The sun peaked through a crack in the curtains through the window. It was a new day, a fresh start for the fire lord; and he was quite aware of it too. It had been exactly one month since he'd had a heart attack, and Zuko was ready to get right back to work. He still was in awe that his family and friends were able to keep him lying down and let him be waited on for so long. So, as soon as the date came, he was pulling on his robes and preparing to head down to the cellar to continue filing his documents.
"Fire Lord Zuko!" Mai exclaimed with a breakfast on a tray in her hands. She set it down on the table beside her in their bedroom.
"Good morning, Mai," Zuko laughed nervously as she crossed her arms.
"What're you doing?" Mai snapped.
"It's been a month. You've kept me cooped up, recuperating or whatever, in here long enough," Zuko explained.
"You're not ready to go back to work!" Mai snapped.
"I can't lie here forever!" Zuko shouted back.
"No, the doctor told me you need to go on a break, away from here," Mai explained in monotone and her husband scoffed.
"I'm not taking a holiday," Zuko laughed, "I've had a long enough one."
"That wasn't a vacation, Zuko. You were resting, you are an ill man," Mai told him rationally.
"And, going on a vacation is going to cure me?" Zuko replied.
"No, but it might help. Working right away will be bad for your condition, you need to relax still and take it easy," Mai urged.
"I can't afford to. Maybe if I wasn't in charge of an entire country, I could," Zuko stated.
"You're still just a human being, Zuko!" Mai shouted to him, "When was the last time you took a break? Went out with your friends? Spent time with Ursa? …Spent time with me?"
"Mai…" Zuko muttered and Mai hid her face in her hands.
"Do you have any idea what it's like?" Mai cried, "I came down to your work room that night, and-and you wouldn't wake up! Zuko, I was so terrified! You don't know how it felt! I thought you were gone, I really thought you were dead! Do you know what that did to me?"
"…I'm sorry, Mai," Zuko mumbled in guilt.
"Zuko, please, for me, and if not for me, Ursa, please, just come to Ember Island with us, at least for a week, please, Zuko," Mai begged to her husband and Zuko sighed. He did not want to yield to her pleading, he knew work had to be done and he was off the clock too long already, but her tale had him feeling guilty. He tried putting himself in her shoes, he felt sick at the thought of Mai having a heart attack and then if she refused to rest.
"Al-alright, Mai, I'll go to Ember Island, but just for one week!" Zuko succumbed and Mai smiled as bright as her dim smiles ever did go.
"Oh, good," Mai said in relief, "I think everyone should come, all of your friends."
"You really don't need to inconvenience them all just-" Zuko began, but Mai had already walked out of the room to begin writing letters to Zuko's friends and to tell Ursa. Zuko stood watching her leave the room, and he shook her head. He should've listened to his uncle when he told him that the only people more stubborn than him were women.
"What're you doing, Mom?" Ursa asked curiously, peeping her head over her mother's shoulder, where she was sitting at a desk.
"Writing," Mai answered bluntly.
"Thank you for the input, Mother," Ursa returned with the same sarcasm.
"I'm writing letters to your father's friends," Mai explained more thoroughly.
"What for?" Ursa inquired.
"I want them to come with us," Mai stated curtly.
"Can you please elaborate," Ursa said, heaving a heavy sigh at her mother's brusqueness.
"We're taking your father to Ember Island for a week, he hasn't had a vacation in years. He needs to relax a little, away from this place, away from that office room. I thought it would be better if all of his friends came along too. After all, he hardly spends time with them either, and I figured he could have more fun with all of them there. Plus, the more distractions the better. And, of course, you'll have more fun with all of your little teenage troublemakers hanging around," Mai explained, finishing with a smirk.
"We're going to Ember Island? Oh, I'm so excited! I haven't gone since I was twelve! I used to love that place! And, Bumi's going? Oh, and Kya, and Lin, and Tenzin! This is going to be the best! When do we leave? I can't wait!" Ursa gleamed with juvenile enthusiasm for her upcoming trip. Mai sighed at all the exhilaration, her daughter was acting more bubbly than she could usually handle in a month.
