Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. If I did, the rating would be TV14. There wasn't enough drama or blood.

Arc 3: Fire

Chapter 21: The Fortuneteller

The group had been flying on Appa on and off for two and a half days, stopping only to make camp and to get supplies in small villages in an attempt avoid being spotted. The Earth Kingdom had fallen to the Fire Nation and it seemed nowhere was safe. While in one town, Iroh had gotten word from a member of the Order of the White Lotus that warriors from the Southern Water Tribe were camped out at Chameleon Bay. And that was their next destination.

Zuko was currently still unconscious and healing very slowly, only one bone healing at a time. Katara had figured out that only twelve bones in total weren't broken, so she needed to heal 198 of them for him to be completely healthy again. It didn't help that he hadn't even woken up yet, let alone move in any way. He had been completely still, not even making any type of noise as his bones were reset or broken back into place. To Katara, that was more unnerving than the speed of which this healing was taking.

Iroh was very good at hiding his own anxiety, helping Jee and Aang set up camp whenever they would land and keeping himself busy with helping Sokka make the plan for the invasion. Aang and Toph began spending a lot of time together, going on trips to get firewood together or hunting for nuts and edible berries and getting water for Katara. Aang helped Toph cope with Zuko's injuries, knowing how she saw the Prince like a brother. It pained her immensely to see him so broken and silent. So Aang kept his worry quiet, knowing Toph would just hurt more if he voiced his apprehension over the situation.

Sokka kept himself strong for Katara. He saw the way the she and Zuko looked at each other, how they touched and had connected on a deeper level than anyone else in their group. Revealing his own worry about his friend would just make her even more upset than she already was. He saw how she would fret over him, holding his now fixed hands after their healing sessions, begging him in hushed whispers to wake up as tears filled her eyes. He saw how she poured every ounce of her strength to soothe his pain and fix his broken body, how she pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion in the morning and at night as she healed a couple bones every session. He hated seeing her like this, but he knew that she cared so deeply for that man that she would do everything and anything in her power to make sure he opened his lopsided eyes again.

He looked over to Jee and Iroh, who were currently whispering amongst each other, in what seemed to be a heated argument. Jee had his arms crossed and was glaring at the general, who was gesturing with his hands with vigorous emphasis. Curious, Sokka stood and made his way over to the older men.

"Hey, what's going on?"

They both turned to him, Jee's face softening slightly as he spotted the warrior, and Iroh smiled widely and patted Sokka on the shoulder.

"It's nothing to be concerned with right now, Sokka," Iroh said calmly. Too calmly. "We will discuss it at supper."

Sokka raised his eyebrow and then looked over to Jee, who nodded solemnly and in a slightly disagreeable manner. Sokka just sighed indignantly and turned around and headed towards Katara and the prone Zuko. They were sitting in Appa's saddle, which was unattached and laying on the border of their camp. Katara was currently stroking Zuko's arm and humming a Water Tribe lullaby, staring blankly at his tranquil face.

"Hey, Kat."

She looked up and stared at him expressionlessly for a few moments. Sokka could see that she had dark circles under her eyes from the lack of rest she was getting. Her hair and skin were dirty and matted and her clothes were wrinkled and dingy from the fight in Ba Sing Se. She hadn't bathed since then, for she was too busy watching over Zuko and focusing on healing him.

"Hey, Sock."

He smiled at her and then climbed into the saddle and sat on the opposite side of Zuko as her. He was kneeling on his left side, looking down at his scarred cheek and sighing sadly at the sight of his two family members. Katara was looking down at the Prince with saddened eyes, with a hint of longing. Sokka knew she just wanted Zuko to wake up, no matter how long she had to stay awake and push herself to make sure he was better.

"So how's he doing?"

Her eyes flicked up for a second and then went back down to Zuko's face. She sighed and shrugged. "His arms, shoulders, hands and ribs are healed, along with any of the bones of his spine. All that I have to do is his legs and feet and he should be back to normal, for the most part…"

"No damage in his organs?"

