A/N: At first this chapter came a little difficult for me, but here it is, enjoy the fluff, there probably won't be any again for awhile..maybe! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

The lieutenant shook his head; he rather felt like someone had walloped him one, but since they were still on their mounts riding west, that couldn't possibly have happened. One of the huge komodo rhinos made a snort and shook its head, and he glanced over, noticing one of the soldiers rubbing his eyes.

"You can't possibly be sleepy soldier, suck it up, we have a long way to go." He ordered the poor man, and the soldier nodded quickly "yes sir".

Looking down to check on the unconscious people he bore on his mount, the lieutenant was very surprised to see one missing. He tightened the reins and brought his komodo rhino to a quick halt. "The general is missing!" he barked in surprise, and turned his mount to look back where they'd come. It was just empty land; there was no one in sight.

"You!" he gestured to the scout "go search for any tracks besides ours; the old man couldn't have gotten far in his injured state." Then he mumbled to himself "I don't even know how he got off this beast without my knowledge…"

The scout quickly complied, but soon returned. "Sir…" he said hesitantly "there are no tracks; none at all, only our tracks." The soldier shook his head. "I don't understand it, but it looks like, a few paces back, that your komodo rhino simply gets lighter, and that is all."

"You must be mistaken soldier, unconscious and beaten men don't simply fly away, much less any other man." The lieutenant glared at the scout. The man visibly shrank and nearly stepped back a pace. "I..I understand sir, but there are no tracks whatsoever."

"That simply means he, or someone helping him, was very good at covering them. The man did not simply float away."

"Yes sir." The disgruntled soldier agreed, and climbed back onto his mount.

"There is no point in waiting around, whoever did this is long gone by now. Move out!" he shouted, and urged his mount into a fast walk; they had a lot of ground to cover. "I'd really like to know how they knocked us all out so carry out their kidnapping without a single one of us knowing." He thought to himself as they rode. Whatever they'd used it must have been a fearsome technique indeed.

He felt good; better than he had in ages. Yawning, he stretched, the ground was rather unforgiving and a sharp rock was persistently poking him just on the ankle bone. His right ankle bone… The realization hit him like one of Azula's lightning bolts. He jerked up into a sitting position so fast his head swam for a moment.

Zuko stared at his right leg, his perfect right leg, directly next to his perfect left leg. He stared longer, unable to comprehend what his eyes were telling him. His eyes…he could see better! He swiftly looked over when he heard a sound and saw his uncle, no, his father now, looking completely healthy, mumbling something in his sleep.

It couldn't be, this was impossible! His mind supplied him; were they dead, they had to be! Was this the spirit world?

"Father.." he voiced quietly, he nearly jumped. His own voice sounded a bit stronger, louder, as if he could hear better somehow. They really must be dead. Azula must have done this. His eyes filled with tears that quickly dried as his heart grew cold with anger. Who would stop her now?

"Zuko, I'm so proud of you my..my son." He heard the words as the old man next to him muttered. His eyes popped open. "Zuko!" The old general sat up almost as quickly as Zuko had and stared at him in shock. "Zuko!" He nearly shouted, "what happened? You're..whole…?" his voice tapered off to a whisper as he stared in disbelief at the whole and perfect young man who sat staring back at him.

"I think..I think we're dead unc..father." Zuko replied quietly and looked away.

"Oh no no!" Iroh shook his head, "this can't be what it looks like when you're dead, there are no pretty girls and I don't see any tea!" He looked around carefully as Zuko shook his head and almost smiled. "In fact, this does look rather identical to where the fight with Azula and her soldiers took place, don't you think Prince Zuko?"

Surprised that his new father was calling him 'prince' once again, Zuko's head snapped to look at him once more and he met the old man's eyes with his own for a few moments and looked away to scan the area. "You're right, it looks identical. Do you think heaven is just another dimension stacked on top of our own or something?"