"Yes, yes, and Sunday," Mai jadedly replied.
"Oh, thank you, Mom, that's in two days! I have to start packing!" Ursa exclaimed giddily as she darted from the room to throw her things into a suitcase and her mother picked up her pen once more.
The letters returned, with RSVPs happily abiding. The day of departure then arrived. Ursa was standing by the large metal doors, anticipation swelling more than a child on the night of Christmas Eve. She had two suitcases packed with luggage of several outfits and accessories, including her pro-bending gear. She was pacing the floor, waiting for her not-as-thrilled parents.
"Are you guys coming or what?" Ursa shouted anxiously.
"Yes, Ursa, yes, we're coming," Zuko said, he couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he carried down his small suitcase, and Mai's slightly larger one. He ruffled his daughter's hair, as she pouted and re-straightened it.
"I haven't seen you so hyped in a long time," Zuko said.
"I haven't seen you laugh in a long time," Ursa rebutted.
"I'm not really the laughing type," Zuko replied.
"That's depressing," Mai commented as she finally reached the bottom of the stairwell.
"Says you," Ursa joked and Mai gave what was a smile by her standards.
"Let's get this over with so I can get back to work," Zuko grumbled.
"I don't want to hear you speak that word all week," Mai snapped back.
"Whatever, let's go," Zuko said as guards took all of their luggage and the royal family prepared for their voyage to Ember Island.
After hours of traveling, the buggy pulled up to the seaward paradise. There was a gentle breeze brushing against the pillars of salt decorated with tiny shells that went in sync with the push and pull of the blue tide. It was calming, the scent, the ambiance, the feel, everything. Zuko stepped out of the buggy, and extended his hand to help his wife and his daughter out, but Mai slapped his hand away and his daughter just stared at him and hopped down on her own. Zuko laughed, he didn't think they were incapable of getting down, he'd seen his wife take down ten guards at age sixteen on her own, it was out of pure etiquette. Apparently, his wife, nor daughter, had any time for that.
"I love this place," Ursa commented, while stretching and then kneeling down to stroke her hand through the cool sand. Zuko smiled at her and stared off at the crashing waves; he'd forgotten how much this place could wipe your slate clean and refresh your spirit.
"Ursa, hey, Ursa!" A voice called from the distance as Ursa snapped her head up from where she was kneeling and fidgeting with the sand. She smiled at the sight of her friends splashing in the water.
"Hey, guys!" Ursa called back, her face lighting up as she darted off towards them.
"Don't drown!" Zuko warned and Ursa rolled her eyes at him without turning back.
"Yeah, Ursa, 'don't drown'!" Kya teased in a mocking tone as she waterbent some water at her friend.
"Kya! I'm not in a swimsuit, knock it off!" Ursa yelped as the cold water splashed at her and the others laughed. Ursa then kicked off her sandals and inhaled a deep breath. She could practically taste the salt from how it filled the air and then her lungs. She dug her toes into the mucky sand as the waves pushed in and off the shoreline and over her ankles. She adored this island. "Have you guys ever even been here?"
"I think once," Tenzin replied.
"I've never been," Lin answered.
"I used to come all the time," Ursa said in a distant reverie.
"What happened?" Kya asked and Ursa snorted.
"What do you think? My father barely has time to sleep, let alone take us on a vacation," Ursa scoffed and they all frowned sympathetically. Most of them went on vacations regularly.
"Hey, well, you're here now, so let's make the most of it," Bumi exclaimed as he trudged out of the knee-deep water and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek.
"Because my dad had a heart attack," Ursa mumbled beneath her breath.
"He's okay…right?" Tenzin asked dourly while staring off at the fire lord in concern.
"Yeah, he's fine, Tenzin, don't worry, I'm sorry," Ursa told her younger friend. She didn't mean to worry them all, "I'll stop being such a downer, I promise."
"Good!" Bumi said as he spontaneously threw his girlfriend over his shoulder and she screamed in surprise as the others gasped and started giggling.
