The sound of the chamber door slamming woke Zuko from his slumber. His eyes found the bed which was empty before moving to the door to the adjoining washroom. Ignoring Iroh who was still asleep he raced over to the door, throwing it open. Azula was doubled over, heaving into the basin that usually held water for washing. Her body was trembling as well and perspiration stuck the thin robe she wore to her skin. She didn't even look up at the sound of his entry, far too miserable to be aware of something as simple as the door opening. it was really a miracle she had anything left in her body to expel but there seemed to be no shortage. Zuko stood there for a moment, paralyzed by the obvious display of helplessness. The worst was that he could do nothing, nothing to help her--not that she would want such help.

Ignoring all of that he strode past her to the corner of the room where there was a pitcher and a cup. Grabbing both he poured the cup and walked back over just as she was finishing. Instead of showing anger or disgust to him she just reached out her hand, grabbing the water from his and taking a big gulp, swishing it around in her mouth and spitting it into the bucket. For a moment she seemed almost pensive before she seemed to come to some decision and took a deep gulp of the water, draining the glass. She lowered it from her mouth but hesitated before setting it down. Zuko realized, belatedly, that she was waiting for more water. He quickly filled the glass once more before she drained it. She drained three glasses before setting the cup down on the table and turning around, striding out of the room without so much as looking at him. Zuko set down the pitcher and strode after her, catching the door before she could slam it into his face.

"Azula wait!" he said, "don't--"

"Go? Go where exactly?!" she demanded spinning around, her gold eyes flashing as she quickly caught herself before she could fall flat on her face, "you have me kept here like some--like some--" she stopped angrily, turning bak away from him and walking over to the bed, her fingers digging into the post.

She could feel Zuko's eyes boring into her back but she couldn't bring herself to turn around. She felt ill, ill and weak. Hadn't it only been a little while ago that she had stood by the bed and told Zuko he was going to be killed? Now she was barely able to remain on her feet and he was standing there as the Fire Lord no less. It was humiliating, degrading and another thing she could add to the list of things that made her turn and run back to the washroom, throwing up every ounce of liquid she had consumed. As she emptied her stomach once more, quite miserably, Azula thought that it would probably be better if she was still drugged. At least that did not feel as miserable as this. Surrounded by people she hated more than life itself, physically ill, the list went on and on.

And to top it off, hovering in the corner of her wavering vision was her brother's hand, holding that infernal glass of water.

"You've poisoned me enough!" Azula cried viciously at him, feeling a grim amount of satisfaction at the raw pain in his eyes even through the agony in her throat.

Instead of answering her, Zuko walked out of the room, setting the glass within reach. Azula gripped the edge of the table as she heard her brother speak to someone before she heard his feet come to just outside the door. Furiously Azula grabbed the water and rinsed her mouth out before walking out of the room. Zuko stepped forward at the same time she did. Azula turned to him, opening her mouth to tell him just how terrible he was but her knees buckled. Zuko's hand streaked out, grabbing her before she could fall. Azula tried to strike back but her body was too weak and much to her shame her hand gripped the heavy silk of his robe. Zuko held onto her tightly and Azula found herself taking a few miserable steps before sitting down heavily on the bed, her head moving between her knees.

"Gods I hate you," she said.

Zuko said nothing as the door was opened and Azula felt the world darken further.

"Master Katara--" she heard someone announce.

"Not as much as I hate her," she managed to gasp out as the world slammed shut like a door.

Zuko winced as he heard Azula gasp out the insult before the sound of a body hitting the floor confirmed she had passed out. Turning away from Katara he raced towards her form, pulling her onto her back. She was out cold but seemed, at the very least, alive. Carefully Zuko put his hands at her legs and his other behind her shoulders, pulling her up before setting her on the bed. He turned to Katara, misery in his golden eyes as the Water Tribe Master stood there patiently. She did not look at Azula with pity or sadness, as though she was still the Bending Master that had almost killed them instead of whatever she had become. But her eyes did soften when she saw how terrible Zuko looked.

"Its alright," she said softly, "let me look at her."

He nodded and moved aside as she came to the bed, sitting on the edge near Azula's knees.

"Would you get me the water in the other room?" she asked.

"Yes--ah--hold on," he grabbed the pitcher, hurrying back with it in his hands.

