*Asami's P.O.V.*

I groaned softly as I woke up from my much needed sleep. When I opened my eyes, I frowned in confusion when I wasn't able to recognize where I was in. Where am I? How did I get here? I questioned myself as I slowly sat up and looked around. The more I looked around, the more I realized that I was in some kind of abandoned, old home. Before I could question myself more, somebody entered the house.

"Asami!" The person exclaimed in relief and tackled me into a hug. "You're awake!" The second I recognized his voice and felt his arms around me, I remembered everything that happened. "Zuko?" I questioned as I hugged him back. "I was so worried." He said and slowly pulled out of the hug and looked me right in the eye. "I thought I lost you." He said without breaking eye contact. I smiled softly and gently laid my hand on his cheek.

"Never." I said softly with a smiled as I rubbed his cheek with my thumb. Zuko smiled back with a soft chuckle before cupping my cheek with his hand and gently pulled me into a kiss. I happily returned the kiss with a smile. He then pulled away and gently laid his forehead against mine with his eyes closed. I closed my eyes as well gently breathed though my nose. "You promise?" He asked softly. "Absolutely." I answered with a smile. Zuko returned the smile and kissed me again.

Once we pulled away again, I suddenly remembered what he said to me yesterday. I choose you! No honor in the world is worth it without you! I need you! I love you! His words touched my heart, and I couldn't help but love him more. "Did you mean it?" I asked as I laid my forehead against his again. "Am I really worth more to you than honor?" Zuko pulled away from me and stared at me shocked. We stared at each other for a moment when he finally answered me.

"Of coarse you are."

I smiled bright and chuckled softly in relief. Zuko smiled lovingly to me before kissing my forehead softly and then brought me into a hug. "I can't believe you heard me... You were unconscious." He said as he laid his chin on top of my head. "I wasn't completely, I don't remember everything, but I do remember you holding me, and begging me to wake up..." I said with my arms wrapped around him as I laid my head against his chest. "Then I heard you say that you choose me... That you would rather have me than honor."

"And I meant every word." Zuko said as he tightened his hold around me, making me smile brightly. I looked up to him and smiled, which he returned when he looked down at me. My happy smile soon turned into a confused smile when he suddenly chuckled in amusement. "What?" I questioned as I smiled at him in confusion. "Nothing..." He answered with a chuckle before looking me right in the eye without breaking his smile.

"Did you get to finish your dream?" He asked, making me frown in confusion. "What dream?" I asked as I turned my body to face him better. "The dream where you wanted to answer a question with absolutely." Answer with absolutely? I questioned myself, when I suddenly remember my dream. The dream where Zuko and I danced under the full moon, where he went down on one knee and took out a ring.

"No!" I cried out in frustration and laid my head against Zuko's chest, who was chuckling in amusement. "I didn't continue with my dream... I never got to finish it!" I muttered in his chest in annoyance. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll dream it again and finish it next time." Zuko said as he rubbed my back in comfort. I grumbled and just kept my head laying on his chest while he continued rubbing back. "What was the question anyway?" He asked curiously.

"You never got to asked it."

***

Zuko and I stayed in each others arms for a while until we finally pulled away. He went and made some tea for when his uncle woke up, while I went to get dress into clothes that wasn't burned. While I got dressed into a short sleeve brown dress, I was suddenly tackled by a fire ferret. "Whoa! Well hi to you too Kai!" I laughed as I looked at Kai and hugged him. After I hugged him, I placed him on my shoulder and went to where Zuko and Iroh are.

Once I got there, I saw Zuko sitting next to Iroh, who was slowly waking up and bandaged around the chest and shoulder. "Uncle... you were unconscious." Zuko said as his uncle slowly raised up and rested on his elbow. "Azula did this to you. It was a surprise attack." Zuko said, adding more to the story. "Somehow, that's not so surprising." Iroh said and sat up with a groan. "Ain't that the truth." I said as I walked closer and sat down next to Zuko, who smiled to me.

