Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

After a few more minutes Iroh said that they needed to get the guards back up to Firelord Zuko for questioning. She nodded and he patted her arm affectionately. She almost smiled at the casual familiarity, something she had never known or wanted in the past. She wanted it now.

"I hope I'll see you soon, uncle Iroh." She said, meaning every word.

He positively beamed at her and nodded. "I'm sure you will, Azula" giving her arm a light squeeze, he said farewell to Umi and with one last smile for his niece, walked out the door, closing it gently behind him.

"Thank you, Umi. Thank you so much for everything." Azula was so grateful she could hardly contain it. "Every…every time I ask for something you do it; you don't force me or push me or rush me, you just do it, whatever I ask so…thank you." She shook her head "you have no idea how much it means to me."

Umi was a bit taken aback. "I…you're welcome, Azula, truly. It has been my pleasure."

Once General Iroh left Azula's room, he went straight to the cell where the guards were being held by a very cranky waterbender. She almost berated him for being so long and leaving her alone with the bad guys but she didn't want to sound like a jerk; the man had been visiting the niece he thought was dead. She should probably cut him a bit of slack. Probably.

He directed her to remove the water from their ankles but keep their hands bound tightly behind their backs, ordering them to get up and move. He reminded them not to try any funny business or they would find themselves in a situation that would be very, very un-funny.

Apparently so cowed by their earlier brush with Katara, the two guardsmen didn't even attempt to escape or even cause trouble. They went rather quietly, and Katara was almost disappointed. Almost.

They marched them to the throne room and stood them right in front of the former wall of fire that Ozai and the Firelords before him had used to strike fear in the hearts and subjects and enemies. Firelord Zuko did not use it therefore people could be brought closer than before. General Iroh ordered them to repeat their confession before Firelord Zuko and he and Katara stepped back a respectful distance.

They complied with the order to confess, and to his credit, he took it rather well. Sort of.

The temperature in the room rose about 20 degrees almost instantly. Katara wheezed slightly behind her hand and turned her head while Iroh pulled at his clothing.

"You freely admit you did this disgusting act to my face and expect not to die?" Katara's head snapped back to stare at the new Firelord in shock. There was no way…right? She glanced over at Iroh; his face was impassive. Her shoulders drooped.

"You would sentence men for doing their duty?" one of the guardsmen boldly ventured.

"Duty? No, certainly not. But you did NOT do your duty. You. Did. Not." He emphasized in staccato.

"If you would have actually done your duty and guarded the fire princess as your title 'guardsman' implies, you would have escaped this fate. However" his tone became heavy with judgment, he couldn't make this sentence without bias, it was impossible "you chose to do exactly opposite of your chosen vocation; you did NOT guard the Fire Princess Azula."

Firelord Zuko's tone became almost a growl "in fact, not only did you fail to guard the one you were supposed to protect, you actually allowed yourselves to be bribed by a man with evil intentions toward Fire Princess Azula, allowing him into her bedroom to torture her, daily, for months!" the horror in his voice could not be hidden from those before him. Katara winced, and her stomach churned.

"One of the care-giving staff was found and she confessed that Fire Princess Azula could be heard, screaming and calling, to which you never. once. responded." He was having trouble controlling his incredible fury, and despite choosing not to use the wall of flames as his father had, he was unable to fully control his desire to incinerate these despicable pieces of trash in front of him.

As he spoke, suddenly the flames roared to life in front of him, indeed, every flame in the entire throne room howled and roared in response to his white-hot fury, literally becoming so hot that they themselves began to turn white.

The guards in at the entrance jumped aside as some of the thinner metal braziers nearby began to soften and melt with the heat, and blazing coals began to fall from the melting braziers, rolling around on the floor and igniting the draperies. Disaster was imminent, but there wasn't a single person in the throne room who desired to reproach their Firelord in that moment; they were either far too prudent, or too fearful. Except one.

"Firelord Zuko!" General Iroh shouted sharply, using a fire wall of his own to protect Katara, not realizing she was using her own bending to shield them both as well.

"Zuko…" a voice like the sound of a babbling brook, a soothing, cooling voice flowed through his consciousness like rain in a thirsty desert. "Zuko you're better than this. You're not your father. You know this isn't how you want to rule. Would the Azula of today want this? Truly want this?"

"No." and suddenly the overwhelming rage dissipated like a small spark doused by a cup of water. The intense heat in the room vanished almost immediately, and every brazier that was no longer intact went out, even the fires that had jumped to the curtains were extinguished, leaving only the wall of flame to light the throne room. It too, was reduced to a low, orangey red flame that was there merely for light.

To be fair, the effect was dramatic. Anyone would think he had planned it all along to instill fear in his subjects. He hadn't, but he knew that wouldn't be the rumor that spread, no one would believe him even if he were to explain himself. Inwardly, he sighed then continued with the task at hand.

