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

With the defeat of Phoenix King Ozai, he was taken into custody by the White Lotus and marched directly to the capitol city to be placed into prison under heavy guard. All of the Fire Nation was in a great uproar; people hid in their homes, some more combative types attempted to assault the troops but were rounded up and jailed along with their former Firelord-turned-Phoenix King.

Word of this quickly reached the palace and courtiers began scurrying here and there, the Fire Sages, having heard the news but unsure of what to do simply huddled together to await the fate of their once great nation. Unbeknownst to them, both heirs to the throne were beneath their very feet in the specially made dungeons created to hide people away to forget about them.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Zuko still held Azula's hand a half hour later, after they'd all calmed down.

It was Azula who finally broke the comfortable silence they shared.

"I…please…Umi…do you think..you can heal my eyes? I want…I want to see." She asked hesitantly, as if she expected her request to be denied.

Umi responded by placing a glowing, water-covered hand over the empty, burned out eye sockets in Azula's face. With her face set in concentration, Umi continued to hold her glowing hand over Azula's face.

As she concentrated, her form shimmered, turning slightly translucent for a brief moment. Katara blinked, wondering if she had imagined it.

Umi was finding the task of regrowing body parts slightly more taxing (to say the least) than drawing obstinate mud into earth houses but she didn't want to stop. She had, after all, promised.

The partially healed hand that had been laying gently in Zuko's larger ones began to twitch and grasp him as Azula began to feel something happening in her head and face. It wasn't pain, no, but there was a pulling and moving and she tried not to let it scare her, but she couldn't help it. She wouldn't cry out, but she squeezed Zuko's hand for all she was worth. To her relief, he squeezed back.

After a few more moments of holding her hand over Azula's eye sockets to passing it back and forth over her face, Umi finally felt as though she might let things rest. She knew what she had done, and it was all up to the girl before her now to utilize what she now had.

Umi stepped back, watched silently to see how Azula would react to her new vision.

"Umi…Umi where are you?" Azula called out, feeling somewhat bereft because the healing coolness was gone.

"I'm right here Azula" Umi replied immediately. "Why don't you try to open your eyes?"

"I…" she hesitated. "I truly, truly have…eyes?"

"Do you want to feel them?" Zuko replied, preparing to let go of her hand.

She nodded and he gently released her hand. Suddenly her hand felt cold and she almost reached for him but stopped herself. She needed to feel her eyes. Slowly reaching up towards where she believed her face was, she was unable to bend her arm properly and a small whimper found its way past her lips.

"Umi…" she wanted so badly to feel her eyes "make my arm work? Please?" she finally added.

"Of course, Azula." The immortal woman replied and hovered a glowing water covered hand over her shoulder, and down her arm, repairing inner muscles, ligaments, tendons and enough of the skin so the arm could actually bend.

"Try now, Azula" Zuko said eagerly once Umi had removed her hand. The girl quickly obeyed and slowly moved her arm, experimentally bending her elbow and moving her shoulder slightly. Finally, she reached toward her face only to have trouble finding it; she began to panic, arm beginning to shake, hand finding nothing but air; but Zuko, quickly seeing what was happening, gently grasped her hand and guided it towards her face, softly allowing her hand to touch her eyes.

Azula spread her hand as much as she could and began to use her fingers to feel her face. Umi hadn't just healed her eyes, creating them from nothing; she had smoothed the marbling on her face and had regrown her nose as well. Tears began to fall from Azula's newly created eyes and for the first time in months, she was able to properly cry.

Before she well and truly lost herself, she forced her new eyes to open. The first thing she saw was her brother, Zuko, hovering over her with a worried look on his face, looking as if he might explode at any moment.

Azula smiled. A real, honest, smile, as her eyes just continued to pour tears.

"Zuko…your hair…" was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

A small sob overcame him as she reached for his hand again and he gently covered it once again in his own. He thought he'd been done with the crying but his eyes continued to weep, even though this time, they were happy tears.

"It grew didn't it?" He finally replied when he had ahold of his faculties.

"S..some Firelord you'll make with all that hair and no top knot." Azula actually joked, making Zuko grin and Umi and Katara share a shocked look.

