Hello everybody, I'm back with a new chapter. Somebusy weeks are on the horizon for me, so as you can see, I have put a lot of extra time in this story, to make more progress as long as I can spend this extra time on it.

Mogor: Yes Ozai is a kind of sick bastard for me. And now Azula is holding the prove for it in her own hands. I do agree with you, she'll need a lot of hugs and love to deal with this aspect. She had pushed away a vital source of this support, because she didn't trust herself anymore. But Kiyi hasn't give up fighting for her. Thanks for giving me a constant feedback for my story.

In this chapter Zuko tries to convince Zirin, to trust him, that he could help her, Azula and the rest of her group. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this new chapter.

Daring

Her world was dizzy and painful. Zirin opened her eyes and it took some time to get aware of her surrounding. The way she recognized her sore body made it obvious for her, that she had somehow managed to keep the promise, she had given to Azula. She tried to move, but the pain only increased, instantly. She moaned and closed her eyes again.

"How do you feel."

The female voice sounded warm and comforting, but she couldn't remember, that she had heard this voice before.

"Horrible."

Her voice was weaker, than she had expected. She recognized a movement at the side of her bed, but she didn't managed to open her eyes again. Suddenly, she felt a cool tickling wandering up and down her body and her pains got better. They were still more than just present, but much easier. She opened her eyes again and watched in a tired but warm smile of a woman. She recognized the glowing water on her hands. Zirin wanted to sit up, but the woman pushed her back to the bed, softly.

"You have moved enough for a long while, my dear."

She looked confused at the waterbender.

"I'm Rakana, what is your name?"

Zirin stayed silent and closed her eyes again. Where were she? The last thing, she remembered was Azula and a glowing dagger. She had to be careful. She had to protect the others and Azula. Her eyes opened wide in shock. How long has she been passed out?

"Azula…!"

She tried to sit up again, but her pains and Rakana ended her attempt, instantly. This time, the look of the healer left no doubt, that she absolutely wouldn't tolerate another attempt.

"I haven't healed you, only to let you ruin my terrific work. You will lay down and you will stay in bed as long as I think it is necessary."

Her voice could have forced an army to surrender. Zirin stared baffled at her. And then Rakana's warm smile came back. She stroked gently over Zirin's hair.

"Rest, my dear. No one will do harm to you, as long as you stay here to recover."

"But Azula… I must..."

She tried to protest again, but she didn't start a new try to leave the bed.

"You must stay in bed and get well soon, as Azula has wished."

The male voice made her turn her head. She recognized, that she was in a treatment room and obviously a good equipped one. And then her eyes widened in surprise and shock. Near the door on a chair, she saw the Fire Lord. Zuko stood up and walked to her bed. The suggestion hit her hard, but she had to ask.

"Where am I?"

"In the Palace Hospital."

Zuko's voice was tired, but strong. Zirin nodded in resignation. He didn't missed that.

"Azula has begged me to help you. It was the only chance for you. I have barely managed to bring you to Rakana in time."

Zirin chew her cheek. She was captured, but she was saved. She wasn't sure, if she should say thank you to Azula, or if she should give her a good trashing for this decision.

"What have you planned for me?"

Zuko shared a short look with Rakana and the healer nodded at him. To Zirin's surprise, she could see a warm smile forming on the lips of the Fire Lord.

"First of all I want you to recover, as my sister has wished. And then I want to thank you for trying to protect a witness in a major crime."

Zirin was speechless for a short moment. But then she snorted annoyed. But Zuko surprised her again.

"Of cause he was also involved in this, but I think he wasn't the head of this crime. But you and Azula have known, that he only might have given us informations, if he would have stayed alive and so you have risked your life to support our investigation."

Zirin was wary. She didn't trust Zuko, but her resistance was fading.

"You're trying to build a bridge, aren't you? I'm not sure, if I should dare to walk over it."

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

"I miss Azula. I want to clean the air between us. I don't know how, but saving you is a first step. I know, that your group has found a victim of mistreatments in the wagon. I know, that Hong was linked with this mess. I know, that Azula wants to uncover this crime. I know, that someone tries to wipe out evidences with the help of the Black Hawks. I have a suggestion, who the head of these crimes could be, but yet I cannot prove, if this is right or wrong. So all I know is, that my sister, the victim and also you and all the rest of your group are in great danger and as faster as I can get informations as sooner I can try to stop them."

He observed her, carefully. Zirin had closed her eyes again. She was dizzy and worried. In her condition, she haven't had much options. Like Azula haven't had much with her. But the others needed help. Azula needed help.

"The old ruins of Hinode."

Zuko took her hand and squeezed it, carefully.

"Thank you."

"I am your prisoner now."

