As Zuko was walking across the ground, he came to the opening of which the stretch of land was separated by a mile of water

As Zuko was walking across the ground, he came to the opening of which the stretch of land was separated by a mile of water. Zuko was looking around, for something that could help him get across the water. He looked to his left, and there was nothing, to his right, nothing as well. Zuko sat down, holding his head in his hand, thinking of what to do. Then a hand was placed on Zuko's right shoulder. Zuko was about to strike,

"Stuck?" Zuko turned around to see someone he recognized.

"You're um…Sokka's girlfriend…?" Suki smiled at Zuko, Zuko stood up.

"So you want to tell me why the Fire Lord is out in the Serpent's Pass?"

"I'm looking for someone, why are you out here?"

"Well I'm actually out here training." Zuko remembered something the Sokka said back in Ba Sing Sa,

FLASHBACK

"Sokka? Well, have you heard anything?"

"The fortuneteller said to start looking back at…"

"Back where Sokka?"

"The Serpent's Pass."

"Why look there?"

"Maybe Katara went there to practice."

END OF FLASHBACK

Zuko's eyes become very serious, so did his tone.

"Suki right?"

"Yes."

"Suki, are you here alone?" Suki looked down at the ground, it was starting to shake. Suki looked out into the water to see the monster in the water. It was huge.

"Zuko, now is not the time to chat." Suki took Zuko's arm and ran a little bit back.

"Why are we running?"

"Zuko, you and me can't take that thing from the land. It's in the water."
"Wait, then Suki why are you out here for training when you can't even fight the monster?"
Suki looked over at Zuko, and she pointed out into the water. Zuko's eyes followed to the spot that Suki pointed at. The Serpent was out of the water swimming towards Suki and Zuko. Then 25 gigantic ice daggers flew at the Serpent's head, causing it to look away from Suki and Zuko. Zuko's eye immediately followed the direction of which the daggers came. There was a whirlpool in the water, then it turned out and a girl was standing on top of the water, bending it. The girl was dressed in blue, on the bottom of her dress there were some tares and rips. Her skin was tanned, and beautiful. Her hair was long, half way down her back. There was nothing holding her hair, it flew in the wind. Zuko knew it was Katara.

"Katara?" Zuko whispered to himself. Katara fought the Serpent, and killed it in just a matter of a minute. Then she flew across the water to where Suki and Zuko were. Katara didn't know the Zuko was there with her. Katara looked for Suki.

"Suki? Suki, where are you?" Suki whispered in Zuko's ear to stay where he was and to not move. Suki got up and walked over to Katara. Katara turned around to see Suki.

"Suki, are you ok? I was looking for you."

"Well, here I am. And yes I'm fine."

"Well…" Katara looked back at the slain Serpent, "I guess there is nothing left here for us. Let's go." Katara started to walk towards the stretch of water that separated the lands. Suki stayed where she was. Katara looked back at her.

"Suki, are you coming?"

"Yes, but first there's something you have to know Katara."

"What is it?" Suki ran over to Zuko, grabbed his arms and pulled him out, in to Katara's sight.

"Zuko?" Zuko couldn't say anything, he couldn't believe Katara was right in front of him. Katara walked towards Zuko. She reached her hand out and touched his scared cheek.

"Wow Zuko, I can't believe you're here. I mean, Fire Lord." Suki saw the reunion between the two.

"Katara, I'm gonna head back into town to get us some supplies. Then we can leave again." Katara looked over at Suki and nodded, they all walked up to the stretch of water, Katara used her bending to quickly get them across the water onto the other side. Suki left Zuko and Katara.

"Where is she going?"

"She's going into Be Sing Sa. She's going to get more supplies."

"What does Sokka think about this?" Katara looked out at the water.

"He doesn't know. Suki, and well now you, are the only ones who know I'm alive. Suki is traveling with me across the nations. She said she wants to go with me so she can train too."

"Katara, why didn't you go and tell anyone that you were alive?"

"Zuko, everyone thought I was dead. It was the perfect opportunity to train in peace. I must become stronger. Suki was even supposed to know, but she found me when I…"

"When you what?" Katara shook her head.

"Nothing, never mind it's of no importance." Katara had no emotion in her voice. This reminded Zuko of Mai. He was wondering was that going on back home. Katara noticed the troubled fire bender.

"Zuko is something troubling you?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I was just thinking of how Mai is doing back at home." As soon as Zuko said Katara's name, Katara's face turned into anger. That's when he remembered that Mai said they were going to kill each other.

"Katara, back at home, Mai said… Why are you guys going to kill each other?"

"Zuko, me and Mai, will fight to the death. One of us will destroy the other."

"But why?"

"Because Zuko." Zuko was mad that Katara wouldn't let him in, that she wouldn't let him help her.

"No Katara! No becauses, no never minds, no nothing! What is going on between you two? Why didn't you tell me you were alive?! Do you know what you've now put everyone through?! You're brother, To-"

"Because Zuko! Why should I have to tell anyone that I'm alive?! They all give up hope on me! They found out that I could be alive, and they did nothing! They did nothing Zuko!"

"Why did you let Suki know, and not me Katara?"

"Zuko, you remember my funeral? Remember Suki not being there? Suki came at night to my grave she was visiting me and leaving me flowers. I was alive 6 feet below her feet. I felt her walking, then I heard her crying, it woke me up. Her tears somehow, traveled through the dirt and healed me. I had to dig my way out of my own grave Zuko. And Suki was there." Zuko was shocked at Katara's terrifying story. Zuko walked over to Katara and turned her face towards him, and hugged Katara.

"Katara, why didn't you tell me that you were alive?"

"Why would it matter Zuko? You are the Fire Lord, you have your nation and your girlfriend to take care of."

"Is that why you wouldn't tell me? Because Mai was there? Why are you two going to kill each other?" Katara pulled away from the hug and looked deep into Zuko's eyes.

"Zuko, you remember the night we fought Azula, and I fell and got hurt? I night I died?" Zuko broke the contact between their eyes and looked down, holding back the tears and hard as he could.

"Yes, I do."

"Zuko, Azula didn't kill me…" Zuko looked up at Katara.

"Mai was on the roof, covered by shadows, she threw her weapons at me. She was the one who killed me. Not Azula." Everything made sense to Zuko now. Why Katara wouldn't tell him she was alive. Why Azula never said she killed Katara to take in the glory. And why the weapon was left in his palace by the intruder. The intruder was Katara, and she left the weapon the Mai used to kill Katara.

"I'm sorry Katara…I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Katara gave Zuko a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. She leaned back to his ear, and whispered,

"Zuko, you were the only one who tried to save me. You were the only one who tried to find me. You did save me." Katara slowly pulled away , and Zuko didn't let her, he just grabbed her again, and pulled her into a hug. He then whispered into her ear,

"I will never let you get hurt again."

"Zuko, why do you feel the need to protect me so much?"

"Do you know what it's like Katara? To see the person you love, dying in your arms, and you can't do anything about it? That-" Zuko had just realized he told Katara that he loved her. He looked at her face. She smiled. And nodded her head.

"Why are you nodding your head?"

"Because Zuko, I do know what it's like, seeing the person you love die, and not being able to do anything." Zuko looked her Katara's face knowing what she said, meant she loved him. Zuko reached his hand out to touch her face…when Katara's eyes turned from the peaceful blue, into bright white.