"Oh you're so right, we'll just have to get you all cleaned up and you can be Firelord instead." He answered blithely.

The abstract panic on her face and in her newly formed eyes caused him to instantly regret his thoughtless words.

"I can't be Firelord! I'm broken, damaged goods, I'm…hideous." She finished with a sob.

"Azula I don't care who told you that, but it's not true…" Zuko began.

"It IS true!" his sister shouted. "I'm broken and damaged and..and my mind, the things..He said so many, many things…" her voice trailed off.

"HE who?" Zuko said in such a cold and angry tone that both Umi and Katara stared at him uncertainly.

Azula was silent, her eyes shut tightly, and her one good hand balled into as much of a fist as she could make, still in between his hands.

He forced himself to calm. "Who hurt you Azula?" he repeated, gentler this time.

She turned her head away and finally pulled her fist from his grasp. He let it go. She laid her arm over her body in a defensive maneuver.

Zuko gave the two girls behind her a pointed look and jerked his head towards the door and turned on his heel and stalked out.

Katara quickly followed him out but Umi tarried a moment. "Azula, I have to tell him what I know. He's your brother and he loves you, and he just found out someone's been hurting you. He's angry. I need to talk to him. Will you be ok in here by yourself? I'll be right outside; all you have to do is call my name if you need me."

All she got was a quiet "ok." But she took that as acquiescence and stepped outside.

Zuko was tense and his face hard angles when Umi stepped out of the room and shut the door. She saw the moment his eyes landed on her face and he seemed to soften a bit. Her heart sped up slightly in the knowledge that he seemed to be happy to see her, even in such circumstances as this.

"Who?" the prince wasted no time in asking. "What happened to my sister?" His tone and words so much softer than they would have been had he been interrogating anyone other than the woman he loved.

"Zuko…" Umi began. "Azula was…improperly guarded." Zuko snorted in a very un-princely manner.

The immortal woman made as if to reach out to him but pulled back before her hand had moved more than an inch or two. She shook her head. She was not able to reveal everything to him, and even if she disobeyed it would not assuage his anger.

"There is nothing I can say that can excuse neglect. I'm sorry Zuko. The guards…it appears that they were paid off by a certain man who has a vendetta against the pri…" she interrupted herself quickly, "I mean Azula. He somehow found out about her being held in this cell and would come often to…to…" her voice hitched as she remembered the scenes she had been allowed to view by Hayashi, and then her own torment. She tried to hide it behind a cough, but Zuko was quick to realize something wasn't right.

"Umi?" he questioned with evident concern. As much as he wanted to know what had been going on, Umi's reaction seemed to be personal for her. He filed that away in his mind for a later time.

"I'm sorry." She cleared her throat. "He would..he talked to her…said things. Terrible things."

"Wait…" Zuko interrupted, looking confused. "He just talked to her? How…?"

The water spirit shook her head gently. There was no reason to be upset with him, he had no idea what had happened, he hadn't seen it with his own two eyes like she had, hadn't experienced it for himself like she had. She had to help him understand.

Katara chose that moment to chime in. "Are you saying he verbally abused her? Is that even possible?" the water tribe girl shook her head, her hair loopies swinging with the action. "Azula has always been so…tough."

Umi nodded. "She was. Then she was reduced to a barely human creature; her mind, already fracturing with madness from her crazed desire to destroy her brother and rule the nations was severely damaged in her brush with death. She was then trapped, her lucid, conscious moments were framed by the realization that she was a prisoner, trapped by her own body, caged, her mind racing but unable to act in any way, and only able to produce incoherent moans and groans." Umi sighed and briefly closed her eyes, opening them to look directly into Zuko's own, the consternation clear as she gazed at him.

"In her fragile mental state, this…this monster…" she nearly growled the word as her fists clenched at her sides "took advantage of the situation to exact his revenge on a helpless young woman. Yes, he merely talked to her. But his words, Zuko, his words were poison. They seeped into her mind, shaped her thoughts, caused her…" she stopped and took a breath before continuing. "The poison he spoke to her caused her to deny her own name, to accept what he called her, 'princess'" she spat the name out as if it tasted disgusting "as her name, the only one she answered to. She…" Umi stopped and shook her head. He looked upset but she realized he still wasn't getting it.

