Before I start off, I just wanted to say thanks for getting this story to over 100,000 views here on FF! It makes me happy to see how many views this story gets in a day.

Sorry if I put off updating now when I said I would. Technically it is still monday so i'm not too late lol. Today has been pretty busy for me. Just an FYI for ya'll, the fall semester has started at my university and I got a new job handling packages at FedEx so i'll be pretty busy. So I want everyone to know that it might take me a while with chapter 20 but I'll try to get it done before the end of the month. I give you my word that I will keep on writing for this story.

The day of the celebration was upon them. Suki, Katara, and Toph had gone over to the dress shop that catered to nobles and guests of the royal family. It took them only a couple of hours to go through what the merchant offered them and tried on the dresses. They then went off to hit the spa, much to Toph's chagrin. While the girls were off together, Aang and Sokka took a ride on Appa to the Ba Sing Se zoo. Aang had mentioned how he led the zoo animals away from the city after they got out and began terrorizing the citizens of the city. Sokka decided that he would like to see the work Aang had done with the new zoo area, so they headed there while the girls spent the day together.

"Ugh, so glad to finally go home", Toph said as they got home.

"Hush Toph, you know you had a good time", Katara replied.

"Who knew you could be so sensitive with your feet", Suki remarked.

"I see with my feet honey. They might have as well been messing with my eyes."

"Doesn't mean you had to kick the poor masseuse to the wall. She was just doing her job", Katara scolded.

"She could have said something before grabbing my feet the way that she did", Toph said defensively.

"I'm just glad we have our clout with King Kuei to keep us from getting in trouble", Suki said as she opened the front door. As soon as the girls entered the house, they heard a groaning noise coming from the living room. They walked over there and found their friend, Zuko, lying face first on the couch. His face was pressed down deep into the couch pillow. The girls dropped their bags on to the table. Katara being first to call out to him.

"Zuko…are you okay?"

"M'mmm fine", he replied with his voice muffled.

"I don't need seismic sense to know that's a lie", Toph commented as she sat down on the chair next to Zuko. Suki and Katara both knelt down in front of the couch, worried for their friend. Just then, Iroh walked into the living room with a plate of five tea cups.

"Welcome home girls. How was your day?"

"It was okay", Toph answered, "honey and sweetness took their time picking out dresses and I ended up kicking a masseuse at the spa."

"Is the masseuse okay?" Iroh wondered.

"She's fine", Katara turned away from Zuko to Iroh, "Luckily we didn't get in trouble for Toph's behavior."

"Whats wrong with Zuko?" Suki asked and stood up.

"He met Mai earlier and…well you can see how it turned out", Iroh answered as he set the tea cups on the table.

"Oh", Katara turned to Zuko again, "It didn't go well?" Zuko groaned, rather pathetically, in return.

"Does that answer your question sugar queen?", Toph chuckled. Finally, Zuko turned his head towards the others.

"I should have known she wouldn't take me back so easily…" Zuko said.

Suki took her cup of tea and sat down on the edge of the couch, "Tell us what happened."

Zuko nodded and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He grabbed his cup and spoke, "So I just arrived a few hours ago…."

Earlier…

After finally arriving in Ba Sing Se, Zuko went straight to the Jasmine Dragon. He had hoped to come a day early, but last minute paper work needed to be done before leaving the fire nation. Zuko made sure to wear a cloak and pulled a hood over his head so that no one would recognize him. He greeted his uncle enthusiastically when he entered the tea shop.

"It is good to have you back in Ba Sing Se my dear nephew", Iroh smiled.

"It's good to be back here with you uncle. Has Mai arrived yet?" Zuko never got a letter back from his ex-girlfriend, but he still held out hope that she would meet with him.

"She has. She is waiting for you out back", Iroh pointed at the back door behind him.

"How did she look when she came? Angry? Sad?" Zuko wondered. His heart nearly skipping a beat when his uncle confirmed that she was there.

"Honestly, her face just looked blank. It is hard to get a read on that girl…" Iroh shrugged.

Zuko let out a deep sigh, "That's to be expected with her I guess. Mai isn't the type to show the world how she feels", he looked around, "Where are the others?"

"The girls went out to shop and go to the spa. Aang and Sokka, I believe went to the zoo."

"Guess I'll see them later", Zuko shrugged and headed towards the back door, "I'm going to talk to Mai right now uncle."

"Good luck nephew. I have a feeling you're going to need it", Iroh responded.