Katara's head lifted slowly and she tilted her head to the side, as if she was gesturing that she didn't know. "His lungs are fixed after being crushed and puncture... And some minor internal bruising and slight bleeding. I think there was some damage to his spinal cord so I went ahead and patched up any issues there. And there may have been some brain damage from the lack of oxygen when he was buried, but that's something I won't be able to tell until he wakes up and actually uses his brain..."

Sokka just looked down at Zuko's face again and frowned in thought. He had just technically died for a second time by earth. The first time from fire. He had to die by water and air now, according to the prophecy. But why he wasn't waking up and was still on the verge of death still was confusing to the young warrior. They needed more information on this prophecy. Jee only knew so much. Then, a stroke of genius came to Sokka.

"We need to go to the fortuneteller that predicted the prophecy," he said quietly, almost as if he was just saying it to himself.

"What?"

He looked up and Katara was staring at him with a confused expression.

Sokka grinned as this idea solidified in his head. "We need to go to the fortuneteller in the Earth Kingdom that predicted the prophecy. She can help answer some questions that we have and maybe help us figure out what to do next!"

"Sokka," Katara shook her head as she sighed and pressed the heel of her hand into her eye, "The fortuneteller is dead. She died a long time ago."

"No, no! The second one!" A grin grew on Sokka's face as he thought this through. He locked eyes with his sister and spoke with more conviction, "Jee said there was a second fortuneteller. Maybe he knows where she is and we can track her down!"

"Sokka, do you really think that's a good idea? For all we know, we could be sent on a wild goose chase and never find her in time."

Sokka stood and grinned down at her. "No I have a good feeling about this. We'll find her."

At supper that night Iroh, Jee, Toph, Aang, and Sokka all sat around the fire as Katara slept next to Zuko in the saddle. They ate their soup and fish quietly as the fire crackled into the stillness of the night. The orange and yellow flames flickered across the campsite, casting odd shadows on everyone's faces. Sokka was practically fidgeting in his seat as he waited for the rest of the group to finish eating so he could voice his idea for their next plan of action after they visited the Water Tribe camp.

"Sokka, seriously stop twitching or I'll pummel you to the ground," Toph grunted after she swallowed a large helping of her soup.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking to his feet shamefully. After that moment passed, he then sat up straight, surveyed the group and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Once they were all looking at him, he spoke up, "I think I know where we should go next."

"And where is that, Master Sokka?" Jee asked after swallowing a bite of fish.

"I think we should pay a visit to the fortuneteller that repredicted the prophecy," Sokka stated firmly. "She probably can help us out on what we need to do next and what to expect."

"Sokka, I don't think fortunetelling works that way," Aang chimed in before slurping some of his broth.

Iroh stroked his beard and smiled at the Water Tribe warrior. "I think that is a grand idea. Though I think you all should do that now instead of going to Chameleon Bay."

"What- Why?" Toph and Aang both said at the same time. Sokka just stared at Iroh like he was crazy.

"What do you mean 'you all'? Aren't you coming, too?" Sokka asked as he leaned forward and stared at Iroh with a confused glare. Jee appeared to be frustrated with Iroh's comment, but didn't speak on it.

"I believe that our time together shall be ending soon," Iroh stated matter-of-factly, if not with a twinge of sadness. "Jee and I discussed it and I think that it is time that he and I split from you all and stay here in the Earth Kingdom to recruit more troops for the invasion."

"Wait, so you want us to go to the Fire Nation alone and stay there for a little over two months? Are you crazy?" Toph said with a large scowl on her face, one that would rival Zuko's when he was in his worst of moods.

Iroh just shook his head and sighed, "You will not be alone. You will have each other. And the more people in your party, the more conspicuous you all appear. Five teenagers will attract less attention than five teenagers and two grown men. In fact, that would make us stick out like a sore thumb."

