In just three days, Zhao had planned and set up an entire force of soldiers to carry out his plans. He seemed to have a calm, yet manic smile on his face the past few days. Poor Leiko was the victim of her father's conceit. The prince may have been banished, but he was still her friend. He had done nothing to harm her ever, and he never would. It was Zhao who took that job, and Zuko was always there to rescue her.

"Prince Zuko's ship is on the far left of the harbor, just behind the barrier rocks. I want you to approach from the mountain. You will command the men I have set up for you to invade from the surrounding rocks. They will distract the crew, while you personally kill Prince Zuko. And I've ordered a soldier to tell me everything that happens, just in case you get any cute ideas. You are a warrior, well capable of handling the prince on your own." Her father informed her as they looked down at the map. He stood up and looked at his daughter who had an angry look on her face. "The time is now…go get ready for combat!" and she turned and walked into her room.

She stripped down and got suited up in her ninja suit. Her father told her that she needed stealth and camouflage to do the job right. She knew that after spending years of training in the art of Ninjitsu, she would be able to fight to victory. But Zuko had taken Ninjitsu as well, so it would be a familiar strategy to him. However, Leiko was much more adequate with the martial art than he was. She decided to use her black outfit and not the red, to blend in with the night. But at the same time, she packed up her red one and some other clothes and items in a bag. Just in case things didn't go as planned, she had her own arrangement.

As she tucked in her diary, she had flashbacks. Why did she have to do this to someone so important to her? She was ten years old when Zuko had helped her out of one of the toughest situations.

Leiko was laying on the muddy ground, curled up in a ball and crying. It was raining outside mercilessly splattering mud onto her face and clothes. Pain surged through her whole body making the tears continue to spill. The wind was also knocked out of her from her hard crash to the ground. She allowed her sobs to grow louder, as if pleading for help. She heard footsteps splashing in the puddles and looked up wither right eye to see her good friend standing over her.

"Leiko…what happened?" a young Prince Zuko asked, alarmed.

"Father…pushed me….from," she stopped and gasped from pain, "The window." She forced out. Zuko looked up and saw the window from the top level of the tower was shattered. He gasped and looked back down at Leiko who was in tears and crying for his help. He knelt down and placed his hand under her head to lift her face up to his.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked caringly.

"My…my arm." She squeaked. "I think it's broken." He lifted her other arm up gently and she yelped in pain. More tears streamed down her face.

"Okay, let's try again. I'll do it more slowly." And he lifted her am up again. It looked like she had another joint where her arm was bent just above the elbow. He still cradled her gently. She just panted in pain. "It's definitely broken." He informed her. "Why did he toss you out of the window?"

"I made him mad."

"But still, how could he do that?" and he sighed, "Come on, I'm going to take you to a doctor." And he helped her up and let her lean on him. They walked together though the rain to the doctor's and got her arm bandaged up and put in a sling. The doctor asked her how it happened and Leiko just told him that she fell off of a rhino. He believed her, and told her to be more careful. But Zuko knew it was a lie, and just stayed quiet. He waited until they were out of the doctor's to speak to her. "Leiko, you need to tell someone what really happened, tell them the truth!"

"I can't! My father will kill me!" she replied.

"But you could be taken away from him, you'd be safe! It might be for the best."

"Who cares about my safety." She said flatly while looking at the ground. Zuko stopped and placed a hand under her chin and guided her face up to his.

"I do." He replied, "You're my friend, Leiko. And I don't like seeing you hurt by your father. You need to get help."

"There's no help for me." Leiko said with a tear. Zuko hugged her gently so he wouldn't hurt her fractured arm. She just rested her head on his shoulder.

"Maybe my uncle Iroh could talk to your father."

"I doubt it." She said as she backed away. "Thank you for helping me."

"What are friends for." He smiled and she walked to the entrance of her house, "Oh, Leiko…" and she looked back. He rubbed the back of his head, "Uh…goodnight."

"Good night." She said with a smile and walked in.

A picture fell out of her diary and she picked it up. She looked at it and smiled, it was a picture someone had drawn for her. It was a realistic picture of her and Zuko…just before he was banished. They were standing under a statue and she was resting her head on his shoulder. Tila tilted her head and made a quiet twitter from her throat. Leiko looked at it and tears gathered in her eyes. They began to stream down her cheek and she slipped it back into the diary and tied up the bag. She put it on her back and then placed her katana in its case on her hip. She walked over to the mirror and looked at herself. Her shoulder, forearm and shin guards were on correctly and her hair was in a ponytail. The suit hugged her curves tightly. She let her tears fall and her lower lip tremble as she tied a black bandana around her face, concealing her face from the nose down. Tila perched on her shoulder as more tears fell. She looked into the corner of her mirror and saw another picture of her and Zuko next to other pictures of her and her other friends. They were standing together under a cherry tree as blossoms danced in the wind. It was Leiko's thirteenth birthday in that picture. More tears escaped her eyes and she spoke to the picture. "I'm sorry Zuko." She whispered, "I'm so sorry." And she walked out of her room.