Reopening the Scars

Zoe stormed out of the throne room.

"Hello." Nate smiled. Zoe grunted in response.

"What happened?" Nate asked. Zoe blue eyes seemed to harden.

"These old stuffy men refuse to acknowledge Azula as a threat!" Zoe yelled with such a fury the bottom of her dress caught fire. Nate quickly put it out.

"They can't listen to reason! They just always have to be right!" Zoe yelled again. This time the water in the basin shook violently. Zoe and Katara had ordered that water supplies everywhere, both of them convinced they would need it.

"Rather like you." Nate smirked. Zoe turned to him, her eyes filled with fury.

"But I am right! Azula IS a threat!" Zoe yelled.

"I can't risk her breaking out of The Boiling Rock! If Zuko broke out Azula will surely find a way to! She put us all in danger!" Zoe said angrily.

"But they are so sure that she is mentally unstable and can't think! Of course she can! I visited her in prison! She nearly killed me!" Zoe yelled. Nate took her hand.

"This isn't about your safety is it?" Nate whispered in her ear. Automatically Zoe's hand went up to her necklace. Today it seemed to reflect the fire in Zoe's eyes.

"I don't want Azula targeting anyone to get to me. Not when Kaiya can't bend yet." Zoe whispered quietly.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you both safe." Nate said, his voice sure and confident. Zoe looked up into his eyes.

"Azula will target you. Mai must have told her everything." Zoe said, her voice a little louder. Her eyes showed pure loathing and hate. Nate gulped. He knew why Zoe got that look when she spoke of Mai. Mai and Zoe hated each other. Zoe would never be truly at peace, knowing Mai was out there. Mai had broken out of prison years ago and had never been caught. Suddenly Zoe was attacked around the knees.

"Mommy!" Kaiya exclaimed happily. She looked exactly like Zoe, except she had Nate's eyes.

"Hey baby!" Zoe smiled as she picked Kaiya up.

"How was school today?"Zoe asked as she spun Kaiya around.

"It was amazing! I know my ABC's now!"Zoe beamed.

"That's great Kaiya!" Kaiya smiled at her mother.

"Can you teach me bending now?" Kaiya asked her eyes wide and hopeful. Nate squatted down to Kaiya's level.

"Kaiya, bending is something you can be taught. It's a talent that comes to you." Nate said. Kaiya started to tear up.

"So I won't be able to bend?" Kaiya asked between stifled sobs. Zoe took her hand.

"We need to talk." Zoe whispered. Zoe led her out to the courtyard. Kaiya stood before her mother.

"Baby, do you remember when I got my bending?" Zoe asked.

"No." Kaiya said as she rocked back and forth.

"I got my bending in a time when I was very sad and angry. I was six. You're bending might come late. Mine did." Zoe said quietly.

"Why were you angry?" Kaiya asked curiously. Zoe's eyes hardened. Zoe quickly averted the seven year olds eyes. Zoe stuck her hand in her pocket and squeezed her old ying yang necklace.

"I want you to have this." Zoe whispered as she pulled the necklace out of her pocket. Kaiya's eyes lit up. Her eyes widened as she inspected the necklace.

"This was your necklace!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"Yes." Zoe laughed at Kaiya's excitement. Zoe knelt down and tied the necklace around Kaiya's neck. Zoe stood up and placed her hands on Kaiya's shoulders.

"It's yours now." Zoe smiled as Kaiya rushed to hug her mother. Suddenly she heard a loud angry voice.

"ZOE!"Zuko yelled. Zoe turned around. Kaiya quickly tugged on Zoe's skirt.

"I think Uncle Zuko is kind of mad." Kaiya whispered. Zoe laughed. Then she tried her best to keep a straight face.

"Go to daddy." Zoe whispered as she nudged Kaiya. Kaiya nodded and ran inside. She had seen Zoe and Zuko fight before. It wasn't pretty. She faintly recalled one time they had been arguing about her. Zoe had screamed that Kaiya deserved an education, and Zuko said it was too dangerous because Kaiya could be used to get to Zoe. Zoe had ended up getting her way and Zuko had muttered under his breath about Zoe being an idiot.

Zoe groaned. Zuko seemed to have the bizarre reason to watch over her, and act like her mom. It bugged her.

"Zoe!" He roared. Zoe blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"What now Lord Hot Head?" Zoe asked her voice monotone. Zuko seemed to angrier. Zoe crossed her arms, knowing what he would do next.

"You've angered the Fire Sages! Again!" Zuko yelled. Fire burst out of his clenched fists. Zoe stepped back.

"Calm down." Zoe asked, stepping back because she knew Kaiya was watching and didn't want to get into a fight. Zoe and Zuko were always getting on each other's nerves, and it scared Zoe how far apart they had grown since Mai broke out of prison.

"CALM DOWN? I can't argue with them! They hate you! They want you dead. It's only going to be a matter of time before they throw you into prison on real charges!" Zuko ranted. Kaiya's eyes widened in fear.

"Zuko! Calm down! You're scaring Kaiya!" Zoe yelled. She was angry. She refused to let Kaiya think Zoe was going to leave her.

"I can take care of myself." Zoe spat. Zuko shot her a death look.

"NO you can't! You are angering people that could order you to be killed because they don't like you! You're going to end up rotting in prison at this rate!" Zuko ranted. Zoe closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"We both know no prison on Earth could hold me, Your Majesty. And I don't care what you think. I know I'm right. Azula will break out. I defeated her. If I can elude the Fire Nation for five years, Azula can certainly break out of prison." Zoe said quietly.

