All was as it should be.

The palace, the gardens, they had not been changed by the passing of time, still as glorious and great and wondrous as they had been all those years ago. But the exotic flowers, they did not inspire his curiosity, they did not catch his eye as they had done before, the sounds of the turtle ducks did not soothe him. The Prince - in his regal robes of red - stood at the waters edge, looking around his beloved home, the home he had ached for, all these years he had been gone every thought had been turned to this one place, why was it not enough?

Zuko sank to the dry bristling grass at his feet, his robes creased but he did not care. Many years before this place had been his escape, his mother had held him at the waters edge, feeding the turtle ducks and listening to her warm voice tells stories of ancient origins that made little sense but it did not matter. Now it seemed wrong.

'Why so grumpy Zuzu?' came the mocking voice of Azula, he inclined his head to his sister, her sarcastic smile, her small, cruel eyes.

He looked away.

'Zuko,' her voice came seriously now, 'Tell me what is wrong,' she ordered. Her eyes flashed - Zuko knew they had even though he did not see.

Her voice raised now, even though it would attract the attention of the night guards, 'It is late, go to sleep, Father wants you at the War Meeting tomorrow,'

'Does he?' His voice threatened, the words came out a hoarse hiss, 'He wants his son there. His perfect, loyal, brave, Fire Nation son, who's to say i am that person?' He asked himself more than he asked Azula, she would yield no answers to his overworked mind.

'You are his son, he is proud, happy at your return, do not dishonour yourself again, Zuzu, you were gone from your home for long enough.' with that she was gone, her form vanishing into the night air like smoke. Zuko returned to his silent misery, the water was still, the turtle ducks had gone with the appearance of Azula.

Honour. It had ruled his life. Or maybe destroyed was the correct word, or perhaps saved, Zuko did not know. What was the scar on his face? Was it a trophy of his trials and of his triumph? A mark that would never leave him and always remind him and everyone of his foolishness, his dishonour? Was it a sign that he should have run long ago?

Zuko pondered how much easier life would be without it. Of course, he had lost his only chance to be free of it. Abruptly the water was to similar, he looked away, but he had already seen the face in it's reflection. Her face. He tried to close his mind but failed, she was there, tearing away at his consciousness, pulling every memory he wanted to avoid and every emotion he never wanted from the depths of his head. Her blue robes rippling, her chocolate hair flying, her sapphire eyes glowing with a malice so terrible he wanted to burn under it's accusations, she was there. Her flowing voice filled his head as the fury of his betrayal dawned on her, her fury enhancing her battle, he could see in her eyes the hurt there, but she was strong, she would not be hurt, so instead she hurt back.

But then those images were gone, replaced by something that hurt more; with a smell of burning flesh and a flicker of terrible light she was lost to him. She held the boy in her arms, her blue eyes were watering, as streams of tears fell from her dear, beautiful eyes, but they were different now; the eyes which forever showed the deepest forms of hate and heart, fury and forgiveness, peace and war he had always seen everything she felt, but now, it was gone, her eyes were empty, just blue as she stared into his eyes. Not shining with anything but tears, not flashing with anything but the bland reflection of fire, no hope. That was the what that he had always seen in her eyes, and now it was gone, dead, gone like a doused fire or evaporated like drop of water in a raging fire. And she wasn't Katara, brave Water Bender anymore, the girl that had always hindered his eternal search for the Avatar, she was gone. Just like the Avatar and just like the hope of all the world. And every tear she shed had silently, painfully and eternally shattered his heart.