"He tortured her Zuko. He used carefully crafted words, preyed on her fear and loneliness, broke her spirit, made her need his company, made her think he cared about her, then crushed her with cruel words. He tortured her. For weeks." Umi finished.

Now the young man rather than looking angry looked horrified. It seemed he finally understood. He shook his head, his eyes distant before he focused on her again. Next to him Katara had her hands over her mouth, eyes bright with tears. No one, not even Azula deserved what the water spirit had just described.

When his eyes met hers they were agonized. "I…" he began "I..was here…and she was down below me…being tortured…unable to call for help, trapped…" his face was pale, as if all the blood had drained down into his toes.

Zuko was horrified.

"I..I didn't know." He whispered brokenly.

Umi was about to reach out to him once again, but Katara beat her to it. She stepped closer and placed an arm around his back and gave him a sideways hug. "You couldn't have possibly known something like this could have been happening. Besides, you didn't even know she was alive until you came that day. How could you have known, much less done, anything?" The water tribe girl looked upwards towards where she imagined the Firelord's throne might be.

"It's all his fault anyway, this entire thing is, him and his evil father and grandfather. You know he had to know…he HAD to know she was here. I'm sure he had her put here."

Katara had to jump back quickly as the young royal she had been gently hugging suddenly became quite literally too hot to handle. It was as if his entire being was being super heated from the inside. His eyes were so full of anger that they, too, seemed to be on fire. Zuko turned back to look Umi squarely in the eyes.

"Did. He. Know." He ground out, not even bothering to explain who 'he' might be.

Umi hesitated. She knew the answer, but was suddenly afraid what he might do if he found out.

She sighed and closed her eyes for a brief moment before she opened them and returned his gaze.

"Yes."

All the blood that had drained from his face seemed to return with vengeance. He was livid. It never occurred to him to ask how she knew, it was enough that she knew.

"Did he…see her?" he pressed, attempting to loosen the hard set of his jaw as his muscles were already screaming at him in his tense state.

Umi nodded.

"What did he say to her?" He was almost afraid to learn the answer.

Umi sighed again. "He told her how worthless she was except to be used as a pawn to get to you. He taunted her, said cruel things no father should ever say to his child" she finished quickly, almost wincing as the warmth in the hallway once again rose several degrees.

It was Katara who finally reminded him he need to chill. Literally. "Zuko, I know you're upset, we are too. But you have to calm down, for both our sakes. It's getting a bit warm in here." She fanned herself for added effect.

He instantly looked contrite and the temperature returned to normal. Umi could no longer see the heat rippling around his body and he seemed much calmer.

"I'm sorry. I just…I was really angry." He tried to make a smile but it turned out to be more of a grimace.

"Let's get out of here and go see how Aang is doing. He has probably already dealt with the Phoenix King and is wondering where we are." Katara suggested. "I know you and your sister seemed to be bonding pretty well in there but there is so much that needs to be done…" her voice trailed off.

Before he could even protest Umi jumped in. "Don't worry I will be staying right here with Azula to care for her needs." She gave Zuko a very small but reassuring smile. "You have responsibilities as the first born heir to the throne of the Fire nation right now."

Zuko took a deep breath and let it out slowly, seeming to center himself. "You're right." He replied. "I have work to do." He focused on Umi, his countenance softening once again. "Thank you Umi. Again. Thank you." He repeated fervently. "I hope I'll see you soon" he added quietly.

Katara's eyes went from Zuko to Umi and back before she allowed a tiny smile to lift her lips. "We should go." She said simply, her smile still in her voice.

"I want to say goodbye to Azula first." Zuko stated emphatically. "I won't just disappear."

The soon-to-be Firelord nodded in her direction before at he turned to go back into the cell to say goodbye to Azula. Both girls nodded and he slipped back into the room before them, neither girl making a move to follow, allowing him his privacy with his sister.

Katara looked towards Umi almost shyly. "I..I'd love to chat sometime." She stammered. "I've heard you are a powerful bender and water spirit."

