Author's Note: Finally, here's this next chapter. Read. Review. I hope you like it, I really do. I have more written that was going to go on this chapter, but I decided to just put it at the beginning of the next chapter because I really wanted to make it good and I need to take more time to perfect it, so this one sort of ends abruptly. Ch. 13 will pick up right where this one leaves off.

Zuko PoV

The first instant of our reunion had been frozen in time. It was an instant when everything just stopped and nothing mattered except for the simple fact that she was there. My mother was alive. It was the first time I'd seen her in close to a decade; all thanks to the monster that was currently with her in what was once our family's summer home. The frozen moment thawed and the dam over my words broke and nine years of questions and statements that I had saved for her without ever really thinking I'd be able convey poured out of me.

"Mom, I am so sorry. I missed you so much. I can't believe you're here. How long have you been back? Why now? Have you been alright? I'm so, so sorry that you had to leave. It should have been me!" I breathed, closing my eyes and clenching my fists to pull back my emotions. it should have been me. She patted my hair in a long-absent maternal way.

"Zuko, my love, it should have been no other way than what it was. Destiny played out just as it was always meant to, and now fate has led us to be reunited. There will be time for all answers. I assure you, I'm not going anywhere." She smiled an understanding and reassuring smile, the one that crowded my memories. "But first my son, I would like to attend to these wounds." That's when I realized that Father and I were both still blood-splattered. I felt another wave of shame as I thought about how it looked to my mother; her first impression of me in nine years was as a madman about to murder. I still didn't understand why she was even there with Ozai in the first place. Mom rose from where she kneeled over the almost murder scene and said that she would be right back with water and bandages to fix up the wounds that were still bleeding but not fatal.

As soon as she had turned her back, my hating gaze matched Ozai's death glare. He leaned in closer to me to speak.

"You realize that there are things I wish for your mother not to know. If you tell her those things…"

"You'll do what?" I retorted, "Burn me?" I grinned sadistically, thinking ironically of how he could no longer invoke that punishment.

He sneered, his expression painted with hatred. I heard footsteps approach us, Toph was walking over from her previous spot by the door. Ozai smiled triumphantly and nodded at my sister-like friend.

"You can bid farewell to your little friend." He nodded in Toph's direction.

No, he wouldn't-wait, of course he would. Dammit. He had me. I nodded curtly, sourly. I would have tried harder to get around his threat, but I really didn't want to talk about all that had happened with mom, she'll find out in time. On the other hand though, I knew it was going to be really difficult to refrain from telling her certain details. Details about what kind of monster this man had become.

That's when Toph appeared at my side.

"Zuko! Explain. Now." She demanded. Yeah, I was confused too.

"Um, "I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and my finger.

"I thought your mom was dead!" She exclaimed, thrusting her arms into the air in an exasperated way.

"So did I, well, I wasn't sure. I thought maybe not, but-"I sighed heavily. "I don't know."

"Whatever. Sup, Loser Lord." She said to the former Firelord. Ozai glared at her. "I can feel you glaring." Toph started laughing loudly, stepping closer to Ozai.

"Toph?" I asked, a bit worried.

"Haha!" She said, "I can't feel that weirdo heat that you people have radiating from him. Ha. No bending must suck for you, King of Butt-Whoopage."

"Toph, could you not make him angry? Just because he can't bend doesn't mean he's lost his firebender temper."

"What? I'm not scared of him. Are you?"

I looked at my father. Yeah he didn't look that dangerous, but it's not like his muscles were exactly pathetic. He almost defeated me in a no bending match. And then there were my memories. I knew what he was capable of. He was like Azula, just, well…not.

"It would do you both well to be afraid." Ozai said, in a –I won't lie- creepy- manner. Toph made a face and went to kick him, and even though I really wanted to see her do it, I called her off. She stuck her tongue out at me. She had no idea the danger that she could be in.

"Zuko you're no fun."

"Maybe, but I would really rather not have him destroy you." Toph laughed, but she stopped antagonizing her target.

Ozai PoV

I hate that he is here. I hate that he brought his dirty little friend along. I hate that he has the power to pull Ursa away. They always had such a strong bond. Now it was eating me away, the worry that he would divulge some information to her. Worries that she would get an idea of just how terrible of a relationship her son and I have had. I wouldn't let him steal her from me. I couldn't let him take her away after I just got her back. He was going to keep his mouth shut. I would make sure of it.

I sunk into bed that night after a steaming bath to wash away the grime that came from battling with Zuko earlier. I sighed as I felt my bones sink into the mattress. The bedroom was relieving after the events of the day. Zuko had taken my warning well throughout the evening and I was pleased, yet still concerned about the next day or the next. How long would he keep up the lies? I was lucky that Ursa was never a prying person. She probably believed that Zuko would tell her anything he needed or wanted to. I opened my resting eyes and crossed my hands behind my head.

"Ursa, come to bed." I called as she sat at her dresser, brushing her hair. So beautiful. She ran another stroke or two through her rich raven hair before crawling into bed with me. I wrapped my arms around her to pull her warm body in closer to me. "It is so good to see Zuko again." I grunted a response, not openly contradicting, but I wouldn't go as far as to agree with the absurd notion. She detached herself from my grip around her and propped herself up on her elbow, looking at me intently like she would always do when she prepared to speak.

"Ozai, what happened?" She asked and I just looked at her. She must be talking about the scar. I knew what he told her. His lie had stated that Zhao burnt him in an Agni Kai over finding the Avatar. Zuko told his mother that I sent him to search for the Avatar as an honorary mission, a privilege. I waited for her to expand upon her statement, maintaining confidence in the lies. "The scar…" She said.

"He told you what happened. Zhao bested him in an Agni Kai."

"I know that's what he said, but somehow, it seemed wrong. I feel like what he said was a…twist on the truth, at most."

"Ursa, why would he lie to you?" She shrugged, still unsure. I tried a new approach. "Well, it is possible he was ashamed of the truth. In all likelihood he was just ashamed to admit that he lost to Zhao. I told you, it was while he was out searching for the Avatar; I was not present at the time. These are answers that escape me."

She hesitated, still obviously not satisfied with the answer. "If you say so," She said, not willing to push the issue further just then. She resumed a more comfortable position to let sleep take her when a thought, or a feeling, occurred to me. I didn't want sleep to take her. She was mine. And with Zuko's appearance, I could not be all so sure that I would have her for too much longer. I could predict the storm coming. I could hold it off but I knew that the sparks would come. But at the moment, I had different kinds of sparks in mind. Ursa had rolled over on her side, another of her characteristics, her silk covered back to me. I wondered if her eyes were open or if she was already falling into sleep. It mattered not to me. If she was too tired to lengthen the night, she would tell me so. But it was rare when she had felt the need to in previous years, I remembered back in our golden days, I would call and she would answer. I never had to fear rejection from her. She always answered. And I intended to remind her of the tradition.

A/N again: So, you see where this is going? The beginning of the next chapter is gonna be hot. Like, firebender hot. Like, comet hot. No, better…Ozai hot. Yeah. I can't wait to finish writing that. But that's not it, I'm also going to have Azula come around pretty soon. Somebody's gonna get Down with a Sickness later. More fire. More emotions. All that good stuff, so stick around, see you next time.