"I think Aang's arrows will do that enough for us, Uncle," Toph stated as she crossed her arms and exhaled exaggeratedly.

"That's the other thing," Jee spoke up. "You all will need disguises if you choose to go into public. Toph and Katara should be fine if they just get some Fire Nation clothes. Zuko might need to get an eye patch of sorts or wear some make-up, which I know he won't like. Sokka and Aang, you both need to grow out your hair."

"WHAT?" Aang stood up and glared down at the Lieutenant. "I will not grow out my hair! I can't do that! I will wear my arrows proudly."

"Twinkle Toes, he has a point," Toph said as pulled on Aang's sleeve to get him to sit down. "You're too recognizable with your arrows. Someone will spot you and we'll be arrested. If we want to infiltrate the Fire Nation, we have to blend in as much as possible."

Aang grunted in response as he crossed his arms and pouted. Iroh just shook his head as Sokka sat and thought about this new plan.

"So what are you guys going to do if we leave?" he asked the two older men.

"We'll travel to Chameleon Bay on foot to relay what's going on to the men of your tribe," Jee replied, setting down his bowl on the ground as he did. "Then we'll get some modes of transportation and travel across the Earth Kingdom, informing willing men and women of the invasion and begin gathering troops to travel to the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse."

"Will you have enough time?" Sokka questioned as he rested his chin in his hand.

Jee shrugged with one shoulder and leaned one arm onto his knee, "Maybe. We will have to be quick. Iroh and I will leave tonight and make our way to the bay. It should be about a day or two for a hike. If you want to make it to the fortuneteller and then get to the Fire Nation to do reconnaissance, I suggest you all leave in the morning after a good night's rest."

Sokka nodded and then turned to Toph and Aang, who were currently in a private conversation. He picked up bits and pieces, which mainly sounded like 'for the greater good' and 'to win the war'. Sokka guessed that Aang was being stubborn about covering his arrow, but Sokka wasn't complaining about growing out his wolf's tail. Aang just needed to suck it up and stop being immature so they could successfully pull off this invasion. He could just shave it off again before they actually went to Caldera City to fight.

Iroh and Jee both stood after a few moments and began to clean up their packs. After about twenty minutes, they both were ready to go. Iroh began writing out a scroll, most likely for Zuko to read when he woke up. Sokka watched as he walked over to the saddle and gently woke up Katara, informing her of the situation. She sat up and hugged the old man, then reluctantly stepped away from Zuko to give him and Iroh some privacy. She climbed out of the saddle and walked over to Jee, who was standing behind Sokka.

She hugged the Lieutenant and Sokka overheard their conversation.

"Take good care of them, okay?" Jee whispered.

"I will do my best," Katara replied.

"You know I see them like my kids, I would hate for either of them, or any of you guys for that matter, to be hurt."

"You can bet on my life that I won't let anything happen to any of them, you have my word."

"Good. Oh, and Katara?"

"Yes?"

"You're the best thing that has happened to him. Don't let him go."

"Sir?"

Sokka nearly laughed at her reaction. He knew who Jee was speaking of. How dense Katara was when she was tired was ridiculous.

"Zuko," Jee said softly. "Before you, he was an angry and hurt young man. But you have given him a new outlook and a more positive perspective on life. Without you, I fear he would have been lost forever. Take good care of him."

Katara must have blushed and looked away because she chuckled nervously like she always did when it came to awkward conversations.

"I see how he looks at you," Jee added. "You are his world. Make sure you don't forget it."

Katara chuckled again and said quietly, "I won't, Jee."

"And keep Toph in line, too. I feel without me around, she'll act like a hooligan once more."

"It's my job to be the parent to her now that you're gone."

Jee sighed, "She reminds me so much of my daughter. Keep her safe."

"I will."