He looked to Katara and his father, who appeared to be sweating profusely, but unharmed. The same could not be said for the unfortunate former guardsmen below the dais.

They had not fared as well as the rest of the few people in the throne room. Being closest to the wall of fire, they had taken the brunt of its burst into existence. Now that the roar of the flames had subsided, their piteous moans could be heard.

Zuko crinkled his nose ever so slightly, he knew that smell. He almost..almost...felt pity for them. Almost. This wasn't the way he had planned on judging them. They would not die from this level of burns, but, if allowed to live, they would never again serve at all; it was clear that they had been burned blind.

They were, most likely, not truly able to hear a sentence in their current state, but he would not allow that to change their sentencing. He ordered one of the guards to bring a servant, and the man quickly disappeared, reappearing almost moments later with a terrified looking man who looked like he was going to throw up before he could come all the way into the room.

"Attend them, and see that their wounds are dressed" he commanded and the man bowed low, stammering that he was not familiar with offering aid and would bring those who were if he were so allowed.

Nodding his agreement, the servant darted out of the room as if his own backside were on fire. As they left Firelord Zuko began to speak.

"I, Firelord Zuko, do hereby sentence the aforementioned guardsmen to be placed into the same jail as former Phoenix King Ozai and sympathizers when they are able to be transported." He stated almost woodenly; still reeling from what he had done, and almost done.

More servants filed in with litters to carry the wounded men; as they were being placed on the litters he continued. "By their own admission of guilt, they confessed that they allowed an unknown man to bribe them to let him into Fire Princess Azula's room. What happened after has already been mentioned. Other than tending their wounds, no special treatment is to be given to these traitors of the crown who would stand silently by while their reason for existence screams for help."

"Dismissed." He finished; and waited until the servants with the litters rushed them out of the room.

Even the guards had moved outside the throne room. Only Katara and Iroh remained. Katara looked a little green, while Iroh curated a carefully blank expression.

Neither moved.

Before the moment could get very awkward indeed, the new Firelord requested that he speak with General Iroh; alone.

Katara nodded and quickly left, relieved. She immediately headed out in search of Aang.

Taking a deep breath; Zuko stood and climbed down from the dais, meeting his adopted father in the middle of the dark room, eerily lit by only the wall of flame.

"I lost control" he stated quietly. "My very first action as Firelord and I lost control. I hurt people; badly." The agony on his face was strong, and he wanted to fall to the floor and scream his anger at his own lack of control, scream in anger at the two guardsmen, and…Agni help him, he wanted to burn them still.

His rage was still boiling inside his belly, and it wasn't subsiding.

"Many lesser men would have merely executed them where they stood" Iroh began. "You may have lost your control, but your intent was not to kill or they would be dead."

Zuko blinked at him in surprise. His father's words rang true. As always.

"What's done is done, there is no going back. Look to the future, Firelord Zuko, and learn from this" he continued. "Also, there is something you must consider."

He clapped a warm and heavy hand on Zuko's shoulder. The weight was at once comforting, but also somehow cautionary. "You are full of rage; it is written on your face, woven through your stance, and shouting through your eyes, my son."

He squeezed slightly. "Beware of rage; it is an all-consuming fire that may fuel you for a time until it consumes even you. Don't become my brother. You're so much better than that."

Zuko froze, realizing his father knew exactly what was going with him, naturally, and had known exactly the right thing to say to help him realize his mistake. "I don't know what to do father, they…how could they?" he couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Evil men will do evil things, my son; it is how you respond to those things that will cause you to rise above the evil." Iroh responded sagely. "First you need to forgive them so that YOU can be free of your rage."

Zuko looked horrified. How…why?! He said as much to Iroh almost angry at his father for mentioning such a thing.

"Why did you forgive Azula? She destroyed you, physically and mentally in worse ways than most people can even comprehend."

That was easy. "She's my sister" he replied quickly, "how could I not?"

"Zuko" Iroh began, dropping the obligatory 'Firelord'. "What makes her any different from the servants who removed those men?"

"She's…blood. Family." He argued, unable to understand what Iroh was trying to get at.

"At the core, are we not all family, the fire nation? Past that, are we not all human beings? Just because you care more for one over the other, does that mean the other does not deserve the same common courtesy, the same respect, and the same treatment as the person you care for?" Iroh removed his hand and allowed his arm to drop to his side. "In that vein, don't you deserve to be free of the burden of rage you carry?" Zuko blinked.

"Son, they were wrong, and so were you. Take some time. Think about the fire nation, what it means to you and what its people mean to you, what human beings mean to you, and how you want to rule a nation."

Iroh offered his adopted son a slight smile and nod, before turning and leaving the throne room. Zuko was left completely alone with his thoughts. He turned and stared at the eerie flames flickering in front of the dais. Disgust overtook him and suddenly the rage had congealed into a ball of lead in his stomach, very cold, very dark.

