Ashayna tossed softly in her bed, eyebrows furrowed, eyes closed.

A twelve-year-old Ashayna walked through a market, carrying a small basket of fruits. Around her bustled a small crowd of fire nation people. She watched as a group of ragged children ran through the street and into a run down house. Ashayna smiled sadly. For a country almost in charge of the world, it was incredibly poor. The castle loomed in the backdrop, reminding the fire nation people who was in charge of their wealth.

A sudden bump made Ashayna look forward. She faced a small twelve-year-old boy with shaggy black hair and dark eyes. He smiled. "Hey Shay!" he greeted her.

"Hey Sammy!" she exclaimed. He was her only best friend out of the palace; she and Sam had made lots of havoc outside the palace walls.

"I have something for you!" he said, grabbing her hand and, running with her down the road, brought her to the house. "Wait here," he shouted as he ran around the house. Ashayna watched him. His house seemed drabbier, his clothes seemed smaller, and his shoes were nowhere to be seen. She sighed, wishing her friend had a better life.

"Here we go!" he said grabbing a chain out of a pantry. "I spent two days making this." Sammy opened hand, revealing a small butterfly shaped pendant. It was made out of wood with small white lines.

Her eyes lit. "Samuel! It's amazing…how did you…"

"Dad and I made it together at his new job. He's a carpenter now." The boy's chest puffed with pride. Ashayna giggled, setting down her fruit basket to put the chain around her neck. She smiled.

"There's another special way to open it…but I'm going to let you figure it out," Sammy said with something close to a blush. He smiled mischievously. Ashayna smiled back. Despite his poor status, she had never met someone so happy.

Ashayna hugged him in thanks and pouted. "You're honestly not going to tell me how to open it?" she whined, fiddling the butterfly shaped pendant.

Sammy's mother walked in. She was pale and thin and looked even sicker than when Shay had last seen her. She looked at Ashayna urgently.

"Ashayna, you must get back to the palace. Zuko and his father are engaged in an Agni Kai. You need to get back as soon as possible. It doesn't look good for Zuko." Ashayna stood there in shock as Sam looked to stare at her. "GO now!" Sam's mother insisted.

Ashayna scrambled out of the house, leaving her basket as she ran to the palace as she could.

Not Zuko. Zuko….You didn't…You're father. Ugh. Your father…Zuko…

By the time Ashayna reached the palace she had tears coursing down her face. She feared the worst. She ran blindly in the palace, not sure where she was going. She found herself stumbling and she eventually had no clue where she was running. She slumped against the wall, sobbing.

"Ashayna…" came a rugged voice. Iroh's voice. Her head snapped up, tears still in her eyes.

"Come here quickly," he said, holding her hand and leading her down to the medical section of the palace.

Shay saw Zuko before she could tell what was wrong with him. She yanked away from Iroh and ran to him, wanting him to be alright.

Zuko looked up wearily and Shay gasped. The band-aid around his left eye was bloody. Zuko looked pale and weak, angry and shocked. Shay hugged him. Zuko…

He seemed embarrassed by her affection. "I'm ok Shay, don't worry," he said not as convincing as she knew he could be.

"Don't lie to me. What is going to happen? Will you still be able to see?" She waved her hand in front of his bandaged eye.

Zuko looked momentarily distraught. "I don't know…." The doctor walked over. He bowed.

"I'm sorry, prince, but we need to put you to sleep to check on your eye."

Zuko rested his head on Shay's shoulder. "Ok…" he muttered. Shay felt a tear land on her shoulder. Poor Zuko. How could his father do this to him?

He stood up and left. Iroh sat down next to her with a hefty sigh. They watched Prince Zuko walk away with the doctor.

"There are a few things you should know, Ashayna" Iroh said. He continued when she didn't respond. "Zuko has been banished." That got a gasp from Ashayna. "He is not allowed to return to the Fire Nation until he has found the Avatar and presented him to his father." Shay's voice started to raise in protest. Iroh raised his hand. Ashayna shut her mouth.

"I know it is unfair. He went into the Agni Kai thinking that he was battling General Izor. He questioned his military command after he wanted to sacrifice a brigade of young soldiers to distract another fleet. Zuko did not understand why they had to waste all those young lives. He spoke up."

Ashayna's soldiers shook with soft sobs. She was going to loose her best friend.

"I will be going with Zuko to search. Ashayna, I need to you watch the palace while we are gone. If we stay away for more than two years, search for us…"

She looked up at him questioningly, tears in her eyes. It couldn't be happening…

The young girl stood up and ran down the corridor, running to Zuko's room. The doctor passed her in the hallway as she ran to his door. Good, Zuko would be in his room alone. She opened the door and ran over to his bed, where the young price lay sleeping. Crawling onto the bed and sitting on her knees, she kneeled over him and cried. She couldn't loose him. Her new butterfly chain hung around her neck, barely touching Zuko's chest.

Soon her sobs turned into song.

"After all this has passed

I still will remain

After I've cried my last

There will be beauty from pain

Although it won't be today

Someday I will hope again

And there will be beauty from pain

You will become beauty from the pain"

Zuko's eyes fluttered open. He smiled

Ashayna awoke, remembering one of the worst days of her life. Zuko lay beside her, his back to her. They were back at her house for the night. She reached for her butterfly pendent. She still had not figured out how to open it. Ashayna snuggled close to Zuko, holding her pendent in one hand, and his hand in the other.

(Song lyric credits to Superchick, Beauty from Pain)