Azula woke up once in the middle of the night. Not from her own nightmare, but from somebody else's.

She heard a female voice cry out, mutter something under her breath, then cry out again. The sound made Azula's heart twist. It was full of a pain so indescribable, Azula could only hope that she never experience what kind of torture it was.

"Mom! Mom! It's okay! You're safe!" Azula could hear Jin whisper-shouting to her mother, trying to calm her down, but to no avail. Very carefully, Azula glanced in Jin's direction, making sure not to move her head too much.

Jin's mother was thrashing, her blankets having been kicked off of her body. Jin was kneeling next to her, hands on her mother's shoulders, trying to keep her steady and calm. Jin's face looked panicked.

"Mom!"

Ling's eyes shot open, and her hand reached out and grasped Jin's bicep.

"It's okay," whispered Jin. "You're safe. It's me. Your daughter."

"Jin…" whispered Ling breathily. "I was—they—"

"Shhh," said Jin, stroking her mother's face. "It's okay. You're okay. I'm here."

Ling shimmied herself so that she could sit up and pulled Jin into a crushing hug. Her shoulders shook silently.

Azula glanced away and closed her eyes. It must be nice, to be so close with your mother, she thought bitterly.

Azula turned onto her side and tried to go to sleep again.

A few hours later, the sun rose, and Azula decided she wasn't getting any more sleep for that day. She got up off of her mat, stretched, and cracked her back to get the kinks out. She looked around.

Most of the others were still asleep. Uncle was awake, sitting up and meditating with a candle.

Azula knew she should meditate. She used to do it every morning, and after the previous day, she knew that she needed to calm her mind and stoke her inner fire. However, the idea of approaching Uncle made her feel squeamish.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and saw the Avatar stretching. He tiptoed his way around the others and reached into a satchel that he had brought with him. He took out a thick, half-used candle. Looking up, he met her gaze, and gave her a smile and a small wave.

Azula turned away quickly. Internally, she wrestled with herself. She wouldn't have to actually meditate with the Avatar, she could just ask him for a candle. Plus, she didn't get the same squicky feeling in her gut that the thought of approaching Uncle produced. Silently, she tiptoed over to the Avatar.

"Good morning, Azula!" Aang whispered, careful not to wake anyone.

"Avatar," Azula whispered back. "I need a candle."

"Oh, you need to mediate too, right? Here, you can use this one, I should have some other candles in my bag." He handed the thick candle to Azula and began rifling through his bag for another one.

Azula looked at the candle in her hand, then back to the Avatar. She hadn't expected him to be so willing to interact so early in the morning. "Um, thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome!" Aang whispered back. He pulled out a small tea candle and looked up at Azula. "Wanna meditate together? I asked yesterday, there's an empty office we can use so we won't be disturbed."

Azula wanted to say no, to slink off on her own and meditate away from everyone else. But the Avatar was offering, and the promise of a quiet space where she wouldn't be disturbed was too good for her to give up.

"Fine," she whispered. The Avatar stood up and made his way silently across the room, his steps as soft as feathers on the ground. Azula also stepped silently, having been trained in stealth at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. They made their way to the corridor without waking anyone up, and the Avatar led her to the office he mentioned.

He tried to open it, but it was locked. "Hm, the lady said that Office 4 should be open…"

Azula glanced at the number next to the door. Sure enough, it said 四, "four."

The Avatar smiled. "Oh well, no worries! Stay here, I'll be right back!" With that, he made his way back into the waiting area.

Azula waited where she was. She could hear him rustling around in a bag, and she saw him return carrying a waterskin. She arched an eyebrow.

"I doubt they'll take kindly to you smashing a door in with waterbending," said Azula.

The Avatar grinned mischievously. "Who said anything about smashing?"

He uncorked the waterskin and pulled out a thin stream of water, which he formed into a ball while he recorked the skin. He took the ball of water and sent it into the lock on the door. He pressed his ear against the lock, listening as he manipulated the tumblers with the water. Finally, he heard what he was looking for, and grinned in triumph. He froze the water, leaving some of it sticking out of the lock like a handle, and turned his newly made ice key. The lock clicked, and the door swung open.

Azula raised her eyebrows, impressed. "Who taught you how to do that?" she asked.

