A/N: Hi everybody! Sorry I disappeared for awhile again. Anyway I'm pretty happy, because at a book fair I found a cool ATLA art book! :))))) It has all the pics of the characters and the background etc. It's really cool, but expensive. I bought it anyway. :) Okay, thanks to my reviewers M.L, 2write4life, Lilac Rose6, and Bluelion.

M.L: ...Um...I...I can't tell you what will happen! *covers notes frantically*You'll just have to read...(: BUT you were partially correct...but I might change my story plan...:)

2write4life: Yup, that's actually the reason why I started writing this fanfic, 'cos I felt so sorry for her and she didn't get the happy ending like the rest, so I'm trying to write her maybe happy ending. :)

Lilac Rose6: Whoops, I'm sorry...I just don't have the patience to sit down and write 10000++ words at one go, unlike some people on this site...sigh..:( 22.05.:)

Bluelion: Hmm..that is quite a nice title...I might consider it...;)

So, on with the story!


Chapter 8: Woah! Woah! What just happened?

"Hope is for fools."

Azula rested her head on her knees as a tear drop from eye. She was feeling so stupid and embarrassed right now. Arghh! How could she cry, in front of ZUKO? So stupid! He was probably laughing at her now. Why couldn't she just control herself? Azula used to be an expert at this, but now she was becoming increasingly aware of her frequent outburst of emotions. Has this been really happening for 5 years now? Did Zuko also see her like this when she first got warded here? Obviously. She vaguely recalled actually seeing a lone figure watching her as she watched it through a drug-induced fit. Well, he has been visiting you for 5 years, it probably doesn't surprise him at all, this behavior of yours! Ugh. Why. Can't. I. Just. Con. Trol. Her. Self, Azula thought with each bang of her head against the wall. "Now Zuko thinks I'm a pathetic loser multiplied by a thousand! How am I going to look at him when he comes by the next time?" It was too much for Azula to bear. She opened her mouth, and the whole building was invaded by a long, shrill, ear-drum pounding scream for 20 seconds. Finally, she was satisfied. Feeling a little less pent-up, Azula closed her eyes, hoping that another dream would whisk her off to another world, helping her to forget her rather embarrassing outburst.


Zuko stared out to the dark sky as the methodical swaying of the boat threatened to put him to sleep. Zuko only had one thing to say to the rather failed visit: It was kinda awkward. The conclusion of the trip, well, he hated to say it, but Azula would definitely be staying at the facility. Arghh! There has to be a way to save her! He looked at the moon, and it was full tonight. Zuko knew that she was Yue, Sokka's first love interest and the former Northern Water Tribe Princess. Sometimes, when he felt like he could talk to no one, he would talk to her instead. After all, she could tell nobody.

"Please help me. Show me a way to cure my sister." he silently asked her. Yue just shone the same as before. Zuko shook hiss head and sighed. There has to be a way. There has to be.


Zuko paced the deck. The ship was almost at the dock, but because of the water currents, they had been pushed back for almost an hour. He had documents to sign, meetings scheduled for today, but most importantly, he needed to see Mai and Aika. After what seemed like forever (but in reality was another half hour), they finally reached the dock. He almost sprinted down the ramp, but thought better of it and brisk walked down instead. However, he was greeted by a grim official. Uh Oh. Grim+Official=Not-so-good-news.

"What is it?" Zuko asked impatiently.

"Um…My Lord…There…has been…a…a…"the official stuttered when he saw the frown on his lord's face.

"What is it? SPIT. IT. OUT." Zuko was about to grab the poor guy's collar.

". ." The official looked down and braced for impact.

"WHAT?" The firelord practically screamed, but in a more manly way(unlike a certain person from the water tribe). The official(poor guy) cowered. Many knew the firelord had a terrible temper, just like the previous lords before him.

"HOW DID THEY SNEAK IN? WHY WERE THE GUARDS NOT ABLE TO PROTECT HIM? HOW COULD YOU ALLOW THEM TO WALTZ IN AND HURT MAI AND AIKA?" Zuko started raving, really brisk walking to the palace.

"My lord, the palanquin is waiting for you. It is not appropriate for the firelord to walk…" the official was jogging to keep up with the younger, more robust firelord.

