Yes I know.. it's been forever! I'm sorry! I have pretty much been working every day, and although I will literally write the chapters in my head at work, by the time I get home I'm so tired I either forget what I've come up with or so tired I just fall asleep and don't get to write! I sincerely hope you all like this chapter!

Chapter 35 – The Final Battle. Part 2

All around them the battle raged on. Toph sent yet another group of fire nation soldiers sky bound, a level of earth underneath their feet. Sokka and Piandao were locked in their own battle of swords with another group, while the rest battled off all the on-comers that had flooded the courtyard.

The battle went very much the same for Zuko, Katara and Azula. Though very much between Zuko and Azula, Katara got in many good shots of her own, and took a few from Azula as well. Shot after shot was exchanged, and as their battle continued, Azula grew more clumsy… more crazy… as if she were losing her mind. Zuko shot a well aimed attack, just barely clipping her ankle as she tripped out of the way. Azula gave a crazed laugh, her normally well combed hair wafting around her face.

"What's the matter big brother? Getting tired so soon?" She threw her hands out, sending a wild attack of lightning once more. Katara and Zuko dove either direction out of the way, a crack forming along the marble floor.

"Come out, come out Avatar!" the fire lord sent down crash after crash of fire onto Aang's protection, emphasizing his words with every hit.

"I'm going to kill every one of your little friends Avatar, all while you're hiding like a coward. I'll kill that pitiful boy with the swords… and the water bender, my lazy brother, and even that little earth bender…" Aang's eyes shot wide at his comment…blood roaring in his ears at the fire lord continued on. "…they'll all be gone. Even Azula will be of no use to me anymore. And then, I'll come back for you Avatar. I'll let you look upon the bodies of those you were to cowardly to save, and then I'll finish you-" With a burst of air and rock Aang's protection burst open as he shot up into the air, eyes and tattoos glowing violently.

His voice was a mixture of many as he bellowed down at the fire lord, who for once was actually cowering backwards. "You would dare to kill your own family? Those who have stood by you? The only coward here is you, Fire Lord." A torrent of rock, water, fire and air hailed down upon the Fire Lord, who used his own attack of fire to shield himself before retaliating back. Fire met fire midair as Aang's wind kept him aloft, the force sending both adversaries back a few good feet. Aang had finally turned the tables, sending the Fire Lord backwards, ever closer to the wall of stone. Even his most strong attacks, although now weakening from the long battle, were nowhere near enough to gain an edge on the Avatar, and the Fire Lord knew it. He lifted his hands up as another torrent of mixed elements rained down upon him in a tsunami of force.

"It's a shame I have to kill you brother. You would have made a great asset to our kingdom." Azula stumbled more as she threw out more wild attacks, each one more off than the last. She was tossed to the side as Katara shot another attack of water at her, gathering more from the ground as soon as the Princess fell. Azula climbed unsteadily to her feet, throwing more attacks at Katara, one of which would have caught her square in the chest had Zuko not jumped out in front of her to redirect her lightning, the bolt diminishing into the sky. In the same moment Katara had taken the opportunity to freeze the water around Azula's ankles, anchoring her to the ground. Azula yelled in rage as she attempted to pull her feet out, Katara freezing more water.

"Give up Azula. You've lost." Zuko's voice was steady as he called cross to his sister. In a moment of complete miscalculation on Azula's reaction to stand and pant heavily Zuko turned his attention to Katara, giving her a once over. "Are you okay?"

"Fine.." she wiped the sweat from her brown as Zuko turned, intent on taking a length of chain lying about on the floor to shackle his sister when a scream reached his ears. Everything happened so quickly he could hardly realize just what had happened. Azula began to move her arms, gathering a large attack of lightning, set on aiming it straight into Zuko's back, and by means of way, his heart. Katara, in a split second decision she could hardly even feel was her own mind and rather her body acting of its own accord, shot out her hands, freezing Azula in her place. The lips that had once been a maniacal laugh were turning down into fear as she slowly realized she could no longer move her own body.

Azula glared at Katara, their eyes locking as Azula let out a feral growl.

