Zuko shivered in his thin silk shirt. Not because of cold, since Ember Island was located in a tropical climate zone and the sun was blazing from a cloudless deep blue sky. Not because of fear, because as far as he could see, the entire pool area was completely deserted. No wind disturbed the smooth azure surface of the water. Surrounded by shining white tiles, lounge chairs and small tables, the area resembled a high class resort club in off season. Off season, not because of the weather, which was fabulously sunny with a temperature of 25 degrees centigrade in the shade. Off season, because it was completely and eerily deserted. Surrounded by a low oval building structure with floor to ceiling walls made out of high security glass, it revealed the movements of indistinct shadows, presumably humans, moving around inside the building itself.

For some reason, Zuko started to consider surveillance. A place like this was bound to have it. Still, it had to be cleverly designed and hidden somewhere. Inside the walls, or possibly the roof? Maybe in the white shining tiles, or in the furniture itself? His eyes were inexorably drawn towards the large, flowery shrubbery to the right side of the pool. Yeah, that was probably it. The multitude of green, pink and yellow vegetation was dense and abundant enough to conceal even a small army of tank trains. Let alone some measly surveillance cameras.

Besides, what did he care? A sudden wave of desolation swept over him. Shivering in the warm rays of bright sunlight, he moved over to seat himself on the white glossy tiles, next to the edge of the pool. He pushed his bangs back from his face and closed his eyes to lean back and support himself on his arms. Although his doctors had all warned him to avoid exposing his scar to the sun, he always found a certain pleasure in it. The rays would heat the damaged skin and cause the blood to throb in it, adding the sensation that some kind of healing was occurring. And when the sunburn turned into a tan, the scarred area would turn a light coffee brown colour that resembled a birthmark and blended unobtrusively into the olive of his skin. Unlike his sister, who was pale skinned by birth and usually stayed that way regardless of the weather conditions, he had no trouble getting tanned.

Well, here he was at the Ember Island Mental Health Facility, reclining by the pool and considering his tan.

Insane. He was in an asylum, a treatment centre for the mentally deranged, for the psychiatrically disordered and the clinically insane. Clearly, he classified in that category. He'd voluntarily given up the position as Fire Lord, the ruler of his nation, to come here and be locked up, pledging to submit voluntarily to six months of treatment. Insane. Fuck, he needed a drink.

Taken at eye value, his surroundings really weren't that bad. None of it would have been unbearable, if only he could have had a strong chilled drink to sip from and some eye candy to rest his tired eyes on. Unbidden, the image of his teenage sister in a skimpy red bikini appeared before his eyes. He shivered pleasurably, only to push the image from his mind.

I may be crazy, but I'm not that insane. I won't start fantasizing about her, naked in the sun. Or maybe in the pool. Or-

No. I'm saving that one for the psychotherapist. My, that's a big fat juicy one. It's bound to give him a prick up his ears. And just wait until we get to the bit about Father. And Mother, Agni forfend. Great. Oh fuck, I need a drink!

The introductory talk with Professor Kotaru in his office had been long and undeniably intriguing. As the man's alert brown eyes studied him through round glasses, Zuko had felt both relaxed and at ease. They'd gone through his definition of the main problem, the side issues and important points of his personal history. Not once had the Professor referred to the fact that of course, he was well acquainted with his new patient's younger sister. As Zuko had given him the brief low-down on the basic facts that Azula had married a friend of his and given birth to his son, and that the Fire Nation Government had recently decided to entrust her with the position as Fire Lord, Professor Kotaru had merely nodded silently, refraining from comment. That's when Zuko had suddenly found himself scheduled up for sessions of individual psychotherapy with the Professor. But mainly, there was the firmly scheduled programme for treating his alcohol dependency, including group therapy, motivational talks, regular health and fitness training, medical examinations and assessment, and for some incomprehensible reason a choice of artistic pursuits like painting, sculpture, drama, singing, dancing and playing instruments. Disinterested in either, Zuko had signed himself up for as many classes of hard physical exercise as he could. While he was there, he might as well invest time in his physical health along with his mental one.

And then, there had been the physical examination conducted by a colleague of the Professor's. A Doctor Ozakkan. The mandatory sampling of diverse bodily fluids. That, and the prescription of medication.