Katara wished she did not find it rather endearing that he was so worried. It was sweet he cared about his sister even if the fact was Katara would have preferred to see the girl still locked up. Ignoring that she looked quickly at Azula, noting the most obvious damages. It was easy to rip the thin fabric of Azula's cloths, exposing enough of the skin for her to direct water onto it. What she found inside wasn't good, not by a long shot. In fact, it was far worse than she had anticipated. Taking a deep breath, Katara bent her head and set about healing the damage done to the younger Fire Bender.

It took a very long time. Long enough for the light to change and Zuko to finally sit back down. Iroh woke up and sent for food and, of course, tea. Finally after hours Katara moved her hands away. She stood up, smiling as Zuko's eyes darted anxiously between the two of them, as though he did not know who to worry over more. Katara walked over to him steadily.

"She just needs to rest," she said, "I've repaired the damage, she'll be fine."

"When will she--"

"She'll wake up in an hour or so, I think," Katara said, "for now you should get some rest as well," she walked over to the door, "I'll be in my rooms if you need me."

"Thank you," he said.

She smiled and slipped out the door. Her steady pace held until she made it around the corner, away from the prying eyes of the guard. Clapping a hand over her mouth, Katara bolted for her rooms.

She barely made it inside in time.

"Mai?"

Mai turned her head at the tentative call of her name. Standing in the doorway, Ty Lee shifted her weight from foot to foot, her eyes shining as if she was dangerously close to tears. Mai took a deep breath, trying to not let her frustration show on her face. She had known Ty Lee would be there apologizing eventually, she just hoped that they would have the chance to settle Azula in a bit more. Mai moved a bit away from the guards and walked over to Ty Lee. The ex acrobat shifted anxiously as Mai came closer to her, not saying a word.

"If you're here to apologize, Ty Lee, I don't have time," she said cooly.

"I wasn't gonna--" Ty Lee stopped. That was all Mai got in the way of a warning before she suddenly had her arms full with a hysterical ex-Acrobat "I'm sorry!" she wailed, "don't hate me!"

"Ty Lee," Mai sighed, reaching up and awkwardly patting the pink shoulder, "I don't hate you," she said finally, "you might have had a point."

Ty Lee drew back, her eyes wide.

"It is my duty to protect the Royal Family. Azula's state, it means I failed in my job."

"No! You didn't fail!" Ty Lee cried shaking her head, "no one knew! And now Azula's safe because of you."

Mai sighed and patted her shoulder as Ty Lee buried her face in Mai's robes again., a feat only aided by their height difference.

"Am I interrupting?" Sokka asked from the doorway.

"Sokka! Group hug!" Ty Lee cried yanking Mai over and embracing them both tightly. The two traded looks over the top of her head, "Kay! I'm gonna go check on Zuko and make sure he gets sleep," she bounded out of the room.

"You, ah, wanted to see me?" Sokka asked looking at her.

"Yes," Mai said looking at him, "if Zuko had his way he would lock himself in a room with Azula until she talked to him. Unfortunately she's not going to and whether he likes it or not he does have a Nation to run. A Nation that if word gets out about this, is going to be on the brink of what could escalate into a civil war. I have the upmost faith in Iroh's abilities and I am sure they will be of immense assistance but Azula once again will probably not stand for it."

"Mai--" Sokka began.

"Sokka you are the best candidate for this position. The meeting is taking place between Benders. Azula can barely stand any of us. You seem to be the only one she will tolerate."

"Yeah, I don't want to think about why," he said with a shudder, "anyway what does that matter? Sure she looks helpless but she's a crazy Fire Bender!"

"We don't even know if she can bend," Mai said.

"Yeah, something tells me that won't keep her from kicking my ass."

"I trust you are capable of handling one Fire Nation Princess," Mai said.

Sokka let out a frustrated breath, looking at the Fire Nation citizen. he didn't like what she was saying and he liked even less that she was right. Why the Princess seemed to tolerate him more than any other person in the palace was obvious. They had interacted as pure enemies. He wasn't supposed to like her. Every time they met it had been because they were fighting. He hadn't come from left field and chosen someone else over her, he hadn't stabbed her in the back, he hadn't cast her aside when someone better came along. It all would've been fine except he had just rescued her and now he was supposed to protect her? It all seemed a bit questionable to him, especially because he was pretty sure that at the end of the day he'd still want to hit her rather than hug her.

