Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA or LOK
Chapter Eight: The Fight
The icy air burned Zuko's lungs as he took another painful inhale of the crisp snow storm that was starting to overtake the colorful skies before them. He and Katara were hot on the tails of the four people who had just kidnapped Korra.
Zuko wasn't sure what their motives exactly were or how they found out who the child was. Maybe they'd been paying close attention to the White Lotus' work these past couple of years. It wouldn't be a huge surprise that someone else was also looking to capture the Avatar and use them for their own personal gain. His great-grandfather Sozin had tried to do it to Aang– it was bound to happen to the next one.
While Zuko shot fire blasts in their direction, he couldn't help but peek at Katara. The waterbender, with all of her might, bent discs of pure ice from around her and fired them at a rapid rate in the direction of the group. It was times like this the Fire Lord was vastly impressed with her bending and the raw power she possessed. Katara definitely wasn't someone to mess with– especially when you attempted to hurt her loved ones. And although she didn't quite know Korra that well yet, Zuko could tell she had formed an instant bond with the child and would do absolutely anything for her.
"It seems like Zaheer is the only non-bender and their leader," Zuko mentioned as they ran side by side, his hands cloaked in fire that continuously shot to deter the kidnappers. "What does he even want with the Avatar?"
"I don't know, but all I care about right now is getting Korra back," Katara answered fearfully. "Quick– I'm going to try to slow them down, just get ready."
"Ready for what?"
Katara didn't give Zuko much time to process as she paused and proceeded to bend the water beneath the running kidnappers into ice– causing the four kidnappers to stumble across the slippery surface Katara just created. As Zaheer fell, his hold on Korra grew loose. The child, using her own inexperienced waterbending skills, managed to bend a stream of snow at his face. Zaheer cried out in surprise, letting go of his hold on the child, allowing Korra to wiggle free from his tight grasp and run with all of her might towards Zuko and Katara.
The Fire Lord proceeded to use a stream of fire to propel himself up in the air, sending a fire kick their way, before landing on the surface and summoning a ring of fire right behind Korra as she ran forward. It was an attempt to slow them down and allow Korra to make a break for it.
"Ghazan! P'Li! Hold them off!" Zaheer directed urgently to the earthbender and the firebender. "Ming-Hua, help me catch the Avatar! Alive, might I add!"
Ming-Hua smiled wickedly as her water tentacles attempted to latch around Korra's foot as she ran. Meanwhile, Zuko began to face off against P'Li and Ghazan. The Fire Lord consistently dodged their attacks the best he could, jumping out of the way explosion and the rocks being shot in his direction. He attempted to send a couple of fire balls their way, trying to deter them in any way possible.
This is when Katara came running up from behind Zuko with her water whips at the ready. While the others were too busy trying to get Korra and take out Zuko, Katara jumped forward and used her water whips to whack Ghazan and P'Li straight across. The two benders went flying backward as Katara landed beside Zuko, her face full of determination and not a single hair out of place.
"Woah," Zuko whistled as Katara came to his side. "That was….ah…well it was– hot."
Katara raised her eyebrows and placed a hand on her hip. "Spirits, you reveal your feelings, and, suddenly, all that's there is just a horny teenage boy."
The light mood was short-lived as the two benders turned their attention to where Zaheer and Ming-Hua were trying to catch the young Avatar.
Korra was fast, so it was no surprise she was giving them a bit of a run for their money, but she was still a child. Zuko and Katara dashed to the child's rescue while they left the other two unconscious benders to recover from Katara's water whip. This bought them some time.
Zuko rushed forward first and sent a blast of fire in Ming-Hua's direction, surprising the waterbender. However, she instantly used her water arms to start trying to take out the Fire Lord. Zuko cloaked his own arms in fire as he fought back against her, fire and water fighting back and forth.
It reminded Zuko a little of his battle with Katara in the Crystal Caves of Ba Sing Se. Not his proudest moment, but he could see Ming-Hua was a powerful bender. They all were powerful benders– especially P'Li and her combustion abilities.
As Zuko fought with Ming-Hua, Katara fired a stream of water at Zaheer. The bald man dodged it, still blindly determined to take Korra. However, Katara kept firing. She could feel the angry urge to just knock him clean off his feet. Her blood boiling at the fact this man wished to kidnap a child and do spirits knows what with her.
Katara then shot one large stream of water at Zaheer– right smack in the middle of his chest. This knocked the wind out of him as he flew back, his body crashing against the snow. Once their leader was out, it allowed Katara to get a head start as she ran forward to reach Korra– whose eyes were wide with terror as she slipped towards the older woman.
The two met midway and Korra instantly jumped into the arms of her soon-to-be waterbending teacher. The girl sobbed as she clung to Katara's parka, clambering all over her while the waterbender shushed her and held her in a comforting hug.
"Master Katara!"
