Stuck between a rock and a hard place. The phrase could hardly grasp the magnitude of the predicament Coach Kyoshi. had found herself in, but it was the closest she could get to describing it.

Chan had dropped a bomb on her. Bullying, violations of privacy laws, and child abuse just to name a few. What the hell had happened to this generation of children? What made them so sinister? Why couldn't they just ignore each other instead of committing federal crimes?

In all her years of teaching, Kyoshi had never heard of a situation like that happening under her nose. Or had there been many such cases and she'd just let it go under the radar? How many others had slipped through the cracks? Had she always been so blind to the needs of her students?

Her thoughts spiraled nonstop. She began to overanalyze every interaction she'd ever had with her students over her entire teaching career. This wasn't supposed to happen on her watch. She had too much skin in the game to let something like this fester.

Kyoshi felt like the world had collapsed in on itself. She didn't want to believe Chan, but things had begun to click in her mind when she listened to him recount his story. That night when she'd abandoned the team after being benched for acting without teamwork. She thought the girl had just been too prideful, but there was much more to Azula than met the eyes.

Chan said he couldn't hear most of the conversation, but Kyoshi could only deduce that the reason for the beating had been because of how she'd played on the court. Kyoshi shuddered at the thought of the brutality. She hadn't shown up for a week after the fact. Had she been hiding the bruises? Had she been too ashamed to show her face after the fact? Or had her father forced her into reclusion so as to not raise suspicion of his abuse? Was this her reality every time she came home?

Kyoshi felt absolutely deplorable. She'd probably made things worse at home for Azula by benching her. The circuits in her brain snapped into overdrive. Azula's obsession with being leader, being a winner, and being the best… had all those desires stemmed from a threat at home? Kyoshi didn't want to think about it but she had to. How could she not lament the role she played in the further abuse of a child? She'd be heartless if she didn't.

It was the end of the school day when Chan decided to drop this bomb on her. All the staff had already left the building. Her stomach twisted itself into knots the entire night. She wanted to tell someone, to let them carry the burden of her knowledge with her, but she'd have to wait until morning. The thought of leaving Azula in the belly of a beast for another night petrified her. She couldn't sleep. And night seemed to drag its feet before reaching morning. Every time she closed her eyes she imagined Azula's father standing over her, beating her half to death.

Coach Kyoshi got dressed in a hurry despite being very early. A night of unrest had left her with only racing thoughts of all the ways her revealing this horrid secret could unravel. It would all most likely end in tragedy. That's what happened when abusers were confronted. Things became exponentially worse for their victims. Kyoshi was trying to build a bridge over troubled water. She could only hope high tide wouldn't overtake her as she paved a road to safety for Azula. She couldn't beat the nagging thought that there really was no safety from a man as powerful as Azula's father.

Kyoshi drove through traffic like a madman. She was carrying nuclear codes and she had to get them to safety. Time ticked by. Her eyes darted back and forth like a game of pinball as she watched the time while she sped through traffic. Nothing would quell her fears until she had someone to tell this all to.

After faring several near car wrecks, Coach Kyoshi made it to school. A few children were dotted around the school not doing much other than shuffling through their phones, but about half of the staff parking lot was full already. She parked, jumped out of her car, and scanned the parking lot. She spotted a familiar red car and darted off to the main office. She got a few stares from students as she passed by, but she could hardly worry about what they thought of her. She wasn't a teenager riddled by the fear of humiliation. She had a child to save.

Kyoshi burst open the door of the main office. Her coworkers looked shocked to see her. Her hair was unkempt, raccoon circles around her eyes, and clothes messily thrown on, but they didn't know what she knew. If they had they'd understand.

"Where is Principal Roku?" Coach Kyoshi heaved at the front desk receptionist.

"He's in his office," the woman replied sheepishly as she pointed. "He got here about five minutes ago."

"Thank you," she said as she ran to Roku's office. She stood at the entrance of his office trying to catch her breath. He was casually slipping off a dapper trench coat as she stumbled in.

"Good morning Coach Kyoshi," he said in a hoarse, age weary voice. "I see you're sporting a new look."

"I need to tell you something," Kyoshi said, forgoing all formalities. Principal Roku's brow quirked. He hung his coat on his rack and eased into his chair. "Come in. Sit down."

