"When it gets cold

And it feels like the end

There's no place to go-

You know I won't give in."

-Avril Lavigne

I wake from a frightening nightmare covered in a cold sweat. I could dream about Aang being engulfed in flames every night for the rest of my life and it would never cease to terrify me.

Toph is already gone when I get up. I take advantage of the empty tent and use the opportunity to wash my hair and face. I change into my signature blue tunic and black leggings. If I'm going to die tomorrow, I refuse to be wearing Fire Nation clothing. I'll do it wearing the outfit that represents who I am; a waterbender.

Outside, the sun is about to be setting over the distant, rolling hills. We'll have to leave soon if we hope to reach the Fire Lord in time. Sokka and Toph are sitting beside Zuko and Iroh around a pot of what I hope is food. And I hope they left some for me.

I knew Iroh and Zuko would be on good terms right away. Iroh seems like a forgiving person.

I make my way over to them and Iroh greets me happily. "Lady Katara."

His genuine joy upon my arrival makes me smile brightly at him. "Hello, Iroh." I take a seat between him and Sokka, with Zuko across from me. Sokka passes me a bowl of soup that smells delicious. I have to remind myself not to inhale all of it at once.

"It's wonderful to see you again. I trust my letters were of use to you?" Iroh asks hopefully, but it's clear that he already knows the answer.

Again, I smile. "More than you could ever know."

"Letters?" Zuko looks up from his dinner, frowning. "What letters?"

Iroh flicks his wrist. "Oh, it's big kid stuff. Nothing you need concern yourself with, Zuko." He turns to me and winks.

Toph giggles.

Zuko is clearly displeased with his uncle's answer, but he doesn't say anything else on the matter. He gets right to the point. "Uncle, you're the only person besides the Avatar who could possibly defeat the Father Lord."

Toph lifts her head toward him. "You mean the Fire Lord?"

"That's what I just said." Zuko snaps. He can go from zero to any stage of anger in two point five seconds. No, that's not right. I think everyone can do that. It's just that Zuko doesn't have any issue with showing it.

But his slip up with words has reminded me of how nervous he must be to face his father. His father. I don't see how there's any way that Zuko could be responsible for ending his father's life. Even if said father has wreaked havoc throughout the world.

"We need you to come with us." Zuko urges Iroh. Again, I'm wondering why Zuko thinks that Iroh could defeat Ozai. I vaguely remember Zuko mentioning something to Aang during their firebending sessions about Iroh being nicknamed the "Great Dragon of the West" or some such. Now I kind of wish that I had been paying attention. But that was when Zuko first showed up at the Air Temple and I was still very much perturbed by his presence.

Iroh shakes his head. "No, Zuko. It won't turn out well." Somehow I knew he would say this. And now we're back at square one.

"You can beat him. And we'll be there to help." Zuko gestures between our group.

"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence; a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord." Iroh explains. I think he is the person who writes the fortunes inside the fortune cookies they give out in some Earth Kingdom restaurants.

"And then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?" Zuko asks him.

Rightful place? If that's true then how the hell did Ozai end up with the crown?

"No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor." Iroh pauses. "It has to be you, Prince Zuko."

Shock registers on Zuko's face. I had assumed all this time that Zuko intended to become Fire Lord, but he obviously didn't. I've been too focused on tomorrow to see what the future would hold given this outcome. I need to start looking at the big picture. Fire Lord Zuko, an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. I study him, trying to see him through this light that Iroh has presented.

An idealist? Well, he walked away from his entire life to do what he believes is right. Something that will change the world for the better.

A pure heart? Zuko's desire to help people isn't driven by reward or appreciation, but I think rather that he simply knows he should.

Zuko gets to the third point before I can. "Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes…"

I can't argue with that.

Neither can Iroh. "Yes. You have. You've struggled and you've suffered, but you have always followed your own path. You restored your own honor. And only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation."

Zuko looks down at his hands. I wonder if he knew how highly his uncle thought of him. My guess is that he didn't.

Toph finally blurts out the question that we've all been dying to ask, "Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?"

