A/N: For the purposes of this story Azula is good, she and Zuko get along and love each other (as siblings, just to be clear). I wish Azula turned good in the show because I think Zuko would've made an amazing big brother if she'd let him.

Zuko's POV:

I couldn't sleep with all of Azula's loud giggling going on in the next room over, what could possibly be so funny at this time of night? I sighed and got up, silently walking to her room, expecting her to be playing with her dolls.

"Azula!" I had every intention to tell her to stop being so loud but, I lost my train of thought when I saw dad's crown on top of her head.

"Zuzu, be quiet! You're going to wake dad up!"

"Is that dad's crown? We aren't supposed to touch that!" I looked outside her room before closing the door. I made an effort to keep my voice down. "What are you doing with that?"

"I just wanted to play with it for a little bit. It's so much bigger and shinier than mine. Do you want to try it on? It's going to be yours someday anyway." She took the headpiece off, holding it out for me to take.

"No, I don't. You need to put it back before dad finds out it's gone okay?" She frowned and put it on her dresser.

"Okay, big brother." She smiled and climbed onto her bed. "I'll put it back in the morning. Will you tuck me in?"

"Okay." I sighed and went over to her, pulling the blankets up for her. "Don't forget to put that back. I don't want to see you get in trouble." I pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Goodnight Azula."

"Goodnight Zuko." She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Thank you for tucking me in. You do it the best!" She giggled again, burying her face in the blankets.

"Your welcome." I smiled softly before going back to my own room to sleep.

…

The next morning I'd forgotten all about the crown until my father walked into the kitchen, where Azula and I were eating breakfast together. I immediately noticed his head was missing the symbol of the Fire Lord.

"Good morning daddy." Azula smiled up at him sweetly. I cringed, waiting for him to call her out on taking what didn't belong to her. To my relief, our father ignored her, looking at each of us.

"Do either of you know where my crown is?" His eyes bore into me as he waited for my answer.

"No father. I don't know where it would be."

"I see." He turned his attention on my little sister. I saw the fear in her eyes as she searched for the right words to say. I didn't doubt our father saw it too.

"I haven't seen it daddy. I promise." With that dad nodded and left the room, not saying another word to us.

"Azula!" I turned to my sister, she looked like she wanted to cry. "Why did you lie to him? That only makes it worse!"

"I… I'm sorry! Please don't be mad at me!" Her tears spilled over, and I felt bad for yelling at her.

"No… it's okay." I got out of my chair and went over to her, hugging her close.

"I didn't mean to lie! It was an accident." Her small body shook in my arms, I held her tighter.

"It's going to be okay." I tried to tell her, but my father walked back in, he looked angry but he didn't say a word, he just grabbed Azula by the arm and yanked her out of her chair.

"Ow!" Azula screamed, trying to pull away from him. Father held onto her tighter in response and dragged her out of the kitchen. I waited a few seconds before following them quietly down to Azula's room.

"What is this!?" I heard my dad scream at Azula. "You lied to me!"

"I didn't mean it daddy! I was just playing with it because I wanted to be like you." Azula's voice was shaky. I hated when dad yelled at her.

"I don't care to know the details of your treachery, Azula! You will learn respect!" Dad's voice could be heard echoing through the halls of the palace. I held my breath, praying he wouldn't do this to an eleven year old girl.

"I won't ever lie again I promise! Daddy, I'm sorry!" My sister whimpered.

"Not as sorry as you're going to be young lady. In a half an hour you will duel me in an Agni Kai in order to prove yourself worthy of my forgiveness." With that, he left Azula's room and I ran in, I found her cowering in the corner by her bed. I pulled her close to me.

"Big brother, I'm scared."

"Shh… it's okay Zula." I kissed the top of her head, holding her against me. I couldn't believe my father was challenging his eleven year old daughter to an Agni Kai, she could barely produce a flame in class, nevermind fight someone with years of bending experience.

"I don't want to fight! I didn't mean to forget to put his crown back!" More tears. She didn't stand a chance in a fight like this.

