This takes place after Iroh was injured and Azula made her escape in "The Chase." Zuko's reaction is a little different than what people have come to expect of him.

I was his fault. Uncle lay dying at his feet because he'd come to save him. He should've taken the hit for his Uncle. It was too much. He'd had to deal with a lot of crap in his life but this was too much. Everybody hated him, even the people he saved hated him and now the only person left in the world who felt it was worth wasting his time on Zuko lay dying at his knees.

The others gathered round, looking at Iroh. Sokka saw Katara start to move forward, no doubt to offer her healing services, she was too kind. He put out a hand and stopped her.

"Don't bother, he'd just attack you, after all, he's Fire Nation."

The comment hit Zuko like a tidal wave along with the overwhelming feeling of "he's right." People outside the Fire Nation hated him for being the Prince and just by extension for being Fire Nation. The Fire Nation hated him for being a disgrace. Everyone hated him, the only person who didn't was liable to die.

Azula's voice seemed to taunt him, like it often did whenever he failed "everyone hates you . . . everyone hates you . . . EVERYONE HATES YOU . . . EVERYONE HATES YOU!"

Then Zuko moved, and all the others tensed up as if expecting an attack. But Zuko curled up into the fetal position, and began to cry. Not simple sniffs, but huge gut-wrenching sobs. It was the last thing anyone would have expected of him. Zuko didn't care if the Avatar and his friends saw him, didn't care if Uncle saw him; he wouldn't have even cared if Ozai himself saw him at that point. He just didn't care anymore.

He had nothing left but grief, and that never made him care about anything.

He just had no will left.

He had nothing.

He was only aware dimly of the Avatar and his friends moving him and his Uncle around. He didn't resist them but let them do whatever they wanted. He viewed it like he was looking through the wrong end of a telescope; he didn't care what they did. He was too tired of his life, of his pointless search, of how much of a failure he had become. He never stopped crying all the while.

Only after hours had passed did he realize that they had put him and his Uncle in one of the abandoned buildings. They had a campfire outside and where talking, about what Zuko didn't care. He looked and saw that they had bandaged up Uncle, so maybe he would live. He put his Uncle's head in his lap and once more succumbed to his grief and feelings of hopelessness as he cried himself to sleep.

I hope you like this, I might not update this for a bit if I focus on my other ongoing series.

Good Day and God Bless :)

Sincerely, LordGodsServant