Just an Ordinary Girl

--------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I own nothing in "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and make no money from writing this. If I did, I wouldn't be so poor.

Note(s): Sorry for the long wait between updates! I've been really busy with things. Like, life and whatnot. I'm also plotting another story which I'll try to put up really soon. So, you've got that to look forward to, too. Yeah! Well, it looks like this story's nearing its close. (This is the final numbered chapter.) I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think!

---------------------------------------------------

Just an Ordinary Girl

Chapter Twenty-Five: Confession

--------------------------

Katara was particularly happy that day. Her father was home, her brother was content, her good friend was out of the hospital, and she had the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. It was weird to think about things in that light. She had a boyfriend. Prince Zuko was her boyfriend. It gave her chills when she thought about it. The idea was like a dream. Only, it wasn't a dream. It was real and was her life. She now felt she had to be one of the luckiest girls in the world.

She stood in front of her bathroom mirror, running her brush through her thick wavy hair. Zuko was going to arrive in less than an hour. He wanted to see what her home was like, and to just be in her company. The thought made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. He enjoyed her company. Someone who could have the hottest singers and supermodels with the ring of a bell wanted to spend his Friday night with her in her shabby condo. It was almost too good to be true.

In the short time she had spent with him she had learned a lot about the prince. He had a cold, aloof exterior, but deep down he was a caring, decent human being. She learned he was very attached to his mother, who had recently passed away, and his uncle who left the family to start his own small business. However, he never did speak much about his father. Katara knew better than to press into it, feeling it was probably a little too personal to be her knowledge. He also had a very interesting relationship with her friend, Aang. She found out about that when it was all over the media that the two of them were canoodling at the banquet she had attended with Zuko. Yet there was still so much about him she didn't know.

Half an hour later she was primped and ready. She had settled for her best pair of faded blue jeans, a light turquoise camisole, and bamboo open-toed wedge sandals. Just as she parted her hair to the right and clasped it back with a barrette the doorbell rang. Smiling, she padded to the door and opened it, her cheeks flushing pink when Zuko stood before her. He carried a single red rose. Quickly she let him inside and took off his windbreaker to hang on the coathook. Then she showed him to the living room and took a seat beside him on the sofa.

"Cozy place," Zuko told her with a smile.

"Thank you," she nodded. "It's been my home for as long as I can remember."

"It's different," he commented, settling in as he draped an arm across her shoulders. "I've spent so much of my life in homes the size of shopping malls, a place like this feels foreign."

"Does it ever bother you?" She asked quietly.

"Does what?"

"Living in such big places," she replied. "Doesn't it feel like a waste? It's not like your family is all that large."

"I can't complain," he told her. "The houses were built long before I was born. The one here was built by my great grandfather, Sozin. I've never known anything else."

"Would you ever feel comfortable living with someone in an apartment?"

"Depends on the person."

"…Me?" Katara offered with a sly smile.

Zuko grinned. "Well, with that then there wouldn't be much of a choice. I'd live in a cardboard box."

"You're such a dweeb," she laughed and shoved at him playfully.

"Prince Dweeb!" He grabbed her and pulled her part of the way onto his lap.

They looked at each other for a moment, smiling. Katara's cheeks were flushed, her lips parted slightly. Zuko smiled and leaned in, capturing her lips in a soft, chaste kiss. She kissed him back, gripping onto his shirt. As the kiss deepened, he reached into his pocket for the oil he had found. Figured it would be good for getting her into the mood. Just as he got his hand around the bottle his cell phone rang. Katara made a surprised sound and slid off him. He cursed aloud and dug into his back pocket.

"Hello," he said into the phone once he flipped it open, giving Katara an apologetic look.

"Hey Zuko, it's me," Aang was on the other line.

"Hey, can you call back later? I've got something going on…"

"No, I can't, it's important." Katara arched a brow at him when she heard Aang's voice through the earpiece.

"Spill."

"Azula's out to wipe you and your dad from history so she can have the family's fortune," Aang told him. "I read her plan on her blog. She had it set to her friends, but I was able to hack through."

"Really now?" Zuko bit his lip as he considered this information.

"Have you found anything suspicious lately?"

"Well, there's this bottle of massage oil…"

"Don't open it!" Aang snapped. "She mentioned that she booby-trapped several things. That could be one of them."

"…Alright…." Zuko made a made a face as he tucked the bottle farther back into his pocket. "Anything else?"

"We need a way to expose her. A confession or something. It needs to happen tonight. The longer she's out there, the more likely you are to get killed," Aang's voice sounded extremely urgent. "And I won't always be there to take it for you. So….I know you're at Katara's. I'm coming over to help. You two think of something. You'll have plenty of time for mushy stuff later." He hung up.

Zuko looked at his phone for a moment before he snapped it shut. "Well now…"

"What's wrong?" Katara looked worried. "That was Aang?"

"We'll have to postpone tonight's originally planned festivities…."

"What's going on?"

