A nimble shadow traced the walls of the prison, occasionally stopping by the bars of a few cells. A shorter shadow followed, running behind the other in an attempt to catch up to it. The walls were lined with grime and soot from the flames hanging on them to keep the halls alight, the floor basically made from dirt and blood rather than stone. It's a wonder none of the guards put the flames out just so they wouldn't have to look at the horrible scene.

"Alright, I know you're the Fire Lord and you can do whatever the hell you damn well feel like doing, but why are you running?" the shorter shadow asked, annoyed and curiously. "It's not that important, is it?"

"Toph, if it wasn't important, I wouldn't be running," the young Fire Lord responded, irritated. "You basically just answered your own question with a question," he added.

"But why is it so important?" Toph asked, finally catching up with Zuko.

"It just is," Zuko answered, sighing impatiently. He ran straight past a cell, guarded heavily with what he thought was probably six guards from his short run by. He had seen something in the cell and no doubt it was who he was looking for. Stopping abruptly, his partner in crime ran right into him, knocking them both over onto the bloodied floor.

"Aw, gross!" Toph exclaimed, jumping to her feet immediately. Even the master of un-cleanliness hated the floors. Just imagine having to run barefoot on them constantly. But rather her feet than her face. Zuko growled and got to his feet, angrily.

"Toph! What the hell was that for?!" he yelled, irritably.

"It wasn't my fault!" she defended, wiping the gunk off her face. "You're the one who stopped and forgot to tell me!"

"I thought you could tell with your vibration-bending!"

"I could, but these floors are too damn slippery! And what the hell?! Vibration-bending?" Toph asked, jabbing a finger at her friend's chest, pointedly.

Zuko's mouth opened to say something, but he shut it before anything came out. He rolled his eyes, angrily, and took in a deep breath. "Whatever, just…leave it."

"Whatever, Sparky," Toph said, dropping the issue immediately. Zuko started walking normal speed back towards her cell and Toph followed, eventually walking right beside him. Within moments, they had reached the cell.

The cell was basically double-barred. There was a transparent wall made of bars, showing two guards in front of a bar door which lead into a matching set, only with four guards instead of two. The second door was made of solid steel and the surrounding walls were too, but there were two large, narrow-barred windows on each side of the door, showing the broken figure inside.

Zuko stared at the first door with a look of guilt and nerves in his eyes. He started breathing deeply, probably the best choice for his own well-being, shutting his golden eyes. Toph noticed his attempt at trying to calm down and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's going to be alright, Sparky," Toph comforted. "She probably didn't even notice you were late. And besides…she can't do anything, so what's your problem?"

"You know how emotional she is nowadays…she could take the shortest silence and turn it into a "you hate me" issue," Zuko said, opening his bloodshot eyes. "But that really wouldn't be strange…she turns everything into a "you hate me" issue," he added, looking down at his boots.

Toph sighed, annoyed at her behavior, and said, "Don't let her drag you down. You're the proud leader of the Fire Nation, you redeemed your nation, now I want to see you start acting like it—Don't let anyone drag you and your honor down."

"Thank you, Toph," Zuko muttered with his raspy voice.

"No prob, Sparky," Toph responded, slugging the Fire Lord on his armored limb. Zuko flinched at her touch, but he relaxed almost instantly and gave her a smile that basically told her to give him something encouraging. Toph gave him a heartening smile and a pat on the back before shoving him against the cell door.

"Ow," Zuko gasped. Toph smuggled a laugh and settled with a smirk and a hand on her hip. The Fire Lord regained his posture before glancing at the guards who were bowing at his feet. At his words, they got to their feet and allowed his entry.

"Good luck, Sparky!" Toph called after him as the guards shut the door. Zuko sighed and looked up at the second door. He knew it was coming and he knew it was coming in details. Very, very blurry details. He calmed himself down with the deepest deep breath he could imagine before he approached the guards.

"Greetings, Sir," the guards greeted unconditionally. Zuko nodded in advance before he glanced at the door. The guards took his message and, with a slight warning preserved for the young lord, opened the metal door…Zuko couldn't help but add on "to my doom" with a stiff chuckle.

