A/N: sorry for the wait! you should probably go back and review the old chapters before you read this one. enjoy! (Also, happy belated 100,000 words archived to me! Look at my life! Look at my choices!)

Chapter XIV Sacrificed for a Fair Wind

You can't even begin to know

How many times I've told myself 'I told you so'

And you can't even begin to believe

There are so many bridges engulfed in flames behind me.

I Was Once a Loyal Lover, Death Cab For Cutie

Everything turned on its axis. Every piece of furniture slid into the wall as the foundations of the building moaned. Destiny was calling. Azula steadied herself.

Her brother had launched his final offensive and she had loose ends that needed tying up. If Zuko and his friends didn't win this fight, she didn't think there would be another. She knew speculation regarding her future status would be pointless as well.

She willed herself not to tremble and opened the door just as the rock palace shifted again. Her feet were numb, she could only sense them connecting with the stones beneath her. The distinct rumble of a bending battle emanated from somewhere below her, but she was not deterred. For now, that was none of her concern.

She twisted the ring around her finger three times and walked faster. She practically flew down the steps to the next level.

"Hey Azula! Azula!" Someone shouted behind her. "AZULA!" She didn't turn back.

"What are you doing here." She closed her eyes momentarily and bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. She couldn't look back.

"Aang told me about your plan. I'm making sure you honor your end of the arrangement." Sokka caught up with her, clutching his side.

"I have it under control." She told him shortly. If he noticed the subtle break in her voice he gave no indication.

"Ha! I wish I could believe you."

"My father will be in a confined space surrounded by guards. Now that he… he can't you know- bend anymore they are always close by." She massaged her temples restlessly. It was getting more difficult to focus and she couldn't think straight when Sokka was there distracting her. "When he sees me he'll call them off. I don't need you. Go back to where you came from. " A violent cough shook her slight frame. Rubble came loose from the ceiling. "I have to do this. On my own." She specified.

Sokka didn't say anything for a long time. Azula did her best to ignore him. The silence was deafening. "What no witty comment?" She rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry Azula." He said quietly.

"Don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness."

"I'm not apologizing, it's an expression. I'm telling you how I feel."

"That's even more pointless."

What had he meant? I'm sorry for you? I'm sorry this happened to you? I'm sorry I didn't see this side of you before? Of course he didn't. He didn't see what she saw in the mirror.

"Do you even have a plan?"

"Yes, but it's a simple one. Things are about to get ugly." Azula informed him. She couldn't look back.

"What do you mean?" She let silence speak for her. "No, Azula-" He protested, "You're being irrational."

"Am I?" She intoned.

"I can't let you die Azula, you're my responsibility!"

"I'm letting you off the hook." She croaked.

"We have to get out of here before it collapses! Long Feng has opened up some kind of portal in the caves under the castle…Aang says it's very unstable and it could collapse at any time. I'm not leaving."

She still wouldn't look at him. He reached out to stop her but ended up spinning her around instead. She lost too much weight in the past few weeks and he underestimated his strength. He grabbed her shoulders like she was a naughty kid who needed a shake. She looked so frustrated that for one terrifying moment he thought she was going to hurt him. Yet she still refused to look up.

"No one believes in me." She whispered, her eyes were widened as if she couldn't believe what she was saying. "I need someone to believe in me. There's really nothing else anyone can do. I know when I am beaten but I also know that I can do this." She looked up at him slowly, her eyes were red rimmed and angry. "I'm not asking you to trust me, I'm asking you to take a leap of faith. Do you understand." The building gave another violent shake. She didn't even give him a second to reply before she started off down the hall again. It seemed like it always came down to this, Azula running away and Sokka chasing after her- like staying in one place for long was impossible for her.

"Yeah whenever I do you a favor you make me regret it." He glared at her back, but he followed her anyway. It wasn't the first time they had run down these halls together but he had a feeling it would be the last. A heavily guarded door soon came into view; Azula straightened her posture and put on a commanding façade.

"Where are you going Princess?" One of the faceless benders uttered.

"I'm here to see my father."

"He has given explicit orders not to be disturbed."

Azula scowled at the guard for a few seconds.

"But I'm sure he'll make an exception." He stuttered, hastily opening the door and admitting her. "Who's he?" He said nervously.