….

"Oh my," Principal Roku spoke after being inundated with a breathless rant from Kyoshi. He reclined into his chair too stunned to speak. Coach Kyoshi watched as his mind rushed to register all of the information that he had just taken in. "I don't know what to say, Kyoshi."

"I think it's time to get child services involved. Maybe even the police here as backup if there's any retaliation."

"Slow down, Kyoshi," Principal Roku warned. He rose from his seat, folded his arms behind his back, and peaked out the window. "Do you know who Azula's father is?"

"An abusive sadist from what I've been told," the woman quipped.

"Maybe so," Principal Roku humored her. "But have you ever taken a look around this city? At the names on many of the items we receive? The endorsements we work hard to maintain?"

"No, I can't say that I really pay attention."

"Most are affiliated with the Fujiwara name. Ozai Fujiwara – son of Azulon Fujiwara. Their clan pretty much laid the foundation of the city centuries ago."

"What does that have to do with me being a mandated reporter who is now aware of a child being abused?"

Principal Roku sighed before he started. "It means we have to be very delicate in how we handle this."

"Are you trying to tell me that we're going to ignore a child being at risk of abuse because this school needs sponsorships?!"

Principal Roku moved closer to her now. His eyes lost their resilience. There was no sign of life within them. A perilous warning flashed in them. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gripped them gently. "You need to calm down Coach Kyoshi. You're becoming a bit too incensed over a girl you've complained about to me at length quite a few times before," he hissed. "This abuse… could it be that she was merely being disciplined and Chan – a boy with a vendetta against her and a wild imagination – took what was happening out of context?"

"She didn't show up for a week after the incident," Coach Kyoshi barked. "The bruises had mostly faded, but her face was still swollen."

"But you're a mandated reporter, Kyoshi. If you suspected something then, why are you only just now making me aware of it. Could it have been your bias against her that clouded your judgement?"

Kyoshi pulled away from his grip. He smirked, satisfied with her anger.

"We still have to report it. That's the law."

"Yes," Principal Roku said, his hand reaching for the phone on his desk. "We'll address the concern with her father immediately."

….

"Please talk to me."

Azula was standing at her locker pulling out the required textbooks for her next round of classes. There was nothing particularly special about what she was doing, but she could feel eyes on her. She shrugged it off. She wasn't in a very good mood – not that she had been for awhile – but she was especially annoyed today.

Despite how much she fought it, she couldn't help the despondency that plagued her at her mother's confession. Ozai had been right. He'd been right all along and it made Azula realize just how much she wanted him to be wrong. It just wasn't possible. Children can't have two parents that don't love them.

She shook the thought out of her head as quickly as it had come. Ozai did love her. But he loved her at her best. She had taken a hard fall from grace lately and she had been so busy wallowing in her own self pity that she had neglected her duties to her father. That was right! She needed to gain back her father's favor. The volleyball team wasn't an option at this point with the way that Coach Kyoshi had an obvious vendetta out for her, but she was Azula, she'd excel at anything she touched. She smiled with pride as she slammed her locker shut.

But that didn't prepare her for the pitiful face behind the door. Ruon Jian was standing there, eyes pleading, lip pouting, and shoulders sagging. Now Azula knew where all the eyes were coming from. She could've died of embarrassment right on the spot.

"What are you doing?!" she whisper-yelled as she held up a book to shield her face.

"You've been ignoring me and I don't know why. Please just tell me what I did wrong."

"You haven't done anything."

"So then why have you been avoiding me?"

"Ruon Jian, you're making a scene," she warned.

His chest puffed up with gumption. "I'll keep it up if you won't talk to me."

Azula was appalled by his audacity. Where had his gall come from? Had she become so weak that now this boy thought he could walk all over her? She grabbed his forearm and pulled him down the hall.

….

"Hi."

"Hi."

They were in the janitor's closet – their usual spot. Azula surely wasn't happy, evident from the deep frown on her face, but Ruon Jian was either none the wiser or simply didn't care judging by the smug look on his face.

"I'm so glad you're finally talking to me. It's been torture the past few weeks without you."

"You're extremely dramatic."

"But it's true," Ruon Jian said as he moved closer to her. Azula took a few steps back to widen the space. "I really did want to talk to you. What happened?"

