I always wondered how Zuko healed so quickly after he protected Katara from the lightning. It took Aang, the Avatar, weeks to heal, even with spirit water, and countless healing sessions from Katara. I wondered if firebenders healed faster from lightning, but then realised that, even so, there would be major health problems after healing, and that without spirit water, the healing would take even longer.

Anyways, I decided to write my own interpretation of what could have happened after the finale. Yes, this is a Zutara fic. I always hoped Zuko and Katara would end up together, as I never really liked the pairing of Aang & Katara, or Zuko & Mai.

I have no real medical knowledge, so excuse any mistakes in that regard.

Also, I have another Avatar fanfic running currently, called: Fighting Free

Please check it out if you have the time, and leave a review if you can!

This is slightly AU. We'll say that Aang's battle with the firelord finished earlier, and that Katara and Zuko reached the fire nation capital later.

Before we start, I just want to say...

Enjoy, new chapters will be up soon ~

With the sounds of war echoing in the air, the tension in the palace's courtyard was almost too dense to bear. The fateful Agni Kai between the exiled Prince Zuko, and his maniacal sister, Princess Azula, had been strangely mesmerizing to watch. Even from a waterbender's perspective, Katara had found herself in awe. The bright, fluorescent blue of Azula's flames constantly collided with the vibrant orange of Zuko's power, creating a strangely beautiful mix of colours as the two fought. With every minute that the fight grew on, each firebender's moves increased in ferocity, the height of the flames growing with every powerful punch that the benders threw. Standing in the shadows, Katara was speechless as the two continued to fight, walls of flame rising high above the palace, illuminating the smoke-darkened skies above, the light of the comet still visible amongst the smoke.

"What, no lightning today?" Zuko taunted. "What's the matter, Azula? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

Katara's heart skipped a beat. Taunting the already manic princess was perhaps not Zuko's smartest move. However, she could see the logic- Zuko could redirect it, and possibly knock Azula out, ensuring his victory. Wishing to get a better view, Katara stepped forward, breath quickening as Azula's eyes narrowed.

"Lightning?" Azula snarled. "I'll show you lightning!"

As soon as she finished those words, blue sparks began to appear around her body. As she began to move her arms, imitating the movement of a serpent, Azula focused her eyes on her brother, who took his stance, ready to redirect it. As the lightning grew in intensity and power, the maniacal princess prepared to unleash her fury. For just a second, her eyes flickered to Katara, who was defenceless against the might of lightning. Smirking, Azula turned, and, without warning, unleashed the lightning in Katara's direction.

Feeling the lightning crackle past him, Zuko's heart almost stopped, turning round when he realised who the real target was. He began running as fast as his feet could carry him, knowing as he ran that he would not be able to redirect the lightning. However, he could block it. Whilst it could mean his death, he could save Katara. He could not let her die. Not after everything they'd been through.

"ZUKO!"

Katara was frozen to the spot, while she watched, horrified, as Zuko collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain as sparks flew off of him, smoke pouring off of him, mingling with the scent of burnt flesh. The exiled prince found himself unable to move, as a white-hot pain paralysed his body, unlike any pain he had ever experienced. With each passing moment, his heart beat began to slow, tiring from the lightning that had surged through it. Watching Zuko curl in on himself, blood beginning to pool beneath him, Katara ran towards him, water-cased arms ready to heal.

Just as she got within mere feet of the fallen prince, Katara found herself forced back, as a blast of neon blue fire crossed her path. Grimacing as she remembered the task at hand, Katara turned to face the maniacal princess. Seeing the fury in the waterbender's eyes, Azula cackled loudly, charging towards the girl with a plume of fire propelling her. Readying herself in an octopus stance, Katara readied her arms of water, tears rolling down her face. For Zuko, who had sacrificed himself for her, who had shielded her from danger, she would bring Azula down.

Azula fired a ball of flickering flames towards Katara, which the waterbender blocked with a towering wall of ice. When the ice shattered, Katara created an icy path to slide along, allowing her to pass Azula. When she reached the back of the firebender, Katara created a rolling wave, and sent it barrelling towards Azula, who narrowly avoided it by gracefully turning to the side. Immediately responding with fire whips, Azula grazed Katara's arm, causing her to cry out with pain as the flames burned her arm. Gritting her teeth, Katara formed shards of ice, and sent them flying towards Azula, before running through the open hallways lining the courtyard. Constantly dodging flames, and sending floods of water towards her opponent, Katara began getting closer to Zuko.

"Zuzu, you don't look so good!" Azula mocked.

Heart breaking in two, Katara looked closer at Zuko, who still had not yet moved. His face was milky-white, and still, as blood pooled beneath him from the surely fatal wound. Seeing his state, Katara felt herself become more empowered. Sending every attack she knew towards Azula, Katara narrowly parried the blows sent her way.