A rustling of fabrics signaled that they hugged again and the fading footsteps told Sokka that Katara was making her way back to the saddle. Jee stepped into Sokka's line of sight and went over to Toph, who stood when he reached her and leaped into his arms, squeezing him tightly in a bear hug. Jee rubbed her back and placed a kiss on the top of her head, whispering something to her and smiling gently when she let go. Toph had begun to cry as Jee knelt down and kissed her forehead, then said something to her that made her giggle.

Then he stood and shook Aang's hand, saying something to the Avatar and then nodding. He turned and made his way to Sokka and knelt down in front of the warrior.

"I trust you will take care of this motley crew?"

Sokka nodded and smiled halfheartedly. He had grown to like Jee. The man reminded him of his father in a lot of ways, and also had taught him a lot about battle tactics and naval skills. Jee pulled something out of his boot and handed it to Sokka. It was an all-black dagger, sheathed in a leather case.

"My father gave that to me when I was your age," Jee said as he pointed to the blade. "It's supposed to signify leadership. I trust you to lead this group and keep them out of harm. Can you do that?"

Sokka looked up from the blade and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Jee smiled and clapped the young man on the back and then stood. After Jee had walked away, Iroh came over once he was finished with his goodbyes. He sat next to Sokka on his log and stared into the fire.

"Do you remember the date of the eclipse?"

"Yes, sir."

"Can I trust you to keep these kids in line until Zuko is better?"

"Yes, sir."

Iroh nodded and pulled something out of his sleeve. He handed Sokka another dagger, but this one much different than Jee's. When Sokka pulled it out of the sheath, he noticed the blade was an iridescent white, much like a pearl. And there was an inscription on the blade that read 'Never give up without a fight.'

"This is Zuko's," Iroh stated. "Make sure he gets it when he wakes."

Sokka snickered, "Why is everyone giving me knives here?"

"Because we trust you to guard them with your life. Can you do that?"

Sokka turned to the general and nodded with a wide smile. "I won't let you down."

"Good," Iroh replied as he stood and patted Sokka on his shoulder. He pulled something else out of his sleeve and handed Sokka the rolled paper. "This map has the location of the fortuneteller, as well as a map of the Fire Nation attached. It should be a five day flight from here, make haste so you can get to the Fire Nation as soon as possible."

Sokka nodded once more and tucked the maps into his bag behind him, along with the two knives. He stood with Iroh and then spoke softly to the man, "When you see my father, Chief Hakoda, tell him that Katara and I miss him and we can't wait to see him again."

"Of course, child," Iroh responded as he nodded. Soon, he and Jee had gathered their packs and had headed out of the camp. As much as Sokka wanted to join the two men so he could go see his father and the men of his tribe, he had to stick with Katara, Aang, Toph, and Zuko and take care of business in the Fire Nation before the eclipse. Once Iroh and Jee disappear amongst the trees, Sokka stood and followed Aang's and Toph's leads and headed to his sleeping bag. If they were going to be traveling tomorrow, they would need as much rest as they could get.

After being in the air for two days, Katara was beginning to feel restless. They all had agreed to land that night and considering that Appa was carrying two less people, they were already making great time on their way to Makapu village. According to Sokka and the map, if they stop tonight for camp and leave tomorrow morning as soon as they wake, they should make it to the village by tomorrow night.

"I'm hoping she's there," Sokka said enthusiastically. "She really can help us with this prophecy and what we can do with it."

"And maybe she can tell us when Zuko is going to wake up," Toph grumbled under her breath. "I'm sick of him being unconscious."

Katara looked at Toph sadly and then back down at Zuko, whose head was in her lap as she stroked his growing hair out of his face. In the past day, his face had contorted into an expression of pain, and Katara hoped it was because he was beginning to feel again. She was incredibly thankful, although she knew that sooner or later he was going to be feeling the entirety of his injuries.

"Me too, Toph," Katara whispered as she looked down at Zuko's face and sighed. "Me too."

Toph cheered up slightly and nudged Katara's shoulder. "His heart rate is getting stronger, and more even."

