I entered the room, unannounced and confident. My little sister looked up from the map she was holding, and stood up smiling.

"Hello, Zu-Zu." she said playfully.

"Azula." I replied, ignoring the insulting nickname, "I'm back."

"Yes. I suppose my Father gave you a moment to see me before hauling you off to prison?"

"No." I grinned, "Our Father...has accepted me."

She stood a startled step back. "But-...But how?"

I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall casually, "Oh, I just ran a little errand for him..."

"You don't mean-...You couldn't possible expect me to b-believe..."

I nodded and said proudly, "I have captured the Avatar."

"NO! It's a lie! You could never have done it! You could never do ANYTHING!" she ranted.

"Well, if it's not true, explain the Airbender in our securest prison cell. Or the fact that I've got a personal maid and guard in my room across the hall." I mused, enjoying the heck out of this moment.

Azula started walked towards the door as she said, "Well, I still don't believe any of it. I'm going to ask my Father about this." I noticed with a smile that she still refused to call Ozai our father. I followed her towards the Throne Room, and she entered. I waited outside with an ear at the door.

"Father?" I heard an overly-sweet voice ask, "Is it true that Zuko is back here at the Palace?"

"Why yes it is, my darling." the cool calm voice replied.

"And, um, why is it exactly that he's here? Didn't you banish him for disrespecting you?" Of course she reminds him of the reason he banished me.

"Well, that is also true. But, he has returned with the Avatar, so I have accepted him home. He can tell us all about it at Dinner tonight." I cringed at the thought of telling them all about it...I would have to get all of that straightened out before dinnertime.

Anyway, I heard, very quietly, a female scowl, and I chuckled. "Okay, Father. I'm going to go see him now. If, of course, you don't need anything." Azula added politely.

"No, my dear. You may go join your brother. I will see you both at seven o'clock." the Fire Lord replied.

As I heard Azula get up, I came away from the wall and prepared my best smug face. As soon as Azula came out and saw me, she scowled again. As she walked away, I followed again and said, "That's right, Azula. I'm home."

My sister slammed me up against the wall and hissed coldly, "Listen, brother. Just because you've captured the Avatar, don't expect me to think any differently of you. I am still a better firebender, a better fighter, and a better noble-person. So don't get all proud just because Father let you come home. In fact, I'd watch your back if I were you!" And, just like that, she stormed off, leaving me dumbstruck leaning against the wall.

I went back to my room to find a Sokka, helmet off, and Katara, in her maid's outfit. "How'd it go?" Sokka asked.

I chuckled, "Well, she was certainly ready to firebend my face off. She still thinks she's better than me, of course, but one win is enough for me as long as it's against her."

Sokka laughed. Katara asked curiously, "Who are you talking about?"

"His sister, Azula." Sokka said, and Katara nodded.

I changed the subject, remembering something, "Guys, we've, uh, got to get our stories straight here. How the capture and everything went."

"Shouldn't Iroh be here for this?" Katara pointed out. I nodded, and went to get him. Iroh's room was at the end of the hallway where Azula's and mine were.

Once the four of us were settled in my room, I said, "I think we should stick to the story that Uncle told to Zhao. Just in case in Zhao talks about it to my father."

"Good idea, Zuko." Sokka said, "What did you say to him, General."

"Please, call me Iroh." my uncle said, "Now, I told Zhao pretty much exactly what happened in real life, except skipping the conversation you two had." He gestured to Katara and I.

"Wait...How do you know what happened?" I had just remembered that he wasn't on."

Iroh chuckled, "Do not worry, Prince Zuko, I wasn't spying on you. From the deck of the ship, I heard the blast of flames and a girl's scream. So, I guessed that before that, you two were talking. What I said to Zhao was that after you had Katara captured, you threatened to burn her if she didn't say where the Avatar was, and she refused. Then, you pretended to shoot flames at her, and the scream drew the Avatar straight to you like a Buzzard Wasp to honey. I told him you didn't actually burn her because you didn't know what Ozai would want to do with her. I never mentioned Sokka."

I nodded, thinking that this explanation seemed by far the most logical lie we could come up with. I now realized more than over how great my uncle really was. I had really mistreated him in my three years at sea. But...he's really a kinder man than my father. Of course I thought, at this time, that my father would be better to me now that I had brought him the Avatar. "Great thinking, Uncle. That is the story we will tell anyone who asks. Everyone understand?" I looked to Katara and Sokka, and they nodded.

To be honest, I was extremely surprised everything was going as well as it was. However, I, of course, didn't see who had been standing just outside with their ear at the door.

A/N - Sorry it's so short, but...it was just such a dramatic cliff hanger; I couldn't resist! =) Who was listening in on their conversation? Will they tell the Fire Lord? What will he do if he hears? Ha-ha, you all will have to wait for the next update! =P