First things first: thank you, my dear readers, for letting me know you're there! It made writing this chapter much easier than the previous ones. :) All I can do is to thank you and hope that you like it - it is the longest chapter so far. Enjoy!
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"Just stay out of the way", Zuko breathed as he took hold on Katara's arms and looked into her eyes with intensity and something akin to care.
Things had not gone the way Katara had thought. Agni Kai certainly wasn't what she had anticipated when they had finally faced Azula in the middle of her crowning – Katara had seen Zuko fight his sister before and Azula had not been an easy opponent. His decision to go with Azula's suggestion seemed preposterous to her. Why was Zuko so certain he'd beat her this time? And why, why couldn't she help him?
"Zuko..." she began as the prince was ready to join Azula at the battlefield.
"Promise me, Katara", he said and his voice sounded rather strange, as if he was struggling with his words. "This is a fight between me and her and although I know I can take her down and although the rules are sacred..." he swallowed. "I can't guarantee she won't try something foul. So just... don't give her a reason to do any more harm. Promise me."
Katara looked at him defiantly. She knew she couldn't stay out if the situation looked dire enough. If she saw Zuko getting the worst of it and his life was at stake... she knew she couldn't just stand and watch, rules or no rules. She didn't think Azula would follow them, and she certainly wasn't going to respect rules that never had bound her. Zuko's gaze was burning into her soul but, like they had once mutually agreed, water beats fire.
"Katara", Zuko said anxiously. "Promise me!" She opened her mouth.
"Well, Brother, have you finished saying goodbye to your girlfriend yet?" they heard Azula jeering from the other side of the field. "I can't wait all day, what with me becoming the Fire Lord and all..."
"Go", Katara whispered and met his glance, which mirrored her own uncertainty and strangled fear, though for different reasons. Zuko gave her a pleading look and joined his sister.
Katara obeyed Zuko's wish in one way, at least, and hurried out of sight. She didn't want to become the target of stray flames, after all. She hid behind a sturdy row of pillars and peered at the siblings, who now faced each other in what was certain to become a battle for life. She swallowed and couldn't shake the feeling that someone would die today. Katara had never wanted anyone to die, not even Azula – there had once been a time she would have wanted to see certain people lose everything for what they had done, but her journey with Aang and all she had seen and experienced had taught her mercy even beyond her natural mercy and forgiveness. She had never been a vengeful person, and after finding her healing abilities she had begun to value life in ways she hadn't realized before. She did not want to see anyone dying in front of her eyes. Not even Azula, and definitely not Zuko.
Katara felt something squeezing her heart and feared it might stop beating. She couldn't let Azula kill him. Would not. She prayed it wouldn't come to that, but... She swallowed and peered at the siblings again.
And the fight began. Katara felt her jaw drop in horror and amazement, for what she witnessed was far beyond any firebending she had seen. The Comet had indeed fortified their abilities and suddenly the yard shone with a sea of flames. She saw Zuko's warm, scorching flames licking the ground and surrounding the two of them from her view. Then, flames as blue as the sky circled them and sent shivers through Katara as if they were made of ice. Azula's fire was blue, blue like only the very heart of fire could be, blue like only the hottest flames could be.
Under very different circumstances Katara might have thought that the sight before her eyes was beautiful. She saw Zuko being more powerful than ever and she recognized the Dancing Dragon in his moves, his whole being radiating strength, power and confidence. But Azula didn't let that bother and whatever beauty could be found in their final fight was surely lost in the sheer anger and hatred the two showed each other. It was beyond Katara how a family could come to that point, how siblings could develop such hostile feelings towards each other... they were like strangers to one another, as alien as two enemies could be. And that chilled and grieved Katara the most.
Zuko was confident. He had seen from Azula's behavior the sheer insanity bordering her mind and threatening to take over. He didn't know what had happened, but Azula had lost it. He knew this fight could only end in fatal injuries because, no matter what the outcome, Azula wouldn't give up. In victory she wouldn't let Katara go – which is why Zuko hoped the waterbender had the wits to stay hidden and run if he should lose – and in defeat he was certain Azula would force him to kill her. Pleading or admitting defeat was beyond Azula, and a life in prison was not to her liking for sure.
The battle confirmed Zuko's thoughts about Azula's mental state and her loosening grip. She had difficulties in keeping her composure and attacks intact and she seemed to be slipping more and more. He didn't want to prolong the fight any longer. The sooner it was over the better, and he knew exactly how to end it.
"No lightning today? What's the matter, afraid I'll redirect it?"
