The avatar finally slowed to a stop.

"You've been shot!"

Zuko looked down at the arrow in his shoulder as if noticing it for the first time.

"Doesn't matter," he removed his mask.

The boy stepped back in shock and fear.

"Zuko!"

Zuko watched as the boy stared at his scar then lowered to look at the arrow sticking out of his shoulder.

"No! Why? I don't understand!"

He might have continued but the prince didn't let him.

"Quiet! Where are your friends."

The avatar swallowed. Looking around at their surroundings.

"They're sick. Very sick and those frogs are the only way to heal them. Please! I need to save my friends!"

The prince's expression didn't change from its Stoney cold exterior. Inside though the prince was having an internal crisis.

Dang, this kid, of course, his friends didn't come for him they're sick! He's right here in my clutches. I can take him back to the ship and go home. I can go home. But then his friends might die... those kids might die.

Zuko nodded at the avatar.

"Then you better hurry."

He turned away.

"Wait!"

The prince paused.

"Why did you save me? Why are you letting me go? I thought you wanted to capture me?"

"I do, and I will. But I don't want any kids getting hurt. Make no mistake avatar the next time we meet I will take you back to the fire nation."

"Zuko," the boy sounded sad, "I don't want to be your enemy. A hundred years ago I had friends in the fire nation, they showed me so many cool things. If we met back then do you think we could have been friends?"

Zuko was glad his back was turned because the avatar took him by surprise. Eyes widened.

Zuko clenches his fists. The avatar is your enemy. He's dangerous. He thought. He's just a child! A child who misses the way life used to be, he countered. Zuko could understand that.

"It doesn't matter. That was then. This is now. You are my enemy and I will take you down."

"I'm sorry then," the boy sounded genuinely sad, "I'm sorry it has to be this way. Thank you for saving me."

Zuko turned back to the avatar who bowed the way customary for the fire nation.

"I still hope you might reconsider. Goodbye Prince Zuko of the fire nation."

Then he ran off to find frogs to save his friends. Then he ran off leaving a very confused young man behind to sort out his emotions.

Prince Zuko picked up his mask and he made his way back to his ship. The avatar's words echoed through his head. "If we met back then do you think we could have been friends?"

Zuko snuck his way back onto the ship. Ready to leave the town behind. In the town he spent many nights roaming the streets, jumping across rooftops. The town he spent his evenings in stopped thieves and cruel men. The town the blue spirit saved without even knowing it.

Finally alone with his thoughts Zuko had nothing to distract him from the arrow in his shoulder. And without thinking, he made his way to his uncle's room.

He knocked lightly on the door and after a short time, his uncle opened it. He looked at his nephew in shock. His early morning meditation was interrupted by his nephew who had an arrow in his shoulder.

"Zuko," his uncle usher him in. Cutting back the black shirt to see the wound.

Zuko was scared his uncle would ask him how he got it. He felt stupid for coming to him in the first place. Iroh was the dragon of the west. And he came right to him with his treasonous wounds.

Iroh did not ask questions. He went straight to work on removing the arrow. Keeping pressure on the open wound as he cleaned and stitched it up. His experience in the military now showing itself.

Zuko was tired. He was confused. His uncle took care of him. Cutting away his shirt and bandaging him up. He barely registered a cup of hot tea being placed in his hands.

"I've got you, nephew."

For the next several minutes they sat across from each other in silence. Until Zuko finally recovered from his shock. He looked down at his tea.

"Uncle..."

He didn't know what to say so he said nothing. He just waited for his punishment.