--

It'd been three years since Fire Lord Ozai had been defeated. The world being peaceful once more, Aang went to the South Pole with Katara, Sokka, and Suki. Zuko had yet to hear from them, but he had heard rumors about a little baby on the way. He smiled when he heard this. At least the Avatar was living an unregretful life.

As for Toph? Well, she had grown. Not only mentally, but physically as well. Her hips had rounded out and became more obvious, along with another woman feature that Zuko blushed upon mention. Her hair grew out until it had actually reached her belly button, but she didn't cut it like Zuko had expected. She merely put it in the normal style and parted her bangs, tucking one side behind her ear. But she had also gotten wiser than ever. Some even compare her to Uncle Iroh nowadays. But she only uses it when she needs to.

Uncle Iroh. He stayed in Ba Sing Se when Zuko and Toph, and not to mention Mai, left for the Fire Nation. Zuko's heard rumors of the Jasmine Dragon becoming famous even in the South Pole where hardly any news reaches, even now that the war is over. Zuko smiles every time at the thought of his uncle, fat and happy, serving tea again.

Mai…Zuko always smiles upon mention of her. The love of his life, Mai…Fire Lady Mai, if he went into technicality. But they weren't married yet. He had been too nervous to even ask for her hand in an eternal bond. In actuality, it quite scared him to even think about being bound to something forever, even Mai. Mai had pretty much stayed the same, with the exception of a hell lot more smiles and laughs. But that only made him love her even more, even though that was pretty much impossible.

Ty Lee went to Kyoshi Island. That's all Zuko knows nowadays, even with the constant letters she sends him. Apparently, she still considers him a friend even though his sister had manipulated her into being a forced "buddy" as she liked to call them. Zuko never writes back unless he feels he needs to.

As for himself…well, he's still confused as hell. His hair grew out a lot after the first month of peace, but Mai convinced him into cutting it again. It's now routine to cut it, even though he isn't too fond of trusting the blades master with a pair of scissors, no matter how much he loves said blades master. Luckily for him, he only needs to endure this once or twice a month, depending on Mai's mood.

All in all…things should be alright…right? Zuko found himself wondering things like such almost constantly, thinking so hard he actually deconstructed his mind down to such a level of confusion that he was having trouble even understanding the cruelty of his Father at times. Sometimes, he would just force himself to pass out on the floor because off all this confusion.

--

Zuko heard Toph trying to encourage him from the outside walls, but this did nothing to calm him down. He was about to face a monster—no...She's not a monster. Zuko had to keep telling himself the same thing over and over again to keep him from running. Zuko sighed at his confusion before slipping inside the cage. He was thinking about renaming cells to cages, just looking at the things.

"Azula?" he called out, cautiously. He knew she was chained up and had almost a zero percent chance of attacking him ever since the Avatar took her bending away, but that didn't stop his heart from beating a million leagues a second. There was nothing but Toph's words echoing in his head. Not even the slightest movement from the pile on the floor. Zuko stared at what was his sister for the longest time, trying to get his mind to grasp onto the fact that this…thing was a living human being.

Zuko! he scolded himself. What's happened to yourself? She's still your sister and you should still treat her as such, not referring to her as a thing!

"Azula?" he tried again. When there was still no response, Zuko became frustrated. He took in another deep breath and approached his sister. He knelt down and looked at the top of Azula's head—the only thing he could see, seeing as she was doubled over, her hands in chains that where pulling her arms towards the walls. He stared at her for a moment or so before sliding a finger underneath her chin and lifting her face up to look at, already knowing what he would see from daily visits.

What was once a literally perfect face and perfectly pulled up hair and perfect golden eyes and all around just perfectly Azula was now nothing more than a tormented rag doll. Her once bright and intimidating golden eyes were now weary and thoughtful aged golden eyes. They seemed to have lost their "Azula touch" to them…nothing more than dirty gold orbs, staring lifelessly at anything put before them. Zuko found that he couldn't pull his eyes away from them.

