Ember Island

Chapter 1

"Ember Island is a magical place," ~Li and Lo

From her place the ride to wherever they were going was bumpy and full of turns. This was odd considering she had ridden in war ships before and not had this problem. If she really thought about it she probably would have concluded that it was her mood and the situation she was in that made the ride unbearable. Sitting in the deepest room of the war ship, far away from everyone excluding the two guards outside the room guarding the door, with her wrists and ankles bound in thick heavy metal chains, that did nothing but hurt her already arthritic wrist and ankles, was not helping her mood at all. The dim light of the candles with their purposefully small wick barely allowed her any light to see with. If this was how she was going to be treated after saving her worthless brother's life she probably shouldn't have done it and let those fake soldiers kill him. It almost made her want to go back on the deal she had made with him.

She shook her head at the audacity of it all, arms crossed despite the heavy chains, the only good thing about the ride was the silk bed she was sitting on. "Azula," A chirpy, happy voice sing-songed as the door to her room was opened.

'Make that two good things,' Azula thought, smiling internally but still keeping her stern displeased expression on the outside. "Ty Lee." The princess acknowledged as the acrobat entered the room – the doors closing heavily behind her.

"I brought you food!" Ty Lee exclaimed then looked down at the tray in her hands and at the bowl on the tray. "Though, I don't think I know what it is." She looked back up at Azula with a wide smile and continued to walk towards her. "You'll just have to try it. You haven't eaten solid foods for a while, so you'll have to deal with this soup or portage or whatever it is. Maybe tomorrow we can start you on some kind of real food." She babbled, fully expecting Azula to be non-responsive like she had been for a long time, as she set on the bed beside the princess. Scooting close to her princess until they were almost touching she dipped a spoon into the contents of the bowl. "Say aw" the acrobat said with a warm smile as she lifted the spoon.

Azula did no such thing, only lifting an eyebrow. "I am capable of feeding myself, you know."

The princess almost smirked when Ty Lee flushed violently, placed the spoon back into the bowl and looked down in sheer embarrassment. The acrobat looked up bashfully then handed the tray to Azula. "Sorry, I forgot. I'm so use to you being…you know…"

"It's alright." Azula assured, fully understanding since she knew Ty Lee took care of her through her darkest days, as she took the tray and put it in her lap, the metal chains clinking as she moved. "Did you do that a lot for me?"

Ty Lee smiled and nodded, "Yeah, how much do you remember?"

Azula shook her head in the negative, "Not much. Most of that time is a blur."

The acrobat sighed slightly, though she was still smiling "It's for the best I suppose."

The princess nodded, picking up a spoon. With a loud clang the metal spoon fell to the tray, causing Ty Lee to look down at it then back at Azula in alarm. "Are you okay? What happened?" She asked before she noticed her princess grabbing her wrist as best she could with the bands around them. "Do your wrists hurt?"

"What do you think?" Azula snapped, causing Ty Lee to flinch. "I'm in these damned chains all the time." The princess pulled the chains around her wrist, hearing them clink annoyingly as they pulled tight.

Ty Lee smiled softly in understanding as she gently took one of the princess' hands in her own. "That's all you had to say, Azula." With a single flip of her hand the acrobat produced a key.

"Where did you get that?" Azula inquired, more amused than curious, though neither of these emotions showed on her face.

A devious twinkle sparkled in Ty Lee's smoky eyes, one that Azula wasn't sure she had ever seen before. "A girl has her ways." Then she giggled, breaking the effect. "I lifted it from the guard outside," She whispered, cupping a hand beside her mouth.

"Where on earth did you learn something like that?"

Ty Lee giggled again as she shrugged. "I picked it up."

"Why would you need to know how to pick pocket?"

Ty Lee shrugged again, "Just in case. Now Azula, you have to promise me that if I take these cuffs off you won't try to escape or something."

The princess rolled her eyes. "Where would I go, Ty Lee?"

"Just promise!" Ty Lee insisted, unwavering in her demand.

Azula sighed. "Fine, I promise I won't try anything. Now take these damn things off." She stated quietly, almost coming out as a hiss, as she thrust her hands towards the acrobat.

The acrobat smiled brightly as she easily unlocked the chains, taking one of Azula's wrists into her own again and started to message, surprising the convalescent in how good it felt to have those cool hands massage the ache away. "I'm so glad you're okay now."

"You're the only one who seems to think I'm 'okay' now." Azula admitted, wincing involuntarily as Ty Lee hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"That isn't true." The acrobat quickly denied. "Aang seems to believe that you're back to normal." She paused for a minute as her eyebrows crunched together. "You should get Katara to look at your wrist. She might be able to heal them."