Katara smiled faintly and replied, "That's good."

Toph frowned. "You don't seem happy about that. What's going on?"

Katara lowered her head and shook it slightly before taking a deep breath, "When he becomes conscious, he's going to be in so much pain. His bones are healing, but there's only so much I can do. Bones are so hard to heal."

Toph just nodded and then looked back to the unconscious Prince laying across the saddle. She shrugged and then spoke clearly, "But at least he'll be alive."

It was midday when Mount Makapu came into view. Sokka had shouted out from Appa's head as he spotted the landmark that towered over the village of the fortuneteller. The three conscious benders climbed to the front of the saddle to see the mountain in the distance, awed by its sheer size and how it stuck out in the middle of an otherwise relatively flat terrain. The sun was starting to set in the sky when Sokka lowered Appa in front of the main gate of the village. Katara was surprised when she saw a man with white hair dressed in all black waiting for them patiently at the gate. Sokka and Aang slid down from the saddle and approached the man, who bowed to them.

"Aunt Wu has been expecting you, young Avatar," he said in a calm and even voice.

"Aunt who?"

"Aunt Wu," the man with slight humor, as if he had gotten that response before. "She is the fortuneteller of this village."

Sokka and Aang exchanged hopeful looks and then both turned back to the man. Sokka stepped forward and spoke to the man, "Is there any way she can come to us? Our friend is hurt and we don't want to leave him. She probably knows what it is about."

The man's eyes went wide and then he looked up to the saddle and then back to the two young men in front of him. He bowed again as he stated hurriedly, "I will inform her immediately."

With that, he shuffled back to the village and out of sight. Sokka turned back to the saddle, where Katara and Toph were both leaning over the edge of the saddle and looking down at their companions. Sokka just shrugged at them while wearing a wide grin.

Aang was impatiently rocking back and forth on his feet and whistling lowly when he heard the approaching footsteps. He turned back to the village and saw in the fading sunlight a woman walking towards them with the man that had greeted them.

When she got close, she looked at Sokka and then Aang. Her eyes darted up to the girls in the saddle and then squinted at them, her wrinkled eyes scrutinizing and observant. Her eyes went back to Aang and she bowed at the waist to him.

"Welcome, young Avatar," she said with an aged voice. "We have been expecting you for quite some time."

"Really?" Aang looked surprised.

"Yes," she smiled as she spoke to him. "I had predicted you would have come sooner, but something changed your path and you never came at the time I had foreseen."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Aang replied sheepishly as he rubbed his neck.

"It's not your fault," she said in a calm voice as she tucked her hands into her sleeves. "It's actually the young man in the saddle who I should blame."

"Zuko?" Sokka butted in and rose his eyebrow at the woman. He recognized the strange crescent and dot ornament on her head to be the symbol of the wise from the Water Tribes, but upside down. Her graying hair was pulled into an elaborate bun and she was dressed in long and flowing yellow and brown robes.

She nodded once and her wrinkled smile grew. "So Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation is the Phoenix? I can't say I am surprised."

"The Phoenix?" Toph piped up from the saddle.

Aunt Wu nodded and then gestured for them to follow her into the village. She looked down and spoke to Aang, "We have a stable where your bison can rest. We will get someone to move the Phoenix's body to a more comfortable bed in my home."

"Why does she keep calling him 'The Phoenix'?" Toph whispered to Katara. The waterbender just shrugged in response and looked down at Zuko, whose face had relaxed slightly since they had landed. She smiled softly and ran the back of her fingers down his good cheek, resting on his jaw as she stared at him thoughtfully. They were going to find out about this whole prophecy and hopefully when he was going to be opening his eyes soon.