Azula's hair was dirty and her bangs, although defiantly grown out, were unevenly cut, no doubt from before her coronation. It reached down to her thighs now, if not longer. It was frizzy and strands were sticking out in odd directions, blood matted in the back where she had been sleeping on. Zuko found multiple knots her mane. He couldn't help but at least think about trying to unknot it all, just to get her hair's dignity back.

His eyes traveled down to her slightly parted lips. The red ghost of lipstick hung over them from Zuko's memory as he tried to compare what had happened to them, still just to get a grip of what had happened to his little sister and what happened to her during her time in prison. Her lips were chapped and cracked, a cut on the left side of the bottom one, dried and cracked blood covering the small and minor injury on his sister's mouth. His thumb traveled absentmindedly from her chin to the cut.

Suddenly, Azula's eyes seemed to gain focus. In an instant, Zuko saw that her pupils were far too small for her irises and felt a pang of paranoia and worry flood his system. Her lips snapped shut and her eyebrows knotted together in an unidentified emotion. The bags underneath her eyes became apparent as she blinked and seemed to have trouble opening them.

"Azula," Zuko said, more for his own sanity than his sister's. Suddenly, a scream ripped from Azula's pale and cracked lips, piercing his ears and sending a chill down his spine. But he didn't pull away nor pull his hand away from her mouth. In fact, he actually leaned in closer in hopes to calm her down. She started shaking and trying to rack herself free from her chains, her eyes suddenly cloudy. Zuko instantly felt like he was causing all this and that did nothing to help his nerves. "Azula," he said, firmly and louder than her screams. She suddenly stopped screaming and her eyes cleared up. But Zuko could tell she wasn't mentally back yet. Just for the moment.

"Zuko," Azula said, emotionlessly. Pants escaped her chapped lips and Zuko began to wonder if she even noticed how close he was. Her irises seemed to be shaking as she looked at him, her eyes darting from one feature to another on his face in mere seconds.

"Do…do you remember me?" Zuko asked, suddenly feeling very stupid for asking this. He was also surprised he didn't say her name again. He mentally banged his head on the wall. She just said my name, of course she remembers me! Azula merely blinked and stared on in his eyes for so long Zuko had to break the contact otherwise he would've surely melted under her undying gaze.

"Zuko…Zu-Zu," Azula muttered, as though just remembering everything.

"That's right," Zuko ushered her. He always did the same thing, everyday for Azula always did the same. He felt it would get her used to at least something and that would be a big breakthrough with her. He was suddenly very fond of his nickname. He stroked her bloodied lip with his thumb in a brotherly gesture, trying to comfort his insane sister. He removed his hand a couple moments later and saw that Azula's gaze had left his face and was now on his hand. He felt a faint smile tug at his lips.

"What do you want?" Azula suddenly asked, gaining her old confident and intimidation voice back. Her eyes narrowed as they looked over the Fire Lord. Zuko suddenly felt like he got her back, but he knew that was wrong. And even if it wasn't, it probably wasn't any better than being insane.

"I want to talk to you," Zuko said, truthfully. He was instantly reminded of why he came here in the first place.

"You're late," Azula stated. "But like I care," she added, looking over his head at the wall with sudden interest. A silent moment passed and she brought her golden gaze back down to her older brother. "Why'd you stop? You know, I bet you probably only came here to rub that crown in my face. That crown should have been mine!" Her eyes suddenly widened as her pupils shrunk again. Zuko winced. The yelling would come in about…now.

"Azul—"

"NO! THAT CROWN SHOULD'VE BEEN MINE! I SHOULD'VE BEEN THE GREATEST FIRE LORD IN HISTORY! BUT NO! YOU CAME AND DESTROYED IT ALL WITH THAT WATER TRIBE BITCH!" She was practically roaring flames. Zuko was sure she would've been if Aang hadn't taken her bending away. Azula got as close to Zuko as she could with the chains on her and began screaming at the top of her lungs, trying to get at him. But he was just out of reach.

"AZULA!" Zuko yelled, grabbing Azula by the chin. Azula stopped screaming and, eyes wide, started panting from the lack of air. There was something in her eyes…something that was never there before…even as a child, Zuko noted. His eyes widened when he noticed what it was—Fear. He suddenly realized how fragile his sister was. He felt more guilty and horrible than ever and he could hardly stand it…he felt like running away right that second and never coming back. But he didn't.

