A/N: I really hope I let the emotion show through in this chapter. I really tried my best. I do much better with actions rather than thoughts and emotions, and I'm not entirely sure why. But I've been getting better and I do hope that it continues to be good!

Song Muse for this chapter: Bridges by Broods

Without saying a word, Katara ran from Azula, who was still struggling against the binds that rendered her nearly useless. She approached Zuko, gently rolling him over, since he seemed to have rolled back on his stomach, which wasn't the position she wanted him in. The worry showed on Katara's face, and she took a deep breath before bringing water to her hand like a magnet. She flattened both hands on Zuko's chest, watching his face as the water enveloped both of her hands. Then she focused her gaze on the water, closing her eyes and letting the water do what it was supposed to. Slowly, Zuko's body calmed, and Katara could feel the pain being drawn away from his body as she kept her hands there.

When his body completely relaxed, Katara drew her hands away and looked at his face, a small grin lighting up her face when she saw a smile on his, his eyes lazily open as he breathed normally once again. Tears immediately came to her eyes as she realized what had just happened. The relief that she felt, now that she knew he was okay, was incomparable to anything she ever felt before.

"Thank you, Katara," Zuko whispered to her, the smile never leaving his face.

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you," Katara replied, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she spoke.

After that short exchange, a new bond had been formed between the two of them. They had always been a good team for a battle like this, fire and ice finally battling together in something that was for the good of the world, but as Katara helped Zuko get up slowly, making sure he didn't strain himself too much, Azula brought herself back into the picture.

She had, finally, lost.

Her breathing got heavier. The threads inside of her mind were fraying all at once. Then, they broke, and Azula's screams could be heard throughout the entire Agni Kai arena, her blue fire escaping from her mouth as tears of fury and anguish rushed down the Princess's face. She toppled backward, her furious screams eventually turning into cries of hopelessness and defeat. As Azula tried to get free, her efforts slowly lost their worth.

Katara looked at her for a moment before putting a hand on Zuko's arm, looking at him as he watched his broken sister.

Zuko never thought that this would be the way he became the Firelord. He never even thought he would become Firelord. None of that would be possible if he hadn't joined the Avatar's group when he did. Most of this was thanks to Katara, who had, in the end, been the one to break Azula. He did feel bad about that, but he owed his life to Katara. He wouldn't be there then, accepting his crown, if it weren't for her being there in the first place, and, most of all, on his side. He stepped out from behind the curtain, his short hair pulled back into a bun and the Firelord symbol sticking up from his head, the crown finally on a rightful candidate.

He greeted Aang, who had just stolen his father's bending powers from him, eliminating the threat without taking a life. Aang approached him and immediately gave him a hug, something that Zuko willingly returned, and the two of them stepped back, giving each other a nod. Zuko moved away from the Avatar, smiling softly and then turning toward his quarters.

Parts of the palace had been severely damaged during the end of the war and during the Agni Kai battle, but Zuko was not in any hurry to fix it. He intended to leave a few scars, something that he would use to remind his children of the Fire Nation's history, and hopefully the people of the Fire Nation as well. He looked at his home, his true home, happy to no longer be an outsider - a loner, an outlaw - but then his eyes settled on a more troublesome matter.

He walked up to his room, seeing his current girlfriend, Mai, standing there. She turned around and looked at him, a small smile showing on her face. She had helped him get ready for the coronation just hours before, but something felt off now. After seeing Katara in the crowd, her eyes bright and happy as Zuko was crowned with the crest of the Firelord, Mai didn't seem to be quite enough then. He took a deep breath and gave her a smile.

"What are you doing here, Mai?" he asked, moving past her.

She was still going to be a dear friend of his', but he needed to end this before she got any more ideas of where this was headed.

"I am your girlfriend, right?" she asked in her monotone, sarcastic voice. She leaned against a pillar in his room and lifted an eyebrow at him.

Zuko looked at her and sighed, closing his eyes.

"Look, I'm glad you're...okay...and everything, Mai," he said, biting his lower lip. He was never really good with words. "Like I'm super happy that my sister didn't decide to end you and all...but...I don't think this - us - will work."

Then, Zuko couldn't meet her eyes, feeling the tension grow in the air. He knew that was not what she wanted to hear, but she had to. He had feelings for someone else, something that he hadn't come to terms with until the coronation ceremony.

Without words, Zuko moved to look in a mirror, knowing that Mai's gaze was following him. He was growing quite hot in his Firelord robes, but he knew that he needed to keep them on, because that was who he was then. He was Firelord and he needed to step into that position. This was awkward and tense and he didn't like it, but he couldn't keep Mai in his life, at least not like that.

