Disclaimer: We do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender. It and all it's characters belong the Mike and Bryan.

Chapter Fourteen

Zuko was in Katara's room with her father and brother. They were all sitting beside her bed. The healers had just left, allowing them inside. Sokka had had to hold Zuko back when the healers first said he couldn't be in there with Katara as they healed her wounds.

Now they were in the room and Zuko still said nothing, staring blankly at her.

Sokka looked at his sister with tears running down his face. The healers said she would be alright, but everyone in the room acted as though she had died.

Finally, after a long, straining silence, Sokka spoke to Zuko. "How did it happen?"

Zuko looked at Sokka for a second before his eyes darted back to Katara. "I'm so sorry, Sokka. I wasn't good enough. Azula…she…"

Sokka nodded slowly and the room fell back into silence. Zuko almost wished he could get away from this depressing room, but he couldn't even take his gaze off Katara, let alone leave. He knew he'd only to come back in, worrying and fretting.

Hakoda finally stood up and touched Sokka's shoulders. "Come on, son. We have important things to do. Your sister will be fine for now." Hakoda gave a meaningful glance towards Zuko, who neither saw it nor noticed them leave. He only seemed to come out of his trance when his mother had come into the room and wrapped him into a tight hug.

"I was so worried about you," she cried. "The healers finally told me you were safe. They told me everything…"

Zuko finally looked away from Katara and gazed at Ursa. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I tried. I tried to save her. I tried to save Azula."

Ursa wrapped him into a tighter hug. "Don't worry about that now. It will be alright. Come, Zuko. You need to get out of this room and get something to eat."

Zuko looked from his mom to Katara, then stood up slowly; his mother smiled. "I made it myself. Lady Katara will be fine."

Zuko looked back at her helpless body as they left and closed the door.

While Zuko ate, he heard Hakoda and Sokka talking about casualties. Zuko stayed silent, only half listening to their conversation.

"But Dad, they came in from below, the secret entrance! How could Azula have known?"

"I don't know, Sokka. It's hard to say," Hakoda answered his son.

Zuko heard them talk about how many Firebenders had died. Fortunately, there had been a lot more Firebenders amongst the dead than their own troops. Then there was something about a head count. Someone was missing from their ranks, not found with the dead or alive. Zuko didn't really care, as long as he knew Katara would fine and Azula was finished.

Every morning, Zuko would walk into the room and place his hands on either side of Katara's head. He'd lean in close, looking intently into her face for any sign of change. After a week, he'd have taken any change at all. The way she just laid there, barely breathing and not moving, nearly drove him over the brink. When nothing happened, he'd take up his silent vigil at the foot of her bed, just sitting and waiting.

Hakoda and Sokka were there every moment they could get but they were in high demand now that the attack was over; they were needed to sort out the chaos that ensued. And Aang didn't have much more time; being the Avatar meant that he had little to no time to do as he pleased. But Toph was there for long hours at a time, sitting silently in a corner playing with a lump of rock to keep her mind busy.

The room was filled with flowers and tokens of people's sentiments. At least, if she ever woke up, it'd be to a beautiful sight.

"Zuko?" He turned slightly to see Suki standing in the door. She leaned against the doorjamb as he looked back at Katara, the pity in her eyes too much for him to handle; he didn't deserve pity, not after the things he'd done. "They're having a meeting. They want you to be there."

He knew who "they" were. Hakoda and Sokka along with Uncle Iroh and his mother had somehow come to be seen as the leaders. If there was a question, they were asked what to do. It was those four who had taken over and sorted out everything after the attack. It was those four who were charged with making decisions.

"I'm not leaving her, Suki," he said softly, reaching out and taking Katara's hand. "She can't wake up with no one here."

Suki nodded. "I'll tell them."

"Aang, you have to go now," Sokka urged. "The Fire Lord is venerable right now. It's our time to strike." His fist slammed down onto the tabletop to emphasize his point.

"But Katara—" Aang started to say.

"She'll be okay," Hakoda assured him, resting a solid hand on Aang's shoulder. "She'll have healers to help her and Zuko to keep her safe."

"And I'll stay with them." Ursa stepped forward. "Fear not, young Avatar. No harm will come to your friend."

They were gathered in an empty, unused room near Katara's room. Zuko stood in the doorway; he'd refused to come in where he couldn't see the door to her room. He listened in silence as the other's tried to talk Aang into leaving, his eyes constantly flicking over his shoulder toward Katara's door. He should've been in there watching over her, not here being useless.

"How can you want to leave her? What if she wakes up and we're not here? What if she needs us?" Aang eyes darted from one person to the next accusingly.

