Long time no see readers! Yes, I have been procrastinating but once I received everyone's reviews reminding me to update, my mental block was finally…well unblocked. I have pretty good idea the middle and end of the story. This is probably one of my longest chapters yet. Well, enjoy! Also Happy Late Holidays and New Year!

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It very strange indeed. It seemed that it wasn't like in the movies where a dramatic event would be seen in slow motion. Zuko's body fell. No dramatic slow motion. He just fell, and didn't move. Iroh was by his side in a minute while the doctors in the room went to work by giving CPR while Foreman dashed to get the crash cart. Sokka and Toph observed from a corner while Katara stood a little apart from them; her hand on her water skin. Time seemed to speed up as the teenagers watched how quickly and effectively the doctors worked.

"CLEAR!" Chased cried out and the electricity coursed through Zuko's body which responded by his chest rising suddenly and then crashing down. Chase checked for Zuko's pulse, but felt nothing. "CLEAR!" Chased cried out again and Zuko's body repeated the action. "Come on, stay with us!" Cuddy could be heard in the background calling for the nurses. Witnessing bending for the first time erased from everyone's mind temporarily. Thinking it was a weapon that set off the fire attack, Foreman searched to office for Zuko's weapon. After a minute of searching, he shook his head as if to tell himself that he was only imagining the fire attack.

"What's wrong with my nephew?" Iroh pleaded as he watched Zuko's lifeless body be surrounded by nurses.

"He's having a heart attack, someone get him out of here!" Chase cried out to a nurse. A nurse guided Iroh, Aang, Sokka, and Katara out of the room, but Toph stood there petrified. Cameron let Foreman take over her place as she went to guide Toph out of the room.

"We need to get him to the ER. Get the stretcher!" Cuddy commanded as a nurse on cue brought one in.

"I can't feel his heart anymore…" Toph whispered as she finally let Cameron guide her out of them room.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait out here. We'll do everything we can to save him." Cameron apologized.

"What about Aang?" Sokka demanded. "Why are you treating the stupid jerk? He doesn't deserve your help!" Sokka looked guiltily sideways to Iroh. "No offense."

"Our job as doctors is to treat and cure people, no matter who they are." And with that Cameron retreated back into the room with frantic nurses.

"What's wrong with Zuko Toph?" Katara asked softly.

"His heart… it just stopped…" Toph whispered back. Katara eyes softened and she looked away from Toph still playing with the cap of her water bottle.

With a crash Zuko came out of the office on the stretcher accompanied by a couple of nurses, Cameron, Foreman, Chase and Cuddy. Iroh went to follow them when he felt a sharp tap. He looked over his shoulder to find House's cane on his shoulder. Iroh stopped. The piercing gold and met blue. None of them moved until House spoke.

"Come with me. All of you." House ordered.

"My nephew needs me."

"To what? Fluff his pillow?" House asked mockingly. Anger flashed in Iroh's eyes for a moment until despair and defeat took over. The great Dragon of the West shoulders slightly slumped forward. "Unless you have a medical degree and can make his heart start pumping blood again there's nothing you can do."

"Listen grumpy," Toph charged as she pointed at House's face. "I'm tired of your boring, sarcastic lines and also of you making my friends feel bad so tell us what we need to do to cure twinkle toes and sparky!"

"Twinkle toes?" House repeated with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, so stop your mopping and if you don't your lazy butt to work to cure our friends I'll-"

"You'll what?" House challenged. "Are you going to make me cry by telling me how-you-got-blind story?"

"No, I'll kick your butt so hard that it'll make you cry." Toph threatened him while cracking her knuckles. It took all of House's will power to not crack a smile. Instead he took on an amused look as he watched Toph glare at him through her cloudy eyes.

"House! What are you doing?" Foreman asked bewildered as he found House arguing with a blind girl.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so scarred. I'm being threatened by a blind midget." House mocked. Toph made a disgusting sound from the back of her throat and spat on the floor in response.

"We just stabilized Zuko. We're sending him to the ICU." Foreman informed House. He then looked to Iroh. "Don't worry; he's going to pull through."

"Good, let the nurses do their work and get Cameron and Chase. Meet me at my office." House turned back to the Gang, but mostly to Toph. "I'm trying to do my job, but I can't cure your so called friends until you all stop lying." House then beckoned them to follow him. Iroh deeply sighed and followed him. Sokka, Katara, and Toph all turned to each other. Sokka shrugged and together they went to the office.

