He has his father's acceptance and Azula's grudging respect, his people are overjoyed to have their prince back after all this time, and as far as they know the Avatar is dead by his hand. Zuko should be the happiest man in the world.

But at night he remembers his father's punishment, Azula's taunts, turning his back on the only person he'd had to rely on during his exile, the dreams, the war within himself. And he wonders if he did the right thing after all.

"I've missed you, Zuko. It's good to have you back."

She's simultaneously making it both easier and harder to be back home. Taking a different path would mean he didn't have to put on such an act, maybe even patching things up with Iroh.

"I've missed you too, Mai," he says, and their lips meet.

A different path wouldn't have her.