Author's Note: Alright so I got a lot of reviews at once. I was like Damn! lol I love you guys and for those that asked, yes there will be more Maiko in here. They're my favorite couple I just need to wait to get Zuko back to the fire nation. This chapter will mainly be Zuko telling him mom what has been going on so it's gonna be kinda boring espeicially when you know all of this stuff. the next chapter will be better lol.
"I'm sorry this is all I have to offer, Zuko," Ursa said as she laid a blanket on the floor next to a pillow. She really did feel terrible that the only thing she could give her son was a floor to sleep on.
"It's okay, Mom," Zuko said, smiling as he said the word. "I've slept on worse,"
"Enough with the hints, Zuko!" she laughed, just as excited to say his name. "I need to know what happened once I left,"
Zuko's smile faded and he nodded, dropping to the floor to sit. Ursa followed his movements and sat across from him. She tried not to stare at his scar, but it was hard not to.
"Well," Zuko began. "When you left, nobody would tell me where you went. Dad ignored me everytime I asked and Azula made up lies that I would never believe. It was hard growing up without you, Mom. Everyone seemed against me - Even Mai at some points. Sometimes I think Azula really got to her. It got better eventually. Once Uncle Iroh came home, I spent a lot of my time with him. He treated me a lot better than dad did. I didnt grow up as happy as I could have been, but I managed. When I wasnt with Mai, I was with Uncle and it was a nice balance," Zuko smiled, remembering the games he and Mai played as children.
Ursa reached over and took Zuko's hand, giving him a smile.
Zuko smiled back, but it faded quickly. "When I was old enough to go into a war meeting, Uncle took me in. I was told to sit quietly and not disagree with anyone, but when a general made an awful plan that would have gotten many people killed, I spoke up. I argued...and I payed for it. I was challenged to an Agni Kai with dad. I couldn't fight him, though. I knew I couldn't win, and he was my father. I thought he would have some sympathy. But he didnt. I begged for forgiveness, but he just burned and banished me," Zuko reached up and touched his scar, remembering how bad it hurt. "I was told the only way I could return home was to find the Avatar,"
Ursa's eyes filled with tears. "How could he? How could he do that to you? His own son!" she yelled. She blink away her tears and Zuko squeezed her hand before continuing.
"For two years, I looked for the Avatar. I was obsessed with finding him, obsessed with going home. I eventually found him. For a while it went back and forth. I found him, we fought, he got away. He had friends to protect him and I didnt have anyone but Uncle, who rarely fought. It wasnt fair. I had him at the North Pole. I actually had him for a while, but there was a storm and I couldnt get him home. His friends found us and fought me. I was unconcious, but they took me anyway so I wouldnt freeze. I eventually got away and escaped with Uncle," Zuko left out the part about Zhao trying to kill him. His mother was already upset enough about what he's gone through.
"When Azula found us, she told me that dad wanted me home and I immediatly trusted her and trusted him. I thought he wanted me home. I was finally getting what I wanted. But Azula lied and she just wanted to take us as prisioners. Uncle and I fought her and her guards and we got away. We became refugees. Azula couldnt find us and we weren't welcomed in the Earth Kingdom. After we cut our hair, we just kept moving. Uncle and I split up for a bit, but met up when Azula was fighting the Avatar. Normally, I would have tried to capture him, but I was focused on her. The Avatar's friends and Uncle and I got Azula cornered and she shot Uncle with fire. I ignored the Avatar after that and got Uncle better. Then I went to Ba Sing Se," Zuko whispered the last part, ashamed the he hadn't found his mother then.
"You were here?" she whispered.
Zuko nodded, his eyes filling up with tears. "I was here for while, but I was too selfish to look for you,"
"Zuko," she whispered and pulled him to hug her. He started crying. "You didnt have to look for me. You never had to look for me. I missed you so much, but I wouldn't want you to give up your own life in an attempt to find me,"
"I just missed you so much, Mom," Zuko cried into her shoulder and she rocked him back and forth like she did when he was little.