Appa was led to a small stable, where a few sturdy looking men climbed up into the saddle and lifted Zuko out, after Katara barked at them to be careful because of his mending bones. They placed him on a gurney and carried him inside Wu's home, where all of their bags were being carried as well. At the request of Katara, she was placed in the same room as Zuko, for supervision purposes. She blushed at the thought that they didn't even question it, let alone make any comment that it was inappropriate. Her thoughts went back to when they had shared the sleeping bag on the way to Ba Sing Se and how warm and comfortable it had been. If Zuko wasn't injured, she would have been tempted to crawl under his blanket and cuddle with him like she had those weeks ago.

After settling in, Katara pulled some water out of the wash basin in her room and brought it to Zuko's left femur. She had skipped his thighs and went to his shins and feet the past couple of days because these were incredibly difficult bones to heal, due to their density and the fact that both of them had been crushed into multiple pieces.

Katara, herself, flinched when the bone first snapped back into place, but she wasn't expecting to see Zuko flinch in pain as well. She paused and stared at him, hoping for him to wake or move or something. But he went back to being stock still.

She sighed and returned to his healing, only to be interrupted by a knocking on her door.

"Come in."

She looked up and saw Aunt Wu enter, closing the door behind her. She knelt down next to Zuko and smiled graciously down at him, for reasons Katara didn't know. The woman placed her hand on his forehead and closed her eyes. For a few moments, the only sound in the room was their breathing: Zuko's shallow, Katara's anxious, and Aunt Wu's calm.

The fortuneteller pulled her hand away and smiled again, then opened her eyes and stared straight at Katara. Then she spoke softly to the waterbender, "He should be waking up soon. Don't worry, child. He will be fine. Weak, but fine."

Katara nodded as the woman stood but choked out before the woman could leave, "Aunt Wu?"

She turned around and looked at the waterbender as if she was waiting for the question. Katara swallowed and took a deep breath, then spoke, "What can you tell us about the prophecy?"

Wu just smiled and shook her head gently, "I cannot say at this moment. When the Phoenix wakes, it will be easier to see into his future, and the future of the world."

"Why do you call him 'The Phoenix'?"

Wu smiled cryptically and opened the door, "Why do you think, Katara?"

She left the room and closed the door behind her. Katara just stared disbelievingly at the door and looked back down at the comatose Prince, then back at the door. She never told that woman her name.

Pain. That's all he could feel. Every inch of his body was in agony, as if he was compressed into a tight space and then stretched out and then twisted, then the process repeated hundreds of times. He couldn't move any part of his body. His lungs felt like they had collapsed under a weight that was probably close to being comparable to Appa. Any and every breath he took sent shocks of pain to the very tips of his fingers and toes, making him want to cringe and yell out in his suffering. But he just couldn't.

His head was throbbing and spinning. No matter how much he tried, it just felt as if he was stuck in the middle of a tornado, twirling around and around as his body was pressed against the closest solid object. Anything that touched him sent an excruciating jolt of pain through him. He felt as if he couldn't take another moment of this tormenting punishment.

Every once in a while, a cold touch would flow over him, slightly calming him but also bringing him more pain. He felt as his bones were being snapped back into place, he felt as the marrow reattached itself. He could feel the nerves in his limbs coming back to life, more vivid and sharp as ever. Which only resulted in him being in more pain. But he never had the strength to protest against such healing. He wanted to just wallow in the slight pain he felt before, not wanting the throbs of healing bones to pulse up and down his body.

As he passed in and out of consciousness, he felt like he never really knew what exactly was going on. At first, everything was just black. No noise, not light. Just black. He didn't know where he was, or what was going on. He tried piecing together what happened before the darkness, but his mind was too fragile and too tired to try and understand what was going on. After a while, the darkness and silence faded to a slight tinting of light and muffled noises. It was then that he was starting to remember some things.

His mind thought of a dull green light. The red and orange glow of a fire. The blue eyes of a beautiful girl.