"Azula's desperate to get rid of me and dad. She's booby-trapped several things. One of them I almost used just now…." He looked away out of embarrassment as he said this.

"Smart, Zuko," her tone sounded chastising, but she was smiling.

"Aang's on his way over," Zuko told her. "We have to find a way to get her caught before she can do any real harm."

"Well….." Katara tapped her chin, thinking for a moment. "She obviously wants you poisoned. So she'd be delighted to hear that you suddenly got sick and could be dying."

"Yeah…I guess…."

"Don't you have a friend in the media?"

"Yeah, Jet," He blinked. "Why?"

"You're going to fake your own death, and it'll be the perfect bait to lure Azula out."

"How are we going to do that?" He didn't look so sure.

Katara grinned. "I've got an idea."

Azula laughed and fell back on her bed. Mai and Ty Lee were on either side of her. The three of them had just returned after a fashion show. They had delighted in tripping a rather famous model, sending her off the catwalk in a fit of tears. Now after several cocktails, they were relaxing as they awaited her brother's fate. She smiled at the two of them. They were going to get such tremendous awards when all was said and done. Tonight was their night.

"It's only a matter of time, girls," she told them with a smirk.

"Isn't he at her house now?" Ty Lee chirped.

"He is," Azula nodded. "Soon they'll be in the throes of romantic passion and then….BAM! Lights out for our little lovebirds. From then on it's smooth sailing. The whole world at our fingertips."

"You're so clever Azula," Ty Lee nuzzled against her. "You really do know how to get everything."

Mai was the only one who looked mildly worried. "It might not go through. They could figure it out."

When they were children, Mai, Azula, and Ty Lee would always play together. In elementary school, Mai had developed a small crush on Zuko. It never really went anywhere because he was unsure of his feelings. Despite her current infatuation with Ty Lee, she still had the small spark for him. The whole time Azula had begun to plot against him it had concerned Mai. However, if it meant that it would also get the girl who stole his heart out of the picture, then so be it. If she couldn't have him, nobody could either. It sounded selfish, but Mai wasn't known for being all that charitable. So if Zuko had to go the way of his mother, then that girl had to as well. That was the only fair way.

"Mai," Azula rolled her eyes. "We know you don't want your little childhood crush sleeping with the fish, but come on. He's not exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier."

"Yeah," Ty Lee took Mai's hand and gave it a subtle reassuring squeeze. "There's no way. Don't worry…Afterwards; everything will be for the best. You'll see." She gave her friend a kiss on the cheek.

"Maybe you're right…" Mai considered. "As long as that vile wench gets what's coming to her."

"That's the spirit!" Azula crowed and pulled her friends in for a tight hug.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

"I wonder who that could be…"

"Get down Zuko!" Katara hissed.

"Yeah! Don't leave your bush!" Aang chuckled.

"Alright! Alright I'm hiding!" Zuko grumbled as he crouched behind the shrubbery in front of Katara's house.

"You ready, Jet?" Katara asked the people who stood behind several trees across the street.

"Good to go!" Jet replied, giving them a thumbs up.

"Sokka, you and Toph got them on stand-by?"

"Yep!" Sokka held up his phone.

"Showtime."

When Aang arrived Katara told him her plan. He thought it was perfect. She had called Azula, in a fit, using Zuko's phone, and asked her to come take a look at him. Azula agreed and was on her way over. Katara and Aang were going to corner her. They were going to get her worked up enough so she would blurt something out that Jet would catch. Hopefully, it would work. Just as they were all settled, a limousine pulled up and a door opened. A burgundy stiletto-heeled shoe stepped out.

"Something wrong with my brother?" Azula said, trying to sound worried.

"Thank goodness you're here!" Katara ran to her, putting on the best dramatics she could to sound like she had been crying. "I don't know what to do!"

"What happened? Is he alright?" Azula made a face when Katara buried her face in her shoulder, and patted her on the back.

'Hey Azula," Aang approached her. "We don't know what's wrong. He just…collapsed. The hospital is on its way. But I think he might be…."

"Don't say it!" Katara exclaimed over her shoulder.

Aang walked up closely to Azula, looked her square in the eye, and whispered. "I think he might be….dead."

"Really?" Azula pursed her lips. "You don't say…."

"No! He can't be! He was just fine!" Katara shouted, purposely trying to make a scene. "He's not dead!"

Azula pointedly ignored Katara and pushed her aside. "What do you think could have done it?"

"It looks like he was poisoned," Aang replied.

"Hm? Such a shame…"

"It's funny…." Aang commented, and Katara also paused in her pretend-bawling to look at him. "First there was the shooting attempt….and now this? It looks like someone's out to get him."

"My brother does have his fair share of enemies," Azula shrugged. "The whole family does."

"Yes but….The one doing this is clever….They have to be an insider," Aang pointed out. "Someone with contacts inside the estate. Know of anyone?"

A slow drizzle began to fall. Clouds had built up to show rain was going to come for the last couple of days. Azula showed no signs of concern. "No idea."

