That evening as Azula had returned home she was honestly exhausted… She was tired inside out. She felt both empty and too filled with a whirlwind of emotions.

She had allowed herself to be weak in front of her new friends. Something she would never have done with her old ones… And she was so tired.

Azula looked at her own play again and now had to admit… Reading was the strangest thing. Like being allowed to take a step outside of her own body and observe from afar. It was really weird to realize her own hand had written this dialogue like this paragraph as the shadows daughter spoke.

"Look at you. Mortal humans. You go on with your short daily lives. And soon you will die and soon you will be forgotten. And yet… There are smiles on your faces. How can you feel such happiness? And why you but not me? I am immortal, I shall live forever and my mark on this world will be obvious for all to see. Yet you are the ones who laughs and smile while I am denied such simple pleasures. Why?"

Azula closed her eyes as she thought back on her childhood and she remembered Zuko running around in the gardens with their mother. She had seen how Zuko had laughed and giggled, and he had looked so happy that it had made Azulas blood boil. Why was he allowed to be that happy?! Why not her when she was so much better?

And she saw all of these children her own age. Standing around, smiling, laughing, playing… Happy. And Azula wanted it…. She wanted it so bad. She had made Mai and Ty Lee become her friends, tried to emulate what those other kids did.

But it didn't work… And there had been this feeling eating inside of Azulas soul.

Mai had said it out loud at Ba Sing Se…. "You're jealous… Everyone loves Zuko and you can't stand it."

It had made the fire erupt in Azula and she had screamed as she hit Mai… Then Azula looked at her own written words again.

It had hurt because Mai was right…. She was right.

"I want to be happy." Azula whispered to herself. Her voice shaking as if she didn't really dare say it out loud. But now she tried to confirm to herself. "I want what they have…" she admitted. "I want them to like me… So I can be their friend." she closed her eyes as she breathed deeply. "Why them and not me." she repeated the lines of the play and looked at her scroll.

Then Azula shook her head as she stood up, intending to go to the kitchen to fetch herself some tea. The moment Azula opened the door to the dining room. Ursa who sat at the table looked up in shock.

Then immediately Ursa flipped around the newspaper she had been reading and smiled kindly. "Azula." she said. "Do you need something?"

Azula blinked as she looked at the news paper now flipped over so the front page was face down on the table where Azula couldn't see it. "So." Azula rolled her eyes. "What is Zuko up to now?" she asked.

Ursa blushed deeply as she looked down. "They just announced his official engagement." she admitted.

"Good for him." Azula shrugged in a none caring tone.

"To a Lady Mai." Ursa said and Azula froze. "Wasn't she one of your little friends back in the day?" she asked in a nice smile.

Azula was quiet. Absolutely quiet.

"Azula?" Ursa asked.

"She's not my friend." Azula finally said. "And probably never was." she finished as she turned to the tea kettle to fill it with water.

"Oh." Ursa looked down. "I'm sorry sweet heart."

Azula didn't answer but just put over the water. For a while there was quiet as Azula poured up the water and didn't even bother to attempt her fire bending which hadn't worked ever since Zuko had let her go. She really had not wish to try only to fail right now.

Ursa swallowed. "Azula… I hope you know. I am so proud of you." She whispered. "I know none of this has been easy for you. But you worked so hard! It's amazing."

Azula was quiet. She knew that like Zuko Ursa was simply incapable of insincerity. It was like it was in the DNA of these two. Neither could lie to safe their own life… And Azula quieted.

"You're afraid of me." Azula said quietly. "You were back then and even now… At times. You're afraid."

Ursa swallowed. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "You always tried to emulate your father and he… To this day he terrifies me." she said. "Even when I didn't even remember I was still scared of him."

"And I reminded you of him." Azula concluded as she turned around to face her mother.

"Sometimes." Ursa looked down. "But you're not him!" she looked up and met Azulas eyes. "And I shouldn't…" she swallowed.

"He hurt you didn't he?" Azula asked. "Father. He might not have done it when I was in the room. But he hurt you. Like he would hurt Zuko."

Ursa looked down. "Yes." she said.

"It was father who burned Zukos face you know." Azula said. "I saw it."

Ursa squinted her eyes. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

"He almost did the same to me." Azula then admitted and Ursa gasped. "Zuko saved me though.." she then ended. "Zuko never really changed. He still is like he were when we were kids. Still gets really upset when someone is hurt. Doesn't matter if it's a human or animal. He gets as upset now as he did when he was ten years old."

Ursa gasped as she looked at Azula and Azula swallowed.

"He's awkward as hell." Azula continued. "And he can't lie to safe his own life. Also he just kept reaching out to me. Constantly… It doesn't need to be like this Azula. We can work this out Azula. You don't have to do what Ozai tells you Azula." Azula rolled her eyes. "And then the fool even let me go." she said. "I was there with him. He could have apprehended me or held me down but he just said… Let her go. And that was it. Zuko really is the type who'll try to save everyone. Even…" she halted. "Me."

And Ursa gasped as she stood up, then she headed over the Azula and then hugged her tight as she cried. "Thank you Azula." she sniffed. "Thank you for telling me." she cried. "These newspapers are always praising Zuko but of course they would. They would also pay lip service to Ozai so how can I know?" she asked. "So he stayed true to himself. I'm so happy." she cried as she was almost crushing Azula in her embrace.

Azula looked down… Of course. Zuko was Ursas favorite. And he always would be.

Then though as if Ursa realized she let go of Azulas face only to lay her hands on her cheeks and caught her eyes. "Azula listen to me…. I love you. Okay?" she asked. "I love you!" and she embraced her again.

Azula swallowed. "I… erhm." she halted. "I…" she closed her eyes. "I love you too mom." she said and Ursa just broke down.

And Ursa gasped, then she swallowed. "Azula I…." she closed her eyes. "I am so… So sorry I left you with that man. I don't know what I could have done but I should have thought of something. Just something." she swallowed. "I wanted to go back… I wanted it so badly. Just go back and get you out of there. But…" she closed her eyes.

"If you were seen anywhere near the capital you would have been killed." Azula nodded. "I know… You killed gran father to save Zukos life." she looked up. She swallowed. "Mom… If it had been me who." she hesitated. "If Azulon had said Ozai had to sacrifice his second born. Then what?"

"Nothing would have changed." Ursa informed and her voice didn't waver. It was the truth. "I would have done the same thing…. I'm your mother. My job is to protect you. And I'm so sorry that I failed."

Azula swallowed. Then buried her face into Ursas chest again as she sniffed as Ursa gently slid her hand through Azulas hair.

"I love you." Ursa whispered again. "I love you and I am so proud of you. Don't doubt that okay… I love you."

And Azula nodded as she swallowed as the words were repeated over and over to assure Azula… Azula knew she was a mess.

She was damaged, broken and a mess. No longer a perfect princess but… deep down Azula had also started to realize. She didn't want to be anymore… She wanted what everyone else took for granted. Just to be here, belong… And be happy.

Screw the fire palace. Screw Ozai. Screw all of it. This was Azulas and they couldn't take that away from her. She was even looking so much forward to it… their play. Their travel. Their lunches and laughing. Just… normal life.