He felt his heart flutter and a warm heat spread through his chest. It wasn't unpleasant, in fact it was a fantastic change of pace from the misery he had been encountering since he became lucid. His thoughts of the blue eyes surrounded by tanned skin and chestnut brown hair made him want to fight to have the strength to see it again. Her smile, her laugh. He wanted to experience it all one more time. He gripped onto the thought of her as the pains returned. The blue eyes brought him back from the brink of giving up as the pain enveloped him. He didn't let go when it go tough, he just held on tighter.

After what felt like an eternity, he began to hear things more clearly. At first he thought an angel was speaking to him, but as he paid attention and focused on listening he recognized the voice to be singing to him. A low melody, barely a whisper out of the woman's lips. She sounded sad, and all he wanted to do was cheer her up. He wanted to hug her and kiss her and take the darkness away. But in his state, he couldn't do that at all. Not even for himself.

He slipped back into unconsciousness several times after that night, passing the time slowly and only waking slightly when a snap of pain shot through him. He thought for a moment he had moved when his leg was touched and moved, but he could have been dreaming. He heard voices again, but couldn't discern what they had been saying. Everything just came to him as jumbled words. He could only tell the difference between who had been speaking.

When he felt the pressure on his face, he wanted to scream. For some reason, this person's touch sent a spark through his body, igniting his once dormant inner flame and sending a blaze into his blood. He felt as if he should gasp out at the sensation, but like always his body was too weak.

As soon as it came, the pressure left and so did the flame. He collapsed back into the darkness once more. He didn't know how long he waited in the black, but he felt a dead weight descend onto his body. His limbs felt heavy and weak, also throbbing with a dull pain that could only be described as annoying and frustrating. His chest felt restricted, as well as stiff. He couldn't move his neck, but he felt all of the original sensations come back. His fingers and toes tingled and all he wanted to do was wiggle them, but he couldn't find the strength.

There was a faint whisper, and Zuko could finally hear exactly what she had been saying.

"…said that once you wake up, we can figure out the rest of this prophecy thing and then head to the Fire Nation once you're well enough to travel long distances. She told me the other day that you would be waking soon, so I haven't really left your side. She told me my fortune, too. She says I'm going to marry a powerful bender and die peacefully in my sleep. It's weird hearing these things, because they might actually come true. I like uncertainty, but it's also nice to have some kind of sense on what is going to happen with my life. I asked her what was going to happen with the war and she said she could not tell. She said, and I quote: 'Only when I look into the golden eyes of the Phoenix will I be able to tell you the rest of the prophecy.' And some other jazz about the end of it will be documented now that you are here. Apparently it was predicted that you would come to her in search of answers. It's weird how-"

"Katara…"

He felt the word slip out of his mouth in a small whisper, barely an inflection on a breath. She had paused in her little speech and he felt a pressure on his hand, squeezing the stiff limb.

"Zuko?"

His heart began to warm and his stomach began to flutter again. She was here. He used all the strength he had and forced his right eye to open. When he did, it adjusted and spotted her. The blue eyes that brought him through his pain were glistening with tears and a beautiful smile graced her heart-shaped face. He felt a smile twinge at the corners of his lips before the darkness slowly began to cover him again.

Before he felt his consciousness slip, he whispered, "Hey, blue eyes."

The last thing he saw was her smile widen as she half laughed and half sobbed and brought his hand to her face to kiss his palm. With a small smile, everything went black. But the warmth in his heart and the butterflies in his stomach stayed.

A/N This chapter was revised on December 19, 2013.

I don't think I can elaborate on how much I enjoy writing Jee. He was such an understated character in my opinion and had so much potential. I understand he was in, like, five episodes but I feel like he's my favorite minor character in the entire series. I envision him as a family man with a daughter almost exactly like Toph, so that's why I had him acting like a father figure to her. I hope you enjoyed that.

As for how Zuko died last chapter, the official cause of death was crushing of his spine by the earth. He was in the process of suffocating while the rock was crushing him, but the break to his spine was what did him in. I'm sorry I didn't elaborate on that enough, but it's hard for Zuko to be like 'oh I just died by my back breaking. Ow.' My apologies.