AN: I've probably rewritten this chapter like one hundred times until I was happy with it. Yes this one's a little boring but I promise tyzula is coming in the next chapter. As always R&R :)

Azula was looking intently at the small beaten path along the cliffs where two figures were making their way toward the ship. She smiled to herself. Zuzu was so predictable. The captain stood next to her shifting his weight from foot to foot like he had been for the past fifteen minutes. He had been nervous when she had ordered only soldiers to be stationed on deck while below while the 'dangerous traitors' arrived. The idiot didn't realize that this mission required subtlety, something he and her brother had in common.

Deciding she had had enough of the captain, Azula turned towards him, "Yes Captain? Is there something you would like to say?"

The man immediately stopped moving and stood still, looking anywhere but at the Princess, "No, Princess."

"I didn't think so. Now unless you can control yourself around my uncle and brother i suggest you wait below with the rest of the soldiers." The man bowed and quickly walked away while Azula turned back to wait.

As Zuko boarded the ship, Azula saw him looking around for someone. "Soza's not here. She had to stay in her quarters," she answered before her brother had a chance to open his mouth. She smirked at the sudden flash of concern on his face.

Zuko knew somehow that Azula had something to do with Soza missing, but he wasn't sure how. He hated how Azula just smirked down at him, knowing how protective he was of his sister.

"Is she okay? What happened, Azula?" A scowl overtook his features as his hands bawled up into fists. At his side, he felt Iroh put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off.

Azula raised her eyebrow at his reaction, "Why are you always so uptight, Zuzu? It's just a fever, but the way you're reacting, you'd think she was dying."

Zuko's eyes widened and he felt panic rising in his chest. This wasn't right. She had been fine yesterday. "Where is she?" He demanded, making a step for the door that led to the quarters. Before he could storm toward it, Iroh was by his side, restraining him.

"Patience, nephew. I am sure Azula would be more than happy to bring us to Soza."

Azlua didn't miss the flicker of suspicion in Iroh's eyes before he turned to her, waiting for her answer. The old man was cleverer than he let on. She had known he was more than the tea-loving old fool he usually was, but she wasn't sure how much he knew. It's probably better to keep an eye on him then ignore him. He's more of a threat than Zuko anyway.

"If Zuko is so determined to see Soza then, then yes I will take you to her."

"Thank you." Iroh bowed his head in thanks before following his niece and nephew to the door.

"No!" Soza screamed and jolted awake, but she could still see Zuko's face as the fire slowly burned him into nothingness. His eyes had been so empty, so cold. She rolled to the side of the bed and vomited up the contents of the small meal she had managed to eat the night before, disgusted at what she had seen. Weakly, she rolled back onto her back and closed her eyes, but it was no use. Zuko's death played itself over and over again and she was forced to watch herself kill him again and again...

"It was just a dream." She whispered to herself, "It didn't actually happen." For the first time she realized how hot she felt as she placed a hand on her forehead. Soza flinched at the heat radiating off of it. Even for a firebender, it was abnormally high. It was just a fever dream. It didn't mean anything. Soza wished she could believe herself, but she had a feeling it had been more than that. What had Roku said? Something about a choice..her eyes snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice in the hallway.

"How much farther Azula? I swear if this is a trick I'll-" The door handle to her room turned and framed in the doorway was Azula, who looked at her in surprise. Behind her, was Zuko, frozen in midrant with a scowl on his face.

"Zuko?"

Soza's voice cut through Zuko like a knife and he pushed passed Azula to kneel by her bed, ignoring the vomit on the floor. Her face was unusually pale and she looked so small under the bundle of blankets she was piled under. Gently, he took one of her hands, which trembled slightly in his. Iroh came up to the bed and stood alongside Zuko, carefully looking her over.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko asked tentatively. She laughed weakly at his question and he immediately felt like an idiot for asking. He could feel the waves of heat radiating off of her and her forehead was covered with sweat.

"Just try to sleep, okay?" He touched his sister's cheek lovingly to coax her to sleep, but her expression was fearful.

Iroh frowned slightly as he placed a hand on Soza's head. He slowly traced a path to her forehead and his eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing, Uncle?" Zuko asked, annoyed at his strange behavior.

