A/N: I practically had to glue myself to the chair to write this; anyone in the gaming world probably knows that World of Warcraft just came out with their newest expansion "Legion" and I think it's the best one yet! I'm having a blast and so did not want to write instead..haha!

Consider yourselves lucky I'm such a sacrificing writer!;) Now, on to the (ok very short) chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

It felt good be useful again, even if the last thing in the world he wanted to do was clean farm equipment like a hired hand. He scowled. At least it was something he could do. The farmer's wife, although a kind woman, had positively chased him out of the garden with a broom once she realized he'd been pulling her new fall seedlings along with the weeds she'd asked him to pull.

Zuko distinctly remembered the amused look on Umi's face when she'd realized what he'd been doing in the garden; she had been too kind to say anything, but her face said it all. He flushed just thinking about it.

He hadn't known the difference, but he wasn't about to admit it. So, here he was, cleaning last season's gunk off the equipment while Umi weeded the garden. His new father was somewhere making himself scarce to avoid labor probably, his mouth quirked at the thought.

They'd offered to help out around the farm in exchange for the clothes, shoes and food they'd been given. The family seemed pleased with the idea of help, and the three had quickly been put to work.

They wouldn't be there too long though, only long enough to repay their debt to the family and the three of them would be off to the village. Zuko had spoken with his newfound father and they'd decided that it would be best to seek jobs in the village for a short time, just to acquire some currency and a few necessities. It was their hope that, once they'd managed to procure a few items and had some cash, they could purchase passage to Ba Sing Se.

They had spoken for some time about it before making their decision. Originally against the idea, Zuko had finally given in and agreed, realizing the logic behind his new father's words. They had heard from the family they currently resided with, that refugees had been flocking to the huge earth kingdom city. It was Iroh's belief they'd find safe haven there. He hoped it was true.

Looking back on everything that had happened in the last year Zuko shook his head as he worked. He, no they, had been through so much. He still could hardly believe that he was once again whole. Sometimes he still looked down at his perfect legs and smiled to himself.

He'd resumed his morning greeting of the sun, determined to get back into shape. He desperately wanted to spar with his new father but they both knew firebending was off limits in their current situation.

Zuko sighed. Umi. She was so lovely. He could tell though, that she was having a little trouble with the loss of all her abilities and her mortality. She tried to hide it, and she did it well, but not well enough to hide it from him. He was sure father knew as well. Sometimes he caught her near a rain barrel swishing her hand in the water with a faraway look on her face. His heart would constrict at those moments, reminding him why she'd lost everything in the first place. She'd done it for him.

He stopped working for a moment and squeezed his eyes shut. She'd given up everything, even immortality, for them. He couldn't even imagine it. His eyes flew open. Had he even thanked her? Really thanked her? He had, his mind supplied; only once, when he'd first awoken. Was it enough? Could it ever be enough? Would it ever be enough even if he were to thank her every day for the rest of his life, could it ever possibly even come close to what she'd given up?

He let out a sigh and shook his head, releasing the fists he'd unknowingly clenched. Those were thoughts best left for another day. He had work to do.

As he went back to knocking dried gunk off the plow, he resolved to address the issues plaguing his mind as soon as he could. The people in his life deserved more than he'd given them so far.

Umi had never weeded a garden before, but she found herself strangely drawn to the repetitive task. It was calming and rewarding. She smiled to herself as she remembered the farmer's wife chasing Zuko out of the garden with her broom. Umi giggled quietly, it had been an amusing sight, Zuko had looked properly sorrowful for "weeding" her new plants right out of the garden, and somewhat afraid of what the broom-wielding woman might do to him.

Still grinning, she almost fell backwards as she plucked a particularly resistant weed, root and all like the farmer's wife had explained from the soil. The stubborn little thing came out with a snap and showered her with little clods of dirt; she shook herself off and glared at the weed before tossing it onto her pile.

Umi's smile faded as her thoughts began to wander. The weeding had been a welcome chore, but now her mind was drifting, and that meant thinking of things she didn't want to think of. She thought she'd been doing a good job of hiding her troubles from the men, but she hadn't been prepared for the discerning gaze of her hostess.

