Disclaimer: I don't own anyone...yet.

I had been a beautiful crystal angel, set high on a pedestal above everyone else. Then, slowly and at the same time quickly, I fell. Now, I lay shattered upon the ground, the shards too sharp to ever touch. Today, I had no clue why and how I had broken. Everything's clear now in hindsight.

Now, I was kneeling beside a pond, the very one Zuzu and I played by when we were children. So long ago. Had he brought me here to torment me further, or to remind me of something? What good memory could he possibly have of me?

I had been numb, unfeeling, before today. I had accepted my dark side, and had used it to my advantage. My thick skin had kept me from harm. But somehow, today my skin had thinned. My stone wall had crumbled, and now everything I had ever held off with it had sunken their fangs into nerves.

My mother thought I was a monster. The only reason why Father loved me was because I tried so hard to please him. My perfectionism was what caused him to love me. I had manipulated my brother time and time again, had caused him tremendous pain and suffering. My best friends had betrayed me. When the smoke cleared, no one would be there for me, because I had never been there for anyone.

All of these facts in the back of my mind stabbed at my frail, black, shriveled up heart until it was a physical pain. I had lost my mind because I had realized something, though I'm still not sure what. All of this bottled up emotion had exploded all over the place.

I gazed down into my reflection in the pond, my wrists and ankles still locked together. My bangs weren't even. My hair was disheveled. The edges of my clothes were singed. My eyes were red and vacant from crying.

Footsteps fell on the grass. I looked up wearily.

"So, how will you deal with the Big Bad Wolf? Will you lock me in prison like father? Will you simply let me go as though you were Uncle Iroh? Or do you actually have the balls to kill me?" Zuko kneeled down. I felt the heat as he melted away my restraints.

"I'm not going to do any of those things. You aren't deserving of such punishments," he said. I stood up shakily, rubbing my wrists.

I dared to look into his eyes. They were cold. Like revenge. His eyes looked away first.

"Azula, you're my sister. Despite everything, I still love you," he met my eyes again, "This is why I have to banish you." I smirked. Like I didn't deserve that.

"Okay, then. Shall I just leave, then?"

"Go pack your things," he said. I walked up the steps, into the palace, into my room. It would probably be Mai's once I left.

I didn't take much; a daggar, a brush, a few ribbons, and a second pair of clothes with shoes. I put them into a bag and then walked to the front of the palace. Zuko was waiting for me.

"Don't take any animals from the stables," he said firmly.

"All right," I crossed my heart, "Fire Bender's promise." I walked down the steps.

"Azula," I turned to him. We stared at each other for a minute, "Feel free to come back when you find yourself," I laughed.

"Then I should go back to my room now," I turned away, "I know who I am. I am Princess Azula, daughter of Fire Lord Ozai."

That was a lie.

I walked down the Fire Nation's streets in the dead of night, leaving behind the only home I had ever known.

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Don't get me wrong, the Avatar finale was great except for a couple things, one of which was WHAT HAPPENED TO FRICKIN' AZULA?! It's been bugging me so I came up with a story. Hope you enjoy, and please review.