Blanket Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, Nickelodeon does. If I did I'm pretty sure my house would be bigger, and I wouldn't scrub my own toilets. Eh, a girl can dream. This is un-beta'd so all mistakes are mine.

The Binding

Chapter 1

Zuko sat up gasping and clutching his chest his muscles aching and quivering with sweaty exhaustion. :::Not again::: was all he managed to think before another wave of agony gripped him in its greasy clutches, the tearing pain starting in his torso and spreading throughout his body in choppy waves. As the second outbreak began loosening its hold on him he rolled out of his unadorned bed and stumbled across his room to the balcony door. Sliding the door took almost all he had and his breath came in shallow quavering pants. All he knew at that moment with his whole being was that he had to get out, had to get outside to the cool night air and the briny fresh smell of the ocean. He made it down the steep footpath sending out a quick prayer of thanks to whichever of his ancestors had the sturdy hand railing put in. Staggering out on the beach he fell to his hands and knees at the water's edge and retched as another wave of pain overtook his exhausted frame. He dully registered that as he coughed and gagged dark blood stained the moonlight bleached sand between his clenched hands. Well that's new he thought grimly as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, staining his pale skin as well.

He looked around slowly and took in his familiar surroundings. Kneeling at the water's edge on the private beach behind the royal palace this place was comforting to him with the steep cliffs to his back offering their silent strength and protection. Slowly he tilted his gaze upwards, almost as if in prayer, and saw the moon hanging above the water full, heavy and powerful in the soft pink of the predawn sky. Then he felt it, deep inside him, in his very soul the push and pull of the ocean and the moon. His head reeled from these new sensations and he didn't even have time to begin to question how or why this was at all possible when the sun broke the horizon, flooding the beach with warm yellow light. His Firebender's soul rejoiced at the dawning of a new day and as the familiar spark filled his spirit, it was in direct conflict with the overpowering influence of the moon and suddenly it was too much. He was too full. An explosion of white light filled his vision and he didn't even know he was screaming in agony until it all went blissfully dark as oblivion raced to meet him.

Iroh was out of bed with his back against the wall crouched in a defensive stance before his mind fully registered that he was even awake. Blinking he mused that even though the body aged, some things apparently were never forgotten. Shaking his head to and trying to calm his breathing he desperately tried to think what had woken him so violently. A scream, like none other he had ever heard, like something out of a nightmare pierced the dawn air again and set him into motion. He raced out of his room and down the hall to his beloved nephew's room and threw the door open without even knocking. His senses immediately told him the room was empty and he sprinted to the balcony and out of the open back door.

As he raced down the winding stone steps carved into the living mountain his mind spiraled in a thousand directions as to what he would find. Were they under attack? Was it some kind of assassination attempt? If so the assassins were in for a cruel surprise, Fire Lord Zuko was not just some cushy aristocrat who relied on his bodyguards for protection. Skills not only in Firebending, but also in hand to hand combat that had been necessary for survival during the years of his banishment had been honed to near perfection. Iroh allowed himself the small hope that the scream he had heard was someone on the receiving end of Zuko's wrath, and not Zu…

He froze on the last step as he spotted a crumpled form out by the water, so pale in the new dawn. "Oh no…ZUKO!" His heart which had frozen momentarily was now racing as he sprinted to Zuko's side.

"Zuko! Zuko answer me!" He fell to his knees at his nephew's side and gently placed his hand on Zuko's chest. He nearly sobbed in relief as he felt his nephew's heart beating, somewhat hesitantly but beating nonetheless. He rolled Zuko onto his back and was shocked by his appearance. Zuko truly was Ozai's son in form if not in mind, and over the last few years he had finally grown into himself. Gone was the thin awkward teenager, painstakingly replaced with a trim build broadened shoulders and even a few more inches in height. Looking down at him now Iroh realized that there was something horribly wrong with his nephew. As he tenderly cradled Zuko's head and shoulders in his lap he surveyed Zuko's form with disbelief and fear.

Vanished was the quiet tensile strength from his body and left in its place was a wasted, pale representation of what he once had been. Clad only in linen pants that came to his knees Iroh now could truly see what Zuko had become; all lean muscle, tendon and sickly shadows with his numerous scars standing out in angry relief. He knew that Zuko still trained every day, usually here on this very beach…in complete privacy. Muttering a curse he racked his brains further to try and remember the last time he had seen Zuko out of his heavy formal robes, or out of his loose fitting informal robes. True Zuko had looked paler than usual, and he did have dark circles under his eyes, but Iroh had attributed that to the pressures of rebuilding a nation. He suddenly knew that he hadn't seen Zuko without a shirt on for a very long time and released the breath he didn't know he had been holding in a soft sigh. "You knew something was wrong." He whispered. "You knew you were unwell and you hid it from me…why my nephew!" It was as he was gathering Zuko up into his arms that he noticed the crimson flecks on his lips. His heart plummeted in his chest. What was wrong with his nephew!

