"I don't understand what this is about, Chise. You told me yourself that rebuilding my relationship with Zuko would be an important step for my recovering, i gave it try, and now we are closer than we've ever been, and I'm doing much better."

The older woman kept looking at her with that serious expression her face. Azula knew the doctor was probably taking mental notes of every possible hidden meaning that each one of her words could have.

"What makes you say you're doing better, your highness"

Here we go again.

Most doctors would just keep giving her random, useless advice on how to get her life back on track. Mayu was absolutely kind and made good points every now again, and she was the only one who could sometimes make Azula forget she was being questioned by a doctor, and not just talking to an equal. Chise was something else entirely, she would not give advice, or even talk that much - but she was great at making people accidentally give themselves away simply by asking the right questions.

Azula admired that ability. She also hated not being completely immune to it yet.

"Aren't doctors supposed to be smart?" she sneered "I don't see anything that's not real anymore, I'm not hurting myself as much, I've stopped attacking people, and it's been two months since I've last woken up screaming in the middle of the night. I'm not saying I'm cured, but I think it's fair to say I've made some progress."

"You don't hurt yourself as much, but you still do it. And you're not lashing out at others anymore, but you still don't feel safe sleeping alone, correct?"

"Yes" she admitted "Like I said, I know I'm not cured, but I'm doing better. So, I don't understand what you're so worried about."

"I think you do" Chise spoke in that non-threating, yet somehow still dangerous tone she used whenever Azula refused to cooperate "But there's something else i want to discuss with you before we get to that. You've said you don't have visual hallucinations anymore - what about auditory ones?

Azula sighed, she didn't like where this was going "Sometimes I still hear voices, but they're becoming more and more rare. And they don't speak all at once like they used to, so I don't feel as overwhelmed."

"But it's harder to ignore it when there's only one voice telling you, very clearly, what you should do" it wasn't a question "You've told me before that could recognize some of the voices as belonging to people from your life. Is your mother's voice still among them?"

Why? Why did Chise have to bring her up? Why wouldn't anyone just let her forget that woman ever existed?

You can't avoid me forever, dear.

I can, and I will.

"She's talking to you right now, isn't she?"

"Yes. Thanks to you" Azula didn't even try to hide her anger "Why do you keep trying to make me talk about her, Chise? You're the one who told me that seeing her again wasn't a necessity."

"I said it didn't have to be a necessity. You don't have to interact with people who have hurt you in the past to get closure, but you do need to find a way to deal with what you feel for them. You've talked about your friends and your father, and you're mostly at peace with your emotions towards them now. Why do you refuse to do the same when it comes to your mother?"

She doesn't deserve it. Ty Lee, Mai, and even my father cared about me at some point. She never did.

That's not true, Azula. I loved you. I've made many mistakes, but I've always loved you. And I always will.

Azula used all her strength to prevent herself from crying. It didn't matter that Chise cared about her, in her own way, and didn't pity her like most did. She wasn't Zuko. Azula would never show weakness again. Not to anyone who didn't love her like her brother did.

"Either talk about something else, or this conversation is over."

And I'll make you regret ever being born, the threat died in her throat before Azula could vocalize it, but her tone had been enough to make Chise look afraid, even if just for one second.

"You said you and your brother are closer than ever now" Azula nodded "What made you take the first step to change your relationship with him so drastically."

"Again, I thought you'd be smarter than that. He started it. He brought you and a bunch of other doctors to try to help me, and just wouldn't go away no matter how many times i told him to. All I did was stop antagonizing him."

"You asked him to a share a bed with you so you'd feel safe. Merely a few days after you had one of your worst crises " Chise corrected "That was huge, and you did it without any of us suggesting it. You took the first step. I just don't know if you knew what you were starting."

Azula frowned "What exactly do you think I started?"

"You've become close to your brother. Too close, in fact. You've allowed yourself to need him around you nearly all the time. And you seem comfortable with him willingly following you around, while still resenting all the guards who have no choice but to do so. I never thought you'd be the type to let someone have so much power over you, so i want to know if there's something else going on."

"So that's what this is all about" Azula laughed "You think I'm manipulating Zuko so I can rule through him. That's why he's not here for this conversation. You know he wouldn't like to hear anyone suggest his little sister has not actually recovered at all, and simply regressed to her old self.

"That is one of the theories I have in mind" Chise admitted.

"Oh, so there are others? Please, tell me all about them" she joked, feeling far more confident now that she had figured most of it out.

"There are only two more possibilities I'm considering" the doctor started "If you're not using him for your own gain, then I have to assume you reciprocate what he's feeling for you now. Or perhaps that's how you two have always felt."

Azula didn't like the way she was speaking "What exactly are you implying, doctor?"

"With all due respect your highness, I think you know. I'm not saying I can't be wrong about the nature of your relationship with your brother, but at this point it's crystal clear to me that it has turned into something very atypical."

"You and Mayu have helped me quite a lot, Chise, so I'll be kind enough to give both of you a warning. My relationship with my brother should not matter to anyone but the two of us, so keep your concerns and theories to yourselves. And even though he's not here to listen to the absurd you've just said, you should know better than to imply your Fire Lord would ever be weak and foolish enough to let himself be manipulated or seduced."

"I would nev-"

"Spare me of your excuses. I'm sure you came up with something brilliant to say and pretend you didn't accuse us of what you just did. Like I said, this is merely a warning. I know you have no intention to harm me or Zuko, so I'll pretend this conversation never happened. But if others heard you speak like that, they might think you're a traitor, or even believe your nonsense - and I'd have no choice but to punish you accordingly."

"I understand. I apologize for my indiscretion, your highness" she said, kneeling on the floor, and then bowing at Azula's feet.

"Look at me" when Chise did as she was told, Azula spoke up again "You are forgiven. I know you support me and my brother. Unconditionally."

The older woman immediately understood what she meant.

"Yes, princess. I'm loyal to you and to our Fire Lord. No matter what."