Azula started making little short gasping noises and it took Zuko a while to realize that she was trying to keep from sobbing. His eyes softened and he softened his grip on her chin.

"Azula," he soothed. "Don't cry," he said, gently. This didn't seem to do anything, for the next second, tears were streaming down the Princess's face and her shoulders were shaking violently. Sobs were racking her entire body and before long…hiccups came. Zuko was positive this was making her frustrated. He put a hand on each of her cheeks and waited for her to calm down at least a little. In the progress, Zuko's right hand wandered upward a little into Azula's hair and tried to run his fingers through it, but they got caught.

"Stop," Azula whispered, suddenly ceasing her sobs. The tears still came, but Zuko was sure she was calming down. He pulled his hand out of her dirty hair and, in an attempt to look in her eyes, lowered himself down a little so he could see her hung face. He found her eyes, liquid gold and betrayed. He knew he once had that look in his eyes…when he was a refugee.

"Azula…please stop crying," Zuko pleaded. He knew if she didn't, he'd probably be ripped apart with guilt and other mixed emotions. He knew Azula should be in jail and she deserved all this…but part of him felt like she didn't. Like she should be living peacefully in the new world. It pained him to see her crying, especially since the only time he had ever seen her cry, besides when she was a baby and crying was pretty much a necessity, was when Katara chained her to the grate.

Another chilling shriek escaped Azula's lips and Zuko felt the urge to weld her mouth shut. An urge, nothing more. He pushed the feeling away with ease and slight disgust at himself before grabbing Azula and pulling her into his arms in a desperate attempt to get her to be quite. He felt sort of like a child does when said child is left with a baby and the baby starts crying. He wants to help, but, being unknowing, can't.

"Let go of me!" Azula demanded, chilling his blood with the intensity and the way it seemed like Azula's throat was bleeding. Zuko shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. He tightened his grip on her and put his hand on the back of her head, feeling suddenly very sad and protective of her. "LET GO OF ME, DAMN IT!"

"Azula, please…I'm trying to help you!" Zuko yelled, his voice shaking. Azula sobbed and went limp in his arms.

"I don't need help…I don't." Azula repeated this for what seemed like forever, but to Zuko's luck…she didn't start screaming again. All she did was mutter things to herself and cry over things Zuko had forgotten, never resisting his embrace. Before long, Azula's muttering became hardly audible. A strained scream came, but Azula seemed to realize that her throat couldn't handle it and shut her mouth almost instantly. Her mutterings became incomprehensible rambles before long and Zuko realized she was almost asleep. A newly found smile on his face, Zuko let her fall asleep on him, her head resting on his shoulder. She needed the sleep, Zuko knew this.

"I'm so sorry, Azula," he whispered in her ear. "I should've loved you unconditionally like Father should have. Even though you think Mother doesn't love you, I know she does. She only thought that our whack Father would give you the love you needed…she never would've thought he would turn you into a weapon. So I'm here now to tell you something…" He took in a shaky breath and steadied his voice. "I love you, Azula. I really do. And I know that if you give me the chance, I could be the big brother you deserved.

"Toph thinks there's no chance for you…but I know that she's wrong. You have a chance to be sane and happy in this world. And I'm going to give you that chance. I know you might not like it, but you're going to go to a mental institute. I don't really like this idea, but I can't really do anything about it. You can write if you want to. You probably won't, but…you should know you can if you feel like it." Zuko ran his hand up and down her back for a moment before slowly getting to his feet, trying not to wake his sister up.

"Zuko," she grunted, eyebrows flinching as her eyes slowly opened. Zuko scowled at himself for waking her up, but she didn't scream like he expected her to do. She seemed pretty sane, but an insane laugh suddenly overcame her and she reached an ear-piercing note. Zuko stood up, not-so-reluctant to leave anymore.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Azula." Azula seemed to ignore him, but Zuko wasn't quite ready to leave just yet. He wanted to see if he could try something without her freaking out on him. Which was not guaranteed, but he still wanted to try it anyhow. "Azula."