"DON"T YOU DARE TALK TO ME ABOUT THE *%$#ING PALAQUIN RIGHT NOW!" Zuko glared at him and gave him the evil eye. The official first gasped at the obscene word, and was about to tell Zuko that it wasn't "appropriate" to say it in public, but saw the look on his face, and decided to keep his head. Normally the palanquin would take a secret path to the palace from the docks. However, it was much faster to pass through the town, and that was exactly what Zuko was doing. The villagers saw the fury in their lord's eyes, and immediately parted like the red sea, bowing. Sifu Hotman, as his nickname suggests, hotheadedly ignored every single one of them and walked through, the official and palanquin bearers desperately trying to keep up with him. "Please don't take them away from me!" he silently prayed.

After 10 minutes Zuko reached the palace gates. A contingent of guards stood in a row on either side of the palace courtyard. Zuko hotheadedly ignored them as well. Finally, finally he got into the palace and broke into a run. He couldn't care less about the shocked maids and gaping guards. All he could think of was Mai and Aika. Zuko burst into the infirmary. A reclining black-clad figure caught his eye.

"MAI!" he gasped. She opened one eye and glanced at him. Bits of hair had escaped from his crown and he had the most panicky expression she had ever seen. If the situation had not been so serious she would have smiled.

"Hey." she said. Zuko crossed the room and gave her a big suffocating hug. He started sobbing.

"I-I d-don't want t-to lose y-you…"he started.

"Z-uko…you're…hurting me…" Mai wheezed. He quickly let go and wiped his nose.

"S-Sorry…"

"You big doofus." Mai rolled her eyes, but she managed a smile. Suddenly the wound at her side jolted her with a sharp pain and she hissed.

"SHOULD I CALL THE DOCTOR?"

"No need, just help me lie down." Zuko gently assisted her.

"So, what happened? AND WHERE"S AIKA?" He jumped up again, realizing that his daughter had not been lying next to his wife.

"Zuko, please, sit down." Mai pulled his arm. He sighed, and did as he was told.

"I was sitting with Aika at the pond, in broad daylight, when I hear a rustle in the tree nearby. There was no wind today, and I got suspicious. Obviously, I threw a shuriken at that guy and he fell out. His teammates leapt out from above the roof and surrounded us."

"WERE YOU HURT? OH…" Out of instinct Zuko asked, but realized his mistake.

"Yeah, Zuko, I stabbed myself." Mai gave him a look, before continuing. "I took out all of them except the leader. He threw his knife and was trying to aim for my heart, but apparently the rebels couldn't find someone with better aim. Anyway, Aika shrieked and the whole palace knew. He panicked, and took out a knife to throw at her. Not before I stabbed his arm of course."

"Where is she?" Zuko was halfway out of the room, and his voice was dangerously low. Mai treaded carefully with her answer.

"Well, he missed her heart. You'll find her in the isolation room. She's..um…pretty fragile." By the time Mai looked up, Zuko was gone. Agni help the doctor there, she thought.

Zuko walked stiffly to the isolation, which in fact was just next to the infirmary. The doctor(bless his soul), who immediately spotted the fuming firelord, quickly got up and bowed low.

"I'm sorry, my lord, but no one is allowed into the isolation room." he said. Zuko ignored him and tried to go in. The guards blocked his path. He was speechless. He, Zuko, the firelord, was being blocked by his own guards to see his daughter?

"I'm sorry, my lord, but if you truly care for the princess you would stand outside. Her immune system is dangerously low at the moment. With all due respect, you have just visited Princess Azula and might be carrying bacteria that would leave you unaffected but might otherwise hurt your daughter." Zuko stopped. The doctor was right. He sighed.

"Can I at least see her from a distance?" he pleaded. The doctor nodded and opened the door partially. His breath hitched in his throat. Aika looked so pale and weak. Her left arm was wrapped in rolls of bandages and she seemed to be in a medicine-influenced sleep. It was unfortunate that Katara couldn't be here now.

"Will she be fine?"

"Um…we should think so." The doctor replied nervously, refusing to look Zuko in the eye. It was obvious he was lying.

"You're not telling me something." Zuko stared the doctor down. He sighed in defeat.

"We did not want to tell you for fear that you might react, uh…none to peacefully. The princess might not regain full use of her arm." Smoke came out of Zuko's nose. If he wasn't mad just now he definitely was now.

"Was the assassin captured?" Zuko asked again, in a barely-controlled whisper.

"Y-yes." The doctor said. The firelord's fists exploded into flames, as he stormed off to the jailhouse. The doctor shook his head. Somebody was going to get hurt today.


A/N: I know, it was a lame title, I couldn't think of anything. And I sincerely apologise if the Zuko being angry scene was actually amusing. It was supposed to be serious as it was such a dangerous event but he turned out kinda dorkish and overeactive and...funny. Sigh...Anyway, I'm off to work on my other story which is also long overdue. I'll see ya...sometime...:)