"Asami!" Iroh said with a bright happy smile. "It is good to see you my dear." "It's good to see you Uncle Iroh." I said with a smile, leaning forward and took Iroh's hand and gave it a squeeze before releasing it and leaned back. Before anyone else could say anything, Kai jumped off my shoulder and jumped onto Iroh's chest. Iroh groaned in pain, but soon quickly hugged Kai. "It is good to see you too my little friend." He said as he hugged the fire ferret.

While Iroh and Kai had there moment, Zuko started pouring us tea. "I hope I made it the way you like it." Zuko said as he handed a cup of tea to his uncle. Iroh placed Kai onto his shoulder and took the cup with a smile. The retired general took a sip but his eyes immediately widen in disgust. Luckily, Iroh was able to hide his disgust with a fake moan of pleasure. "Good." He said and took another sip, only to grimace in disgust, but quickly hid it as well. "That was very... uhhh... bracing." He said and handed his cup back to Zuko with a fake smile.

The second Iroh handed the cup back, Zuko refill the cup and handed it to his uncle. Once he handed the cup, Zuko handed me my own cup of tea, and then placed a small cup next to Iroh for Kai. While Zuko poured his cup, Iroh his tea out of the window. Meanwhile, Kai and I both just pretended to drink ours. After seeing Iroh's expression, there was no way I'm taking my chances with this tea. Zuko looked to me and smiled, which I returned before pretending to take a sip of tea.

"So Uncle," Zuko started speaking as he turned to face his uncle better. "I've been thinking. It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her." He said, which I hundred percent agree with. We're going to run into Azula somewhere in the future, I just hope it is very far in the future. And when I face her, I'll give her a surprise attack of her own.

"I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her." My head immediately snapped to him with a look of disbelief, while Kai yipped his. "No, she's crazy, and she needs to go down." Iroh said before I could. "Agree!" I said as I raised my cup in the air before taking a sip, immediately remembering that I was suppose to pretend to drink the tea when I tasted the tea.

Having no other choice but to shallow the tea in my mouth, I bit my tongue to stop myself from voicing my disgust in front of Zuko. Iroh shot me a half sympathetic look when he saw my expression before turning serious as he stood up onto his feet. "It's time to resume your training." He said as he looked down at his nephew. Zuko looked up to his uncle and nodded before standing up.

***

"Lightning is a pure form of firebending, without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire." Iroh told us while poured us each a cup of fresh tea, tea that is luckily brewed by Iroh, thank goodness. "It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind." He finished while pouring Kai's cup and handed it to him.

"I see. That's why we're drinking tea, to calm the mind." Zuko said as he held his cup of tea in his hands. No, sorry Zuko, but we are drinking tea to get your terrible tea taste out of our mouths. I thought to myself while slowly drinking my tea. "Oh yeah, good point!" Iroh said brightly with Kai on his shoulder, before quickly shaking his head with a fake serious expression. "I mean, yes." I giggled softly behind my cup before taking another sip. Zuko just frowned at us, but he simply just ignored us and continued drinking his tea.

After we finished our tea, we moved outside and Iroh continued his lesson. "There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang. Positive energy and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies." When Iroh told us this, I was reminded of Zian, how he was one of the select few that could bend lightning. He was so excited that he could bend lightning. I shook my head to snap out of it and continued listening to Iroh.

"This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in a moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning." Iroh finished before handing Kai over to me and motioned us to step back. Before I could, Zuko wrapped his arm around me and pulled me back along with him. Once we were at a save distance, Iroh moved his arms in a circle motion, and as he moved them, his arms started sparking. Before I knew it, he shot out lightning.

My and Kai's eyes widen in slight fear, while Zuko's eyes widen in amazement. "I'm ready to try it!" Zuko said immediately and took a step forward. Iroh closed his eyes and gently held his shoulder. "Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first." Zuko stepped further away from Kai and I, before taking a deep breath. He started moving exactly like Iroh did, but as he was moving, no sparks were coming out of his arm.

Zuko went to shoot out lightning, but instead of shooting out lightning, an explosion formed and send Zuko flying. "Zuko!" I cried out in worry and run over to check on him while Iroh shook his head in disappointment. Not in disappointment at Zuko... Disappointment that Zuko isn't one of the few lucky firebenders that can bend lightning. I was about to help Zuko up by pulling his arm, when he pulled away from me. "I'm fine!" He exclaimed as he stood up and walked back to his previous spot.

