"She's not in Ba Sing Se, Zuko. Ty Lee and I combed through every street, followed every lead we could. She isn't there."

Zuko ran his hands through his hair in frustration, pushing the long locks out of his face. He slumped into a chair in his chambers and squeezed his eyes shut. He'd been so sure that Azula would flee to the Earth Kingdom, so sure that they would be able to find her before anyone was hurt.

"Where else could she be, Zuko?" Suki asked softly. She had just returned with Ty Lee from the Earth Kingdom. They'd been searching for over a week now and had come up empty handed.

"Why did you suspect she was in Ba Sing Se?" she pressed when he didn't respond.

"Because if I was in Azula's position, that's where I would go."

Suki paused, thinking over his words.

"And you don't think Azula is smart enough to realize that you would know this, and make her way somewhere else?" she ventured.

Zuko also quieted, considering her musings. She wasn't wrong… Azula had always been deceptively good at reading him. She was always two steps ahead and it had taken all their combined efforts to get her locked away. The only reason why he'd even won their Agni Kai was because she'd lost her mind and he'd had Katara at his side. But at full power, at full awareness… Azula wasn't someone he would willingly face again alone.

"Where else would she go, if not Ba Sing Se?" Zuko asked aloud, more to himself than Suki. If it was him, he'd hide where it was so populated, they would never be able to find him. But considering Suki's words, he found himself wondering if Azula had gone somewhere none of them would ever suspect. He would bet his crown on Azula showing up sooner or later to claim her right to the throne, but there had to be more than that. He wasn't alone in their Agni Kai. He wasn't even the person to defeat Azula. That win was solely Katara's.

His face twisted in horror.

"I know where she is, and what she's planning," he answered.

"And what would be where…?" Suki urged.

"She's in the South Pole. She's waiting for Katara to return so she can exact her revenge… and then she's coming for me."

"No," Suki gasped. Sokka flashed in her mind and she felt like someone had punched her in the gut. "Sokka is there. He won't—they won't survive if she attacks!"

"Suki, this isn't the time to panic. They're going to be okay. I know Azula well enough to know that she wouldn't attack the entire village unless she was backed into a corner. She's a master manipulator."

Suki tried taking slower breaths, but Zuko's words brought her little comfort. "We have to send word to the South. We have to warn them!"

Zuko nodded in agreement. "I'll send an eagle hawk out right away. It's almost been two weeks since her escape. She's probably just arriving now."

"How long will it take to get there?"

"If we take the fastest fleet, about a week and a half. They'll be on their own with her until then."

Suki took another deep breath to calm her frayed nerves. "Zuko… what if she hurts someone? What if she hurts Sokka?"

Zuko didn't know what to say. The guilt was eating at him and he pulled Suki into a tight hug. This was his fault. He hadn't had tight enough security around Azula. He should have known better. He should have known she would snake her way out sooner or later.

Suki was crying into his chest, sobs wracking her body. He gritted his teeth, rubbing her back and offering what little comfort he could. "Sokka is going to be okay, Suki. I promise you we will find Azula and everything is going to be fine."

Suki pulled away, rubbing at her red-rimmed eyes. "What about Aang and Katara? We have to tell them, too."

Zuko nodded grimly.

"Looks like their vacation is getting cut short. Tell Ty Lee to get some rest. We're leaving in the morning."

Sokka's back was more sore than usual. He groaned and shifted on his bed—no, that wasn't his bed. It was too hard, too unforgiving. And fuck, it was cold. Hadn't he rekindled the fire last night before he went to sleep? He drifted between sleep and consciousness, trying to recall where he was while clinging to rest at the same time.

Mmnnhh, okay. Last night. What did I do last night? Should just sleep more and think about it later. Ugh, okay. What happened last night? I met up with Gran Gran, ate dinner with her—no, wait. I didn't have dinner with Gran Gran. She pushed me out the door with a tray for Song. Right, Song… Song…

Fuck.

Sokka's eyes snapped open and he jolted into a sitting position on the cold, hard ground. The sun hadn't come up yet and he squinted his eyes in the dark and made out Azula's shape sleeping on the bed nearby. He watched the steady rise and fall of her breathing and silently thanked the spirits she hadn't awoken before him. He didn't have faith she wouldn't try and kill him for what he pulled last night.