Hakoda looked the boy in the eyes. "Do you think I don't want to stay here, to spend every waking moment in that room over there?"

"Sometimes, we need to do things we'd rather not in order to keep our loved ones safe," Ursa said softly. Zuko saw Iroh's eyes flicker to his mother's. "There are sacrifices along the way but, in the end, it is worth it."

Aang looked up at her. "But I don't want to give her up."

Zuko barely heard the words they were so quiet but it was then he knew. The Avatar loved Katara. Not strictly in a friendly way either. And suddenly things started to fall into place. The odd looks when Aang had come across the two of them together, they way he spoke of her when they'd been training, even his eagerness to tell her everything Zuko had been teaching him. He loved her.

"Aang," he said softly. The others looked over at him in shock. It was the first time he'd spoken since he'd entered the room. "This is something only you can do. It is your destiny to defeat him, not anyone else's. You have to go. Only you can make this world safe for her."

Aang's shoulders drooped and his head hung low in defeat. "I know. I know what I have to do, Zuko. I just…I just don't want to lose her."

Zuko nodded, understanding that feeling. His chest tightened as he thought of just how close he'd come to losing her. "You won't. She'll be here when you get back. I won't let anything happen to her. I promise."

Toph rested an arm across Aang's shoulders. "Come on, Twinkletoes. You've got some Fire Lord butt to kick."

Aang straightened, his shoulders coming back and his chin raising. He's grey eyes were narrowed, his mouth set in a determined line. He looked right at Zuko. "You take care of her."

Zuko nodded.

They filed past him out of the room; Uncle Iroh clapped him on the shoulder as he passed, pride shining in his eyes.

Zuko rushed back to Katara's room. He leaned over her, amber eyes looking for any change. When he saw nothing, he sank down on the side of her bed, taking her hand in his and running his fingers over it. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

"Zuko, honey, you need to wake up," he heard Ursa say from above him. "I've got wonderful news."

He shot up off the floor to the side of Katara's bed. But there still wasn't any change. She still lay with her eyes closed. Zuko looked up as his mother rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, dear," his mother said softly. "It's not that. The Fire Lord has been defeated. The Avatar has beaten him."

Zuko blinked up at her. "Is he…is he dead?" Ursa nodded; he looked back down at Katara. He'd never be able to hurt them. He'd never be able to destroy the things he loved ever again. "Good."

Ursa looked down at him sadly. "Come, dear. It's time for supper."

Giving Katara's hand a squeeze and pulling the blanket up to her shoulders, Zuko left with his mother, casting a glance over his shoulder as he exited the room.

The next morning, Zuko rose from his place on the floor of her room. He'd moved in here soon after the others had left, finding that it was eerily quiet throughout the Air Temple. It was too empty.

He leaned over Katara, placing his hands on either side of her head. Maybe today would be the day she woke up. Maybe today he'd see those lovely blue eyes of hers blink up at him and she'd smile that smile and everything would be okay again.

Then Katara's eyes did blink open and lock on Zuko's. "Zuko," she breathed.

He'd jumped back at the shock of seeing her blue eyes looking up at him but now he was right back at her side, her hand held against his face. "I'm sorry, Katara."

Her brow furrowed. "For what?"

"For this," he replied, closing his eyes in torment. "It was my fault. I wasn't good enough. I couldn't save you from Azula."

She tried to sit up. Seeing her struggle, Zuko moved quickly to help, rearranging her pillows and fussing until she was comfortably leaning against the head of the bed. "It's not your fault, Zuko," she assured. "I moved too slowly. That is no one's fault but my own. I'll not have you blaming yourself, do you understand?"

"But—"

"No," she told him firmly. "Enough of this." Her voice softened and she squeezed his hand. "Please, Zuko, for me?"

He looked into her eyes, searching for any reason to continue to blame himself for what had happened to her. But all he found was her sincere desire for him to be guiltless. He nodded. "Yes, for you."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

Authors Note:

Simatra: Alright everyone! This is finally finished!...Okay, we DO have an epilouge. I'm posting it as soon as we finish posting this. Hope you enjoyed the end!

Lurisa: Horray! Finally! Oh my Gosh! Our epilouge rocks!

Simatra: Yes! It's awesome, I'm sure you all will like it! But, let's not get carried away...what was your favorite moments in this chapter, Lurisa?

Lurisa: Hmmm...I don't know. I like it all really. But I guess, if I had to pick a favorite, it comes down to the part where Ursa tells Zuko she has wonderful news and he automatically assumes Katara's awake and the part where Katara blinks up at him as he's leaning over her. But there's also that part where Zuko convinces Aang--okay, so I really like this chapter...lol

Simatra: Yeah, I think I'm the same. Well, enjoy!