"Don't worry, Katara, I'll be fine. Go find Appa." He flashed her a characteristic grin. But deep down, he knew that he wasn't fine. It was a measure of his self-control that he wasn't screaming in agony. He felt as if his whole body was broken. But he smiled and put on a brave face, because he was a freedom fighter.

"He's lying," he heard the blind girl whisper as they left. And he knew she was right. He moved a little and gasped in pain; he could feel the bones shift beneath his skin. He clenched his teeth.

He could see Smellerbee kneeling beside him, tears flowing down her face. He hadn't seen Smellerbee cry in years. Not since the day he found her, wandering lost and alone in the forest with nowhere to go. He hated seeing her cry like that.

Longshot was standing off to the side, guarding the door with his bow and arrows. He was strong and silent as ever.

Jet looked at his two freedom fighters, his two friends. They needed him as much as he needed them. They were inextricably bound together by their shared loss, their shared dreams and determination.

Blackness was clouding his vision. It was taking all of his effort to remain conscious. He was slipping. He remembered fire and screaming. He remembered the cruel glee in the Fire Nation soldier's as they destroyed his village and his home, and they took his parents away from him. He remembered the forest, his home. He remembered his loyal gang of freedom fighters. He remembered his speeches to them, giving them strength to fight on. They looked up to him. He remembered how they always made him laugh. He remembered how they always made him proud.

And then he remembered the Avatar and his friends. They taught him something. They changed him. Now he fought for freedom, and for peace.

He opened his eyes as wide as he could with a grunt, startling Smellerbee from her gasping sobs. He steeled himself against the pain.

I am a freedom fighter.

And he willed himself to live.

A/N: Because Jet will never die. Haha. Please review!