"Bumi! P-put me down!" Ursa demanded, as she felt her face burn bright red.
"Your wish is my command, your highness!" Bumi said with a smirk.
"Bumi, I swear!" Ursa screeched as Bumi tossed her off into the water, the others scurrying away, laughing hysterically. Ursa hit the water with a splash, sending some seawater ricocheting out. Ursa then popped her head up, spat out some water, and started coughing.
"You made quite the splash, Ursa!" Bumi called, slapping his knee in amusement as the others tried to contain themselves from laughing so hard. Ursa balled her fists in annoyance, but then smirked as she ran up behind her distracted boyfriend and hopped on his back, causing him to fall face-first into the shore. Bumi stuck his head back up and playfully gave his girlfriend a shove.
"Fire Nation," Bumi teased, "Nothing but trouble!"
"Oh, yes, sorry to offend your civilized Water Tribe customs!" Ursa replied.
"Well, technically I'm half Air Nomad as well," Bumi corrected.
"Right, my bad," Ursa smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Come on, we'd better go say hi to Uncle Zuko," Kya said, still finishing laughing off the latest squabble, as she waved for her friends and siblings to follow. The group of adolescents walked through the beach, up to the beach house. Their bodies covered in sand that clung to them from being wet, uncomfortably. Bumi came pounding on the door and Katara sighed and went to open it.
"Hey, Mom!" Bumi exclaimed.
"Bumi, you can't come in like that! You'll track sand all over the house!" Katara scolded.
"It's alright, Katara, we're barely here anyway," Zuko said.
"We have to be here a week, Zuko, I'll go crazy if I have to live in a dirty house that long!" Katara snapped back, "Are you all covered in sand? Honestly! You guys aren't twelve, you're nearly twenty and you're all coated in more sand than a sandbender in the desert!"
"Sorry!" Kya apologized with a snicker and Katara just jeered. She then drew up some water and splashed it all over the sand covered teens to wash them off, then she evaporated off the remaining water, so not to drip all over the house.
"There," Katara said proudly, holding the door open for their entrance.
"Nag, nag, nag, you're a big nag, Katara, that's all you are," Sokka chimed in.
"Thank you, Sokka," Katara grumbled back to her elder brother, "You're very mature."
"Oh, yes, my Sokka? Highly sophisticated," Suki teased as she kissed her husband's cheek.
"Very funny, Suki," Sokka pouted and the others giggled.
"It's rather late, isn't it?" Toph noted.
"Thanks, Mom, we couldn't tell," Lin threw in.
"Not all of us were gifted with the ability to just check out the window, hun," Toph rebutted to her daughter.
"Yeah, it is late. There's really no time to go for a swim today," Suki replied.
"I can get cooking on a dinner," Katara suggested as she stood.
"Oh, no, I'll do that. You're all my guests, you took time out of your lives to come," Mai said.
"Ugh, Mai, it's okay, Katara's got it…" Zuko muttered hesitantly and Mai squinted.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mai grumbled as Aang smirked.
"N-nothing! I-I…I am just in the mood for a good, old, Water Tribe meal!" Zuko excused. Mai had never been particularly good at cooking. The last time she had cooked for him or anyone was on their honeymoon, and that was the first and last time Zuko ever allowed it. He had the palace chefs prepare every meal since. He didn't want to have an encore of barfing for a week as he did on their honeymoon.
"Zuko, you hate Water Tribe food. When we were kids I practically had to shove it down your throat just so you wouldn't be emaciated," Katara responded quizzically and Zuko shot his friend a glare as Aang continued cackling, Zuko had confided in him the horrors of Mai's culinary ineptness.
"My taste buds have matured!" Zuko said.
"You refused to eat at my wedding because all they had was Water Tribe dishes," Katara spat back.
"I was full," Zuko tried.
"If you just think I'm a terrible cook then say so, Zuko," Mai said in a trying tone and Zuko gave her a fake grin.