"Fine!" he said throwing up his hands, "but only if you ask really, really nicely," he stopped, "and if you smile. You have to smile. Like you mean it."

"I hate you," she muttered. He raised an eyebrow, "oh Sokka would you please protect Princess Azula of the Fire Nation?" she asked, her features bored and apathetic.

"And?"

Mai smiled.

"Okay, I'm off to protect Princess Crazy," he said turning and walking away. Mai sighed and shook her head, turning back to the reports at hand.

Far down the hallway, in her chambers, Azula finally pried the window open. No alarms went off, no guards rushed in. Knowing them they were probably hoping for an Assasin. It hadn't really ever been necessary to learn how to sneak around the palace. Last time she had been there Azula had craved the attention--no, she had commanded it. But not now. Now she was a traitor in her own palace--if she even had the right to call it such anymore. Everything was foggy, probably thanks to the drugs she had been fed, but she knew that if she spent one more second in that room she was going to completely crazy.

So she was climbing out her window.

It was hardly difficult. Her rooms had been picked by her mother, overlooking the garden in some failed attempt to make her more feminine. A floor below her was a balcony, one she knew would be empty at this hour. All she wanted was a bit of a breeze, a brief respite and that was it. Shifting her body she gripped the ledge with her hands and began to lower herself down. Unfortunately at that moment, the balcony doors opened. Azula's eyes widened as she looked past her toes to see a half familiar mop of dark hair in a very foolish style. Her eyes narrowed. She knew that hair. It was the stupidest style she'd ever seen which meant that it could only come from one place: the Southern Water Tribe. Gripping the window she prayed to whatever Gods she could think of to not let him look up. Of course that was exactly what he did.

"Hey!" Sokka cried, his eyes widening as he looked at the Fire Nation Princess dangling from her window, "what are you doing?!"

"I--" she stopped, looking at her grip before glancing down, "i am getting some air," she said as if this occurred every day, "if you have a problem with that--"

"No, no problem," he said looking up at the clearly stuck Princess, "I'm just, uh, wondering how you are going to get down here?"

"I hardly see how that is your concern," she said icily.

"Well I'm standing here," he said scratching the back of his neck.

"And?"

"And you're dangling there," he continued.

"If you insist on attempting to figure out these complicated problems, I suggest you do it where you can write it out--preferably inside."

"I can't leave you out here," Sokka said. Azula glared down at him angrily, "you're gonna fall like any second."

"I am not!"

"Look we both know you're--"

"I am not stuck!" she practically screamed down to him.

"Really?" he leered up at her.

"Yes! Rea--"

It was ironic that at that moment her arms decided to give out. Her fingers, already slicked with sweat, slipped off the ledge. She tried to Bend but to no avail, the only thing that happened was she went careening down to a very painful landing on her backside. Sokka had already moved under her. All that was left to do was hold out his arms as the Princess landed squarely in his grips. It was instinct, a reaction that had her arm around his shoulder as she landed, her other falling to the outside of his hand.

Perhaps it was because she was from the Fire Nation or maybe because they weren't running for their lives but for the first time Sokka was aware of just how warm her body was. It was that warmth he blamed for the heat that stained his cheeks. For a moment she too seemed stunned, as if it was the first time anyone had caught her. Her eyes were wide and focused right over her knees, her hand held the back of his shirt but it seemed as though she was looking anywhere but him. Then she seemed to recover herself and her gold eyes narrowed, her head turning and locking them with his own blue ones.

"Put me down this instant!" she ordered.

Sokka obeyed.

Without a word, Azula marched over to the balcony ledge. Azula glanced up to see that Water Tribe boy coming towards her. No, that was incorrect. He wasn't a boy, not anymore. He was very much a man. Now that she wasn't drugged she could see that. His hair had grown in, though he still wore it in that stupid hairstyle of his. His cloths were also still the blue-white theme, betraying his heritage but she could pick out green in the scheme as well. For a moment she considered going inside but pride held her fast. She had gone through the trouble of escaping the guards and getting outside, she was damn well going to remain there. He came over to where she was leaning against the balcony and assumed a similar position.

"What are you doing here?" Azula questioned finally, coldly.

"You're not the only one whose been stuck in that palace all day," he said with a shrug, looking up at the moon.