Mai didn't say anything for the longest time before he moved to walk past her. She thrust her hand out and blocked his path. His gaze shifted to her, and he couldn't help but think that he never thought that he'd see her cry.

"I hate you, Zuko," she said, a large frown developing on her face. "Damn you."

Before Zuko could explain anything, she moved away, her hands going into her sleeves. Though her frown got quite large, she never let him see her shed a tear. She corrected her posture and he watched her walk away, knowing that she'd find someone who could treat her so much better than he ever would be able to.

But had he just made a mistake? Had he just let go of the person that knew nearly everything about him? Did he just let go of the person who could make him his happiest? Was he really risking this, pledging himself to Katara when he wasn't even sure if she felt the same way? He stood there, watching the girl with the jet black hair and the piercing eyes walk away from him. No matter how he questioned himself, he realized that Mai wasn't the person for him. That was clear now. It had always been clear - he had just been afraid to admit it to himself. He obviously never meant to hurt Mai in the process, after she had faced his sister back at that prison, setting him free to do what had to be done. He was still indebted to this girl, but he did not love her, at least not anymore. That shook him to the core of his being, and he never thought he'd ever think those words about Mai.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her direction, not even sure if she heard him or not. It was an apology for failing her and probably severely bruising her heart in the process. But Mai was strong, he knew that. He knew she could take care of herself, that someone would love her as much as he once did.

With one last look at her, he took a deep breath and walked down from his quarters, moving to meet the rest of his friends for a small celebration.

Katara stepped outside, overlooking a bay in the Fire Nation that she never would have ever thought she'd have a chance to see. Her hair was not in her usual braid and it was down, wavy, cascading down against her bright green dress. It had become almost too stifling in the room where everyone was celebrating, and knowing what she was going to have to say to Aang was nearly killing her. She did have a bond with the boy and he would remain one of her best friends, one of her closest allies and someone she could always trust. But that didn't change the fact that, while Aang did have romantic feelings for her, Katara did not reciprocate the feelings that Aang had presented to her so many times in the past few months. She leaned against a railing and sighed, a slight frown on her face as she looked out at the sunset. In other pretenses - if she had felt the same about Aang - this would quite nearly be the perfect setting for a confession. She really hoped he wouldn't hate sunsets now.

After standing there a few moments, she heard footsteps behind her. Swirling around, she saw Aang standing there, looking like he had just seen a ethereal angel, something that was otherworldly.

"Aang," she said quietly, a soft smile spreading across her face. "I was just getting some air. I'll be back inside in a few minutes, I promise-"

She moved towards the door but Aang touched her hand, willing her to stay and face the fact that she needed to tell him, sooner or later.

"I was actually looking for you," he said. "You see, Katara, I have something to tell-"

"I know," she whispered, cutting him off. She looked at the ground, her throat closing up and making it nearly impossible to speak. If she did not tell him, though, it would be more cruel to prolong everything.

"Oh," he said simply. "Why does it seem like you're going to cry, then?"

At that moment, she looked at him, a tear running down her face.

"Aang," she said. "I know what you're going to say. How you feel about me... All of that is pretty clear from the way you kissed me before the Eclipse."

He stared down at her, his face falling slowly. She bit her lip, willing herself to keep going.

"I know you hoped I would eventually, someday, feel the same," she said. "But I don't. I'm sorry. I tried, but... It's not the sort of thing you can force."

Aang still stood there silently. His hand had left her's then, and he moved towards the railing she was just leaning on. Taking a deep breath, he nodded and looked back at her.

"Okay."

Katara looked up at him in surprise, her lips parting, trying to form words. She was surprised by his automatic response, that it seemed not to phase him. She just said that she didn't feel the same way, that she did not love him the way he so obviously loved her. Why wasn't he angry? Did he not take her seriously, or was that his morals and what his culture taught him speaking in his head?

"Thank you for being honest with me. I know how hard that must've been for you," Aang stated, then turning around and moving past her. "I'll see you tomorrow. I have to get to bed."

Maybe, after all, it was affecting him more than he could bare showing her. Maybe he needed privacy, or some distance. He had to expect this outcome, didn't he? Either way, Katara couldn't hold onto that at the moment. She did what she had to do.

Katara watched as he left the balcony they had both been standing on. She watched with her lips parted, with words that she still wanted to say to him disappearing from her lips. From beyond him, she saw the face of the new Firelord, dimly illuminated by the candlelight. She looked at him for a moment and nodded once, signalling that she was alright. That she would be alright.

Eventually.

Right now, though, she needed to be alone. She walked into the room, wiping her tears away and said goodnight to everyone there. Then she went to her room, laid in her bed for a little while, and slept for a good, long time.