"I love you, Mai, but I'm sorry, I'd rather have another heart attack than eat another foul kitchen concoction of yours," Zuko replied regretfully and the others laughed.
"Dad!" Ursa exclaimed, chuckling at her father's dark humor, "What's so bad about Mom's food?"
"Your father puked the entire week of our honeymoon after eating my original dish," Mai said flatly, "Frankly, I think he's the one with the problem."
"About that…" Aang mumbled and Mai smirked. She knew she was a horrible cook.
"Okay, one time Aang was over before the honeymoon and he was doing some political thing, and I made him and Zuko a meal too," Mai confessed.
"Did he barf?" Toph asked.
"He didn't get out of bed for a week," Katara answered with a grin and Mai sighed.
"Okay, Katara, I'll let you take it," Mai surrendered, relieving her dinner duty to the Water Tribe woman.
"Thanks, Mai," Katara said, walking past her with a laugh. Katara then started preparing a meal for eleven, and its scent diffused through the air, creating watering mouths, eager eyes, and growling stomachs. Aang and Sokka then pulled tables together, creating a long, extended table for their long, extended family to sit at. Katara then finally finished her meal and set it out for them all and they all laughed over dinner conversations and ate until their bellies could take no more. After dinner, most of them crawled into bed and called the long day a day for the night. Except Zuko, he was out on the porch, leaning on its rail and contemplatively watching the waves roll in and out of the shore. He heaved a heavy sigh.
"You alright?" He asked, and Zuko turned his head to see Sokka standing behind him, sipping out of a bottle, and he then offered another to Zuko.
"Thanks," Zuko said as he accepted it, then skeptically looked at the label, "Cactus juice?"
"The best stuff," Sokka answered with a smirk as he leaned back on the banister. Zuko shook his head with a laugh as he popped off the bottle cap. "So?"
"What?" Zuko asked.
"You never answered my question. You alright?" Sokka repeated.
"I thought you were making small talk," Zuko stated, "I'm hanging in there."
"You scared us, buddy," Sokka confessed.
"Did I?" Zuko replied, sipping at Sokka's favorite beverage.
"Yeah, man, I thought you were out of here," Sokka admitted.
"Unfortunately for you all, I'm still hanging around," Zuko joked and Sokka smirked along with Zuko, but his grin faded upside down. "But in all honesty, I'd hate to die now."
"Yeah, doesn't sound like much fun. I wouldn't be too fond of you kicking the bucket either," Sokka joked and Zuko grinned.
"But really, for Ursa's sake," Zuko said with a sigh, "I don't want her on the throne, not yet, not now."
"You were younger than her," Sokka noted.
"Exactly," Zuko said with a sigh, "It was horrible. I was a seventeen-year-old kid in charge of an entire nation, I was alone too. It was awful, it took at least a decade off my life, I mean, look what happened last month. It hasn't even gotten better, but at least I'm experienced now. Not that I had much of a childhood, but I want Ursa to live a little. I don't want her thrown on the throne, I don't want her not being able to sleep, living in constant anxiety, throwing away her youth, crying herself to sleep, stressing out, having nervous breakdowns…assassination attempts…half the world despising her…having a heart attack at forty."
"Zuko," Sokka stated, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he pitied him, but had no idea what it was like. He used to feel for his father having to run their small tribe, but Fire Lord seemed even more intimidating and the more he thought of putting one of his nieces or nephews on the throne now he shuddered at Zuko's young age, "I'm sorry, buddy, I…you shouldn't have had to gone through with that."
"No, don't be sorry, Sokka," Zuko said, "Of course I wish I had more time for my family, and I hate the stress, becoming Fire Lord…well…it was my destiny. I had to do it, someone had to after my father was defeated."
"I always thought…" Sokka trailed off.
"What?" Zuko asked.
"I don't know, I always wondered why…your uncle wouldn't do it," Sokka muttered, trying to tiptoe around the sensitive subject of Zuko's late father figure.
"He said he couldn't because…history would view it as a brother usurping from another brother for political power," Zuko answered foggily.