Just when she thought she could reach Zuko, Katara found herself forced backwards, as lightning struck the wall behind her. Stumbling, Katara fell to the ground, wincing when her face hit harsh, hot metal. Hearing the movement of water, Katara's eyes widened as she looked down- she had fallen on metal grating, under which a steady supply of water flowed. Wary of Azula on the opposite rooftop, Katara glanced up behind her, to see a chain wrapped around a lamp, almost like an afterthought. Heart rate quickening as the adrenalin pumped faster, Katara seized the chain, before ducking behind a nearby pillar, out of Azula's line of vision.

When the sadistic natured princess neared her, and stepped onto the grating, Katara came out from her hiding place, chain hidden behind her back, her free hand ready as she stood in a waterbending stance. Azula stepped closer, and, just as she thrust her arms forward to send lightning at Katara, the waterbender lifted up both arms quickly, causing water to rise up and freeze. With the ice forming a prison, Azula could only move her eyes as she realized her grave miscalculation. Unable to move as Katara melted the inside of the ice, she twisted roughly as Katara tied the chains roughly around her wrists, simultaneously freezing them to her skin.

With all her strength, Katara pulled down on the chains, until Azula was kneeling with her hands behind her back. Securing the chain round the grating, and freezing it there for extra measure, Katara brought down her arms, causing the ice to melt, and the water to escape back through the grating, leaving Azula immobilized.

Only able to spend a brief moment of triumph, reveling in her victory, Katara swallowed as she ran over to Zuko. Fighting back the urge to gag as she knelt down in the pool of blood, Katara gently turned the prince onto his back, eyes widening as she took in the wound. Swallowing, Katara reluctantly drew on the bloodbending technique, using one hand to prevent more blood from escaping the wound. Then, drawing on her last ounces of strength, the master waterbender began to heal the wound, tissues melding back together, and muscles sewing themselves to be joined once more. Whilst she closed the wound, Katara left the broken ribs to heal, mostly, naturally. Otherwise, Zuko's body would be further ruined by the shock to his system, upon a sudden restoration.

Knowing there would be a scar, Katara spent a moment listening to his wheezing breaths, reassuring herself that Zuko was still alive. That he had survived the strike. A shiver ran down her spine, as she realized that, if she were a moment later, Zuko would have been beyond even her help. Guilt overtaking her, Katara moved Zuko so that she held him in her arms, gently brushing his hair away from his sweating skin. Despite the healing, Zuko had still not opened his eyes, and his breathing had not improved. Katara fought back her tears as she felt her friend's fever rising, her skirts becoming soaked with the congealing blood.

Just as she cleared her throat to call for help, she heard familiar voices calling her name, overpowering Azula's indiscernible shrieks and cries. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned her head to face the ones calling her. Hope filled her heart, as Sokka came into view, hopping along with the aid of an exhausted-looking Suki. Close behind them, and grinning widely, were Toph and Aang. Each of them were covered in dirt, bruises, and cuts, but were otherwise okay, causing Katara's panicked mind to calm itself slightly.

The group's cheerful smiles dropped, however, when they caught sight of a bloodstained Katara, holding an equally bloodstained, unconscious Zuko, the two in a middle of a pool of blood.

"Katara?" Sokka's voice was quiet as he approached, leaning on Suki. "Is he..."

"He's alive." Toph spoke at the same time as Katara. "I can feel his heartbeat. It's faint, but it's there."

"What happened...where's Azula?" Aang looked up, and his eyes widened upon catching sight of the princess, who was crying out nonsense, her words making no discernible sense, as pitiful tears streamed down her face. "Oh..."

"How...how did this..." Sokka's voice trailed off as he and Suki stood over Katara and the prince in her arms.

"It happened...not long ago. Zuko and Azula were fighting, and I thought Zuko was...I thought he was going to win. I took a few steps forward, so I could see them fight better. I was so stupid!" Katara cursed, tears rolling down her face as she held Zuko closer. "Then...she...Azula shot lightning at me."

The rest of the group were silent, listening in horror to Katara's tale.

"I thought I was going to die, Sokka." Katara's voice quietened.

Sokka placed a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder, grimacing when he saw the amount of blood covering the waterbender and her saviour.

"Zuko shielded me...he just jumped in front of me." Katara swallowed. "I couldn't get to him...straight away...I managed to stop Azula, but I was almost too late."

"He...so Zuko nearly died...for you?" Aang spoke quietly, one arm around Katara, ignoring the blood now staining his robes.

Katara nodded.

"Yes...he did." Katara smiled sadly.

She ran her finger's through Zuko's hair, in what she hoped was a soothing manner.

"Zuko was ready to die for me..."