Azula scoffed at the notion as Ty Lee took her other hand. "That peasant is coming nowhere near me. However, how are your wounds?"

Ty Lee looked up from Azula's wrist with a confused expression before it dawned her. "Oh! You mean my back. It's fine! Katara healed the wounds to perfection. I don't even have scars." She let go of Azula's wrist, still smiling. "Try it now."

Carefully, as if she expected to drop it again, Azula picked up the spoon and dipped it in the…food. Hesitantly she placed it in her mouth and cringed. Ty Lee waited with baited breath for Azula' opinion of her meal. "This…is terrible. Do I eat this all the time?"

The acrobat giggled. "No, usually I can at least identify what they're trying to feed you."

The convalescent's stomach growled, prompting her to continue to eat what they called food. "I guess I have no choice." She mumbled and resentfully forced the spoon into her mouth. Ty Lee constantly watching her was making her somewhat nervous and, strangely enough, to second guess the way she was eating. Was she doing it right? Had she forgot something? "Do you know where they're taking me?" Azula finally asked, just to make Ty Lee stop staring at her.

The acrobat smiled. "We're going to Ember Island." With only a lifted eyebrow she told Ty Lee how confused that made her. "I know. I thought Zuko would send us somewhere else, that's secluded and far from normal people. But it seems he believes what Li and Lo said about it, that it was magical or something." She shifted her eyes to the silk sheets for a second after she finished speaking.

"You're not telling me everything." Azula deduced quiet easily. Ty Lee blushed slightly at being caught but didn't offer up any information. "Oh, come on Ty Lee. What's going on?"

"It's nothing." Ty Lee assured, taking Azula's hand into hers. "It really is. It makes me happy that you could tell that I wasn't saying everything. You're okay now." A few tears dotted the acrobat's grey eyes as she smiled. The princess sighed, wholly unfamiliar with situations like this and thus had no idea what was expected of her. "Thank you."

The simple thank you took the princess back. That was honestly the last thing she expected to hear. "For…for what?" Azula asked, thankful that she had the foresight to move the tray of meager food to the side before Ty Lee jumped on her, pulling her tight and holding her close in a tender hug that left Azula all kinds of confused.

"Nothing. I just missed you so much." The acrobat cried, leaving Azula frozen in place not moving a single muscle at the unfamiliar form of contact. After a minute or two Ty Lee pulled back and smiled, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Sorry." She said.

"It's alright." Azula quickly interrupted before Ty Lee could explain herself further.

Ty Lee nodded, deciding to change the subject. "Okay. Zuko told me that you might need the basic low down of what's happened after the war."

"I suppose." Azula agreed.

She smiled warmly, taking the almost empty tray and sitting in on the stand beside the bed. Slowly Ty Lee moved closer to Azula, watching with a little interest as the princess tensed. "It's okay Azula. I won't bite." She chuckled. Azula remained silent. "Well, alright. So Zuko became Fire Lord, if you haven't noticed." Azula scoffed and crossed her arm as her aura turned many different shades of red. "I guess that's a yes. He married Mai shortly after." The princess' aura cooled slightly. "I guess you noticed that too." She paused. "Oh! They have a 6 month old son named Lu Ten."

"Lu Ten?" Azula questioned.

"Yeah, in honor of your cousin and uncle. It was Zuko's idea." Ty Lee informed cheerfully.

"Figures," Azula mumbled. "What did you do after the war?"

Ty Lee tensed at the question, earning her a questioning look from the Princess. "Well, after the war I…um…for a short while I joined the Kyoshi Warriors on Kyoshi island."

"You did." Azula inquired her tone deadpan and emotionless. "Why?"

"Um…" Ty Lee paused. "I made friends with them. It was only for a month, though. We swapped techniques."

The princess almost chuckled, but kept her expression trained to emotionless. "I don't really care what you did after the war, Ty Lee." the acrobat's expression fell instantly. "I just find it odd you would join a group of women who look very much alike when that's what you were trying to get away from at the very beginning."

"Oh." Ty Lee rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess that just didn't matter anymore. I learned a lot while I was…yeah."

"I see." Azula said coldly.

Any further conversation was halted instantly as the ship rocked to a shaky stop, sending the princess hurtling forward slamming right into Ty Lee – sending them both tumbling to the floor. When the ship steadied Azula found herself hovering above the acrobat, her wrists and ankles aching painfully. The ache was the last thing on her mind though, as she looked into those bright grey eyes that looked up at her with an emotion she couldn't readily identify. She was made keenly aware of how close they were when the slim body under hers squirmed a little but made no other action to move. Just before the door opened Azula jumped away from Ty Lee, wincing involuntarily at the pain, but glad the candles were low so that the acrobat wouldn't see the red that painted her cheeks. "Azula." Zuko's stern voice called instantly grating on her nerves but drawing both of the girl's attention.

