Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters.

Warning: Minor language

Azula's maniacal laughter rang loud and clear, her shrill voice echoing off the deserted stone building. The dark night slowly closed around the two firebenders as blasts of orange and blue brought dancing shadows to life, illuminating the once black hallways. Zuko fired blast after blast of pure heat in his little sister's direction, but not once did it hit her. She fought with great speed and agility, just as perfect as before. But something was off about her. Zuko could tell. She was not as composed as before. So he decided to challenge her even further.

"No lightning today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?" Zuko yelled, positive that he could send the electricity back towards his exhausted sister.

"Oh, I'll show you lightning!" Screamed an enraged Azula, preparing the crackling fire, the lightning twitching around her fingertips. She aimed at Zuko, who prepared himself for the blast, but at the last moment her eyes found a third figure approaching the scene, and her fingers shifted towards her.

Katara had become worried after what seemed like an hour of dueling. She was afraid that Zuko would lose, and had decided to come and help.

Screw Zuko and his pride. I'm not letting him die because he didn't want help from a watertribe peasant.

She ran up towards the siblings, her feet making soft slapping noises on the ground. But she couldn't have come at a worse time. Katara froze in her tracks as Azula let her lightning shoot out towards her, like a wild, blue snake, followed by a trail of smoke and heat.

Zuko reacted late. He saw the new direction the lightning took, but it took him too long to figure out what to do. By that time Katara had decided on her course of action.

Zuko cannot die. Katara thought to herself. I won't let him. He has to live, if the world is to live in peace. Without the firelord, what can we hope to accomplish? I'm just a waterbender, one in a million. Her heart wrenched at the thought of leaving her father, her brother, her friends behind, but she couldn't let Zuko die because of her. Katara had to choose. Him or her. But she knew it was not really a fair choice. I can't just let him die, no matter how much I may hate him. The world needs him. But there was another reason Katara couldn't let Zuko jump in front of the bolt, as she knew he was planning. He has already begun running, his arms extended, hoping to catch the bolt in his fingertips. But that was a selfish reason, one she chose to ignore.

"I'm sorry Zuko." Katara whispered as she lifted her hands in an unnatural position. She knew she did not have time to defend herself if she did what she was doing, but she also knew that if she didn't, Zuko would do the most irrational and stupid thing he could've done.

Save her. It was the only thought going through his head at that moment. He had to save her. Katara was loved. She had a future. She was happy, and kind, and spread joy and hope wherever she went. The world needed her. She is not just the Avatar's friend. Everyone loves her. She is selfless and nice, and there is no way that I am letting her die when I was the one who challenged Azula, and provoked her into doing lightening. Katara's blood will not be on my hands. And besides. If I did let that happen, what kind of person would I be? I have just regained my honor, I cannot lose it once more by letting her die. Zuko knew he was being stupid. She was a stupid peasant, and he was the heir to the throne. But he could not stop himself.

So she did it for him.

One second Zuko was running, the next he felt his whole body go numb, and was thrown backwards, against the ground. He looked desperately around as the invisible hand loosened its grip on him, only to see Katara drop her hands, and raise a wall of ice, just as the lightning closed in on her.

Bloodbending. Zuko had seen her do it once before, but never imagined it would feel this horrible, or that she would do it again. Stupid bitch. Does she know what she has done! Now she is going to-

But before Zuko could finish his thought, he heard a scream pierce the air, and the world seemed to stop spinning.

"NO!" Zuko cried, getting up and running towards the blue eyed waterbender that now lay limply on the ground, the stone around her smoking. "No. No. Katara wake up!" Zuko yelled as he closed in on Katara.

Zuko saw Azula preparing another lightning bolt in his peripheral vision. But this time, Zuko knew he could deflect it.

Azula let the lighting run from her fingertips towards her ready brother, who stood in position, his back straight, his breathing ragged. The electricity sizzled and popped as it flew towards the fire prince at immense speeds, but he stuck out his two fingers and felt the blue energy go into him. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, as he conducted the energy through his body and down his stomach, then finally out the other arm, which aimed right at Azula. She did not have time to jump out of the way as the lighting snapped like a whip and burned the flesh off her skin.

Zuko heard one last shriek before the court yard went the silent, the only sounds the distant voices of soldiers and the loud crackling of fire. Zuko turned away from his defeated sister and ran as fast as he could to Katara, taking her broken body in his arms. He checked for a pulse - placing two warm fingers to her wrists, and was overjoyed to find the softest pounding. It faltered every few seconds, sometimes slowing, leaving unbearable distance between the heartbeats.

Zuko was no doctor. He had no idea what to do, when a memory resurfaced from what seemed like ages ago.

"I'm a healer, I can help your uncle." A soft voice said from behind him.

"Go away!" Zuko had screamed. It was selfish and stupid, but he wouldn't let an enemy touch his uncle and wound his pride. Azula had done this to him. She was sly and evil, but he had almost trusted her. Maybe the bearer of this sweet voice was the same.

Zuko knew it was hopeless, but he picked Katara up, and ran, and ran, until he found a small pond. It most likely used to serve as decoration in a noble families backyard, but if his prayers were answered, it would save Katara.

Zuko placed her into the cold water, flinching at the touch of the icy liquid. But he knew he had no choice. He held onto her unconscious body, and mere second after she was submerged, the pond began to glow.