Setting: Zuko and Ursa at dinner in the royal palace while Iroh, Katara, Aang, and Toph are on Ember Island preparing for the Winter Solstice Festival in three weeks

Ursa: I think you should start seeing Dr. Jung.

Zuko: (choking on a bite of food) Azula's brain doctor? Why?

U: Because he can help you with the dreams. And whatever else you need to talk to him about.

Z: I don't need to talk to a brain doctor.

U: I thought you might say that. Look, I knew Dr. Jung before… when I… he and I… (starts to blush)

Z: Wait… did you and Dr. Jung…um?

U: We worked together when I left the Fire Nation. He helped me with my dreams… and he can help you, too.

Z: OK… so you want me to go have a warm and fuzzy conversation about my daddy issues with my sister's shrink who also happens to be my mother's lover?

Setting: Despite his initial reaction, Zuko gives it some consideration. When he sees Dr. Jung on the palace grounds the next day, he acts on a whim and asks to speak with him in his office.

Jung: Tea?

Zuko: (nervously) Um, yes please.

J: (sarcastically) To what do I owe this honor?

Z: How is my sister?

J: Well enough.

Z: Could you be a little more specific?

J: Well, her good days finally outweigh her bad, so that's progress. The bad ones are still pretty bad, though.

Dr. Jung sets a cup of tea in front of Zuko.

Z: I see.

J: There are some things from her past she needs to make peace with before she can move forward.

Z: I can understand that.

J: I have no doubt.

Z: (takes a deep breath) Um, Dr. Jung, I need you to… err, I would like for you… uh… do you think there is anything you can do for me?

J: That depends on what your problem is.

Z: I'm not sleeping well.

J: The sun poppy works wonders for that. Surely you don't need me to brew your tea.

Z: No, I mean, I have these… nightmares.

J: Ah, yes… dreaming is the way the brain works itself out while you're sleeping. It's trying to make sense of things which is oftentimes why our dreams make no sense at all.

Z: Um, ok. Except that my dreams usually make perfect sense.

J: Well, the content of your dreams may make sense—to you, at least—but it doesn't make sense that you keep having them. If a nightmare is reoccurring, then you're harboring something that hasn't been resolved. Your brain keeps revisiting it, because it can't sort it out.

Z: OK, that sounds… feasible… and hopeless.

J: It's difficult to work through, but not hopeless. I will help you if you are willing to be helped.

Z: Willing? But didn't I just ask you for help?

J: Yes, but you may not realize what you're asking.

Z: (with voice rising) Well, if the sessions are going to be like this… where you are condescending and ambiguous, then maybe I'm not interested. (crosses arms across chest)

J: Is there anything else besides the dreams you'd like to work on? Anger perhaps?

Z: Oh, that's just rich. You know, whatever. Maybe this was a mistake.

Zuko pushes away his tea cup and stands to leave.

J: She told me you were a fighter. I didn't think you'd give up so easily.

Z: She was the one who told me to come here in the first place. What, is helping me some sort of favor to her? Honestly, I don't know what she sees in you anyway.

J: You don't know what you're talking about.

Z: I know enough. And she's been through enough as it is. You should stay the bloody hell away from her if you know what's good for you!

A few intense seconds pass in which Dr. Jung appears to be suppressing his own anger. He then continues to speak in his even, detached tone.

J: As it stands, your mother won't see me. But this is not about her or me. This is about you. So YOU decide if you truly want to get better. I can make the dreams go away. I've done it before. I can help you handle your anger. I can help alleviate your pain. But I can't do any of it if you're not willing to do the work yourself.

Dr. Jung stands abruptly causing Zuko to jump.

J: And I think you SHOULD do it. You owe it to yourself. But even if you still need convincing, do it for your country, because you are a man of honor. Do it for your mother, because like you said, she's already been through enough. Do it for Katara. Because even though I don't really put much weight in young love, she was in here asking for help long before you knew you needed it. So, Fire Lord Zuko, be better for them if not for yourself.

A few more seconds pass as Zuko considers Dr. Jung's words.

Z: I… will.

J: You don't sound convinced.

Z: I am. I WILL.

J: It will be hard. You won't like it.

Z: I don't like it already.

J: It may take some time before you see progress. When we start to uncover the deeper issues, you will feel very raw. It may seem very dark for a while.

Z: It's always darkest before the dawn.

J: Hmm. Yes, she used to tell me that, too.

Author's Notes: The scenes above correspond directly with Chapters 24 and 26 of Darkness Before Dawn. Welcome to my side-fic featuring Zuko's sessions with Dr. Jung. Shhhh, don't tell Zuko that these conversations are being publicly recorded. Dr. Jung has assured him of doctor-patient confidentiality.

Actually that's a nice segue into me emphasizing the very fictitious nature of this piece especially when it comes to psychiatric therapy. I have no idea if Dr. Jung is doing or saying the right things from a medical standpoint. I'm simply using this platform to delve into some of Zuko's issues in greater detail. I also have some ideas about Fire Nation family history and Ozai's personality and motivations, so this is one place to explore them.

I hope I'm not treading into dangerous territory here. I just encourage that it not be taken too seriously or scrutinized scientifically. In the Avatar day and time, Dr. Jung is on the cutting edge of a very new science. I've considered modeling his character and methods after early 20th century Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. I haven't done much of that, yet, but the idea still intrigues me. Otherwise, I have some varied personal experience with therapy (both positive and negative) that may or may not be reflected.

Also, the format here will be sort of like a screenplay or interview transcript so that hopefully it is easier to follow the dialogue.