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"In order to figure out why you're nephew is dying we need to know Zuko's history." House explained as he stood in front of the white board. Cameron, Chase and Foreman sat at the glass table staring warily at the gang. Iroh, Sokka, Katara and Toph joined them.

"Well we can't help you there." Sokka said gesturing to Katara, Toph and himself. "We don't even like the guy, I mean he hunted and tried to kill us." Sokka started to list off the times with his finger while Katara elbowed him.

"You're going to give us away." Katara hissed even though she knew it was pointless. They had seen them bend.

"Yeah, yeah, I know you guys were lying." House said as Katara looked back at him shocked. "Just tell me where you're really from." No one answered. House looked from one to the other as frustration took over. I'm pretty sure I wasn't imagining things… House thought angrily to himself. He slammed his cane on the glass table making everyone jump. "LISTEN! I DON'T CARE WHO'S IN TROUBLE, AND I WON'T TURN ANYONE IN. I need to know what exactly the history and background." House yelled at the teenagers. He rounded on Iroh. "If you don't tell me how he really got that scar Zuko is going to die."

"House" Cameron started.

"Cameron." House squawked back.

"Stop threatening him! He's old-"

"General." Iroh finished the sentence. House looked at him incredulously. "I am a retired General from the Fire Nation…and also a fire bender."

Silence broke out. Sokka, Katara, and Toph gaped at Iroh as the doctors in the room just sat there blank face.

"What?..." House said as he squinted his eyes.

"We come from a universe where four nations of the world can bend four elements; fire, water, earth, and air. There are benders in our world that can bend these elements. Zuko and I have the ability to bend fire. Zuko's body heat is above an average person when he gets…aggressive. " Iroh explained.

"And we're from the Water Nation." Katara input.

"And I'm from the Earth Nation." Toph said proudly.

"And I'm from the magical land of Fairy World" Foreman mocked with a smile which quickly disappeared. "Come on, do you really expect us to believe that?"

"I believe them." Chase said firmly. He looked at the teenagers and Iroh and gave them an encouraging nod.

"Of course you would," Foreman quipped. Chase rolled his eyes.

"It could happen." Chase protested.

"What do you think Cameron?" Foreman asked. Everyone turned to her, even House. Cameron cleared her throat.

"Well, everyone lies…but unless they have proof…" Cameron said as she turned to the children.

"Fine! Katara do your magic." Sokka commanded. Katara glared at him.

"Sokka! It's not magic it's bending!"

"Whatever! Do something before they throw us in the loony bin!" Katara sighed and released her water skin. Raising her hands she moved them forward with water following her every movement. Foreman, Cameron, and Chase dropped their jaws while House's eyes twinkled with curiosity. Iroh summoned a flame in the palm of his hands.

"Quick Toph do some of your earth bending!" Sokka said as he moved Toph's limp arms. Suddenly, the arm the he held turned into a fist that went straight into his head.

"They believe us, so they're no point." Toph said as Sokka fell to the floor. "Plus, the fact that there is no earth around us. Do you believe us now?"

"Yeah! That was amazing!" Chase exclaimed as he jumped out of his seat to get closer look. His eyes widened giving him the look of a child seeing magic for the first time. Foreman massaged his forehead with a disbelieving look while Cameron still had her mouth opened. House took out his vicodin and looked the label.

"Hmm…strange. It seems Vicodin causes hallucinations. Who knew?" And with that he took more.

"If you think they're causing hallucinations, why are you taking more?" Sokka questioned.

"Because I'm waiting to see what your special power is." House shot back.

"I'm just a regular guy, who just happened to get a water bending sister, who befriended an earth bender and an air bending monk who just happened to be an all powerful avatar, who can bend all the elements, who is being chased by Prince Zuko and his Uncle." Sokka ranted. House looked at Katara and Iroh who still had their elements out.

"Yeah, yeah, you can stop showing off now." House said. "But that still doesn't give me Zuko's history."

"Well, go on Iroh. Tell grumpy what he wants." Toph said as she placed her feet on the table and leaned back.

"Well, as Sokka explained, Aang is the Avatar. In our world there is a hundred year war that the Fire Nation unleashed against the Air, Water and Earth Nations." Iroh explained.

"And the point of the story is?..." House drawled.