She didn't deign to reply. "Everybody get the hell out." She bellowed, storming into the cavernous room. Ozai had his back turned to her and did not acknowledge her arrival.

"But Princess-"

"I don't need to explain myself to you. There's a battle going on, we need reinforcements. And I wish to speak to my father alone." She spat, as if showing them exactly what she thought of her patriarch.

"What about…?" The soldiers peered over suspiciously at Sokka.

"He's not a human, he's a savage. OUT." She shouted again. Ozai turned his head and nodded slightly. The mercenaries filed out obediently.

"I wondered if it would come to this." He said darkly, turning to face her.

"Did you honestly think I would come back to you?" Her voice was as clear and as sharp as ice. "That I would still be loyal to you after you poisoned me?" Azula hissed.

"You're still wearing my ring." He observed, smiling faintly. "You're more loyal than you give yourself credit for."

"This place is about to crash down around you, Father, along with your stupid scheme. Long Feng has damned himself and he's unleashed the vengeance of the spirit world on us. It's too late. It's over." Azula's heart was beating like a drum and an unnaturally strong gust of wind made the foundations creak.

"What are you still doing here then? What do you want?" Ozai narrowed his eyes.

Azula swallowed. "Why?" She breathed. "Why would you…?" She paused to gain control of her breathing but she didn't need to finish her sentence.

"You were a necessary sacrifice. Collateral damage." Her father was completely emotionless.

Azula inhaled sharply. She was just as disposable as Zuko after all. "Daddy, you bastard." She said quietly. Azula snatched Sokka's sword, this time he let her. "On your knees." She demanded.

Ozai laughed, but he complied. She struggled to secure her grip on the heavy blade, Ozai didn't stop laughing. "You're not going to hurt me, Azula."

"You don't know anything about me." In one swift movement she brought the blunt hilt of the heavy sword down on his skull. The once mighty Fire Lord crumpled and blood spattered over the green tiles. "Watch him. Make sure he doesn't get back up." Azula whispered forcefully, passing the sword back to Sokka. She felt like she was going to faint. She rubbed her face and blood smeared across her left cheekbone. Suspicious moisture was smeared beneath her eyelashes.

His blue eyes went wide in realization. "Look Azula-"

"Where are they?" She gasped, clutching her side. "Zuko… Long Feng…" Was this what it felt like to lose control the first time? She closed her eyes for an infinitesimal moment and listened to the reassuring beat of her unreliable heart. She was still real, and she still had things to accomplish.

"Slow down." He was afraid she was going to fall, but he didn't want to touch her. "I realize you have a one-track mind, but I don't think you know what you're getting into."

"I don't fear the spirits and I'm not so great at self-preservation, but I'm not an idiot." She composed herself and focused all her energy on getting out of the room. "Tell me where they are."

"There's only so much I can protect you from." He muttered.

"And there's only so much you can survive." She paused for a moment to look smug. "You should leave."

"What will I tell your brother?"

"Nothing." She shrugged her aching shoulders. She glanced over at her father's immobile form. "Make sure he doesn't go anywhere."

"He won't." Sokka said darkly. "Last I heard Zuko and Katara were going to bombard the throne room; Long Feng was using it as a stronghold. It isn't anymore, if these tremors are any indication."

The princess nodded curtly, took a deep shuddering breath, and pushed through the doors, leaving Sokka in a hollow room with an unconscious dictator.

Against his better judgment, Sokka approached the man who was once Lord Ozai. A couple demanding nudges with a steel toed boot made him slowly open his eyes.

"Do you value your honor?" Sokka practically shouted, glaring at Ozai's pathetic figure on the floor.

"What?" He growled, wiping blood out of his eyes.

"Do you value your honor?" Sokka repeated, raising his sword. "Because that girl, your daughter, just passed up a chance to avenge her murder by choosing to let you continue your existence. She wasn't lying, you know- your offensive really has been defeated and tomorrow, you'll just be the pathetic guy responsible for two failed world domination schemes. I would come up with some witty nicknames, for you but I'm too angry at the moment." Sokka took Zuko's dagger from its sheath and offered it to Ozai hilt first. "So why don't you do yourself a favor, and end this now?"

A/N: I AM SO SORRY! I have been so busy these past few months, like SO BUSY. Please drop me a review to let me know you're still there!