"You're awfully philosophical today Zuko, perhaps we are dead after all." Iroh said wryly, and Zuko shook his head with another slight twst of his lips; he couldn't seem to stop smiling every time he saw his perfect legs. It was time to try them out.

He jumped to his feet with a goodly part of his old grace and shot off a few fireballs harmlessly into the air; he executed a few more firebending moves and laughed exultantly as his body moved fluidly and strongly at his command, reveling in the solidness of both feet firmly on the ground. He suddenly took off running and ran in a large circle before coming back to where Iroh stood and skidding to a halt in front of him, panting and grinning.

"Oh this is great!" he exclaimed, "I didn't know how much I missed running!" Iroh smiled through the misty tears in his eyes. He was so happy for the young man, but at the same time, so sad.

"I need to get back in shape" Zuko gasped, "just this little bit of exercise shouldn't affect me. It sure is odd that I could get winded in…" His voice trailed off as he noticed a figure lying on the ground a short distance from them. Why hadn't he noticed it earlier? Iroh followed the direction of his eyes and turned around to see what he was staring at.

"That…that looks like Umi…" Zuko murmured in a quiet voice and stepped quickly over to where she lay. He gently rolled her onto her back. "It IS Umi!" He grabbed her hand in his larger one and gently touched her shoulder. "Umi…Umi wake up." The young man looked up at Iroh with pleading eyes. "Does this mean she's dead too?" he asked quietly. "She's a water spirit, I thought she said she was immortal..why is she here?"

"I don't know Zuko, this is a bit strange." Iroh shook his head and stared at the very human looking body of Umi. There was something different about her, but he couldn't quite place it.

Zuko looked back at the young woman whose hand he held and his eyes widened. Her eyes were open, those beautiful blue eyes stared back at him and she blinked, breaking the spell of silence holding them. "Oh Zuko!" She suddenly sobbed and sprang up to wrap her arms around his neck. The poor firebender sat in numb shock as she hugged him, his arms finally moving almost of their own volition to wrap around her and return the hug.

"Umi?" he ventured to speak "What..what is going on? Why are you here, did you die too?"

"Die!?" her voice raising nearly an octave with surprise. "Oh no, we're not dead Zuko!" she said as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. "We're far from dead!"

"If we're not dead, then how is this possible?" Zuko questioned. "I'm…I'm me again, whole and complete and I feel better than I have in ages!" Iroh looked on quietly without adding to the conversation, he too was curious about the huge changes they'd found upon waking.

The young woman dipped her head slightly and disentangled herself from Zuko completely and stood up. She clasped her hands behind her back and refused to look him in the eye. "Do you..remember much from..before?" She asked haltingly.

"I remember Azula's lightning and the fight and unc..father." Iroh smiled a sad smile at the name, "I too, remember those things to a certain extent. I believed all might be lost."

"All was lost.." Umi replied "or at least, was very close to being lost." Zuko stood up and the two men looked at her strangely aa she fought for the words to continue. "Things happened here that I do not have the right or ability to speak of" she started "as you know I am.." she blinked "am..well..connected to the spirit world and the elemental spirits." Iroh wondered at her flounder using current tense, what had happened?

They nodded encouragement. "I..bargained for your lives with…with my own." She stated haltingly, still staring at the ground. "Umi" Zuko said gently, "please look at me. How is that possible, you are immortal?"

She slowly looked up to him with her deep blue eyes flowing tears. "I am no longer. I exchanged my..my immortality for you to be made whole again. I gave my waterbending to save your new father's life." The tears continued to flow as the reality of her situation began to weigh on her, but at the same time, her happiness at seeing Zuko and Iroh alive and well lifted her up.

She gave a small chuckle that sounded more like a sob "this is the only water I can make now" she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Both men stood stock still, staring at her in complete shock. Iroh was the first to speak. "Is, are you.." he stumbled for the words to say. "How can this be?"

