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Zuko stopped dead in front of the metal door. If Toph could see, she would have seen his face slowly draining as they had been walking, till it turned white. Toph stood by his side, normally she would have pushed him through the door, but this wasn't a normal situation. She did not want to be here anymore than he did. Slowly she moved her hand onto the lock of the door. She unlocked it, but didn't open it.

"Whenever you're ready." She sounded so casual, like this was nothing important. Like visiting her friend's crazy sister that had tried to kill them countless time was an everyday occurrence.

Before he was really aware what he was doing, had time to think to much about what he was doing, his hand reached out and opened the door. The door creaked open, but neither of them moved to enter the room.

"It's been a while zuzu." She didn't need him to enter the room, to know it was him. "A very long while."

A few seconds later Zuko stepped into the room. His body so rigid a strong blow from Aang's airbending would have knocked him over. The only light that seeped into the room came pouring in through a small window opposite the door. There was a bed pushed against the wall on the right. A chair and desk against the remaining wall on to the left of Zuko.

Azula was standing below the window, facing Zuko as he walked through the door. An evil grin was about to cross her face, but if fell as Toph walked through the door a pace behind Zuko. To her Toph was a witch, a monster. Her fear and anger was so strong, Toph could feel it through the metal floor.

"What is she doing here!" As she rushed to get the words out, she stepped back till she reached the wall, her back pressed tightly against it.

Toph stood behind Zuko, not wanting to cause Azula any more stress. Make this harder for Zuko. For a reason he didn't quit understand he found that he was holding his right hand out, to block Toph from Azula as if she was the one in fear of the girl on the other side of the room. "We are here to talk to you. Our father has escaped."

He was almost unable to have his last word hear over Azula's laughter. Her fear quickly forgotten for a moment as she looked only at Zuko. His right hand now clenched. Toph noticed the anger building up in Zuko. Moving past him, now facing Azula, she set her sightless gaze on her. Wanting to end this all as quickly as possible.

"We really need to talk." Even thou she was now speaking to Zuko, she didn't turn to face him. "Zuko, will you leave us to talk." Both heart rates speed up, as she knew they would. She finally turned to Zuko, giving him a smile. "We'll be fine."

Deep down he knew there was no point in arguing with her, so he did as he was asked. Even thou she would never admit it; she was the one that was in real danger. This concerned her more than him at this monument, so he would let her play it her way. He slowly and reluctantly left the room. In truth he was glad of the excuse to get out of the room, away from Azula. It hurt him more than he would ever have thought to see her, for so many different reasons.

Azula wanted to run after him or scream for Zuko not to leave her here with this witch, but her fear paralysed her to the spot. Toph had felt people being scared of her before. There was a time when she enjoyed it. It was the prof that she ended that she was not the helpless little blind girl she was told she was. Over the years the enjoyment slept away. Toph hadn't moved till she moved her hand behind her back, as she did the door closed, slamming shut loudly.

"I'm not here to fight. I'll keep my hands behind my back...now." She now held her hands behind her back.

"What makes you think you can trust me." She grinned. "You might not hurt me, but I will hurt you." Azula found her voice again. It was the way this little witch was acting, as if she was in control that brought it back.

Rolling her eyes in her head as she spoke, answering Azula's question. "I can block most attacks you try on me. This room is metal. I am the only metalbender. Also lightning travels through metal. You would be hurt too if you used lightning in here. You would really have to be cra..."

The room was suddenly filled with a bright blue light, as Azula sent a bolt of lightning to the floor right in front of Toph. Both girls then fell to their knees. Toph had to bit her lip to stop her from screaming

"You really...are ...Crazy." Her voice was weak as she tried to get her breath back.

"Why isn't ...he rushing...in to...help you." Azula was having a harder time getting her breath back, she hadn't bent lightning in years, it took a lot out of her.

Toph pulled her upper body up as she answered." I locked the door."

A look of horror washed over Azula's face. That was what she had done when she closed the door. She bent the metal latch to lock it. Her hands now moved out in front of her, making small circular movements. Azula tried to push herself up, to stand, to get away, but her hands wouldn't move off the floor. When she looked from Toph down at them, they were skunking into the metal floor.

Before she could say anything a voice was heard on the other side of the door. "Toph what is going on, the door is locked. Are you ok." Zuko was sure he heard a small yell coming from the room, now the door was locked, something was wrong.

"Everything is fine. I locked the door." It took a bit of effort for her to speak normally, without taking so many breathes. She slowly turned her face towards Azula speaking in a lower voice. "We really do need to talk."

It was her eyes, for the first time in years looking into her sightless eyes that caused Azula to react the way she did. Not caring that it would hurt her too, she went out anther bolt of lightning, that travelled thorough the floor. Toph didn't allow herself to let out a yell, she just slumped forward, using her hands to keep her up as eh body shock from eth power traveling through it. Azula fell forward, lying on the floor, she had let out a yell. It seemed she could dish it out, but couldn't take it.

While she waited for Azula to push herself back up, Toph slid back along the cold floor to lean against the wall next to the door. A few second later Azula was on her knees again, her hands still trapped.

"You know. We are. A lot alike." Azula didn't dare look at Toph as she spoke "We spent our life's being told what we had to be by our fathers. We never knew what it was like to be loved by a parent, for who we really are." Slowly reaching out her right hand, that shock a little from the strain Toph realised Azula's hands from the metal floor.

