Ursa lit the room, partially because she needed light to cook, mostly because she wanted to see her daughter.

"What would you like to eat?" she asked.

Azula was numb at the moment, her mind was as stiff as her body.

"Whatever." She answered.

Ursa took a few eggs and started to prepare an omelet, it wasn't what she wanted to do, but this wasn't a vessel equipped to handle guests such as them.

When she saw that Azula wasn't going to say anything she continued "I heard you were able to capture Ba Sing Se."

At first Azula gave a nod, but after realizing that her mother had her back turned towards her she replayed with a "yes".

"That's quite the achievement." Ursa said "Even Iroh wasn't able to do it."

If her mother was expecting her to make an apology, she would have to wait. It would be a cold day in the Fire Nation before Azula felt bad about that.

"I'm proud of you." her mother said.

At this Azula started laughing, she laughed and laughed. From all the things she expected to hear this was the last on the list, no this wasn't even on the list. The shock from the statement was finally able to pull her out of her static state.

"Proud of me?" Azula was still laughing "Mother, you were never proud of me. You never..."

"I know what you're about to say." Ursa said with a sigh "Azula, I was always proud of you. I was proud of your firebending abilities and proud of your high achievements even as a child."

"Mother please, "Azula was smiling; this was absurd "Father didn't pay any attention to Zuzu because he believed him a failure, I can only assume you thought the same of me."

"Azula, no..."

"No? Then why did you always protested at what I was doing, why did you always punished me?"

Ursa knew better then to answer immediately. The omelet was almost done; she took two plates, two pairs of chopstick and served the table. At the same time she was weighting her response.

"It was never about your achievements, I was always proud of you." she finally said "I did what I did because I believed it was the best for you."

"I am sorry mother." Azula face turned to stone "I am not the daughter you wanted me to be, I would have probably never been."

For a moment the only sound that was coming was from the chopsticks on the plates.

Ursa closed her eyes; she just wanted to be with her children.

"Despite that, I am proud of the woman you became and I will always love you."

"You believed I was a monster." Azula spat out.

"Never."

There was a heavy silence in the air.

"You did a lot of wrong things back then." Ursa said "And you did a lot of wrong things when I was away." It felt like she was burning the bridge between them forever; it was painful just saying it "But I never thought you were a monster."

"I did a lot of wrong things, mother?" Azula replayed in an even voice "What about you, what about grandfather?"

Ursa eyes widened. Azula knew? Of course, Ozai probably used this to set them against her.

"Whatever you father said I..."

"Father never said anything; I was eavesdropping on the conversation between him and the Firelord."

"You were what?" then again, was it that surprising?

"Mother, how much of a hypocrite are you, to judge me after what you did?"

Ursa broke down crying.

"I was only protecting your brother." she said through tears "I regret having to kill Azulon, I wish there was another way, I wish I didn't had to. Azula, please, forgive me."

"It's not about that! It's about the way you treated me, it's about the memories you left, it's about the fact that you were not there!" as she screamed that Azula stood up and left.

"Azula, forgive me!" tears were running down her cheeks. "Please, forgive me..."

"I can't." the answer came coldly "I am sorry mother, but I can't just pretend that didn't happen."

As she said that Azula stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Azula, " Ursa said, still crying "please, don't go, please..."

But she neither stopped, nor slowed down, she just left.

Firelord Zuko was watching as the Fire Nation main island appeared on the horizon, it would take a full day before they could reach it. It was perfect really, he needed the time before having to handle Mai and his uncle. He was sure that they wouldn't be too happy with Azula around; eventually they would be accustomed to her presence, Mai would probably be happy to be with her friend again, at some point anyway. Speaking of his sister...

"Good morning." Azula's voice entered the room.

"Didn't get much sleep?" he asked, looking at the rings around her eyes.

"No, couldn't sleep."

"Mother was weeping in her cabin the whole night, I assume you talked?"

"Yes, we talked." She bit her lower lip "It didn't went well."

"Do you want it to go well?" Zuko asked.

"Yes. "She was looking at her feet "But it's not the easy."

"What's the problem?"

"Everything, everything's the problem, Zuzu." she said, her head still down "I am the problem, she is the problem, our past is the problem."

She then lifter her head and looked him in the eyes.

"It's going to be the same back home, isn't it?"

"Probably." Zuko said "Don't worry about it; it'll get better with time."

She gave a nod.

"You know," he continued "if Aang and the others could trust me, I'm sure Mai can forgive you, uncle can learn to appreciate you and I'm sure things with mother are better than you think. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not worried, just annoyed."

"Was that why you couldn't sleep last night?"

"Shut up." Azula sighed "I'll deal with it, I've dealt with worse things before."

Zuko smiled, he knew she was right.

"Other than that, have you figured out what you're going to do once you're back in the Fire Nation?"

She shook her head "No idea."

"Do you want to become my adviser?"

"Oh, willing to trust me that much Zuzu?" she said, with a tease in her voice.

"Yes." the answer was straightforward.

She was too tired for a sarcastic remark.

"Look Zuzu, I won't do anything stupid, ok?" she paused for a moment"Also, I don't regret much of what I've done, but I am glad that lightning missed the mark."

Zuko smiled at her.

"And I'm glad you're here."

"I said things I probably shouldn't have back then." obviously Azula was talking about the conversation with her mother.

"Do you know how often I do that? I am surprised Iroh didn't just dropped me somewhere." he gave her a smile "We all do that from time to time." He read what was in her eyes "Yes, even you."

Azula stood before her mother's cabin door. She recalled last night's conversation, it wasn't pleasant. But she wanted things to change. Was a change possible? Maybe, maybe not, but she could try. It wouldn't happen in a day, or in a week, probably not even in a month. But with time, maybe things could get better.

She knocked.

~THE END~

I though about extending it to the events after their journey, but the story isn't about that; this was about Zuko and Azula's trek to find Ursa and they did. As for the rest...I may write a sequel if I find the time.

Thanks to everyone for reading. You people are the best.