"I assure you, I am telling the truth. I am unable to explain the details." She looked so forlorn that Zuko was unable to stop himself from placing an arm around her and pulling her to his chest. She willingly stepped into his embrace and her arms reached around his back to hold him as she sought comfort from his warmth.

"I believe you Umi, we, especially myself, are proof." He turned his head and laid his cheek against the top of her head and then he squeezed her gently and pulled back, backing up until he could see her lovely face.

"Umi, you've given up everything for me and u…father. I don't know how it happened but..." he looked down at his two fully-functional perfect legs and swallowed hard "but..I.." he stammered, his voice choking up as once again the reality of what he'd been given attempted to steal the words in his heart. He looked back up at the girl whose hands he held, her eyes full of tears and as she smiled shakily.

"Thank you!" he forced past the lump in his throat. "I..I don't have the words to.." his voice trailed off as he pulled her to him again and held her close. "Thank you Umi, from the bottom of my heart." He whispered in her ear, and she tightened her arms around him and nodded, not trusting her voice.

Off to the side, Iroh was trying his level best to keep the tears at bay, but failing miserably. The joy and obvious love coming off those two in waves made his old heart beat with true, unadulterated happiness for the first time since Zuko's accident. He was whole, and there with him, with the girl he loved, one who obviously cherished him considering what she had sacrificed to save the young prince.

It was a very good day, a very good day indeed.

"Ok, even old men deserve hugs from pretty girls." Iroh said cheerily when Zuko released Umi and she stepped back blushing and looking shy. She glanced up at him in surprise and then laughed "of course Iroh, it's good to see you looking well" she smiled as she hugged the fatherly man.

He patted her head as he spoke gently. "There isn't enough tea in the whole world to equal what you have done for us, thank you, my dear. Words just can't express.." his voice trailed off around the lump in his own throat and he released Umi with a slightly watery smile. She felt like she understood slightly, and returned his smile with one of her own. How good it felt to smile again.

Awkward silence reigned for a few moments before the old general regained his composure. He cleared his throat. "We need to find shelter for the night" he looked around " I think we should leave this place." Zuko looked around as well and nodded. "Yes.." Umi agreed and they began moving East, as they had started.

They walked at a faster pace than normal, partially due to the fact that Zuko was no longer on crutches, but also because none of them wished to stay anywhere near that place for any longer than they had to.

"Wait!" Zuko said suddenly, nearly causing the other two to jump as he stopped moving to turn to Umi. "What happened to Azula and her soldiers?" It was the question she'd been dreading. She looked down to avoid his eyes for a moment, and looked back up at him with a slightly wary expression.

"The soldiers that…survived…took their komodo rhinos and left, taking Azula with them." She answered with no preamble at all.

Zuko's eyes widened slightly. "You mean she's still alive?"

"Yes…" she answered hesitantly, and sighed. "She is..burned" she finished shortly. He opened his mouth as if to say something and she hurried on. "She lives."

"I burned her?" Zuko murmured quietly to himself, slowly remembering his desperate fight against Azula. Of course she was likely to be burned by such a large inferno as he'd created, he just hadn't really thought about it at the time, assuming Azula would dodge or parry almost any move.

"It was an accident Zuko" Iroh interrupted "Azula was about to…to kill you when you created your sphere. She was simply too close to you when it ignited and didn't recognize the move you were making to counter it." His voice turned soft. "You created a firebending move that even Azula did not know, my son."

Zuko's head snapped up at the words Iroh had spoken and in the midst of his self-loathing for burning his only sister, no matter how she had tried to do the same to him, and everything else she'd done, he heard the words. "Father…" he whispered and his shoulders straightened and his chin rose a bit higher. He would deal with Azula and those feelings later. Now was the time to rejoice in his newly rejuvenated body and the love of an amazingly unselfish and beautiful girl. In fact, he should tell her.

Turning to Umi he smiled and reached out his hand for hers, she accepted it with a small smile. "I want you to know" he began, lifting her hand until he gently brushed her fingers with his lips "you are even more beautiful than before because now I know your heart too."

