Well, here it is guys! Chapter 2. Hope you like it! I am hoping it turns out longer than my other chapters, cause when I wrote it on paper, this chapter's supposed to be about 10-11 pages…anyway, enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: A 12 year old who lives in an apartment in NJ owning Avatar…what a joke...

--Chapter 3: Disappointment

Zuko was first into the war room, then his uncle, and then the crew, who were guarding the Avatar. Zuko made sure to keep him hidden, to surprise his father. His father was on his throne, and all of the generals and commanders were seated around a map of the earth Kingdom planning battle strategies. But they all fell silent when Zuko entered.

"What is this!" Bellowed Ozai. His voice was full of anger, and the fire surrounding his throne thickened.

"It is I, your loyal son, Zuko." Zuko took a bow, and so did his crew. His Uncle didn't even flinch. His normally cheerful face was full of regret and anger. He feared Ozai wouldn't accept Zuko back. Zuko would be devastated. But there was always that chance that his brother had changed.

"You were banished! Why have you returned!" The fire around him grew larger and hotter, and Zuko could feel the heat waves brush across his face. Oh how Zuko had feared his father. But his father would keep his promise. He had to. Once his father saw the Avatar, everything would be okay.

"Father. I have completed my task. I have the Avatar!" The generals and commanders that had been seated around the table in the room started murmuring and arguing at Zuko's brash statement. Ozai raised his hand to silence the men, then stroked his chin in thought.

"Reveal him." Ozai said, still deep in thought. The crew stepped forward, and pushed the Avatar is front of them, forcing Aang to his knees. Zuko struggled to see Ozai's expression, but his face was silhouetted in darkness. The men in the room gasped, but Ozai said not a word. He was silent for over a minute, then spoke.

"You men, over there. Bring the Avatar to the prison cells. Make sure nothing can get in or out." The men he had pointed to bowed in respect, and took the captive away.

"You men may go your way." The men he had spoken to (Zuko's former crew) eagerly followed orders. They could finally see their families again. "Zuko and Iroh. You stay."

As soon as the other men left the room, Zuko spoke.

"I have brought you the Avatar. I am ready to be accepted back into you kingdom. " Zuko took a bow, then stood upright waiting for a reply.

"You are a fool to believe that you would be accepted back into the Fire Nation. You are still weak and pathetic. By refusing to fight me you showed shame and disrespect. No Avatar could ever bring that back." Zuko's eyes widened. He wasn't hearing this. He wasn't. He-he couldn't be.

"I sent you on this mission to get rid of you. Not to see you succeed and to welcome you back with open arms. You are still a disgrace in my eyes, and in the eyes of you people."

Zuko was rendered speechless. He looked towards the ground. His Uncle was right. He was always right. He was just too full of pride to admit it. He could never accept the fact that his father didn't want him. And now his father was telling him right to his face.

"That isn't true Ozai!" Said Zuko's Uncle as he stepped in front of his nephew. "How can you treat your son this way?"

"It is not your place to say anything regarding the boy. He is my son and I will treat him how I wish and I will discipline him when I feel necessary."

"But he does not require any discipline!"

"You will not tell me how to father my son! I am doing what is best for my country! Azula is a much better candidate to rule and I will NOT jeopardize this Nation!" Ozai stood up from his throne in anger as he spoke.

"What about what is best for your son!"

"I KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR MY SON!" Those words echoed throughout the room for a while, allowing them to sink in. After what seemed like over he minute, he spoke again.

"He needs to learn respect and discipline, and if suffering is the only way that it will get through to him…then so be it."

"Ozai! I believe Zuko has suffered enough!"

"You WILL learn your place brother! Step down! Your sympathy for the boy is in vain. His mother felt the same way about the child, but in the end it turned out to be vain as well. She died giving her life for him-"

"What!" Yelled Zuko as he angrily looked up at his father with teary eyes. "What did you do to her!" Zuko started to run up to his father, but Iroh held him back.

"Zuko stop it!"

"Let-me-GO!" Zuko said as he struggled to get out of his Uncle's grip, but his Uncle was too strong.

"I did nothing to your mother! It was out of my control. I just can't understand why a sensible lady such as my wife would give her life for yours!" Ozai spat as he walked down his throne up to Zuko. Zuko stopped struggling and looked up at his father.

"You didn't deserve her." Zuko said softly as he looked towards the ground. Ozai's eyes widened at Zuko's comment, obviously outraged. Ozai grabbed Zuko's left arm and twisted it around his back, causing Zuko to scream in pain.

"You still haven't learned your lesson! That scar didn't quite get it to your head did it! I gave you that as a reminder of your shame and weakness as a son! You refused to fight me and therefore I banished you! Suffering hasn't taught you anything!" Ozai gripped Zuko's arm tighter, and heat radiated from his body burning Zuko's skin. Tears started to roll down his face, but were evaporated by the heat escaping Ozai's body.