But Iroh has an answer for everything. "Sozin's comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

Aang will face the Fire Lord? There's so much wisdom in Iroh's voice that I'm inclined to believe him. But that does little to settle my unease about his disappearance. Where could he possibly be, then?

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus. To reconquer Ba Sing Se." Sokka concludes.

Iroh nods and turns his attention back to his nephew. "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there waiting for you."

Zuko's brow creases. "I can handle Azula."

"Not alone." Iroh warns. "You'll need help."

Almost immediately, Zuko glances up at me. "Katara?"

I feel like a kid in grade school, getting called on when they don't know the answer. I fidget for a moment. But I don't have to think too long because Sokka has apparently made my decision for me.

"Um…no?" He's giving Zuko this look like he's worried that Zuko has gone insane.

Zuko's jaw tightens. "I need her."

I feel my cheeks heat. What does he need, exactly? My amazing waterbending skills? A pep talk like I gave him before he spoke to Iroh? Or maybe just my presence? I don't know. But I am embarrassed and flattered and awkwardly thinking about contexts in which Zuko would actually say the words "I need you" to me rather than to my brother.

"Well I had her first." Sokka takes hold of my right arm, inching me closer to him. "So take a number, pal. Toph will go with you."

"Glad to know how disposable I am." Toph rolls her eyes and crosses her arms tightly across her chest.

"What do you suppose Katara and I do while Zuko and Toph take care of Azula?" Sokka asks Iroh.

Rather than answer, Iroh asks, "What do you think you should do?"

Sokka squints and considers the subject. "I think… even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the Fire Nation airship fleet that plans to burn down the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko still seems to be trying to think of an efficient way to argue his point about me going with him to Sokka. But when Sokka's in his big brother protective mood, really I'm the only one who can make him change his mind. So I sigh and say, "Sokka, think strategically about that. If you want to take down airships, made of metal, don't you want a metalbender with you?" He frowns, so I continue. "And if Zuko wants to take down a firebender, doesn't it make sense that he would bring a waterbender to do so? Water beats fire."

Zuko tilts his head. "I think we could argue a case that fire beats-"

I shoot him a stern look and he raises his hands in surrender, giving up that fight before he loses it. And before he ruins my argument for Sokka to let me join him.

Sokka is considering this. I know that in terms of battle efficiency, he agrees with what I've said. But the idea of us not being together during the comet…

If I weren't trying to focus on the big picture, I'd never let Sokka out of my sight.

"I'll be alright." I assure him.

He nods reluctantly. "Okay, then. Let's suit up, men."

Sokka is the only one who actually suited up. He's now wearing his wolf armor helmet, arm braces, and greaves. Piandao lent Toph and Sokka an eel hound to travel with. The creature is enormous, atleast eight feet tall with a long and thin dark green body. Piandao assured them that nothing could run or swim faster than an eel hound. They'll need to move as quickly as possible if they hope to infiltrate the air fleet in time. It's located on an island off the coast of the Earth Kingdom.

I wished Toph luck and she punched me in the arm. That is true sentiment and I know that she loves me. I'm glad that Aang found her and that she's part of our little family now. And I'm glad that she and Sokka will have eachother for protection tomorrow. Toph is the only other person besides myself that I trust to keep Sokka safe. And I know she would keep Aang safe, if he were here. I watch as she climbs into the eel hound's saddle.

Iroh gives Zuko a hug, which I think is a very nice sight. Iroh is so sure in his prediction of a victory tomorrow that it's almost impossible not to believe him. But I am preparing myself for all outcomes.

Zuko has this look of placid determination on his face when he puts the last of our belongings in Appa's saddle.

Everyone is ready and everything is in place. But I am lingering and so is Sokka and now there's nothing else left to do or say except goodbye. I can't bring the word to my lips, though. We stand in front of eachother nervously not looking at the other or speaking. There are a few hushed whispers from nearby tents, but I know that Toph and Zuko and Pakku and the others are watching this exchange of silence between us. They're waiting on us.

But it's impossible to look at your last living relative knowing you're about to part ways and might never see them again.

Finally Sokka says, "Katara, everything will be alright." I swear, if I didn't know, I would think it was my father saying that to me.

