My first Avatar story. This takes place at the Western Airtemple, after TBR but before TSR. Hope you enjoy.

Late one night at the Western Airtemple, Team Avatar and their tag alongs sat around a fire eating dinner. Sokka had just finished telling the tale of how they had Escaped The Boiling Rock (Suki had insisted that had been no Platapus Bears involved while Sokka had hammered in the point that he clearly remembered that there were) and so the group had descended into an uncomfortable silence.

"You know," Toph said, breaking the silence, "I never gave Zuko a nickname." Zuko choked slightly on his rice.

"Do I need one?" He asked.

"Yes," Toph said. She put her hand to her chin and started to think. "Let me see. You're light on your feet, but Aang already took the name Twinkle Toes."

"How 'bout Scarface?" Sokka asked, chiming his idea in.

"You're not helping, Sokka," Zuko muttered, covering his face.

"I've been calling him Sifu Hotman," Aang added.

"He isn't teaching me firebending," Toph said.

"How about I don't get a nickname?" Zuko asked.

"Not an option," Toph said.

"How about Firelord Zuko?" Sokka asked. Zuko looked up.

"Why would you say that?" He asked.

"Well," Sokka explained. "You are in line for the throne. If Aang wins and your sister doesn't shoot you full of lightning, you'll be in charge."

"Good for us," Katara muttered. Zuko just stared at Sokka for an moment before standing up and leaving the group, disappearing into the forest. The group just sat there, staring.

"Was it something I said?" Sokka asked.

"Maybe someone should go talk to him," Teo suggested. Hakoda nodded and stood up.

"I'll go," he said. "It's too dark out, and I don't want you kids getting hurt." He stood up and walked in the direction of where the young firebender had gone.

"Don't sneek up on him!" Toph yelled. "He might burn you by mistake." Hakoda nodded slightly as he heard what the blind earthbender had said. As he walked, he made a mental list of what may be wrong with Zuko.

One, he really hates nicknames. Two, my daughter uspet him by not trusting him. Three, he's betraying us to his sister who's waiting in the forest. Hakoda stopped. He couldn't think like that. Zuko was already distrusted by Katara; he didn't need another enemy. As much as Hakoda didn't want to admit it, he never would have escaped The Boiling Rock without the young firebender. Hakoda sighed. Zuko was young, he reminded himself. The exiled prince wasn't that much older than his own son. He kept walking, keeping Toph's words in mind and trying to make his footsteps as loud as possible.

Where is he? Hakoda wondered out loud. After a few more minutes of walking, he found Zuko. He was sitting of the ground against a tree, his knees brought up to his chest and his arms wrapped around himself. As Hakoda neared him, he could see the young prince's shoulders shaking. A thought came to Hakoda's mind but he refrained from assuming and walked nearer.

"Zuko?" He asked. Zuko jumped slightly and looked up, confirming Hakoda's theory. His eyes were red and wet streams were running down his cheeks. Zuko was crying.

"Go away," Zuko said, his voice cracking.

"Zuko," Hakoda said gently, his paternal instincs starting to take over. "What's wrong?"

"Leave me alone!" Zuko snapped. He moved his arm in an arc and sent a slice of fire over Hakoda's head. Hakoda flinched but stood his ground as Zuko went back to crying into his knees. He looked down at Zuko, realizing immediately that the strike wasn't meant as an attack. It wasn't hot enough, and there wasn't any aim to it. Hakoda sighed and sat down next to Zuko.

"Something must be wrong," he said plainly. "Otherwise you wouldn't be here crying." Zuko didn't answer. Hakoda sighed again. "I have two kids," he said. "You won't be the first upset child I've had to comfort." Again, Zuko didn't answer. Hakoda sat there for a moment before an idea came to his mind. "Tell you what," he said. "I'll do with you what I would do with Sokka and Katara. If I guess why you're upset, we talk about it. Alright?" When Zuko didn't answer Hakoda decided to take his silence as an unspoken agreement. "Alright," Hakoda began. "You don't like nicknames?" Zuko didn't answer. Hakoda sighed and tried again. "You're sensative about your scar?" Silence, other than Zuko's broken sobs. "You're worried about being Firelord?"

"I don't want to be Firelord," Zuko finally said. Hakoda smiled slightly. Sokka and Katara would alway cave too.

"You'll be fine," Hakoda assured him. "You'll make a fine ruler..."

"That's not the problem," Zuko said. He sniffed and looked at Hakoda. "My Father disowned me, and I have a sister. I can't be Firelord. Not now."

"Thing will change," Hakoda said, not sure where Zuko was heading. "You can be Firelord."

"No. I can't," Zuko said.

"Why not?" Hakoda asked.

"Because they need to die!" Zuko snapped. Hakoda stared at him, stunned.

"Zuk..." he started.

"If I'm going to be Firelord than my family needs to die," he said. "We'll need to overthrow my father and kill him, and then we'll need to overthrow my sister and kill her." Tears started running down Zuko's face again. "My father scarred and banished me and my sister's tried to kill me, but they're still my family. They're all I have left. My mother's gone and my uncle hates me. If we kill Ozia and Azula, I'm alone." Hakoda looked at Zuko and shook his head. Before the young prince could react, Hakoda had wrapped his arms around Zuko and pulled him into a hug.

"You're not alone," he said, rubbing the teen's back. "You have the group. You have Aang and Toph and Sokka and Suki..."

"I burned down Suki's village," Zuko cut in. "And Katara hates me. I burned Toph. I tried to kill Aang and Sokka and..."

"And yet my son trusted you enough to bring you on a rescue mission that would take him into Fire Nation territory. And Aang is allowing you to teach him. Toph has healed, and I don't see any sign that she hates you. I've been fighting the Fire Nation for years, and yet I'm here comforting you." Hakoda placed his hand under Zuko's chin and lifted his head up. He brushed the bangs out of Zuko's face and hugged him closer. "You aren't alone. Now calm yourself down and we'll head back to the camp. It's late and you should be asleep. Firebenders aren't know for stay up late." Zuko nodded. He spent a few more minutes working the tears out before him and Hakoda decided he was ready to go back to camp.

"Don't tell the others," Zuko asked. "I don't think they'd understand." Hakoda shook his head.

"I think that they would," he said. "But I won't say anything if you don't want me to." Zuko nodded and moved closer to Hakoda, shivering.

"Cold?" Hakoda asked. Zuko nodded.

"A little," he admitted. "The Fire Nation's warmer than this." Hakoda nodded and put his arm around Zuko's shoulder.

"Get to bed," he said. Zuko nodded and headed off to his room once they had reached the camp. Everyone else had already gone too bed, so Hakoda was left alone to keep watch. He kept watch until sunrise, when Zuko re-awoke and joined Hakoda on watch duty.