"The penalty for disrespecting the Firelord is death, and you are no exception!" Ozai raised his hand to summon fire to finish off Zuko, but before he could strike, Iroh deflected the fire right into Ozai's face, rendering him unconscious. Zuko fell to the ground as Ozai let go of Zuko's arm, but Iroh quickly got him up. The generals and commanders got up from where they sat; ready to destroy the man who had left their leader unconscious.

Zuko was still in shock of what his father had just told him. Hadn't he suffered enough? Were the two years at sea nothing to his father? All the time he spent meditating and training. Was it all in vain? And his mother! He had never known what happened to her. He had even hoped that she was still alive after all these years. But his father had just said that she had died trying to save his life. So many things were being revealed to him in such little time. It was overwhelming.

Iroh sent a large ring of fire pushing all of the men out of the way, sending them flying in all directions.

"Run Zuko!" Iroh quickly grabbed Zuko's right hand and they ran out of the war room into the hallway.

"Get them!" Zuko heard one of the Generals say as a group of soldiers started to chase them down the corridor. Zuko and Iroh ran faster, winding down hallways going up and down stairs, trying to avoid the soldiers. As they were about to turn a corner, they saw shadows of soldiers coming their way, and quickly turned they other way and started running the other direction. But they heard more soldiers coming towards them in that direction too.

The soldiers turned the corner to find an empty hallway. The men scratched their heads, and started going in a different direction.

Zuko and Iroh crawled through the air vents, directly above the soldiers, trying to be as quiet as possible. Zuko's arm was paining him horribly since he was forced to crawl on it, but was trying hard not to show it.

"I didn't know that the palace had air vents." Zuko whispered.

"Of course they do. Or else the smoke from the fire would make everyone suffocate. And if I'm not mistaken, these vents will lead us right out of the palace." And sure enough, the vents led outside. The two jumped out and fell in to the grass, then quickly jumped up and ran into the forest, which was about a half a mile away. Once they were sure they were far enough into the forest, they collapsed in the grass out of breath. Zuko sat up and turned away from his Uncle, too ashamed to show his face.

"You were right Uncle, right about everything. Father never wanted me back. I'm just a failure."

"Zuko. You are not a failure!" Iroh said, surprised at his nephew's statement.

"Oh really? Tell me one thing I've succeeded at ever since I was banished! I failed at capturing the Avatar, I failed at mastering firebending, and now I just found out I'm the reason for my mother's death!"

"Zuko, you are as good a firebender as anybody."

"But just look at my sister! A firebending prodigy! And she never even tried! She didn't have to! And father still liked her best!"

"You don't have to prove anything to your father Zuko. He doesn't deserve a great son like you. Don't be so discouraged."

"DON'T BE DISCOURAGED! CUT THE CRAP UNCLE! My father will win this war, Azula will succeed him, and there's nothing we can do about it!"

"Don't talk that way Zuko!" Iroh put his hand on Zuko shoulder, but Zuko shrugged it off. "Why are you giving up so easily?"

"Easily? You think I haven't tried! You think everything came easy to me! What's this!" Zuko yelled as he angrily pointed to his scar. His eyes were one again welling up with tears, as he fought to hold them back. "I lost it all." Zuko's tone became softer, and more full of emotion. "And I can never get it back."

"Zuko." Iroh put his hand on Zuko's shoulder, and this time Zuko didn't shrug it off.

"You may gain your throne yet and end his war. But you cannot do it alone. It would take an army to stop your father. Or…an Avatar." Zuko looked at his uncle with confusion at this proposition.

"Are you suggesting that I help the Avatar?" Zuko questioned, replacing his anger with confusion.

"It is destiny. The Avatar must master the elements and unite the world in harmony. How else can he do that without defeating your father and ending this war?"

"You mean kill him." Zuko said softly.

"You still feel compassion for him?"

"I don't know. It just feels wrong. Like I'm betraying my country."

"Your country betrayed the world. Lives are at stake here. The fire nation has gone too far. This war must be stopped." Iroh looked upon his nephew, who was deep in thought. He glanced at Zuko's arm, which was bleeding badly. He had forgotten about his injury.

"Zuko. Your arm." Zuko looked at his Uncle and their eyes locked, and it was as if Iroh could feel for one brief moment what his nephew was going through. Zuko slowly handed Iroh his arm, who tore off a piece of cloth from his garment and started wrapping his arm. Iroh didn't even look at Zuko's arm. He didn't want to. It would only make him feel worse. After Iroh was finished, He and Zuko lay on the grass and tried to fall asleep.

"Tomorrow we will go to the palace and rescue the Avatar. But for now Zuko, get some rest." But Zuko didn't hear, for he was already asleep.

Well there you go! My second chapter! Hope you all liked it. Please review!