"I guess if we're being technical, Avatar Kyoshi," said Aang. "She said a waterbending friend named Kirima taught her how to pick locks like that." He stepped into the office, and Azula followed.

"Why would Kyoshi need to know how to pick locks?" asked Azula as she closed the door behind them. She was still trying to reconcile the fact that this boy was the reincarnation of a woman who lived centuries ago. It was one thing to know it intellectually, but to see him casually mention learning something in a past life…

"Oh, she didn't really. She preferred to smash the door in, because picking locks took too long. But Kirima was a daofei, and taught Kyoshi some tricks of the trade while she learned waterbending."

Avatar Kyoshi, friends with daofei? Criminals? Azula scoffed internally. It seemed par for the course for the Earth Kingdom.

Aang sat down in a lotus position in the middle of the room and lit his tea candle. Azula placed herself away from him, placed the candle in front of her, and lit it.

Taking a deep breath, Azula tried to center herself. She could feel her inner flame flicker, and she connected it with the little flame in front of her easily. She exhaled, feeling both inner and outer flame decrease, only to increase as she inhaled again. She fell into this rhythm, feeling the flame increase and decrease, increase and decrease, increase—

The smell of human beings cooking, the flash of lightning, the Avatar falling from a great height—

Azula gasped and opened her eyes. The flame of her candle roared up, then went out completely. Azula flung herself backwards, propping herself up on her forearms as she tried to get her breath under control.

Why is it so hard to breathe?

Aang opened an eye. "Azula? Are you okay?"

Azula continued to gasp. She felt like something in her chest prevented her lungs from opening. Unable to utter a word, she shook her head. Aang got up and made his way over to her.

"Okay, it's okay. Just try to breathe with me." He took her hand and placed it on his own chest. "Just try to follow me, okay? In…" Aang inhaled deeply through his nose. "Hold… two… three… four… And out." He exhaled. "Okay? Let's try again. In…"

After a few more repetitions, Azula finally managed to match his rhythm, and she felt herself calming down.

"You're doing great, Azula. Feeling better?"

Once she had calmed down enough, she felt more aware of her surroundings. Blood rushed to her face as she realized what just happened. As she realized who just helped her.

Azula looked away and crossed her arms, looking down so that her hair fell over her face. She had taken out her topknot to go to sleep, so her hair fell loose around her shoulders and face.

"Azula? It's okay. I won't tell anyone what happened. You don't have to hide."

"I'm fine, Avatar," Azula snapped.

"Alright," said Aang. "I'll be right over here if you need me."

Azula heard Aang shift over. She stayed like that for a little while before speaking up.

"Avatar?"

"Yes, Azula?"

Azula's throat felt scratchy, and she had to force the words out, but she needed to know. She needed to ask, after what happened the day before.

"What did it feel like? Getting struck by lightning."

Aang did not comment on Azula's removal of herself from the situation, as if it were an accident, a fluke of nature, and not a deliberate strike to kill. He simply frowned and looked into the air.

"Hmm… well… it's hard to describe. It was the most pain I ever felt, like all my nerves were on fire. And it felt like all my muscles were cramping up at the same time. And then… I didn't feel much of anything, I guess. But while I was feeling it, I thought it would never end."

Azula gulped and looked down at the ground. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Instead of lording it over her, instead of asking what, specifically, she was sorry for, Aang simply answered, "Thank you for your apology. I forgive you."

Azula curled further in on herself, letting her hair obscure everything around her except the ground. She gripped her biceps tightly, trying to shrink ever more into herself.

"Hey, Azula, look at me," said Aang softly. With difficulty, she raised her head and met his gaze. Aang smiled gently at her. "It's okay. I'm here, I'm alive, and I forgive you! No worries!"

Azula felt a traitorous tear slip from her right eye and quickly brushed it away. "How? How can you forgive me for that?" she snapped, half at Aang and half at herself.

"Well, I was raised to believe in the power of forgiveness. Holding onto anger is like holding onto a two-headed rat-viper. You poison yourself while trying to take down your enemy."

Azula looked away from Aang again. "Some things can't be forgiven."

Aang shrugged. "I disagree. It's a choice. And I've chosen to forgive you. So please, don't beat yourself up!"

