Authors Note:

Ok, I'm new at this so it took me a while to get this right(uploading and such) This is my first avatar fanfic, but my first fanfic was for One Piece(which was a legendary fail). Anyways I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, if I did I wouldn't have ended it like it did, especailly with the cliffy. So yeah, enjoy!

:)

Rising Above

Rated T for violence

Prologue

Zuko panted as he ran out of the palace holding a bundle in his arms. He was dressed in the clothes that he wore when he was viewed as a traitor for joining the avatar. He hid behind a tree as the rebel soldiers ran by.

"We have to find the fire lord to kill him!" one shouted. Zuko sighed. For the past year he has been working countless days and night attending meeting and such to regain all the nations trust. Aang and the others have been supportive, but they also had other meeting to attend across the world. Just when things were actually settling down, he got word that there were rebels from the earth kingdom spreading rumors that fire nation planned to take over again. Now they had one goal, to eliminate all royalty and conquer the palace.

When the soldiers left, Zuko sank to the ground. What was he supposed to do? They had already killed Ozai and Azula. They were bond to get uncle in Ba Sing Se, his mother was presumed dead, and Mai, Mai died giving birth. Zuko looked down at his 12 hour old daughter wrapped in a red silk blanket. She wasn't supposed to be due for another week. She was sleeping, completely unaware of the danger that loomed her and her entire nation.

Zuko covered her face with a section of the blanket and ran to the center city, which was booming with explosives. Surprisingly the capitol was the most integrated city in the fire nation. Fire, Earth and Water together in one city was a huge achievement, especially in the fire nation. Zuko ran into the city unidentified. There was too much chaos. Buildings were on fire, women were heard screaming, people of all sorts running in different directions.

Zuko searched desperately for something, like a sign. He noticed a couple dress in earth kingdom attire trying to load a cart of their belongings for evacuation. They were discussing something about going up north. He ran to them. The man noticed him.

"You better get out of here, these people are killing any fire nation person they see!" he exclaimed. The woman eyed the bundle that held his daughter, and looked into Zuko's eyes.

"You want us to take the baby?" she guessed through their silent communication.

"Yes." He choked out, extending his arms out. The woman took her. The man eyed him suspiciously. The woman looked at her and spoke.

"What's the baby's name?"

"I never got a chance to name her." He whispered. He took one last look at his daughter, then turned around and ran.

Katara sat anxiously on Appa's saddle. The GAang just got the word that the fire nation palace and capital city was being attacked. It was a good thing they were on their way anyways to go to Mai's baby shower. They hoped the royal family was okay. Katara hoped Zuko was okay. She has been jealous of Mai ever since Zuko told her that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. It was obvious that Katara had a slight crush on Zuko, but she was with Aang even though it has never been official. Besides, she'd hate to break the fourteen year old Avatar's heart to be with someone that was once their enemy and was already married to someone else.

Mai, she thought, what's so special about her? She's just some emotionless girl who sighs a lot! And she was one of Azula's sidekicks. 'But Zuko was the enemy too, why forgive him and not her?' Katara sighed. She hated the fact that she just couldn't hate anyone for no apparent reason. She looked over the saddle and gasped at what she saw. Fire erupted everywhere. There were trails of hundreds people fleeing the city. Screams of the dying were heard. Katara felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Sokka's solemn face.

"I thought the violence was over." She told him.

"We all did." He answered. Toph and Aang haven't spoken since Appa was in viewing range of the city. Aang landed Appa on a clear spot near the gates of the city, which had a giant hole in the middle of it. Aang jumped off the bison, and the GAang followed suit.

"Avatar! Avatar!" an earth kingdom man shouted, running straight towards them.

"What is going on?" the Avatar demanded.

"It's horrible! These, these earth kingdom people blew up the gates and charged in! They started slaughtering every fire nation person in their way, including women and children! We fear they've killed the fire lord; they already killed his wife we think! Just when I thought there was peace at last!" the man sighed. Katara's hands covered her mouth. Then they heard the rumble of a building going down.

"Avatar you must do something!" the man pleading, then running off to join what looked like his family.

"Come on!" Aang urged, running towards the fallen building. Toph and Sokka followed, leaving Katara at the end of the line. Aang used air bending to jump over the rumble, and Toph did the same, but with earth bending.

"Stupid bending," Katara heard Sokka mumble as she grabbed him to water bend over the rumble. There was so much fire that it burned her eyes and she coughed from the smoke.

