"Hey kid," Zuko sat next to smeller bee who was in a ball on the stairs, knees pulled to their chest and head resting on their knees, eyes red and looking exhausted.

"How are you holding up?" He asked gently.

"It doesn't feel like he's gone," smeller bee whispered.

"Who knew the quietest guy on this ship would make the biggest difference," Zuko said looking over the crew.

"He was also one of the kindest souls I've ever met," he added and another tear ran down her face.

"How's Jet doing?" Zuko looked at the younger teen. They shrugged.

"I haven't seen him, Jet doesn't like being vulnerable, and it was the three of us for the longest time," smeller bee told him quietly. Suddenly a hand was on their head and Zuko pulled her over to him with his hand ruffling their hair a little.

"Thanks captain," smeller bee wrapped her arms around his torso on the verge of tears again as Zuko kept his eyes up.

"I'm sorry, I wish I was there to stop it, I'm truly sorry bee," Zuko whispered in her ear and she nodded.

"Don't blame yourself Lee, you did the best you can... I know you think your responsible for all of us and our actions but sometimes things just happen, you even said it was coincidence, we're pirates, we're not lucky," smeller bee hugged him gently and Zuko glared a little.

"I know, but your all important, your my crew, I am responsible for each of you," he tightened his grip against her head but not to much. It hurt to say, to lie, he knew...

"Go rest, you and Jet are excused tonight, let me know if there's anything I can do," he smiled gently at her and smeller bee nodded getting up.

"Smeller bee," he called to the teen. "You're a strong fighter, keep it up, stay strong, but you're also not alone, come to me or any of us if you need someone, we're family on this ship,"

Smeller bee smiled back looking at their captain Then the ground, it was comforting but it still hurt. He was a good captain, she's seen cruel captains that killed their own crew for disobeying, Lee was one of the good ones, but she knew Xan as well, everyone knew Xan adopted Lee years ago so it made sense why they were both good captains.

"Thank you captain," she nodded before walking away.

Zuko pursed his lips with a small sigh. He hated when they lose someone. This was the hardest part of being a captain, seeing their crew shrink one by one and replaced by another body only to be lost again. He didn't fear death but he hated living to see it repeatedly happen.

He clasped his hands together and pressed his forehead against his knuckles closing his eyes. Whispering a prayer to the spirits to keep his fallen mama spirit safe and give him the peace he deserves in the after life, his mother taught it to him and ever since he joined the pirates he prayed each soul that's been taken from their crew, it gave him his own peace for the guilt that pressed down on his shoulders every time. And for the child long shot was... he deserved a prayer.

He felt eyes on him and looked back seeing Katara was watching him. There was no kindness in his eyes anymore when she looked at him, disappointment and betrayal, Katara didn't realize how much trust she earned before from the captain until now.

"Go ask ty Lee what work needs to be done," Zuko told her emotionlessly.

"Lee," she stopped him before he went into his quarters.

"It's captain," he snarled. Katara gulped a little.

"Captain, I know I made a terrible mistake but tell me what I can do to earn your trust again," Katara whispered looking up at him.

"You think your just going to earn back my trust? Katara you tried escaping," Zuko spat in disbelief. "You dont get trusted again because you'll try escaping once our guard is let down again,"

"I didn't think you were that stupid," he scoffed going to his quarters and slammed the door on her.

Zuko leaned against the door with his hand over his eyes with a heavy sigh. Her eyes stared at him glossy and full of regret, those damn eyes every time he looked at her... they showed her emotions so easily.

"Sorry lu ten but your fiancé sucks," he whispered to himself as his hand dragged down to cover his mouth, he felt so stupid to think she wouldn't try to escape. Why would she want to stay?

"You okay out there?" Xan called. Zuko inhaled a deep breath and forced a small smile.

"Yea just was taking care of smeller bee, loosing long shot hurt them and Jet a lot," he walked over to the room with his arms crossed.

"And Katara..." Xan knew. Zuko gulped a little shrugging.

"If she just cooperated it would make things so easy, but I let my guard down, it won't happen again," he nodded sternly as Xan raised a brow.

"You have better judgement than you think boy, trust your gut," Xan sighed a little resting in the bed.

"She's not bending again till that spirit water comes in," Zuko told him.

"That's to bad, little bit of healing she did felt nice on my body," Xan smiled at him calmly. Zuko looked down but felt a headache pinching its way to him, he closed one eye walking away at the pain as he sat at his desk with his head in his hands.

"Shit," he whispered holding his head.