Azula found herself curled up in Zuko's bed one afternoon, hugging a pillow and wishing her older brother was there with her. It smelled of starch and laundry detergent; there was no trace that this had been anything more than a guest room. And that distressed her more than anything else.

The place was empty, and the silence echoed. She never knew that silence could echo. Zuko had always been there with her, typing on his keyboard, watching some program on his desktop, making some sort of noise that signaled she wasn't alone. God she missed him.

Sighing she stretched to look at the blank ceiling, which met with the equally blank walls and blank carpet. Blank. She felt like the color had been bleached out of everything, and she questioned once again how this could have happened. For this first time in five years, Azula Hinote wished her mother was there, and hated her because she wasn't.

0-0

"So let me get this straight Mr. Hinote," The Police officer looked increasingly bored sitting on the opposite side of the coffee table. "You fell into the fireplace. Is that correct?"

Zuko nodded absently, peering out through one eye, perfectly content to lounge around topless in his Uncle's apartment. "Yes."

The cop, seeing that nothing else was forth coming, let out a sigh. "Why do you keep lying when it's perfectly obvious that you've been subjected to abuse Mr Hinote. There's no need to stay silent anymore. You're beyond his reach now."

Out of his reach? The teen let our an answering sigh matching the older man's weariness. He would never be out of Ozai's reach. "Listen. I stand by the fact that I fell into the fireplace. It doesn't matter if it's an obvious lie. According to your records, this is my statement, and it is the truth." He leaned forward, placing elbows on his knees, "You aren't going to get anything else out of me, sir."

More than anything, Zuko wanted to tell them, to get Ozai sent to some sort of mental institution or even jail. But then, Azula would be upset, and Ozai...Ozai was brilliant. If Zuko took him away from Azula…from his job and success, Zuko would be dead as a door nail within the month, give or take. He'd rather live maimed than get Azula, Uncle and himself murdered.

His father had connections and brains, no mistake about that; And Ozai was at is cruelest when half out of his mind. The first year or so without Ursa had been some of his worst. Things had actually been getting better. Until now at least.

The cop took a final sip of tea, and grunted. "Alright kid. If that's the way you want to play it. But know that if you even want to get him away from your sister, come and ask for Jee. Lieutenant Jee. Also, tell your Uncle thanks for the tea. Never thought of it as more than leaf juice before I had some of his."

Zuko nodded, taking note of the name, and amused at the man's comments about the "leaf juice" his uncle had provided for his guest. "Of course Sir. Lietenant Jee, sir."

He's a nice guy huh? Zuko closed the door behind the other, trying not to let the heat creep into the already cramped room. He was melting enough already.

"He's a good man, huh Zuko?" Iroh echoed his thoughts, having reappeared from his culinary refuge, smiling and holding some more iced tea. "Perhaps you will call on him at a later time?" His nephew snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe Uncle." taking the tea, he sipped it, sprawling back over the couch wishing Iroh's air conditioner was in working order so that they could escape the inferno outside. Maybe. He thought, grasping hands together over his stomach, and then on a whim, reached for his cell phone.

0-0

Aang stayed in bed for most of Sunday morning. A rare event that sent Gyatso into reeling, and wondering just what had happened to make his foster son so despondent. The younger slumped at the table with no enthusiasm, poking at his meal, and silent as a mouse.

Gyatso didn't push it. Teenagers talked to you when they wanted to, and only when they wanted to. If what was bothering Aang came out, then he'd give his best advice; if it didn't, then Aang would get over it himself. That was the theory at leas-

"What would you do if you were the reason someone got hurt really bad?"

Well. He hadn't expected that so soon, but, "I'd apologize and offer them my condolences. Make sure they didn't hold it against me, and offer to do something to make up for my mistake. Did you hurt someone Aang?" He was usually a pretty calm kid, but Gyatso knew that he could get violent when times were dire.

The poor boy nodded solemnly. "I-I didn't mean to. I just saw him go behind the school with Jet. And you know about what Jet did to Katara…almost did to Katara, so I went and got to teacher." Aang was almost in tears now. "I didn't want him to get hurt, and I wanted Jet to pay for what he'd done. B-but then," he sniffled, " Zuko got…disowned because the teacher thought they were being mutually inappropriate, even though Zuko claimed it was a fist fight..." He knew that Zuko's father had burned him. Everyone at school knew, even if the official story was that Zuko had fallen into the fire. "And it's all my fault. Because I got the teacher to get back at Jet. Zuko wasn't supposed to get caught in the crossfire."

In all truthfulness, he hadn't even noticed Zuko before that. There was always Katara and Sokka; The kids in the ninth grade with him. Seniors didn't fit in with his crowd, and so he basically ignored them. But now he felt guilty about one, and only knew half of the face he'd burned to cinders. Aang had never considered himself a bad person, but now, he defiantly didn't feel like a good one.

Gyatso nodded, sullen, "Aang, this is why one does nothing out of malice. Nothing good ever comes of it. But I understand that your intentions toward this young man, Zuko? Weren't harmful. Offer your apologies, and offer some small compensation. Do him a good deed to mend the hurt."

Aang nodded, Gyatso hadn't condemned him, neither had Zuko, but the fact remained that Aang felt like a murderer, and nothing, no small compensation could make up for the fact that he was responsible for the missing half of Zuko Hinote's face.

0-0

AN:Poor Aang, he tried to be vengeful, and look what happened. At least he looks at Zuko now? Hmm..I'm not sure if this is how Zuko wanted to capture his interest…

Hinote=Blaze in case you were wondering about the last name.

Also, sorry my chapters are so short. I just end it where I think it is appropriate, and the segments are small enough as it is. So sorry everyone!