The woman seemed to instinctively know she was having a rough time with something, and the night before, had gently asked her if she wanted to talk about whatever was bothering her. She had politely declined. How could she talk about something no one was supposed to know about?

She couldn't talk to Zuko or Iroh, she wouldn't want them to feel bad for her sacrifice for them. There was no one else to talk to. How she longed to speak with Tenkuu. The air spirit would have understood and been able to comfort her, and she could have spoken freely with her.

A tiny, disruptive part of her mind rose up and taunted her. "Do you regret it now? You gave up everything and got nothing in return, barely even a thank you!" She wanted to slap her inner thoughts, but she settled for inwardly rebuking herself. She didn't need more than a thank you, in fact, she didn't even need that. The only thing she needed was Zuko.

The problem was, she felt as if she hardly had him. He'd become a little distant since that first time after he'd awoken. She couldn't understand why. She hoped it wasn't because he liked her better when she was a water spirit, she couldn't change that.

She ripped another weed from the fertile soil with a bit more violence than strictly necessary, once again showering herself with dirt. She glared at the offending weed and tossed it onto the pile with the others. She stood up for a moment and wiped her arm across her forehead. It wasn't really hot, it was fall after all. It was, however, sunny, and she was not accustomed to physical labor.

Deciding it was time for a break, she headed off to the well for some cool water. Staring at the ground as she was, she didn't even notice someone standing at the well and walked right into them.

"Ooof!" a slightly raspy deep voice came from the person she'd just run into. "Oh!" she gasped and looked up "Zuko! I…I..I'm sorry!" she stammered "I wasn't looking where I was going and…" he interrupted her babbling with a smile.

"It's fine, Umi, no harm done." He grabbed the water he'd just drawn up and offered it to her "you've been working hard doing what I couldn't, so you drink first." The slight upturning of the side of his mouth never failed to make her stomach give a little jolt.

She was sure he had no idea how attractive she found him, from the first time she'd seen him, she was convinced he had to be the handsomest man on the planet. She blushed at the thoughts she was having right in front of said man and meekly accepted the water he offered, muttering a quiet thank you before finishing it quickly.

He offered her more but she declined. "I have to get back to work, thank you" she spoke quickly, and hurried back to the garden before she said or did something stupid. She never saw him watch her leave with a sad look in his eyes before he turned back to the well for his own drink of water.

Inwardly grimacing, the court's head physician checked the burned princess after a servant had removed the bandages. At least the girl was healing, such as it was. There was no infection, and, while morbidly grotesque in nature, they seemed not to be threatening her life.

He shook his head. By all intents and purposes the girl should have died; she would most likely have been happier that way, his mind supplied unhelpfully. It had been but a few days since the soldiers had returned with the injured princess.

In this time she had yet to fully awaken, although, the servants had mentioned what sounded like agonized moans coming from a mouth that was now permanently open, no longer having lips with which to provide a barrier. It was a cruel fate, the man thought to himself, but no more than she deserved. He had no love for the girl, and while he never liked to see anyone suffer, she was very close to an exception to his rule.

The Fire Lord had not once been to the girl's room to see how she fared, neither had he even inquired as to her condition. He had ordered absolute secrecy, and, as such, being afraid of the man, the servants kept their mouths shut. Several times the two girls the princess had kept around her would ask about her location, why she was nowhere to be found, but they had yet to find an answer.

Apparently anticipating such a thing, Fire Lord Ozai had almost immediately ordered Azula moved from her own room to a hidden location within the palace only two servants and the head physician knew about. He was thankful they did not suspect her to be in the palace; otherwise it would have been very difficult to tend her without their knowledge.

After ordering the servant to re-bandage the burns, the doctor walked out of the room to resume other duties. He had hardly made it a few paces from the door when he heard an unholy scream from the direction he had just left. Before he could even react, another scream pierced the air, sounding different than the first. Turning on his heel the physician raced back to the room, dreading what he might find when he arrived.

A/N: Ok so maybe that was a bit more filler than anything, but blast it, World of Warcraft is calling me, and I will no longer be denied! ;) More next week!