An: okay so I got some hits but no reviews... come on ppl help me out!! Tell me if u think it's A good story idea or not, or even if u have some ideas for it. Nething would be appreciated.

Oh and just so u kno its not from Coh's perspective nemore, from now on its just 3rd person unless said otherwise. And by the way this takes place right after the second season finale. Zuko's still in Ba Sing Se.

Disclaimer: still don't own avatar

Warning: This chapter does have violence and it's kinda gory, that's why it's rated M.

Oh yeah and obviously

"Speech" [ duh )

'Thought'

author notes[I'll try not to do it often... during the story neways

Okay chapter 1.. )

The Guardians

Chapter 1- Zuko

He should have known better. Azula always lies, he knew that. Yet here he sat in a cold dark cell thinking about how much he had messed up. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. He knew how conniving his sister was and he still fell for her sugar coated lies. She did have quite a honeyed tongue, a way with words that he wasn't gifted with. But she was always able to do more than him. Well, not more, just better. His naive self just wanted his home and acceptance back. Though in the process he ended up giving up just that. His home, his acceptance. He gave up his uncle. A tear slid down his cheek from his good eye, seeping into a scratch on his jaw line. The salty droplet burned and stung, but he didn't care. He deserved it, it was his punishment. Besides it's not like he could wipe it away with his hands bound to the steel wall behind him, his arms stuck above his head.

Yes, there Zuko sat in a damp, dark cell, only in his pants, beaten and bloody. The funny thing was that by the time Zuko had realized his mistake, his uncle had already escaped. Azula didn't tell him incase he would try to free Iroh, she didn't trust Zuko's loyalty. And quite justly, a Dai Li agent caught Zuko breaking into Iroh's old cell only to find nothing but broken shackles hanging from the wall. At the sounds of a fight more Dai Li came running and Zuko was soon overpowered. He may be a strong fighter, but even the banished prince has his limits. Zuko grunted as he tried to reposition his arms. He had only been in the cell for two days but his arms had already lost their feeling. It's not good to have them stuck above your head, the blood drains out of them rather quickly. He just let his arms hang limp, the shackles around his wrist biting into his skin.

'How did Uncle escape?' He brought his knees up to his chest and leaned forward a little. He was sitting on the floor, his arms attached to the wall half a foot above his head. It was an odd arrangement in the cell, usually a prisoner would stand, their feet shackled at the bottom of the wall and their hands shackled off to the sides. Yes, it was a peculiar cell, one made so that the prisoner wasn't shackled at the feet but couldn't stand anyway. Odd, but somewhat efficient. Besides, maybe he could use it to his advantage when his sister came back for more fun. During her last visit he was punched, scratched , and cut. Her nails really did remind him of claws.

Light flooded into the cell as the door creaked open. He had to squint to see but made out a female figure silhouetted in the doorway. 'Not Azula' Zuko moaned as the figure stepped forward, but to his surprise it wasn't her smug smirk plastered on her vicious face. It was a girl with high cheek bones, a slim face, and hawk like eyes. Her face was expressionless and when she spoke her monotone voice sounded almost bored. "Zuko."

"Mai?" Zuko asked, not believing that Mai would come down to the cell, or at least not without Azula. Her face softened briefly as she took in his wounds, his arms had scratches. Five actually, on each arm. It was like Azula had grabbed his shoulders and raked her hands downward, leaving thin gashes behind. His chest and stomach was littered in bruises and there was one line that was clean cut running from his left collarbone to the middle of his chest. That wasn't done by nails, that was done by a knife. She began to walk forward, towards him, when her foot hit something and she heard the distinct sound of metal sliding on metal. She looked down and saw a tray of food, a tray of fresh fruits to be exact. It was a good eight feet away from Zuko, not like he'd be able to eat it if it was within reach anyway. 'Another form of torture I suppose. It's amazing what Princess Azula will do to people, especially to her own flesh and blood.' Mai sighed as she stepped over the food to walk to Prince Zuko's side. 'She'll get mad if he eats.' Mai pushed down the urge to give the food to her crush, the boy that she still liked from her childhood. It's amazing how in someone's absence, all you do is miss them and think about them and then when you see them again, you like them more than before. It's sort of like if you haven't eaten in days, but when you finally get that food that your body has been craving, it's best piece of food you have ever had.

