I still don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender! Um... thank you's to my reviewers! This chapter's dedicated to you!

"Lien," Zuko said softly as he knocked on her door, but she didn't reply.

"She's been like that the whole time," Mai said calmly. "She won't leave for anything, not even for food, and barely for Azula."

"Barely for Azula?" he asked shocked. "She just goes to Azula, listens and then goes right back?"

"You get the idea," Mai said glaring at the door. "She's worthless, you know. She only sided with you because you were the first one to be her friend and help urge Ursa to get her away from her mother."

"That's not true," he half-shouted. "I didn't even know who she was until after mother had rescued her from that evil witch! All I knew about her was that she was a non-bender that looked up to her brothers, Lu Ten, my Uncle, and my mother because they were the only ones that gave her any kind of respect outside of her father!"

"Not Azula?"

"Azula was a rough spot for her, Mai! She adored her and wanted to be like her, but at the same time she was terrified of her and wanted to stay as far away from her as possible! The only way that I met her was because mother had taken to watching over her while she recovered from an injury and I wanted to spend some time with her!"

"Lien, or your mother?"

"My mother," he growled. "But I don't regret it for a minute, Mai. She was my first friend, she still is my first friend. She could have stayed in the Fire Nation and done something with her life, but instead she joined me and helped me on my quest to capture the Avatar!"

"Speaking of which, you might want to watch out," Mai said softly. "Azula's planning on hurting Lien because she killed Zhao."

"Zhao nearly killed her twice, Mai! Lien saved my life when she pushed Zhao down while he was attacking me after I'd defeated him in an Agni Kai! He tried to burn her face off, he would have if she hadn't been fast enough at running to hide behind me!"

"And the North Pole?"

"I'm not sure why, but she felt threatened by him. She said so herself, he sent shivers down her spine and made her feel as though she was near Koh's lair whenever Zhao was nearby. He had tried to kill me, Mai, and besides that the knife that Zhao was using in the North Pole was mine, one that she knew I held dear to me. she wanted me to have it back, that was the only reason she attacked him and with the intent of getting the knife back to me and then leaving him alone!"

Lien was shocked that Zuko was lying for her to protect her actions at the North Pole, and she sighed quietly as she went back to silently practicing the Dancing Dragon. It was one of the few things that helped keep her mind on Uncle Iroh now that he couldn't be her mentor, just as he had feared that he would. She sighed again as she remembered the plot that she had once had to push Zuko and Aang together, now realizing that it would be a miracle just for Aang to be alive.

"I hope you're alive, Aang," she murmured as she curled up and looked out at the Moon. "Yue, is Aang alive?"

"He is," she heard the moon whisper, and she smiled. "He is gravely injured, and Katara used the Oasis water to heal him, but he is alive. Your plan is not in vain, Lien. Keep planting the seeds in his mind to question his father and his father's meaning of honor. The two of you are the only chances that Aang has for firebender teachers aside from General Iroh."

"Thank you, Yue," she murmured gently, smiling up sadly. "I wish we could have been friends for longer. I don't know how, but you always seem to know just what to say when I need it most."

…

Dani, to Lien and Zuko's shock, was much more burned than Iroh had let on. The entire back half of her body was burned all the way up to her neck, and it draped forwards as if it was a cape covering her body blowing towards Lien in the wind. Her clothes covered the vast majority of the burns, but even Lien could still see the anger and hatred burning within her mother's eyes, now more powerful than ever before.

"Dani," Zuko said nodding curtly.

"If you'll excuse us, my brother and your daughter are joining my father and me in the palace," Azula said imperiously, making Lien grateful for her rude and snobbish behavior for the first time in her life.

Zuko and Lien were even more surprised when they were both given credit for killing Aang, with Lien getting the credit for helping Azula keep Aang's friends at bay for Zuko to kill him. Lien smiled alongside Zuko, staring down at the Fire Nation that was here to watch him get reinstated and for her to be honored as an honorary member of the family. She gave Zuko a proud look, but one that was also asking him if this was really what he wanted.

The momentary look in his eyes said that no, no this was not what he wanted.

…

Lien was upset, and rightfully so. Zuko was now spending more time with Mai than he had ever done before, and she of course was spending more and more time alone than ever before. So, with her door shut and a small sign saying 'please do not disturb' she set about practicing the firebending stances in order of Iroh teaching them twice every day, the Dancing Dragon non-stop for three hours on end, and of course meditating for another couple of hours after reviewing all the firebending stances that she had learned.

"Lien!" she heard, and she looked up at the sound of a servant's voice. "Fire Lord Ozai wishes to see you!"

I, um... I have to go to my next college class! I'm so sorry! I'll be back to update as soon as I can!