Faster than Azula thought possible Ty Lee was in front of her, her hands up in a meaning of peace. "Zuko it's not what you think. I unlocked the cuffs."

"Ty Lee," Zuko almost yelled, his tone furious and confused. "Why would you even think that would be okay? She's dangerous!" he exclaimed swinging his arm angrily at his sister.

"She couldn't even pick up the spoon to feed herself." Ty Lee argued back, surprising Azula at the furiousness of her tone, especially against the Fire Lord – if she were Fire Lord no one would talk to her like that. But then again if she had become Fire Lord Ty Lee would still be in prison. However, she wasn't and Zuko apparently was still the weak soft-hearted fool he always had been for he only glared at Ty Lee. He opened his mouth and Ty Lee spoke again. "I'm not putting her back in those things. Can't you see it hurts her?"

Zuko looked at his sister, who turned away from him with her arms crossed – unwilling to admit that it was true. He sighed, beaten by the acrobat again and wishing he could say no to her without getting in trouble with Mai. "Alright, But if anything happens because of this you will be held responsible." Ty Lee nodded. "Guards!" He yelled and five heavily armed guards entered the room, surrounding the princess as they were instructed – pushing Ty Lee out of the way.

"Is that really necessary?" Ty Lee inquired as she followed Zuko and the guards out of the room.

"Yes." Zuko answered simply, making Azula smirk.

What an ego boost it was to learn that she was still feared even though just until a week ago she was locked up tight in a cell completely out of her mind. To test the theory she leaned towards one of the guards. She noticed that he flinched, bringing a smile to her lips. "Azula." Ty Lee chided lightly, which for some reason made her chuckle.

When the fresh ocean air rustled her long hair and the sun's bright full rays hit her face she couldn't help but stop in her tracks and take it all in. It was like meeting a long lost friend all over again. She couldn't remember the last time she had been out in the sun like this. Ty Lee smiled as she watched Azula's aura flare as the sun powered her Chi. Zuko's chuckle brought Azula back to reality making her walk again. The trek up to the mansion she had spent most of her younger summers in was ominous and foreboding.

Once they stepped foot into the inner gate of the mansion the guards disappeared to their posts and Zuko took their place to her left, with Ty Lee to her right. She didn't bother with them as she examined her surroundings. "You really fixed this place up, didn't you?" Azula inquired.

"You should see the room you'll be staying in!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she ran in front of the princess. "Come on! It's this way."

The siblings watched as the acrobat basically danced down the hall. "I have no idea why she feels the need to protect you." Zuko started when Ty Lee was far enough out of hearing rang. "You should feel lucky that you still have a friend like her."

Azula scoffed, noticing with disdain how the five pointed crown gleamed in the sunlight from a top his head. It also became apparent that he had grown a lot since the last time she had truly seen him. He was at least a foot taller than she was, his hair was longer and he seemed to be growing the traditional Fire Nation mustache. It struck her how much he looked like their father, except he had slightly more stress lines on his face and bags under his eyes. Probably from the mess she had caused him. She couldn't help smile (inwardly of course) thinking that she was causing him trouble. "What really gets me, Zuzu, is that you decided to let me stay here, the most visited vacation spot in the whole Fire Nation."

Zuko laughed. "This wasn't my idea. If I had my way you'd be on some secluded island in a little house with only a doctor."

Azula restrained herself from smirking. Here she was, just released from the sanitarium and still potentially crazy and defiantly not on the 'good' side and he was telling her things he should keep secret. "First, if I were you I wouldn't tell a person who has no reason to like you, a person like me, that you would have shipped them off to never be heard from again. Second, why didn't you?"

Zuko sighed, he really hated his sister. For some reason at the oddest most inappropriate times he decides to trust her. "Mai." He answered honestly.

"Mai?" this surprised Azula. "Why would she care?"

Again he sighed as they made their way down the hall, past the living areas and the kitchen. "Ty Lee." he said simply then elaborated, "That crazy girl insisted on going with you no matter where I sent you and Mai decided on Ember Island. She didn't want her best friend to far from her and out of reach of help if you tried anything."

Azula thought it over for a second. "That makes perfect sense." She admitted.

"Which is why you and her are here instead of some island." Zuko informed.

They passed another living area. "Where are all the servants?" Azula asked.

"There are none." He answered. "I didn't want to put anyone else's life in danger if I could help it. Servants will come in on the last day of ever week to do the laundry and clean the house but until then you and Ty Lee and your doctor will be the only ones living in the house. It will be constantly guarded, so don't try to escape."

"Great," Was Azula's sarcastic reply. "Any other limitation I should know about?"