Umi almost blushed. She looked towards the door. "I…was a water spirit." She began. "Now…now I don't know what I am." She blinked in surprise at her on response. Her slightly wide-eyed gazed jerked back to Katara; she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I must seem so silly to you. So many things have happened…"

"Oh no, I'm so sorry for making you uncomfortable!" Katara quickly interrupted.

Umi held up her hand in protest. "Let's start over. I would be honored to chat with you sometime, Katara."

She smiled and Katara smiled back, happy to have finally been able to talk to the woman she had heard so much about.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Zuko walked into the room..no, cell where his sister was being held and fresh anger and hatred bubbled up into his throat like bile as he remembered what had been done to her since she had arrived there.

The figure on the bed hadn't moved. Azula was, however, watching him like a hawk. Instantly having seen the anger that appeared on his face when he walked in, her tortured mind twisted it, hearing his voice in her head telling her that no one could ever love her. No one. That's right. Especially not Zuzu.

It was just her imagination, just a trick. He didn't tell her he loved her. Why would he do that? She'd killed him after all. But no, she'd failed in that. Father had said so. He'd said such cruel things, how could he say those things to her? Didn't he love her? No…no. Couldn't, no one could. No… "No..no…" she moaned almost incoherently and tried to shift her nearly corpselike body away from him. From the wrath she suddenly imagined he was about to consume her with. Her moans turned into a whine that would quickly become a full fledged wail before long if left unchecked.

Azula's head thrashed side to side as she struggled in her bonds, her free arm with hand curved into an impotent fist waved in the air uselessly.

"Azula, Azula, calm down." She struggled all the more and Zuko hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should restrain her or not. "Azula! He said sharply, but did not raise his voice.

The tone sliced through the madness darkening her mind and the young woman fell still, and silent, just for a moment. "Not…my name. Name p..princess." she stuttered in broken words.

Zuko finally had a glimpse of the horror that Umi had attempted to explain to him. He could see it on his sister's scarred face and in her body language; but most of all, he could hear it in her voice. Just those few words told him more than he ever wanted to hear. It was the way she said "princess". He could almost feel the evil in those words; almost see the puppet master behind them, pulling the strings.

His stomach rolled. He looked back at her face. Focus. He had to focus. "Azula." Just like before. "I love you Azula."

He reached out finally and ever-so-gently took her hand in his. So slowly and gently that she could easily pull away if she wanted to. She didn't move, didn't speak. Didn't even look at him.

At once, he knew what he had to say. "I'm sorry Azula; I'm so very sorry." His voice broke and a sob, full of the horror of what she had been through, and full of love for his only sibling shook him.

"You didn't…didn't deserve this. I should…" a sob hitched his voice again; he bowed his head in shame. "I should have been here, should have known you were here…I…" his throat closed over his words and he fought the tears as they poured down his cheeks.

"I'm your big brother, Azula" he finally continued, his voice raspy and forced, not even realizing her gaze was on him, her eyes staring at him in utter shock. "I'm supposed to…to protect you! I failed!" The crown prince agonized. "I failed you little sister. I failed..I failed you" his voice trailed off at last, silent sobs shaking his shoulders.

In that moment something broken in the former fire princess' dark heart began to mend. For the first time in her life, she felt something she had never felt before. She didn't have a name for it, but she decided she liked it, whatever it was. It was comfortable, warm, inviting.

It made her feel. She felt…sadness? Yes, she was sad that her brother was distraught. It hurt her. But why? Why should that make her sad? She felt sorry, repentant. Sorry for hurting him, for killing him, but glad he was alive. Why? She wanted to comfort him. Why? …how?

She was Azula, she could do anything she wanted! Why couldn't she figure out how to…to comfort her brother? Suddenly a thought came to her..what would Umi do? What did Umi do? That's right. She said things, kind things, then…then she touched her hand. Physical comfort. She could do that, right?

He was already holding her hand so she shifted her hand in his gentle grasp and maneuvered around until she was able to grasp his hand back, at least a little. He began to release her hand, probably thinking she wanted free. That wouldn't do at all. So, she squeezed.

He gasped so violently that he hiccupped; his hand twitching in her grasp, his head flying up in shock to stare directly into her eyes.

