Warnings:
Mild violence. Spoilers for "The Chase"
Disclaimer: I
don't own Avatar – The Last Air Bender. This was written for fun
not profit.
Toph opened her eyes and yawned. It was still dark and she really just wanted to roll back over and go to sleep, but a strange new feeling was keeping her awake. Guilt. She liked that old man. He was nice to her and gave her advice without even meaning to. He helped her, and not because she was blind, handicapped, or weak, but because he was genuinely kind. His nephew was a lucky guy. Thoughts of the angry prince bounced around her head. The way the rest of the gang spoke about him, she, to be honest, had expected more. He wasn't even that good, not compared to his sister. Now she was a force to be reckoned with. I can't wait to fight her again. I know I can take her. That last shot was a low blow though. Why attack the old man? The more she thought about it the worse she felt. Katara said she could help, huh? Well, then she would!
"Katara!"
"Wha? Huh?"
"Get up! We are going back." Oh yuk! Is that drool on my hand!
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Zuko didn't know what else to do. The wound was bad. Worse than anything he had seen before. He had some rudimentary first-aid training, but he was at a loss as to how to help his Uncle further. He tried to drag him out of the street but Iroh's cries of pain hurt him so much he stopped, so now he sat, hoping against hope that the little he could do would be enough. Damn you, Azula!
"Please Uncle…" He buried his face in his knees and prayed.
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"Toph, I don't think this is a good idea. You don't know Zuko. He's not going to react well. You know what he did before. Maybe we should bring Aang or at least Sokka?"
"No, just you and me. If you are too afraid of the prince, don't worry I'll protect you."
Toph could hear her teeth grinding. "I'm not afraid of him!"
"Whatever. Now look, you can heal and that old man…"
"Iroh."
"Iroh needs to be healed."
"But Zuko…"
"Uh huh. Let me worry about Mr. Angry, just do what you can do ok?"
"Ooookay. I have a bad feeling about this though."
"Grandma. Now this is the plan…"
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He heard them before he saw them. Rising from the ground he called to the darkness,
"What do you want! Come to finish him off?"
Katara stepped forward into the light, licking her lips. "Zuko, we just want to help."
"You. We don't need your help."
Toph had had enough of this already. She spoke slowly, as if to a child, "Listen stupid, she," Gesturing in Katara's direction. "Can heal. Do you get it? Now let her help him!"
Ignoring her, Zuko snarled, "You're not touching him, water peasant, so just turn around and go back where you came from. I'll catch up with you and the Avatar later."
Toph snorted, "Yeah, right."
Katara's frown was lost on Toph. "Toph! Zuko please, I can help him." I hope.
Zuko's temper got the best of him and he hurled an arc of fire at them.
"GO AWAY!"
This is what Toph had been waiting for, "Oh yeah, bring it on!"
Zuko saw Katara edging toward Iroh and hurled a fireball at her. "Stop!"
The rock hit him on the side of the head. "Uh-uh, buddy, I'm over here!"
Toph knew she had to keep his attention on her while Katara did her thing. She shifted her feet and waited. The earth would tell her all she needed to know.
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Iroh opened his eyes and knew he had died. She was a beautiful blue-eyed angel and her touch was light and cool. "Hmmmm."
"Shhh. Don't talk. I'm almost done."
This was hard. Katara had learned to refine her healing gift in the North but she'd never attempted to repair a wound like this. It was amazing he was still alive. Sweat ran down her back and her hands shook with strain. "Cool and heal, Katara, cool and heal." She could feel his body's pathways and she knew how to follow them and mend the breaks but it was no easy task. The damage was severe. He would not have lasted the night without help. Damn that firebending witch and her stupid brother!
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Zuko was tiring. He had been up for twenty-four hours. His injuries from Azula and his worry about his uncle were wearing him down. He frantically sent wave after wave of flame the blind earthbender's way.
Toph blocked every shot, her adrenaline pumping. Yes! Finally, a good fight! He was better than she had thought he was. A blast came from the left and she countered by raising a wall of clay between them.
Katara approached from the right. "Let's go!"
"Ok honey, time to end this." Spinning, she pounded the ground and raised a large boulder, kicking it at him with lightning speed.
The blast knocked him on his back, his skull slamming into the ground. "Ughhhhh."
Darkness.
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Aang and Sokka were still asleep when they returned. Without a word they climbed onto Appa. Katara was out before her head hit his back. Toph followed suit, letting a little smile curl her lips, she could rest now, her debt repaid.
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Zuko opened his eyes to a sight he thought he'd never see again.
Iroh smiled at him, "Tea?"
End.