"You have free range of anything on the property. Anywhere else is off limits."

"You guys take forever." Ty Lee announced from behind them, wrapping her arms around Azula's. "Come on, you're room is this way."

With an over dramatic sigh Azula allowed herself to be dragged to her 'room'. It was her old room, she noticed, and everything was just as she remembered, almost. Her bed was bigger, the same size as the one at the palace, but still covered in deep red silk with a lighter red silk pillows. The canopy was there as well, the red cloth drawn to the posts. She never thought she'd be so appreciative of silk as she was when she fell into the bed and sighed. "Are you tired?" Ty Lee asked, finding her way soundlessly beside the princess. Azula only nodded. "Alright, everything's changed so fast. You've probably had a rough couple of days. I'll be over in the next room, right across the hall, if you need anything."

The instant Ty Lee moved to get up Azula grabbed her wrist, stopping her instantly even though given the state of her wrists she could have easily pulled away. "My ankles." Azula said.

Ty Lee smiled, sitting up to move to the end of the bed – where the princess' feet were. With practiced ease she picked up the princess' delicate feet, noticing with a fierce frown the light scars around her ankles from where the heavy metal cuffs dug into her skin. She noticed the same around Azula's wrists as well, but hadn't had the time to address it. Under her fingers she could feel the swelling in her princess' ankles go down, see the chi flow evenly as Azula drifted off to sleep. For a few minutes she watched her princess sleep, like she use to do when Azula was in the cell, regardless of which one it was, and like she often did when they were growing up. Her eyes softened and she leaned over and kissed Azula's cheek. "Sleep well."

~x~

"Aren't you excited, Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she entered one of the living rooms, the one where Azula set reading a book. "You get to meet your doctor today!"

She only rolled her eyes. "Why is this book here?" Ty Lee shrugged as she set a tray of food where Azula indicated by moving her arms away from her lap. She looked down at her tray. "Real food for once?"

Ty Lee smiled. "I thought we'd see how it goes. It's been a couple of days." Azula nodded thankfully. She really missed solid foods. "Zuko added a lot of books from all over the world since the war ended. It could be one of those."

"I suppose it has to be since it's printed in the Earth Kingdom." Azula replied as she tossed the book on a nearby table. With the perfect manners she was taught to have Azula dug into her food, inwardly savoring every solid bit. "Where did you get this?"

"The food?" Ty Lee asked and Azula nodded. "The market. It's good right?" Azula nodded again. "You never did answer me. Are you excited about your doctor?"

"Thrilled." Azula deadpanned.

"Azula," Ty Lee warned. "Be nice to him. I'm told he's really good."

"Who told you that?" Azula questioned.

The acrobat hesitated. "It doesn't matter. He'll be living with us."

"For now." Azula mumbled.

"What was that?" Ty Lee inquired.

"Nothing." Azula assured.

"Lady Ty Lee." A guard interrupted, eyeing the princess carefully but never making eye contact.

"Yes." Ty Lee asked, watching Azula's aura fluctuate from annoyance to anger as the guard completely ignored her.

The guard seemed to catch onto this as well as his aura moved to fear. "The doctor is here." He announced quickly.

"Thank you," She replied. "Please let him in." The guard left and shortly after an older man entered – his green clothing indicating that he was of the Earth Kingdom. Ty Lee smiled at him and he smiled back. "I'll leave you two alone." At that Ty Lee stood and left the room, taking Azula's empty tray with her and leaving her with a light 'be nice'.

He smiled warmly and set in the seat across from the princess. "You must be Princess Azula."

"Obviously." She answered, crossing her legs and arms to show just how much she wanted to go through this.

The doctor chuckled. "I am Doctor Lee." He announced, not that she really cared as she looked away.

He sighed this time, thinking that this was going to be a really long process.

~x~

"How was your session?" Ty Lee inquired as she entered Azula's room unprompted – something that would have gotten on the princess' nerves but at the moment she really didn't care.

Azula only rolled her eyes from the chair in front of the vanity. "If he asked me 'how does that make you feel' one more time before the session was over I was going to kill him." She informed.

Ty Lee smiled, taking the brush from the vanity and pulling it through Azula's silky black hair. "Aw, it probably wasn't that bad. Give him a chance, he might be able to help you."

"With what?" Azula asked, keenly aware of Ty Lee's empty hand running through her hair. "I'm fine." Ty Lee didn't answer. "Ty Lee." The Princess said, her worried, self doubting tone causing the acrobat to look up into Azula's reflection's eyes. "You don't agree?"

Ty Lee blushed slightly. "I wasn't really listening." She admitted weakly. "I got distracted. Your hair's gotten really long. I was thinking it needs to be trimmed."