Umi's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a little as he spoke. She blushed. His actions and words were so very different from the lecherous earth spirit and the cruel avatar from so long ago; she felt as if she might melt into a little puddle right in front of him, in fact, if she'd still had her water spirit abilities, she probably would have! She smiled shyly at him as he released her hand and turned to continue walking. She followed quietly alongside him and smiled happily to herself.

Iroh stood in shock. What had just happened? When had his nephew turned son morphed into a suave, confident gentleman? He stroked his beard as he finally moved to follow the two love birds; something had obviously changed the young man. What had happened while he was unconscious? So many questions without answers…

It took them two days to find any signs of civilization. When they finally did, it was a small farmstead tucked into the hills at the base of the mountains. From the kind people who lived there, they learned that the nearby town was only a half a day's journey by foot, and thankfully accepted their generous hospitality.

For Zuko and Iroh it was heavenly; their first chance at a real bath in nearly a year. When Zuko finished and left the bathroom wearing the clothes the kind people had given them, Umi did a double-take. It was the first time she'd seen him without a beard. He seemed almost shy as he came to sit next to her in front of the fireplace. He was far more handsome than she'd even realized. She blushed and smiled as she looked back at the fire, trying to hide the red on her cheeks. Zuko saw it, however, and the side of his mouth quirked up in a tiny smile at her reaction.

Comfortably seated in a rocking chair that felt like it had been made for him, Iroh smiled inwardly at the two young people as he sipped his tea; this was looking quite promising indeed.

It had been a week since they had left the palace. The three soldiers who were finally returning with their still-unconscious princess in tow dreaded the moment they must inform Fire Lord Ozai of her fate.

The responsibility, of course, would fall to the lieutenant, and he felt as if he may not actually survive the encounter. The man was so very tired of his life being in danger from the wrath of his rulers, perhaps Ozai would kill him; then, he would no longer need to worry about it. He smiled wryly, it was ironic.

They were received with shock from those who greeted them. Three fire nation soldiers carrying a human body on a litter between them. The lieutenant called for a physician and when the man was summoned, asked him to follow them to the throne room.

Once they were announced to Fire Lord Ozai the soldiers slowly walked into the impressive and intimidating room with its wall of fire hiding the Fire Lord and knelt down, placing the litter on the ground.

"Who do you carry with you, and why have you brought that hideous thing into MY throne room?!" Fire Lord Ozai's voice boomed his displeasure.

"We have returned from a mission Fire Princess Azula commissioned us for. The mission was…not successful." The lieutenant replied, hating the way his voice wanted to shake in fear. "This..this is Fire Princess Azula."

"WHAT?!" the infuriated Fire Lord roared and the flames burned higher than before "do you think me a fool?! Azula would never allow herself to be maimed in such a way; she is heir to the throne and a true firebending genius." The fire wall's intensity shrank back to normal "you'll pay for your insolence with your lives!" he hissed.

"Wait!" the physician spoke up sharply, "Esteemed Fire Lord, please, a moment to examine the body, we must be sure."

A grunt came from behind the wall of fire. "Very well."

The man knelt to the floor and looked intently at the body on the litter. He took in the clothes, though burned, and then moved to investigate what had once been a face. The sight was gruesome, and even as a physician his stomach rolled slightly. Then, he nearly jumped back, gasping in shock. The body was not a corpse; there was breath in the lungs!

It had been so shallow at first he didn't even realize there was breath; once again he checked the rest of the body carefully, this time moving aside the clothing near the left ankle. There was no mistaking it. He fortified himself to deliver the news to the Fire Lord.

"My Lord Ozai.." the physician began "this is indeed your heir, Fire Princess Azula."

"Imbeciles! Do you think I would not know my own heir?!" the furious Fire Lord shouted as the flames leapt higher once again. "Do you wish to die this day?"