He didn't want to be alone with it.

"Zuko…Are you alright?" he could feel the slightest hint of moisture on his check that signified their connection and he reached out to her, even though she was nowhere near. She sent him a sense of peace that he desperately needed right then, and he loved her all the more for it.

Trying to ignore the leaden knot in his stomach he quickly replied. "Thank you so much Umi, you saved me; you saved the kingdom and even those men. You saved us again…thank you so much." He found himself almost gushing his gratitude, he really was that thankful to her.

"I just reminded you who you are, you did the saving all on your own" she replied quietly through the link.

"Still…thank you."

"You're welcome, Zuko" she answered. "I can feel..." her voice trailed off.

Even Umi couldn't define how he was feeling and she could feel it same as him. He was in a pickle.

"Why are you so confused Zuko?"

What?

She was quiet for a moment.

"Let me show you something."

Suddenly he was, in his mind, back in Azula's cell and watching through what appeared to be Umi's eyes as Iroh visited Azula. He watched the interaction feeling like an interloper, but Umi wouldn't relent. When Iroh forgave Azula the words he said hit Zuko like bolts of lightning.

The memory ended and he stood in stunned silence. He knew what it was now; finally he understood. He was the only one tormented by his hatred and rage. If he didn't forgive those men he would never be free of that torment.

He vowed right then and there, yes, they would be punished by imprisonment for their crimes, but inside his heart…yes, in his heart he set them free; free of the weight of the debt that he was holding over them. In an instant the giant leaden ball in his stomach disappeared and he felt light, lighter than he had in weeks.

Umi knew the moment he had let it go and she experienced it with him and smiled to him through their link; sending warmth and happiness and peace to him. She was so proud of him.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sitting side by side on Appa's head as he flew aimlessly through the sapphire blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds Aang and Katara enjoyed each other's company in companionable silence. It was rare that the somewhat hyper and still childish airbender could actually stay silent for such a span of time as he had. Katara began to wonder if something might be wrong.

At last she could take it no longer. "Aang…" she began hesitantly

"Yeah, Katara?" Aang replied quickly.

"Well…is something wrong?" she finally asked. "You just seem to…have a lot on your mind." Rather than accuse him of being unnaturally quiet, she went for the more subtle approach.

"I do, actually" came the unexpected reply. The Avatar slumped a bit more where he sat and stared at the fur on top of Appa's head, twirling it around his fingers distractedly. "I know everyone thinks I'm naïve, and maybe I am, but even I know that Zuko has a hard job ahead of him. The Avatar is supposed to support and guide the Firelord, even…even be a good friend." He shook his head.

"I don't know if I have what it takes Katara" at that admission his shoulders seemed to curve in as if the weight of his responsibility was becoming harder to bear.

Her heart went out to him; he did have a lot of responsibility, especially for one so young. Yes, Zuko might have more, as she had seen in the throne room, but also his responsibilities were somewhat differently directed.

"Aang…" she began, glancing at him kindly "you do, I know you do."

He looked up at her, allowing her to view the desperate worry in his eyes and not just in his body language. "How?"

"Aang. In months, you mastered, or at least came close to mastering, the four elements, something every other Avatar has had years to do. You did it in months and defeated Phoenix King Ozai without killing him. You have to know that alone is absolutely amazing" she laid a comforting arm around his shoulders.

He nodded "I know, but Katara…" he paused for a moment no longer meeting her eyes but staring instead into the sky above them. "…I had help."

"Do you expect us to simply leave you alone? That we will somehow forget about you now that the imminent threat of war is abated?" she asked quietly, following his example and watching the clouds as they floated lazily by.

"Well…aren't you going back to the Northern Water Tribe?"

"I may, for a little while" she answered truthfully "but I don't plan to stay there Aang."

He glanced at her sharply "but...why? Where are you going?"

She looked back at him shyly "I um…well I thought I might…I mean, if you want me to, that is…uh I could help…um yeah I could help!" she finished lamely, wincing inwardly at her cowardice.

She looked away, staring out at the vast sky without really even seeing it.

Aang was staring at her with a confused look on his face. "Help…me?" he repeated hesitantly, still not really understanding what she had been saying.

"I don't really need any help with anything right now…" he replied somewhat doubtfully; at least, he didn't think he did.

"Aang…!" she almost sounded annoyed and he frowned; why were girls so difficult?

"I want to…to come with you…to go wherever you go…" her voice trailed off, she must sound like such an idiot, she thought, blushing.

It couldn't have hit him any harder what she was actually saying. He almost reeled with the realization. She wanted to come with him, to be with him, she wasn't going to stay at the Northern Water Tribe; she was going to leave her home and go with him…wherever…together…

It was a good thing they were sitting down, and that Appa's head was so big or he might have fallen right over.

