Author's Note:

One more entry after this one. Prepare yourself for Feels.

-Icewhisker

The war meeting had left him cold and angry.

The thoughts that spread through his mind, contradicting the very life he lived, were traitorous.

Never before had he felt so unlike himself. The plan his father had in taking over the Earth Kingdom was inhumane. Only a monster would follow through with this without a second thought and Zuko was starting to see the horns and fangs that his father wore with pride.

Nothing bothered him more though than the way his sister supported Ozai in the Fire Nation's plan. She had not hesitated to take over Zuko's fumbling words to come up with a devious plot. Her plan to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground opened up Zuko's eyes to the twisted person Azula was underneath. It was the dark part of herself that she hid from him on a daily basis but this time…he could see the hold Ozai had over her. The chains were too thick to break and slowly choking the life out of her, yet she was blind to it all.

This person was not his sister.

It was the monster Ozai had created her to be.

These thoughts are what made him snap at her. He had taken all his frustration out on her without so much as flinching and her amber eyes that had been full of concern one moment had filled with unconcealed rage the next.

"How could you even suggest that!?" Zuko fumed, pacing back and forth on the balcony outside his room. He had made sure that they were alone before fighting with her this time.

"You weren't coming up with anything idiot!" She glared at him while leaning against the railing, completely content with everything that had occurred "You should be grateful that I covered for you!"

"I'm not pissed about that!" He stopped suddenly to face her. He clenched his fists that were itching to release streams of fire. "I'm talking about what you said!"

"What? Burning down the Earth Kingdom?" She stared at him as if he were the crazy one. "This will be a victory for the Fire Nation. It will end this war that has been ongoing for a century! We will finally win!"

Zuko stared at her with disappointment and despair "At what cost Azula? Thousands of lives will be lost! Mothers and children! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Azula narrowed her eyes that held chips of ice. He had never seen such a chilling look from her before and it was then that he could see their father in her gaze. An exact replica of who she was made to become "That's the price of war Zuko. If it has to be this way…then so be it."

Zuko felt his heart plummet, almost not believing the words she had just spoken. "Do you really not care…?"

Azula didn't break eye contact "The Fire Nation, our people…are all that matter."

Zuko didn't know what came over him but it was unwelcome. There was a giant chasm that suddenly became visible through the fog that had been surrounding them for months. A clear defining line between what was right and wrong. All he could see were the shadows that surrounded his sister and the faint light within her that just kept getting dimmer and dimmer.

Both of their fates were sealed.

"You'd better learn to toughen up Zuzu. That kind of weakness is what's going to get you killed." Azula stated, as she crossed her arms.

"What weakness! Actually caring for someone other than myself?" He snapped, beyond rationality. "That's not weakness Azula! That's strength. At least I have compassion… but you? All you care about is that stupid throne and any way you can get your hands on it, even if it means forgetting who you really are!" His sister never wavered before him, nor showed any signs of caring for what he said. Her stubbornness and inability to foresee her own fate only angered him further. He was scared for her and that fear took over "This path will lead to your destruction if you don't stop." More sadly he added "You're becoming nothing but a monster…"

Azula's eyes flashed with pain and instantly he felt regret for the words he had spoken. She pushed herself off the railing to stand nose to nose with him "Let me tell you something, brother" she hissed "…It's better to be feared than loved." Without another word spoken, she walked away.

He stared after her in panic, loathing himself for hurting her so blindly "Azula stop!" but her retreating form didn't wait for him. He ran after, grabbing her shoulder but it was a mistake as she turned on the spot, to throw a punch at his face. The contact on his scar hurt like hell and he crumbled onto his knees, holding the left side of his face as he let out a sharp grunt of pain.

Zuko forced himself to look up at her and the look in her sharp amber gaze made him freeze. Even if he wanted to move, he couldn't and was unwilling to in the face of her fury. Both her hands were encased with azure flames that made her look other worldly. Her beauty mixed with the shadows that flickered across her face was something to behold.

Azula raised her hand as an ugly, poisonous thought to strike her brother down, rooted itself deep within her. The fear in his eyes made her heart beat faster and sent pleasant shivers down her spine. Her pain and anger were all she felt and it was easy to welcome.

When she looked deeper into the eyes of the man she loved above all else, she saw that light that had attracted her from the beginning. It called to her very much like the shadows within.

She couldn't do it.

Her love for him wouldn't allow it.

A tear streaked down her face, as she let her flames die. Without another word, she left the room, leaving Zuko on the ground, praying to Agni that she would forgive him even though the chances of that were slim "What have I done…?"