She went on. "You did what you thought was right. What you had been brought up to believe was right. We need your help now, you have to think for yourself. Your father is trying to get his bending back, and we think he is going to come for you. He is going to use you, because you can bend, that is all it is, he is using you."

"Shut up!" For a split second Toph thought, she was going to hit her with a lightning bolt again. She didn't think she could take a third hit. She knew Azula couldn't. Her hear was close to bursting through her chest. Luckily from both she just kept yelling. "What do you know about it."

"I told you, we are alike. My father did the same thing. He used me to gain more power and money for the family. You still have a family. A mother and a brother, you're lucky."

"Why would you trust me, after...everything." Azula now found the courage to look Toph in the eyes, again.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and deservers a second chance. Most importantly there is no lying to me, if you lie or try and trick us I will know." Using the wall, Toph pulled herself to her feet. "And I will kill."

Azula did the same. She almost fell over, but was able to hold on to the wall in time. At Toph's words he let out a faint laugh. Her confidence slowly coming back to her. Toph heard this and laughed a little under her breath.

"Oh, you think I'm joking." Azula's eyes shout up to meet Toph's. "I can cause this lovely room of yours to collapse in on you. I can bury you alive ten feet underground. I can also break every bone in your body, puncturing every organ. To name a few."

Azula laughed again. This time though it seemed genuine. "You know what." Toph gave her a shrug, indicating for her to go on. "In another life time, I think we could have been friends."

Toph laughed again too. "Yeah I think your right." Taking a deep breath she pushed herself off the wall. Now trusting herself to stand up unaided. "I don't know about you thou, but I'm not quite ready to give up on this life time yet." For a brief second she smiles. All that she had to life for crossed her mind.

The firebender was about to smile too, but instead she caught sight of something and spook without thinking. "You're bleeding."

Toph placed her hand to her right side, where she had been cut with the dagger the day before. The wound must have been opened again. Two lighting strikes would do that. "If we are going to get along, you have to never do that again. If I am hurt then leave it, I can deal with it on my own. Never ask me if I'm ok."

Once she finished her speech it hit Toph, that maybe there was a chance to redeem Azula. She would have been content to get her at least agree to stay out of this. Not do anything to help her father. Now she thought maybe she could hope for more for her brother and mother.

"You can still have your family back. A family that love you for who you are. Not what you can do for them, but you have to make that choice now. What do you think is the right thing to do."

A look of conviction now appeared on the fire nation princess face. "I will help you."

"Good." Again for a fraction of a second, she smiled. "We think your father is going to come here to get you out. So you can help him. You are going to let him." A smirked crossed her face as Azula looked at her with a look of confusion. "Go along with his plan. When he makes his move against us again, you'll join us." the conviction seemed to be leaving Azula, now she knew what the plan involved. "We aren't planning to kill, or hurt him….. If we can avoid it." She felt she had to be honest "We just want to catch him and put him away again."

"What about me. After this is over, what happens to me."

"That Azula, is all up to you."

Toph now found the strength to move to further into the room. As she did she held out her right hand. Stopping did in the centre of the room "You have to meet me half way." It took a lot of effort for Azula to leave the support of the wall. When she reached the middle of the room she took Toph's hand in hers.

A smile now appeared on Azula's face for the first time in a long time, Toph too smiled till she pulled Azula closer to her wrapping her free hand around her shoulder, so she could whisper in her ear. "I meant what I said. If you even think about turning on us, I will kill you. I'm not as good a person as Aang, Zuko and Katara. I don't really have any morals, when it comes to people that abuse their power." Despite her words she did not come across as being overly threatening. "Like I said, we are alike."

Before Azula could say anything else Toph had moved away from her, unlocked the door and left. She second her support was gone she tilted a little forward. Moving quickly she dropped down on to the edge of her bed. Even with the way things had ended, she still felt the most alive she had in a long time. She had been locked away from people, with only the guards for so long.

The second she was out of the room, Toph held her hand to her right side. There didn't seem to be a lot of blood, she didn't feel much on her hand. Maybe she could get away without Zuko noticing.

Zuko had been leaning against the wall from the door and heard everything that had been said, and he was having a hard time controlling his anger. When they were far enough along the corridor, that Azula wouldn't hear he finally spoke "Why did you say that to her. I will never forgive her for what she did to Mai never. Aang is never going to forgive her, especially for hurting you..."

Toph stop walking, turning on him "Don't you think I know that. I just lied to someone's face for the first time in my life. I have always been honest with people, because they always have to be honest with me. I told her that she could still have a life that her family loved her. Soon she is going to know that it was a lie. Then she is going to fall apart completely, I did that, that's my fault."

"I'm sorry Toph, none of this can be easy for you."

"Or you." He turned away from her at that. "I would do it all again, to protect the people I care about. I just don't what to think about it, so drop it please."

She tried to move, but the adrenaline that had kept her going this long finally ran out. Her legs buckled under her. Zuko was just able to catch before she fell over. It was then, with his hand around her waist that he noticed the blood.

"Your hurt, what happened."

He tried to pick her up, to carry her to Appa, but she took hold of his hand, to stop him. "It's nothing, I just need to bandage the cut again. Let's just get Appa and get back."

Zuko didn't try and pick her up again, he just held her by the waist as she held him by the neck, and slowly helped her out of the fort. He really wanted to get as far away from this place as fast as he could, but he was now forced to take his time. He was grateful that she was letting him help her.

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