He blushed; he couldn't help it. She had practically proposed to him. His former worries were completely forgotten in his current elation. He completely ignored the blush still tinting his cheeks and positively beamed up at Katara.

She smiled back at him, her former reticence forgotten.

"Wanna go higher?" Aang asked exuberantly, suddenly feeling as light as a feather.

Her smile widened into a grin, and her eyes lit up as she nodded "let's do it!"

"Let's go, Appa! Yip yip!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

Late the next evening, after Zuko's judgment of the disloyal guardsmen, he was finally able to make his way back down to the secret room of cells where his sister was. For the life of him he couldn't figure out what to do with her. He couldn't bring her into the palace proper without a certain amount of protection in place for her.

He knew Umi was taking care of her right now, but she couldn't be expected to continue to do so indefinitely. Then there was the matter of the political aspect. Some might attempt to use her to further their own gains, and no doubt there would be a huge amount of scandal and gossip if she were to suddenly appear after being thought to be dead.

Scandal and gossip he could handle, but how could he protect her? Yes, he had seen Umi heal her, and it was absolutely incredible, almost unbelievable. He only really believed it because he'd seen it with his own eyes. He wondered a bit why she hadn't fully healed her, but, thinking back on when she did heal her, he realized that she had done so only at Azula's request.

That might be important, possibly a spirit world thing, who knows? The only thing he knew was that if Azula wanted to be completely healed, she need only ask. If she didn't, then she, for whatever reason, wasn't ready. He would have to respect that, no matter how long it took.

Finally reaching the door to Azula's room, he had begun to raise his hand to knock when the door opened and Umi smiled from behind it.

"Good evening Firelord Zuko" she began, but he quickly interrupted "please, Umi, just Zuko" he corrected gently.

She smiled wider and stepped back, allowing him entrance into the room.

Azula, looking much better with her neck and arms and torso partially restored, smiled shyly from the bed.

"Hi Zuzu" she began "you look so…royal" she finished weakly, unable to come up with the word she wanted.

He grimaced a bit, and she realized it was the wrong thing to say, somehow.

"I…I'm sorry Zuko…I didn't mean..I.." her throat began to close up on the words and she looked away, frustrated with herself.

He wasted no time in striding swiftly to her side. "No, Azula, don't apologize" he began "I didn't mean to…to react like that…it's just…something happened and…you couldn't know that."

She slowly turned to look at him again and asked the inevitable question "what happened?"

It was his turn to look away.

"That bad?"

He fought his desire to hide from his sister his faults, to protect himself. This wasn't the old Azula though. He took a bracing breath and began to speak.

By the time he got to the part where he was about to sentence the guardsmen, he began to pace. When he finally finished the story he fell silent, half afraid of what she might think of him, and of what she might say. Bringing his pacing to a halt, he stood, facing the wall, unwilling to meet her eyes.

"Thank you, Zuko."

He blinked. That was NOT the response he'd expected. He turned around slowly and glanced cautiously at his sister "huh?" he stated articulately.

"I know you heard me, Zuzu" she replied with a little sass in her voice. "Truly…thank you."

"For…what?" he grimaced again "for nearly killing fire nation guards on accident, or so very brilliantly alienating half the nation and probably bringing a good amount of condemnation onto my head from the other nations I'm supposed to be making peace with and proving I'm not like Ozai?"

Azula shook her head "no, for being my big brother and protecting and caring for me" she replied honestly.

"It was just an accident, the nation will forget, the other nations will eventually see how good you are and no one would ever think you're like father, you have too much honor for that" Azula stated matter-of-factly.

Zuko was dumbstruck. He stood staring at Azula with his mouth hung open like a fish.

The object of this thoughts grinned slightly "are you planning on catching flies in that?" she teased, lifting her arm and pointing with a still-curved finger toward his open mouth.

He blinked and shut his mouth with a snap, another wave of shock hitting him. Did his sister just tease him?!

Unable to comprehend what was happening, he simply stared at Azula in shock.

Azula glanced over at Umi, who was standing off to the side of her bed. "I think I broke him, Umi" she pretended to lament to the former water spirit.

Greatly enjoying the healthy interaction between siblings, Umi was unable to help her grin (or her surprise) when Azula actually teased her brother. It was such a great thing to see how much progress she had made so quickly.

"I think you might be right, Azula, whatever are we going to do?" she placed a hand over her heart and sighed in feigned distress.

Azula positively giggled at Umi's ridiculous antics and poor Zuko just stood there, staring.

He looked from Azula to Umi, and back to Azula again, all the while gawking in complete and utter shock as he listened to the two of them interacting almost as old friends. It was as if his brain was stuck, he just couldn't believe what was happening; it was too surrealistic.

Finally his brain began to slowly accept what was happening was real, and he finally closed his mouth and swallowed hard, still having a hard time comprehending what had just happened.

"Th..thank you, Azula" he said at last, "you really helped me. I wish you could be one of my advisors." He blurted out, not even thinking of the implications or possible consequences of the words.

