At first, I was actually getting critical reviews. Now I'm just getting "It's ok, keep going." Please! I don't mind constructive criticism! I know this story is kind of bland, help me out here! Don't be afraid to mention tiny little errors, like forgetting a quotation mark or something. I'm a grammar freak and sometimes don't edit as well as I should...

Don't own Avatar, rated for language, fluff, and violence.

Fire Nation Capital-

"Father." Zula knelt in front of the Fire Nation King, Lord Ozai. When the captive beside her refused to kneel she kicked his knees out from under him. His arms being tied, he fell flat on his face.

"Daughter. You have brought the Avatar."

"I have, father."

"Bring him here." Zula grabbed Aang and dragged him up the dias to the Fire Lord. Ozai grabbed Aang's chin and forced Aang to look into his eyes. His fingers scorched Aang like a thousand suns, and Aang struggled to get away. "You have done well." Ozai boomed as he released Aang, who collapsed onto the floor, hurt from the many days of imprisonment with Zula and the new burns he had just received. "Leave me."

"What?" Zula's cool facade faded. "Father, you would just dismiss me?"

"Don't talk back, child!" Ozai backhanded her. "Leave, before I banish you like your idiot brother."

Holding her burned cheek, Zula fled the chambers. "Now you're mine." The fire lord laughed mercilessly as he dragged Aang to the dungeons.

"I have a special cell for you." Ozai whispered into Aang's ear. "In the deepest depths of this volcano that is my home, no light has ever found its way into this dark abyss. The comet arrives in three weeks, and I plan to have you completely out of they way." Leading Aang deeper and deeper into the pits, Aang tried to memorize the twists and turns but failed. After what seemed like hours Ozai threw Aang into a cold, dark cell and locked the door. "No guards are needed down here!" Ozai cackled and left Aang alone to nurse his many wounds.

Two Days Later-

Aang shivered, having only his clothes to warm him. Even though his cell was very near the heart of the volcano, Aang wasn't warm. One of his numerous wounds must have gotten infected and he was shivering like a leaf in the wind. Aang started to hear footsteps, again. He groaned and rolled over. "Just another hallucination." He whimpered, trying to convince himself before the glimmer of hope was once again crushed. He only got watered once a day, and had only been fed once. The insistent steps grew louder. A light went by his door. "Uhh." Aang mumbled, and went over to weakly pound on the door. "Water, please, give me water..." He ended this with a coughing spasm that nearly broke one of his ribs.

"Who's there?" The light shined into Aang's cell. "Wait, I know you. The Avatar! Aang! Blessed God!"

"I know that voice..." Aang tried to piece his jumbled thoughts together.

"Avatar, I saved you in the fire nation temple, remember?"

"Shyu?" Aang mumbled, finally remembering.

"Yes! Yes, Avatar, it's me. I was also put down here, but I managed to escape. I've been trying to find my way out ever since, drinking the water from random pools and waylaying random guards I happen upon for food. Thank the spirits you are safe!"

"How, how..." Aang was interrupted by a coughing fit. "How did you escape?"

"I burned through my door. The fire lord must have known a wooden door wouldn't keep restrain a firebender, but now I know why he didn't care. These cursed tunnels are impossible to navigate of you don't know your way."

Aang's hope flared to life, giving him strength. "Shyu, try to burn down my door."

"I can't." Shyu said sadly. I've already felt this door. It appears the firelord is taking a lot more care with you. It feels like your door is much more secure than mine, and I can smell some sort of fire preventing oil on it. I don't think I can blast this one down."

Aang wilted. 'Served you right.' He berated himself. 'You know by now to keep your hopes squashed. "Shyu. I need a favor."

"Anything, Avatar."

"Teach me firebending."

"Wha, what?"

"I need to-to learn firebending. It's the last stage of the cycle. Please, Shyu, I need to learn it."

"Very well, Avatar. But I don't know what good it will do you."

Near the Fire Nation Capital-

"Well, looks like we're here, guys." Katara stared at the scene unfolding below her, the capital looked more like an army camp. Thousands upon thousands of tents, fires, soldiers, komodo rhinos, and catapults dotted the immense city. Bigger than the North Pole and Omashu put together, it stretched for miles. It had days since they had set out from Omashu, and now they had to embark on the most dangerous quest of all. Rescuing Aang from the very heart of this immense city.

Appa and Momo had been left behind so they wouldn't attract attention, and Sokka, Katara, and Suki had ambushed a patrol to get their uniforms. Now, garbed in fire nation armor, they were prepared to enter the camp. "Any last ideas, or hesitations? Because after this point there is not turning back." Suki grimly told her companions. Sokka and Katara shook their heads. "Ok, let's go. Remember, act like you're supposed to be here." With that, they were swallowed up into the crowd.

Headquarters, two days later-

"We're in!" Sokka whispered, nearly crying with relief. The past two days had been arduous. No one suspected a few more soldiers, but getting into the capital itself had proven trickier than they had expected. The guards wouldn't let anyone in, and twice they were almost caught sneaking inside. If it hadn't been for Sokka's quick wits and Suki's even quicker reflexes Aang would have been doomed. Finally, they had just gotten frustrated and took out the guards who had been guarding a rathole into the palace. Unfortunately, this gave them even less time to rescue Aang.

"That guard back there had this." Sokka pulled out a map of the dungeons. "This part here says 'High Security'. Bet you anything that's where Aang is."

"Let's go then!"

Fringes of the City-

"Hey, Zuko, isn't that Zula?"