Azula sighed and easily consented. "If that's what you think." Her hair was the last thing on her mind.

Ty Lee resumed brushing Azula's hair. "I know you don't like doctors. But Zuko demands that you get evaluated mentally before he lets you leave this place." The acrobat informed.

"I thought that might be the case so I answered all of Doctor Lee's questions." Azula sighed.

"How did that go and where is he now? I haven't seen him around." Ty Lee asked.

Azula exhaled heavily. "He stopped me half-way through my explanation, patted my hand and said he was too old to deal with a patient like me. I assume he left." Once the words registered in the acrobat's mind the brush in her hand yanked through Azula's hair, pulling it into a knot and forcing her head back with sudden pull. "Ouch!" Azula yelled before she could stop herself and Ty Lee dropped the brush instantly. "Damn it, Ty Lee!"

"I am so sorry, Azula." The younger woman amended quickly, as she untangled the brush from Azula's hair. "It's just that, I can't believe he would do something like that. It was only your first day. And what does that even mean, 'A patient like you'?"

"I don't know." Azula admitted. "Maybe I'm more damaged than I thought."

"Don't say that! Don't you ever say that." Ty Lee yelled, surprising Azula when she pulled the entire chair around so that they were facing one another. The acrobat placed both of her hands on the arm rests of the chair, leaning forward so that they were almost breathing the same air. "Promise me. Promise me that you don't really believe that. You're perfect just the way you are."

Azula's expression remained neutral, even though it filled her heart with joy to hear that the acrobat, her only friend, her Ty Lee, still believed that she was perfect. "Of course not, Ty Lee. I know I'm perfect." She lied easily, seeing how that little lie eased her only friend's worries. She wasn't kidding anyone, she knew she was broken.

"Good." Ty Lee stated, standing and crossing her arms with a nod of her head.

Azula only smiled inwardly, amused at Ty Lee's antics. She always knew the girl hid her true strength behind her deceptively feminine form but still. To move an entire chair with a person who was taller and probably heavier than her sitting in it, that was something. Maybe not heavier, Azula corrected herself as she looked down at thin frame, she could stand to gain a few pounds. Apparently, while she was incarcerated, they didn't feed her very well and she was awfully thin. But with the way she was eating now and lounging around the mansion doing nothing she was bound to gain weight then she could start her ordinary morning routine, the one she kept before the end of the war.

"Where did all these clothes come from?" Ty Lee asked, interrupting Azula's thoughts. The younger woman was at the bed, which was piled high with darker red clothes. "These aren't yours are they?"

"No, they're Mai's" Azula answered honestly.

Ty Lee giggled. "She's not going to like it when she finds out that you went through her stuff."

"Zuko said I could go through anything while I was here. That includes her things as well." The princess reasoned.

"True." Ty Lee agreed as she pulled a long sleeved almost black dress against her body. "She's still not going to like it. What do you think?"

Azula smirked as she examined her friend's form with the darker color clothes against her customary pink – though to the acrobat's credit it was a darker pink. Golden eyes roamed over every curve of Ty Lee's body. It was feminine indeed, more so than she remembered. Ty Lee seemed to have filled out quite nicely over the course of how ever long she was incarcerated and the princess found herself appreciating the view in a completely non-friend like way. "Azula." Ty Lee called, well aware of the change in Azula's thoughts.

"It's not you." Azula answered quickly. "You should stick to your normal colors."

Ty Lee tossed the dress on the bed, choosing to ignore the way Azula was staring at her this time – it was too soon for anything like that. "I agree." She shoved the clothes off the bed and set down. "So, I guess Zuko will be sending a new doctor soon."

Azula shrugged. "I assume so."

~x~

"Princess Azula." A guard addressed nervously roughly three days after Dr. Lee left.

"So, you're addressing me today." The princess said, not bothering to look up from the book she was reading. "I suppose you don't have a choice seeing as Lady Ty Lee is at the market." He shifted nervously and Azula rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"The Fire Lord has sent a second doctor."

"Has he really?" she questioned as she set the book down. "Well, is the doctor here?"

"Yes, Princess. She is waiting."

Azula shook her head with a sigh. "Bring her in."

He nodded and left quickly. A few minutes later a young woman walked in, only a little older than Azula, her long dark brown hair braided in loose knots. "Hello princess." The meek young doctor said with a smile. "I'm Doctor Lin."

"Are you going to sit?" Azula inquired as if she didn't really care. The young woman set quickly, placing her large bag on the table and sitting. "One question before we begin though."

"Anything," Lin remarked enthusiastically.

"Are you an Air Nomad?" Azula asked, gesturing to the doctor's yellow and light orange attire.

