*Do not Own any Characters! Only love them! Sorry for the long wait everyone, had a rough year last year which you can learn about on my profile. Thanks to all my loyal readers, I look forward to hearing your comments on this one!
"Why? What was the point of all this?" Zuko demanded when he came to; only to find Mei and Azula standing in front of him smiling like they were just given a prize. Well, Azula was smiling. He recognized they were in one of the holding rooms for prisoners on his ship. Where they were going he had no idea.
Azula raised her arms, "is it not obvious? I want to rule the world."
Mei nodded once and flipped her bangs out of her eyes while crossing her arms. And deflating.
Zuko narrowed his eyes at Azula, wanting to kill her now more than ever.
Azula sighed and walked in a circle around Zuko, inspecting him from head to toe. Zuko looked up at the chains that were hanging from the ceiling and were the only things that were holding him up at the moment by the wrists. His legs were still soar from the lightning blast putting him into the wall. Yet the fact that he was still alive only means he was somehow able to divert some of it out of his system. He needed to get out of here and do it fast, and since he doesn't know how long he was knocked out, then he doesn't know if Katara is alive or not.
"However I didn't think it would take 2 years for you to finally come to her, but hey, better late then never right?" Azula asked with a crazy glint in her eye.
Zuko didn't answer but only glared until asking a question of his own. "What was the plan? Kill me? Kill Katara? The fire nation would never stand behind you."
Azula laughed, "One, this plan was in action long before your little water whore entered the picture. Whoa! Temper, temper"
Zuko had gained a spark of adrenaline at the insult to Katara, and chains or not he saw blood. Azula backed away with a smile after she saw the chains subdued him.
Zuko's nostrils flared as he moved his gaze from Azula to Mei, "What did I ever do to you?"
"I knew you were going to break up with me, and I couldn't have that. The repercussions from my family would have been too great. I was able to bribe the guards for their silence and visited Azula. All I had to do was make you sick enough to know you were poisoned and then be arrested when I confessed."
Zuko narrowed his eyes, "you were still disowned and shamed by your family for that."
Mei nodded, "Yeah, but Azula's plan makes her fire lord and I would be her right hand, forcing my family to welcome me back with open arms."
Zuko shook his head, "Glad I was able to screw up your plans royally."
"Yes well, the only thing now is to figure out who helped us from the inside and thank them. You said the water bender was poisoned, and yet neither of us had a hand in that." Azula mentioned raising even more questions. "but I have to admit, the timing was perfect."
"How so?" Mei asked since she tolerated the jail cell from hell on boiling rock for 2 years.
Azula turned to her, "because dear friend, not only was I able to escape my psychiatric hold once I learned he was coming to see you, but we don't have to worry about that little brat his water bender is carrying."
Mei nodded in understanding; she too was relieved that her time in jail was over. Yet why didn't Azula come sooner? Why wait for Zuko to visit?
"Why did we have to wait for Zuko for this plan to work?" Mei asked aloud.
"I've told you, because my jailors wouldn't even think to let up on my watch until Zuko was out of the fire nation, and that wouldn't happen until he came to see you."
"That's a lie, I've left the fire nation numerous times to oversee the working of peace in other nations. Even now Mei she's lying to you"
"Shut up!" Azula screamed and then hit him in the ribs where she knew he was soar.
Suddenly a loud shout was heard outside their chamber and then a thud against the door. All eyes were trained on it when they heard the metal handle turn slowly. Then without warning a guard was blown backwards through the door landing on Mei as she was flung backwards. Azula was hit with a blast of air and thrown into the wall. As the dust cleared, a tall slim man walked through the door. His tattoo's making him the most recognized man in the world.
"Aang" Zuko whispered.
"Times almost up, I thought he was supposed to be back by now?" Suki asked for the third time as she bathed Katara's brown from the sweat that continued to collect there. Her fever had yet to go down and the worst she got the more Sokka paced in front of her.
"I know, I know, I asked Iroh and he said he doesn't know what's happened and that all he can do is continue to administer the tea that brings her fever down." Sokka replied while continuing his pacing from the window to the door.
"I know he's making more tea, but it seems to last less and less each time he gives it to her."
"I KNOW THAT!"
Sokka stopped and stared at Suki in shock from his outburst, "I'm sorry Susu" using the endearment when he's over emotional.
Suki put the cloth down and walked over to a now deflated Sokka. Turning him around she tilted his head up so she could look into his eyes. "No matter what happens, I know that Katara is a strong woman, and she will not go down without the ultimate battle."
Sokka sighed, "I know, except I can't see the bad guy and there is no way for me to protect her…I'm her bog brother Suki…I have to protect her."
"I know" Suki said and brought Sokka into her arms to hold him close. Though Sokka had a tough man mentality he always had a bog heart, especially when it comes to his family and friends.
"Zuko…"
Suki turned to Katara in shock, "Did she just?"
Sokka ran to her and placed her warm hand in his, "Katara can you hear me?"
Katara's eyes continued to stay closed, her head tossing from side to side "Zuko run…"
"What's happening?" Iroh asked as he walked inside the chamber with another tea set.
"She started talking, but all she says is Zuko" Suki explained.
Iroh's lips thinned in uneasiness, "I was afraid of this"
"Of what?" Sokka demanded.
"She's hallucinating now, meaning the poison is still working it's way through her system and has now reached her brain. If Zuko is not here soon with some answers, then I am afraid…" Iroh couldn't finish the sentence. Everyone stayed quiet not daring to think of the possible outcome.
"Long time no see Zuko" Aang said as he helped his friend from up from the floor.
Zuko looked down at his sister and ex girlfriend, they were all knocked out, the guard included who was currently snoring on top of Mei. His guards that Aang released ran in and began to chain up Azula and Mei and removing the guard to where the other traitors were being held.
Turning back to Aang he smiled, "am I glad to see you. We weren't sure if the messenger would've been able to find you."
Aang nodded in understanding, "I got the news about Katara and you, but realized I hadn't passed your ship on the way to the fire nation and knew something was up. We have to get to Katara if she's as bad as I heard she was."
They made their way to the deck of the ship, "I released your crew and they started a course for the fire nation, you should arrive within the hour, Azula only took you a little ways off course." Aang explained.
"Thank you my friend, but if you fly you can get there faster and at this point you would be of more help than I."
"I'll do my best Zuko, Katara means the world to me too." Aang said as he opened his glider.
Zuko watched his old friend fly up into the clouds and disappear from sight. When he got to the palace, he had no idea what he would see. Would it be a sheet over his wife's face and solemn faces watching him with pity in every look. Will it be a happy and alive Katara telling him he worries too much and then pat his face like she always did when she laughed at him.
Zuko knelt once more in front of the dying sun praying that if the spirits so choose to take Katara and their child's life that they show him mercy …and take his too.
Thanks for the patience! Read and review! Thank you!
Oh and who's excited about the upcoming season of Korra? Yea me too!
~Smo