Zuko stepped out the door and found the girl he was looking for sitting on a stone bench across the backyard. Mai was spinning one of her knives as she kept a watchful gaze on the water fountain in front of her. In Zuko's eyes, she looked like a goddess to her.

"Mai…you're here", Zuko smiled. Taking her gaze away from the fountain, Mai turned her head to see him walking over to her. Before he got close enough, she threw the knife on the ground in front of him. It nearly hit his right foot.

Zuko jumped back to avoid the sharp knife as it plunged deep into the dirt. His eyes widened at the shiny gleam coming from the sun's reflection. "Whoa Mai! What's the big idea?!"

"I don't want you getting any closer to me…Fire Lord", Mai replied in her usual monotone voice. Zuko was only eight feet away from her.

'Oh yeah, she is definitely still mad at me", Zuko thought to himself.

"So you just assumed I was already dead and hopped to the next girl that would talk to you?" Mai inquired and narrowed her eyes.

"Okay, I admit that it was wrong of me to make that assumption. I wasn't thinking straight with everything going on. When Azula attacked us at the western air temple, I could tell something was off with her. She was unhinged…she was ready to kill me and I just thought in my head that she killed you after you betrayed her for me", Zuko explained himself.

"All your sister did was send me and Ty Lee into prison. She said she had plans for me after the fire nation won the war, but that ended up not being the case. I tried to meet with you before your coronation you know…thought I could give you a surprise but…I ended up being the one that was surprised"

Hearing this surprised Zuko, "I didn't realize you were there…"

"Oh I'm well aware of that considering you were swapping spit that water tribe floozy", Mai growled.

"Katara isn't a floozy!" Zuko said defensively.

"Oh yes, because a floozy doesn't lead the Avatar on just to be with someone else", Mai replied sarcastically.

Zuko stepped around the grounded knife and tried to step up closer, "Katara never wanted to hurt Aang. We both regretted what we've done and want—"

"Take one more step closer and I'll make sure to throw this knife where the sun doesn't shine", Mai threatened with a different knife in her hand.

He could tell that she meant it and stayed where he stood.

"Mai…you have every right to feel the way that you do about me. When I found out that you were alive…you were always on my mind. Not a day went by when I wasn't thinking about you and all the time we spent together."

"Are you saying that you were thinking about me even when you were with her?" Mai wondered.

"Yes, I was. Katara and I weren't right for each other. She was too different from you and all I did was yearn for you. She was never you Mai. I was happier with you by my side."

"Of course she was never me. No one could be me", Mai smirked.

"I already told you that I ended my relationship with her", Zuko went down on both his knees, "You risked your life for me and in return I only hurt you even more. I am very sorry for what I did to you. I regret it with every fiber of my being and I ask that you just give me a chance to make it up to you."

For a minute, Mai said nothing and crossed her arms. Zuko gulped as he waited on her to give him an answer. Finally, she began walking towards him. Zuko's hopes were raised until she walked past him and bent down to pick up the knife that was still stuck into the dirt.

"So just like that we can be together again?" Mai asked, sparing no glance at Zuko.

"Yes", Zuko rose from his knees, "I'll do whatever it takes for us."

"I have missed us…" Mai muttered.

"Then does that mean you'll take me back?" Zuko smiled.

"Of course not you bumbling idiot!" Mai scolded him. Zuko flinched at her words and the venom they held. She turned her body towards him and continued.

"You admit that you hurt me but you don't know just how much you did! I've loved you since I was a little girl Zuko…You don't know how much pain you put me through. When I find out about you and that girl, I was distraught! Day and night I laid in bed crying…wondering what I did to deserve this", Mai tried to hold back her tears but couldn't, "I understood why you left me to help the Avatar and I risked my life for you just to see you with another girl. You didn't just hurt me Zuko you broke my heart! You shattered it to pieces!"

Zuko was stunned silent. He had never seen Mai like this before and he was the reason for it.

"Agni's sake Zuko…I wanted to die. The pain was too much for me to handle and it was only thanks to Ty Lee dragging me out of my room that I didn't go through with slicing my wrists and ending it all in my room."

"…I had no idea Mai", Zuko mumbled as he didn't know what else to say. He could not come up with any words in his mind.

"Of course you didn't. You're too much of a self-centered jerk to realize it", Mai spat and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. She then took a deep breath and turned away from him once again.

"A lot has changed since the war ended and so have I", Mai spoke once more, "There has been someone else occupying my mind for a while now"

Zuko felt his heart dropping to his stomach, "Who?"