"I have to give them credit. It's all very well thought out. I'm impressed. After all, the security measures they had to get through…." Aang was pacing back and forth. "Unbelievable. Truly an amazing feat."

"What're you talking about, Aang?" Katara asked, quietly.

"I mean, it's brilliant! Getting up to that room…The precision of how the gun was aimed….If I hadn't heard the shot you can just bet it would've gotten him. The person is clever…." Aang told them. "Hm…Maybe it was that host who showed Katara around? Sumire?"

"Hmph…Yeah right…" Azula scoffed. It was hardly audible.

"It's all so devious….I'm baffled as to how anyone could've accomplished it. And I can't think of a single person…."

"It doesn't matter now!" Katara wailed. "They did their job!"

"I'm sorry Katara…" Aang pulled her in for a hug. "Whoever did it….Wow…."

"You all are such saps….Stupid….silly….saps…." Azula grunted shaking her head. Her hair matted to her face by the slow rain.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Azula asked, after looking around to make sure no one else was there.

"What is?" Katara blinked, sniffling.

"There's only one person with that kind of knowledge and precision…"

Aang bit his lip. "…Who?"

"Who? Who?" Azula snorted. "Me, you idiot!"

"No!" Both Katara and Aang gasped in unison.

"Yes!" Azula exclaimed, stomping her foot. "And I'm glad! My brother was an ungrateful, undeserving, moron. He wouldn't know how to handle the family business! Dad's genes were wasted on him!"

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked quietly. "Zuko's…great…"

"Great? Oh, please." Azula shook her head, showing how annoyed she was for having to spell it out for them. "Zuko was nothing more than an idiot, weak, mother's boy. He was a brat. He didn't deserve his inheritance. Should've been put out with Uncle Fatso."

"But…Princess…." Katara looked scared. "Why?"

"You know what?" Azula snapped. "I'm glad he's gone! Even though I wish he'd been burned up along with that house! But no, mom cared too much about her precious little boy. Even though I was left to find my own way out of that mess. She didn't go looking for me! Well, good! Now they can rot together in the spirit world! And now with them out of the way getting to my dad will be a piece of cake! Then this whole estate will be mine!"

"We're going to stop you," Aang said flatly.

"Yeah, you're not getting away with this." Katara added with a bitter look.

"What are you going to do?" Azula said in a mocking tone. "Call the police? Go on ahead. I'll make up an elaborate story. They'll move on to another victim, and to make sure you don't go blabbing anymore I'll just have to silence you too. As you can see by poor Zuko's fate, I'm quite good at it."

"If we told…"Aang's voice went quiet.

"You'd….kill us?" Katara's tone showed utter disbelief.

"That's right, I would." Azula scoffed. "You brats are worthless to me."

Aang began to chuckle. "Thank you, Princess…."

"What?" Azula blinked, her eyes wide. "Why?"

"You told us what we wanted to hear," Katara had a grin a mile wide.

"What?" Azula darted about. "What's going on?"

"I got it all on film!" Jet shouted as he came out into the street. "Recorded on audio too! The morning news will love this!"

"Who are you?" Azula shrieked, moving so quickly she slipped and fell into a puddle.

Suddenly, half a dozen police cars pulled up. Lights and sirens going. Several uniformed men stepped out, pointing their guns at her. The leader came forward and picked her up so two others could grab onto her.

"Princess Azula," the man announced as the other two officers handcuffed her. "You are under arrest for the murder of Lady Ursa, and the attempted murder of Prince Zuko."

"Attempt?" Azula shrieked. "What?"

"Hello Azula," Zuko came out from where he had been hiding to join Katara and Aang, a grin spread across his face to match theirs. "Those cuffs look good on you."

"Zuko! You filthy wretch!" Azula struggled as the officers pulled her towards the car. "You'll pay! The three of you! I don't go down easy! I-" Her screams were muffled as the door shut and she was locked inside.

"You two did great," Zuko told them as he kissed Katara on the lips and flashed Aang a smile. "I can't believe she fell for it."

"I'm just that good of an actor," Aang laughed. "I must say, that was quite an award-winning performance."

"Guess the summer theater camp paid off for me," Katara giggled too.

"If I did die, I do hope you don't make a scene quite that bad…." Zuko told her. "I felt like I was about to be sick."

"Alright," she kissed him on the cheek.

As the cops drove off with Azula, the three of them grinned and waved. Jet smiled at them and held up his backpack filled with equipment and footage and mounted his motorcycle. He gave them a quick wave before speeding off down to his office. Sokka and Toph gave them all hugs and high-fives as a taxi pulled up to take the two of them to Toph's house. It wasn't long before the street finally cleared and the three of them were alone. The rain had finally stopped.

"Hey," Katara took both of them by the hand. "The night's still young. Let's head back inside. We can raid Sokka's movie collection."

"Sounds like a good idea," Aang nodded, smiling.

"Best double date a guy could ask for."

"Zuko!"

----------------------

Note(s): Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Last bit will be coming soon. Please review!