It seemed like a silence as long as eternity and as short as a fraction of a second followed his words. All who heard him knew that was it. It would end right there, right then. The power of Azula's lightning was known, and it was fatal. Zuko had faith in himself and he believed he could redirect his sister's bolt, but there was no absolute certainty. He had no intention of losing, but the chance was there. Either he took it or redirected it – one of them would lose their life that day, at that moment.
Katara stopped breathing when she heard it, and her heart seemed to stop beating. She knew as well as he did what dangers lay in that strike. She had seen Azula's power and did not think she had lost much of her former strength and malice, no matter what Zuko had said. She could not let him face this alone. She couldn't let him. It wasn't rational, it wasn't wise; it was exactly what Zuko had told her not to do; but reason didn't seem to have any room in her mind at the moment. And she rushed to the yard, behind Zuko, ready to assist him in any way she could.
* * *
Zuko prepared himself, utterly unaware of the young lady behind him. He breathed deep and let the invisible flow inside him clear. He thought of the method Uncle had said came from the waterbenders' technique – and Katara came to his mind. He knew he could take it. He could not fail, not when he had the moral support of a sweet young waterbender, not when she was in his mind – it felt as though her waters were running inside him, ready to cast the infernal lightning right back to its creator.
And Azula gathered the energy around her and began to glow with the blue light suddenly surrounding her. The lightning was more powerful than ever, it crackled and hissed and practically oozed with electric malice. She looked at her brother and knew as well as he that there could only be one outcome. That didn't, however, bother her in the least; she was certain she would be triumphant, for she was nigh immortal. She couldn't die. She was going to be the Fire Lord. Zuko was a weakling. She would get him, finally.
Then, her eyes saw the figure of a frightened-looking girl standing in the other end of the field. Ah... what a delightful chance. Zuzu's little lady friend. Wonder what he'd do... how far would he go to save her...
A vicious gleam appeared in her eyes as she cast her lightning – but not towards her brother but toward the only person in the area unable to do anything to defend herself against that particular blow.
Zuko realized what Azula did just when she did it. He glanced behind him and saw Katara, defenseless, scared, vulnerable... and reason left him. Rationality had nothing to do with anything anymore. He didn't care that if he wouldn't make it, she had very slim chances as well. It just didn't matter, it didn't occur to him. All he knew was that someone infinitely dear to him was facing an enemy and a strike far beyond her skills, and he couldn't let her die. If she died, he could never forgive himself. He would beat Azula, for sure, but there was nothing left after that. Katara was innocent. She didn't deserve it. He couldn't let it happen to her.
And, all thoughts rushing through his mind in a speed of the lightning dashing towards Katara, Zuko jumped.
Katara could but stare. It was one of those moments which your mind won't process because to admit what had happened would be too much for the soul to bear. Yet, the knowledge seeped into her heart, slowly it seemed, but in a blink of an eye. It's not every day that someone is willing to save your life by sacrificing their own. Katara was frozen to place as she saw the lightning hit Zuko squarely in the chest, him shouting and falling to the ground, twitching for a while and then rolling onto his back and laying still.
"ZUKO!" she cried and hurried towards him, a horrible, consuming fear strangling her heart and her very soul – he couldn't be dead, oh, please, no... Her hand was already stretched out with a healing wave of water as the infernal blue flames cut her way and reminded her that the outcome of the lightning episode had indeed been expected; only one would survive.
Zuko thought he could hear Katara calling for him, but he couldn't be sure. His heart was beating too loud, too fast, and far too irregularly to let him hear anything else but its rhythm properly. It hurt. He had managed to redirect the bolt only partially due to the unexpected appearance of Katara...
Katara.
He struggled to gather his strength. Katara was left alone facing Azula. The thought was almost too much to handle. He tried to get up but failed; his chest hurt and stinged and his limbs seemed unwilling to obey his commands, and his heart was still trying to make up for the few beats it had missed a moment ago. With effort beyond belief he rolled over again and lifted his head with much struggling only to see Azula and Katara locked in a combat that seemed not to be in favour of the latter. He extended his shaking hand towards them and did his best to regain his powers. Katara was fleeing, for what he saw, and Zuko's pains increased tenfold and his heart, which now was beginning to settle a bit, was stung by pain totally unrelated to greats bursts of electricity invading his body.
I can't give up, Zuko though fiercely. She needs me... I must... help... her... I can't... lose... her...
But it wasn't in his power anymore. The girls were dancing further from him in their mortal ballet and he felt the what ever was left of his strength crumbling. His hand fell and his vision betrayed him by blurring until he could do nothing but yield to the darkness looming on the borders of his consciousness.