"I got you, Korra. You're safe," Katara soothed, rubbing the child's back and keeping herself on the defense. With Korra on her hip, Katara was able to bend a block of ice beneath Ming-Hua, knocking her over as she battled with Zuko. The Fire Lord proceeded to use his bending to light up an entire wall of fire to protect themselves before running over to Katara and Korra.
"Are you two okay!?" Zuko asked worriedly as he stalked forward, his arm coming around Katara's side and his free arm reaching out to check on Korra, brushing some of the girl's hair back.
"We're fine, but we need to get out of here," Katara stressed, motioning to where the four were starting to stir and get up again.
"Couldn't agree more. I'll summon Druk but as I do that, we need to run," Zuko said, jerking a thumb in the direction of the city. "Hopefully, the others should be here any moment."
Katara nodded as the three made a break for it. They got rather far before an explosion between the two adults caused Zuko and Katara, who was still holding Korra, to fly off to the sides.
Zuko fell in a heap while Katara curled into herself, trying to break most of Korra's fall. The two then looked up to see the four were restlessly making their way in their direction.
Katara then bent a wall of ice, trying to slow them all down. However, P'Li busts through it with her explosion while Ghazan began to throw rocks of lava in their direction.
"Come on," Zuko hastened, grabbing Katara's hand and Korra's– the group scrambling to get as far as they could away from them. Zuko and Katara both sending defensive fire balls and spikes of ice.
"You will not get away!" Zaheer boomed as Ghazan managed to bend a wall of lava in front of them, stopping the three in their tracks. "Give us the Avatar and no one will get hurt!"
"Never!" Zuko seethed as he proceeded to fight back against the group, sending blasts of fire in their direction.
"Stay behind me, Korra," Katara warned urgently as the little girl hid behind her skirts. The waterbender proceeded to join in with Zuko, using up most of her energy to fight back against the three benders.
P'Li managed to fire an explosion right in front of Katara and while she was able to block it, the waterbender didn't notice the spikes of ice that were coming right in her direction.
Zuko did. The Fire Lord noticed this and rushed forward, sending two whips of fire in the direction of Ghazan and then one in the direction Ming-Hua's spikes of ice.
The adrenaline coursed through Zuko's body as he pushed Katara and Korra down with all of his might– the two tumbling to the snowy ground as he proceeded to send out another whip of fire to melt the ice spikes. It worked, for the most part. However, the Fire Lord in his state of worry managed to miss one spike of ice.
One, that in a split second, managed to get past. It was also in a split second that Zuko felt something sharp pierce through his lower abdomen. The force of the blow forced all the air out of his lungs and caused his body to collapse against a nearby snowbank. His head snapped back against the cold. He could feel an oozing sensation of warmth in the center of his abdomen, which oddly made the rest of his body feel like it was starting to freeze. It felt as if the cold was overtaking his entire body– like the tundra was claiming the Fire Lord as its carnage.
Spots of black clouded his vision against the colorful background of the southern lights that were streaking the sky in magnificent colors. He could feel snowflakes hitting his cheek, but Zuko didn't seem to care as he welcomed the darkness. His mind flashed with thoughts of Izumi, Katara, and Korra. He heard his Uncle and Mai's voices echoing it was alright, that they'd be reunited soon enough.
As his eyelids dropped and the blackness soon clouded his entire vision, all he could hear was Katara screaming his name….
Katara.
The night after they faced Yon Rha, the stars had shined brighter in the sky than they had in a few days. Since they departed for their mission, there were constant storm clouds and when it was time to finally face the killer of Katara's mother, the gray clouds burst with thunderous rain.
Now, everything was silent. Still. The only sound to be heard was the echoing of crickets and the shuffling of his feet and Katara's as they made their way back to Appa. Zuko's mind was still whirling from the raw power he'd observed Katara demonstrate in the last twenty-four hours. Whatever she did to that guy on the ship and the way she made the rain freeze around them– it wasn't like anything he's seen before.
She was extraordinary.
Katara hadn't said a word since she let Yon Rha go. In fact, she didn't even seem to acknowledge that Zuko was there or anything around her for that matter. She walked in a mindless fashion– letting the heavy drops of rain pelt the surface of her skin and absorb into the fabric of her clothing.
Zuko respected the girl's wish to remain silent. He wasn't sure if he could help her in any way at this point and he wasn't close enough to Katara to even know if it was okay to ask. Despite her being able to find some closure tonight, Katara still needed to heal before the closure was fully there.
As they approached Appa, Katara climbed the bison quietly and proceeded to take the reins. She tried to exhibit a position of strength, but Zuko could see how she struggled to sit up. There were dark circles under her light eyes and her complexion was pale. Katara looked sick and Zuko worried that she may have come down with something, but he also knew that she was in no shape to be in charge of steering Appa.
"Here. Let me take over," Zuko spoke up, breaking the silence between them as he climbed up into the saddle right behind her.
Katara's back was turned to him as she prepared to get ready for their take off. "I'm fine."
"No. You're not," Zuko stated firmly.
