"Zuko!" Katara shouted helplessly. "What are you doing?!"

"Restoring my honor!" he replied as he thrust a ball of flames her way.

Katara ducked and covered her arms with water, lashing at him furiously. "I thought you changed!"

Zuko mercilessly sent long tails of flame in her direction. "I have changed…" he said in an almost whisper.

The young girl relinquished another wisp of flame and bender her water in a large ball. "How could you do this to me?" she shouted. Zuko's face fell visibly and he dropped his arms. Katara pelted the water ball at him and he was thrown against the far wall. He landed with an "OOF!" and slid down the wall to the floor.

"Zuko!" called Azula after knocking Aang temporarily unconscious. "She's weak!"

Zuko's eyes shifted to Katara, then back to Azula, then Katara's face again. 'You have been waiting for your honor and father's love for so long!' his conscious reminded him. 'Don't give it up!' Zuko gazed into her blue eyes one last time. "I'm sorry…" and he sent a large blast of fire at her. It sent Katara flying through the air, and he winced as she was pummeled against some of the green crystals. She lay there, smoke rising off of her in a stream, her hair was loose and some was singed.

XXX

Katara sat up swiftly as the vision of Zuko's betrayal flooded her thoughts. As she tried to catch her breath, she realized it was still night. Her heart was pounding and there was a light sweat on her forehead. It took her a while to realize where she was until she heard Sokka loud snoring and saw the fire blazing. The fire reminded her of the last time she and Zuko shared glances, before he turned his back on her.

She lay back on her sleeping bag and pressed one palm to her forehead. She knew forgetting Zuko wouldn't be easy. Katara groaned. 'I'm gonna take a walk…' she thought, and quietly tiptoed into the forest and down to the beach.

Katara felt totally at ease standing next to her element. She hoped that waterbending in the moonlight would soothe her for a while. Slowly, she removed her shoes, leggings, and dress then stepped into the water. The chill in the night air didn't bother her much and the frosty water reminded her mildly of home. She waterbended for a while, swirling strips of water in wide spirals around her.

"Hello there, Katara."

Katara automatically held her element at the ready. "Who's there?"

A girlish figured stepped from the shadows behind a cleft of rock. "Aw," she cooed with a grim smirk. "Don't you recognize me?"

Katara gasped. "Azula! What do you want?"

"To return this," the princess handed Katara Zuko's letter.

Katara read it swiftly having to hold a hand to her chest as he asked for her not to give up on him. "Oh, Zuko…" she whispered, then she locked eyes with Azula. "Why are you bringing this to me?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

Azula stepped closer. "I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to bother meeting with my brother. He's found someone."

"What?" Katara looked to Yue for some kind of insight. "I don't believe you."

"Fine!" Azula put on a genuinely cruel smile. "Don't believe me. Just try going to the palace gate! He won't be there."

Katara shook her head and looked down at her feet. 'Let go, Katara…' she sighed. "This can't be the only reason you're here."

"It's not. I'm here to bargain with you."

"Whatever you're thinking, I'm not telling you a thing!"

"Oh, I believe you will! I know you're still in love with Zuko so let's move on. Is the Avatar dead, or alive?"

Katara flinched.

Aang floated into the air, clearly deep within the Avatar State. The room grew still, and through her physical and emotional pain, Katara felt pride creeping to the surface of her heart and she had to smile.

Suddenly, so swiftly that it was almost invisible to human eyes, lighting flashed and Aang fell. Katara's heart dropped and she rushed to her friend. For a second, she didn't care about herself, the Dai Li, the fate of the world, or even Zuko… Her closest friend was shot down by lightning.

When she made it to him, she held Aang in her arms.

"YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Iroh shouted. "I'll hold them off for as long as I can!"

Katara nodded briefly and ran into a pool of water. She swirled it around her and Aang and floated up through the waterfall. When she made it to the surface, she didn't hesitate to take out her spirit water and heal Aang instantly. She pressed the healing water into his back watched as it was absorbed into his body. Soon, Aang groaned and opened his eyes smile played on his face. Katara hugged her friend close and cried tears of joy while looking to the sky, thanking Yue and Tui, just as Sokka zoomed past on Appa. He swooped down and reach down to the pair of battle worn benders.

"Pass Aang to me!" Sokka shouted. "I'll pull you up next!"

As Katara raised the boy up to the saddle, she was dragged back down through the waterfall by a strong force.

"KATARA!" they all shouted.

The last thing she noticed was Toph trying to fight back, then she was knocked unconscious.

"You saw what you did to him!" Katara replied angrily.

"But I've also seen what you can do. You're a healer. So answer me truthfully! Did you or did you not revive the Avatar?"

"I didn't…" Katara answered looking the princess sternly in the eyes.

Azula examined her nails. "Hm… My sources tell me you're lying!"

Katara stepped back. "How would you know?"

"Don't you remember? I'm in charge of the Dai Li now! They are all over the Firenation, and your little friends were spotted in the woods. So let me make one thing clear to you. Hand the Avatar to me, or I'll take him myself."

"I'll never let you—"

"To make this more interesting, let's add your beloved Zuko to the picture. You hand the Avatar to me, or I'll take him myself. But if you even try to fight back or run away, I'll have the Dai Li kill Zuko on the spot."

Katara's eyes grew wide as a painful ripping feeling filled her chest. "…You… You wouldn't! He's your brother!"

Azula laughed. "I know! And I know what you're thinking! Why on earth would I convince him to join forces with me if all I wanted was to kill him? Well, you know what they say. Keep your friends close, but you enemies closer."

"If. You. Kill. Him. I. Will. DESTROY. You!" Katara held her water in position.

"I would love to see you try!"

Katara let out an angry wail and wrapped Azula in dozens of water-wisp tangles. Azula quickly steamed them off and threw several balls of blue hot fire her way. Katara dodged each one with great precision. Azula smiled. "I'm impressed!"

Katara glared. "Thanks…"

"Katara!" Toph shouted over the cliff. "What's going— AH!" Toph was grabbed by a pair of arms and pulled back into the darkness overhead. The sounds of battle were heard as the rest of the Gaang had obviously woken up.

"DAI LI!" called Azula. "GET THE AVATAR, GO BACK TO THE PALACE, AND KILL PRINCE ZUKO!"

"NO!" Katara shouted and ran with fists extended into Azula. The girls wrestled on the ground until Katara created an ice dagger and held it at Azula's throat.

Azula gave her evil smirk. "What do you think killing me will do for Zuko or the Avatar?"

"AANG!" shouted Sokka from the top of the cliff.

Katara drew some water from the sea and launched herself to her friends. When she got there, she found Toph laying unconscious on Sokka's lap and the Dai Li were nowhere in sight. "Oh no…" Katara whispered. She turned back to the edge of the cliff and saw that Azula had disappeared as well. "Put Toph in Appa's saddle, Sokka! We're going after Aang!" And saving Zuko.