"Look, let's get you ready for the fight just so dad sees you took him seriously. Maybe if you talk to him again before it starts, he'll see you didn't mean it and will call off the Agni Kai." My words seemed to calm her down a bit, I wiped her tears away with my shirt.

"Do you really think so, Zuzu?" My sister sniffled.

"Yes, baby sister. I don't think dad would ever really hurt you. He loves you." I got up and went to her closet, pulling out the clothes she wore to train with the firebending master. "Here."

"Thank you." She took them from me and went behind her changing screen to put them on, a few minutes later she reappeared and stood in front of the mirror, wrestling with her hair.

"Let me help." I led her to the bed and sat with her, I ran her brush through her hair, braiding it the way I'd seen my mother do a million times. I fixed her crown in her hair before stepping back to look at her. "You look beautiful." I handed her back her brush. She sniffled, a single tear rolling down her cheek, I wiped it away. "No, no. No more of that."

"I'm sorry!" She threw her arms around my waist.

"I know you are Zula. I wish I could make this all better for you, but I just can't this time." I rubbed her back, gently. "You can't be late. Are you ready to go?"

"No." She sniffled, taking my hand anyway. I led her through the maze of hallways down to the Agni Kai arena. When the guards saw us they pulled Azula away from me.

"Zuko!" She screamed as they pushed her into the ring. My heart broke as I saw my father approach her.

"Stand up and fight me!" He ordered sending a fire stream at her. Azula jumped out of the way just in time.

"Daddy! Please listen to me! I don't want to fight you! I didn't mean to lie. I learned my lesson!" A fire whip came crashing down and she jumped out of the way again. Azula tried to ignite a flame in her hand, nothing happened, she looked over to me but there was nothing I could do with the guards keeping me away.

"Azula you will learn respect!" My father let out a flurry of attacks, each one coming closer and closer to hitting my defenseless sister.

"Ow!" Azula cried out when a fire jab knocked her off her feet, my father stalked towards her and I couldn't take it anymore. I pushed past the guards and jumped into the ring just as my father ignited fire daggers in his fists.

"Father wait!" I screamed. I swallowed hard as his flames grew and he turned to look at me.

"Prince Zuko, what is the meaning of this? Do you dare disrespect me as Azula has?" He glared down at me, disapproval in his eyes.

"N…" I couldn't find my voice. Time seemed to stand still until I caught sight of my little sister still frozen in the place she had been when I jumped into the ring.

"Well?! Answer me!" My father demanded.

"Father." I got on my knees, bowing to him. "You shouldn't punish Azula for taking your crown." His flames grew and I quickly explained. "You see, it wasn't Azula who took it. It was me."

"Zuko no…" Azula whispered, my father didn't notice, he was too angry.

"What do you mean? I found it in her room on the dresser."

"I put it there. I was afraid you would be mad at me and I didn't know what else to do so I hid it in Azula's room." I could feel the heat of his fire from my place on the ground feet away from my father.

"Even so, if Azula didn't lie about taking my crown she still acted like she was the one who did it. She still lied about something." My father looked at Azula, getting ready to finish what he had started with her. I panicked and stood, gathering every ounce of energy I could muster into a little fireball that I threw beside him as a distraction.

"She lied because I made her!" I yelled, my voice echoing around the arena. My father froze, letting his flames die out.

"You mean to tell me you were going to just sit there and watch your sister take the heat for something you did?" My father's voice scared me. I'd never seen him this angry before.

"Yes father. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"Guards! Remove Azula from the ring, she is pardoned for her wrongdoings." My father waited for his guards to take my sister to where I had been standing at the beginning of the Agni Kai.

"Zuko! No!" She struggled against them, but they held her back.

"It's okay Zula." I called over to her before facing my father again.

"This is your Agni Kai now. Fight for your honor!" My father let out a breath of fire before hurling fire pinwheels at me. I jumped out of the way and dodged them for as long as I could, just like Azula had.

"I won't fight you!" I felt hot tears running down my cheeks as I knelt before my father.