Azula wanted to retort that she had no reason to beat herself up about anything, but it was glaringly obvious to anyone with eyes that she did. She'd been beating herself up about a lot of things ever since the Agni Kai. Ever since her father abandoned her.

"Thanks," she grumbled.

"No problem!" replied Aang. He closed his eyes, relit his candle, and went back to meditating. Azula decided she was done meditating for the day, placed her candle in front of him, and began to walk out of the room.

"I hope we can meditate together again," said Aang as she was about to close the door. Azula paused but did not answer, deciding to close the door instead. She walked back to where she laid her mat, and lay back down. Maybe she could get some more sleep, after sleeping so poorly the night before.

0-0-0

Azula managed to get in about another hour of sleep, but she woke up feeling groggy and disoriented.

The first embassy employees were beginning to arrive, and they were waking people up so that they could open the embassy for the day. Azula got up and stretched, yawning. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kei approach her uncle.

"Excuse me, General Iroh?" asked Kei.

Iroh turned to face her and smiled. He looked tired. "Yes?"

Kei sank to her knees and bowed, touching her forehead to the ground, the most reverential position one could assume in the Fire Nation. It was usually reserved for gravely important occasions, such as the crowning of a new Fire Lord.

"Thank you for saving my family," said Kei. "If you weren't there, I don't know what would have happened… My husband told me everything. Thank you."

Iroh stepped forward and crouched down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please, rise. It was my duty to look out for the safety of my patrons and those under my care."

Azula highly doubted that any other tea shop owner would kill for his patrons, but she wasn't going to interrupt.

"Please, if there is anything I can do for you, tell me," said Kei. "Anything to even begin repaying this massive debt that I owe you."

"All I can ask is that this embassy keeps us all safe from the clutches of the Dai Li," said Iroh. "We should begin formulating an escape plan. They may try to expel the diplomats, and we all must be prepared if and when that time comes."

Azula suppressed a shiver. She didn't have anything to bring with her; all her belongings were back in Iroh's apartment. She felt a minor pang, but at least she wouldn't be hobbled with extra weight if they needed to make a quick escape. She wondered when that might be.

Azula took out a ribbon and began to tie her hair up in a topknot, as usual with two long bangs framing her face. As she tightened the ribbon, she heard a small voice ask "Um, excuse me?"

Azula turned to look at Hina, who was holding a Komodo-rhino plushie. "Mommy and Daddy said that you were actually Princess Azula."

Azula nodded. "That's right."

"Why did you say your name was Mianju?"

"Because my uncle didn't want people knowing my real identity. He was afraid of attackers." Azula looked around the waiting room, watching people who had been attacked at the Jasmine Dragon and Earth Palace grumble and pull themselves together before the general public was let in. "For all the good that did us."

Hina looked down at her feet, kicking one of them back and forth. Then she looked up at Azula. "Can you really bend blue fire?"

Azula crouched down to Hina's level and held out her hand, letting a blue flame dance in her palm. Hina's eyes widened, and she opened her hand to let a small orange flame dance. "Woah," she whispered. "It's so pretty!"

Azula smiled. She had never heard anyone describe her fire as "pretty" before. Her bending was usually talked about in terms of power. She decided she liked Hina's description.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?"

"Hina, what are you doing—ah! Your Highness, please forgive her!" Kei grabbed Hina's shoulder and bowed to Azula. Azula frowned.

"Mommy, she was just showing me her blue fire! It's so pretty!"

"That's very nice, Firefly," said Kei, smiling tightly. She looked at Azula. "I'm sorry, I'll make sure she doesn't bother you again."

Azula opened her mouth to say that she didn't mind Hina, but Kei took her daughter and whisked her away before she could. Azula closed her mouth, and frowned. Was Kei… afraid of her?

She found that notion much more disturbing than she would have before.

Azula crossed her arms and sat down in one of the chairs. She realized that she had a whole day of absolutely nothing ahead of her. No serving tea, no war meetings, no bending practice… nothing. She didn't even have her book to read; that was back at Iroh's apartment. And she was so close to finishing it, too!

Azula groaned and leaned her head back. She was wondering if any of the embassy workers had anything besides bureaucratic forms to read, when there was a resounding knock on the front door.