The shiver increased in strength. He was actually shaking like a leaf in the bright blazing sun. Leaning back, he strove to heat himself, Firebender that he was. The increased body temperature only succeeded in making him shake as if with fever. Patches of sweat were soaking though his thin silk shirt and dampening his brow. Clutching his right fist as if in a cramp, he refused to open it.

No. He just wouldn't look at the content. He sealed his eyes tightly shut.

"Hello? You're new here, aren't you?"

The voice issued from a point behind and to the side of his left shoulder. Zuko started violently and opened his eyes. Momentarily blinded by the blazing sun, he discerned the figure standing next to him. A female, small and slight, with a soft musical voice.

"Yes. Yes I am. I just had my introductory talk with Professor Kotaru." He felt like asking for her name, but that would have meant introductions, and giving his own name away. He felt suddenly reluctant to do so.

She moved closer on small dainty sandaled feet. "Mind if I sit down?"

He shook his head fervently. "No! No, I mean yes, please do! This place is eerily deserted. The staff told me to go out here and enjoy the sun before lunch. But where is everyone?"

Seating herself on his left, she crossed her legs at the ankles and leaned towards him to point at fleeting impressions of movement on the inside of the security glass. Her fore and index fingers shot out to indicate her targets like an arrow.

"There. Straight ahead and five degrees to the left. A male orderly, some 195 centimeters tall. Probably Hakkan, he's on the early shift on Thursdays. There. To the right, just where the shrubbery ends, but on the inside of the glass. Two Doctors hurrying down the main area. My guess is they're probably late for the 10.00 meeting. A male and a female, you can tell by their height and silhouettes. Probably Trelowna and Pian, he's always hanging out with her. Funny, 'cause I know for a fact that he's gay. There. Down on the left, leaning against the glass. Another orderly. Some 170 centimetres tall, big ass, big belly. Looks like Shi Szen. Watch out for that one. There. Straight ahead, exiting the central elevator into the main hall. Xiona Lon, my former psychotherapist. She always wears civilian clothes. Pretty vain about it, too. There-"

As the girl kept pointing out the moving images inside the glass, targeting them with her fingers, Zuko's eyes gradually adjusted to the contrast between the blazing sunlight and the dark, almost aquatic looking scenery inside. As she kept pointing out the moving, living shapes, identifying them with quick and inexplicable precision, tendrils of her hair kept clinging to Zuko's sleeve and getting stuck there. He dared to steal a sneaky sideways look at her. Thick, heavy waves of waist length chestnut hair. A long slender neck, a sculpted profile, fair skin lightly sprinkled with freckles. Young, but clearly not a child. The simple blue dress with a flared calf length skirt, plain elbow length sleeves and a tight bodice revealed the attractive curves of her swelling bosom and tiny waist. Petite, but not childlike. Probably somewhere in her late teens. What was a fresh-faced girl like her doing in a place like this? In an asylum?

"…don't you?"

"Sorry?"

Dumbstruck, Zuko realized that he'd let his mind drift while examining the girl. Recalled to reality, he became uncomfortably aware of the fact that his shirt was drenched with sweat. Also, his shivering seemed to be getting worse.

The girl tilted her head to the right and looked straight into him. He couldn't describe it any other way. Her eyes were large and almond shaped, a mid brown with an oddly rusty, almost reddish tinge. Cinnamon brown. Her eyebrows were straight slashes of the same strange colour.

Are you a Firebender?

He swallowed the words.

"I said, you must have a lot of questions. I know I had when I first came here. I really couldn't tell up from down, or night from day. So, ask ahead."

"Oh. Right. Yes, thank you. Well, how did you manage to identify all those people at a distance, through the glass, under these poor lighting conditions? I mean, you discerned the crucial facts about their clothing, build and height. You could even identify them by name. How the hell did you do that?"

A quick modest smile. "Oh. I'm good. I was taught by the best, and I've had lots of practice. If you like, I'll teach you. Now, part of it's just memorizing the time schedules and behaviour of everyone who works here. Mind you, it isn't as hard as it sounds. Just stick around for long enough and the exposure coupled with sheer boredom will teach you everything you want to know. First, there are a few basic facts you have to learn. For example, the orderlies and common staff all wear a navy uniform. The nurses and medical attendants all wear white. The doctors wear white protective coats with civilian clothes underneath them. Everyone else, like the psychologists, psychotherapists and physiotherapists, wear their civilian clothes to work."

