LH: YEAH!!! I'M ON BREAK!!! NOW, TIME FOR MORE ACTION!

Zuko: Now can I stop running?

Katara: Right….

Aang: Umm…where's Sokka?

Sokka: [walking, but then hits a pole] I'm okay.

Toph: Yeah? Also, when do I get to bag some baddies?

Jet: Why did you make me have a gruesome death?

LH: Hold ON! I just got back!!! All of your questions will be answered…soon. Hehe…So, ready for the next chapter?

Everyone: YEAH!

LH: Here's Chapter 11.

PREVIOUSLY...

"NO! ZUKO! DON'T!" Katara screamed.

Zuko looked at her incredulously.

"You'll be just like them. That's what Aang wanted before," Katara said as she fainted.

Zuko stared at Katara and then the gun. Then, he got up and started to walk away. Jet stared for a second and then reached for the other gun in his jacket. Just before he could get it, however, Zuko came charging back at an alarming speed and sent his head crashing to the ground cracked open.

"This time, it was your fault," Zuko said icily. Zuko then picked up Katara and ran. She had lost a lot of blood already and the bleeding was still going. Zuko could stand being shot, being stabbed, being robbed of home and family, being alone…but he would not stand to lose the life of the person he truly cared for the most…

Chapter 11: The Time the Rain Stopped

Time was running out. Like the drops of rain that fell from the heavens as Zuko sped on, Katara was slowly fading away.

"I'm so sleepy….you're so warm," Katara said as her eyelids fought the sleepiness that was starting to overcome her.

"NO! Don't sleep Katara! I need you to stay conscious! Don't give up on me!" Zuko pleaded as he kept running. The hospital was still so far away…and Katara was starting to leave him. They were both drenched in the never ending rain. Zuko knew that Katara could get ever worse if she stayed out in this condition for too long.

Suddenly, there were sirens behind Zuko. He didn't want to have to deal with the police right now! Ugh…of all of the…

"STOP! We're here to help!" Officer Toph yelled from one of the police cruisers. Zuko stopped and turned around. All of the cars stopped. Officer Toph got out of the car and helped Sokka out of the car.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled. (LH: Yeah…I know he's blind, but a lot of blind people can tell when someone they've been with almost all of their life is present! I think…)

"Sokka…" Katara moaned.

"We have to get Katara to the hospital!" Zuko yelled as Officer Toph motioned for the paramedics to get her into the ambulance.

"Hurry!" Sokka tried to say, but the ambulanced whirred off. Only Sokka, Toph, and her police cruiser were left in the rain.

After a few seconds of silence, Toph began to say, "I think your sister will be fine."

"I don't want to lose her."

"It must be hard with you being…"

"What, blind?"

"No…" she said as she went closer to him, her face a few inches from his. Sokka could barely see a silhouette of her…just a bunch of light blurs of blue and grey.

"What?" he whispered.

"Of being the only man in the house. I mean, your father is off at his job…you're not in the friendliest of neighborhoods…"

"And I am standing with a police officer in the rain," he smiled.

"That too."

"Well, Officer…"

"Please, just call me Toph."

"Well, Toph…my girlfriend Suki might get angry, but when you're not too busy bagging baddies…will you grab a bite to eat with me?"

Toph was a little taken aback. Yes, he was younger than she was (Sokka is 20 and Toph is 22), but did that really matter? "I would like that…and tell Suki not to worry."

"Well, Suki is our cat…"

"Oh…" she laughed and the rain stopped. The sky started to get lighter and lighter, the clouds of gray washing away. Things were turning out for the better…but was it too late for Katara?

At the hospital…

AHHHHHH!

"Hold, still!" the nurses at the hospital said as they tried to remove the wrappings around Zuko's chest. Two kind female nurses tried to get a frenzied Zuko to stay still as he waited for Katara to come out of surgery and removed the clothing he had wrapped around him.

"I need to go see Katara!" Zuko struggled.

"Sir, you can see her after the surgery!" one of the nurses tried to explain the him.

"Is she alright? Does she need me right now! Let me go! Don't touch me!" Zuko said as he finally got them to let go of him. Then, he dashed into the hall and tried to look for the room Katara could be in. Zuko started to panic. If anything happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself. It wouldn't have been the bullet that killed her, but him. Her death would have weighed more than he could take. He searched and searched, but to no avail.

"Zuko…"

Zuko turned around to see Katara stretched out on a bed in the room to his right. He walked slowly into the room and sighed. She looked so pale and worn out. He placed a hand on her face and caressed it.

"You made me more scared than anything I have felt in my life."

"No…"

"Yes…you did."

"What about Mai?

"At least I felt assured that Aang would do nothing to her…but you."

'"What? I was…"

"I didn't want to risk anything… I can't bear the thought of losing you."

"Zuko…I…" Katara tried to say, but then Zuko pressed his index finger to her lips and smiled. Then, he stood up silently and started to walk away. Katara started to panic. She didn't want him to leave. Not now. Not ever.

"Zuko…don't leav…"

However, before Katara could finish the sentence, Zuko's mouth was on hers. Katara's whole body felt on fire. The kiss was like warm honey sliding down her throat. The heat was intense and she couldn't get enough of it.

Zuko felt as though he had completely left the earth and was left in the sky to lay with the clouds. Her lips were so soft and tasted of rain mixed with the coolness of mint. It was intoxicating to him.

Katara pulled away first, not being able to breathe. Zuko stared at her with wild golden eyes. So, that was a kiss. He felt hungry for more. It was ethereal…out of this world…indescribable…it was love.

"Zuko…that was…"

"Amazing…" Zuko grinned, which made Katara blush.

"Well, if you two are done having fun, I think we need to take care of a few things," an icy cold voice said from behind Zuko.

BANG!

The story does not end here! (My cliffies ruin everything!) Happily ever afters don't come without a price, I can guarantee you that! So, stay tuned for the next installment!