"Damn! It is! Why isn't she on a throne or something?"

"Let's ask her."

Dungeons-

"Avatar! I hear voices!"

"Douse the light!" Aang hissed. Shyu quickly put the fireball he had been holding out. Whispering was heard.

"Oh no! Our light is going out! How will we find Aang?"

"How will we get out again?"

"Katara? Sokka?" Aang asked weakly.

"Friends?" Shyu asked Aang.

"Yes."

"Over here!" Shyu called. Silence.

"I heard something."

"Me too."

"It's a trap."

"Do we have a choice?"

"It's Shyu! The Avatar is here!"

"Aang?" Many footsteps. "Aang!" Katara's joyful face appeared in the bars of Aang's door. "Aang! You're alive!" Tears were running down her face. Sokka and Suki appeared too. Sokka immediately began to examine the door.

"Have you already tried to open it?" Sokka asked.

"Yes, with all four elements." Shyu answered.

After a few moments of contemplating, "I have an idea." Sokka said. "Continual heat and cold is bound to weaken the lock. Instead of attacking the door, attack the lock. Katara, you freeze it, then Shyu, you burn it. Do that for awhile, and then Suki, try to break it with your fan."

"You know, Sokka, for how stupid you act, you're actually very intelligent."

"Thanks Katara. I'll hold that to you later. Let's get to work."

Upper parts of headquarters-

"Hey, Zuko, you ok?"

"No." Mat sat next to him. The three of them were alone, for now, sitting in a massive hallway in the Fire Nation capital.

"What's wrong?"

"It didn't matter. If I'd brought the Avatar back, it wouldn't have mattered. My father probably just would have killed me then and there." Zuko thought back to their brief conversation with Zula.

"Where is the Avatar?"

"In the dungeons. Go rescue him like you did last time." Zula replied sullenly.

"Why are you out here?" Zuko demanded.

"Dad didn't care. He didn't give the slightest shit that I brought the Avatar back. He only cares about his own personal gain. Go kick his ass, Zuko."

"Zuko... It will be ok."

"No! No it won't! My whole life has been taken from me! Don't you get it? What will I do now? All I've ever wanted is for my dad to accept me again. Now what? What do I do now?" As hard as he tried, he couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his face.

"Zuko, maybe you need to reset your priorities." Iroh said kindly. "What do you want to do now?"

Zuko sat in silence for a long, long time. "Give up." Zuko said. Zuko had no idea how to handle a situation like this. He had always been a prince, even when he was banished. Even if he couldn't actually get the Avatar, he still had a purpose. Now that that purpose had been ripped to shreds, he was just a petulant child. "Let's just go back to the ship. We can be mercenaries, or something. Let's just go." Zuko had no direction, it appeared all his doors were closed.

"Zuko..." Mat stared at him. "I apologize in advance for what I'm about to do."

"What?" Zuko asked.

Mat slapped him with all her might. Zuko sat there, looking stunned. "You little brat." Mat was furious. "What, so just when times get tough, you quit? You've been through tough times before, oh boohoo. Why is this time any different? You don't deserve to be a prince. You're still a snot nosed little twerp who runs with his tail between his legs when he gets kicked. Well you know what? A real man would go bite that person who kicked you!"

Zuko was livid. "How dare you!" He spluttered. "You have no right to tell me I'm a coward! What else can I do?"

"Stand up for yourself! For once." Mat was just as angry. Zuko sent a flaming fireball at her.

"Zuko! Mat!" Iroh stepped between them before Zuko fried Mat to a crisp. "Mat, you're not helping." He told her sternly. "Zuko, come with me." Mat scowled and slumped to the ground.

"Zuko, Mat is actually partially right. You can't just give up now."

"My quest is over, uncle. There is nothing I can do. All I've ever wanted is to earn the respect of my father."

"Face it Zuko! Your father didn't love you! He never did, and he never will!"

Zuko's look was more stunned than when he had been slapped. "What?"

"I'm sorry Zuko. I always supported you, even though my heart told me this was wrong. I know my brother better than you. That is the way of the fire nation, to use others until they can offer nothing more. You were just there to bring him the Avatar."

"That, that's not true!" Tears ran down Zuko's face. "My father loves me!"

"I'm sorry Zuko!" Iroh's tears were just as thick as Zuko's. "You need to face the truth! Even if your father never did, I love you! I will be your father! I have always loved you Zuko. Just as much as my own son." Sobbing, Zuko laid his head on his uncle's, no, his father's shoulder. "It's ok, my son. I will protect you." Iroh wrapped his arms around his weeping son.

After a long time of talking, in which Mat was getting more and more impatient, Zuko and Iroh came back. "Well?" Mat demanded. "What do you want to do?"

"Help the Avatar restore balance to the world, and take my rightful place on the throne of the fire nation. I will be a much better leader than Ozai." Mat and Iroh smiled at each other. Both saw the fire back in Zuko's eyes.

"Zuko, I'm so proud of you." Mat embraced him and kissed him briefly on the cheek, before standing up with her scimitars unsheathed. "Let's see what these babies can really do. Where will the Avatar be?"

"Lowest dungeons of this place."

"Let's go."

A/N-

I've got serious problems with actually saying what I want to be said. I tend to beat around the bush a lot. Like, with Zuko's conversation, there was so much I wanted to show but I couldn't figure out how to put Zuko's hopelessness into words. Guess I'm not cut out for angst, I need to write a comedy fic... Well, hope you enjoyed anyway!