"Well..wasn't it practically the same with you and Azula?" Sokka asked and Zuko frowned.
"I know, I never quite understood it," Zuko confessed, "But Uncle said it had to be me, you were there. I trust him, I think he was right, even if I do a terrible job sometimes."
"Would you shut your mouth, Fire Lord," Sokka replied, "You do a damn good job running that place. You dragged them up out of a century of war and evil and you did it when you were a kid and you still keep it up. More than any man I know, you…you and Aang are honestly the toughest guys I've ever known, but you don't have to let my father know I said that."
"Thanks, Sokka," Zuko said with a laugh and Sokka chugged another gulp of his alcohol.
"You bet, buddy, how about we turn it in for the night, huh? I always hear how you never sleep, you should get some while there's no weight on your shoulders," Sokka suggested and Zuko shrugged.
"I'll be in in a minute. I need a second out here," Zuko replied.
"Whatever you say, man, I'll see you tomorrow," Sokka said as he tossed his empty bottle in the trash, stretching as he walked off to bed.
The dawn crept up, as the sun arose and twinkled over the ocean on the horizon and everyone gradually awoke from their slumber. Katara got up first and cooked up more pancakes than she had ever in her life, and they all happily ate them up. Then the whole gang packed up their supplies for a day by the beach. The kids were setting up a volleyball court, which drew some memories for Mai and Zuko. Zuko was standing by the shoreline and Toph bent some sand up at Zuko's face.
"You got something there, Sparky," Toph said laughing as Zuko scowled and wiped the sand from his face.
"You're quite hilarious, Toph," Zuko said sarcastically in response.
"Eh, I've missed the piggyback rides, so I need to find all sorts of other ways to mess with you," Toph stated.
"Sorry, Toph, but my back just can't handle it anymore and you're not as small as you were when you were a kid," Zuko explained, smiling. Ursa was the only one amongst her friends not helping stand up the volleyball net. She had her arms curled up around her knees and she watching her father and Toph from the distance. Bumi noticed his girlfriend looking down and he plopped beside her, leaving Kya, Lin, and Tenzin to struggle with the net even worse.
"Hey," Bumi said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and giving her cheek an Eskimo kiss, "You okay?"
"Yeah," Ursa muttered.
"That didn't sound too convincing?" Bumi sad glumly, he hated seeing her so depressed, especially when he didn't know why.
"It's just…" Ursa began, her voice cracking.
"Just what?" Bumi asked concernedly, "Aw, sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"Look at him!" Ursa cried, staring at her father. She was looking at his bare back and chest, there were scars lining every inch of his bare body.
"What? He looks fine, Ursa, he actually looks happy! I haven't seen your dad laugh in ages!" Bumi exclaimed.
"No, I know, he looks happy, he's laughing with Aunt Toph, I know, but it's not that!" Ursa cried.
"Then what's wrong? The doctor said he's okay, Ursa," Bumi assured and Ursa buried her face into her hands and began to cry and Bumi stroked her hair, "Ursa, come on, Ursa."
"Have you ever seen a man with so many scars?" Ursa cried.
"Aw, Ursa, I feel bad about what your grandfather and sister did too, but it was a long time ago, I think your dad's over it," Bumi replied.
"I'm not talking about those!" Ursa cried, "I'm talking about all the gashes and slash marks and arrow wounds and-and-"
"Ursa…" Bumi stated, rubbing her shoulder.
"Those are all from people trying to kill him!" Ursa cried, "They don't even know him! They…they're just mad about how he's running the country, so they try to kill him!"
"People can be terrible, Ursa, but your dad's fine, don't worry," Bumi consoled.
"He would be dead nineteen times without your mother," Ursa cried.
"Well, it's a good thing they're friends then, right?" Bumi said.
"I remember being a little girl…and I'd come in and the guards would stare at me and I could feel their cold eyes and Uncle would come up to me, and he'd have tears in his eyes and he'd be tell me 'Ursa, your dad got a little hurt, it'll be okay, your Aunt Katara is a fantastic healer' and then…I'd have to go wait in my room. That happened four times. The other fifteen were before I was born," Ursa continued to sob.