She shrank back a bit mentally; it was much harder to think when she could see the anguish that was so apparent written on his face. Why had she tried to kill him? How could she have done something like that?

Wrenching herself out of her thoughts, she finally managed to get them out of her head and into her mouth.

"Don't" she blurted out, and half grimaced immediately. That wasn't what she'd meant to say at all. Why was this so difficult?

His shocked gaze still on her face, Zuko hiccupped again and rubbed his free arm over his face to swipe at the fluids that had been pouring out of his eyes and nose. He was sure she must be about to upbraid him for being weak and pathetic. A crybaby. He braced himself.

"Don't…" she made a frustrated sound.

"You're right, Azula, I'm sorry." His voice sounded strangely void of feeling, his face almost blank. "It is unseemly for the crown prince to weep."

No! This was not what she meant! Why couldn't she get it right?! "No!" She finally said aloud, tired of her inner self. "Zuko…don't…please."

"Imbecile!" her inner voice screamed, "say. what. you. mean."

"Aaah!" her inner turmoil finally boiled over and she gave a frustrated cry. Immediately his expression changed to one of concern. Always concerned for her…how had she never seen it before?

"What's..wrong?" he asked haltingly.

"I can't..I don't..I…" she bit the stammering sentence off before she could embarrass herself any further. "DON'T CRY!" she nearly yelled the words. "Don't..don't cry. Please." There, that was better, finally. Maybe now she could be coherent.

For a moment he looked so surprised she thought he might faint. "What?" Was all he could say.

The words began haltingly at first. "It's..it's o..ok, you know. I don't, you know, blame you. I don't." Where were all these 'you knows' coming from anyway? She inwardly grimaced. Could she sound any more fake? "c'mon Azula, are you royalty or aren't you? This is a battle like any other, and you're no loser."

Finally she squeezed his hand again. "It's not your fault, Zuzu." Oops. "I..I mean Zuko" she amended quickly. "You don't have to blame yourself." There, that was much better.

He was now staring at her so intently she wondered if he might bore holes into her head with his gaze. She blinked. "What?" she asked self consciously.

The young man was completely without words until her obvious discomfort snapped him out of his stupor.

"You..you're…" he stammered "are you…trying to comfort me?" he finished incredulously.

"Yes!" Azula blurted out. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

"But…why?" was all he could think to say in his total astonishment.

Good question. Why was she trying to comfort him? "Well…"she began "you were…sad…and I didn't like that so I was trying to help you like Umi helped me." Should she have admitted that? Oh well, too late now.

"Umi helped you?" It seemed all he could do was parrot her responses.

"She has been here keeping…him away." She grimaced at the thought of her tormenter, but continued. "She suddenly appeared in my room and said kind things and held my hand. Stayed with me while I slept."

"She's been protecting you? How long?" Intense love for Umi flowed through him like a tidal wave.

"I…I don't know. Not long maybe? I went to sleep awhile after she came and the next thing I knew you were here." She replied. Much better sentence.

"That's not important right now" Azula continued, "are…" her nerve almost left her "are you…ok?" she finally finished, almost rushing the words. She was getting better at this. Sort of.

"You're asking me if I'M ok?" He sounded incredulous. "That's not important right now, what's impor…" she interrupted him.

"Yes it IS important!" He wasn't getting it.

He blinked and stared at her in shock. Again.

To be fair, she wasn't acting like her normal self. Hah, thankfully. If she were, he wouldn't be here and she would be alone, tormented…no! New, better Azula didn't have to experience those things anymore. Try again.

"I'm trying…to be your…your sister." There, that was out there now; somehow, it gave her strength to continue. "You've always tried to be a brother, but I was…horrible. Wrong. I can…see that, now."

Was this a trick to get him to do something for her so she could kill him? Again? He just didn't know. He hated doubting her, but she'd tricked him so many times. "Azula always lies." Those words that he had repeated almost like a mantra so many times in his life sprang unbidden into his mind. How could he trust her? Believe her?

