Hello everybody. This is my first try to handle such a heavily emotional theme in a fic. I really hope, that I have managed to deal tactful with it and with the respect, I want to show with this little story here. To work with this theme was a real matter of my heart for a while. It has brought back many memories, good and painful one. I hope all of you like this little One-Shot.

Fading

The warm sun was comforting her. It eased the cold and the pains in her old bones. She looked up in the sky to greet the sun.

She had done it yesterday first, as she had played outside with her brother. She could see it in bright colors before her eyes. Hide and Seek. As he had found her behind a tree, had caught her and had tickled her. Both had laughed so long together, that they had went out of breath. She stretched out her hand to grasp this memory from yesterday.

Her face was shining bright and warm, like the sun, but the hand she recognized clouded her smile. This old wrinkled hand belonged to her, but it was yet so different to her memory. And it were so shaky and weak. She looked down. She was sitting in a wheelchair, with a quilt over her legs. How could she have played Hide and Seek with her brother yesterday? Where were she?

She turned her head. This place was familiar and yet different. She remembered the pond. It must be the Royal Garden. But the trees are much bigger, than she remembered. Her worries grew. A strange woman was standing beside her. She didn't know her. But this woman was observing her. She started to feel uncomfortable. This woman seemed to know her, so she must know her as well. She was wearing the crown. She had to know, who has followed her brother on the throne. Something was wrong with herself.

The woman must have noticed her worried look. She had noticed, that her breathing had become more panicked. She called some men and then turned back to her. Something in her face reminded her of herself. She had to know this woman. She felt her taking her hands and rubbing her gently over her knuckles. She turned her hand around, so that her palm directed to the sky and placed her own under the disturbingly old hand.

"Breathe."

She didn't know why, but the voice was soothing her. She remembered her training this morning. The first time, she had heard of and had felt the power of her breath, as she was allowed to join her brother for the first time. A blue flame lighted up on her palm. Her eyes widened in surprise and joy. She watched her fire dancing with a beaming smile and glittering eyes. Her beaming smile was answered by a warm smile of the unknown woman. An old man appeared at her side. She smiled at him as well. She remembered his face. Something similar must has happened to him like to her, but she would recognize this scar until the end. She had tears of joy in her eyes.

"Zuzu, look. Blue Fire."

Zuko smiled at her with tears in his eyes. The unknown woman was also crying, silently. The old man bowed down and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Yes Azula. Your beautiful Blue Fire."

The warming and comforting touch of her brother and his loving words let Azulas fire shine even brighter for a few hours on this day.

For a beloved person, who was lone gone, before her long way ended. I had to miss her long before she finally left. And still do after all these years.
And for all, who caring for persons with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.