"And you? I mean, us?" He blushed brightly. "I mean, the Professor told me that I was free to wear my own clothes. Does everyone…"

She shrugged. "This is my own dress, if that's what you mean. But I've been here for a long time, so I ordered it by mail and had it sent here. When you're a patient, what you wear, how you sleep and what you eat really differs due to what ward you're in. When I first came here, I was in the Observation Unit for three months. There, you just wear regulation clothing. Once I was allowed to enter the regular wards, I got to wear my own clothes. Not that I had too many of those. But things got better over time. They usually do around here. I met a friend who helped me out. She taught me how to get by in here. Who to trust, who to stay away from and who to scream at the moment they approach you. She made sure I got some proper clothes, too. But that's how you get by here at the Facility. Once you find out how things work, you pass the knowledge along. It's called taking care of your own."

She leaned over to pounce on his clenched right fist. "Here. Let me take a look at that."

Zuko turned towards her. He was suddenly conscious of her sitting on his left, facing the scarred side of his face. His shirt and pants were drenched with sweat. His heart kept pounding like a hundred Water Tribesmen hammering their drums.

"I… I don't…" He pushed his damp bangs out of his eyes to stare at her. His bright yellow Firebender eyes widened as if pleading. The girl met his gaze with a level brown look, scorched with red. He stared her full in the face.

Fuck. She's gorgeous. Or maybe I'm hallucinating. Is it really that bad? Oh yes it is. I did it only last night, by the mirror.

An oval face, a wide full mouth that was slightly too red and swollen. Maybe she bit her lips. A straight classical nose, somewhat too long to be pretty. High marked cheekbones, a slightly angular, sculpted jawline and a square chin. Not your average pretty little girl. Lost in her cinnamon brown eyes, Zuko nodded and opened his hand. The girl leaned over to peer down into his palm and poked the contents with a long inquisitive finger.

"Ah. I know what those are. They didn't bother explaining it to you, did they? No, I thought so. All right. The large white oval one is for depression. It prevents your thoughts from getting stuck in negative spirals, and shields you from that pain that sometimes stabs you from within to drag you down. You need to take them every day for three or four weeks to gain full effect, but some people respond to them immediately. The tiny red ones are for anxiety. I see they gave you two of those. Well, if I were you, I'd take them straight away. They'll slow your heart rate down to normal and make you relax. Don't worry about feeling drugged or anything. If the doctor prescribed them, it's for a reason. Are you feeling tense, or scared?"

"I… I'm having trouble breathing. Yes, my heart is pounding. It feels like my chest is ready to explode. Like… Like I won't be able to control my bending, even though I have to. You… You mean these will help? Did you take them yourself?"

She nodded. "Yes. "During my first year here, and the second. Now, I'm better and I only take the meds once in a while, if I'm having bad dreams or difficulty sleeping. Things have gotten better." Her hand shot out to clasp his. "Don't be afraid of these. They won't harm you."

Zuko stared down at his palm. The strange impression of unreality that he'd been sensing ever since coming here kept drifting up at him in waves. He was having trouble thinking, of remembering who he was and where he'd come from.

The girl shot him a quick assessing look. Then, she reached down and pulled a bottle of yellow liquid out of a side pocket in her skirt.

"Here. Mango juice. It will make them easier to swallow."

She unscrewed the cork. Seeing his bright yellow stare and flared pupils, she smiled and took a sip out of the bottle. Then, she took another one and handed it over to him.

"Here. It's good. Try it."

Zuko gave a monumental sigh. Then, he threw the three pills into his mouth and downed them in one huge gulp of mango juice. The drink was deliciously cool, sweet and tangy. He just couldn't stop himself. He kept drinking it down, swallowing it until the last drop was gone. His cheeks reddened with shame.

"Oh. Sorry. I… I didn't mean to…"

The girl shrugged matter of factly and reached out to throw the bottle into a nearby wastebasket. Of course, her aim was perfect. Just like Azula's.