"Why should I trust you?" the words popped out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Azula froze. Yes. He had no reason to trust her. She'd tried to kill him more times than she could even count. Taunted, teased, injured…no…no..no…nononono! Her mind came to a screeching halt with one giant realization. She had treated Zuko, her brother, the very same way he, her daily tormentor, had treated her. Worse even. She had hurt him with more than just her words. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"You shouldn't." She all but whispered. "You're right. You can't trust me, how could you after everything I've done to you? Oh Agni…!" she was no longer whispering anymore "how could you say you love me after everything I've done to you? How?" She sobbed "you should…you should hate me. Why don't you hate me?" Yes, how could he love someone as terrible as she was?

Reality came crashing into Zuko like a dip in a cold stream. This was no act. Azula was serious. His gut wrenched. She was serious.

"I could never hate you Azula." He stated honestly. "I love you because you're my sister."

There was silence in the sparsely decorated room as Azula attempted to process this statement. She didn't really understand love. It made no sense. Oh she knew what the word meant, but she had no idea how it worked. How to love; it was beyond her. Zuko said he loved her, that she was his sister and that was enough. It didn't make sense.

"But…why?" she finally asked.

"You're my sister. You are family, we share the same parents; it's what families do, they love each other." He answered, feeling rather inadequate at explaining what he had always merely taken for granted.

"Father…" she began.

Zuko didn't even let her get any further "…is incapable of loving anything but power."

She digested this for a moment and realized he was right. Father never loved her; he loved the power she held…that he vicariously wielded. Her stomach knotted. He'd used her and she'd allowed it. Not only that, she'd worked for it. She closed her eyes in shame and turned her head away. How could she look into his face? How could she ever face him again?

"Don't shut me out Azula." Zuko almost pleaded. "Not now, not when we have a chance at truly being family."

She couldn't look at him, it was just too much. Suddenly she was completely overwhelmed with everything that had happened and it was all just…just too much. She couldn't take it anymore, she felt like she was going to explode and couldn't even really move.

"Go." She murmured; face still turned away.

"What?" he replied, not sure if he'd heard her correctly.

"I said go!" she repeated; louder this time. He just had to leave. Leave her alone, give her time to process the new thoughts and feelings she was experiencing that seemed so plebian, so very…human.

"I won't go until I kn…"

"Please" she said plainly.

He was quiet for a moment before rising and turning around to walk to the door of her cell.

"Will you chang…"

"No."

There was silence for a few moments; then she heard the door to the room open, then close behind him as he left. She was alone. Again. She'd done it. She had sent her brother away. "Imbecile." Her mind helpfully supplied. "Shut up!" she muttered to herself and opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling. Somehow, the room seemed so much smaller, darker, now that she could see it. A shudder ran through her. "It's your own fault you're alone. It always has been. You chased away the only person who actually wants to be near you." She closed her eyes again. It was better this way. It was. Wasn't it?

0o0o0o0o0o0

Zuko stepped out of the room and closed the door gently behind him. Reluctantly he turned his face towards the two women waiting for him outside the room, not even noticing how they suddenly seemed to move backwards to allow him to step outside.

"We need to find Aang, Katara." He said without preamble.

Katara and Umi shared a look and the water tribe girl nodded. "Let's go." She agreed, and turned to Umi. "It was great to finally meet you Umi. I hope we can chat again very soon."

Umi nodded as well. "The same for you as well, Katara." She glanced over at Zuko, eyes slightly sad. Grief for herself, for Azula, and for Zuko.

The young man in her thoughts turned towards her slightly and said simply "goodbye Umi" after a slight hesitation, as if he had wanted to say more, but couldn't find the words.

"Until we meet again, Zuko." She responded, and could almost imagine his eyes light up a bit in reply before he turned and walked away with Katara leading the way.

Umi turned and opened the door to Azula's cell and walked back inside, wondering how their next conversation would go after the most recent events that had taken place. She hoped that some healing had taken place for the poor girl; despite the…unsettling ending to the meeting. Regardless, she felt it was probably time for some damage control.

A/N: I realize there is a lot of Azula in here, but hey, I'm having some fun with it, so bear with me, I'll be moving the plot along soon. Also, yes I realize I just posted a couple days ago, but since I missed two months I'm trying to make up for it. Enjoy.