"You-little-peasant!" she grunted in frustration, as if trying to move against her own body, and Katara moved her hands again, leading Azula down to the ground. The princess had so fully exerted herself, and lost such a grip on reality that Katara could even feel it through her blood. Zuko took this opportunity to rush over to the curled up figure on the ground, chaining her arms behind her back, moving to chain her legs in the same fashion. He stood and backed up as soon as he had finished, placing a hand on Katara's shoulder. She kept her gaze on Azula, sizing up the entire situation, feeling for any chance of the girl regaining her strength before lowering her hands and slumping her shoulders forward. She turned her gaze to Zuko who wrapped her into a fierce hug, his face buried into her hair, almost muffling his relieved whisper.

"Thank you."

The roar of wind and fire died suddenly, making everything seem that much more quiet. The Fire Lord had been backed into the wall with great force, slumping down with what was sure to be a set of broken ribs. And as quickly as he gained sense of the deafening silence, the Avatar was upon him, a hand each placed upon his forehead and chest. In a feeling unlike any other sensation he had ever felt before, he suddenly felt empty. Aang had backed up and the Fire Lord attempted a shot forward, only to have nothing happen at all.

"What have you done to me?"

"I've taken away your bending. You won't be able to hurt anybody anymore Fire Lord Ozai." Aang's tattoos had faded, his eyes their normal grey once more. The look he gave the man was not even one of pure hatred, but rather of a stern warning. One look into those piercing eyes and the Fire Lord saw all the years of wisdom from centuries of Avatars. In one last exhausted growl he attempted to lunge forward, only to find himself falling forward, the world turning black before he even hit the ground.

Their numbers had been quite lucky indeed to lose no lives. Injuries yes, members no. The fire benders were not so lucky. Sokka had either arm slumped around Suki and Toph's shoulders, clearly favoring one of his legs. Zuko and Katara had just barely approached them when Zuko, and then Katara was swept into a tight hug from Iroh. He held onto Zuko the longest, Katara having slipped away to hug her father. The old man clearly was not planning to let Zuko out of his sight until he was sure he was completely alright. He moved to grip Zuko's shoulders, a proud twinkle in his eyes.

"I am more proud of you than I have ever been before Zuko…you will make a great leader." He pulled him into a hug once more, his sentimental whisper barely audible to any but Zuko. "I am glad you are safe…I consider you my own son and I couldn't bear to think of something happening to you."

..

Everyone was clearly burnt and bruised, the smell of burnt hair and cloth lingering through the air. As brother met sister, children met parent, and friend met friend in embrace, a breath of relief could be heard throughout the area. A rush of wind came from above as Aang landed softly among the group, Toph being the first to shove her way through, leaving Sokka to lean more on Suki for support, and wrapping Aang in an all too tight hug. Katara and Zuko approached tentatively, Katara's voice quiet as she looked to her friend.

"Is it done?.."

"Yea." Aang nodded, hugging Katara next. He was quiet for a moment, looking down, as he felt unsure before turning his gaze back to Zuko. "I took his bending away. He will never hurt anyone again." Aang gasped in surprise as Zuko moved forward to give him a hug, voicing his thanks.

It was just barely nearing sunrise as Katara walked out to the beach, seeing the shadow that was Zuko kneeling in the sand of the short. She slowly made her way over to Zuko, standing directly in front of him. She placed a gentle hand on his head and he looked up at her with tear soaked eyes, his face shining in the dim light. He pulled her down into a hug, Katara's own arms wrapping around him as she rested her head on top of his, allowing him to sob into her clothes. She felt tears prickle her own eyes as he continued to cry.

To cry for his sister and father and the battle that was over; to cry for the many who had lost their lives under the reign of his father; to cry that Katara had used the very power that she so hated; to cry that his uncle and the rest of his friends, or rather family now had survived; and to cry that the one thing he loved most in the world, was safe.

The battle… is over! Well at least that one any way haha. Now we just have to get the rest of the world to like the Fire Nation again… and vice versa. I really hope you all liked this chapter! RxR :)