I don't own any of the Avatar Characters, although I think they are amazing.
*Sorry about the shorter chapter. I was having a hard time writing this for some reason. The next one will be much longer.*
KATARA
I don't remember how far I ran, nor how long. I only remembering running until my legs felt rubbery and my breath was coming out in small gasps. I thought of waterbending for a moment, until I realized I couldn't. Not without thinking of Aang. I gritted my teeth, resenting Zuko and his coming here. He had taken away the one thing I had after I had worked so hard to gain it back.
Every notion I had ever had of Aang had been challenged and now there was no going back. The agony was almost overwhelming.
Aang placed his hand on my own, staring it my eyes with a slight smile painting his features. We turned, dancing, the rest of the world blurring around us, though I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
"Aang, everyone's watching." I whispered.
"Don't worry about them." His smile widened, his eyes sucking me in. "It's just you and me right now."
And in that moment, it was only us; He and I, our hands together. We were everything, the entire world was gone and we were all that mattered. He was all that mattered.
I shook my head and stood. This was over, it had to be over. I couldn't do this to myself anymore.
"I'm going to let you go, Aang." I whispered aloud. "I don't have any other choice anymore. I'm letting you go." And then the world was black. My vision was gone and I could feel myself being lifted into someone's arms as they strode away.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
ZUKO
I knew I was reverting back to my old ways. I knew taking someone by force wouldn't ensure that they were on your side, but I really didn't have any other choice. Regardless of the fact that I disagreed with the way Aang had chosen to handle things, I owed him this. He had saved me once, and I owed him. He had asked, no pleaded, for me to bring back Sokka and Katara and I was not going to let him down. Not this time.
I instructed my soldiers to bring Sokka and Katara to my rooms. It made more sense to take them there. They weren't prisoners after all and it wouldn't have made sense for me to take them to the hold. My only plan was to keep them busy long enough to get the ship far enough out to sea; after all I had to put Katara's waterbending into consideration. That girl had trained in waterbending with the Avatar from one of the best waterbending masters in the world. There was no way I couldn't put her into consideration.
I waited until I knew they were already in my chambers before I entered. I knew I was being a coward, not ready to face their anger, although I had faced it many times before. But it wasn't just that. I couldn't face her anger again. I couldn't see that look of betrayal I had seen before.
"It's ok. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."
"Maybe you could be free of it." She said softly.
I was surprised by this admission. "What?"
"I have healing abilities."
"It's a scar. It can't be healed." I answered. I had given up on ridding myself of this symbol long ago.; This symbol of my father's displeasure and a symbol of my failure.
Katara put her hands to her neck, where a vial hung on a small chain. "This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I have been saving it for something important." Katara strode up to me, her stance confident. "I don't know if it would work, but…" And then she placed her hand to my cheek.
The memories coursed through my body like blood in a vein, making me shudder. I had betrayed her only moments afterward, taking Azula's side over theirs. I had betrayed all of them so many times; I had to make amends for what I had done, and I was doing it now, by helping Aang.
I stepped into the room, bracing myself for their reactions. To my surprise they both stayed in their positions on the floor and stared at me.
I patted my sides awkwardly. "Look, I-" Before I could finish my sentence my body was thrown against the wall, water coursing over me and leaving me breathless. I jumped to my feet, wiping my eyes and spluttering. Katara had used her waterbending on me and I hadn't even seen it coming.
"This is ridiculous!" I shouted once I could see again.
"Yes, it is!" Katara shouted back. "You kidnapped Sokka and I!"
Sokka leaned back against the wall and threw his arms lazily behind his head. "Just like old times, eh Zuko?"
I shook my head. "I didn't have any other choice. You have to understand that."
"There's always another choice." Katara replied, her ocean eyes sparkling with the same savagery as the waves that had doused me only moments before. "I thought we taught you that long ago."
I waved my hand and shook my head again. "Look, neither of you would listen. Aang needs us. And if I have to revert back to old tactics to make sure that he gets that help, I will. I'm not listening to your petty arguments when there is something much more important on the line."
"And will we ever find out what it is that Aang needs help with?" Sokka asked.
"In due time."
"You can't do this, Zuko!" Katara yelled. "You can't force us to leave our home, with no warning to Gran Gran."
I strode to the door before turning and smiling at her. "I'm the Firelord, Katara. I can do whatever I want."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Regardless of how much evil is destroyed, there is always a neverending pool of hatred that breeds evil again and again and again. Evil had been brought to its knees five years ago with the end of Firelord Ozai and the end of the 100 year war. But the boiling pot was brimming over again and the darkness was beginning to pool out. It was my duty to end it, to extinguish the flames before they spread. However, even the Avatar couldn't do it alone.
He had racked his brain thousands of times trying to see where he was going wrong, what was missing. He knew it was so close, nearly at his fingertips, but he couldn't reach it. The benders were disappearing. Someone was snatching them from their homes, their families, and they were never seen again. The cries for justice, for the Avatar to save them echoed in his ears. He had been able to do it once. Save them and save the world. Could he do it again? He gritted his teeth and placed his hands on either side of his head. If only he could stop all the voices maybe he could think. If only he could stop her voice…