"I am checking her chakra points. Sometimes illness is caused by agitated chi that can block the chakras from flowing properly." He informed his nephew.

"And?"

Iroh withdrew his hand from Soza's forehead. "Her chakras are fine, but her chi is agitated."

"Can you fix it?" Zuko demanded.

His uncle stroked his beard, choosing his words carefully knowing that Azula was listening. "Yes but it may take some time."

"You'll stay with me right?" Soza asked Zuko, trying to keep the panic from her voice.

She didn't care that once he found out about her betrayal he would hate her. Right now, she needed him because the thought of him leaving was unthinkable. The dream didn't seem real with him kneeling in front of her, his eyes full of warmth instead of the cold emptiness.

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Azula was silent while she watched her siblings, and she felt a twinge of jealousy at how close they were. Zuko had always been ready to protect their sister from her, not caring how much Azula tortured him as long as Soza was alright. It was sickening how much he cared about her, and she hated how Soza chose him over her. That was going to change though.

"Princess!"

Azula turned to look back down the corridor where the captain was making his way towards her with a scroll in his hand.

"A message has just arrived from the Firelord."

She held her hand out for the scroll, which the captain handed to her. The symbol of the Fire Nation royal family glinted in the dim light before she broke the seal.

The Avatar has been spotted flying towards the Western Earth Kingdom Mountain Range. I am making his capture top priority and am officially turning the mission over to you and Soza. Do not fail.

Finally a real challenge. Azula quickly rolled up the scroll with a plan already forming in her head. She handed the message back to the captain and turned to Zuko.

"I have to take care of some things before we leave for home."

Zuko nodded, barely listening as Soza looked at her sister curiously. "What did Dad say?"

Azula shot her a warning look and replied coolly, "We can discuss that later. Right now I have to go if I'm going to be back by tonight."

She quickly closed the door and gestured for the captain to follow her.

"Post two guards at the door to keep an eye on them. While I am gone, you will stay away from my Uncle and Zuko. Don't let any of the men let slip that they have been branded traitors or they and you will have to answer to me. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Zuko was starting to doze off in the chair next to Soza's bed, utterly exhausted. Iroh had been working on a 'special tea' as he called it for the past hour that was supposed to calm her chi. The ingredients had been easy enough to find in the village, but they had to be added to the boiling water in just the right amount or it wouldn't work. They seemed to have made it successfully though since Soza's fever had gone down and the color was returning to her face. Zuko glanced over at Iroh who was watching Soza sleeping with a faraway look in his eye.

"What's wrong, Uncle?"

Iroh sighed, looking older and more tired than usual. "My brother has a talent for twisting people to serve his purpose. I'm afraid this time isn't any different."

Zuko glared at him, furious at the old man's stubbornness. "For the last time, this isn't a trap! I trust Soza, and she says we're going home."

"And look at her now Zuko," Iroh gestured angrily at the sleeping girl. "Her chi was agitated, which only happens when a person acts against their nature. She is obviously conflicted about something."

Zuko shook his head, "You just can't accept that my father wants me back."

"My brother has only ever cared about power. He sees you and your sisters as weapons and he wouldn't hesitate to use you sisters against you." Iroh explained patiently.

"You're wrong! Soza wouldn't betray me like that."

"It's been four years. Many things can change during that time, nephew." Iroh replied sadly.

"Yes but- ," Zuko struggled for the right words to say, when he heard something that made him stop. He frowned and moved closer to the door to hear the noise better.

"-moved to the Boiling Rock instead," a guard's voice issued from the other side of the door.

"Why not the prison in the capital?"

The other guard scoffed, "There's not enough security yet. These aren't common prisoners we're dealing with. That prison would be simple enough for the 'Dragon of the West' to escape."

Zuko gritted his teeth, but he stayed silent until the voices had faded down the hall. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. He moved as if in a dream to face his uncle. There was a roaring in his ears and he felt himself losing control. Not her. Not Soza.

Iroh took one look at him and tried to move to stand in front of his niece, but he wasn't quick enough. Zuko strode toward the bed, grabbing his sister who woke with a gasp and slammed her against the bedframe.

"You lied!" Soza's eyes were wide with fright as she struggled in her brother's grip.

"What the hell are you talking about? Let me go!"