Lin looked down at her flowing yellow robes and smiled. "Why, yes. My grandfather was an Air nomad. We were living in the Earth Kingdom before my mother finally told me."

"I didn't need an explanation. It was a yes or no question." Azula informed.

"Oh, sorry." She said, slightly embarrassed. Silence filled the air for a good five minutes. "Okay then. Let's start." Lin pulled out about ten pieces of thick white paper, each with a black ink stain on it. "First I want you tell me what this looks like to you." She showed Azula one of the cards.

Azula looked at the card, crossing her arms and lifting her eyebrow – silently asking if she was serious. When the doctor only smiled, Azula sighed. "It looks like you're insulting my intelligence."

Lin looked down at the card. "It's a ligament form of mental evaluation." She explained. "The Fire Lord did say that that was his main concern."

"I see, so you were handpicked by my brother?" Azula inquired.

"Well, yes." She answered honestly.

"Is that so?" Azula asked rhetorically, a devious glint in her eye.

~x~

"I'm back!" Ty Lee yelled through the mansion, walking briskly to the living room Azula preferred the most. The acrobat got to the sliding door just in time for it to be slammed open and a young dark-haired woman wearing yellow run out, her hands over her eyes. "Who was that?" she inquired, not failing to notice the smug look on her princess' face.

"My ex-doctor," Azula informed from her seat, her legs crossed with her fingers intertwined.

Ty Lee only stared for a second before what Azula said registered. She huffed lightly, "Azula, what did you do?"

"Nothing." Azula answered honestly, though the smug superior smile told her otherwise.

"I guess because you did nothing she ran out crying?"

"Oh, that." The princess stated. "It was probably because I told her what she asked of me and it wasn't what she expected or wanted to hear."

"What did you say?"

"She asked me what I saw and I answered the western air temple burning to the ground." Azula answered simply, gesturing to the ink blots still on the table.

Ty Lee walked over, moving some of the pictures around on the table. "Is that what you really saw?" the acrobat asked, the worry in her tone ruining Azula's mood.

"Of course not." Azula answered.

The younger woman turned to her friend, almost mad. "Then why did you say it?"

The princess sighed. "Ty Lee." she said seriously. "If she couldn't handle a little lie like that how can I expect her to handle the other things that have happened in my life?"

Grey eyes softened. "Things like what?"

Azula's gaze turned to the ground before meeting Ty Lee's again. "The same things that made my first doctor leave."

"Oh." Ty Lee said, sitting in the seat next to Azula. "I'll send a letter to Zuko telling him what happened."

"Why would you need to do that?" Azula inquired.

"I'm sure she's going to report back to Zuko. I'll just tell him why it really happened so he won't have you locked up again."

Azula stopped, she should have thought of that. It should have been a possibility that registered in her mind but she hadn't even thought of it. She was losing her edge. "Azula, are you okay?"

"Just fine," Azula lied with an easy smile. "How would you like to play a game of Pai Sho?"

"I'm not very good, but okay." Ty Lee agreed with a happy smile, pulling out the board from under the table. "Just one thing, though." She said as she set up the board.

"That would be?"

"Try to be nicer to the next doctor. Please."

"I'll do my best."

~x~

Azula moaned lightly as Ty Lee's talented hands wisped like a magical healing wand over her sore ankles. "You should get these looked at." Ty Lee suggested, though she continued to message the ankle even though the swelling was long gone.

"I did." Azula answered lightly, the message having moved to her feet and making her drift off to sleep. "He couldn't do anything." she said after a minute.

"Oh, well dang." Ty Lee said half-heartedly. Though the acrobat would never tell anyone she loved the sounds she could elicited from her princess. Her feet were always one of the princess' more sensitive areas and never failed to make her drift off to sleep. "I can't believe you were practicing so early in the morning." She continued to talk, knowing that her voice also tended to make the princess relax and sleep.

"Not my fault you get up so late in the morning." Azula countered as she closed her eyes.

"I know. I like to sleep in." Ty Lee easily admitted because it was true. "But I like to watch you practice and with the state of your wrist and ankles you could need someone there to make sure you don't get hurt. How long were you sitting there before I finally found you?"

"Hm." Was Azula's sleep dazed reply as Ty Lee moved to the other foot.

The acrobat only smiled and watched as her princess fell asleep under her menstruation.

"Lady Ty Lee." A guard interrupted.

"Shhh." Ty Lee warned, gently placing Azula's foot on the foot rest next to its twin and walking over to the guard. "What?" she asked quietly.

"The new doctor is here." He informed in a whisper.

"Really?" Ty Lee questioned, "It's only been a day."

The guard nodded as they headed out of the room, leaving the princess to sleep. "He has a letter with the Fire Lord's seal on it." He handed her a scroll, the royal seal stamped on the outside.