"Ursa, no one has tried to hurt your dad in years," Bumi said in comfort and reason.
"I know! But now this! Now he has heart problems! It's not fair!" Ursa cried.
"It's going to be okay," Bumi reassured, "Come on, stop worrying, you're here to make your dad relax, right? Well, if he sees his precious little princess over here drying her eyes, that won't make things much better. Plus, he'll probably blame me and I'll lose my head."
"You're right, Bumi," Ursa said, wiping off her tears as she kissed his lips, "It's a rarity, but you're right."
"Good, so come play volleyball with us, I think Kya, Lin, and Tenzin finally got it up," Bumi said, nodding toward his sibling and friend and Ursa smiled. They then went off hand-in-hand for a heated volleyball match. While the kids were playing volleyball, the so-called adults were up to their own schemes. Katara and Aang were skidding across the water with waterbending on their own formed ice boards.
"See, you have to be a waterbender to get out there," Aang joked.
"I spent three years at sea," Zuko joked back.
"So, I'm sure you'd hate to go back," Mai stated with a simper.
"I'd throw up at the sight of a boat if I were you, and if I could see," Toph teased.
"Plus, Zuko, it's not like you can just glide across like us," Katara also teased.
"I'll bet I could find a way," Sokka said, as Katara quirked her eyebrow.
"Really, Sokka?" Katara gave a rejoinder.
"Suki, Mai, Zuko, Toph, and I got this!" Sokka declared and Suki, Mai, and Toph vehemently nodded in denial. The last thing they wanted was to get involved with one of Sokka's harebrain plots.
"You guys stink!" Sokka booed, "Guess that leaves me and you, Jerkbender!"
"No thanks, Sokka," Zuko retorted.
"Come on!" Sokka pleaded, as he gave puppydog eyes to his friend and Zuko stared him down, unamused.
"Sokka, you we are forty years old, this is ridiculous. It was ridiculous enough when we were teenagers, now you want to pull this when we're in our middle ages. I can't believe….ugh….fine, I'll do it," Zuko succumbed.
"Woo!" Sokka chanted in victory, "We'll show you, waterbenders and your magic water!"
"This should be interesting…" Suki said with a nervous smile.
"He better not hurt him," Mai warned.
"Yeah, Sparky's not exactly in perfect health, Bonehead better be careful with him," Toph agreed. A few moments passed and Sokka and Zuko emerged, Sokka pushing a wooden boat towards the shore.
"We're gonna race!" Sokka proclaimed and Zuko slapped his hand to his face.
"Oh?" Aang asked for clarification.
"You and Katara on your fancy, crafted ice boards against Zuko in this wooden thingy!" Sokka explained, feeling inexplicably proud of himself.
"I cannot believe I am doing this. The things this man can talk me into," Zuko groaned.
"This should be interesting," Mai said with a smirk to her husband and Toph snorted a laugh.
"Sokka, this is dumb," Suki commented.
"No one asked you, Suki!" Sokka yelled.
"We're going to win, Sokka, this isn't even a competition," Aang retorted.
"We'll just see about that!" Sokka said as he shoved a paddle in Zuko's face, "Now, get your icy-board-y-things ready, and Zuko, get in the boat!"
"What the hell am I doing," Zuko groaned.
"Come on, Zuko, you're going down!" Katara said with a laugh.
"Probably," Zuko grumbled and Mai smirked.
"Alright, Zuko's in the boat, Aang and Katara are ready to surf! You have to go to that rock and back! On your mark, get set, go!" Sokka called, giving the cue as Katara and Aang quickly skidded towards the target and Zuko paddled.
"Who's winning?" Toph asked eagerly.
"Who do you think?" Mai replied sarcastically, laughing beneath her breath at her husband's struggle with the paddle, when suddenly, Zuko began catching up.
"Yeah, Zuko, go, you got this!" Sokka cheered with a laugh.