And then I sort of throw myself into his embrace and tell him I love him and he pats me on the head. "I'll see you soon." I say. It's more like a command. Because not seeing eachother again is unthinkable.

"Let's put the Fire Nation in their place." He smirks and then we part ways.

Zuko is sitting behind Appa's head, holding the reigns. I take a seat in the saddle.

Iroh is beside Appa. He looks at Zuko and then at me. Then he is smiling up at me like he's having a good-hearted joke with himself at my expense. Like he knows something that I don't. And he is the fortune cookie man, so I'm sure this is true.

I smile back. "Goodbye, Iroh."

He addresses the four of us. "Goodbye, everyone. Today, destiny is our friend. I know it."

That's a somewhat comforting thought.

My eyes meet Sokka's, where he's sitting at the front of the eel hound saddle holding the leather reigns. He nods to me.

Let's do this.

The sun fully disappears soon after we're in the air. I lie on my back in the saddle and stare up at the sky. I wonder how long before Sozin's comet enters the atmosphere. Will it make me feel any different; weaker somehow? Or does it only affect firebenders?

I watch the stars whir by, stuck somewhere on the brink of unconsciousness but never quite asleep. I keep seeing an image of Aang with his tattoos and eyes lit up, almost blindingly so. His face is not his, because Aang would never look so angry. But I suppose one would have to be somewhat distressed to feel that much power in their body. I keep asking the image questions. What are you doing, Aang? Where are you? What are you going to do tomorrow? What if I don't get to tell you goodbye? What if something bad happens to one of us? What if you defeat Ozai and nothing changes? What if Sokka and Toph can't stop the air fleet and the Earth Kingdom is burned away?

He doesn't answer. He just stares at me angrily with his eyes glowing blue.

I stay in this haze of non-sleep with Aang glaring at me for atleast two hours, finally roused back into reality when I realize Zuko is beside me, shifting through our belongings.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" He asks.

I turn onto my side. "No."

"Oh." He hands me a red blanket and clears his throat. "Um, you were shivering."

"Thanks." I whisper before accepting the fabric from him. He shrugs and leans back against the edge of the saddle, turning his gaze to the sky around us. He frowns deeply. So I ask, "Are you worried about facing Azula?"

"No. I'm worried about Aang."

Well that makes two of us. Maybe we should stop worrying just long enough to actually come up with a plan. What if Azula has an army with her, what do we do then? If one of us… is incapacitated, what do we do then?

"What if he loses?" Zuko asks.

Now I'm frowning. "Aang won't lose. He can't…" Not so much that he is immune to loss, but rather that if he does lose, the rest of us are so screwed that it's unfathomable. "What if we lose to Azula?"

This seems to amuse Zuko. "Then I imagine she'll be pretty pleased with herself."

I finally wrap the blanket around myself. "Yes, I imagine she would."

"Katara, I need you to remember something, alright? Something I used to tell myself atleast ten times a day." He still seems strangely amused.

I blink rapidly. "What's that?"

I'm expecting some sort of dramatic pep talk or encouragement or even something about his need to find Aang, but he says instead, "Azula always lies."

I make a face. "Okay, Zuko." I drawl. "Azula always lies."

"Don't forget." He warns, but his voice is soft.

Yeah, yeah, I won't. So that's our only plan then, huh? That Azula is not to be trusted? I'm pretty sure I could have inferred that.

"Katara?" I hate how my name sounds so good coming from his lips. "About the other night… I just-"

"Don't." I say sternly. I don't want to go there right now. Remembering that night makes it hard for me to think properly. There are more important things to focus on than Zuko and his lips and tongue and strong grip and the way my body responds whenever he's near me. "We can talk about it later."

He frowns in a way that asks, what if there isn't a later?

I just look away. Because we're too far into this for failure to be an option.

Zuko perks up after a moment. I lean over the edge of the saddle to get a better view of the sky. The comet must be entering the atmosphere because even though it's the middle of the night, the sky is a bright sort of pinkish orange color. It's actually kind of pretty. I don't know what I had been expecting, but it wasn't that.