"Prince Zuko, was such a happy, young boy." Iroh started. His eyes went far away. "Zuko's father had always favored his younger sister, Azula. But Zuko loved his father, and strove to earn his father's love." Iroh then quietly told them how he had foolishly let him into the war meeting. How he watched his beloved nephew proudly defend the rookie soldiers and accepted the Agni Kai. "But what Zuko didn't realize that it was his father who he had offended."

"So what happened?" Cameron asked softly. She somehow made her way to Iroh. House winced in disgust as he saw that Cameron's puppy eyes grew twice the size.

"Once Zuko realized that it was his father he had to fight he begged for forgiveness. He refused to lay a hand on him." Iroh winced. "His father who is also a fire bender, gave him his scar."

"And he did it by?"

"Burning his son's eye." House concluded.

"And banished him from the Fire Nation. Zuko's father is the Fire Lord and his word is law." Iroh continued as he ignored Sokka's explaination. "In an act of mercy, the Fire Lord will grant Zuko his honor and his home if he captures the Avatar and brings him home. But recently, the Fire Lord sent Zuko's sister, Azula, after Prince Zuko and I to capture us and bring us to the Fire Nation as prisoners."

"So that's why he's so bent on getting Aang." Katara said whose eyes widened in understanding. "That's terrible to never be able to go home…"

"Yeah, but that still doesn't make it okay that he tried to kill us." Sokka grumbled he was back in his seat, making sure he didn't let any sympathy show.

"So if Zuko captures Aang, then everything will go back to normal." Toph pondered out loud.

"No, nothing will ever be the same." Everyone looked at House. He looked up and realized that everyone heard him. Then his piercing blue eyes met Iroh's soft amber eyes once again. "Right?"

Iroh sighed again as he looked ten times his age. "Yes. But the important thing is that Avatar gives Zuko hope."

There was silence except for House mind going into overdrive. He limped over to the white board and starting writing.

"His whole life has been nothing but a misery fest."

Depression

"He has to find a twelve year old boy to redeem his honor"

Retribution

Humiliation

Suicide…

"Suicide?" Chase questioned.

"Zuko wouldn't take his own life!" Iroh cried out.

"But you just told me that his Father now has his sister after him." House countered back.

"Yes, but he's stronger than that. I would have seen the signs…" Iroh faltered. "He would have told me…"

"No he wouldn't." House spoke in his all knowing voice. He dropped the black marker onto the table. "He's sixteen, right? So that means he's in the age where hunting little boys, setting villages on fire, and keeping secrets is one all go through."

"But"

"Everyone lies." House lectured. "Give Zuko an MRI, a toxic screen check, and you know…other doctor stuff."

"And what do we do?" Sokka demanded. House looked at the teenagers.

"Chase," House threw a wallet at him. Chase caught it in surprise. "Take the kids and old man to the cafeteria. Get them something to eat, then you can take the old man to scar face and the kids to arrow boy." House instructed as Chase nodded. Chase looking at the wallet for the first time, noticed something strange about one of the credit cards.

"Wait, this is Wilson's wallet!"

"And you're surprised because?" House said. "He pays for most of my food, plus I'm sure he won't mind once he realizes that I'm feeding hungry, war-torn children."

"He's right!" Sokka announced as he stood up heading for the door. His stomach growled.

"Sokka!" Katara scolded.

"What? A man has to eat sometime!"

"He's right Sugar Queen. I think I smelt some meat down stairs." Toph agreed as she walked to Sokka. "Worrying about Aang or Zuko isn't going to do anyone good, so let's go eat. We'll see Zuko after dinner, ok?" The last part was directed towards Iroh for Toph hoped to cheer her old friend up. Iroh made a weak smile as he and Katara went to the door. Chase muttered something which was too soft to hear as he shuffled out of the office along with the 'freaks'. Before House could spout out another insult, Cameron and Foreman left the room to do the tests. House sighed and sat in the chair while massaging his temples. He leaned back counting down to when he'll feel the numbing in his leg when…

"You wouldn't believe what I found out!" Wilson exclaimed as he barged into House's office. "The coma guy has a hot wife, but she just hooked up with one of the janitors."

"The one with the lazy eye?"

"Actually, the one with the metal leg." Wilson revealed.

"No!," House breathed as a smile crept up to his face.

" But we can't talk about it because I have to always be your damn conscious!"

"You know my conscious is only open to volunteers. You volunteered long enough. Come to the dark side and let's gossip about Zuko's history."

