Today should've been a happy day for Zuko. After almost seven years of wondering and one of those years spent searching, he had finally found his mother Ursa, but it wasn't exactly a happy day. His other sister Azula, after discovering that their mother had been given a new face and a new identity as Noriko from the Mother of Faces, came to the house and had almost killed their mother right in front of him and her new husband and new daughter, their half sister Kiyi. Luckily, he had managed to save their mother in the nick of time and fight Azula off and talk her down. Or at least he thought he had until she firebended at him again and ran off into Forgetful Valley. Afterwards, the Mother of Faces had reconsidered helping out Misu and Rafa and also offered Ursa, then Noriko, her original face and memories. She accepted. After the spirit disappeared, mother and son saw and hugged each other for the first time in years.


Flashback:

"Hold still." said The Mother of Faces as she brought her giant hands over Noriko's head. Zuko watched from behind as a bright light came from the inside of the spirit's hands, forcing him, Aang and Katara to look away. A woman's scream could be heard until the light began to fade and Zuko brought his arm down from eyes and watched as the spirit removed her hands from Noriko.

Zuko saw how the woman's hair grew longer and darkened. Then she began to collapse. Zuko rushed to her and caught her by the arms. He saw her face, the face he hadn't seen since he was a boy. Her tanned skin has become pale, her voice returned as she awoke and her eyes were no longer the soft brown colour to the soft amber colour people mistook as liquid gold.

Noriko was gone. Ursa had returned. The look in her eyes showed she remembered her old life; her arranged marriage to Ozai, her two children, her life as a fire nation princess, all up to her banishment and when she asked the Mother of Faces to erase that life from her memory. The eyes Zuko hadn't seen were now fixed on him. It occurred to him she wouldn't recognise his face, but he recognised hers as he said "Mom?"

"Zuko?" she said after so long. Once realisation hit, they pulled each other into a hug, finally together again.


Now, the moment had past and Zuko and Team Avatar were now inside his mother's new home. While Aang, Katara and Sokka were putting sheetrock on to the ceiling where Azula and Sokka had entered, Zuko's eyes were looking out a window and were fixed on the entrance to the forest, hoping to see Azula come back, especially as the weather began to worsen. Before she has vanished, he called out saying he wanted to help her and he meant it.

The whole time on their journey, they had fought and it had been almost impossible to handle Azula in her current state. But after seeing how Sokka and Katara still looked out for each other despite the witticism and snowball fights between them, he tried to be the brother that he didn't get to be and tried also to fix their relationship as he and Azula had never been able to reconcile like that after a fight. He wondered if it was still possible to fix their relationship despite its shattered beyond repair appearance.

A soft hand on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts. He turned to see his mother looking at him, a smile was her face, but her eyes came off as worried. Not that Zuko blamed her; she now remembered not just everything she had forgotten as Ursa, but also remembered everything that happened in her life as Noriko. Her wedding day with Noren, the birth of their daughter Kiyi and also that Azula had almost killed her while admitting how she had never felt that Ursa loved her. As Ursa sat down across from Zuko, she said "Zuko. How are you?"

Zuko knew she was trying to hide her concern over Azula. Despite everything that had happened tonight, Azula was as much Ursa's child as Zuko and Kiyi were. And now, she was missing and she and Ursa hadn't properly seen each other. Ursa had seen her as Noriko, but didn't have the memories of being her mother and in a way, couldn't fully mean the apology she had given her eldest daughter. So many hidden truth and lies were about, so Zuko thought it best to fix that by answering his mother truthfully "It's getting colder outside. I'm worried for Azula to be out there."

"I'm sure she'll come back." Ursa said with hope in her voice, though her face showed uncertainty and discomfort at the mention of her first daughter's name. "She did after all find her way back here without any help."

Zuko wanted to believe his mother's words, but he knew she was lying so he would move away from the window and help repair the house. Despite being away and not seeing them grow up, Zuko knew what Ursa remembered of Azula; an intelligent child who could manipulate and deceive others and when she knew she was beaten like in Pai Sho matches against their uncle Iroh, she wouldn't return until she had a plan that wouldn't fail.

But how could he leave? What if Azula came back and she was still bent on killing their mother? For all they knew, she intended to run off as a plan B in case she felt out-numbered. She could return when they least expected it and... Zuko tried not to think about what she would do.

However, he recalled how Azula faced him without trying to wipe away her tears. He wasn't used to seeing her cry. Not even as a child apart from when she was a baby. She was always, out of the two of them, the sibling who always seemed certain and prepared for anything without fear. He didn't feel that if Azula did return, she would still be intent on killing their mother and taking the throne from him.

Not that she could now however; she had dropped the letter claiming Zuko to be the son of Ikem and not Ozai, but now wasn't the right time to bring this up. He could wait until tomorrow to talk to his mother about who his real father is. She was in a fragile state of mind at the moment and needed proper rest to talk about this.

"Zuko?" his mother's voice came again still sounding as quiet and as gentle as it was before her banishment. He looked again at her face that had only been altered by a few wrinkles under her eyes "Tell me what you're thinking."

Zuko felt torn; he didn't want to talk with his mother about all of this until tomorrow when his mind would be less tired, but he also didn't want to lie to her. Lie. What Azula would do. He had to say something, so he said "We should be out there looking for Azula. I hate not being able to do that."