"I'll try again!"

***

After Zuko pulled away from me, he tried bending lighting again, and like before it exploded again. He kept trying over and over again, but unfortunately, he kept failing. As Zuko kept trying, Iroh and I looked to each other with knowing looks. If Zuko doesn't get it right now, he'll never bend lightning. Zuko is unfortunately one of the firebenders that can not bend lightning. After Zuko flew into the air again from his explosion for the 20th time, I went to stand up to stop him and comfort him. But Iroh stopped me and gently shook his head.

"Why can't I do it? Instead of lightning it keeps exploding in my face!" Zuko snapped as he sat up. "Like everything always does." He added with a slight whimper, which broke my heart slightly. Iroh sighed in sadness before standing up and walked over to his nephew with Kai on his shoulder that wasn't bandaged. "I was afraid this might happen." He said as he walked over to Zuko, with Kai on his shoulder, and me following behind.

"You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you." Iroh said as we stopped next to the Scarred Prince. "What turmoil?" Zuko snapped, making me flinch slightly. "Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away." Iroh said, making me mentally nod in agreement. "But I don't feel any shame at all. I'm as proud as ever." Zuko argued, making me close my eyes as I sighed in sadness.

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame." Iroh spoke, making Zuko look down in sadness. "Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately." Zuko said as he looked down, making my heart break all over again for him. "Oh, Zuko..." I said in sympathy before stepping closer to him and wrapped my arms around him. He immediately wrapped his arms around me as well and hugged me tight.

"You're the only good thing that has happened to me in the last three years." Zuko muttered as he laid his head on top of mine. I simply just smiled in sadness as I tightened my arms around him. Zuko has been through a lot these last few years, and so far the universe just doesn't want to give him a break.

"I have another idea." Iroh suddenly spoke, making Zuko and I break slightly out of our hug to face him. "I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself." Iroh finished and pointed at himself with his thumb while smirking at us with a prideful smirk. Both Zuko and I looked to each before looking back at the Retired General with smiles.

***

Before Iroh taught the move, he told us to sit down while he ordered Kai to get him a stick. "I'll be needing your tattoos for this lesson Asami." He said with a smile. I frowned at him in confusion and was about to question him, when Kai came back with a long enough stick. "Thank you my little friend!" The Retired General said with a big smile before turning to face us. "Now Asami... Tell us what your tattoo says about fire? What does it represent?" He asked me with a kind smile.

Still frowning in confusion, I looked down at my left arm, where there was an arrow pointing down near my hand, with the fire symbol above it, along with two words. "Life and power." I answered as I looked back up to Iroh. "Correct!" He said with a big smile before he started drawing the fire symbol in the ground with the stick Kai found. "Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy to drive and achieve what they want." He said and threw a block around the fire symbol.

"Now, what does earth represent?" Iroh asked as he looked up from his drawing and down at me, smiling. I lifted my dress slightly up, until I could see the tattoo on my left leg. The arrow was pointing down, just above my ankle. Above the arrow was the earth symbol, along with two words as well. "Strong and proud." I answered after looking up at Iroh again. Iroh smiled proudly at me and nodded before he started drawing the earth symbol as he spoke. "Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring."

"Now, it's your nation's turn Asami." Iroh said and looked back to me, his smile not breaking once. "Air." I looked down to my right arm. Just above my hand was an arrow pointing down. Above the arrow was the air symbol, along with two words that meant a lot to me. "Freedom and peace." I answered as I rubbed my left hand thumb over the words. Knowing how I felt about my nation and freedom, Zuko took my right hand and gently squeezed it.

Iroh hummed softly in agreement to me before started drawing the air symbol in the sand. "Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom." He spoke before looking up to us with a wide joking smile. "Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!" He added, making me laugh in amusement. "Well, that is true Uncle Iroh, but some of the Air Nomads were pretty serious." I said with an amusement, making Iroh laugh.