* * *
Azula was bound and Katara took a moment to gather herself and regain her breath, a safe distance from the clearly unstable princess. Then the strangling horror, covered briefly by the fight, struck her again and she ran back to Zuko as fast as she could.
Zuko was laying face down on the ground. He wasn't moving. He was barely breathing. Katara's heart took residence in her throat and she turned the prince around. She swallowed and fought back the tears as she saw the nasty-looking burn on his abdomen – it was exactly the kind that was now permanently attached to Aang. The difference here was that Zuko's wound seemed less serious. It hadn't gone through, at least.
With worry clouding her mind Katara forced herself to focus as she placed her hands on him and let the healing waters cool his aching wound. She closed her eyes and concentrated with all energy she could muster. She was determined to bring him back. She had brought Aang back. She wasn't going to let Zuko slip away from her just like that.
Please... she thought, not knowing who or what she was directing her silent pleas to. Please...
Suddenly the prince returned to consciousness with a slight shiver. Katara was overjoyed to see him open his eyes. It was like that moment had solved all and everything. The war mattered not, nor the Comet, for at that moment there was nothing else. She had managed and he had come back to her, and nothing else was worth anything.
"Thank you, Katara", Zuko said and his voice was very weak, but his tone as gentle as she had ever heard, and he was smiling. Tears of purest joy ran down Katara's cheeks as she took in the sight of his living, if a little too pale, face.
"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you", she said and meant it with all her heart. She had not yet had the chance to process the events thoroughly, but she knew well what Zuko had done for her, and that without him there would not be a young waterbender crying over anyone, dead or alive.
Katara helped Zuko to a sitting position and she could see it was somewhat painful for him. He paused to gather strength before even attempting to get on his feet. His eyes met Katara's and the were both baffled by the very close proximity of the other. Katara blinked. Teardrops still glistened on her lashes as she gazed into the depths of those amber eyes she had feared had been lost forever.
It was impossible to say which one was the one to make the first move, so mutual was the movement as they leaned towards each other and their lips met. Katara's hand still rested on his back for support, like his other hand still touched the ground for the same reason. His other hand found its way gently to her hair and his fingers dug very lightly into her brown locks.
A moment like that always lasts forever, and yet every time it is over far too soon. Neither wanted it to stop, and yet they knew they could not stay like that forever. The parted, both slightly puzzled at what had just happened. They did not know what had driven them, but one look in one another's eyes told them that this had the beginnings of something more, if they allowed it to take that course. At that moment, however, neither felt like thinking too much about the future, for unraveled threads lay before them and unsolved issues were not going to leave them be. There was the war, the Comet, Ozai.
Aang. Mai.
But that moment was theirs and theirs alone. A small smile crept on Katara's face and it was returned by Zuko, who still hadn't let his hand fall from her hair. Without saying a word Katara helped him up and supported him as they went to face the most pressing problem together – Azula.
Zuko wasn't sure how to feel when he saw his sister crying on her knees and screaming in frustration and in madness like a trapped animal. Sorrow he did not feel, for that he had had reasons to feel before, a long, long time before. Pity he fancied he did feel. That wretch of a woman in front of him was nothing like the confident and malicious girl he knew she was, or rather, had been. Anger... now anger was quite another matter.
Azula had tried to kill him more times than he cared to remember. She had never been close to him and had never left a chance to tease him slip through her fingers. She had been ready and more than willing to kill him just moments ago, she had struck Uncle and nearly caused his death, she had felt no remorse in anything she had done... Zuko knew one of them had to die tonight. They had both known that when they had begun their Agni Kai. Azula had failed. He had a chance to end it for good. To strike down and take that miserable sister's life was only a matter of extending his hand. By his hand she would die, if by anyone's.
And yet, something held his hand.
And that something was Katara's soft hand as she placed it compassionately on his back, and from there her cool fingers fell down to meet his own, slightly trembling ones. Her hand gripped his as she pressed herself a little closer, soothingly, and he could not attack his crazed sister, and yet he could not turn his eyes away from the fire-spitting figure. He felt Katara against his side and finally closed his eyes. His wound ached and his mind was storming with emotions he cared not to think about, and he had a distinct feeling that if Katara hadn't been there with him at that precise moment, his had would have obeyed his darker side of mind and fallen to revenge. But Katara had shown more character than that in sparing the life of her mother's killer, and Zuko was silently glad her calming influence saved him from something he knew would have given him no pleasure whatsoever.
It had not been for the throne he had fought tonight. Not for the sake of the world, not for glory. Not to kill a sibling. It was for Katara's sake he had fought, and promised himself would never cease to fight.
She was worth more than all the glory and gold the world had to offer. Maybe at least, he thought, I have come close to fulilling my destiny.