Ursa looked down to the floor with uncertainty. Zuko could see she didn't know how to respond to that. He recalled how as a kid, he would always assume his mother or father knew everything since they were the adults. But he eventually learned that not even grown-ups know everything. He looked out the window again. Leaves were blowing rapidly by and he could see trees standing diagonally.

"Zuko." came a voice, but this time, it wasn't Ursa. Zuko turned and saw Katara in front of him "Can we talk?" she said gesturing her hand to where Aang and Sokka were standing in the living area. Zuko wasn't sure whether to leave Ursa until she looked at him and said "I'll watch for Azula."

Zuko then nodded with a small smile at Katara and then got up to follow her, leaving his mother alone with her thoughts.

As he and Katara joined Aang and Sokka, Zuko saw an open door leading into a small pink bedroom. In it was Noren sitting on a bed too small for him. "He must be trying to put Kiyi to sleep" Zuko thought before turning to the group. Aang was the first to speak "How are you feeling Zuko?"

Zuko tried to hide his anger at Aang's question. After everything that had happened, he should be able to imagine how Zuko felt. "Azula ran off into Forgetful Valley. She hasn't returned and the wind outside is getting colder and stronger. She could get lost or even catch a cold."

"I don't think we'll need to worry too much about Azula." Aang replied. Zuko, Katara and Sokka all turned to face him with stern eyes. Aang began to stutter while shaking his hands with a nervous grin "I-I just meant that... she probably found somewhere in Forgetful Valley where she'll be safe for the night and maybe tomorrow, she'll come back more calmer in the mind."

Sokka wasn't convinced "Aang, I get you're the Avatar and it's kind of your job to be the neutral guy who sees the good in everyone. But COME ON. This is Azula. She's hurt so many people too many times including her own friends, her own family, YOU and tonight, she tried to kill her own mother. How can you think she'll come back after all she has done?"

Everyone was stunned at Sokka's summary of what Azula had done. Zuko, without talking, walked back to where his mother sat. The gaang saw his hands clenching into fists and opening up again as he walked away. He probably didn't want to get angry at this time of night. Katara then placed a hand on Aang's shoulder as she quietly spoke "Sweetie, I agree with Sokka; after everything Azula's done, she's not gonna come back tonight or probably ever. She could be heading to Hira'a Docks even now to escape us."

Aang looked down to the floor "I don't think so. I don't think she'll try to leave."

"And why is that?" Sokka asked unconvinced.

"Just look outside." Aang gestured to the wall they had fixed up "Wind that strong and cold in the dark of the night isn't safe and Azula knows that. I somehow know that she's find somewhere where she'll be safe for tonight."

"Okay" Sokka slowly said "then what's our next move?"

"As soon as the wind dies down, we'll begin searching for her." came Zuko's voice as he headed back to them while Ursa walked slowly to her bedroom, almost not looking away from the window. Once she was gone, he continued "I told her to go to bed while we take shifts through the night in case Azula comes back. It's not likely, but Azula could decide to come back to finish what she started and we need to be ready for her."

"Alright, I'll stay up first!" Sokka said eagerly taking out his boomerang and holding it high as if he were posing for a statue.

"Sokka, two things; one is that Azula could easily best you in a fight and two, you won't be able to stay awake for that long." Katara said knowing her brother's enthusiasm always seemed to get the better of him.

"Not true! Me and Mr. Boomerang took her down tonight!" Sokka argued.

"You hit her in the back of the head; it was luck that time, but next time, she'll expect anything." Katara argued back "I'll stay up first."

"Fine." Sokka said going over a blanket laid down on the floor. He gave a yawn as he lied down and said "Just wake me up when it's my turn to..."

A loud snore could then be heard coming from Sokka's mouth as he fell asleep instantly. Katara gave a smile knowing her brother's love of sleep was as strong as his love of meat. Aang and her shared a quick goodnight kiss before he rolled out a blanket next to Sokka and sat in a meditation position.

Katara then looked to Zuko, who like his mother, was looking out the window. Katara understood that despite everything, Azula was still family to them. She could never forgive her for striking down both Aang and Zuko in front of her with the intent of killing them, but it was different from the perspective of her brother and mother. She walked over to him. If he heard her, he didn't respond until she placed a hand on his right shoulder "Zuko."

He turned slowly to meet her eyes. He had a look she often never saw in him; worry. He probably did worry a lot, but masked it to avoid others talking about it. Though she couldn't offer much, Katara said "I promise I'll let you know if she comes back during the night... I'll wake you up first, now try to sleep."

Zuko nodded and walked quietly to the final blanket. It was blue. As he held it, he remembered...


"Do you have another one of those blankets?" Zuko asked Sokka.

"Sure. Here." The warrior said as he passed the Fire Lord a blue blanket rolled up in a cylinder shape. It felt soft and snug in his grip. Then again, it was a water tribe make, so it had to be like this in the North and South Poles.

"I need to go-" Sokka said. Zuko didn't want to hear the next word and politely said "Thanks for the blanket."

As Sokka left, Zuko got up and turned to Azula. She was still shivering and murmuring in her sleep. He crouched down quietly just by her feet and carefully brought the blanket up from her knees to her shoulders and lightly tucked it in as best as he could so she wouldn't wake up and be as warm as possible.


As Zuko settled to sleep, he hoped that somehow, Azula was warm and safe tonight before closing his eyes.