"Not until you tell me the truth, Soza! I just overheard two guards talking outside about transferring us to the Boiling Rock! So you better have a good explanation."

Soza's eyes watered as she stared into her brother's face, "I had no choice, Zuko. Father ordered us to capture you and that's what we did."

Zuko shoved her away from him. Soza didn't even try to stop him. "You tricked me!"

She looked away from him and tried to ignore the guilt gnawing at her. " I obeyed my orders unlike you."

A look of surprise passed over Zuko's face before he snarled and lunged at his sister. Acting on instinct, she ducked under his outstretched arm and moved to take as stance in front of the door.

"Your actions cost the Fire Nation a victory and I can't let you escape right now."

Zuko sneered and stretched his arms out wide "Then go ahead! Attack me! If you believe in following orders than do it."

"I—" Soza stared at her brother unsure what to do, "I'm not going to attack you if you won't fight back!"

"Oh and I can just take your word for that? Because last time I trusted you, you lied and nearly got me sent to prison!" Zuko spat.

Frustration built in Soza at her brother's words, "What don't you understand about I had no choice!"

"You always have a choice." Both siblings turned to stare at Iroh who was sitting pensively in his chair.

Soza shook her head, angry that neither of them could possibly understand, "No I don't! You don't know what my father will do if I disobey him."

Iroh's eyes glinted dangerously, "I am more than aware of what my brother is capable of than you think."

"No you don't," Soza snapped, "You have no idea what I had to go through while Zuko was gone, so stop pretending to understand."

"Oh and you think banishment was nothing compared to whatever you went through? I've had to struggle for everything and you were given whatever you wanted just because you were a prodigy." Zuko was furious at what he saw as Soza taking everything she had foregranted.

"Father would have treated you the same as Azula if it wasn't for me and he never let me forget that I was a failure! I'm sure as soon as I was gone he groomed you to be the perfect princess!"

Soza couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't wanted to believe Azula when she said Zuko was jealous of her but he had just confirmed it himself. But she had to be sure.

"Whats that supposed to mean, Zuko?"

Zuko stared at her in disbelief. Did he have to spell it out for her?

"I'm saying you are a spoiled brat who has no idea what she is talking about! You're just like Azula, lying and manipulating everyone and not caring who you hurt along you way to get what you want."

"Is that what you think?" Her voice was dangerously low, barely controlled anger evident in every syllable.

"It's what I know." Zuko said with conviction.

"Enough Zuko!" Iroh warned as he stood from his chair.

He briefly saw a flash of his other niece in Soza's defiant stare before her gaze softened.

"In your heart you know this mission is wrong, so I am begging you to think this through before you do something you regret."

Soza's eyes met Iroh's and defiance burned brightly in her eyes. "You want me to betray my country and my father?"

She looked at Zuko, who was staring determinedly at the floor, then at Iroh who looked expectantly at her. "I can't believe you see Azula as the manipulative one when you two are worse. You don't care what happens to me just as long as I help you!"

Without another thought, Soza banged on the door. "Guards!"

Immediately, two soldiers burst through the door, "What is it Princess?"

"I am changing my sister's orders. Take these men to the holding cell. They have been officially declared traitors to the Fire Nation."

Iroh was the first to react. Flames shot from his hands directly at the guards, but they dissipated the fire and sent two roaring flames towards him. Iroh threw his hands up and a wall of blinding flame erupted in front of him so that it easily absorbed the attack. Without warning, he sent a gigantic arc of fire was roaring towards Soza.

She easily parted the flames and felt the familiar rush of heat to her hand as she prepared to release her inner fire, but the crackling of electricity stopped her. Her eyes widened and she only had a split second to dive out of the way as a bolt of lightning blasted the metal wall mere feet from where she had been standing. Soza coughed as she crawled from the scattered remains of what had been the wall moments ago. The guards hadn't been quick enough and had been thrown out into the hallway by the explosion.

Soza doubled over coughing from the smoke and she heard a Iroh's voice, "Zuko let's go!"

Eyes watering, she glanced up just in time to see Iroh disappear through the hole in the wall with Zuko close behind, but he stopped for a moment to look one last time at her. His eyes met hers, but there was no more warmth in his gaze. Soza looked away, helpless to stop him as he left the room without a word.