The fuck was I thinking? He argued with himself as he quietly moved to rekindle the fire to warm the frigid air in the hut. He should have just left after their confrontation the night before. It was clear to him that Azula wasn't okay. He never knew when his words would take her from sly bantering to unbridled rage. Her emotions were volatile and confusing, and there were moments when she seemed to drift away, lost in her own thoughts. Dinner last night was almost nice until he'd tried to initiate conversation with her, and small talk suddenly turned into a pair of strong thighs choking him out into submission. She was dangerous, unstable, and incredibly broken.

He should have left when she'd told him to.

But right as he was about to leave, he'd heard her stifled whimper. He'd seen tears shimmering in those deep amber eyes, and he couldn't stop his legs from moving of their own volition to her side.

It was all he could do not to sweep her into his arms and tell her it would be okay when he didn't know if she'd ever be okay. He'd settled on carrying her to bed, tucking her in, and promising to stay until morning. There was no way she could be faking the hurt. Even she wasn't that good an actress… right? The rational part of him told him not to trust her.

Azula always lies. Zuko's words rang loudly in his head.

The fire crackled back to life and Sokka took a seat in front of it, pulling off his gloves and rubbing his hands together to warm them up. The sun was just beginning to break now, dim light filtering into the hut from the small window by Azula's bed. He glanced down at her only to find calculating amber eyes watching him in return. How long had she been awake? He cleared his throat, turning his attention back to the fire.

"Good morning."

Azula said nothing, pushing the covers off and sitting up. He was still sleepy just minutes prior, but his nerves stood on end now. She looked alert, supremely aware of their situation, and he found her silence to be even more ominous than her insults and spite. She stood and he took another sideways glance at her, tensing when she stepped closer.

"I'm not sorry for last night!" he blurted, wincing at the strike he knew was coming. But nothing came.

When he opened his eyes, she was gone. The door was ajar and there was a trail of fresh imprinted snow leading away from the hut. What else could he do, but follow? He shuffled to his feet and exited the hut after her, careful to shut the door quietly and avoid waking Gran Gran. This would be an inopportune time for her to catch them coming out of the hut together.

He watched curiously as Azula trudged east, out towards the border of the walls surrounding the village. It was too early for anyone to be awake yet, save for the guards posted at the walls. Was she leaving? He halted, torn between letting her go and asking her to stay. If she decided that it was time to leave, it would probably be best for the entire tribe. They would be out of danger and he could go on pretending that he and Azula had never entertained this strange exchange of fire and ice. He could pretend to keep believing she was evil, and that she deserved everything that was coming to her. He could pretend he hadn't seen her cry, hadn't held her tiny frame in his arms, and pretend he wasn't developing this strange, foreign attraction to her. And yet…

He followed.

Azula was moving faster than he'd thought and she hit the walls before he could catch up. There was a brief exchange with Makya and Lakota at the walls where he caught her flashing a brilliantly warm smile and sharing a quick laugh before continuing to venture out further. Moments later he was at the entrance as well. The warriors perched at the entrance perked up, greeting the Chief a good morning.

"Fellas," Sokka greeted. "Any idea where our guest of honor is heading?"

The warriors shared a glance between each other and then answered in near unison. "She said she wanted fresh air, Chief."

"Looks like she's heading towards the river. Could be dangerous out there, been seeing a handful of polar leopards on our latest hunts. She insisted she could take care of herself… charming girl, that Song," Lakota added. Makya grunted in agreement, his hard exterior seemingly softened by Azula's false warmth and kindness. Sokka couldn't blame them. The mask she wore was near flawless, with picture perfect acting and a laugh that could warm over the entire South Pole. He wondered where she'd taught herself to laugh like that and if at any point in her life that laughter had been real.

Sokka muttered his thanks and followed her tracks, unaware of the curious glances from the guards who had never seen him show this much interest in a member of the opposite sex before, save for Suki.

Sokka broke into a jog to catch up to Azula. How she moved so quickly he couldn't fathom. By the time he spotted her, he was huffing from the effort. She was the picture of calm, on the other hand. Not a hair out of place, not gasping for air like he was. He made a mental note to get in a sparring session later in the day. Keeping up with Azula was at the top of his list of things to do.

