AN: Hi guys! This is my first fic- written after the season two finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I basically got frustrated that there was no next episode (obviously!) and decided to write my version of events. Also, it is my firm belief that certain ships may become canon, so don't flame me if your ship doesn't appear, ok? XD That's pretty much it - enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLAB... however, buying it is on my "Things To Do When I Become A Millionaire" list.

The whips swirled around him – blue water's icy chill juxtaposed with the heat of his own flames. Though shivering, the boy – man really – made no movement to draw his shirt closer, made no weakness apparent to his opponent. And yet there was hurt and something else in her eyes as the water swirled ever more fiercely around them both.

Hurt… and pity?

Angrily the girl blocked his whip's lunge and lashed out in retaliation. Its knifeblade-sharp edge of ice almost cut his cheek and he nearly missed her next words.

"I thought you'd changed."

The man almost missed a step, years of practice stopping him from sprawling in the dirt as he attempted a complex swirl around his head with the flames that danced from his fingertips. However, the swirl came to nothing in his fingers as he drew both feet together into a neutral position, taking the fire out of his fighting stance.

"I have changed."

Now it was the girl's turn to miss a step. She drew the water she'd been bending into whips into a large curl around herself protectively, almost as though she was folding her arms across her torso. Silently the boy marvelled at how she'd managed to make the water an extension of her body – she was a true Master waterbender. He didn't know how he'd be able to compete, if Azula had been having trouble moments before.

She was hurt by his words, he could see. A true fighter would be taking advantage of the gap to smite his enemy, he chided himself.

Was she his enemy? He was so confused.

What had he said to hurt her? He couldn't remember now and launched a fresh assault, a barrage of fiery blows raining down on her. She was the avatar's friend. He had to attack her.

"The Fire Nation took my mother away."

Those icy blue eyes filling with tears, and the tears now being added to her bending water as she brought up the curl to defend herself.

It was hurting him, and he didn't know why.

I have changed.

I have changed.

…have I?

Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation woke in a room of a palace that wasn't his own, gasping for air. He threw off the blankets that were smothering him and went to wash his face in the washroom nearby, trying not to think of his dream. He didn't want to. Wanting to think of his dream meant wanting to think of that… peasant.

Person.

How she'd offered to heal him.

How he'd given her false hope.

How he'd crushed her.

I have changed.

What did he mean? Zuko's eyes roved over his reflection – scratches from ice, still healing, on his arms and bare chest. Who would have thought that a week later they'd still sting?

I have changed.

He hadn't known what he'd meant then, and he still didn't now. Angrily he splashed the water away, breaking his reflection. It was odd – he hadn't felt so disgusted at his own reflection since… his arrival at Ba Sing Se. He rubbed at his scar before collapsing back into bed, exhausted. This wasn't the first time he'd had nightmares. But he couldn't talk to Iroh about it, because he was in jail. His fault. He knew.

Have I changed?

Both his good and scarred eyes twitched as he fell into another nightmare.

Katara awoke with a gasp. Almost obsessively, she went to check on Aang. He still slept beside her, his fingers curled in Appa's fur. Gingerly she rolled him over, not wanting to wake him, and smeared some more of the nuns' ointment onto his back. If he was lucky, he'd have a scar the size of a certain ex-exiled Fire Prince's on his back.

If not, he could still die.

Katara rubbed at the bags under her eyes, sleep blurring her view of Toph, Sokka, Bosco and Earth King Kuei and slumped back down next to Aang, exhausted. They'd have to move again in the morning, and they needed to be long gone. Zuko had met them at this abbey before, in a showdown with a giant Shirshu, and she was sure that he'd recall the healers there among the nuns.

Zuko is coming.

Somehow this thought made her more sad than angry. He deserved all that had been done to Aang and more, but she somehow pitied him. Hearing his story had been… interesting. She'd have to think how she could use that against him – his mother was taken by the Fire Nation? Could they find her? Slowly she shook her head to clear the horrible thoughts from it. She couldn't do that to Zuko. He'd suffered enough… for now.

She rolled over and went back to sleep.