"Pathetic boy! You bring shame and dishonor on yourself. You will learn respect and suffering shall be your teacher!" His fist ignited red hot as he got into his offensive position and hurled a fireball at me.

"AHH!" I screamed in pain as the fire seared my face. The Agni Kai was over now, I'd lost.

"You were lucky to ever have been born!" My father spat at me as I crouched there in agony. Azula broke free from the guards and ran to me, holding me tight in her arms. She was crying again, knowing the pain I was feeling had been meant for her. My father looked down at her with disapproval.

"Don't hurt her. Please!" I begged my father, gritting my teeth against the pain I felt along the left side of my face.

"Very well. I will spare Azula, but in return you are banished! Leave before noon." With that my father walked away from us. Azula frowned and flung her arms around me.

"Why did you do that?!" She sobbed, she wasn't angry at me though. I held her for a few minutes before I was able to speak.

"I will never, ever let him hurt you baby sister. I will always protect you."

"Thank you for saving me." She sniffled. I stood up, I didn't have much time before I would have to go.

"Come." I held my hand out for her, together we wove our way down the halls to the bathroom. I sat Azula on the counter and took a washcloth out of the cabinet, careful not to look in the mirror before I had too. When I finally did look, I had to look away. It was horrible. The skin around my eye all the way back to my ear was charred.

"Does it hurt a lot." Azula whimpered trying not to cry. I nodded and she took the cloth out of my hand, soaking it in cool water before pressing it gently into the burn.

"AHH!" I screamed as I jumped back away from her touch. She frowned, blinking away guilty tears. I took her hands in mine. "Azula, this is not your fault. I promise you it's not your fault."

"But…"

"Not your fault." I repeated, taking her hand that held the cloth and pressing it into my charred skin again. It took every bit of self control I had not to jump back again, but I couldn't do that to Azula, she already felt bad enough.

"I'm sorry dad burned you." She sniffled, dunking the little towel in the icy water again before dabbing at the hot skin again.

"I don't regret a thing. If this is what it took to keep you safe, I'd do it again in a heartbeat." I flinched as the water touched my ear. Azula took the cloth off, her face falling. She felt bad for hurting me.

"I'm almost done. I'm sorry."

"You're doing perfect." I managed to smile for her despite the amount of pain I was in, it seemed to make her feel better and for that I was grateful. I watched as she jumped down off the counter and got the burn kit out of the cabinet, she placed it on the counter and jumped up, opening the lid to some sort of cream.

"This will hurt." She warned, I nodded telling her it was okay. As gently as she possibly could Azula rubbed the medicine on the skin around my eye and on my ear, I was thankful that she was here to do this for me, I never would have had the strength to clean this burn myself.

"Thank you for helping me Azula." I whispered as she finished taping up the burn with some gauze.

"Your welcome." She frowned, staying quiet for a few minutes. "I don't want you to go!" She blurted out.

"I don't want to go either." I hugged her tight, kissing her head. "I love you baby sister." A tear rolled down my cheek. "Whatever happens I want you to know this isn't your fault. I'm not mad at you."

"Zuko I'm scared of what will happen to me when you're gone. What if dad hurts me?" The possibility made my good eye widen. I never wanted my sister to feel how much pain I was in right now. How could I protect Azula if I was banished?

"Azula…" I didn't know what to say to make her fears go away.

"Take me with you! Please!" She begged. I bit my lip, if we did this there would be no going back. There would be no turning back to ask dad for forgiveness and begging to come home, and that was if he just let us go. If he didn't we would be fugitives and that would place Azula in danger.

"You know I can't do that." I sighed.

"If you don't, I'll run away and find you." Azula threatened. "I know it will be dangerous, but you said that you'd always protect me. You promised me! How can you protect me if we aren't…"

"Shh!" I quieted her. I saw her point, I needed to protect Azula from Fire Lord Ozai and this was how. "Are you sure this is what you want Zula?" I asked.

"Yes Zuzu." She nodded.

"Then let's go. Before dad stops us." With that we each gathered a blanket and a change of clothes, Azula grabbed the burn kit and we were gone.