After a few minutes, his sobs died down and he pulled back, ready to contiue the story. "I was living a normal life in Ba Sing Se, until -"
"Azula came," Ursa finished.
"How did you know?"
"I saw her. She was dressed in a weird costume and had make-up all over her face, but I recognized my own daughter. She didnt recognize me, though, and I didnt speak up,"
Zuko shook his head. It wasnt fair that Azula had the chance to see their mother and she didnt even care! Zuko had been caring his whole life and he couldnt ever find her! It wasnt fair at all! Azula got everything Zuko wanted! Zuko took up, shaking with fury.
"Zuko, what's wrong?" his mother stood up, grabbing his shoulders.
"She found you and she didnt even care!" Zuko yelled, his tears spilling over. "I would have given anything to found you, but I didnt and she did! She had the chance to talk to you and she didnt! She gets everything I want and doesnt even appreciate it!"
"Zuko, she didnt even see me!" Ursa urged, trying to get him to stop crying. "And you have what you want now. Me, Mai, the throne, friends. You have the right path. That's something Azula doesnt,"
Zuko nodded, realizing this was true. He just hated that Azula had been reunited with their mother before he had and she hadnt even realized it.
Ursa pulled Zuko back down to the floor and wiped away his tears. "Do you want to finish the story?"
Zuko nodded again and took a deep breath. "She offered me to join her in taking the Avatar down...and even though I should've done the right thing, I didnt. I joined her. I fought the Avatar and his friend and he went down. Azula thought he was dead, but I knew he was alive. We returned to the Fire Nation as heros. I finally had everything I wanted for so long. Father's approval, Mai's love, power, acceptance. But I didnt feel like myself. I was angry all the time and unhappy. It was because I did the wrong thing. During an Eclipse, I confronted Father and told him I was leaving to join the Avatar and teach him Firebending. And I did," Zuko left out the part where Ozai kept him there long enough to Firebend, using his mother as bait. It wasnt worth telling to her.
"I joined them," he smiled. "And we all became friends. But I betrayed Mai. I only saw her once after I left the Fire Nation and I had betrayed her again. But she still managed to save my life. I was breaking out of a prision with my friend, Sokka and..." Zuko trailed off when he saw his mother's expression. He laughed. "We were breaking his father out of jail, but we needed to be inside the prision to do that,"
She gave him a crazy look, but didnt say anything. "When Sozin's Comet came, it was up to me and my friend, Katara to take down Azula. She challenged me to an Agni Kai and I accepted. She was slowly loosing it and I could tell. I was winning until she created lighting. Uncle had taught me how to redirect it, but she shot it at Katara and I jumped in front of it. I managed to redirect some of it, but not all. Katara got Azula chained up and she saved me." Zuko put a hand over his banaged wound. "I became Firelord and declared the war over. Changes are still being made and the world is going back to a peaceful time, but we're getting there. Azula and Ozai are in a prision cell and Ozai cant bend anymore. The Avatar took that away. I only visited him twice to find out where you are and I haven't visited Azula,"
"I want to," Ursa said suddnely.
"You want to what?"
"I want to see Azula,"
"Mom, I -"
"When we go back to the Fire Nation tomorrow, I want to visit her. I need to talk to her and I need to get some things off my chest to her and Ozai. I want to see them both,"
"Are you sure?" Zuko asked.
Ursa nodded. "Very. Now, get some sleep. We have a lot of flying to do tomorrow,"
Zuko smiled and hugged his mom, grateful to be in her arms again and laid down on the floor, pulling the blanket over him. He fell asleep instantly, the whole in his chest that has been there since his mother left - gone.
Author's note: so yeah basically a filler. next chapter will be a little more maiko, the gaang gets to meet ursa and she visits ozai and azula. reviews are greatly welcomed (: