(A/N: Okay, okay, one more. Now I really have to end it here. I've got other ATLA and LoK related projects to get to, and finals start a week from now. I hope you find this a suitable place to conclude.)

The IV was out when he awoke. Its cart had been rolled back behind the bed. The window was open, but there was no noise coming through it, no bustle on the sidewalks. He forced himself to sit up, and then, more slowly, to orient himself sideways, so that he could get up. Each leg came around slowly, stiffly, and bent at the knee to make contact with the ground. There was pain, but the deep stabbing kind that made him sweat and clench at the blankets was gone.

He sat there for a long while, looking up out of the window at the overcast skies and rubbing circulation into each leg with his hands. When he felt he had the strength, he tried to stand.

"Ughh…"

It was a great effort, but he managed it for a few seconds unaided before he was forced to take his seat again. After so long in the same position, they felt like hunks of living lead, but feeling was coming back, a bit at a time. The next time around, he was strong enough to take a step, and then another one. He grasped on to the edge of the windowsill and rocked from side to side gently, letting the blood flow freely once more.

He wasn't feeling good.

He hadn't felt good for days, just a little less horrible each day which was the thing that had kept him sane and allowed him to sleep, knowing that the morning would bring less pain. The pain had largely gone, but he was still feeling sick from whatever they had pumped him full of. He shivered, and the floor pitched under him momentarily like the deck of a tempest-tossed ship.

The door behind him opened and shut. He didn't bother to look around until he heard the voice.

"Is now a good time?"

Colonel Yang stood on the threshold, a bundle of documents in his arms. The lines in his face had deepened since they'd last met, but that boyish charm and cheeky spirit still radiated from him. Iroh took a measure of comfort from his presence, and it seemed enough to lift him out of the doldrums somewhat, if not to banish his queasiness.

"It's always a good time for old friends. What are you doing here? I though they had you on assignment?"

"They do. I'm assisting the UF withdrawal and the transition to civilian law enforcement."

"They haven't gotten you to join this wretched outfit, have they?"

Yang laughed, setting the papers down and selecting one.

"Oh no, I'd rather lead a squad under the banner of the Fire Nation than a whole battalion of United Republic troops, no offense to you."

"None taken. Sometimes I wish I hadn't given in to my mother's will and transferred to United Forces. I have no use for symbolic gestures, and I miss the mother country terribly."

"What are you going to do? She's the Fire Lord." Yang said.

Iroh rolled his eyes.

"That's what I said. Anyway, what have you got for me?"

Yang unrolled what turned out to be a map of the city, except this map was divided in colored zones, each one seemingly eating away at one another.

"Most of the gangs have had dealings with the Equalists, but only the Triple Threat Triads have a real business relationship. They were the ones who planted that bomb. By my estimate, there are a handful of cells that have managed to hang on. They are in regular contact, but they're isolated and hopelessly paranoid. They won't be able to do much besides minor sabotage in the near future."

"You never know. If they've hung on this long they have to be good."

"Yeah, or stupid." Yang said. "We have to decide how much of this intelligence to turn over to Saikhan and the metalbenders. Things like this, the map of turf that each gang claims; I think we can hand over without much trouble, but some of the after action reports are…"

"…less than legal." Iroh finished. He had no regrets, and was going to be damn sure that no one made him regret anything either. "You should have seen some of the things I had to order off the record."

Yang waved his hand dismissively.

"Well, no need to fill me in, I'm not feeling particularly curious."

"Tell you what; give them everything except the arrest reports from the last two weeks."

"Can do, but what about the prisoner totals?"

Iroh shook his head, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean once they go over the reports and compare the number of people arrested on paper to the number of people in prison, they're going to find they have several extras."

"So they have a few extras. Police-work is messy. Sometimes paperwork is filled out incorrectly."

Yang cast him a sidelong glance.

"I mean… if that's the strategy you want to go with; just hope they don't notice…"

"I don't think the beurocracy will look twice. Besides, they're hardly going to launch an investigation into why they have MORE dangerous criminals in custody than they expected."

"We'll see, I guess. I'll inform the Intel Wing and catch up with you on the last details before you ship out. "

Iroh nodded absentmindedly. He was staring at the map of gang territory, that seedy underbelly that had birthed a violent revolution the likes of which hadn't been seen for centuries.

"Amazing that they would help the Equalists, who want to get rid of all of them."

"It just goes to show you that the "support your neighborhood" line they spout is crap. They're in it for money, one hundred percent. Everything else comes second."

"Maybe I'm just being an old grouch, but in my day, even the villains stood for something. Now the heroes are the ones who are vilified, and the villains don't stand for anything."

Yang shrugged.

"Maybe you're just starting to see the world as it is."

Iroh turned and stared out the window at the listless, cloudy day.

"I sure hope not, Yang. I sure hope not."

At that moment Asami entered, a male doctor in tow. The man seemed amazed to see Iroh out of bed. Asami threw her arms around him without hesitation. He winced, but found himself smiling through the pain.

"You're awake!"

"Whoa, easy there babe, I'm still a bit unsteady."

"I thought he would never walk again! -At least, not without a cane." The doctor remarked, examining his bandages.

Over Asami's shoulder Iroh saw Yang frantically snatching up the sensitive documents. They shared one last, private nod, and exited.

"If you don't mind terribly, I'd like to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course. Let me go fill out some release paperwork and we can send you on your way."

The doctor left the room, leaving him and Asami to share a quiet moment. She took a step back, and they both sat down on the bed. Iroh hadn't realized how tiring the simple act of standing was now.

"Do you really have to leave?"

His expression darkened somewhat. He had seen this conversation coming.

"Yes, I do. I'm at the mercy of my deployment."

She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. He could tell she was trying to hide her disappointment, trying to be understanding. He appreciated it more than he would ever be able to explain to her.

"I had a lot of time to think, lying in that bed." Iroh said, running a finger through her dark hair. "My enlistment is up in three weeks. I was thinking, maybe it's time to settle down a bit."

She looked up at him and smiled. It was a wonderful smile, unforced and genuine, full of hope. The kiss was sweet, and it seemed to pull all the pain out of his body and dispel it in an instant.

Tomorrow was another day, but for the moment, he had found heaven.

Grey skies today, but signs of change. A little boat floated across the chop. In it sat a little raven haired boy and his guitar. At his feet were two buckets, one full of bait, and the other empty, awaiting a catch from one of the three lines that were cast in the water. The foam spit little droplets on his fingers as he played for an audience of one. His voice was high and lilting, just as his father had taught him.

Take heed, my friend-

This is the end.

Hold your breath and count to ten.

Feel the earth move, and then-

All is silent once again.

The end it calls, the curtain falls, but not in Republic City.

Lights and noise, our special toys, we gave up slumber long ago.

Some have suffered, and some have prospered, but amid the warring ways-

A light shines down, on this old town, the return… of quiet days.

[The End]