Iroh starts giving Zuko details about the four nations, including me as I sat beside his nephew.

"Fire is the element of power," Iroh begins to draw the nation's emblem in the sand with a long stick. "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will. And the energy and drive to achieve what they want.

Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring.

Air is the element of freedom. The air nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!"

I slightly smile at Iroh's grin before he continued in a serious manner.

"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."

I smiled at the thought of my tribe. My father, mother... Katara and Sokka.

"Why are you telling me these things?" Zuko asked his uncle. "It is important to draw a wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole." I watched as he drew a circle around all the nations' emblems.

"All this four element talk sounds like Avatar stuff." Zuko said. "It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful." Iroh explained. "But it can make you more powerful too." He pokes Zuko's chest with the end of the stick. "You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the water benders."

I smiled, "Really?"

Iroh nodded, "You will see what I mean once we reach that part."

At sundown, Iroh began to explain to Zuko that the lightning goes through one arm, into the stomach, and out though the other hand.

I saw what Iroh meant when he said he learned the technique from us water benders. I sensed a familiarity.

After about thirty minutes of practicing the hand motions, Iroh thought Zuko was ready. But, to Zuko's dismay, it didn't mean he'd get to redirect lightning right away.

"Excellent! You've got it!"

Zuko bowed, "Great! I'm ready to try with real lightning!"

Iroh cocked a brow, "What, are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous."

Zuko furrowed his brow, "I thought that was the point? You teaching me how to protect myself from it!"

Iroh threw his arms up in the air, "Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" He turned his back to Zuko and I. "If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all."

I understood where Iroh was coming from, but I couldn't help but feel bad for Zuko. What he wanted was to learn how to fight Azula, with real fire and lightning. "Oh come on, Iroh. You said it yourself, he's ready."

"And risk killing him?! No way!" Iroh replied with wide eyes.

"Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning." Zuko said before he walked off. I followed him, "Zuko, maybe you should think this over. You don't know what you'll be feeling, or how to deal with it. Anything can go wrong."

He ignored me, getting Jimbo ready to leave. I sighed, turning to Iroh who held a frown. I gave him a weak smile, trying to tell him that I'll make sure his nephew stays safe. When I turned back around, Zuko was already on top of Jimbo and he didn't say a word to me as I got on behind him. He looked over his shoulder at me with a frown. "Hey, it's always good to have a healer at your side. Better safe than sorry, am I right?" I said.

>>>

Zuko guides us at the top of mountain, it was pouring. I shielded myself from the rain, creating a bubble around me to block out the hard droplets coming down. Zuko chose not to join me.

I watched him in front of me, soaked from the rain with an enraged expression.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me!" Zuko yelled into the distance. "Well I can take it! And now I can give it back!"

I jumped at the bolts of lightning shooting down from the dark clouds ahead. I had a feeling Zuko forgot I was even there. "Come on! Strike me! You've never held back before!" He was scaring me. I stepped forward, "Zuko, stop."

He ignored me and continued to look up at the dark sky. When Zuko had given up with arguing at the thunderstorm, he fell to this knees with a cry of anguish. "Zuko!" I ran over to him, the bubble no longer surrounding me. When I reached Zuko, I was already drenched.

I picked up his face to make him look at me. Tears were streaming down his cheeks along with the rain. I searched his eyes, trying to find the right words to save him from this vulnerability. I don't think there's anything you could say in a situation like this. I pulled him to my chest, embracing him tightly. I laid my head atop of his.

After a few moments, he finally spoke. "Ruka?"

"Yes?"

When Zuko didn't say anything, I pulled away from him. Zuko's face relaxed when our eyes met. He pushed my wet hair back behind my ears before grabbing my face. "Zuko..." I said slowly. He couldn't hear me over the thunder or the loud rain. He just saw me mouth a word.

Zuko connected our lips. I was tense at the sudden feeling, but after a second or two, I relaxed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him back. Zuko removed his hands from my face and moved them down to my back.

Not breaking the kiss, Zuko moved me down on my back. I pulled away from him. Our breathing was heavy. I placed my hand on his chest, "We... shouldn't do this..."