Jay POV

"Soooo Uncle are you excited?"

"More nervous than anything Little Jay. I always thought I would be at the palace doors as a conquerer, but now we are here not as enemies but as personal guests. Destiny can be funny sometimes."

We were taken to a simple room with a throne for the King to sit. I can't help but think this is all a little suspicious. I mean the person who gave me the invite was a little sketchy. The King was now twenty minutes late.

"Guys something doesn't seem right."

"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" The Dai Lee started coming into the room and surrounded us. Zuko spoke first.

"Something isn't right." Then Azula walked into the room. Shit. Shit. SHIT!

I was to caught up in trying to find an escape that I didn't hear the conversation between Iroh and Azula. When Zuko pulled me down, Iroh started breathing fire. I wish I could do that. Wait get a hold of yourself Jay! We need to escape! Iroh blew a hole into the wall and we made a b line for it.

"Hurry up! The Dai Lee are right behind us!"

Iroh used his lightning to blow a hole in the side of the palace wall and jumped out. Crap! I can't make that!

"Just jump you'll be fine!"

"No! I'm tired of running! It's time I faced Azula!" Is he completely insane!?

"Jay look after him!" I nod following Zuko. Azula stood in front of us with the Dai Lee backing her up. I can't take all of them! There are too many!

"You're so dramatic. What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

"Yes I challenge you!" Just Shut Up you Idiot! I stood there like a complete dolt.

"No thanks."

Zuko then tried to hurl fire at her, but the Dai Lee blocked it. I anticipated their counter attacks, but one of them got my hand. I flew back hitting the wall, my hand stuck. Not too soon after Zuko was stuck to the ground. Holy Koh is this bad. They grabbed both of us then led us to an open space in the palace. There's a city under us. The Dai Lee opened a hole and threw us in. I twisted my arm when I fell.

"Ouch!"

"Zuko!" Is that..

"Katara?"

"Jay!" She ran over to me and took my arm.

"Ouch! Hey easy easy."

"Sorry just let me help." She took out the her pouch that held a few drops of water at best. "It's just a sprain. This should be enough." The pain slowly washed away.

"Thanks."

"No problem." She then turned to Zuko looking super pissed. "Why did they throw you down here?! Oh wait let me guess. It's a trap, so when Aang comes to help me you can finally have him in your little fire nation clutches." Zuko just glanced at her then turned away. Zuko... Katara then went on a rant. "You're a terrible person! You know that? Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!"

"Excuse me?!" I get up and start toward her. She doesn't damn know what she's talking about. I mean yea he did that but he's changed! Zuko stops me and turns to Katara.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." She's crying.

"I'm sorry. That's something we have in common." She turns around surprised. I decided to speak up.

*Sighs* "I guess that's something we all have in common. Ya know except the fact that both my parents were murdered." I lean back on one of the crystals releasing my anger. I then realized something. Hold us a sec. We're under ground. Shouldn't I be able to bend us an escape?

Zuko POV

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you before."

"It doesn't matter."

"It's just that for so long now, whenever I imagined the face of the enemy, it was your face."

"My face? I see." I touch my scar self conscious.

"No. No. That's not what I meant."

"It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

"Maybe you could be free of it. I have water from the Spirit Oasis in the North pole. It has special properties, and I've been saving it for a special occasion."

Jay POV

These crystals are a part of the earth right? I should be able to bend them then. I get up and get into a horse stance and try bending. Although my wrist was still hurt. I winced in pain.

"Ow Ow Ow." I rubbed my wrist trying to relieve the pain. Guess that water wasn't enough. I overhear Zuko and Katara talking. I smile at hearing Zuko saying that he's choosing his own path. The ground starts trembling beneath my feet. "Guys we got company." I run over to them and push them back in time for a boulder to crash into the crystals. Aang and Iroh appear after the dust settled. Katara runs over to hug Aang, and he gives Zuko a dirty look.

"Uncle. I don't understand. Why are you with the Avatar?"

"Saving you that's what." Aang looks pretty pissed. Probably cause he doesn't like the idea of helping the person who's trying to kill him. I had to hold Zuko back from fighting him, though it hurt my wrist a lot.