It was Azula's turn to be shocked and she stared back at her brother in surprise and a bit of wonder. He was offering her the perfect opportunity to help him, and Umi, and she hadn't even had to say a word!

By offering her a position as his advisor, she would be privy to everything that went on in the palace and court, and would be able to very easily and comfortably move into the position when the time was right. She wasn't sure when the time would be right but she figured she'd know it when she saw it.

She felt a strange sense of déjà vu come over her. Yes, she had rather been here before, only this time, her designs on the throne had completely different motivations. She had vowed to give them their happily-ever-after and she would do it no matter what it took.

Even if it takes being in front of people again, as a cripple, just like Zuko had been? She wasn't ready for that thought. She blinked a few times in surprise before surrendering to the thought. It scared her but…it was only fair.

It was time to begin her life. "I…if…if you would allow me, I…I would be honored to…to be one of your advisors, Firelord Zuko." She couldn't help the stammer in her voice; she had never been in a subservient position except to her father in her life. She was unaccustomed to the feeling, and her royal pride pricked her. She pricked back and held her ground; she wouldn't allow such a foolish thing as the pride she used to carry to rob them of their happiness.

Once again she had shocked him, and Zuko was at a loss as to how he should respond. It had been an almost careless statement, but if he were to think about it, there was merit. Azula was very, very, intelligent; and her insight and approach, as long as she was truly rehabilitated, could be incredibly beneficial to him. He would have to consult with father, but he was seriously considering it.

Mastering his tongue at last, he finally responded. "The idea has real merit, Azula, and I will definitely take it under advisement. I plan to speak with fath…General Iroh about it tomorrow, as soon as I can."

She nodded. It was enough. "Thank you" was her reply.

There was one more order of business he had planned to deal with, and it was concerning her location. His sister simply couldn't stay down in the secret dungeons. But, in order to have her move into the palace proper, she would have to be seen, and that would bring questions. He needed her permission first.

"Azula…" he began hesitantly "if…if you become my advisor, you will have to move into the palace proper. You can't stay…down here."

She nodded again. She knew that, but he needed to hear it. "I know. I know what I'm asking for and what it will entail. I'm ready Zuzu, I'm ready to start living again; whatever that looks like."

He smiled a bit mistily "I'm ready too" he answered.

The late hour cut the visit short, and finally the Firelord left to seek his rest. Umi and Azula, however, were somewhat keyed up with the opportunity that might be afforded Azula, and chatted for hours, first about the position, and then about Azula herself. What it was she wanted, and how she wanted to greet the world.

It was as close as Umi would allow herself to come to actually outright telling Azula she was willing to heal whatever the girl wanted her to heal. She half expected the bright young woman to snatch the olive branch and demand full healing; only, it never happened. At last, however, the fire princess finally asked if it were possible for her face and hair, arms and hands to be restored.

Nodding serenely, Umi agreed and once again brought her water to cover her hands. It was quite the experience watching the old Azula resurface, complete with long, flowing, glossy black hair that shot out from her new scalp and began to grow until it cascaded in waves around her shoulders.

Perfectly formed ears grew where there had simply been burned nubs, and flawless youthful skin covered her entire head and neck, then shortly after, her arms and hands, complete with long, tapered elegant fingers tipped with tastefully groomed fingernails.

With fire nation robes and an up-do, Azula would look every bit the fire nation royal she already was. When Umi finished at last; she stepped back and took in the strange sight of the perfect face and arms, knowing they attached to a twisted torso that ended in grotesquely deformed lower limbs, drawn up and atrophied as they were.

The only reason she even knew the state of Azula's lower body was because early on when Azula had awoken after her long rest, she began to feel severe discomfort due to the position of her lower body and legs. She asked Umi to help move them for her to a more comfortable position and the former water spirit had seen the horrible state of them; her heart went out to the girl, but she had stuck to her plan. It wasn't her choice to make.

Azula stretched out her arms and wiggled her fingers experimentally. She grinned and brought her hands up to her face to look closely at her fingers.

"This is the most perfect manicure I have ever seen, Umi!" Azula complimented, and Umi was snapped out of her thoughts by the lighthearted comment.

"You're welcome, Azula, just don't expect it all the time!" the immortal woman grinned to show she was kidding.

Azula sniffed imperiously and made a dismissive gesture with her hands. "Once I'm advisor to the Firelord I'll just use my position to have you added to the spa staff; that way you can't refuse!" She held the haughty look for exactly three seconds before dissolving into a fit of giggles at what she had imagined.

Umi laughed happily "I can just see the look on Zuko's face if you actually told him that…" she laughed again at the thought "oh, oh it's just too much…" she gasped for air as she laughed, holding her middle as she bent almost double in her amusement.

After they had enjoyed their joke, Azula brought the tone down to a more serious note. "Umi…do you really think I can do this?"

