A gentle breeze wafted through the graveyard, stirring the branches of the trees that grew there. Mai glanced up at them, then returned her attention to the fresh graves between which she was seated. She reached out her left hand and absently brushed her fingers through the loose soil. Aang. The Avatar. Did you know this was going to be your last battle? She thought of the boy's solemn face as they had parted for the last time outside the Fire Nation palace. Her eyes softened as she remembered. You showed me mercy when you let me surrender. It was probably you who let me fight in the end, too. She wondered where the Avatar spirit had been reincarnated. Somewhere, she knew, Aang had been reborn with another name, another face. It would probably be nearly twenty years before anyone would really know where he was.

Her eyes turned to the grave on her right. She smiled sadly, thinking how appropriate it was that she now lay sleeping beneath the earth she had so loved. Toph. You were so alive, so strong, so full of confidence. Mai thought back to the day when she and Toph and Suki had played in the water together, and her heart pained her. She winced and sighed. Anyone else would have cried. Mai wasn't sure that she wouldn't, later – but for now, she blinked back tears and breathed deeply. She laid her hand on the grave. "Sleep well, Toph," she said softly. "And thank you."

Footsteps approached from behind. Strong hands fell on her shoulders and began to rub, massaging the tension from Mai's muscles. She leaned back a little, her eyes closing. "Hello, Zuko," she murmured.

"Hey." He smiled down at her. "I figured I'd find you here. Katara's freaking out."

Mai rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. She already healed everything that can be healed. It's not as if I'm made of glass!"

"I know that." His warm golden eyes twinkled. "You, Mai, are made of steel."

"Not quite." She rose to her feet gracefully and turned to him, her arms resting around his neck. "I'm flattered that you think so, though." The corner of her mouth twitched into a half-smile.

His eyes averted, and he cleared his throat. "I've…uh…I've got something to talk to you about, Mai." He seemed uncomfortable. Mai's smile faded, and she let him go. "It's…well."

He really is adorable when he's flustered. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and waited, deadpan. He sighed. "Listen, Mai, things are going to be different now. I'm to be crowned Fire Lord next week, you know. Everything's going to change. I'll be always working – it's going to take years, if not decades, to rebuild the Fire Nation." He paused, and she delicately raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to need a marriage that will work to my political advantage," he said.

"Oh." Mai could feel her heart sinking. He's breaking off our betrothal. With my parents dead, I'm no longer a political advantage. She tried not to think about the lump in her throat that was beginning to choke her. Maybe it's for the best…

"Yes." Zuko looked more awkward still, if that were possible, his hand moving up to rub at the back of his neck. "I need a Fire Lady with strength enough to stand, even when things get crazy – which they will. I need a wife who knows the ins and outs of court politics. I need someone to stand by me, Mai."

She looked down, her lips tightening. Just get to the point, Zuko. If you're going to rip my heart out, at least have the courtesy to do it quickly! "I see," was all she said.

Then his hand closed on her wrist. He pulled her hand from her sleeve and put it on top of his, his roughened fingers closing over it as though it were a tender morsel. She felt something small and cold behind pressed into her palm. Confused, she turned her hand over in his to look at it.

It was a golden signet ring, stamped with the seal of the Fire Nation.

Mai gasped, stunned. She raised her eyes to his, and found him smiling. "Zu-Zuko!" she whispered. "What…"

He laughed nervously. "I've never been good at this sort of thing." He tightened his hand on hers. "I never know the words –" He stopped, his eyes looking into hers. "Will you marry me, Mai?"

Tears brimmed in Mai's eyes. She didn't know what to say. "I…Zuko, I'm not who I used to be," she managed. "I'm a traitor…my parents are…I'm…"

"You're Mai." His hand rested at the side of her face. "You're the Mai I pushed in the fountain when I was seven years old. You're the Mai I made sand castles with when I was ten. You're the Mai who gave me my first kiss. You're the Mai I loved, and lost, and loved, and lost again. I'm not going to lose you a third time." He stopped. "Please, Mai. Please say yes."

Her eyes moved down to the ring in her hand. She could hardly breathe. "Zuko, are you really proposing to me in a graveyard?"

"Well, yeah." Zuko cleared his throat after a moment. "I guess that is kind of weird, now that you mention it. Um, we could go over to the gardens, if that would be better, and I could ask you – mmph!" Zuko stopped talking, for the excellent reason that another mouth had just covered his. Mai had her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she kissed him. After a second's surprise, he began to kiss her back, his left hand weaving into her dark hair while his right encircled her slim waist to pull her closer. They stayed that way until breathing made it necessary to part. Tears trickling down her face, Mai rested her head against his shoulder. "I take that as a yes?" Zuko said wryly.

Mai laughed. She couldn't help it. "It's a yes," she said softly. Her fingers entangled themselves in the collar of his shirt. His arms encircled her.

Her eyes drifted down to the graves at their feet. It seemed appropriate, somehow, that they were standing here. There were endings, and now there are new beginnings. She breathed in, inhaling the smoky scent of her betrothed. She never wanted this moment to end.

At length, Zuko kissed the top of her head tenderly and moved back. His hand sought hers, and slipped the ring onto her finger. "We should get back to the palace," he said quietly, "before Katara gives herself a stroke."

The young noblewoman nodded and smiled. "All right." She made a sound that was suspiciously like a giggle as they started to walk down the hill. "How many backflips do you think Ty Lee will do when she hears the news?" He laughed, pulling her close to him and putting his arm around her waist.

A few minutes later, the graveyard was empty. There was only the breeze rippling through the leaves.