"Zuko, I'm sorry," Mai's voice was still drone, her face still impassive, but her eyes were her weakness. They showed her true grief and when Zuko looked into them, he knew she indeed was sorry.

"Let me go," his voice came out more commanding than he wanted it too, still raw from disuse and dry from not drinking water.

Her eyes widened for a moment but soon went back to her blank expression. She stood from her kneeling position, turned and walked to the door. As she was once again silhouetted by the light, her body turned to a dark shadow, she turned to face him. He barely saw her slight nod and hear her whisper "Tomorrow," before she left and shut the door. He heard the click of a lock and then soft footfalls grow fainter and fainter. He briefly smiled before falling asleep.

Zuko was awakened by the loud slam of the cell door crashing into the wall. His first thought was that he was being rescued by Mai. His second thought was that his first was wrong. There Azula stood at the door, whip in hand. It was going to be a painful morning. With a flick of her wrist, Azula motioned for assistance. A girl in pink came bouncing in, she quickly jabbed Zuko in some pressure points and whipped around to leave. Her braid flew out from behind her as she did a cartwheel out of the room. Zuko just stared, 'What the hell was that?' Two guards came forward, one unlocked his shackles and the other hauled him up onto his feet. His arms were numb, his back was sore, and his wounds stung as they were stretched open. But that was the least of his worries. The guards turned him around so that his back faced Azula. One stood at each side, both holding his arms so that his back protruded out more than themselves. His arms were held slightly in front of him to make sure his back was an easy target. Taking in a deep breath Zuko tried to shoot fire from his mouth at the guard to his right. Nothing came out but hot air. 'My bending, no,' without his bending, he had no hope. He couldn't rely on his strength, he was weak. He would never underappreciated food again. Or water, or just the ability to move around.

CRACK! Zuko bit his lip to keep from screaming as the whip connected with his back, his skin splitting under the force. He felt the warm trickle of blood run down his back, he didn't even register the fact that his lip was bleeding also. "Zuzu, you're pathetic. You've betrayed me, Father, the Firenation!" CRACK! Another splice was on his back now, criss-crossing the one from earlier. He grunted in an effort to hold in his scream. It was not that his pride was too big, his ego too large, his mind too stubborn, no. It was just the simple fact that he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of making him cry out. CRACK! Another raw line was left on his back. The skin parting to show his well-formed muscle. More blood dribbled down his back and stopped at the rim of his pants. He heard Azula raise her arm, the whip drag on the floor as she readied it. He unconsciously flexed his muscles, every muscle in his body. He tensed in preparation for the next hit. CRACK! It hit his back and wrapped around the front, also hitting his sensitive chest. He couldn't hold it in, Zuko howled in pain. He heard the whip drop, footsteps come closer. He felt nails drag lazily over his back. The guards turned him around to face Azula, pain contorting his face. Her hand raked down his chest, she stopped as her nails reached the whip mark. She smiled, 'It made it to the front,' she jug her nails into the shallow gash, looking at Zuko's face for his reaction.

"Ughh," he didn't scream, or moan. It was more like a loud grunt. She dug her nails deeper. Zuko once again was biting his lip in a vain attempt at being quiet. Azula was growing bored, so she ripped her hand downwards. Zuko screamed. Her nails ripping his skin, tearing the shallow gash into a deep wound. The skin hung slightly away from his muscle, which her nails had also cut into. Blood was pouring out of it relentlessly, he could feel the hot, sticky liquid coat his abs. The pain was blinding. He saw white behind his eyes, the room was starting to spin. "Disappointing," he heard Azula chuckle as she walked out of the room. He passed out before the guards were even able to restrain him once again.

In his deep slumber he did not have nightmares, like expected. No, he dreamt of a women. It was a women who he had known, who looked familiar. It was his mother. She walked forward with flames dancing around her feet. She spoke in a song-like voice, so soothing. "Zuko, my son. You have a gift. Use it." and she walked away. The flames faded and Zuko was left in complete darkness. He slept as peacefully as a beaten man could.

okay so how was that? So yeah I know that we don't know if Zuko's mom is dad, but I've always assumed. Besides who better to guide Zuko than his own mother? Rite?

Well neway please review. If you review for me I'll read your story if I haven't already and then review for you ) sound good? Yes!