"How many bottles of cactus juice did you drink last night, exactly?" Suki muttered to her husband and he just flashed her a toothy response. Then, out on the water, the boat suddenly halted and Katara and Aang buzzed around the rock and were almost back to shore, while Zuko was in a standstill. Katara and Aang both then wiped out on shore, laughing as the fell onto the sand.
"It was a good race, Sifu Hotman," Aang joked behind a laugh as he looked for an exhausted Zuko sulking on the boat right behind.
"Where is he?" Katara asked.
"He…he's still out in the water, out there," Mai replied, wearing a worried expression. Zuko then stood up in the boat, he was holding his head and he looked faint and confused.
"Zuko!" Suki cried out as he then flopped over and splashed off the small boat and into the water.
"Zuko! Zuko!" Mai cried as she ran out to the water.
"No, no, Mai, stay back, we'll get him, it's too far out to swim," Katara insisted as she motioned at her worried husband and they began rushing out to where Zuko had fallen, propelling themselves out as Katara had learned decades ago. Mai collapsed to her knees in grief.
"No, no, no," Mai repeated and Suki bit at her nails.
"What happened? Where's Sparky?" Toph demanded eagerly.
"He fell down, Toph," Suki said, the lump in her throat audible.
"Shit…shit, shit, shit," Sokka yelled, kicking angrily at the sand in frustration. The kids then began to take notice of the situation and they all came running over from their little match.
"What's going on?" Kya cried.
"Mom, where's Daddy? Where is he?" Ursa cried desperately, but Mai didn't even hear her daughter's question, she was still on her knees in fear, refusing to look up.
"Did something happen to Uncle Zuko? Mom!" Lin cried to her mother.
"He-he fell down, wait for Katara and Aang to get back, Lin, alright," Toph snapped anxiously.
"I told you, I told you!" Ursa screamed to her boyfriend as his stomach twisted into a knot as well, holding his girlfriend close. Aang and Katara finally came forward, pulling Zuko's limp, unconscious body to shore. Katara raced out to the sand and knelt down as Aang pulled Zuko in front of her.
"Dad!" Ursa cried in panic.
"Zuko…" Katara muttered as a determined, desperate prayer as she began to perform CPR, pressing on his chest as Aang bit his thumb nervously and tears welled in his eyes. "Please, Zuko, wake up, please," Katara cried as she paused and stroked the wet bangs off his forehead and tears began to fall from her eyes. She wasn't giving up, she kept pressing down as tears fell too. Suddenly, Zuko began coughing up water and Katara pulled him close in relief. "You're alright," Katara whispered, clutching her eyes shut as Zuko fluttered his eyes open and he moaned in pain.
"Daddy, Daddy?" Ursa cried as she knelt beside him and Mai raced over as well, finally breaking her wall of grief.
"Zuko, sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Mai panicked as she cradled his face in her hands.
"Sparky?" Toph's cracked out.
"Zuko, buddy?" Aang said behind his clouded eyes.
"Uncle Zuko!" Kya screamed, her, Lin, and Tenzin all crowded in a comforting embrace.
"Zuko, man, are you alright? This is all my fault, I'm so sorry," Sokka said, but Zuko just moaned, clutching back at his chest and rolling over on his side in pain, like a dying animal. Mai squeezed her eyes shut as tears dripped off them.
"Zuko?" Katara cried, putting her hand on his arm, "Sokka, you bastard!"
"Katara!" Aang snapped, tears falling from his eyes as well.
"I'm sorry! I-I…Damn it!" Sokka cried as he pinched his fingers to his eyes.
"Don't' just stand here screaming at each other! Get him in bed, call a doctor!" Ursa begged as she began to go into a frenzy, Bumi still holding her close, as he couldn't help but allow tears to escape his eyes as well. Zuko kept grunting in anguish Sokka, Aang, and Bumi lifted Zuko gently and began pulling his corpse-like body into the house and onto a bed, his friends and family trailing behind a trail of tears. Katara rushing off to the messenger hawk to alert a physician. As Ember Island's slate smoothing mystics began to take their toll.