Author's Note:This story isn't for people who want a happy ending...or a happy anything for that matter. It's a one shot, and if you don't like it that's fine. It's being written as self therapy for current events that have happened in my life last weekend, and they weren't very good events. In fact they sucked big time. Characters most likely will go out of character and that's the way it's supposed to go. That's my warning that this isn't meant to be happy in fact it's far from it. And this is completely AU! THOSE WHOM CAN'T HANDLE READING ABOUT DEATH DON'T READ THIS!
Read and please review.
Disclaimer:Can't take credit or claim things I didn't create. But I do thank the ones whom did create the Avatar world & it's characters.
Dedication:To those needing something to help them cry, to everyone who's lost a pet and/or a loved one. To my cat, whom is now in a better place, and will be forever missed.
The End Comes for Us All
Peace was finally near. The war was almost at it's end. Fire Lord Ozai had been defeated and it was only a matter of time before Azula was found. Zuko now the new Fire Lord struggles with the effects of Sozin's comet. Granted the comet granted both Ozai and Zuko with an immense power boost, it also put a strain on Zuko's mental state. And through much displeasure and much objection from both the Avatar and one Water tribe warrior Katara stands by Zuko's side.
And after weeks of personally looking for his deranged sister Zuko finally returns back to the palace in the heart of the Fire Nation. Eager to see his lady love Zuko hurries through the palace to the gardens where he knows Katara will be.
He slows his pace to try and sneak up on his beloved waterbender. And stops seeing her lying by the small pond. But something feels off as his instincts come on edge and he studies the gardens while approaching Katara.
"Katara..." Zuko calls as he looks over her. Seeing & hearing her quickened intakes of breath Zuko begins to panic.
"KATARA, it's Zuko. Answer me" He orders looking into her eyes. Seeing them extremely dilated and glazed over. Katara barely moves her head toward Zuko and fails to respond to his order.
Zuko sinks to the ground beside Katara moving to pick her up, to find her much heavier...her body moving like a doll...but in a dead weight heaviness. Zuko presses his hand over her heart to feel it rapidly slowing along with her breathing.
"Katara look at me. Look at me dammit!" He orders as he maneuvers Katara in his arms so that she has no choice but to look at him.
Zuko tries to think of something to get a reaction from the woman in his arms.
"Listen to me, my little water bending peasant. I command you to stop this and look at me. Yell at me for calling you a peasant and trying to order you around." Zuko growls more in fear of what is happening but trying to sound dominant and demanding.
Katara's body goes limp and breathing barely noticeable.
Knowing the inevitable Zuko panics beyond reason.
"Don't you dare do this!! Don't you dare think I'll let you do this Katara. You will not die! I forbid it! Don't leave me. Don't leave me here alone. Don't you dare leave me here alone!" Zuko begins to ramble not knowing what to do or say.
Katara's last signs of possible life leave her and Zuko snaps.
"UNCLE!!! UNCLE GET OUT HERE NOW!!" He yells at the top of his lungs.
"You promised me. Katara you promised, forever. You'd stay with me for forever," He whispers harshly before yelling again "UNCLE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT FAR GET OUT HERE NOW!!"
Uncle Iroh comes running in.
"You bellowed for me nephew?" Uncle Iroh asks jokingly till he sees the reason for his nephews yelling.
"Uncle get the healer. Get every healer in the Nation, from EVERY nation. Get the Avatar and his blasted flying bison to collect them." Zuko continues to ramble.
The retired general frowns as he feels for a pulse and finds none, and notes the drastically cool body temperature of the young woman who was to be wed to his nephew.
"I am sorry Lord Zuko. Every healer in the world can not bring the Lady back." Iroh sadly informs him.
"YOU LIE!! Get the healers and send them to our quarters. I want them here within the hour uncle." Zuko demands as he shakily stands up and takes Katara inside.
