.: Epilogue :.

Insightful little Earthbender, I smiled to myself. Smellerbee's fingers gently stroked my forehead, and Longshot docked an arrow onto his bow. I saw what they were planning to do before they even got to it. They'd finally come to understand me, and respect me. I'd gotten Longshot's loyalty back. I had everything that I'd wanted since Katara left the first time.

But I knew what had to happen. It was my responsibility as a leader, and a friend. No matter how selfish I wanted to be, I had to do what was best for my Freedom Fighters.

And that meant they had to leave.

"Don't kid yourself," I wheezed. "Don't bother."

"Jet," Smells protested. "I've been with you through everything. I can't leave you now."

"Everyone's got to grow up sometime," I told her. "You guys don't need me anymore. You've got a great life here." I drew a deep breath, and it hurt, but I forced the words out. "Leave me."

"We're not leaving you," Longshot told me. I could feel the vibrations of the Dai Li as they rushed down the corridors.

"Go," I commanded. They drew closer to me, and I smiled up at them. "I can't get out of here. You know it, and I know it. I'm already gone… are you really going to fight over me if I'm not here to watch you?"

"You're always here," Smells sobbed, pulling out her dagger. "You can't go. I don't care what you say, Jet. I still need you. We both still need you."

"There's a difference between what you need and what you want," I murmured. I stared at Longshot. I knew he'd understand—the pain in his eyes told me that I was right. I blinked up once at him and the corners of his lips curved into a smile. Then his arm shot out and latched around Smellerbee's wrist.

"Come on Longshot, let's… What are you doing?" she shrieked. "No, Longshot, we can't go!" He dragged her away, but her breaking voice echoed around me. "Longshot, Jet needs us! We have to help him! Longshot, please!" Her voice traveled above me, and I wondered absentmindedly if they were scaling the walls. Her protests dissipated into sobs, and after that last moment my ears shut down.

I waited for the end in silence, my legs slowly growing numb. I thought back slowly over my life: losing my parents, losing Katara, losing the Freedom Fighters, losing Sneers, losing my memory, losing the fight, losing my chance at revenge. Always losing.

I licked a whole legion of Dai Li for you, dad, I laughed to myself. My smile quickly turned into a wince.

But I missed the most important one. He got away.

My brain slowed down… down… down… down…

It's so strange… I spent my whole life fighting the Fire Nation. But it was one of my own people who betrayed me.

One last thought echoed in my mind.

I always thought that I was doing the impossible. But even in the end, I failed them all.

A/N: And thus ends the story of Jet. *sniffle* Thank you to Tainted for replying to the last chapter, and thanks to everyone who has glanced at this story or read it for any amount of time. You guys are the bestest :)

I happen to have another story saved up on the old hard drive. It's an AU set in the future; sort of my own version of events if all my fantasies regarding Avatar came true. I'll probably post it within the week, as my midterms draw closer and my procrastination becomes more desperate (YUCK). Until then, adieu!

~Nineteeners ;]