I lay back down and Aang starts glaring at me again, only now the sky behind him is orange rather than black. Zuko lies down, too, and I wonder if he'll be able to sleep now that the comet is affecting him. But it's been a long three days, so it's best that he tries. Maybe if Aang would stop glaring at me I could fall asleep, too.

"Katara." Zuko shakes my left arm, startling me out of my sleep.

I sit up abruptly, swinging my arms out to my sides. "What is it? Are you hurt?" My heart is hammering against my chest. Zuko is sitting cross legged with his hands folded in his lap. I frown at him. "Don't do that!" I'm too paranoid and anxious right now to have someone shaking me awake like that.

"Sorry." Zuko mumbles. "We're almost there."

I pull myself onto my knees and look down past Appa's big feet. I can see the red building tops that suggest we're in the capital city. Only a few miles left until we reach the palace. I sit back and brush my hair out of my face. "Are you ready?"

Zuko raises an eyebrow, suggesting something along the lines of "uh you're the one who just freaked out when I tried to wake you, I think it's you we should be concerned about."

I busy myself with putting my water sling over my shoulder and tucking our things away on the saddle.

Zuko takes the reigns again and signals for Appa to descend. The palace is enormous, surrounded by different building structures all with red roofs and gold trimmings. I wonder what it would be like to grow up in a place like that.

Appa lets us down at the end of the courtyard that leads up to the palace. Zuko has that look on his face again, the sincere determination. I take one look at the giant building in front of us, imagine all of the guards who could be inside and then I turn back to Appa.

"Appa, you need to get out of here." I tell him.

He lets out a low whine and I can tell that I've hurt his feelings. He turns to Zuko and I know he's remembering the time that he found me tied up in rope in the orchard. And I know he remembers that it was Zuko who did it. He bumps his big nose against my arm, trying to tell me that he needs to stay and protect me.

But I refuse to let anything happen to him. So I say, "Aang needs you. You have to go find him."

Appa looks somewhat conflicted.

"I'm okay. Go find Aang!" I assure him, giving him a firm pat on his nose.

He whines again before taking off into the sky. Atleast I was able to keep one of us safe.

I follow Zuko up to the palace. The long courtyard stretches in front of us, leading to a tall set of stairs. I can just barely make out the figures at the top of them, huddled beneath an awning. I thought usually coronations were a big deal. I figured there would be a bunch of people here. Doesn't make much sense.

"Where is everyone?" I ask Zuko.

He shrugs, probably wondering the same thing. We cross the rest of the courtyard in silence. I feel eerily calm. Like somehow, being here on this day at this time was what I have always been meant to do. Maybe Iroh was right about this fate stuff. I was always meant to end the war.

As we near the steps, I can more clearly make out the figures above them. Azula is on one knee, almost like a bow. There are several Fire Sages behind her. And the High Sage is standing directly behind her, holding the large, gold fire crown in his hands. We're close enough that I can hear his voice.

"By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord-" The High Sage cuts off when he sees Zuko and I approaching. He pulls the royal crown back into his chest, like we may somehow tear it from his grip from all the way over here.

Azula's eyes snap open furiously and she turns back to face him. "What are you waiting for? Do it!"

She follows his gaze, her eyes landing on Zuko as he strides up to her. Her face contorts with rage. Zuko pauses at the base of the steps leading up to her. "Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today. I am."

Azula starts to laugh, clutching her stomach as she does so. As we get closer, I can see that her bangs are shorn crudely, almost like someone hacked at them with scissors. Her eyes are wild and somewhat bloodshot and suggest her lack of sleep. The look doesn't match her easy laughter. "You're hilarious." She says simply, grinning down at her brother.

I step up beside Zuko, narrowing my eyes at her. "And you're going down."

The Fire Sages look nervous and confused, but still the man holding the crown reaches forward, trying to pin it in Azula's ponytail. She holds her hand up to stop him, "Wait." She eyes me thoughtfully. I can't tell if she's surprised or not that I'm alive. She rises to her feet and walks toward us, keeping her eyes trained on me the whole time. I can practically see the wheels in her mind turning. She flicks her eyes to Zuko. "You want to be Fire Lord? Fine! Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!"

