Last chapter. Thanks so much for all of your support, everyone. It meant a lot for me, and it's been awesome. Gotta say, I haven't watched the show in a long while (I really should when I get the chance), so I'm doing what I can with Zuko and the others. Tell me what you think.

Epilogue

Return to the Old Days

Two Months Later

She was given the chance to wear something other than the dismal white dress, and took something not too fancy: just a dull red and gold kimono. She didn't argue, either. The only reason being that she had no idea what was going to happen to her after this. Had it really been just two months after all of that? And now her doctors were releasing her. It was about time…

Once Takeo and she explained the mess, and the doctors read Lya's explicit diary, most of it made sense to the doctors. Most, anyway.

They never believed the ghost, saying Lya could write anything but that didn't mean it was true, but as long as no one died, nothing would be taken into account. Their pain from wounds was enough damage, as Dr. Kiko were saved from the doctors believing they were murders and getting in gargantuan trouble. But after that was hard, mentally shifting everything. She almost thought she was back at the beginning. That was as big a price if anything.

But she had to be strong. She had reasons to leave; this place had bad memories, bad thoughts. Anything had to be better than Yun Ko. And the only place she could go to was home, and there was one way to get there: slowly heal. And she did eventually.

Azula reached the front doors, staring at the window that little girl always sat. Was that really a ghost who was slowly murdering poor, weak patients? It was so unexpected.

"Ready, Azula?" asked a guard, and he gestured outside, which was revealed by the open door. The bright sunlight almost was welcoming her. A sign that it was time to leave.

She nodded. Before leaving, she thought of Lya, the strangest of girls who was also one of the toughest. She thought of Dr. Kiko, the man who was more focused on money than getting her better; he just did what he was told to say to crazy people. She thought of her nurses, mainly Gia and Tai-Mali, women who she almost felt bad for when they had to take care of her in her most messed up of times. Though she couldn't stand Tai-Mali and Gia had a grudge against everything, they still had something in them that Azula nearly gave respect to. She thought of Takeo…

She stopped there. She gulped against a lump in her throat and escaped Yun Ko. She jumped into the carriage and didn't take a single glance back to the place. If she tried hard enough, she wouldn't have to face that stuff anymore, only things that made sense or didn't make her hate the world.

Azula remembered the first carriage ride to the asylum. It felt like so long ago, ancient history. She stared through the only open hole in the carriage. It had to be a short ride.

But it went quicker than she remembered the last time. She stared at the town, ready to show her face to those who were around. She wondered if anyone would know who she was after months and months of being away.

It all seemed the same. Unlike her, anything had hardly changed. So things probably did go one while she was gone; a world without her could survive. What an odd thing to think about…

And they arrived to the palace. She stared up at it. Her old home. She was more than elated to be welcomed back. With open arms? Probably not, but she needed a home that was hers, that she greatly desired.

The carriage driver opened the door, and he followed her inside. Guards were aligned straight on either side of her, stiff like every guard she had seen. They were blank faced, even though they were sure Azula was still powerful and maybe crazy. They were half right.

The guards opened the door and immediately, someone was there to welcome her-and by welcome, it was with a sort of glare that would have attempted to reveal hate if Azula actually had any concern for her brother's thoughts of her.

Azula smirked. "It's been a while, Zuzu. Miss me?" she said, feeling slight nostalgia to say that silly nickname she gave Zuko, just to annoy him.

"How are you doing, Azula?" he asked, his one eyebrow narrowed to give him the harsh, impatient face that was all too familiar. "They told me you've been doing good and could come back home, but…it's not something I'm not buying yet."

"Well, since I haven't blown this place to bits, I'd say I'm doing fairly well," Azula replied easily. She was convincing herself she was healed of the demon inside her faster than she thought as this conversation went on.

Zuko gave her a quizzical look but moved on. "But Azula, I just don't think I could help you out with this. You really caused me, and the world at that matter, a lot of trouble. What makes you think I'll let you come back?"

"Because that's what siblings do," Azula answered swiftly, easily inspired by her own words.

"Siblings don't shoot them with lightning."

"I wasn't trying to hit you. I was trying to hit the Water Tribe Peasant."

"You shouldn't have tried to hit anyone. I almost got killed because of you!" his voice rose and nearly bounced against the palace walls. His guards gave him ascended eyebrows.

"Well, isn't this like old times, Zuzu? I missed it back at the asylum. It's not like home," Azula responded finally, allowing Zuko to realize what he was getting into. She decided not to tell him how his guards seemed somewhat concerned about Zuko's rising temper. "Not many talk to me like you do."

He cleared his throat, and the recognition was there. He still glared with his single brow. "I still don't think it'd be safe for anyone here to see that you're here. Sorry."

"I have nowhere else to go," she growled. "You can't just kick me out. At least do something good for the sake of being kind to your own blood."

They were interrupted by a squeal. "Azula!" squealed someone behind her, and when Azula turned around, she was tackled in a large hug by a person in pink. The doors were opened, and another person came in behind Ty Lee, not as enthused as her.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Ty Lee said, and Azula almost thought she was crying.

But when she let Azula go and stepped backward, she wasn't. Just smiling widely and with shining eyes.

Mai was there, too, but kept her distance. Hugging wasn't her style. Neither was it for Azula, but she let it go for just this one time. It was better than being chi blocked by her. "Hello, Ty Lee. It feels like it's been forever since someone's been glad to see me," she said with a glare beyond her shoulder, directed at her brother.

Zuko didn't care for her glower. "I'll let you three talk, and I'll discuss letting you stay here again with my council." And then he left with his guards and sages. The three friends were alone again.

"I'm sure someone didn't, uh, hate you in the asylum." Despite Ty Lee's hesitance, Azula knew that that was somewhat true.

