Since, for a change, this chapter and the one before it happen on the same day I figured why not upload them on the same day. This one is also pretty short, I promise the next one will be longer and we'll learn a bit about everyone's pasts.

Zuko phoned Azula the moment he got home from the store's Halloween party. Mai had sent him a text informing him that Azula had been allowed back home that day, and that since their father was still away she and Ty Lee would be staying at the family home.

Zuko appreciated Mai's contact, they had put their history behind them and had begun to reform the tentative stages of friendship. He couldn't help but be angry at his father though, he understood the man had been in Washington for the past few months, but couldn't he have at least phoned to check on Azula?

The rings suddenly stopped and Zuko could hear the faint sound of breathing.

"Azula?" he asked tentatively, closing the door to his room.

[... Yes.]

"It's me, Zuko." He changed into a pair of pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt as he spoke then got comfortable on his bed. It was just past one in the morning and he was beginning to wonder if he had woken her up.

[I know.]

"Oh, how did you know it was me?"

[I have caller ID, moron.]

"Oh..." Zuko felt like a idiot for calling. Azula was always so strong, and she had Mai and Ty Lee just down the hall from her. What could he possibly give her that they hadn't already? What would they talk about? Did his sister even want to talk to him, or at all for that matter? "Do you want me to leave you alone?" She was quiet for so long Zuko had to actually check his phone to see if the call had disconnected.

[No,] Azula said quietly and he was surprised by the softness of her voice. [Stay.] Zuko could have sworn he heard quiet sobs, but he didn't dare comment on it.

Instead all he said was, "Okay" as he plugged his phone in and settled down to wait for Azula to be ready to talk.

Several hours had passed and barely a word had been spoken. There had been a few phrases exchanged, Zuko asked if she was alright and she informed him that hospital food tasted awful and the nurses lacked anything even resembling bedside manner.

Then the conversation, if it could even be called that, died away. As Zuko listened to his little sister's soft breathing, he wondered absently if she had fallen asleep, he realized that even though there was nothing but silence all his sister needed was to know she wasn't alone.

They had never been close and he hadn't been there for each other since long before their mother's death. Even if he stayed on the line all night, even if she fell asleep and they didn't speak a word; he would be there for her. He would be the big brother she needed.

He would show her that she didn't have to be alone anymore.

Zuko woke up early the next morning with a stiff neck and the phone still by his head. He expected to see the call had ended, but to his surprise it was still going; six hours, twenty seven minutes and counting. He uttered a silent word of gratitude for his unlimited evenings and weekends.

[Zuko?]

"I'm here," he said groggily, sitting up as wiping the sleep from his eyes.

[I know that now.]

This chapter was written based off the prompts found at the 100 Themes Challenge group on dA and prompt #15 'Silence'- 555 words.