"You're on." Zuko says coolly.

I jerk my head back to him, lowering my voice as I ask, "What are you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take us both, she's trying to separate us."

"I know." He says quietly. "But I can take her this time."

"But Iroh said that-"

"There's something off about her. I can't explain it, but she's slipping." He turns to me. "And this way, no one else has to get hurt."

I can feel my heart beating too quickly, but I nod anyway. And when I glance back up at Azula, she's smiling at Zuko in a way that makes me uncomfortably nervous. But, as Zuko suggested, there is something off about her. Like she's on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Azula descends down the long stair case. Zuko and I cross to the far side of the courtyard that will be their makeshift arena and Zuko takes the time to give me a final warning. "Stay back."

I frown at him, folding my arms over my chest as he saunters into the middle of their arena. I guess I could do that. But I'm not going anywhere. Azula is clearly crazy and I know she's planning something. She always is. And if I think for a second that something is going wrong, I'm joining in.

I take note of the fountains on either side of the courtyard with great relief. My water sling won't be enough. Especially not when Azula's firebending power is enhanced by the comet.

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother." Azula practically spits out the last word, as if she's disgusted to admit that she and Zuko are related. She tosses her cloak off to the side, revealing an armored battle outfit.

Zuko bends into his attack stance, the one I've seen countless times before. "No you're not."

Azula gives him that smile again and I take a few steps closer, despite Zuko's advice. I don't like that smile.

Azula raises her palms in the air. After a second of preparation, she spins in a full circle and unleashes an enormous line of blue fire. Zuko leaps forward, bringing his hands together to create an equally powerful blast. Their attacks meet in the middle, bursting up dozens of yards toward the sky. The red and blue fire clashes, each trying to overpower the other, and for a moment I feel like I'm in a trance as I stare at the flashing colors, unable to peel my eyes away.

The attacks are unrestrained and fierce, setting fire to the buildings that surround us. But I refuse to back up. I'm already wary of the fact that Azula is closer to Zuko than I am. But I think Zuko was right about being able to take her. He quickly counters every attack, making Azula fight to keep up. He steadily holds his ground, completely unlike the last time I saw them fight, when he scrambled around on top of the airship, trying to dodge her flames. He's confident and collected now and I really think he's going to win this thing after all.

But Azula is the least of my worries. Sokka and Toph are attempting to disarm airships right now, trying to prevent the destruction of the Earth Kingdom. Did they infiltrate one and take down the soldiers inside? Did they have help? Did they even make it there in time?

What about Aang? Are he and the Fire Lord battling right now? Is Aang winning? Which one of them has the upper hand? It's easy for me to imagine Aang struggling to keep up with Ozai. He's just a kid, he lacks the years of experience that the Fire Lord has. I imagine Ozai relentlessly and viciously attacking Aang, taunting him and reminding him that he's the only Air Nomad left. Telling him that he's going to die, that we're all going to die and there's nothing he can do about it. Aang would try to ignore him, try not to let the Fire Lord's words get to him, but they probably would anyway.

But maybe… if Aang got upset enough he could enter the Avatar State. Then it would be Ozai struggling, trying to get out of the way. I can hope.

The fire attacks around me stop for a moment. Azula is on one knee trying to catch her breath. But Zuko looks as ready as ever, his fists still held in front of him. He punches down with his right fist, sending two spirals of red fire out in Azula's direction. She leaps out of the way just in the nick of time and Zuko's flames go whirring past her.

She glowers at him and propels herself forward on the blue fire, speeding towards him as attacks burst from her fists. Zuko dodges them easily and the red and blue flames dance around eachother again. Azula circles Zuko on her blue flamed feet and for a moment, I lose sight of him. Nothing but bright, burning blue fills the arena.

I start to panic when her flames die out and I see Zuko on his back. But I realize that he's just using his feet to firebend. The red flame attack that he bends is wide and low to the ground, aimed right for the blue fire around Azula's feet. It successfully knocks into her, sending her face first into the ground. She knocks hard into it and the force makes her bounce off the earth and roll backwards a few times before finally stopping.