Carefully she opened the scroll and read what Zuko had written. "Okay, okay." She rolled the scroll back up. "Where is he?"

"He is unpacking his things. I will show you to his room." The guard said, motioning for Ty Lee to follow him.

The acrobat did, following the guard outside to a small house closer to the ocean but still on the grounds. From inside she heard someone rustling around. She motioned for the guard to leave and with a bow he did, returning to his post. Lightly she rapped on the wooden door, stepping back when she felt someone approach it. "Yes," a deep silky male voice asked as a tall handsome man opened the door. "Well hello," He said with a flashy smile, his pearly white teeth sparkling in the afternoon sun. "You must be Lady Ty Lee." He bowed respectfully when she nodded. "I am Doctor Huang. You can call me Hu." Again he smiled.

By all standards the man who stood in front of her was gorgeous, with his short silky black hair that had just a hint of wave and his strong toned muscles that were clearly visible through his red tunic. His eyes were a dull yellow, not quite the vibrant color of Azula's, but sparkled when he smiled. And from the way he smiled he knew he was good looking and didn't try to hide it. But Ty Lee was not taken by him like most of the female population would be. He was playing a game she played well and she wouldn't be fooled. Her only worry is that Azula might fall prey to his charm. She wasn't very socially inapt and not very good at this game. "It's good to meet you." Ty Lee said with a bow. "Princess Azula is currently sleeping. Would you like me to send word when she awakens?" she asked formally, making it very clear with her body language that she was not falling for him.

He caught on quickly, though a woman not wanting his advances was not something new to him and it never made his stop. So he smiled, deciding to change his tactics. "That would be fantastic. I shall see you then."

"Very well." She said, bowing again before turning and walking back to the main house. Her expression almost completely soured once she entered the building. 'What was Zuko thinking sending someone like him here?' She thought.

"What's with that sour face?" Azula's cool voice asked as the princess manifested behind her.

Ty Lee jumped at the sudden intruder – making Azula smile. "How did you get behind me? You were asleep when I left; when did you get up?"

Azula chuckled. "You walked right past me." She answered, leaning against a nearby wall and crossing her arms. "And I woke when you left with the guard. I'm guessing Zuko has sent me another doctor."

"Yes." Ty Lee answered. "I don't know if I like him yet. His name is Doctor Huang."

For a second the princess thought about what her only friend had said. "Make him leave if you don't like him." Was her simple reply.

The acrobat sighed. "I would. But he might be able to help you. According to Zuko you two have a lot in common. I can't possibly see what but that's what he said. Maybe you won't scare him off like you did the others." She said, a hint of smile touching her lips

Azula huffed. "I only scared one off, the other left of his own accord."

Ty Lee chuckled and patted Azula's cheek – making her blush slightly. "I know. I was only kidding."

The princess coughed to try and hide the blush. Though the attempt failed Ty Lee still ignored the blush. "We'll give him a trial week." Azula suggested "And see what happens."

Ty Lee nodded happily. "Sounds good. What would like to eat for lunch?" she asked as she causally looped her arm with Azula's – reinforcing the slight blush and making Azula curse mentally at her inability to control it.

~x~

The instant Azula met her new doctor she didn't trust him. But that was normal for most everyone so she let it slid this time. It's just that everything about him screamed fake, from his smile to the way he walked. It disgusted her. As the week progressed the only thing he did was get on her nerves. Their sessions were long and he kept bringing up subjects about her past that she had no desire to talk about. She felt like nothing was accomplished by these sessions and, much to Ty Lee's amusement, Azula would often go into small rants about him and how much talent he lacked.

Of course it didn't help his case that he would constantly flirt with Ty Lee. Azula did not play that game and wasn't 100% sure if Ty Lee reciprocated his feelings or was blowing him off. She was leaning towards the latter but wasn't sure. It was always apparent to Azula that Ty Lee was a flirt and she was good at the social scene. She had hoped that Ty Lee would have calmed down a little. Especially since after that one time not too long ago when she said…. But Azula wasn't sure if that had actually happened or if it was one of her delusions.

"She has a lot of problems." She heard her doctor say as she walked down the hall.

"Does she?" Ty Lee inquired in a tone that clearly said she had better things to do.

They were sitting beside one another, backs turned from the door Azula stood in. They weren't touching, with at least a foot between them. She had no idea what Ty Lee was doing in the empty room but if she had to guess she'd guess that Ty Lee trained in there. And there was also a view that Ty Lee was always informing her was breath taking. She didn't know anything about that, but that was probably why she was sitting on the wooden porch. "She does. You're such a good friend to stay with her for so long."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, which Ty Lee promptly removed. "I know."