"Aang?" Sokka shouted. There was a rush of wind and the smoke cleared. Everyone (but Toph, she can't see) gasped at the sight in front of them. Some raggedy haired person was choking a bloody fire nation person against the wall. The fire nation person looked too weak to be able to release their self from the rebels grip, but they feebly attempted to do so by grabbing the rebel's arms. Katara thought the person looked familiar…

"ZUKO!" Aang screamed, startling the person choking him, causing the person to drop him. Zuko landed on his knees. He coughed violently, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Well, well, well. Looks like the avatar and his friends won't let me kill the reason for ALL MY PAIN!" the person shouted turning around. Who it was shocked everyone.

"JET?!" they all cried in shock and relief. Then they remembered what he was doing to Zuko and the city, but they were still frozen in shock.

"Surprised? I thought it was quite obvious it was I who is running this ambush. Princey here sure figured it out," he said, kicking Zuko into the wall with surprising strength. Zuko cried out in pain and landed on the ground flat on his stomach. He slowly lifted his head to glare at Jet.

"Oh, excuse me, your highness" Jet said with mock apology. Zuko growled at him.

"Jet, we don't want to hurt you! You're just confused! Zuko's trying to help the world just like us." Aang explained. Jet's eyes burned with rage.

"Help? HELP? All he'd done was get me brainwashed!" he shouted, picking up his curved swords that were on the ground. Katara noticed Zuko's Dao swords lay somewhat near Zuko.

"There must be a misunderstanding!" Aang protested.

"You don't believe me? Fine! Ask your oh so trusted new best buddy!" Jet spat, pointing his swords at Zuko.

"He isn't lying." Toph said quietly. Aang looked at Toph to Jet to Zuko, who has a guilty expression. Jet smirked when Aang realized he wasn't lying.

"But, but, but" Aang stammered, not sure how to maintain peace.

"Well, if you excuse me, I'm going to kill the person who made my life miserable!" Jet declared. Then everything went fast. Jet went to attack Zuko, Zuko managed to get up, retrieve his swords and block the attack, Toph earth bended rocks to the spot where Jet was, Aang did the same with fire bending and Sokka had thrown his new boomerang at the same spot. Jet started to laugh manically while battling a struggling and tiring Zuko with swords. Katara rushed to aid him when the impossible happened; Jet found an opening and stabbed Zuko in the stomach area. He grinned evilly at Zuko's shocked eyes and ripped his sword out. Blood spurted out of Zuko's body. He fell to the ground, throwing up more blood. Aang couldn't contain his anger and starting throwing things from all elements at Jet, who dodged them easily. Toph aided him with earth bending, and Sokka with one of Zuko's swords. Katara rushed to Zuko's side, who was sounded like he was hyperventilating.

"ZUKO! Can you hear me? I'm going to try to-"she started, but Zuko grabbed her arm with his bloody hand.

"There's nothing you can do." He gasped. Katara's eyes started to tear up.

"But Zuko-"

"LISTEN TO ME!" he managed to shout. Katara nodded.

"Listen, I want you to make sure Jet stays as far away from the Earth Kingdom colonies up north." He said his voice raspy.

"Why?"

"Let's just say Mai's delivery came early."

"Oh Zuko, I, I don't know what to say." Katara stammered.

"Please." He begged, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Okay" she promised.

"Thank you." Zuko said softly. He looked at the others fighting Jet, failing miserably. His golden eyes looked into Katara's blue ones one last time, then they closed as he took one last breath. Then his head slid down on Katara's shoulder and she knew he was gone. Her vision was clouded with tears as she squeezed his bloody hand that never left her arm.

"My job here is done." Jet announced, throwing a little ball, causing an explosion and smoke. They stood there dazed. Toph was the first to notice that there was a heart beat missing, and that someone was sobbing…

"NO!" she screamed, turning around to face Katara. Sokka and Aang turned around and both gasped at Katara sobbing, rocking back and forth, hugging Zuko's limp figure. They rushed to Katara's side.

"Is, is he, is he d-d-d-"Sokka couldn't finish his question, for he knew the answer already. Toph punched his arm. He was going to retaliate, but saw tears streaming down Toph's face as well.

"Katara," Aang started.

"Why? WHY?" Katara cried, sobbing harder. None had an answer. They just stood there in the middle of a crumbling city. Then they all realized,

This was just the beginning.

Review! Then I'll know if you read this!