Wanting to see his reaction, Mai turned her head towards Zuko, "Aang."

The fire bender's eyes went wide after hearing that. "You can't be serious Mai"

"Why not?" Mai shrugged, "He and I understand what it's like to have our heart broken by the ones we loved. I'm sure you have heard of the saying 'opposites attract' right? Aang has become quite attractive to me over time."

"He's too in love with Katara to be with anyone else", Zuko argued.

"If you knew that then why did you take the girl he loved from him?" Mai countered. Zuko looked away and avoided answering.

"You're just bluffing Mai. I know you're saying all this about Aang just to hurt me."

"Then maybe you should ask him how my tongue felt in his mouth and see how he reacts. For someone so young, Aang knows how to make a girl swoon. He's got quite a talent with that tongue of his, I can't help but imagine what else he can do", Mai grinned smugly.

Zuko began whimpering,"Mai please—"

"Enough Zuko. I'm done talking to you", Mai stated and began heading out of the backyard. For a moment Zuko closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Mai!"

She stopped but didn't bother to look back at him.

"I love you and I promise you that will never change. I'm never going to give up on you", Zuko declared. Nothing but the sound of the wind blowing could be heard between the two. Finally after what felt like an eternity for Zuko, Mai let out a deep sigh.

"Do what you want Zuko…I could care less", Mai told him and left him standing alone in the backyard.

Present…

"Wow…who could have thought that gloomy girl could be so emotional?" Toph said after Zuko finished telling the girls.

"And it's all thanks to me…" Zuko said and sipped his tea.

"You're not the only one at fault here Zuko. I'm just as responsible. I knew Aang would be hurt but I never thought about Mai until it was too late" Katara spoke up.

"No kidding", Toph muttered.

"Toph!" Suki scolded.

"I'm just saying", Toph shrugged.

"Even so, you are not helping."

"It's okay Suki", Katara spoke up, "I knew my actions hurt Aang but I had no idea how much pain I put Mai through. She has a right to hate me. I'd hate me too if I was her…"

"She likely hates me more. I shouldn't have jumped into a new relationship without fulling knowing what happened to Mai." Zuko said and then he remembered what Mai said about Aang, "Do you think she was telling the truth about her and Aang?"

Neither Suki nor Katara knew how they should answer that question, but Toph did it for them rather bluntly.

"Well they did have a total make out session in Aang's room when Sweetness and Snoozles finally arrived here"

"THEY WHAT?!" Zuko shouted. Both Suki and Katara winced at the volume of his voice. He buried his face in his hands, "so she wasn't lying."

Suki sat next to him and rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Listen Zuko, it isn't as bad as you think. From what Aang told us it was a one time thing between those two."

Zuko dropped his hands down and looked to her, "But even then Mai admitted that she had him on her mind. What if they start seeing more of each other?"

"Twinkle toes hasn't talked to her since then and lately another girl has been on his mind a lot", Toph answered.

Zuko then turned to Katara with hopeful eyes, "then does that mean you've told him?"

The water bender shook her head, "No, I haven't."

"Why not?!" Zuko stood up.

"Because I told her not to", Suki responded.

"Why", Zuko growled.

"Because it still isn't the right time to tell him anything. Aang has been through a lot lately and you can't expect him to take Katara back on the spot after everything that has happened", Suki explained.

"But—", Suki interrupted Zuko.

"And even if that wasn't the case, it doesn't mean that Mai will take you back so easily. Heart break isn't something anyone can just get over."

"Are you okay with this Katara?", Zuko asked.

She let out a deep sigh, "There is nothing more I want to do than to tell Aang about my feelings…but I trust Suki's judgement."

"Fine", Zuko relented, "So then who is this other girl on Aang's mind?"

"Soooooo Aang there is something I've been meaning to ask you for a while now", Sokka said. The two of them had just left the zoo and were flying back on Appa back to the house.

"What's up Sokka?", Aang asked as he jumped from the top of Appa's head to the saddle.

"Are you planning to get serious with Kano?"

"Serious?"

"Yeah, like boyfriend and girlfriend", Sokka clarified.

"I…don't think so", Aang answered, unsure of what to say.

"Why not?"

"I don't know", Aang shrugged, "I know that I like spending time with her and I enjoyed our date together. I didn't want to wait too long to see her again so I asked her to be my date for the party."

"It sounds like you really like her", Sokka replied.

"I think so", Aang blushed.

