If Only

Part Three

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He was General Iroh. Once Crown Prince. Husband. Father. Uncle. Dragon of the West. The Liberator of Ba Sing Se.

He had many regrets, but all in all he had lived a goodlife. Iroh might not consider himself to be a good man, but it was that in itself that did make him such. All of his young life he had believed the lies of the Fire Nation and had sought to prove himself to his father. He had been the Crown Prince and therefore the more favored son in his father's eyes. Who was he to have known that it would make his little brother hate him? There was an age difference between them of some years. Iroh had only ever tried to show his brother love, that it did not all have to be about power.

That only made Ozai detest him further. Eventually after years of futile effort…he gave up. Iroh had not known what else to do. It had troubled him to see his little brother lose his way. Ozai had lost himself in his quest for power. Just like their father had.

For the last decade Iron had been the proud owner of the best tea shop in all of Ba Sing Se. It was peculiar to think that once had sought to conquer it for the Fire Nation. Than only to have liberated it years later for the Earth Kingdom.

Ba Sing Se.

It was a place of many memories.

Some good. Some bad.

He remembered the days he had been the general besieging its walls. Lu Ten… His beloved son. His only son. Lu Ten had died because of him. His son had served under him in the war…to make him proud. To uphold the family honor. To prove himself to his father. That is what he regretted the most out of his life. His son.

Iroh recalled his wife who had struggled to bring their son into the world. It had been arranged, but he had loved her. She had been such a small thing. That was why she had gone out easily like a flame. Just gone…

What a way to treat her gift to him…their treasure…their son

Iroh's thoughts turned to the one other most important person in his life. Words could not truly convey how proud he was of his nephew. He had afraid for him once. Here in Ba Sing Se once, long ago. The lad had made a poor choice and he had feared that….

That the boy would become like his brother.

Like his father.

Hope had held well for him. Zuko was now the Fire Lord and a better one than he could ever have been. Zuko sat beside him now as he lay in his room above the shop. Iroh opened his eyes to look at the expectant eyes of his prized nephew. His other son in his heart. "Uncle?"

"It'll be soon," Iroh managed to say. Soon…soon he would be with them. His wife. Lu Ten.

He saw the sadness in Zuko's eyes. "Is there any way to convince you to stay?"

Iroh chuckled, but it came out as a rasping sound. "Proud of you…" He whispered, "I…."

Iroh paused. Would he say that? Most men do not exchange such words. His father had not. His brother never would have.

He was not them. "I love you," Iroh whispered haltingly. Zuko's face was becoming distant and his voice stretched across a wide distance.

"I love you too."

Lord Iroh, Uncle of the Fire Lord, closed his eyes and breathed no more. One last thought had tormented him. Only one. For when he had looked at his nephew's eyes, he had thought of Ursa and her daughter…Azula…

Things could have been different for the both of them.

If only….Iroh had thought vaguely.

If only I had tried to save them…like Lu Ten….If only...


A/N:I think to do one for Ozai and call it quits. Thanks for reading and please review!