"The question is, Azula, do YOU think you can do this?" Umi turned the question back on her. "Your opinion here is of utmost importance. If you believe that you can do it, you absolutely can; it's as simple as that."

"But what do you think, Umi?" Azula pressed, seemingly needing to hear what she thought about it.

Umi smiled gently. "Azula, you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to. No matter what it is, I have no doubt that you will achieve your goals. The important thing is; what are your goals? This is something you will need to seriously consider right now, especially if you are to be advisor to the Firelord."

Azula nodded slowly. Umi was right, of course. She needed goals besides becoming Firelord. How ironic that her ultimate goal was the same now as it had always been her whole life; only this time, she was doing it for someone else.

She felt a powerful sense of responsibility and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on settle into her stomach. What was it? It felt so right, but she couldn't figure out what it was. It was an unerring sense of needing to do something for people that were important to her that would cause her to undergo hardship and most likely endure things she had avoided up until now.

The strength of what she felt was enough that she continued to attempt to figure out what it might be. She felt such a strong desire to stay her course and complete her goal and fulfill her…that was it! Fulfill her duty! It was a sense of duty, not out of obligation, but out of…yes, maybe she didn't know that much about it, but she was certain this duty she had chosen was out of love.

Umi and even uncle had taught her about love, how it was, among other things, actions. Not merely actions either, but selfless actions were strong indicators that love was present. She knew now, she loved her big brother, and she was beginning to love Umi as well. She felt like the big sister she'd never had. If she had had a big sister, she was sure the woman couldn't possibly be any better of a sister to her than Umi had already been. Not just a sister, but also a true friend.

"Thank you, Umi" she said out of the blue. She truly was grateful.

Umi blinked at the seemingly off-the-wall appreciation but took it in stride. "You're welcome, Azula."

The tired girl on the bed yawned, whipping a slim arm to cover her mouth as quickly as she could. "Sorry Umi" she mumbled after she finished her yawn.

Umi smiled. "No apologies necessary Azula, I know you must be very tired, I'll le..." suddenly Umi stopped speaking and made a quiet "shh" sound while placing her forefinger in front of her lips. Azula had opened her mouth to speak but stopped quickly. Her heart began to beat faster as she wondered what Umi could possibly have heard. It must be something close, a danger..she tried not to allow fear to send its icy tendrils through her spine, but she just felt so helpless...

"Azula." Umi spoke gently to the frightened girl "you're safe, you know. I would never let anyone harm you. I merely needed to listen for one moment. I'm sorry I frightened you."

The Fire Princess nodded. "I know Umi, it's just...I feel so..so helpless...like this. I...I just can't, I miss it..my bending."

"I understand Azula, I'm sorry." the immortal woman replied quietly.

"I know, I deserved it." Azula said almost inaudibly.

"Oh Azula, perhaps then, but not now." Umi said gently. Azula couldn't help but notice the former water spirit seemed to be distracted.

"Is Zuko awake, are you talking to him?" she asked curiously.

Umi blinked and shook her head "no, there is an intruder in the cell block where we are..." before she even finished her sentence the girl on the bed sat up shaking and and hissed "what?!" panic in her eyes.

"Be at peace Azula, don't you remember? I can hide us from the world with my water. To everyone else we don't exist, remember?" She smiled gentle and reached over to place a calming hand on the panicked girl's shoulder. Allowing a small connection she projected peace to Azula, and the girl eagerly accepted it and calmed quickly.

"I'm sorry Umi, I did forget" she shrugged apologetically.

"I only want you to remember for your own peace of mind Azula" Umi said with gentle look.

"I understand" the girl nodded.

"I need to go and deal with the intruder, I will be leaving the room but you will be absolutely hidden, not even the Avatar himself could find you Azula. You must trust me. I have to go now ok?" Umi said looking directly into Azula's eyes.

The slightly frightened girl nodded "ok" then added "I'll be here". Umi smiled and disappeared, her voice echoing as she de-materialized "be at peace, Azula, you are safe".

Taking a deep breath, the Fire Princess decided to believe Umi, and use breathing techniques to calm herself while she waited for Umi to return.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A silent intruder crept through widely unknown secret passages, hidden doorways and below ground tunnels to arrive, at long last, in one of the cells in what looked to be a cell block. The intruder very cautiously entered the cell and allowed the nearly silent hidden door to snick shut. Creeping cautiously over to the cell door, the silent trespasser pressed a hidden catch and the lock sprang open, allowing the unusually quiet cell door to open smoothly.

It was just too easy. As quiet as a cat, the prowling interloper padded through the circle of cells up to the place where the target was. No guards? Curious. Would the door even be locked? This might be incredibly easy after all.