35 minutes later
Uncle Iroh enters the royal chambers holding a parchment along with a most familiar hair piece which belongs to members of the Fire Nation's royalty.
"Lord Zuko," Iroh starts very formally "One of the servants found this in the door earlier. You'll really want to look at it."
Zuko slowly takes the parchment and reads the following:
Welcome home Zuzu. I hope you enjoyed your welcome home gift. I know I could just die of laughter.
Your sister
Azula
Zuko instantly sets the note on fire.
"Leave." he growls out lowly as the reality of it everything that has just happened sinks in.
"At times such as this sometimes it is better..." Uncle Iroh begins one of his antic dotes.
"LEAVE!!" Zuko yells as flames burst up from nowhere.
Iroh slowly backs out of the chambers fearing his nephew may never recover from this tragic event.
Days later
Zuko sits in the gardens staring at the water. His body feeling as numb as his mind, his heart, and his soul.
"Mother what do I do??" Zuko whispers almost unknowingly to even himself. Only since his mother's disappearance has he ever felt so lost, alone, completely shattered and afraid even. But the degree of these feelings are worse in ways and indescribable. Zuko stares into the blue water and thinks of Katara's water tribe clothing...any clothing she wore she wanted it blue. This garden like his mother was Katara's favorite place, and Zuko couldn't find the energy to move. It hurt to much to move, to think, to try and do anything really.
Aside from his mother, his uncle...Katara was the only one. The path of their relationship didn't start as a typical one would. Full of mistrust, constant suspicion but it changed. It changed and grew into an emotion Zuko never thought he'd ever know let alone want to feel.
He tried to think but his mind was blank yet swirling a million miles a minute. As if he were in the eye of a hurricane. His body felt numb as if his senses overloaded and everything has shorted out. Numb...numb from the brain down is the only accurate description usable.
"Zuko. You haven't eaten in many days. A man needs to eat and keep up his strength. " Iroh tries to coax his nephew out of his trans-like state.
"Azula." Zuko growls as his mind strays slightly to the cause of his pain.
Iroh just nods knowing this is the most his nephew has said since his grief overtook him.
"Yes, Azula did this. You need to snap out of this Zuko. Come back to us and help find your insane sister. She'll come for you next, and kill you easily and without hesitation if you're like this." Iroh says hoping his words may stir his nephew even a little. After 15 minutes of silence from Zuko, Iroh sighs and goes back inside to retrieve blankets and other simple things to help his nephew.
A figure comes from the bushes and stops just behind Zuko.
"You're pathetic Zuzu. You're as big a loser as our disgraceful uncle." Azula cattily informs him. "She screamed for you. I came the day of the lunar eclipse and tortured her for a few minutes...till I was bored anyway."
"Leave" Zuko orders in a low growl as his mind starts picturing the event as Azula describes it.
"I'm here to finish what I started Zuzu. I'm going to kill you. And then I'll take the throne and finish what even our father couldn't do. You're weak, Zuzu. You're pathetic, weak and almost a complete waste of my time."
"She cried too you know. Tears spilling from her eyes. Screaming for you, it was enough to make me hurl. Then she kept muttering how sorry she was that she hadn't told you before you left. She was very delusional."
Zuko suddenly stands and faces Azula feeling nothing but rage yet his facial expression showed no emotions. Before he could muster a strike against her Azula drove a knife into his heart after charging it with a bolt of lightning. She keeps the lightning attack from stopping and before twisting the knife to end Zuko's life she leans in closer.
"I'm going to kill Iroh next. At least he'll be a bit of a challenge. Oh, and the delirious waterbender forgot to inform you of something you might want to know..." Azula taunts watching the color drain from her brother's face.
"You were going to be a dad." She sings in the same tone she had used when they were children the night she informed him that their father was going to end his life.
Ending Author's Note:This was meant as a way to get my own emotions out. I had to put my cat down after finding her dying in my room last Saturday when I got home from work. Everyone was warned before they read it.