Writer's Note: Occurs after "Therapy".

Warning: Takes place post-series and contains spoilers.

Kaida liked Azula.

She was interesting and entertaining. She had interestingly bright eyes that sometimes became dark with confusion or anger, but always – always – they would focus again when Kaida spoke to her calmly about this thing or that.

Azula's hair was long, far longer than her mother's hair. Kaida's hair, out of both rebellion and convenience, was always kept in a small cap around her ears, so playing with Azula's was something of a novelty for her, since she didn't have hair of her own to braid or plait or tie up into a knot. Azula was always patient, always grateful, and never snapped at her niece if she pulled too hard or made knots.

Kaida was afraid of the hospital at first, especially when her first few visits were behind her parents' backs. However, once she came clean and admitted what she was doing to them, they assured her that it was safe and clean and that Azula was looking forward to seeing her. Kaida knew that both of her parents went to see Azula at separate times, but often she wondered why they didn't just go all together, the three of them.

Eventually, Kaida got used to the place. The first time she met her aunt face-to-face, Azula had seemed sleepy and confused, like she had just woken from a nap but still needed more sleep (Kaida knew how that felt). It had been a little scary at first, but Kaida visited every week, and eventually she got used to how Azula looked.

Azula, it seemed, had gotten used to her, too, to the point that on the appointed day of every week, Kaida would open the door to find her seated and gazing at the door expectantly. The moment Azula's eyes fell on her, they would light up ever so slightly. It was nice.

And somehow, Azula found a confidant in Kaida. Something in the way the eleven-year-old sat and just listened, no matter what Azula had to say, no matter how crazy or incoherent, seemed to help her sort things into order and make more sense. Kaida was even patient enough to help her out or correct her gently.

There was so much of Mai in that. Mai was always calm-voiced and subtle, always with faint words and fainter gestures. But there was also much of Zuko there, as well, with the open trust and eagerness, the smiling and laughing, the need to be approved of and the desire to show off to make Azula happy.

"Is your fire still orange, Kaida?" Azula asked one day. They had been sitting in the visiting room, out of Azula's room but away from the other inmates. Kaida had brought some sweetcakes and juice, which they shared together.

Kaida looked up, blinking. "Yep," she agreed, her mouth full of cake. "Always. Dad and Uncle Aang said it would stay that way when I asked about it."

Azula looked down at her hands. "I hope so," she admitted softly. "You're too young."

Kaida swallowed her mouthful and sipped some juice before asking, "Too young for what?"

Azula shrugged one shoulder, something Kaida knew she did when she didn't want to talk about something, so she left it alone.

There was one day that Kaida asked Azula a somewhat difficult and shocking question. "Auntie Azula, do you know where Grandma is?"

Azula opened her eyes with a start. She had been resting in one of the soft chairs while Kaida read to her, something that both enjoyed deeply, when she suddenly broke from the book and asked this. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Kaida fidgeted a little. "Dad sometimes leaves for a while, then comes back looking all sad. Once overheard them talking," and here she went pink, which suggested she was spying, "and Mom said something about 'Ursa' who I know is Grandma." Her eyes met Azula's, and there was sadness there. "Do you know where she is? Maybe?"

Azula stared, her heart racing. She wasn't quite sure how much time had passed since that horrible day that she and Zuko had fought, but it had to have been almost two decades since. It amazed her that, after all of those years, there was still no sign of Ursa. Azula would have bet that Ursa was the first to return to the Fire Nation once Ozai was imprisoned.

Where is she, indeed?

"I'm sorry, Kaida," she said honestly, for a moment feeling an ache to her chest. "I don't know."

Kaida nodded slowly, her eyes going back to the book in her hands. "Okay. Just thought I'd ask is all."

It was brought up only once, but it left ripples in her heart.

It was a few weeks later when Zuko and Mai came by to visit on their own. It was getting easier to see them, easier to accept them as who they were now, not who they had been before – the traitor and the bane of her existence. It had gotten to the point where Azula was even able to remember the good times with Zuko and Mai, the silly games and fun pranks they had played together before their entire lives changed in one night.

Mai hugged her, a real gesture, and so did Zuko – harder than his wife but just as genuine. When they sat down together, Mai poured them each some tea. Once the cup met her hands, Azula stared right into her brother's eyes and said, "Mother is still missing."

It wasn't a question, but Zuko answered, anyway. "Yes," he agreed, a shadow falling over his face.

"Kaida told me," Azula admitted, looking down into her mug. "She tells me lots of things. I…I'm glad you let her come and see me."