We both looked over to Zuko, and we both stopped laughing when we noticed that he was still sitting there in all seriousness. I rolled my eyes while Iroh got serious again and continues with the lesson. "Last element, water." Iroh said and looked to me. I lifted my dress up again and looked down at my right leg tattoo. Just above my ankle was an arrow pointing down. Above it was the water symbol and two words. "Change and healing." I answered after covering my leg again with my dress.

"Very correct Asami!" Iroh said with a bright smile and started drawing the water symbol in the sand as he continued with his lesson. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything." He said as he finished the drawing by drawing a block around the water symbol, like he did with the other three.

"Why are you telling me these things?" Zuko asked as he stared up to his uncle. "It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale." His uncle answered as he drew two lines, separating the four elements from each other. "Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole." He added and drew a circled around all of them.

"All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff." Zuko said, slightly annoyed, making me chuckle. It does sound like Avatar stuff, but it also sounds like Protector stuff as well. "It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it can make you more powerful, too." Iroh said as he pointed at Zuko's chest with his stick. "You see the technique I'm about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders." He added, making both Zuko and I look up in surprise.

***

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy." Iroh said as he and Zuko mirrored each other as they moved their arms around like waterbenders. Kai and I were sitting on the sidelines, watching them. "A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning." He added as he and Zuko continued mirroring each other. "You can teach me to redirect lightning?" Zuko asked in surprise, smiling in awe.

In other situations, I would be surprised as well. But I have seen Iroh redirect lighting twice already. Iroh nodded to Zuko's question before he continued talking. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." He said before raising his arm up straight, with two fingers pointing up. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach." He said drawing a line with his other hand to where the lighting must follow through.

"The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case it is more like a vast ocean." Iroh explained, before laughing at his own joke. Both Kai and I laughed as well, but Zuko just stayed serious as he watched his uncle. After calming down from his laughter, Iroh continued his lesson and show with his hand the pathway the lightning needs to take to exit the body. "From the stomach, you direct it up again, and out the other arm."

After he explained the route, Iroh stood up straight again and walked over to Zuko. "The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly." He said and pointed to Zuko's chest. My heart skipped a beat in fear at what I heard. If you get hit by lightning, you might die. If you try and redirect lightning, but let it accidently let pass through your heart, you might die. Ain't that just terrific!?!

Iroh's voice soon snapped me out of my thoughts as he continued teaching Zuko how to redirect lightning. "You may wish to try a physical motion, to get a feel for the pathways' flow, like this." He said and they both mirrored each other again as they did the redirect lightning movement. They did this a few times before Iroh spoke again. "Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?" He asked as they both continued doing the movement.

"I think so." Zuko said, his eyes narrowed with deep focus as he continued the movement. "Come on, you've got to feel the flow." Iroh said and did the ocean wave with his arms, making both Kai and I laugh again in amusement. Iroh send me a wink before he started doing the redirect lighting movement again for Zuko to mirror of from him. They both continued this movement up until sunset when Iroh stood up straight with a proud smile.

"Excellent! You've got it!" Iroh said excitedly, making me smile and clap my hands for Zuko while Kai yipped his excitement. Zuko smiled to me in excitement before putting his fist in his hand and bowed down. I smiled brightly at my beloved boyfriend, but my smile soon fell and my expression turned into fear when I heard his next words. "Great, I'm ready to try it with real lightning!"

"What, are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous!" Iroh said before I even could. "What he said!" I said, pointing at Iroh as I walked over to them with Kai on my shoulder. Zuko shot me a half glare, while staring at his uncle with a confused frown. "I thought that was the point! You teaching me to protect myself from it!" He argued back to his uncle, which made his uncle red in the face with frustration.

"Yeah! But I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh exclaimed, while I shook my head at Zuko in disbelief. The last thing I need right now is a dead boyfriend, who's death has been caused by his own stupidity! "If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all!" Iroh said after he turned around, having his back turned to his nephew. Zuko shot a disappointed glare to his uncle before his eyes moved to me. I could see from his eyes and his face expression, that he was waiting for me to back him up, but this time I wasn't on his side.

