Azula lay in the unfamiliar bed, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, wishing she wasn't here. She swore she could hear Mai and Ty Lee in the other room, talking about their perfect lives, their wonderful successes, even though the door was closed. She definitely could hear the soft breaths of the earthbender sleeping above her. She tried to sleep, but sleep hated her just as much as everyone else. It wasn't about to come willingly. Instead of sleep she settled for memories. She forced herself to remember the events leading up to her being here.

Sokka had come in for lunch like he did every day.

"Azula, I have some great news!"

She yawned at his chipper attitude, "What is it?"

"Katara and Aang have decided to throw a giant Avatar Day party! They invited me… and you."

"Me?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Yes you! We want to include you, Azula. You're my friend and Zuko's sister… you are a part of our group." Sokka grinned

"Who will be there?"

"Katara, Aang, Toph, Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, me, and you!"

"And Suki?"

His joyous expression fell, "I don't think so."

Azula sighed. Sokka would go whether or not she did. So she was faced with an awful choice: spend a week in this boring place without even his visits to keep her sane, or go with him and have to face all those people. The people who hadn't visited when she was in the asylum, hadn't written when she'd made it out, hadn't ever even liked her.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Sokka's grin was back.

"I guess I'll go," she sighed.

"Great! I'll be back to pick you up tomorrow! I have to go get ready now. Zuko and Mai are travelling with us, naturally."

"See you tomorrow." She gave one smile for his sake.

The trip there was interesting, at least. Mai and Zuko had fallen asleep, which she found to be rather cliché.

"Is this a story or is it real life?" she grumbled under her breath.

"Did you say something?" Sokka turned from where he had been watching the scenery pass by

"Oh… um…" she frowned, "Why did you and Suki split up? I thought… I thought you guys were the closest."

Sokka couldn't hide the extreme pain that flashed to his face, and she immediately hated herself. Why did she always have to do that? Cause people pain, say things without thinking.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean… you don't have to answer," She sighed

"No, it's ok. Suki was cheating on me."

"That's horrible! With who?" She bit her lip. There she'd gone, doing it again. Why on earth would he want to tell her who his ex-girlfriend had been cheating with?

He laughed bitterly, "I have no idea. She came clean about it, but she didn't tell me who with. I left her, which probably seems cold, but I couldn't take it."

"I would have killed her."

He smiled bemusedly, "I suppose you would have. Anyway, the only person I know it wasn't is Zuko. I talked to him about it. Other than that… it could be anyone."

She sighed, "Tough luck."

"Yeah, that's an understatement. I thought we were the closest too."

She patted his shoulder awkwardly, "Sorry about it."

He shrugged, "I'm over it."

But the way he turned back to the window, jaw tense, said otherwise.

"Azula! Hi!" Ty lee had squeezed the Fire Princess until she'd almost suffocated

"It's good to see you too Ty Lee!"

Ty Lee was about the only person who was actually glad to see her. The Avatar acted like he was glad, but she could tell he was still wary. Toph and Katara didn't even try to hide their uncertainty.

"Sokka's told me so many things about you!" Azula smiled at Katara kindly. The waterbender shot a look at her brother before returning a more fake version of Azula's smile.

"He's told me a lot about you too."

Toph had been even more blatant. "Make one wrong move and you're history."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Azula had been annoyed at their disbelief.

Dinner had been nice though.

After dinner had been awful.

Toph had made the fiftieth stinging comment, and Katara had sneered in Azula's direction. She couldn't hold her rage in any more. She had apologized multiple times. Sokka had said she'd recovered. Why on earth couldn't they just forgive her and move on with their lives. She stood up and screamed at them;

"What is your problem? Why can't you just get over it? Yes, I tried to kill you! So did Zuko, but you all love him! People can change!"

"You can't" Katara stood up, "You can't change. You're still the same old monster, only now you've got my brother under your influence. You've conned him into thinking you're good, conned all of them. But you can't fool me Azula. I will never trust you."

"How dare you! You little…" Azula could feel the fire burning inside her, but she didn't check it. This little chit deserved to be taught a lesson. She lashed out with it, ignored Sokka's warning yell, ignored Zuko's hand on her arm, and ignored the fact that Ty Lee was chi blocking her. She slumped to the ground, fire extinguished, still boiling with anger.

She stayed furious until Sokka picked her up and put her on the couch. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

"You burnt Ty Lee. She was trying to keep everyone – and the furniture – safe and for thanks she got burned."

Azula felt hollow, empty.

"Was it very bad?"

"Just her arm. Katara's healing it right now."

"I'm sorry," Azula whispered

"I know. I still believe in you, Azula." He hugged her, and then walked off. She was left to contemplate her outburst, which she did until she heard voices.

"Sokka, please. She hasn't changed at all."

"Don't talk like that. I had half a mind to let her burn you, the way you're treating her. You'd lash out at someone who was treating you that way too."

