Katara stared at the lake. Lake Laogai. It was quite beautiful, you know, for a secretly hidden base for the 'defenders of Ba Sing Se's cultural heritage'. "So," she said. "This base is under the water?"
Jet nodded. "There's suppose to be an entrance around here," he said.
Toph walked over to a spot and said, "There is. It's under the water." She jumped and spread her arms, making a long rock walkway appear. They walked down it and to the whole at the end. It led down into a dark hole.
"Well," Aang said, "Let's go." He jumped down the whole and Katara followed. Sokka was slower, as he was helping Toph, and Jet covered the rear.
Katara watching him with each step he took down the dark brick hallways. It was cold and damp as they continued down the hallway to a large room. They pushed the doors open and walked in, looking around. They didn't see much, as it was still very dark. But, as the door closed behind them and the lights came on, Katara wished the lights had stayed off. They were surrounded by men in green and black robes and rocks covering their hands. The Dailee.
They sprang at the group. Katara pulled out her knives she'd grabbed earlier, and blocked one of their attacks. There was no water on her, but Sokka carried a water skin and was using the water in that to fight. Katara sliced the blade across her attacker's face. He staggered back and she slammed his head against the wall, knocking him out. She turned and saw Aang and Jet race after another man. She started that way, but another Dailee agent blocked her path. She fought hard and long, knocking down more and more agents until she finally could escape.
She raced into the passage that Aang and Jet had run. It opened up into a stone room. Aang leaned over Jet's prone body. Katara rushed forward and looked down at him. He didn't look too good. "Was hit...from under," he said. "I'm...sorry I hurt you...Katara."
She knew he was trying to clear his soul before he died, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive him. He'd hurt her too much and she couldn't, just couldn't. "I know you are, Jet," she said, without a tear in her eye. Jet nodded in understanding and closed his eyes. He soon stopped breathing.
Aang looked up as Sokka and Toph joined them. "We need to find Appa," he said, though there were tears in his eyes. Aang was compassionate; too much sometimes.
Katara followed him as he raced through another doorway. They came to a bunch of cells. Aang went to the one with the biggest door and opened it to reveal...empty shackles. Appa wasn't there. Aang looked like he was about to collapse, the air left him so quickly, but Katara grabbed his shoulder. "Keep it together," she said softly. "We'll find him, but right now, we need to leave. The Dailee are going to arriving soon and they won't be happy we just took out most of their friends."
Aang nodded and allowed her to pull him out of the room. They reached a dead end soon enough, but Toph did her earth bending and made them an exit. As they crawled out of it and landed on the shore, they were once again surrounded by Dailee agents. "These guys don't give up, do they?" Sokka said.
"Doesn't look like it," Katara said, gripping her weapons.
"You might as well give up, Avatar," a man with a long braid down his back said.
"Who's he?" Katara asked.
"He's Long Fang, the guy running the Dailee," Sokka said.
Katara watched the agents make a wall of rock appear, their feet staying on it, trapping the kids. A flying lemur, Katara remember his name was Momo, flew in front of everyone, drawing their attention to it. It then flew up into the sun. After a moment, a larger shape appeared.
"Appa!" Aang cried happily as the bison burst through the Dailee's walls. Long Fang growled and rushed forward, which was a stupid thing to do, because Appa grabbed his ankle and threw him in the water.
Sokka, Aang, and Toph all hugged Appa, smiling. Katara just watched. Sokka turned to Katara and said, "Thanks for helping, sis."
She shrugged. "It's all right," she said. "What now, though?"
"We go to the Earth King and tell him everything that's happened. Long Fang has been manipulating him long enough and we need troops for the day of Black Sun," Sokka said.
"What is Black Sun?" Katara asked.
"It's the day a solar eclipse happens and the fire benders are helpless," Sokka said. "That's the day we march on the Fire Nation and overthrow the Fire Lord."
Katara paled. Zuko would be helpless that day. "When is it?" she asked. Sokka paused. By the look on his face, he believed he'd said too much. "Please, Sokka," she said. "I promise never to tell the Fire Nation. I just need it to protect Zuko. I gave my word I would do so. Please."
Sokka sighed and wrote the date on a piece of scrap paper he had. He handed it to he and said, "Don't make me regret it." He smiled softly. "Can we give you a lift back? Maybe you can help us tell the Earth King."
Katara shook her head. "I've been gone too long. Iroh and Zuko will be wondering where I've gone." She climbed onto Appa and they flew away, not seeing the two mentioned fire benders crawl out of the lake. They watched her disappear.
Katara was dropped off in front of her new apartment, having memorized the address before leaving the old apartment. She waved goodbye to her brother and friends. "Good luck," she said. They waved back and flew off.
Katara smoothed her hair and walked into her new home. As she opened the door, she saw Iroh leaning over an unconscious Zuko. There was concern on the older man's face. "What happened?" Katara asked, hurrying over to her friend. Zuko's face was clammy and pale. Soon, he would have a fever. "Help me get him to bed."
Once Zuko was stripped of his wet shirt, and put into his bed with a cold compress on his forehead, Katara turned to Iroh. "Now, tell me what happened."
The old man handed her a cup of tea. "Zuko found out where the Avatar's bison was being held. He went with the plan of capturing it, but had no idea of how to get him out or what to do afterwards. I followed him and challenged him to think about what he wanted and who he was. Zuko released the bison, but, when he came here, he fell unconscious."
Katara looked at Zuko and let out a shaky breath. "He is suffering because he's fighting himself?" she asked.
"Yes," Iroh answered. "I do not know how long it will be until he awakens, but it will not be a pleasant experience for him."
Katara nodded and smiled at the man who was like her own uncle. "You go to bed, Iroh. I'll watch over him."
Iroh paused a moment before finishing his tea and retiring to his new room. Katara looked at Zuko and refreshed the compress. "I'm here, Zuko," she said softly in his ear. "I'm right here and I won't go anywhere." She held his hand, shivering at how cold and stiff it was.
All through the night, she sat with him, talking to him about the adventures she'd had, changing his compress, giving him water, anything to let him know that he wasn't alone. That she was by his side. Hours later, even though she tried to keep her eyes open, Katara soon fell asleep, her head resting on his legs and her hand still holding his.
Zuko looked around. He was in the royal chambers, fire burning around him. A red and blue dragon were moving around him, giving him advice. "Sleep, Fire Lord Zuko," the blue dragon said in a voice much like Azula's. "Rest.
"No, Fire Lord Zuko," the red dragon said in his uncle's voice. "You must not listen to the Blue Dragon."
"Sleep," the blue dragon said.
Suddenly, the room vanished and Zuko was falling. He tried to scream, but nothing came out. He sat up in bed and looked around. He was at Uncle's new place, in a room that must be his. Zuko raised his hand to wipe the sweat away and felt something holding down his legs.
Looking, he saw that Katara had fallen asleep by his side. Her hand was holding his and her breath told him that she was still asleep. Zuko looked at their united hands. She'd stayed with him. She shifted in her sleep and mumbled, "Zuko."
He squeezed her hand, laid down again, and fell asleep, holding her hand in his. He didn't want to let go.
AN: How was it? I wrote it right after the previous chapter. I feel bad for not updating for so long, I made two chapters in one day. Hope it wasn't too short. Review, okay? Thanks.