I nearly laugh out loud.

Zuko is clearly the better player here. But Azula is nothing if not persistent. She climbs to her feet as quickly as she can manage. Her shorn hair falls around her face and her chest heaves up and down. She has the angriest scowl on her face.

"No lightning today, Azula?" Zuko taunts her. There's the Zuko that I know and hate. He takes a deep breath and positions his arms in front of him.

I almost smirk, but I don't think it's a good idea to tease someone in her state of mind.

"I'll show you lightning!" Azula sputters, moving her arms in long gestures toward the ground. Electricity sparks from her fingers.

Zuko bends at the knees, readying himself for her attack. Azula draws her left arm across her chest and I see her hesitate as the blue sparks surround her.

Her eyes lock on mine.

She draws her arms into her chest and presses her right arm forward. And suddenly a jolt of blue lightning is headed right toward me. It's more powerful than any I've ever seen. I force myself to remember what Zuko told Aang about the redirection of lightning. But I was so mad at him that day, I wasn't even listening! Why didn't I listen! There was something about your stomach and your chi and holy shit I am so dead.

It feels like slow motion as I turn on my heels, trying to throw myself out of the way.

I hear Zuko shouting. He dives in front of the blast and his body curls forward. His right arm points upward and the electricity shoots from his fingertips as he redirects it out of his body. There's no way that was all of it. He crashes to the ground and his body spasms, blue sparks of electricity bursting around him. He curls his knees into his chest. Another burst of static. And then he stills.

Everything stills. Even the air.

I feel sick. And dizzy. Like I might faint.

The water from my sling wraps into a healing glove around my hand before my brain has time to process the action and I'm running forward, running to Zuko with my arm outstretched. I think I yell his name. Nothing in my head is making sense right now. My body and brain aren't acting together. My feet aren't moving fast enough.

Something knocks into me, spinning me around once before I fall onto my butt in a daze. My hand is burning.

I see Azula and my mind snaps to attention, forcing itself to think clearly. I realize that it was her blue fire that knocked me over. If I hadn't had the healing glove around my palm, my hand would likely be burnt black right now.

"It's no use." Azula says sharply. And then she breaks into maniacally laughter and I roll across the ground to dodge a burst of lightning. I watch as she walks over to where Zuko lay on the ground. She nudges his chin with her boot. I yell at her to get away from him. "What does it matter? He's dead."

I blink up at her, too stunned to do anything else.

She laughs again and steps over Zuko like he's a piece of trash on the sidewalk. "Zuko always was a fool." She says thoughtfully. "How does it feel to know that you're the reason he's dead?"

I don't answer.

"Everything else went so perfectly. He wasn't supposed to jump in front of that lightning. He was supposed to let it kill you." She grins at me, walking closer.

I frown.

"He told you about my father's plans for the Earth Kingdom right?" She giggles. "I bet you believed that."

I swallow thickly, feeling my pulse quicken.

"And you sent your precious little Avatar out there, didn't you? Not knowing that my father would be waiting for him. Waiting to kill him." Her eyes flicker to the left.

I follow her gaze. In the distance, a pillar of blue light is beaming into the sky. The very same one I saw the day that Sokka and I rescued Aang from the iceberg that had held him captive for a century. And suddenly I feel this crushing weight of pain and fear press into my shoulders as I realize that is must be the Avatar power leaving Aang's body. I don't know what happens when an Avatar dies, but I fear that pillar of light is part of it.

I knew I was right to not trust Zuko. If I had been more adamant about not letting him join us, maybe Aang would still be alive. How many times do I have to make the same mistake? I suspected it all along. Just like the first time. I am such an idiot. Maybe the guilt finally got to him and that's why he jumped in front of that lightning. Doesn't matter much now.

Fire bursts in front of my feet and I barely have enough time to scramble backwards out of its reach. Azula gives me a wicked grin. Her palms are alight with flame. But I just don't have the will to fight her. There's no use now, anyway. If Aang and Zuko really are dead. Probably Toph and Sokka, too. We've lost. There's nothing left to fight for. Who cares what happens now.

"Too easy." Azula whispers happily to herself.