There was a short silence. Then Mai said, softly, "Of course we'd let her see you. You're her aunt."

Azula looked up and saw tenderness there, a kindness that Mai had always had that, back then, always seemed weak to her. She said nothing.

"I'm sorry Kaida…brought that up," Zuko said now, fingers at the bridge of his nose. "She doesn't have much tact, really, and she spies a lot."

Mai nudged him. "She seems to have inherited stealth from her father."

Zuko smirked at her, nudging her back. "Oh yes, I'm sure none of it is from you."

Azula smiled, then frowned, looking down into her mug. Her heart hurt a little – she had missed so much…

"Azula?" Zuko's voice was soft, and sounded worried. She looked up. "Do you need some rest?"

She shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "No," she answered. "I'm more awake than ever. Zuko, how could you have let this go on for so long?"

He stared, his eyes wide. "What?"

"How could you have not bothered to look for Mother?"

"I did!" Zuko protested, his voice cracking. "I have for years! There's just…it's like…and he won't help me…and…"

Mai touched his shoulder lightly. "You're babbling, you idiot," she said softly.

Zuko went pink and looked down, leaning his cheek onto his hand and shutting his eyes. "I've asked many people who had known her, and they either don't know, or don't care." Unspoken went Ozai's name, but Azula knew that he had been one of those people. "I'm combed through the whole damned world and haven't found a trace…"

Azula said, very softly, "Do you think she's dead?"

Zuko winced, but his eyes opened, and they were hard. "Yes," he said, his voice a growl. "I don't see any other reason why she wouldn't come back, after all of these years. She was either killed that night, or died long after. Either way...." He trailed off, looking helpless and young and - to Azula - very, very fragile.

Mai's hand squeezed Zuko's shoulder, but she said nothing.

Azula gritted her teeth, glaring down into the cup held before her. She shut her eyes, the reality of his words swooping down on her and sinking their barbs into her flesh. If it's true, and she's dead…I never got to say I was sorry…I never got to prove I knew how to not be a monster…

"Sometimes," Mai's voice broke through the heavy silence shared by the two siblings. "Things don't get to be resolved like they should. Sometimes they end…kind of…" She looked helplessly from Azula to Zuko, then back again. "…badly. There was no way either of you could have known what would have happened. You tried your best. In the circumstances, it was all you could do."

Azula stared at her. It was true, after all. Sometimes, things just…sucked. Railing against that, Azula knew, had the worst results.

But then, she thought, thinking of her niece fondly, there's something nice in all of that gloom.

Slowly, she looked up. "You'll keep sending Kaida here, won't you?"

Both Mai and Zuko blinked, startled by what they believed was a subject change. "As long as she wants to come, there's no stopping her," Zuko admitted with a slight frown. Mai rolled her eyes a little and nodded. "The first time she came here was without our permission," she added.

Azula smiled. "Curiosity?"

"Probably," Zuko agreed. "But more likely because we said she wasn't old enough yet."

"Mm," Mai agreed. "We only found out when one of your attendants asked us if we wanted to set up a regular visiting day."

Another silence. Azula filled it by sipping her tea, her thoughts sluicing through her like water. But the best part was that they were calm, understandable – something she wasn't so lucky to have back then.

Zuko looks like Father, she thought absently. But he also looks like…himself.

Mai seems happy.

Where is Ty Lee? I miss her…she hasn't visited in years…

I want to go out. I want to be free. I want…home.

"Azula?" Zuko again, his voice soft with worry. She looked up and saw that he was looking at her in a way that he had never looked before; worried, yes, but also hopeful, yearning…

It's like all he wants is our family to be perfect again, she thought suddenly, the dark thoughts sudden but true. But he doesn't seem to realise that our family is shattered forever…

"I'm fine," she said instead. "I just...I think I need to rest."

Zuko nodded, instantly getting to his feet. Azula had to smile at that; he was always considerate like that, always careful and quick to understand...mostly. Mai, however, stayed seated. Her expression was familiar - stern, and concerned, the look she always wore when Azula was about to step over a line of some sort. Azula was bemused by this, because as far as she knew, she had yet to get near a line, let alone cross it.

But whatever it was, Mai didn't voice it. She kept her eyes on Azula's for a long, lingering moment, before she joined Zuko at his side. Her face was kept carefully blank.

Azula didn't see them off, but the moment she knew they were gone for sure, she trudged back to her room, her teeth clenched hard in order to keep control. The moment she was inside and the door was closed behind her, she shut her eyes and just spilled to the floor in a defeated heap.

Mother is gone...

Feeling nothing but misery, Azula curled up onto herself and wept.