiiii again! I MISSED YOU ALL.

So...nothing really to say this AN, but thanks to all for the views and reviews XD

Disclaimer-I only own my Ocs and the plot!

Here's the...fourth? No, I think it's the third... CHAPTER ANYWAYS!

…...

"Oh my...this isn't good..." Iroh murmured, leaning over the bed-ridden Alice. Her cheeks were flushed with a heavy fever.

"What's wrong with her?" Zuko asked, pacing on the other side of her bed.

"Her cold's seemed to have gotten worse. Very much worse."

"N-No...I'm still fine to travel..!" Alice's words got cut off with a cough.

"No you aren't, Alice." Zuko said softly. He walked over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You need rest. All of this traveling has been horrible for you." Iroh said.

Zuko grabbed a cloth out of a bowl of water, wringing it out slightly before placing it on her forehead. She cringed at the cold contact. He placed the back of his hand on her cheek, drawing back after a moment.

"You're burning up..." Zuko said softly.

"I'm going into town to buy some supplies." Iroh said, walking towards the door.

"W-Wait..." Alice pushed herself up in the bed. She reached over to the bedside table, picking up a small pouch.

"What is it?"

"It's money." She said softly, "Shadow Nation money. I was saving it for something special."

"Alice, I can't take that, that is a memento of your..." Iroh started.

"Nonsense." She shook her head, taking a single purple coin out and setting it on the table beside her dagger.

Alice tossed the pouch to Iroh. He caught it with ease.

"A lot of people, if they are seasoned merchants, will know not to take the money as payment. Since the Shadow Nation was destroyed, it's not exactly counted as true money. However, historians and antique collectors love buying things from the Shadow Nation. Sell those coins, and use the right money to buy anything you need. I-" She got cut off with a coughing fit.

"Alice, you need to lie down." Zuko gently pushed her back down to her bed, covering her back up and replacing the cloth.

"I will do as you ask..." Iroh sighed, "I will be back soon. Be safe." He walked about of the room.

"Hey Zuko..." Alice murmured.

"Yeah? What is it?"

She raised a hand, slowly tracing the scar around his eye.

"How did you get this scar..? I don't remember you having it.." She said with half lidded eyes.

Zuko scowled.

"You don't have to know."

"Zuko..." Alice gently cupped his cheek, "You don't have to act so tough around me..."

His eyes softened slightly.

"You're just acting this way because of the fever."

Her hand twitched slightly, and she drew away from him.

"Maybe..." Alice rolled over, turning her back to him.

Zuko's eyes were drawn to the skin that was exposed as the cloth covering her shoulder moved down as she turned. There was a ragged, thin line-like scar there. It was slanted slightly.

Alice tensed when he ran his fingers over the exposed scar on her right shoulder.

"What happened?"

"You wouldn't tell me..."

"A story for a story?"

"It was your father. He...sent a fire whip at me as I was running away. It goes across my back down to my left hip..." Alice said quietly.

"My father was the cause of mine, too. I'm sorry." Zuko sighed.

"Don't be. That was six years ago. It wasn't your fault." She rolled back around so that she could face him.

Silence hung between them for a moment.

"It really is nice to see you again, Zuko." Alice spoke up.

"Same here. You were kind, unlike Azula. You were probably the first and only friend I'll ever have."

"I doubt that." She sighed, "One day you'll find a girl that loves you for who you truly are...someone you can spend the rest of your life with..." She looked away from him.

Someone who is high up in the Fire Nation, someone you can be happy to be seen with, and that someone is not me... She added silently in her mind, unaware she had said the last part out loud.

"It could be." Zuko said quietly. He cupped her cheek.

"What?"

"That girl could be you."

"Zuko...I'm just an outcast..." Alice said softly, leaning into his hand.

"And so am I." Zuko smiled slightly at her, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers.

He pulled back quicker than Alice would have liked.

"Now, get some rest." He ordered, smoothing some hair out of her face.

"Yeah..." She murmured, closing her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep.

Zuko stood once he thought she was asleep. He looked down when her hand grabbed his.

"Please don't go..." Alice said quietly. He frowned at the sight of the bandaged burns on her left arm, the arm she had grabbed him with.

Zuko sighed, taking her hand in his and sitting back down.

When Iroh walked in about an hour later, he was a little surprised at what he saw. Zuko was still sitting beside Alice, but his head was on her bed. Both were asleep, and their hands were intertwined.

Iroh smiled slightly. He walked over to the side of Alice's bed that Zuko was occupying, and placed a hand on her forehead. Her fever had stayed the same, if anything, it had gotten worse. He wet the cloth again and placed it back on her forehead with a frown.

He set down the stuff he had gotten from town on the small table that was in the room.

"Uncle, you're back already?" He turned around to see Zuko standing up and stretching.

"Alice was right. The Shadow Nation money sold for good prices. I bought everything we needed and still have more money left over."

"That's good." Zuko sighed. He glanced at Alice. Her breathing was labored slightly and a thin sheen of cold sweat covered her forehead.

"She just needs rest. She will be fine, Zuko."

"If you say so..." He muttered.

A few times throughout the day, Alice woke up. Almost immediately every time, she was urged back to sleep by Zuko and Iroh.

Just as it was getting dark, Zuko walked back over to her. He set a hand on Alice's forehead. Her fever had gone down, and she was sleeping peacefully.

"Uncle, I'm going to go ahead to bed, and so should you. Alice is sleeping peacefully. We start traveling again tomorrow if she's up to it." He said, turning to his uncle.

"That's a good idea, Zuko." Iroh said, yawning. He walked over to his own bed.

Zuko looked at Alice for a moment. She seemed okay.

"Goodnight, Alice..." He murmured, smoothing some hair out of her face.

Author's End Note

So yeee some fluff with Alice and Zuko! I had more in plan for this chapter, but it fell sort of short...

So... sorry for not updating in a couple days! My internet was down!