'You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher'

'Father no!"

Fire filled around Zuko. Traping her. It encircled her advancing towards her.

'Please' she wispered as the fire engulfed her.

...

Sokka could'nt sleep so he lay awake gazing at the stars above him. He watched them glitter in the sky, providing light in the dark sky. He was so entranced by the stars that when he heard zuko toss over he almost jumped. Zuko didnt stop. She tossed and turned and breathed heavily as she mumbled in her sleep. Sokka strained his ears so that he could make out what she was saying.

'please...no...please...Father!"

She suddenly jolted awake. Sokka heard her sob slightly and was shocked to see tears streaming down her face. He had never seen Zuko cry. Never.

Zuko continued weeping lightly until her cries began to subside. After a moment of silence she got up and started walking towards the clump of woods near the cliffside.

Sokka quitely of his sleeping bag and followed her curious as to see what she was doing.

They walked until they reached the cliff. Suddely, without any warning, Zuko let out a scream and shot fire out of her hands and over the ledge. Her blasts didnt seem to stop for a very long time. At last ahe stopped and fell to her knees on the ground.

Sokka decided that it was time for an appearance.

"I suppose it helps"

Zuko yelped and quickly fell into a fighting stance and then relaxed when she saw who it was.

"what helps?" she asked

" you know firebending your emotions away"

"I - I suppose. Yes. Yes it does."

Sokka came near her and sat down on the ground.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"about what?" Zuko asked

" I saw you crying"

Zuko sighed and sat down beside him

"I had a nightmare. Well more of a memort actually"

"What about"

"About this" she touched her scar

"What happened?"

"My father happened"

Sokka stared at him in shock.

"But he's your father"

"No. Not really. The only father u was even close to having was my uncle and now he hates me"

"I am sure he doesnt"

"No!" Zuko snapped "You dont understand! No one does. My own father tried to kill me when i was ten and when my mother prevented him from doing so he vanished her. Then when i was thirteen he burned and banished me. He said that my only hope to return was to capture the avatar. But even then i failed to see that he didnt want me back. My uncle. He stayed by my side through all of that and how did i repay him? By betraying him. I managed make the only person,other than my mother, who loved me hate me. So think again before even tring to understand!"

With that she started to cry again. Sokka looked at her in shock. Then he wrapped his arms around her. " Hey, your father is jerk, he is a fool not to see you as who you are. You are a wonderful person and although its hard at first you make an amazing friend. And about your uncle. Im sure he loves you the same way. And not only him but i love you too"

Zuko looked up " you do?"

"of course i do you are one of my best friends and also like a sister"

"i suppose that you are like the brother i never- i mean the brother i always wanted"

Zuko smiled and Sokka mentally did a cartwheel. Happy in making the seemingly never happy princess smile. He was pretty sure he had never seen her smile. But concidering her past it made sense. Sokka frowned at the thought and vowed that he would protect his newly found sister from any harm.