"That doesn't matter, just as long you have us again. Oh, it's great to have us back with each other!" Ty Lee trilled, hugging both Azula and Mai with each arm. "Maybe you can even come visit Kyoshi Island with me. I'm sure they could forgive you if I'm with you," she added.

Azula stared at her, almost asking how Ty Lee met those Kyoshi warriors, but then again, she had a flash of an old memory; when she forced them into prison, where those other warriors had been placed. Azula blinked and said instead, "Ty Lee, I absolutely have no interest in befriend those fan wielding freaks with overdosed makeup. It was a pain enough to wear their clothes when we invaded Ba Sing Se."

"Still haven't changed, have you?" Mai asked.

"A little, I've changed, to be honest," Azula answered.

"C'mon, let's go have something to drink, and we could talk. I don't want to just stand here. There's a lot to talk about!" Ty Lee interrupted, and she dragged her friends out of the palace and into the streets.

Ty Lee took them to table that sat behind a building that sold half decent tea. She came back in an instant with tea for each girl. "I told him to give me his best tea, but seriously, I wish we could go to Ba Sing Se; your uncle makes the absolute best tea!" she commented, putting the teas on the table.

"It's really not that bad," Mai agreed with less enthusiasm. But she grinned a little.

For a moment, there was a bit of silence; the first since Ty Lee and Mai came. But of course, Ty Lee filled the gap. "So, Azula, I'm sure you met someone in the asylum that didn't…well, didn't like you," Ty Lee began with a slight blush adding more pink to herself.

Azula fidgeted in her seat. She nodded and replied absentmindedly, "Yes, actually. I met a boy there. His name was Takeo." She didn't want to bring up Lya; it only made things depressing.

There was a silence that Azula didn't expect, and it wasn't a good kind of silence. "Azula," Ty Lee spoke, slightly revealing being uncomfortable a little as she fidgeted in her seat before she went on, "isn't that the boy who ran away a while ago?"

Azula put her tea down, lips pursed as the tea suddenly became bitter. "Yes," she answered.

"Isn't he still?" Ty Lee was scared a little, Azula could see it. A wanted runaway from an asylum without permission; of course it would make someone as nervous as her.

Azula nodded. She only received the news because her old doctor knew that she was so close to Takeo before she left. But the news of a patient from an asylum was out there, and she wondered if he had any wanted posters. She expected him to get better, so he could get out and be with her, or at least maybe visit every once in a while. But no, Takeo made his mind in the darkest way. No way to change, he must've thought, or Azula telling him of her feelings towards him made him scared. Azula had no idea what was going through his mind as just a week ago, Dr. Kiko informed Azula of him running away. The people of the asylum have searched, but so far nothing.

Azula had tried to forget him. Love was never her best subject, nor was she familiar with it. It almost made her sick. It was nothing like with Chan-that was a one-time thing. But with Takeo, Azula, one night, dreamed of him, just him standing there. It revealed how much she thought of him, though, much to her horror.

"You sure have strange taste in men, Azula," Mai commented at the side.

"Mai," Ty Lee whispered in shock, like Mai's attitude was a surprise.

Azula ignored that comment, still deep in thought. She went away from the table and leaned against the wall just beside them. Why would Takeo run away? He was smarter than that, surely. It was like when Lya hanged herself; when the world was against them, when noting made sense.

At that moment, she snapped, letting the tears flow. She bit her lip as the hot water streamed down her face. She made no sound to reveal her tears. Exiled Fire Princess Azula, weak and pitiable, admitting to defeat through water falling from her eyes. Ty Lee and Mai flinched at the reaction and gave each other surprised glances. But the tears could be noticed. They were never shown from her face-except at the end of the war, when she realized her downfall-until now.

Ty Lee was the first to do anything, getting up and observing Azula's face, seeing deep into her aura to see where the tears came from.

Azula stopped just a minute later, stopping herself before anyone else noticed. She would only ever allow these two to see her in tears.

"I'm really sorry, Azula. I had no idea how this boy really meant to you," Ty Lee said.

Azula cleared her throat. "I don't need a boy in my life to make me happy. I just need to how it was before all of this," Azula told her, again hardening her face. Tear streaks only made the face seem weakened, but Azula imagined that Ty Lee could see the Azula she knew before she was forced into the asylum-at least, she wanted to imagine. She wanted to be known as the old self, before she lost all her insanity.

Had she gotten it back? One can never lose insanity; it's always there. Only Azula let hers go, because she had a reason. Now, she knew to try harder to keep it in. Now, she knew she was not perfect, that her wild temper sent her into a world she hadn't anticipated. Now, Azula knew how her cold hearted ways were not always going to get her to what she wanted. Now, she knew that she would not always try to force away anyone who tries to get near her. Not Takeo, not even her friends, even after what happened.

The world gave her a second chance, and she was willing to do just about anything to use it to get back to the world she was use to and loved. She was curious of the world she had entered and just left, but it was an odd one would she wasn't keen on returning to, unless he returned. Whatever came at her after this, such as Zuko allowing her in the castle, she could handle; after Yun Ko, she felt almost immortal.

What will happen to Azula after this? Even I don't know, but why give away the simplest details? That's for you the readers, can decide where it goes from there, if you are so curious.

Well, that's it all. This'll be the first ever longer (than two chapters, I mean ;)) fanfiction I ever ACTUALLY completed. It feels great. And I just want to, again, say thanks those who supported this fanfiction throughout it all, because I can't say it enough, seriously! It totally meant a lot to me, because this was a tough thing to make, let me tell you. I know it wasn't quite as great as what others would make, but the fact that I finished this and it's something I did, so I'm proud of it.

And with that, I put this fanfiction to a close with a simple good-bye. ADIOS! Well, it's simple for people who speak Spanish! ^^