"It doesn't matter. I gave it to you, didn't I? Now, just lie back and relax in the sun for a while. You'll feel better in a minute. Oh, wait!"

She reached out to remove the beaded leather sandals from her dainty feet. Then, she plunged them into the cool azure water of the pool with a deep sigh of pleasure.

"Ah! Oh, that's so nice! You have to try it. Here, take your sandals off. Yes, really!"

Leaning forward, Zuko removed his own sandals to place them by his side. Turning his trousers up into neat folds, he bared his ankles and calves to the sun. Then, he pushed his bare feet and ankles into the cool water, wriggling them around. The pure shocking sensation caused him to laugh out loud. He lay down on his back next to the girl with his arms crossed behind his head to stare up into the sky.

"Yeah. That's really nice. Tell me, does anyone ever swim in this pool? Or is it purely reserved for show and footcare?"

Lying down next to him, the girl turned her head and giggled. "Yeah, people go swimming here sometimes, but mostly everyone's got really tight schedules, what with therapy and everything, so we never seem to get the time in the middle of the day."

"Oh. I was wondering about that. Why this place is so eerily deserted, I mean."

Another giggle. "It isn't deserted! It's just that we're all so busy. If my art therapist hadn't been sick today, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to come out here at all. And then, I wouldn't have met you."

Zuko was starting to relax. An oddly sweet, pleasant sensation was spreading slowly but steadily up from his immersed feet, through his legs, up across his pelvis, to enter his chest and neck and arms and head. He was feeling oddly weightless, like floating on a cloud, yet completely aware of his whole body. He turned his head to smile at the lovely young girl.

"Oh, bless Agni that she's sick, then! Maybe if she's sick tomorrow as well, we can meet up here and take a proper swim together."

She giggled. "Maybe. Unless they've got you scheduled up for therapy or something. They're usually pretty strict on newcomers. But maybe… I mean, when my friend was here, we used to be really naughty."

A gleam went on in his eyes. "Naughty?"

"Yes. We used to sneak out at night to go here and have these midnight swims. She was a really smart girl, and she'd managed to coax the locking code out of one of the staff. Not only that, but she uncoded the whole system that determines when the locking codes will change and how. So, we could go swimming at night whenever we felt like it."

Zuko frowned. "She didn't try to use it to break out, did she?"

A look as if he was the stupidest person alive. "Of course she didn't! She was waiting to get released the proper, formal way. She'd been here for a long time. When I got here, she was the sanest person around, the staff included. And… Well, she noticed me when I was stupid enough to get into a really bad scrape. She intervened and saved my ass. That's when I realized that… Well, why it would be safest for people to keep her locked up. But believe me when I tell you. She could have broken out of here any time she wanted to. She was that smart and savvy. Except she wanted to do it the right way."

It was the most intensely pleasurable relaxation that he'd ever felt. He was floating on a huge feather bed, no, a feather mountain. Next to him was this beautiful young girl with long abundant hair, tempting curves, full lips and fiery eyes. Staring up into the deep blue of the sky, he reached out to catch a thick lock of her hair in his hand. It was smooth and silky, a sheer delight to play with.

"So your friend finally got declared sane and was signed out of here? Lucky her. Do you miss her? You know, if you want to, I might be up for a midnight swim or two."

The girl shot him a slow and languid smile. "I'd enjoy that. I keep check on the locking code system, you know!"

They both erupted into simultaneous, impulsive laughter.

The girl's hair was silky soft, clinging to his hand, tickling his palm and the inside of his arm. All his worries and caution were blown away with the wind.

"I'm Zuko. What's your name?"

Her smile reflected in the cinnamon brown eyes. "I'm Teni. Pleased to meet you, Zuko."

And that concludes Phoenix Rising. Many thanks to everyone who's been reading, reviewing and spending some time with this fic! Writing it and knowing that you're reading it has been such a thrill.

There is the basic outline of a sequel, set some four years after the events in PR. We'll see if it gets written. There are also ideas of spin offs/sideshots where the story takes off in different directions after Chapters 7 and 10. I'm working on one of these at the moment, and hope that you'll be back to check it out!

Until then...

/ Clarielparke