Healed Hearts
Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA….but let's face it, who wouldn't want it? Also, give each character 3 extra years in your little heads, m'kay? Aang's 16, Katara's almost 18. That's relevant in this story so take it or leave it.
1. Damsel in Distress
The blinding blue glow of Aang's soul finally overpowered the evil red of Phoenix King Ozia's- or should I say, ex Phoenix King?
Aang stumbled a few steps back, weak and about ready to fall onto his knees. He forced himself to balance. He watched as the fire still spread around him. He inhaled through his nose, and released it out his mouth, eyes and tattoos flashed as he allowed the feeling of his power to rush through his veins, and he blanketed the fire in water with the raise of his arms. The last few red and gold rays of Sozin's Comet disappeared from sight.
Zuko stood in a strong firebender stance, a large wall of fire shooting from his fist at Azula as he narrowly missed the wall of bright azure fire on his right, the heat rushing against his skin. Both he and Azula stopped bending at each other. Zuko backed up a few paces. "What, no lightning today? "He taunted, face solemn and clear of any emotion of fighting his sister. "Afraid I'll redirect it?" He called over at her.
Azula was panting from the fight, how dare her traitor of a brother talk to her like that? How was he able to outlast her? "Lightning?" Azula's shrill voice shrieked, "I'll show you lightning!" she hissed before summoning her chi to form the eerie blue light.
Zuko steadied himself for the pain and the power that was sure to rush through him in a few moments.
Azula was ready to strike, but not at him. She locked eyes with her brother, and then at the Watertribe girl that was standing a few yards off to the side, watching the Agni Kai unfold before her. Azula glanced back at her brother and then finally flickered back to Katara. As fast as the strike of a cobra, the lightning shot from Azula's fingertips and straight at the Waterbender. Zuko watched in horror, too far away to block the attack, it was too late. Katara tried to bend what water in the air as she could, but it wasn't enough to block the lightning traveled through the small defense. A startling shriek of pure agony echoed the courtyard as Katara fell to the ground.
A large metal airship landed before Aang. He watched as his friends cleared out. Sokka was shouting happily in his failed attempt to retell how Aang kicked Ozia's royal highness while balancing on Suki and Toph for what looked like an injured leg, and for the first time that day, Aang cracked a smile.
Suki released Sokka to look down questionably at the fallen king. "So," she said, looking back at Aang while pointing at Ozai. "Did you, you know, finish the job?" she asked. She looked back down and did a double take when she saw Zuko's father's eyes open.
"I'm still alive." Ozia said darkly, while he peered over at Suki through his long, black hair.
"I realized that there was another way to bring down the Fire Lord and restore balance to the world." Aang said his voice softer than normal. "I took his bending away."
Toph's blind eyes widened in shock as she heard this. "Wow. Where'd you learn that from?" she asked incredulously.
"A giant lion-turtle." Aang shrugged.
Toph chuckled, shaking her head in bewilderment. "You have the craziest adventures when you disappear." Aang just smiled a bit wider.
Sokka hobbled over to Ozia. "Well, now that you lost, maybe we should call you…" he paused dramatically for a moment, hand resting on his chin as he thought about it, and then his blue eyes lit up. "The Loser Lord." Sokka announced smugly.
Ozia glared at Sokka, attempting to gain his pride and sit up. "I am the Phoenix Ki-ing." He gasped before falling to the earth once again.
Toph walked up as Sokka placed an arm on her to help with balance. "Oh, sorry, didn't me to offend you, Phoenix King of Getting His Butt Whooped." she exclaimed.
"Yeah," Suki joined in. "or how about King of the…guys who…don't win?" she finished lamely.
"Leave the nicknames to us, honey." Toph replied as Suki blushed.
"C'mon," Sokka said to everyone, pointing his heads into the direction of the airship, "Let's go get Katara and Zuko."
"KATARA!" Zuko screamed, calling out to the girl on the ground. She twitched and jumped as the electricity coursed through her, sending her nerves into a live wire. Zuko ran, Azula laughing hysterically.
The burn covered her left shoulder, near, but not quite at her heart, there may be possibility of survival. Her eyes were large and filled with pain and fear. She jumped and screamed again."It's okay," Zuko murmured to her. "You're going to be okay. I'm going to go take care of Azula, stay here, Katara, Aang needs you." At the mention of Aang's name, she tried to control her breath. Zuko stood up in front of her, protecting her as the blue fire came rushing at them.
"You're too late, brother." Azula said. "Father's airship is coming this way."
The aircraft landed, and Zuko used the distraction to knock Azula down, as Aang was the first to jump out of the airship. He knocked down Azula again with a swift air blast, as she attempted to get off the burnt ground. He looked over as Suki tackled Azula; Sokka held her down, And Toph locked her into the earth so tightly, that only her eyes and nose were sticking out. "We got her!" Suki called over her shoulder. Aang looked down at Azula and coaxed the earth up a little bit so her head was up and the rest of her body was buried. He placed his fingertips against Azula's forehead and chin and summoned the Avatar state, as power once again surged through him and his tattoos flashed once. Aang closed his eyes and his power took over Azula's body. After a few moments, Aang collapsed. This was way too much in one day.
"What did you do to me?" Azula shrieked as a weak feeling took over her.
"He took away your bending! What now, Princess Loser!" Suki cried triumphantly. Sokka and Toph both face planted themselves. "What?" Suki asked. "I thought that was pretty good."
"No," Toph moaned. "Just no."
Zuko helped a shaky Aang up. "Are you okay?" Zuko asked eyes wide and confused.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," Aang murmured, exhaustedly. "But where's…?" he continued distractedly.
Zuko watched Aang's eyes scan, and fall on Katara's body, still slightly twitching. His eyes widened. "Katara." he choked. He sprinted across the courtyard, jumping over Azula, and landed in a kneeling position next to her.
Her eyes were closed, and her breath was short and shallow. The burn was similar to the one on Aang's back. Tears stung his eyes and ran down his face as his fingertips traced over her jaw. At his touch, her eyelids fluttered open, and her eyes focused on his.
"Aang." She whispered her voice broken and raspy. "You did it." She raised a shaking hand up to his face, catching his tears in her twitching fingertips.
"You're going to be okay, Katara." Aang whispered back to her. Her hand began to slip and he saw the panic in her eyes. Everyone was now around them, Azula being stranded in the earth. They watched as Aang caught her hand and brought it to his lips, gently leaving small kisses around her wrist, palm, and the back of her hand. Determination then flooded his eyes. "I'm going to heal you." He whispered to her.
He gently, unwillingly, released her hand and laid it on her stomach, and then leaned his head down to kiss her forehead. He then laid down his forehead against hers, noses' gently brushing each other's and lips only centimeters apart as he stared into her fogging eyes. "Just fight for me." He whispered to her, "Don't leave me."
"I would never leave you." She whispered back.
Aang planted on her one last, gentle kiss on the cheek, and then sat up as she struggled to look up at him, forcing herself to focus on him through the pain.
"Are you really going to heal her?" Suki asked as Katara's eyes lost and closed against the pain.
"I have to." Aang's voice was thick and deep with determination as he brought up water from the underground canal.
More reviews equals more chapters! Let me know what you all think! Please? :P