"What is it, Zu-Zu?!" Azula snapped, looking angry and annoyed. She snorted in laughter the next second and she hung herself forward, the chains keeping her from face planting on the ground, laughing harder than Zuko had seen anyone ever laugh. "Oh, hello! I didn't know you were here!"

"I'll leave soon, but I need to do something first," Zuko said, nervously. Azula stared at him, suddenly silent as though she had forgotten the reason she had been laughing in the first place…she probably did, now that Zuko thought about. Zuko shook Azula's mental well-being from his mind as he knelt down in front of her, confused and curious golden eyes following his every move.

"What are doing?" Azula asked with a sort of scared and unprepared tint to her normally confident voice. Zuko merely stared at her with something the clever, insane, fallen Princess couldn't identify. He put a warm and gentle hand on her cheek and looked her in the eyes with more unidentifiable emotions. "Zuko! Answer me!" Azula demanded, more scared than she could ever recall being…well, except for—

"Hush, Azula," Zuko whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you." He put his other hand on her back and brought her frail body into his strong arms. He closed his eyes for a couple moments or so before releasing her.

"Why…why did you do that?" Azula asked, bewildered.

"Because, Azula…I—"

"NO! DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT! IT'S A LIE! YOU'RE A LIE! MOTHER WAS A LIAR AND YOU APPARENTLY TAKE AFTER HER!" Zuko resisted to the urge to say, 'And what does that make you?'

"No, Azula," he said, slowly. "I do. I really do." Azula sobbed and shook her head, lowering her gaze to the floor. Another bloodcurdling scream left her parched lips and this time…Zuko didn't think Azula cared all too much about damaging her throat.

--

"So, Sparky, how'd it go?" Toph questioned the instant the Fire Lord walked out of the cell and into the hall. Zuko knew she already knew exactly what happened in details, but he also knew he would have to tell her in details. For Toph loved to embarrass people.

"You know what happened, Toph," Zuko said, irritably.

"Ooo, someone's grouchy," Toph noted.

"Not now, Toph," Zuko said, simply. Toph pursed her lips, unhappily. Toph, the master of earth and metal, could not get the master of pouts and candles to kneel at her feet and give her details! Toph was not happy.

"Well, could you at least tell me why your so grumpy?" the fifteen-year-old asked. She knew this time she would get her answer. Maybe not with details and probably without the embarrassment, but answers nonetheless. Toph would soon be very, very happy with the control of Candle Lord in her hands. Toph was still obsessing over the whole "Melon Lord" thing back at the day of the comet.

"Because—!" Zuko stopped himself from yelling and took in a deep irritable breath. "Because she doesn't even trust me. I know she probably shouldn't, but it still bothers me. And she thinks I lied to her about…" Zuko stopped, blushing. He didn't know why he stopped or why he was blushing since he knew Toph knew what happened, but it was natural for him. Or so he thought.

"…Loving her?" Toph finished for him. Zuko nodded, the blush disappearing. "Well, I see why. Not that I'm saying you're a horrible brother, but she didn't exactly grow up with hugs and kisses and rainbows. She has a right to think you were lying. If what you told her was right, then how could she even consider trying to love you? The poor girl probably doesn't even know what real love is. Probably thinks it's a type of manipulation of some sort."

"Toph…you're too wise for your own fucking good, you know that?"

"Yup," Toph agreed, a smug smile on her face. The smile dropped and a look of inevitability overcame her pale features. "You're going to hug me again, aren't you?"

"Yup." Zuko pulled the short Melon Lord into his arms and practically lifted her off the ground, seeing as how tall he is nowadays. Toph over exaggerated being "choked" and Zuko, being the nice Fire Lord he is, let go of her. "You know, you get so many hugs from people, it's a wonder you're not mistaken for a stuffed turtle duck."

"Shove it, Sparky," Toph commanded, shoving Zuko over onto the floor. Her pale cheeks were flushed rosy pink, but her long hair hid most of it along with the bad lighting. For as you know, Melon Lord Toph does not blush. She dominates the earth with her cantaloupes of doom.