"No Fire Lord!" was the quick reply from the physician "yet I will stake my life on the fact that this is the heir to the throne, Fire Princess Azula, and she is alive!"

All at once the wall of fire simply disappeared and the Fire Lord himself came down off the throne and walked resolutely to where the litter lay on the floor. "Pick it up!" he ordered, and the soldiers hurried to obey.

Fire Lord Ozai curled his lip at the morbid mess in front of him, but moved swiftly to the ankle where the physician stood. The man moved aside the fabric and the Fire Lord stared long and hard. "How. Did. This. Happen!?" he bit out every word as if they were foul, the anger rolling off him in waves.

"A week ago when a soldier reported that your brother Iroh was seen in a forest of the Earth Kingdom Azula called an elite team of ten soldiers with myself to lead them to accompany her on a mission she considered to be of the utmost secrecy. This mission was to find and eliminate the former General Iroh and if Zuko had survived the explosion on the ship somehow, she had planned to kill him as well."

There was silence for a long moment before the Fire Lord spoke. "Explain her current state." He growled.

"We caught up to Former General Iroh and indeed, banished Princes Zuko after a couple days hard riding…" he was interrupted.

"That whelp is alive?!"

"I…I do not know your highness, the boy appeared dead when we left, as such, we only brought former General iroh and Fire Princess Azula back with us." Before he could even explain he was interrupted.

"And where is Iroh now lieutenant?!"

"He..escaped somehow. He was unconscious and bound to my mount one moment, and missing the next." If he hadn't been a goner before, that statement made him a dead man, he was sure of it.

"So you're telling me not only did you fail to protect the heir to the throne, you also lost a traitor you had in your custody and left another to the unknown? You are a greater fool than I could have ever imagined Lieutenant Tang." The Fire Lord's head whipped around to look at the two soldiers with him and his eyes narrowed.

He looked back to the physician and began barking orders. "Bring servants, have them carry this litter to the Fire Princess' room and have her made comfortable. Summon the best physicians in the fire nation. She is to have around-the-clock care." His eyes narrowed "if she dies in your care, you die." The man swallowed hard and nodded. "Understood, Fire Lord. It will be done."

Once the litter carrying the unconscious Fire Princess had been removed and besides the guards they were alone in the throne room, Fire Lord Ozai looked at the three soldiers standing in front of him. Their eyes betrayed them; they knew their fate.

He almost smiled. "For failure to protect your future ruler, and for losing traitors to the crown, I hereby sentence you to death by beheading."

His gaze strayed to the lieutenant. "You, however, you won't be that lucky. Yours will not be a swift death. Guards!" he ordered "take these soldiers and have them separated from their heads, then take Lieutenant Tang here and place him in the..special cell. The one we reserve for filth." The Fire Lord smiled a slow, wicked smile, not unlike Azula's. "He is to have nothing but old water and rotten bread to eat. Once he is suitably tamed, have 'the butcher' begin his…'treatments'."

As the men were hauled away, the two soldiers begging and screaming for their lives, the Fire Lord slowly walked back to his throne; once seated the wall of fire flared up again, bringing heat and light to the dim room.

Behind the curtain of flame the angry monarch glared at no one in particular as he sat with his chin on a clenched fist. His glorious daughter Azula, the genius firebender and the one who he planned to declare Fire Lord for his rising to the Phoenix King, would never rule. He was without an heir. Could Sozin's Comet somehow give him immortality?

He allowed the flames to flare up; his power would be unstoppable..he would be unstoppable!

A/N: Well, poor Ozai has no heir. At least..he thinks he doesn't..muahahaha!

So, since I've ignored a lot of the show in this fic as both Zuko and Iroh were gone nearly a year, I think I'm going to go with them having a bit of a time left before the comet is to arrive. The GAang will have had many adventures without Zuko (yes I know that changes things but I'm too lazy to figure it out to that much detail), but since this is my world to play in, well, I'm playing. ;)