"Zuko, it's time we talked. Go help you other friends. We'll catch up with you." Aang and Katara leave but stop giving me a questioning look. I look back at Iroh who nods giving me permission to go.

"We'll see each other again old man." I run after them but stop wanting to hear their conversation. I tell Katara and Aang to go ahead without me and hide behind some of the crystals eavesdropping.

"Why, Uncle?"

"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."

I feel the earth shaking, but it was too late to warn them. The Dai Lee and Azula come bursting through the wall and encase Iroh in crystals. I want to help them, but I know coming out wouldn't help at all. It'd just get me captured as well. I resumed my place behind the crystals listening.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle. But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?"

"Release him immediately."

"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself."

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you."

"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle? I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want."

"Zuko, I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want."

"You are free to choose." Azula and the Dai Lee leave heading in the direction Katara and Aang ran off to. I jump out of my hiding spot when I determined they were far enough away.

"You're not actually considering her offer are you?!" My sudden movement surprised them.

"Little Jay, what're you doing here?"

"I was listening to you guys. Now answer me Zuko! Are you planning to go back to the fire nation? The place where your father burned you. Are you that desperate for the approval and love of a man who never once gave you affection?! And what about me? What about us?" He left towards where everyone left without responding. "Zuko..." I turn back towards Iroh sniffling.

"I'm so sorry Little Jay." I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Yea... I am too. Now let's get you out of there." I start kicking at the crystals chipping them off in chunks. The shards scattered and ripped off the bandages on my legs.

"Jay stop! Just earth bend them away."

"I can't Iroh. When the Dai Lee threw us down here, I twisted my wrist and can't do bending with my arms." I kicked off the last of the crystal hold him prisoner.

"Thank you. Now let me take a look." I held out my arm for him, and he gently examined the damage. "Here you go." He began wrapping my wrist with a cloth he took out of his pocket.

"Iroh -"

"Shhh. I'll have no complaining." He continued wrapping my wrist. "I'm sorry it's come to this. I'm sorry, but I have a favor to ask." He tied the ends tight, so they wouldn't go undone.

"Anything."

"My nephew is going back to the fire nation. He's lost his way, and I don't want him to be alone. Azula and the Dai Lee will capture me, but they don't know who you are. Please, find a way to look after him." I didn't have words, so I just hugged him. "I have a plan to help the avatar escape. I'll distract everyone until they escape, then when the Dai Lee capture me, you come out and find a way to get into going with Zuko. Okay?"

"Okay Iroh. I promise I'll watch over him. And Iroh?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for being the best dad ever."

We hugged each other tight then set our plan in motion. As soon as the Dai Lee encased Iroh in crystal, I ran out. Zuko was surprised to see me.

"Hey Zuko. Why's your Uncle encased in crystal?"

"ZuZu? Who is she?"

"Oh I'm terribly sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Jay. I've been Zuko's bodyguard for the past year."

"His bodyguard? Why would he need one of those? And haven't I seen you before?"

"Well last year his ship was taken over by pirates, and he hired me. We have actually met before. Remember? You shot lightning at me."

"Oh yes, the earth bender with mouth."

"So very sorry about that. I didn't know you were Zuko's sister." Great Koh I hate being nice to this bitch. I really want to strangle her.

"We're actually both royalty. We're the Fire Lord's children."

"Oh pardon my rudeness Princess Azula and Prince Zuko." I kneeled down in front of them. " I was never made aware of this fact. Please forgive me." I can't believe I'm doing this right now.

"Hmm. I like her. Zuko you can bring her home with us."

"Thank you Princess for allowing me to travel with you." I stood with my head bowed and followed them back up to the throne room. I wonder why Zuko didn't rat me out. I stood silently behind Zuko.

"We've done it, Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se."

"I betrayed Uncle."

"No, he betrayed you. Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero." I really want to kill her. Would anyone be upset if I do?

"But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor?" You're still going on about that?! WTF! You learned not an hour ago that you doesn't need his father's approval!"

"He doesn't need to, Zuko. Today, you restored your own honor." How come I still feel like she's manipulating him. Oh wait. Cause she is.