"Using Zuko's name instead of the nickname? Ho ho! So you do care? Do you see Zuko a teenage version of yourself? Is it the scar? Or the relationship with the father?" House's face dropped and awkwardly stood up and limped to the window. There was a moment of silence before Wilson spoke again. "Or did you find someone that you can be miserable with." It wasn't a question but a realization. House gripped the cane stupid Wilson conscious… House's beeper went off.

Cuddy

"Crap…" House muttered.

"What?" Wilson asked surprised that the beeper wasn't House's escape from Wilson's lecture.

"How are we going to explain Cuddy the magical arrow boy and his crew?" House said as the beeper went off again. House knew he wouldn't have to explain. He saw Wilson eavesdropping near the window.

Office. Now.

"I thought of you of all people would just lie." Wilson said shocked.

"Well, once you meet a group of magical beings from another universe it sometimes changes your perspective in life." House explained as his face formed a thoughtful expression. "Or I can tell her the truth and she'll just accuse me of lying."

"Brilliant plan, now all you have to do is to confront your obsession with the teenage scared boy." Wilson quipped as House limped out of the room.

Unfortunately, nothing was going according to plan. House hesitated outside the door racking his brain. He knew all too well what the conversation was going to be as soon as he ventured inside the office. No use of putting it off. She can already see me through the glass doors. House opened the door and stepped inside.

Cuddy was shuffling papers when she looked up. "Sit." She commanded as she pointed to the chair in front of the desk.

"Yes mistress." House quipped as he complied. He hated this chair. Not because of its stiff, hard cushions, but because usually it meant that he was in for it. He observed Cuddy's short, frizzled hair along with her quivering hands. Neither of them talked. House watched Cuddy move files around hoping to organize them. Finally with a plop she dropped the last file and proceeded to glare at him. House shifted in the chair uncomfortably.

Ok, you can do this. This is just like the principal's office except the principal has a nice ass and breasts that can-

"House, now is not the time to be staring at my breasts." Cuddy said snapping him out of his daze. "What is going on? Who do the kids belong to?"

"They're runaways from a war." House explained trying to be as vague as possible. The less Cuddy knows the more time he gets to stay out of a mental ward. House taps the cane on the floor. His blues eyes peeked up at her face to see if she believed him.

"And?"

"And if I don't get going now…I'm going to miss General Hospital." And with that House went to sit up.

"Sit." Cuddy hissed and House sat down immediately. Easy there Greg. It's that time of month, and there's no other hospital that will give you a job. You have to tip toe. "What else are you not telling me?" Cuddy questioned. "House, the blood tests came back, along with their examinations. And why didn't you call social workers? Mr. Zuko was obviously abused!" Cuddy pause and breathed. "And he somehow made fire with his hands!!"

"Zuko is now under a new guardian, Iroh, who has been taken quite well care of him." House explained in a professional voice. Cuddy's arms were folded across her chest with her lips pressed into a thin line. Tip toe Greg, tip toe… "They are from a different world from us. Refugees from a war which would explain their scars and behavior."

Cuddy cocked her head to the side. "What war?"

"…a magic…war?" he answered squinting. He didn't understand all of it himself. Cuddy looked at him disapprovingly. She opened her mouth when Chase interrupted them.

"We have trouble." Chase stated as he bursted into the office.

"With a capital T that rhymes with P which stands for?..."

"The police." Chase mused.

"Well, I was actually thinking of pool but that works too."

"No, the police are trying to take away the kids…"

"What?!" House bellowed. He stood up suddenly making his leg scream, but his anger made it easier to ignore it. "What are you doing? Go do something!"

"What do you want us to do? Stand in their way?" Chase yelled back.

"Yes! Anything! Just go!" House turned to Cuddy, standing in his full height. Cuddy's glare was wiped away as she was the one on defense now. "And you! How could you have called them?"

"Because I am the only one who has enough sense-"

"If the police take them away, Zuko will-"

"Oh give me a break." Cuddy snorted. "The only reason why you're mad is that I'm standing in your way of solving your puzzle." Cuddy waved her hands for a dramatic effect. House stood there for a moment as his brain went into overload which was interrupted by a short buzz.

Emergency

A low growl escaped his lips. He took one last glare at Cuddy before limping away in a hurry.

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Yes, more drama. Anyhow I'm so happy I finally finished this chapter. So many ideas! I just couldn't stop writing. Please review with anything critics, suggestions, cookies, hot sexy Zuko… anyway, thanks for not giving up on me guys!