Laying a hand on the latch of the cell door the intruder turned it as gingerly as possible and opened the door slowly. Both were, once again, nearly silent. There was no light in this cell whatsoever. The one who had snuck in would simply have to provide the light needed. Carefully pulling what was needed from hidden pockets, the intruder quickly lit a match, and before lighting the sconce on the wall, held the match up momentarily to view the contents of the room.

What?! There was nothing there. Nothing at all. Not even a cell chamber pot or cot. What was going on? Confusion reigned for a few moments before the frustrated intruder shook out the match before burning fingers were had and was about to back out when all of a sudden the door slammed shut and the 'shunk' of a bolt being thrown was heard.

All at once an eerie glow permeated the cell, and the intruder could clearly see that no one else was in the room...well, at least no one..solid. Now the intruder was truly frightened as a strange glowing figure in the form of a woman began to materialize in front of the now panicking trespasser.

A voice seemed to come from all around, everywhere yet nowhere. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?!" the voice demanded.

In no position to be cagey or difficult the man stood straight up with his hands in the air in a clear surrendering motion replied "I'm Elkor" he replied quickly "I'm uh..." he hesitated, not really wanting to divulge why he was there so easily. He might still be able to get away by feigning ignorance. "I'm just here because I got lost...I work in the palace."

The voice didn't buy it. "You do not work in the palace; I've seen every single person who works in the palace and you are not one of them."

His bluff had been called. He wasn't done yet. "I'm new, I just started working here a couple days ago" hopefully that would satisfy this unnaturally nosy and somewhat aggressive spirit being that was hounding him.

"Wrong again" the voice sounded more serious this time. His nerves screamed at him. The glowing figure somehow created two whips out of water and begin to herd him toward the door, which inexplicably opened and chased him out of the cell, snapping the whips at him to keep him moving. The strange watery woman figure finally herded him into one of the other cells, the door somehow opening on its own again and giving him one last snap with one whip of water, the other whip turned into watery shackles and chained him hands and feet very neatly to the wall.

"Now" in a tone more ominous than before the repeated her question "who are you, and what are you doing here?"

He felt his false bravado wilting as he realized this spirit being could do terrible things to him and no one would ever know. Maybe if he told it what it wanted to know, the powerful being would let him go. It was his only chance. He cursed himself inwardly for ever even agreeing to come to this place. He might be about to pay a price he could not afford.

The man's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I was hired to come to these dungeons and..." he hesitated, fearing the wrath of the spirit being for what he was about to say. At a menacing snap of the water whip he flinched and forced himself to continue. "and..well I was hired to find out what happened to the p..." he interrupted himself "one of the people in the dungeon I mean" he finished lamely, knowing he wouldn't get away with his slip and frustrated with himself for it.

The figure moved a bit closer to him and leaned toward him raising the whip and twirling it around almost absentmindedly; it was very clear to him, however, the spirit being was anything but distracted. He shrank into himself slightly. "If you don't tell me what I want to know, I guarantee you will regret it."

The shackles around his wrists tightened somehow, despite being water, then suddenly turned to ice. He jumped as the cold instantly began to permeate into his skin. In moments the cold began to burn, and his pain loosened his reluctant tongue.

"Okay, okay!" he gasped out as his wrists burned from the intense cold. "I'll talk! Just, take away the ice...please!" he added, hoping for some mercy.

The spirit being shook its head in an almost disgusted way, but the shackles indeed did become water once again, even if it was rather cold water, it was better than the ice that somehow burned.

Elkor sighed. He was doomed anyway. "I was hired by an unknown person to come here and find out what happened to a person I was told was "the princess" he began.

Somehow, the temperature in the entire room lowered; by several degrees if he had to guess. It was cold enough that he shivered involuntarily and hurried to continue. "It's true!" he assured the being. "I was sitting at the bar at the Spicy Flame tavern when one of the barmaids handed me a packet with a letter in it that had a ton of really detailed instructions written on it, and a very large sum of money, which the writer of the instructions promised I would receive twice as much again should I complete the mission that was asked of me. If I refused, I was to place the packet on the bar, get up, and walk away."

"This barmaid, what was her name and what did she look like?" The spirit being asked in rapid fire succession.

He shook his head. "I don't know, I didn't ask...you don't ask certain things...you know what I mean? You live longer..." he stared at the floor. "Usually...anyway she was just a barmaid. I don't know.." he flinched when a whip snapped near his head. "I don't know! I don't remember! I didn't pay attention to her, I was too distracted by the contents of the packet...you know..the money and..." his voice trailed off.

"So that's it? You come in here, find out of "the princess" you were looking for is where you were told she would be and then what? What were you told to do then?" Even the voice sounded a bit icy as it spoke.

Very quietly he replied. "I was to ensure she still lived and mark where she was and what the guard situation was like before returning to the tavern tomorrow night and returning the instructions and the information on the situation in the packet back to whatever barmaid came to pick it up."

Shaking its head, the figure turned to leave. "Wait!" he yelled "you're not just going to leave me here?!" he could die here!

