Warning: suicide mentioning (I do apologize in advice) 

The fourteen year old boy sat in a cell with his sprained wrist close to his chest and dried blood running from his nose and bruises on his face as well as a black bruise under his good eye. He leaned against the wall sleeping as he was stuck in the cell over night with nothing expect his own jacket to keep him warm. 

A police officer walked over to the child's cell and banged on it to wake him up. Zuko was startled as he took a moment to remember where he was and saw the cop. 

"The fuck you want?" He snarled but froze seeing his father walk up to the officer in a clean business suit and a red tie.

  "I apologize for the trouble my sons caused, ill make sure he knows better during his suspension," Ozai told the police officer as he opened the door but Zuko didn't get up. 

"Let's go Zuko," Ozai said sternly making him stiffen. 

He pushed his suit jacket back to flash the side of his gun to the boy as he stayed behind the cop.

But then young boy finally got to his feet as he felt the pain in his chest and held his wrist tightly to himself, head down not daring to look up at his father, wishing he could've just stayed in the cell. 

— 

"What the hell is wrong with you boy?" Ozai slammed the door behind him as he shoved Zuko inside the house. 

"You ungrateful bastard!" He roared as Zuko backed away wide eyes as azula sat on top of the stairs, surprised by the sudden sound.

"Do you know how much it was to Bail your ass out of jail and to keep you in school?!" He grabbed Zuko by the shirt and pulled him close. 

Zuko grunted trying to get away but his fathers hand slapped his face and dropped him to the ground. 

"I-I didn't ask you too," Zuko scooted away as his freshly healed burn scar on his face stung from the powerful slap.

"You embarrass me time and time again! Ungrateful bitch!" He snarled as Zuko put his hands up to defend himself.

"When will you learn?!" 

-

"You really did it this time dummy," Azula peaked in zukos room as the sun was setting. 

"Get the fuck out Azula," Zuko sat on his bed with a scowl, cleaning the blood from the side of his head while he held a mirror in the other hand.

"You put a lot of kids in the hospital, parents want to sue, course dads mad at you, what did you expect?" she scoffed walking over to his bed as she saw the fresh cut on his head that wasn't bleeding anymore.

"Just stop pissing him off," the twelve year old sighed crossing her arms. 

"I said leave me alone," He rasped at her as he couldn't get himself to raise his voice any higher. 

"For all you know I'm the only friend you have brother," she smirked at him. 

"Stop it," he snarled. 

"Or what? Gonna call mom?" Azula hummed and zukos hands shook. She left him with a smile as Zuko put the cloth and mirror down as he put his face in his hands. 

Tears stung as they ran down his pale face covered in wounds and bruises, he didn't breath as he tried to not make a sound. He hated it, he hated his family, he hated everyone at school, everyone that made fun of him for not having a mother, for having a scar now, for being alone. He wanted to call his friend but fuck him, this was jets fault, he couldn't just leave him alone...  He just wanted to be left alone. 

Zuko got up wiping his tears frustratedly and grabbed a bottle from his private bathroom, he trembled as he held it but shoved the orange bottle in his pocket and snuck out his window to get out of this hell of a house.  He walked out of his backyard and easily jumped the high fence as it wasn't the first time he's tried to escape. Maybe it would be his last. 

He walked down the road as the sky was getting darker and the red faded, he looked up at the clear sky, it was a nice night.  Zuko pulled out his phone and was tempted to call a number...

"Please leave a message after the tone," a robotic voice told him. 

"Hey jet, it's me, I get why you didn't answer, I don't really want to talk to you either so maybe this is better," Zuko sighed into the phone as he walked down the road ignoring his body burning in pain while he walked. His wrist still hurting. 

"But you know we've been friends for a while, don't worry I don't want to be friends with you anymore, not after what you did, and I'm not sorry," he frowned closing his eyes as his shoes hit wood under his feet.

  "but I'm tired, I'm miserable and tired, I hate it here and I hate who I am, I don't know what I have to lose anymore," Zuko didn't realize he had tears traveling down his face as he stood on a bridge seeing the sun going down. 

"Fuck, shit, forget it, forget this call, I shouldn't have-I shouldn't have called you, just delete this as soon as you get it and forget it," he growled to himself shaking his head but a sob bubble up and he covered his mouth. 

"Bye," he whispered and dropped his phone as his feet, covering his face standing on the bridge he ended up at. 

He was just so tired... 

Zuko took out the orange bottle and popped the cap off, he filled his hand with the pills and didn't give it a second thought before forcing the handful down his throat, his eyes watered as he swallowed the medication, he felt like he couldn't breathe as the pills were shoved down his throat. 

All he could picture was his mother's face and his cousin, he could feel his mother's warm hands on his face, she would wipe away his tears and hold him close. It made him sob harder as he fell to the ground on his hands and knees.

"Meow?"  Zuko looked next to him as a black cat stood next to him with a curious look. He snuggled sitting down, starting to feel dizzy.

"What do you want?" He mumbled but the cat rubbed against his knee, starting to purr. 

Zuko wiped his bruised cheek and pet the cats fur that felt dirty to his touch, the cat rolled on his side and purred exposing its stomach to Zuko to pet. His head started to spin. But his body didn't hurt anymore at least. 

Zuko fell on his back inhaling deeply but felt the cat crawl up and sat on his chest purring, laying with him as Zuko could hear his phone ringing but it was muffled. 

He just wanted to stop feeling so damn much... 

Zuko gasped awake feeling someone touch him, he grabbed them and raised his fist and a snarl on his face. Katara looked at him wide eyes as he gripped her arm tightly.

"Are you okay?" She asked as he immediately let go, Zuko looked around seeing they were still at the pond. He must've dozed off.

"Sorry," Zuko whispered trying to remember exactly where he was. 

"Hey, you're crying," Katara said softly and Zuko realized his face was wet. He quickly wiped them away. 

"What happened?" She asked softly sitting in the grass with him as Toph was snoring behind her.

"Just a bad dream," he shrugged and sat up fully. 

"Then why did you act like that when I woke you up?" She looked at him gently.

  "Like I said, bad dream," Zuko rasped but Katara touched the side of his face to turn him to her. 

"Are you sure?" Katara asked concerned, Zuko was tense at her touch and she could feel it. Then she realized her fingers brushed against his scar, she didn't take them off to show she wasn't scared. His skin was still soft but with a bit of texture.

"My nightmares have gotten better, trust me, this was nothing," he smiled not moving away.

"You'd tell me otherwise right?" She asked again. They looked at each other for a moment. 

"I'll try," he nodded honestly. Katara blushed a little taking her hand back slightly embarrassed.

"Have you talked to anyone about the nightmares since you've been back in America?" Katara sat with him in the grass as Sokka, Suki and Aang played in the water still as the sun was setting.

"I've tried calling Jin," Zuko called checking his cracked phone. 

"And she's not picking up?" She asked concerned.

"The time difference makes it harder, I woke her up at 4 in the morning once," Zuko explained as he felt kind of bad for bothering her so much since he's moved. 

"I still need to find a therapist too," he sighed looking at the pond softly.

"Cause you went to the mental hospital?" She looked at him curiously.

"Ask him why he really went to-" Jets words echoed in her head as she tried to ignore him. 

"Yep," Zuko leaned back again unbothered.

"Why did you go to the mental hospital?" Katara gulped forcing herself to finally ask. 

"It was a really dark time," he closed his eyes tilting his face up. 

"Zuko.." she whispered. 

"I don't like talking about it, but trust me," Zuko turned to her with a serious look.

"I'm not the same person three years ago,"

"I know," Katara nodded and offered a smile.

"I trust you,"