Her voice was full of resignation. She saw a smile growing on the face of the Fire Lord and to her surprise it was a mischievous one.

"How could I imprison a person, who technically isn't here?"

Zirin shared baffled looks with Rakana and Zuko. Her face showed signs of fear.

"Sometimes, such persons simply disappear."

A darkness rushed over Zuko's face.

"That's not my style. I'm not my father."

Zirin was about to believe him, but she still wasn't convinced.

"I have some experience about this fact."

Zuko's face got darker He suddenly looked worried and sad at her.

"So you too?"

He closed his eyes for a moment but suddenly he bowed short before Zirin.

"I'm sorry, for what they have done to you. I don't know how, but I'll try to find a way to fix things as good as I can."

This act made her speechless. Tears came to her eyes. For the first time she was sure, that she would be save here.

"My name is Zirin."

Zuko gave her a warm smile.

"Thank you, Zirin."

He was about to leave the room, as the loud yelling of a kid caught their attention. Zuko's eyes widened and he ran to the door and ripped it open.

Rakana was about to pull a curtain before Zirin's bed, but a girl crushed into Zuko, before she was finished, grabbing the Fire Lord tight at his legs. The child was completely out of breath.

"Azu… Found evidences… Kokaso and Ozai… In your room… She needs help… She needs you, Zuzu..."

Kiyi pressed the words out between her hard breaths, while she was trying to come down a bit. She pushed the files, she was holding, against Zuko's chest. Zuko took them and browsed briefly over some of the papers. His face took a deep red color and the flames of the lamps grew higher. But then he gave Kiyi a worried look.

"Have you..."

"No! Not a word! This time I have followed Azu's order."

Zuko saw the fearful flicker in her face. He got on his knees and placed his hands on the shoulders of his sister.

"Thank you, Kiyi. Rest here with Rakana."

He stood up and handed Rakana the files.

"I'm sure you can protect these ones as well."

He showed her some of the pages and the face of the healer went pale only to turn into a mask of anger. She nodded grimly at the Fire Lord and bowed before him.

"With my life, if I must."

He ran to the door and left the room with most haste. Zuko sprinted over to the Family Complex. On the way he stopped one of the patrols.

"Guards, search for Kokaso and arrest him immediately. He should be in his room. And inform the troops. Send a strong team to the ruins of Hinode. A group of young women is probably hiding in the ruins of the city. The protection of these women has got highest priority. It might be possible, that troops of the Black Hawks are also searching for these women. All members of the Black Hawks are hereby accused to be war criminals and are officially known as enemies of the Fire Nation. They must not do any harm to one of the women, you may find in Hinode. Now make haste."

The guards nodded at him and rushed away. Zuko was running to his rooms again. The sound of the alarm horns filled the Palace, before he reached his private quarter.

Kiyi took a look at Zirin and a wave of sympathy, but also worries and fear, flushed over her. She walked through the room and took carefully one of the hands of the wounded girl. Zirin opened her eyes and watched Kiyi with surprise.

"You're a friend of Azula?"

Zirin nodded. Her pains were returning and she was still dizzy. But somehow to hear the worried and warm voice of the kid was comforting.

"Thank you, for caring for my sister."

Zirin's eyes widened in surprise. How did she knew that? Her surprise must have been written in her face, cause Kiyi smiled shy.

"I knew it, because Azula cares for you. She has asked me, if I had heard something about you and she was so relieved, as she heard, that you're still alive. From all, what I have heard about my sister, it seems to be something special. It seems to be not so easy to gain this level of trust from her."

Zirin suddenly understood, why Azula had accepted her sister so fast. How this kid was able to take down Azula's guards, instantly. She forced herself to a weak smile.

"You must be Kiyi, right?"

The kid nodded with a smile.

"Azula has told me one thing or another about you. She really likes you, Kiyi."

The smile on the kids face grew instantly, but faded to a worried face.

"I know, but she seems to be afraid of herself. That's why I came here to get Zuko's help. But I fear, he might also need my help. Azula… She seems to be so… so..."

"Lost."

Zirin closed her eyes, after she had received a nod from Kiyi. She remembered how confused Azula had been and she knew, that her friend needed help. All the help she could get. She suddenly pushed the kid back and released a painful moan. It took her less acting, than she hoped. Rakana was at her side, instantly and Kiyi watched scared at Zirin. A second moan, even louder as the first one made the healer bow over Zirin. Kiyi was deeply worried, but suddenly she saw Zirin's hand and this hand was waving directly towards the doorway. Kiyi nodded and turned around. Zuko had probably ordered to arrest Kokaso. She had a free way now.

The sound of the door falling back in place made Rakana turn around. Kiyi had left the room.