His breath slowed as he approached her. She was facing the rising sun, her eyes closed as if absorbing the heat from it. In this icy tundra he didn't know that he could even really feel the warmth from the sun at all. The air was bitterly cold, and his cheeks already felt numb, but the sensation wasn't unfamiliar. This was what he grew up in and he'd learned to love it.

Sokka slowed to a stop when he was several feet away. Azula had ripped her gloves and parka off, leaving her wrapped in a short sleeve tunic that clung to her thin frame. Her arms were outstretched to the sides, palms faced upwards. She inhaled deeply. Upon exhale, thick blue fire expelled from her breath, billowing up into the sky before the cold air whisked it away into nothingness.

She's beautiful.

This was all he could manage to think while watching the rising sun kissed her pale skin, granting her power and life. She was stronger now than she was last night, this much he was certain of. Blue flames unfurled in her palms and he could feel the heat from where he stood. It was almost too warm and made him sweat. He shrugged out of his own fur and pulled off his gloves, bristling at the powerful heat expelling from the master firebender and thanking the spirits that she hadn't flayed him alive the night before.

Her eyes opened, bright gold and alert. And holy fuck, they were on him. Her expression was impassive, void of any emotion when their eyes met. He'd give anything to see into that mind, if only for a moment.

Before he could say a word, her hand extended, palm up. Her fingers curled in once, beckoning him forward. He recognized the hunger in her eyes when her stance widened. She curled her fingers in again, daring him to come closer. She was asking him silently for a spar, but it felt like more than that. This wasn't a fight he could win physically. He was outmatched and they both knew it. He suspected that no length of training would he ever be enough to meet her level of expertise. He'd seen it firsthand on more than one occasion. He'd faced her when he'd escaped Boiling Rock Prison with his father and Suki in tow. Even with Zuko by this side then, they'd struggled to gain the upper hand. She was ruthless and unforgiving in combat, dangerous from afar and deadly in hand to hand combat.

A year ago, he'd been terrified of Azula. He'd known her as the epitome of evil, second only to her crazy father. She'd kidnapped and locked up his father and Suki and on more than one occasion tried to slaughter them all. So why was it different this time? He didn't feel fear. What he felt bordered closer to excitement—eagerness, even. Eagerness to try and understand her. To attempt to delve into the tall, impenetrable walls of her heart. Was this her way of communicating to him what she couldn't say aloud?

There was absolutely no chance of him coming out of this unscathed. And yet…

He stepped closer, drawing his sword from its sheath. The weight of it was familiar and he curled his fingers around the hilt, letting the blade become an extension of his arm. The acceptance of the invitation brought a flicker of a smile to Azula's lips, but it was fleeting.

The danced in a circle, mirroring the others footwork. Sokka's heart was thumping hard in his chest and he waited for her to make the first move. It was easier to dodge her than to attack and get caught in her fury. Her burning gaze never left his, even when she began charging at him full speed. He was quick enough to dodge a swift left hook and he pushed an elbow down to avoid the knee coming up into his gut. But she was fast—so fucking fast. He was lucky that her hands weren't lit in flames. They were like lightning striking at his upper body. The punches alone weren't particularly powerful, but in such quick succession he could feel pain blossoming in his chest. He grunted, using the hilt of his sword to jab into her ribs.

Azula gasped, gripped her ribs, and shot a deathly glare at his sword. He thumbed the hilt with a lopsided grin, carelessly waving the sword about in the air. She was on him faster than he'd anticipated. She was airborne, strong legs throwing bruising kicks at his midsection. He kept up with most of them, blocking what he could and grunting in pain when they landed. He waited for the right time and when it came, he caught her leg under his arm, holding it there. She flailed for a moment only to quickly recover and spring off her free leg, her lithe body bending with precision mid-air to aim her foot right at his head.

He dropped his sword, barely blocking the foot coming at his face before it could make contact. Her expression was still cool, but her eyes were lit with an emotion he couldn't read.

"Fight. Back."