Azula shrugged her shoulders. Ruon Jian mimicked her. Azula hissed at him. "That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be."

"You're mocking me."

"You're not telling me anything."

Azula slammed her face into her palms and screamed. "What do you want from me?!"

"Azula," he called out to her gently. He wrapped his arms around her shaking torso and squeezed tight. While holding her, he sank to the floor and sat her between his legs. With one hand rubbing her back and another stroking her hair, Azula had to fight the urge to melt into him.

This boy… when she was around him she lost all sense of the Azula she held herself to be. There was no kindness, no gentle touch, no softness to the Azula she had constructed for herself. But with Ruon Jian, somehow he was able to chisel away at that surface and sculpt her into something new. This was a very dangerous game she was playing. She couldn't allow him to get so close. But as she leaned against him, his warmth curling around her, she found that she couldn't resist him at all.

"I was so worried," he started again. "I thought for sure that I'd done something to upset you."

"You didn't," Azula replied, her voice cracking with dredged up emotions.

"I didn't?"

"No. You could never upset me, Ruon Jian. Well…you can, but not in the way that my- the way that the person who upset me has."

"Who's to blame?" he asked. He cupped her chin and made her look up at him. "I'll pummel them into grains of sand. You just tell me who."

Azula smiled. He really was too kind for his own good. Too good for her actually. She shook her head and averted her eyes.

"There you go! Not telling me anything again," he whined.

Azula fought the urge to snap back at him. He couldn't know. No one could. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because," she said, now releasing herself from his hold. "I couldn't let you get mixed into something like this. I can deal with this on my own. I always have."

"But you don't have to Azula."

The static of the school broadcast system brought them both to a sudden halt. It seemed louder than usual, more daunting in its wake to start. Azula stood before anything was announced. "Azula Fujiwara, please report to the principal's office. Azula Fujiwara, please report to the principal's office." That was the mousy front desk receptionist's voice. Her usual even monotone trembled with fear. Azula felt an impending dread pool in her stomach. She looked back to Ruon Jian, his face muddled over with worry for her.

….

It was a long walk of shame to the principal's office. No one had ever been called over the broadcast system in such a way. That method was usually reserved for morning announcements or more urgent situations like fires. What had made Azula the exception?

She guessed many others shared her thoughts as the corridors full of moving students parted ways for her and Ruon Jian. She felt the questioning and accusing stares. They didn't bother her though. She walked with her head high and her chest puffed out. Nothing would best the pride of Azula Fujiwara for as long as she lived!

Until something, or better yet, someone, did.

Standing outside the office was a fuming Ozai. Azula could feel rage rolling off of him in waves just hitting the corner. He was speaking with Principal Roku - well, Principal Roku was speaking to him and Ozai was probably only keeping up the facade of listening. Azula stepped forward slowly, one at a time, as if she were balancing on a tightrope. One wrong move and she'd plummet to her death.

"Father?" she called out as she stepped closer.

His eyes flickered up to hers. That quiet, raging storm he'd perfected so long ago danced in his eyes. Azula gulped. "We have to go," he said, cutting off whatever it was that Principal Roku was rambling about. The force of Ozai's voice troubled the older man. Azula felt her knees buckle.

"What's wrong? You never pick me up so early–"

"I said we have to go."

Azula felt herself stop breathing. This was bad. Really bad. Whatever was waiting for her at home would not be pretty. She averted her eyes for a moment, trying not to tremble in her father's presence, when she caught a glimpse of Coach Kyoshi and Chan sitting with their heads lowered in the front office.

Oh.

This was much worse than she thought.

She didn't have all the details now, but she was sure that the two had linked up to create a nuclear bomb level situation for her. She shook with both anger and fear.

A hand reached out to her from behind. Azula turned, ready to bite off the head of whoever it was that dared to touch her only to find Ruon Jian and his big, worried eyes staring back at her.

"Azula?" he said, his voice wavering with uncertainty. He wanted some kind of reassurance from her. Something that would prove to him that she'd be all right. But she couldn't give it to him. She'd been trying to tell him as much for a long time. So she shook off his hand and took a step back. She blinked back the tears and swallowed the heat swelling in her throat.

"Goodbye, Ruon Jian."