Kei sighed. "We aren't open yet!" She made her way to the door, ready to tell the early comer that they'll have to wait, but the words died in her throat when she opened the door to a single Dai Li agent waiting on the other side.

Everything went silent. Everyone stared at the Dai Li agent in fear. Kei recovered the fastest and cleared her throat. "May I help you?"

"We have word that you are harboring several criminals here," said the agent. "Turn them over."

Kei stood up straight and looked right at the agent. She couldn't quite meet his eyes, since the angle he tilted his head at caused the brim of his hat to cover the upper half of his face, but she did her best. "I'm sure I have no idea who you are talking about."

"The war criminals General Iroh and Princess Azula. The former King Kuei. The Avatar and his accomplices. They must be held accountable to Earth Kingdom law."

"The Fire Nation has not signed any extradition treaties with the Earth Kingdom," said Kei. "We will not turn over anyone to whom we have given asylum." She held her hands behind her back, and Azula could see them shaking, but otherwise Kei stood tall and strong.

"You must obey Earth Kingdom law—" began the agent, but Kei interrupted him.

"This is an embassy of the Fire Nation, granted permission by the Earth King himself to operate in Ba Sing Se," said Kei. "Every square inch of property within these gates is under Fire Nation law. You have no jurisdiction here."

Azula heard someone give a low whistle, and then someone else smack the whistler. "Ow!" came Sokka's reply.

The agent was silent for a moment. Azula could feel the tension mounting.

"I will return with a bill of extradition."

Kei shook her head. "The Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom have no extradition treaty," Kei repeated, "and any treaty would have to be approved by the Fire Lord and the Earth King themselves. I have no authority to accept any bill you bring, and considering that the Earth King is currently in the building behind me… you don't even have the authority to bring anything to make that request."

Azula was impressed with Kei's bravery. Zuko certainly chose well when selecting ambassadors.

The agent sneered. "The former Earth King has been deposed. The Dai Li are the supreme arbiters in Ba Sing Se now."

"I highly doubt that Fire Lord Zuko will recognize an illegal usurper."

"The Dai Li is the law in Ba Sing Se," said the agent. "If you will not cooperate, then you will be expelled."

"Expelling the Fire Nation mission to the Earth Kingdom? I'm sure that will look good in the eyes of the other nations," said Kei.

"The Fire Nation put the world through a century of war. You don't get to talk to me about the optics of our choices."

Kei shrugged. "I suppose not. But if you are expelling us, you must give us at least a week to get everything in order and leave the city. Two weeks would probably be best. And remember, if you attack us…" Kei leaned towards the Dai Li agent, who, to Azula's surprise, leaned away, "…then you declare war on the Fire Nation. And considering that behind me are the Conqueror of Ba Sing Se and the Dragon of the West, that should scare you."

"The princess could not have conquered Ba Sing Se without the help of the Dai Li."

"Be that as it may, I'm sure you understand how unwise it would be to anger the Fire Lord by attacking his embassy workers and those under their care."

The Dai Li agent sneered. "Fine. You have one week to get everything in order and get out of Ba Sing Se. If you are still here on the eighth day, you will be arrested and punished accordingly." The agent turned around and began to walk away, before pausing. He looked over his shoulder. "Also, we will no longer provide Earth Kingdom guards for the outside of the gate. I'm sure the Fire Nation will be able to hold its own."

"If anyone comes to attack us, we'll know who sent them," said Kei, slamming the door. She turned around and faced the room, chest heaving and face spotted red with indignation. She bowed to the people in the room.

"I apologize for losing my temper, and for only securing a week to get things in order," said Kei. "If any of you wish to come with the embassy workers, please let us know. We will not abandon you to those brutes."

The Earth King stood up and bowed to Kei. "Thank you, for protecting us."

Kei straightened and blushed. "It's what anyone would do, Your Majesty."

Except it wasn't. Azula knew people who would one hundred percent abandon them all or turn them over just to save their own skins. People who wouldn't last in that battle of words nearly as long or as well as Kei had.

Kei bowed once again to everyone in the room, then made her way back to the offices. Azula knew that the embassy workers would be overloaded trying to get ready.

Author's Note:

I absolutely love the Fire Nation family. I know they're my OCs, but I love them. :)

Please let me know what you think! Comments are greatly appreciated! :D