Her order only made him tighten his hold on her leg. He took a step back, yanking her forward and pulling her off balance. Azula stumbled, her hands instinctively reaching forward to steady herself. His breath hitched when they landed on his bare shoulders, their bodies just inches away from touching. Her hands were incredibly warm and soft, these tiny hands that could kill him in an instant. The thought had his stomach curling in anticipation. She could do it now if she wanted to—she could set him alight and watch him burn. But instead, he watched her grit her teeth and violently push him away, her leg still caught under his strong hold. What desire she had to fight before had vanished. He saw her face flash with wide-eyed surprised before schooling back into a stoic glare.

"We're done," she hissed. "Release me."

Sokka was reluctant to let her go, on the brink of asking her why she hadn't singed all his hair off and danced around the pyre. He decided to let it go. She backed away several paces when she was freed, her eyes avoiding his. He picked up his fallen sword, sliding it back into its sheath and following her to retrieve their coats.

The silence was stifling.

He'd hoped that entertaining her spar would reveal more about her, but he was only more confused. Why hadn't she bended? Why had she stopped the fight when he knew she could have easily overpowered him?

He shrugged into his fur and slipped his gloves back on, watching her do the same and again face the sun. It was above the horizon now, rising steadily and washing the sky with brilliant shades of orange. Sokka sighed. It was nearly time for his morning meetings.

"Gran Gran will be awake soon, and she'll be looking for you."

Azula only nodded once and he tried to meet her eyes, but she turned her gaze to the river. She had that look on her face again, that strange expression where she was stewing in her own thoughts, as if too consumed by her mind to concentrate on anything else.

"Hey… are you okay?"

"I'll be along in a moment," she snapped, dismissing him. Sokka tried not to recoil at her sharp tone. He sighed, running a gloved hand over his hair whilst contemplating on whether he should cancel his meetings so he could continue his investigation on Azula's intentions. If he was being honest with himself, his initial desire to discover her master plan was becoming less important to him than figuring out the complex cogs of her mind, and what it was that triggered her. If he could just get her to open up even a little, he would have the answers to all his burning questions.

No matter, it had only been a day since her arrival. He was guessing she'd stick around for at least a couple of weeks to recover her strength before moving on as they had agreed. He had time and that gave him some small amount of comfort.

"I'll see you for dinner, 'Zula."

She waved another hand dismissively at him, but not before he caught the flicker of a smile on her lips. He couldn't understand the foreign sensation of his warmth in his chest at the sight, nor fight back his own lopsided grin.

Sokka trudged back towards the entrance to the village and was surprised to find Makya and Lakota waving at him urgently. He broke into a jog to meet them. Lakota was holding a white scroll with a familiar red seal on it. Sokka's heart dropped into his stomach. That was the seal of the Fire Nation—the seal of the Fire Lord.

"Chief, Fire Lord Zuko's personal eaglehawk just delivered this message addressed to you, and you alone… it seems urgent," Lakota explained, pushing the scroll into Sokka's hand. Sokka cleared his throat and awkwardly waved the scroll around jokingly.

"Ah, yeah. Poor guy's always sending me letters 'cause he needs advice on, uh, trade stuff. It's probably not urgent."

Sokka hurried away, leaving the guards with puzzled expressions.

He rushed back through the village towards his own hut, barely acknowledging the greetings from the early risers. When he was finally alone, he unraveled the scroll and read:

Sokka,

Azula has escaped from prison. I suspect she is heading towards the South Pole. By the time this reaches you, she may already be there. Keep an eye out and if you find her, don't make it known. We're on our way. Estimated arrival in one week.

Zuko

Sokka read the scroll again and again, not wanting to believe the horrible position he'd found himself in. He could feel he was on the verge of a breakthrough with Azula. He had just a week to either let her be captured upon Zuko's arrival or warn her and let her go free. The fact that he was even considering allowing her to flee was troubling him. She'd been nothing but spiteful and volatile since her arrival. There was no reason why he shouldn't just carry on believing that she was evil, that all she would do is lie to him and manipulate him. There was no reason why he shouldn't just let them come and take her, ensuring the safety of his people and his own life. So why was his gut telling him that it wasn't the right thing to do?

A loud knock on the door broke him from his jumbled thoughts. He tucked the scroll into his pants and opened the door to find the council at his door.

Oh shit, the morning meeting.

He channeled Azula, schooling his expression into one of pleasantry. "Good morning. Please, come in."

It was going to be a long fucking day.