He chuckled, "You're so cute when you're like this. Why do you stay with her? You don't have anything to gain from it." Ty Lee ignored him, tossing something out into the open outdoors. "So you're not going answer me?"

"I'm her friend and that's what friends do." The acrobat replied simply, unknowingly making Azula smile.

"That's good to know." Huang smiled. "That you're her friend."

"Why is that…" and he kissed her.

Azula gasped lightly, not loud enough for either to notice. When he pulled her closer Azula turned and walked away back to her room, fighting to keep her features neutral. She fell on her bed and stayed there motionless for the longest time. Ty Lee on the other hand was in motion the instant his lips touched hers. A few quick jabs to just the right place would have sent him to the ground paralyzed but instead she chose the old fashioned way – the way she had learned while training with the Kyoshi warriors. She punched him in the face – the force of which sending him a few feet away – followed immediately by quick sharp jabs, not unlike a snake, to those certain points that blocked his chi the best.

"If you ever do that again, I will kill you." Ty Lee promised, storming back into the mansion, waving the guards to deal with him.

She was so mad she went straight to her room, making sure to slam the door.

~x~

"Azula?" Ty Lee ventured, knocking on the princess' door before entering. Finding the princess snuggled in her bed – covers over her head. "It's well past noon, Azula. It's time to get up." Azula groaned. "Come on, you have to be hungry."

"Go away." Azula said.

"Come on, get up. I have lunch waiting."

"Fine." The princess growled angrily as she threw the covers off herself and pulled her robe tight around her body.

Lunch was eaten in total silence. Every conversation Ty Lee tried to initiate was shot down quickly and mercilessly. The instant Azula was finished eating she stood and made her way back towards her room. "Azula, wait." Ty Lee called, running to catch up and grabbing the sleeve of Azula's robe. "What's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?" Azula questioned.

Ty Lee sighed. "You're being so cold. What did I do?"

Azula scoffed. "Like you don't know. I'm surprised you found the time to spend with me, what with your new boyfriend and everything."

"Boyfriend?" the acrobat repeated lightly – the wheels in her head turning quickly.

Golden eyes rolled as arms crossed. "I saw you two last night."

Ty Lee wrung her hands nervously. "You saw that?"

"I did. Now if you don't mind I'm going back to my room. You can take him and leave. Tell my brother I want a new doctor while you're at it." She walked past the acrobat, only for her to grab her arm in a panic at her princess' words.

"Azula, it was a misunderstanding. He kissed me. It meant nothing." Ty Lee protested quickly, trying unsuccessfully to beat down the panic she felt.

Azula yanked her sleeve out of Ty Lee's grasp. "How can I trust you, Ty Lee? This is twice you've betrayed me."

"I didn't" Ty Lee argued. "Please, listen to me. There's only been you."

The princess stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"There has only been you. I don't even like him or any of the boys I flirt with. I only like you." Ty Lee tried to explain. "Please believe me." Azula paused, not daring to believe that it could be true.

Doubt filtered into the princess' hopeful aura and Ty Lee sighed lightly before a determined expression crossed her face. Without much thought of the consequences Ty Lee grabbed the folds of Azula's robe and pulled her into a searing kiss. It wasn't anything to terribly involved but every fiber of Ty Lee's being was put into it, desperately trying to show Azula her true feelings. When Azula didn't respond Ty Lee broke the kiss, fearing the worst. The convalescent only stood there, expression trained to neutral, but her aura flared red. The color of passion and anger and Ty Lee couldn't tell which it was.

Tears pricked her grey eyes as she released Azula's robe, smoothing it out before backing up a step. "I'm sorry." She said, concluding from Azula's expression and aura that the latter of the emotions was the one the princess was experience. "I just wanted you to know that I…" She bit her lip and sniffled lightly. "I really do care about you."

Azula smirked, though Ty Lee couldn't see it because she had found an interesting spot on the clean carpet. "That's good to know." She said, her tone light.

Ty Lee's head shot up at the sound of the appeased voice but before she could get one word out Azula pulled the shorter girl to her, wrapped a hand around her waist and kissed her. For a second Ty Lee was stunned but quickly over came it and eagerly kissed her princess back. Only when they absolutely needed air did they stop, Azula resting her forehead against Ty Lee's – both smiling. "Promise never to leave me." Azula demanded, the smile on her lips curving down only slightly with her serious demand.

"Never." Ty Lee easily agreed.

"Promise," Azula demanded again.

"I promise never to leave." Ty Lee recited, leaning forward to lightly press her lips to Azula's. "Unless you tell me."

Azula chuckled. "I don't think that will be a problem." She kissed her cheek, "You're all I have left." the princess admitted in a whisper.

A/N: I don't know what it is but the first chapter is always the worst for me.