It feels weird to be back home with mother. Even more so because of the fact that he has another little sister. Mother also has a new husband now too, someone who Zuko isn't sure what to make of yet. It's like Ursa has an entirely new family now.

A replacement family to help her forget the other family she never wanted.

Zuko should feel happy though. He wants to feel happy. He has his mother back, after so many years of not knowing what happened to her. She's told him that not a day has gone by where she hasn't thought of him and Azula, and that she wanted nothing more than to return to them, but knew that she couldn't. And yet, despite all of that, Zuko isn't happy. And he doesn't know why. It reminds him of how he felt when he finally returned home with Azula. He finally had everything that he wanted, but he wasn't happy. But that time has been different. That had been because he betrayed Uncle. He didn't betray anyone this time though. So why isn't he happy?

Maybe he should force himself to be happy. That might work.

As he prepares to take his mother and her family inside the palace, he sees a figure out of the corner of his eye. Zuko turns around and identifies the figure as Appa. He doesn't see Aang and Katara walking towards him, but what he does see is Sokka, who is next to his sister. He still feels angry about that punch, so Zuko glares at Sokka and begins walking towards him. Almost as if he can sense him, Sokka looks up and sees Zuko making his way towards Appa, and glares right back at the boy.

Zuko has no idea why Sokka seems so intent on helping Azula, but he does know that he wants to pay him back for that punch. And for convincing Aang to leave him there by himself in Hira'a. Speaking of Aang, the boy is walking towards him with Katara, both of them have a serious look on their face. Zuko stops walking and waits for them to reach him.

When they finally do, what Aang says to him is not what he expects to hear. Considering what happened between him and Sokka, Zuko thinks he should have expected this.

"Zuko, can Katara and I talk to you? It's about Azula."

Everything is quiet in the throne room. Mother had decided to join him, Aang, and Katara for this talk.

Azula is my daughter, I should have a say in this. During my banishment I realized that I really messed up with Azula, Zuko. I wasn't much of a mother to her then, so please, let me be one for her now.

He wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that, but Zuko wasn't about to argue with her.

Zuko also isn't sure of what to make about what he's just heard. Azula was abused at the asylum for a year? And he was made completely unaware about it because the staff didn't say a word to him? A part of Zuko is angry, because how dare they lie to him, but the word "lie" gives him pause. Azula always lies. Who is to say that she isn't lying now, and that his friends are falling for it hook, line, and sinker? He decides to say as much.

"You know she could be lying to you guys. That's Azula's specialty after all. Lying."

"I don't think she was lying, Zuko. You didn't see the look on her face as she was telling us all of this. She looked haunted, like she was remembering something that she wishes wasn't a memory. And she didn't even mean to tell us any of that, it just slipped out. That doesn't sound like someone who is lying. And it definitely doesn't sound like Azula to slip up like that."

" Aang, you don't know my sister or what she's like. And besides, why are you even defending her? She killed you! Or have you forgotten that?!"

The room is quiet again before Katara clears her throat "Zuko, have you forgotten all of the times you tried to capture or kill us during the war? Or how about the time you sent that assassin after us? Oh wait! Could it possibly be that you've forgotten who it was who made it possible for Azula to kill Aang to begin with?"

That shuts Zuko up.

Ursa looks at them all, not really sure what to say after everything she's just heard. But she does know one thing. And that one thing is that she will not allow her daughter to be sent back to that horrible place. Even if that means going against Zuko.

" Zuko, I agree with your friends. Azula will not be going back there under any circumstances. In fact, I think you should have the staff there investigated and then have the asylum shut down."

Zuko can't believe what he is hearing right now. His own mother is turning against him now? For what? Because of Azula? She tried to kill him! And his friends, so why should he help her at all? He says as such. Perhaps now his mother will see his side of things.

"Zuko, from what I've just heard, it sounds like the both of you tried to kill each other during that war, before and after you changed sides. Speaking of that, thank you for reminding me that I need to have a very long talk with your uncle."

Damnit. Why is she still taking Azula's side?!

The flames in the throne room burn hotter as Zuko's rage reaches its peak. They all want to help Azula? Fine. But don't say that he didn't warn them when this all inevitably backfires and Azula proves to them all why she cannot be trusted.

"Fine, if you guys are so sure that she isn't lying about this, then I won't place her back in the asylum. And I'll do what mother said and have the place investigated. But where does that leave Azula?"

Aang and Katara are silent once again. Clearly they haven't thought this through. Typical. His mother looks at him with a smile, as if she is happy that he has come to this decision. What she says next though leaves him completely dumbfounded.

"Well, why don't we ask Azula herself? She's on the sky bison, right? I'll go get her." And with that she leaves the throne room.

It takes five seconds for Zuko to realize that his mother going to get Azula herself is a terrible idea. She doesn't know about the hallucinations. There's no telling what Azula will do if she sees mother and realizes that she is real and not an illusion.

"Fuck"