"My brother sent you, didn't he?" she accused.

"Yeah, right. Because your brother thought it'd be a great idea to let you out on a balcony."

"With a warrior who can't Bend," she added scathingly.

"Yeah with a--hey!" he crossed his arms, "I got you out of that prison," he said crossing his arms.

"Are you pouting?" she demanded.

"Hey out of the two of us the only one who pouts is you miss--," he shot back at her. She opened her mouth to tell him off, "miss pouty mcpouts a lot!"

"What did you call me?!" she demanded

"Oh is something wrong with your hearing now too?" he questioned.

Azula glared furiously at him, heat staining the back of her neck. Sokka returned her glare, his blue eyes boring into her from a much higher vantage point than she remembered. Azula raised her chin, meeting his eyes defiantly as she felt her heart pound in her chest. Everyone was treating her like a glass doll, like something that was going to break with the slightest touch. He clearly didn't share the sentiment and Azula felt her blood race with the challenge. Her eyes narrowed before she turned around, crossing her arms under her chest as she glared at the tree line, trying to control the pounding of her heart. Sokka glared at the back of her head, thinking this was a bad idea.

"You can stop staring at me," she said with a glance over her shoulder.

"Yeah, well get used to it," he shot back at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"I'm your new bodyguard!" he shouted at her.

"You're my what?!" she bellowed, "who choose you?! You can't even bend!"

"Yeah, well, the Benders are a bit busy and last I checked every time we've fought, you know what's happened?" she glared angrily up at him, "you loose!"

It was an extreme misfortune that anger made her beautiful. Rose stained her cheeks, gold flashed in her eyes and her shorter, darker hair fell to frame her face. She glared at him before turning on her heel and marching off. Sokka bolted after her but she was fast for a Princess. If she saw the confused, terrified looks people gave her she did not care. She marched right into her room, slamming the door in Sokka's face. Angrily Sokka stared at the wood and the princess on the other side before he slammed his fist into the opposite wall. Storming back over, he crossed his arms and sat down on the other side, content for the moment to glare at the far wall.

On the other side of the door, Azula glared at the wood before turning around, her eyes widening at the sight in front of her.

"Good evening my Niece," Iroh said brightly, "I know you're hungry," he motioned to the feast spread out on the narrow table that had been brought in, "and since the Royal Dining room would be uncomfortable, I brought dinner to you."

Azula stared furiously at him, hating how the universe was against her enough to make her stomach rumble. Iroh smiled widely.

"Would you like to invite the Water Tribe boy to join us?"

"No!"

"Alright," he said, "we can bring him food after," he motioned to the space next to him, "sit, eat," he said.

Gathering the tattered edges of whatever dignity she had left, Azula stormed over and sat down next to her uncle. The food was a spread of everything, as though the chief had struggled to prepare as many dishes as possible. Iroh looked at her, how she suddenly looked a bit lost looking at the food. He knew that even before her insanity, it was doubtful the Fire Lord had even thought about something as simple as what his daughter's favorite food was. Iroh felt his insides twist at the thought before he pushed the feeling firmly aside. Just because of how things had been, did not mean they had to continue that way. Someone had to make a change and it might as well be him.

"Here," he said picking out one of the curries, "you must try this. Its the best curry in the Fire Nation. I missed it during my exile."

Azula's gold eyes narrowed before darting between him and the food, much like a predator examining a tamer. It occurred to Iroh that that was not terribly far from the truth of their situation. Slowly her hand grasped the serving spoon. He saw her fingers tremble but knew better than to say anything.

"And, of course, tea!" he said instead.

"I hate tea," Azula snapped.

"And that," he said, "is because you never had me make you tea."

And we're back! Or I am. Azula's finally not messed up, she can go back to being her ruthless bitchy self. Fortunately Sokka's ready for that. Let the sexual tension begin! Or it will in a bit. I do want to focus on Azula's other relationships. I think she was totally psycho in the series but not in that tragic-villain kind of way. But I love that episode where they're at the party and she's just so incredibly awkward. So hopefully Mai and Ty Lee can help her out.

Also I haven't decided on the other couples. Right now everyone's single and yes, the main pairing is going to be Sokka/Azula but other pairings might come up. If they do though it will happen in due course and I promise it'll fit with the story.

Anyway please review!