I almost don't hear her because Zuko is yelling at me in my head. I have this strange, nagging feeling in my chest. Like there's something I'm forgetting. But I can't make sense of it with Zuko yelling at me like this. I can't even understand what he's trying to tell me. Something about me being stupid and stubborn and never listening to him.

Azula cackles.

Zuko stops shouting, thank the spirits. His voice is just a whisper in my mind now: Azula always lies.

I glance over to where he lay on the ground.

Then I stand up. "What are you laughing about? You haven't won yet, bitch."

Azula starts to sputter furiously, like she's choking on something. "How dare you speak to me that way you-"

I don't get to hear what she was planning to call me because the explosion of fire drowns out her voice. I call up the water from the nearest fountain and send a wave crashing toward her.

I have to somersault out of the way of her next attack. And then she's behind me and I have to act quickly, bending the fountain water into ice under my feet so that I can move faster. She chases after me with her blue fire, burning and melting away my only source of water. Her fire power is unlimited and I don't stand a chance against her right now.

I dive behind a wooden pillar on the plaza in an attempt to hide from her. I can hear the electricity sparking as she conjures up another bolt of lightning. I barely have enough time to leap from my hiding spot to the next pillar before she blasts the one I'd been standing behind. The force of the blow sends me crashing onto my knees.

But the spirits are definitely on my side because there's a metal grate beneath my palms. And below it, a huge supply of rushing water. But it's still not enough to overpower Azula's firebending. I'll need to immobilize her.

I jump to my feet, searching all around me for something that will help. There are lanterns lit all across the wall, strung up with chains. That outta do it. I run for them and yank the chains down just as I hear Azula approaching.

"There you are, filthy peasant!" She seethes, staggering forward. She looks a mess and the insanity in her eyes is unmistakable. I pause and twist the metal chain once around my wrist.

The only thing that separates us is the grate covering the sewer water. All I need is for her to step over it.

She narrows her eyes at me and I smirk in response, just before sending a group of water whips in her direction. She jumps forward, shoulder rolling out of the way of the attack. She lands on her feet, crouched down right in front of me.

Her fist is immediately in my face and I can already see the blue fire emanating from it when I raise my arms in the air, bending the water from the sewer around us and freezing us inside it. Now neither one of us can move.

After a brief pause, I breathe through my nose, heating the ice that surrounds me back into water, allowing me to move once again. I do so slowly and carefully, so as not to allow Azula to do the same. As the ice melts around her arms, I wrap the chains securely around them, knotting them once, twice, and then a third time for good measure.

I tug her body down forcefully and loop the metal chain through the grate, pulling hard so that she's on her knees with her arms bound behind her.

Finally, I bend the water around us back into the sewer.

We both cough as we struggle to regain our breath again after holding it for so long. Azula fights against her restraint and I knot the chain through the grate a few more times. There's no way she'll be getting out of that. She continues to fight it even after I've taken off into the courtyard.

Zuko is still lying on his side when I reach him. I kneel beside him and gently pull him on to his back. He has that innocent look again, just like he did when we were in the North Pole.

"C'mon, Zuko. We both know I couldn't get rid of you that easily." I whisper as I bend water gloves around both of my hands.

Zuko's robes are open and burnt where the lightning struck him. The wound on his stomach is ghastly; red and purple and zigzagging in shape. And it's dangerously close to his heart. I press my palms to it, focusing every bit of my chi into my hands and healing him. After a moment, I start to feel light headed.

But Zuko grimaces and I almost laugh with relief. His brow furrows and he groans.

"You're so stupid." I tell him quietly.

He tries to smile and I have to swallow hard over the lump that formed in my throat.

"Katara…" Zuko whispers. I think to scold him for trying to speak. He shouldn't be wasting his energy. But I watch as he shakily lifts his right arm in the air. "Look…"

I turn to the direction that I think he's pointing in, somewhere up in the sky. A huge, red phoenix swoops across the sky, looking as graceful and powerful as I always imagined it would. I'm grinning like an idiot now and I can feel my eyes starting to water. Because I know this is my father's way of telling me that everything will be alright.