Getting Zuko's lean albeit tall form up the stone steps hadn't been easy but fear and adrenaline were great motivators. Placing Zuko gently in his bed Iroh bellowed "Guards!" When two guards raced through the door with their swords drawn Iroh held up his palms pleadingly and addressed the first guard;

"Fire Lord Zuko is unwell, please fetch the healers quickly"

The guard sheathed his sword and nodded his understanding, his brown eyes full of concern for his Lord. He dashed out of the room while Iroh turned to the second guard.

"I don't know if this is merely an illness or if it was some kind of attack, get to General Lee and have him close the palace and inspect the perimeter of the city. I'll want a preliminary report in one hour."

"Yes Sir, General Iroh."

Once the guards were gone Iroh fetched a basin of cool clean water from the adjoining bathroom and proceeded to clean his nephew's sweaty face and neck. He was hoping for some kind of response, but Zuko remained unconscious and unaware of his ministrations. "You know you can tell me anything, how long have you been carrying this burden?" The thought of Zuko ill and alone saddened Iroh greatly. "I only hope your foolishness hasn't done permanent damage." Sending a silent but heartfelt prayer to Agni that this wasn't the case, he grasped Zuko's callused hand in his own and waited.

Zuko opened his eyes, blinking slowly and groaning as the soft evening light of the setting sun seemed to pierce his eyes like daggers. He felt weak and shaky, which was pretty much normal after…a night like last night. Sitting up slowly he swung his legs off the edge of the bed and gingerly cradled his throbbing skull. It was at this point that he realized that he was not alone in his room; someone was lounging in the chair in the corner. He tried to stand and assume a defensive stance but his body betrayed him yet again as a wave of sick dizziness washed over him and he stumbled backwards. The intruder was there catching him before he could fall. The feel of his uncle's familiar hands on his shoulders supporting him almost wrenched a sob from his already aching chest. He should have known he couldn't keep this from his uncle forever, and a part of him was even relieved that his secret was out. He let his uncle tuck him back in bed and waited quietly while Iroh fetched a glass of water and pulled a chair up next to the bed. The water tasted like springtime, cool and clean to his raw throat. Murmuring his thanks Zuko waited for the questions he knew were coming, and his uncle didn't disappoint him.

"How long, my nephew, has this illness plagued you? This illness incidentally, that the healers are baffled by, and have no explanation for. They say it is unlike anything they have ever encountered and they cannot even begin to treat it. How long have you known Zuko?"

Zuko closed his eyes and sighed. He had practiced telling his uncle a thousand times in his head, but now faced with actually doing it, he was at a loss. "Truthfully uncle, I have known something was…wrong since about six months after the coronation."

Iroh stared dumbfounded. "But Zuko…that was over six years ago…"

"I know. At first I was healing from…her lightning attack." Zuko closed his eyes, remembering that fateful day.

"I was in pain from that wound but my nation needed me, to begin the process of rebuilding, so I gritted my teeth and I bore it with no complaint. But after six months, the wound had healed, I should have been healed, yet I was not. There was still pain. Not all the time, but it would hit in sudden waves, and then depart. After about a year of dealing with it, I sought answers. Do you remember when I went out with the fleet to inspect the other islands?" Iroh nodded. The Fire Nation had finally started to come under control and the other nations were beginning to open up to the possibility of peace, all thanks to Fire Lord Zuko's tireless efforts to prove himself worthy of leading the new Fire Nation. He had journeyed throughout his realm and to the Earth Kingdom as well that year to show that he was serious in his intents to heal the hurts inflicted by his ancestors, and his father.

"During that trip I went to Chiyu Island, where the best healers in the fire nation reside. I swore them to secrecy because I knew my nation needed a strong, healthy leader. They could find nothing physically wrong with me, aside from exhaustion" He grimaced humorlessly. "So next I went to the Crescent Island, and spoke with the Fire Sages. They could find nothing in our lore of such an affliction, and were at a loss. I knew then that there was nothing to be done for me, and I would just have to rebuild my nation with this added obstacle. I didn't want you or others to worry about me so I kept it a secret. It wasn't that difficult at first, we were all so busy." He sighed and looked out the window to the horizon, where the sun was sinking into the waiting embrace of the ocean, painting the sky with all the hues of his birthright, the oranges, yellows, and reds.

Feeling stronger Zuko stood and walked out on to the balcony, staring out into the distance but no longer seeing. "It's gotten worse uncle. Over the years I've learned that the pains are the worst on the full moon. They're almost unbearable now, like something inside me is torn in two. There's something else…" And Iroh watched in fascinated horror as his beloved nephew, silhouetted by the last vestiges of evening light did a basic Firebending move, just a small swirl of his forearm and wrist and he should have had a flame dancing in his palm waiting to do his bidding. But nothing happened, not even a spark, or smoke. Iroh blinked, his mind trying to comprehend the impossible. "But Zuko, you train every day! Down on the beach! What..."

"It's true, I do train every day. I train in my hand to hand combat, I train with my Dual Swords, and I even go through Firebending forms. But I haven't been able to actually firebend in almost a year." Zuko bowed his head in shame. "What kind of Fire Lord can't firebend uncle? I've…I've failed my people."