The water spirit turned back to him and glared at him with strangely bluish white glowing eyes. "You broke into a dungeon, exactly what did you think was going to happen?" was the short response.

"But...!" was all he could say before it simply disappeared, the door slamming shut, on its own. Again. The latch catching firmly in place. Once again it was dark. He couldn't even see the nose on the front of his face. Some angry spirit had trapped him in here and no one, well, almost no one even knew he was there. Icy fear began to slither up his back and he wanted to shout, but, who would hear him?

0o0o0o0o0o0

Slowly materializing in front of the door where Azula could easily see her Umi allowed herself to fully form before she spoke.

"You were gone for awhile..was there someone out there? I didn't hear anything at all..." her voice trailed off in curiosity. She had been quite frightened for awhile, but since all had been quiet, she had eventually relaxed, nearly dozing off to sleep.

"Yes, there was an intruder. Remember what I told you Azula, you're absolutely safe, you couldn't hear anything because as far as the rest of the world is concerned you're not here." she smiled again.

"I know it's..just so hard to believe because I can't see it and...and I've never really had to rely on...someone else..trust...someone else to keep me..safe." she replied somewhat haltingly, as if she hated to admit her true feelings and fears.

"I understand. I will keep reminding you" Umi smiled gently.

"So, what happened out there?" Azula asked, her curiosity getting the better of her at last.

"As I mentioned there was an intruder, I dealt with him and he is safely chained to a wall in one of the other cells" the former water spirit replied matter-of-factly.

"Was..I mean...how did he manage to get in here?" The Fire Princess asked quietly, attempting not to ask the obvious question that was at the forefront of her mind. The one she really wanted to know...was it him?

Umi was not ignorant to the different direction the Fire Princess' question had taken. "I do not know exactly how he made his way in, however, apparently there is some underground passage into this dungeon it was seem. How he knew his way in and how he even knew there was a passage there to begin with is what is more concerning" she finally replied.

"What do you mean?" Azula asked.

"It was not...him, Azula. This man was sent here."

"How do you know, Umi?"

"His voice." She had to be careful, she could not mention Hayashi, but now she was somewhat trapped, she needed to answer. "I cannot divulge things of a Spirit World nature Azula, but I can tell you of a surety, it was NOT him."

"Do you...know what he looks like then?" Azula asked somewhat hesitantly.

Umi was truly impressed, for the Fire Princess to be able to discuss this so calmly, she had come a long ways. "I do not. I only know his voice."

"Oh, I see" was the quiet reply.

"You will be safe Azula, I will personally see to that" Umi assured her. "I will protect you for as long as you need me to." Azula nodded gratefully.

"I will need to alert Firelord Zuko, however" she continued "this must be dealt with quickly."

"I understand Umi, do what you need to do." she yawned, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. " I am getting rather sleepy."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Leaving a sleeping Azula safely ensconced in her protective bubble, Umi quickly appeared outside the Firelord's chamber and gently touched his sleeping consciousness with her own. He was awake instantly, asking her what was wrong.

"It is a matter of some urgency Zuko..." she began. "There is, at this very moment, a strange man named Elkor who was sent by an unknown person to find his way through hidden passageways to sneak into the dungeon where Azula is staying, tied to the wall in one of the cells with my water."

Naturally, his surprise was palpable. "Is she..." she didn't even let him finish.

"She's just fine Zuko, you know I keep her hidden. The man only found an empty room."

"Is it..." he began, once again she answered before he'd even finished the question.

"No, it is not her tormentor. However, it is someone who was given a packet with all the instructions and information needed to get directly to her. That cannot be a coincidence Zuko, it can't."

He was disturbed yet intrigued. "So this means he knows him, right?"

"He says he doesn't, and I actually believe him. He said a barmaid brought him the packet with information and a large sum of money." Umi sounded disgusted.

"You were right alert me now, I'd like to question him myself, now actually. You said he has no idea where Azula actually is, right?" he asked, needing a little reassurance.

"That is correct" she affirmed. "Azula is in absolutely no danger. In fact, I allowed the intruder to actually reach what should have been her chamber had I not hidden it to find out if he was indeed seeking her."

"That was wise" he replied "after all, depending on the type of person he was, it could have been difficult to learn without possible extensive torture what he was there for."

"Yes" she agreed. "Although in this case, the man is a coward, it is an easy task to pry information from him, thankfully."

Zuko allowed a wry smile to grace his lips. "Give me a bit of time to awaken father and we will go take him together."

"Good" Umi replied. "I will be waiting for you." the words sounded almost wistful to him, as if she hadn't been thinking entirely about the intruder. He could feel a gentle sense of longing through the connection they shared, and tried his best to respond by imagining sending her a hug. "I'll be there."

It wasn't long before he had collected a shocked Iroh and they were on their way down to apprehend Azula's possible would-be attacker.