"You're just like Mai. You think you're always right. You act like you're above rules-" Zuko began.

"I'm NOTHING LIKE MAI!" Zoe screamed angrily. Zoe walked away and passed Kaiya. Nate walked over to Kaiya. Kaiya looked up.

"Who's Mai?" Kaiya asked. "And why is mommy upset?"

"I'm going to go figure that out. Why don't you go to talk to Auntie Katara? Maybe she'll make those cool shapes with the water." Nate walked off to find Zoe. Zoe was in the room, crying.

"Honey?" Nate asked. Zoe didn't answer. Nate walked over to her and sat down next to her.

"What happened?" Nate asked, fully aware that Zuko had been yelling at her again.

"I'm not like Mai." She whispered. Nate felt hate course through his veins. What right did Zuko have to tell Zoe she was like that monster? He walked out of the room. Zoe looked up. She knew where Nate was going. She ran after him.

Katara heard a loud blast of fire. She put Kaiya down and ran to the source. Kaiya followed her and never forget what she saw.

When Kaiya saw the scene she nearly screamed. Nate and Zuko were fighting. Nate's arm was severely burned. Nate fell to the ground. Zuko suddenly stopped. Zoe ran to Nate. Katara ran to Zuko. Katara grabbed Zuko's arm. Zoe helped Nate up. Kaiya ran to her mother.

"Daddy!" She yelled. She hugged Nate.

"Kaiya. We're leaving." Zoe grabbed Kaiya's hand and quickly led her away from the scene as she let Nate lean on her.

"Zuko! What happened?" Katara asked. Zuko rubbed his arm.

"I-He ran out yelling. He said I was a monster for treating Zoe like that when she was only trying to help. I don't know. The littlest things set me off. They should leave. You should go too. I don't want to end up hurting you too." Zuko whispered. Katara hugged him.

"Why don't you tell Zoe that?" Katara asked him quietly. Zuko stiffened.

Zoe laid Nate down.

"Are you okay?" Zoe asked. Nate attempted to sit up. Zoe pushed him down.

"Don't. You'll hurt yourself. Now what happened?" Zoe asked, her eyebrows raised. Nate averted her eyes.

"It's all blur. I'm not really su-"

"Liar. Now tell me what happened." Zoe said. Nate groaned in pain. The bone is his arm was showing. The few pecks of skin were burnt so that the skin was mere ash. Zoe felt a shiver go up her spine, like she heard nails on a chalkboard.

"I yelled at Zuko and then…well we started to fight and this happened." He tilted his head to his arm. Zoe's eyes flared up.

"HE WHAT?!?" Zoe screamed. Nate grabbed her arm.

"Don't. You can't do this. What will Kaiya think?" Nate asked her. Zoe looked in his eyes.

"What will Kaiya think about that?" Zoe shot back as she pointed to his arm. There was a long silence. Zoe bended some water out of a basin and began to heal Nate's arm. The skin slowly seemed regain its normal color. The skin began to stretch and cover the bone. Within minutes Nate was completely healed. Zoe looked out the window to see the sun was rising. Zoe helped Nate into bed.

"I'm going to put Kaiya to bed. I'll be right back." Zoe whispered.

Kaiya was sitting on her bed hugging her knees.

"Baby?" Zoe asked as she stuck her head in the door. Kaiya did not look up. Zoe sat down on her bed.

"Are you alright?" Zoe asked quietly, trying to make sure no one heard.

"No."

"What's wrong?" Zoe asked. Zoe noticed tears were running down her cheeks. Zoe grimaced, knowing both she and her daughter were born with the ability to cry silently.

"Why do you have to fight? Why can't you get along with Uncle Zuko?" Kaiya whispered. Zoe looked away.

"It's not easy baby. But I'll try my best." Zoe promised her as she wiped Kaiya's tears away.

"Get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." Zoe whispered. She kissed her daughter's forehead and walked out of the room.

Zoe took out paper and ink. She grabbed her quill and began to write.

Dear Toph,

Hey Mini Me. How are you? Things are terrible here. Zuko and I have been getting into so many fights lately I think I've nearly burnt down his palace. Kaiya is upset. She doesn't understand why Zuko and I fight and it scares her. You should have felt her heart beat going. She was terrified. Do you think we could come to Ba Seng Se? I can't stay here anymore. Answer quickly. AND DON'T COME HERE! You are the Queen of Ba Seng Se. Your people need you.

Love,

Zoe

Zoe quickly gave it to a messenger. Zoe climbed into bed.

"Are you alright?" Nate asked. Zoe turned over so she wouldn't have to face him.

"I'm fine." Zoe grumbled. Nate sat up.

"No you're not."

"I'M FINE!" Zoe yelled. Nate lied back down.

"Okay. If you want to tell me what would be wrong if you weren't fine right now, just tell me." Nate said quietly. Zoe turned to him.

"I wrote Toph a letter asking if we could go to Ba Seng Se and stay with her for a while." Zoe whispered as she put her head on his shoulder.

"That's a good idea." Nate smiled encouragingly. Zoe shook her head.

"Is it? Is it fair to take Kaiya away from all of her friends?"

"Is it fair to let her watch you and Zuko fight? She's going to end up being scared of fire and scared of Zuko." Nate pointed out. Zoe nodded.

"So this is my fault?"

"No." Nate protested.

"Yes it is." Zoe said quietly. Nate opened his mouth to protest but Zoe simply snuggled up closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder. Nate closed his mouth. He put his arms around her and pulled her close.

"We'll get through this. We always do."