"I am nothing like that insane woman."

"She is no longer insane, Katara. And if you don't start treating her better, I'm taking her and we're leaving."

"Sokka! Do you… I mean… do you love her?"

Azula held her breath in the ensuing pause. Did he?

"No, not that way" He finally said, "But I am her best friend. The closest friend she has. I will support her."

Azula heard Katara's snort, but she was already in another world, one of dreams and wishes. One that was completely different from this hell-comparable world she was living in.

She didn't come out of her day dream until Sokka came back, Katara in tow.

"You can sleep on the extra bed in Toph's room."

"She'll be able to feel if you get up, if you're planning on doing something." Katara stared at the floor, "I'm sorry Azula."

"No, you were obviously right to be worried. I'm sorry." Azula didn't look at the waterbender; she let Sokka lead her straight to Toph's room.

"Goodnight." He gave her a hug.

"Night Sokka." She didn't bother returning the hug. If he didn't love her… why try.

And that was how she'd gotten here.

Mai and Ty Lee were in the room across the hall. She knew they were discussing girly things, like when Zuko was finally going to propose, or who Ty Lee had her eyes on currently.

Azula almost laughed. Perfect lives, yeah right. She'd seen the way Zuko and Katara looked at each other. The way they always managed it so they were close to each other. Mai and Aang didn't have long before they were left in the dust. And Ty Lee was still just as fake as ever. She hadn't found real happiness yet.

Still, Azula wanted to be in that room. She wanted to be discussing her troubles, Sokka's idiocy, and the mystery of who Suki had cheated with. She wanted her friends back.

She wanted to be friends with the girl above her too. Toph seemed witty and fun. Azula wanted to get to know her, wanted to be her friend, but the girl wouldn't give her a chance. Same went for Katara.

Finally, she could take it no more. She got up and slipped her red robe on over her black nightgown. She padded down the hall toward the kitchen, but stopped when she saw the torch was already lit. She peered around the corner and saw Zuko and Katara. Katara was pouring something into a cup and Zuko had his arm around her. They were both smiling, and laughing. Perhaps Mai and Aang had shorter time than she'd originally thought. For some reason the thought made her sad. Normally she would have felt a flash of joy at their pain, but finally she felt something realistic; sorrow for the dissipation of her friends' relationships.

Her original plan of getting something to eat foiled, she turned to go back to her room. She saw Sokka out of the corner of her eye and revised her plan. She always went to Sokka when she couldn't get to sleep back in the palace. He would tell her a story or make her some tea. Who cared if he didn't love her; he would help her get to sleep and that's all she cared about.

"Sokka?" She shook his shoulder gently

"Hey Azula," He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Couldn't sleep?"

She nodded.

He smiled slightly and patted a spot beside him, indicating she should sit down.

She complied, and leaned back against the pillows, "I just couldn't fall asleep. Too much to think about."

"How about I tell you a story?"

She laughed lightly, "I feel like a little kid."

He laughed along with her, "It's a good story!"

"Ok, go ahead!" She settled back into the pillow as he started.

"Once upon a time there was a princess. She was the most beautiful woman in the land, and not only was she beautiful: she was clever and strong too. But one day this Princess's mother died. The princess was grief stricken. She locked herself in her tower, and wouldn't come out no matter what. She saw her mother's face, heard her mother's voice. Slowly, this princess was going insane. The Princess's family despaired.

But a young peasant was going to come rescue her. He'd heard of the princess. He was also grief stricken; he'd just lost the love of his life. He figured he'd go talk to the princess; maybe she would understand.

He went and talked to her, and sure enough, they had a great conversation. The princess's family said they'd never seen her so lucid. They peasant kept coming. Eventually he came every day to talk to the princess. They both got better, until they were back to normal. But the peasant kept coming.

You see, he'd fallen in love with the princess, but he didn't know if she loved him back. He was too much of a coward to ask her directly, so instead he masked it in a story. And at the end of the story he told the princess; 'I love you Azula.'" He brushed a piece of hair off her face.

Azula stared at him, wide eyed.

"And the princess replied;"

She continued to stare until he cleared his throat.

"And the princess replied;" he repeated.

"But you told Katara you didn't love me!"

He laughed nervously, "Because I hadn't realized it until she asked me outright. And then I was so confused. I knew she'd be angry if I said yes, so I replied automatically. But then I actually thought about it, and I realized I love you. I love you, Azula."

She smiled, "I love you too, Sokka."

He gaped, "Really?"

"Really. But now I'm tired." She leant back and went right to sleep.

"How did she do that?" Sokka muttered. Then he shrugged, because he was feeling just as tired.

When Katara came through to make breakfast the next morning, she saw them snuggled into each other. She felt a flash of rage first, and then realized her stupidity. If her brother really loved this girl, if she loved him back… Katara would get over her dislike. All she wanted was for her brother to be happy. And it appeared that Azula could give him happiness.