"What do you mean you think so? You either like Kano a lot or you don't. Which is it?" Sokka crossed his arms.

"What's up with these questions Sokka?" Aang responded with his own question.

"I'm just asking to see if you really want to be with Kano. From what Suki told me, she's the first girl you asked to go on a second date with out of all your blind dates."

"Well yeah. My blind date with her was easily the best one out of all the dates Toph set me up with."

"And it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that she's also a southern water bender?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" Aang narrowed his eyes.

"Kano is similar to someone else we both know. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about" Sokka held his ground.

'Katara…'

"I'll admit that Katara and Kano share similarities but there isn't much to it. I like Kano for who she is and not because she shares the same qualities as your sister." Aang said, feeling rather irked with Sokka.

"Yet she reminded you of Katara when you met her the first time"

"That was then Sokka. Things changed"

"Are you telling me your feelings for Katara changed too? Toph already confirmed to me and Suki that you were lying when you told Katara you didn't love her. You can't tell me that changed these past couple of weeks."

Aang looked away and said nothing in return.

"Listen Aang, I'm not trying to make you upset. Kano is a cool girl and I can see why you like her. I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into."

"I get that Sokka…dating is still new to me and I'm just going with my gut feeling on this. All I know is that I like Kano and I want to see where she and I go from here."

Sokka sighed, "That's fine by me…for now. I'll drop it but don't think that we're done talking about this." He desperately wanted to tell Aang that Katara wanted to be with him but he knew it wasn't his job to tell him and Suki would be irate with him for doing so. The last thing Sokka needed was his girlfriend being pissed off at him.

Back at the house, the girls filled Zuko in on who Kano was.

"She sounds like an interesting girl but there is something I just can't shake" Zuko started.

"What's that?" Toph asked as she finished her cup of tea.

"Novice water bender, whom Aang takes the time to help her learn how to water bend, is older than him, and from the southern water tribe…she might as well be another Katara!" Zuko stated and gestured toward the water bender next to him.

"So Kano and Katara share similarities but there are differences between them" Suki said.

"Personality wise, Kano is definitely different from sweetness. She's a pretty laid back kind of girl" Toph added.

"Appearance wise, I have to admit that she's gorgeous. Especially with her ear and nose piercings" Katara said.

"Since I've met her, I have been thinking of getting a gold nose ring. You think Sokka would like it?" Suki wondered.

"Knowing Snoozles, he'll like anything you put on Honey", Toph commented.

"I agree", Katara giggled.

"Can we get back to the topic?" Zuko mumbled.

"Alright back to Mai", Suki complied, "If you want to show her that you're serious about getting back together then just do what you said to her. Don't give up on her."

"But what about what she said about Aang? I know about Kano now but what if Mai doesn't and decides to pursue him?"

"She likely said what she did about twinkle toes to hurt you Sparky. Just like how she did when she saw sweetness" Toph said and placed her hands on the back of her head.

"What did she say to you?" Zuko asked Katara.

"it isn't what she said to be but what she said to Aang in front of me", Katara replied, "Mai just walked past me, thanked Aang for 'giving her a good time', and blew him a kiss before leaving."

"Gloomy girl was definitely being petty then, but after what she's gone through…can't say I blame her", Toph said.

"That definitely sounds like something she would do", Zuko sighed and then smiled, "Her pettiness is one of the things I love about her."

"Real interesting taste in women there Sparky. It's no wonder you and Sugar Queen didn't work out", Toph remarked and made both Katara and Suki laugh as Zuko's face flushed. Just then they heard Appa's roar from outside, indicating that Aang and Sokka had just come back from the zoo.

"Guess Aang and Sokka are back. We should start getting ready for the party tonight" Katara stood up and walked to where their shopping bags were. Suki pulled Toph up from her seat and dragged her to her room.

"Katara and I are getting you ready first Toph. Spirits know it will take you a while if we left you to your own devices" Suki said.

"Oh come on!" Toph cried out as she tried to hold on to something but found nothing, "Sparky! Help me out!"

Instead Zuko just gave her a sinister smirk and walked towards the entrance to greet Sokka and Aang. "Have fun Toph", he waved her off.

"I will not forget this you jerrrrrrrrrrrrrk" Toph exclaimed as Suki threw her into the bedroom and shut the door.

Hope you liked this chapter! If so then please leave a review. I will try to get on the next chapter when I can. My schedule is looking pretty stacked but I will update this story! Have a great rest of the week!