"Sorry Zuko..." I said as I slightly shook my head no. "But you're uncle is right! Lightning is dangerous! One wrong move and you'll be killed! And I don't want to loose you!" I said to him, while eyes pleaded to him not to argue or do anything stupid. Zuko just glared at me as well in disappointment. He was about to argue his point, when we suddenly heard thunder. Far from a distance from us, was storm clouds. Zuko stared at the storm clouds for a minute before an idea formed in his head.

"Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning." Zuko said, shooting both Iroh and I a glare before marching over to Mirai. "No, wait! Zuko!" I exclaimed, trying to stop him, but he just ignored. He immediately jumped onto the ostrich horse and send them both running towards the storm clouds. I groaned in frustration and took a few deep breaths to control my anger before I handed Kai over to Iroh.

"He's going to get himself killed!" I snapped in anger as I marched out to a save distance. "I'm going after him!" I said to the Retired General before making an air scooter. "Be careful Asami!" Iroh called out to before I left. "I will!" I answered and rode on my air scooter after Zuko, praying that I can talk him out of getting struck by lighting just to redirect it.

***

As I rode on my air scooter after Zuko, hard rain started pouring and strong winds started blowing. It became so strong, I almost couldn't ride on my scooter anymore. "Please, just hold on a little longer." I begged as I struggled to ride through the tough weather. "Just a little longer... just until I find Zuko..." I continued begging as I struggled to ride up the mountain.

Halfway up the mountain, the wind got the best of me and knocked me off my air scooter. I groaned in pain as I landed on my side. My body just wanted to lay there and cry in pain, but I forced myself back onto my feet and continued moving up the mountain. The closer I climbed up the mountain, the more I heard Zuko's voice. "You've always thrown everything you could at me!" I heard Zuko shout out, making me quicken my pace.

"Well, I can take it, and now I can give it back!" Oh no, please Zuko don't do anything stupid! I mentally begged and started running up the mountain. "Come on, strike me! You've never held back before!" Please don't let lightning struck him! Lightning structed, but no where near the mountain we were on. The second I got on top of the mountain, I saw Zuko standing there, glaring at the sky. Tears were rolling down his face before he screamed at the sky in anger.

I simply sighed in sadness before walking over to Zuko. Without saying anything, I stepped in front of him and wrapped my arms around him. He immediately wrapped his arms around me as well and started crying into my shoulder. I just quietly shushed him as I rubbed his back while he continued crying into my shoulder.

"I'm so tired Asami." Zuko muttered in my shoulder as we held each other in our arms. "I'm so tired of everything getting blown up in my face, of losing everything, everyone..." I tightened my hold around him as my heart broke for him. "And I'm scared..." He admitted, making me frown slightly, but I just stayed quiet and listened. "After what Azula to both you and my uncle... I'm scared that I'm just going to wake up one day and lose you both."

My heart just broke at his words. I immediately pulled out of the hug before taking his face in my hands and looked him deep in the eyes. "You are not losing us, okay? You are not losing your uncle, you are not losing Kai, and you are most definitely not losing me." I said as I stared him into his golden eyes with my grey eyes, not breaking eye contact once. We stared into each others eyes for a while before Zuko crushed his lips on to mine.

At any other time, I would have loved being kissed like this by Zuko. Being kissed as if I am his last breath. But with what Zuko is going through now... with his mindset now, it is not the time for kissing so passionately. I tried to break out of the kiss and tried to speak to him, but every time our lips separated, Zuko just joined them together again.

"Zuko..." I muttered between his lips as he kissed me. "Zuko..." I tried again, but he just kept kissing me like it was his last day on earth. "Zuko!" I exclaimed as I finally escaped his lips and pushed him slightly away from me. Before he could try and kiss me again, I took a slight step back and looked him deep in the eyes. "Trust me when I say this, I love it when you kiss me like that, but now is not the time that."

The Scarred Prince opened his mouth to argue, but when he saw my expression, he just sighed before looking down. "You're right..." He muttered before taking a small step closer to me and cupped my face into his hands. He then gently laid his forehead against mine, closing his eyes along with me. We stayed like this for a moment, with the rain just pouring onto us when Zuko spoke again.

"Do you regret with staying with me?"

"Never."

"Are you happy staying with me?"

"Absolutely."