"I don't need your pity–"
"It's not pity, it's common sense. You need rest," Zuko scolded, narrowing his eyes at her. "You've been up for hours and you just went through with something big…Now, please. Let me take the reigns. Try to go to sleep."
Katara didn't say anything for a second before she finally turned around. Her expression was emotionless. "Okay."
Zuko nodded as she moved past him to sit in the saddle and the banished Prince took over the driver's seat.
"Appa won't make it to the campsite. He needs rest," Zuko declared as he took the bison's reins securely in his grasp.
"Well if he can't make it, where do you propose he go?" Katara asked skeptically as she tried to settle herself in the bison's saddle.
The firebender bit his lip in thought for a moment, thinking of their coordinates. That's when it hit him. "I know a place. Somewhere safe, where no one will find us."
The waterbender didn't question him or say anything as he proceeded to fly Appa far away from the island. Far away from Yon Rha and far away from the terrible memories unleashed this night.
As they flew, Zuko would once and a while look back on Katara to check in on her. She had bent the water from her soaked clothes, but the fact she'd been wearing them for quite a bit gave her a chill. He could see her teeth chattering and her body shivering as she tried to fall asleep.
"What are you looking at?" she snapped, irritated by his frequent glances in her direction.
"I can help warm you up," Zuko suggested, making the water tribe girl pause and look at him in shock.
"Warm me up?" Katara repeated slowly, causing Zuko's eyes to widen in realization and his cheeks to tint with pink.
"No! Not like that I just– I'm a firebender. We're very good at emitting heat…."
"Oh." Katara didn't say anything as she stared at Zuko blankly.
"Trust me, I'm just trying to help," Zuko insisted awkwardly, innocently holding a hand up. "That is if you do trust me."
After a beat, the waterbender quietly got up from where she'd been sitting and made her way to the spot right next to Zuko. She sat beside him, trying not to get too close as they flew wordlessly into the night.
Neither of them tried to talk. How was someone supposed to engage in any kind of small talk after what they just did? The only things that could be heard were the low grunts Appa would give once and awhile, and the whistling of the wind as they flew high above the clouds, illuminated only by the light of the moon and the stars.
"You know, I wanted to kill him."
It was Katara who finally broke the silence. Her voice was rough like gravel and her eyes were dead, starring straight at the sky before them and not even making an attempt to look at her partner. It surprised Zuko that she even wanted to talk about what just happened. "I wanted nothing more than to kill him…I actually wanted to kill him…And I blood-bended….I did that."
"But you stopped yourself," Zuko pointed out, adjusting Appa's reins in his hands. "You didn't kill him."
"Still," Katara muttered, shutting her eyes tightly in shame. "The fact I even–"
"You didn't," Zuko cut her off. Katara cautiously studied him and tried to figure out what he had to say next. "Don't beat yourself up like that. You're only human and besides, it takes a lot more strength not to kill."
"What happened to the boy who was out for blood?" Katara raised her eyebrows. "The one that understood revenge?"
"What Yon Rha did…He's a monster. He's one of the many monsters and demons that have come from my nation's cruelty. I know what evil he was capable of. What he probably did to other families like yours," Zuko stated darkly, his grip tightening on the reigns. His jaw clenched in anger and his eyes blazed with a furious fire. "If you did kill him, I wouldn't have judged you. Not after all the pain and suffering he's brought you and your family. Like I promised, I was going to stand by you whatever you chose to be fit. If ending his life was that route, I would've helped you do so." Katara's ears perked up at this comment as the firebender continued. "But the fact you were able to enact the strength not to kill. Not to act out on that instinct…It takes a lot more strength and bravery than you think."
"No matter what I did, it wasn't going to bring my mother back," Katara's voice cracked as she reached up to touch her mother's necklace. "She's still dead."
Katara tried to swallow her tears the best she could. She refused to cry in front of Zuko. She wanted to bend her sorrow back into her body, keep it there, but the dam had broken and she could feel all the pain and all the grief she's had to bury these last few years burst through the cracks. That's when the waterbender let out a pained sob as she buried her face into the palms of her hands.
The moment Katara's sob ruptured through the night air, Zuko wasn't sure what to do. He knew she was due for a cry and without thinking about it, he gently reached out and placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder as an act of comfort. He didn't know if she'd shake it off or curse him out. Katara deserved to, but instead, she collapsed against him and began to heave even louder with agonizing sobs.
Zuko felt the guilt course through him. It should be Sokka or Aang comforting her over this– someone close to her. Someone she loves dearly, not someone from the nation that murdered her beloved mother. Better yet, the ex-Prince of said Nation. The son of the man who ordered her mother's execution. Anyone but Zuko.
However, he was all she had right now.
"Hey, shhh it's okay," Zuko soothed tenderly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and gently hugging her to him– trying to show her it was okay to use him as a human handkerchief. "Just…Let it out."
Katara cried until there were no more tears to cry. She cried until the exhaustion of the day and what happened finally succumbed her to the point her body gave in to sleep like a machine running out of steam. Soon, she was fast asleep against Zuko's chest. The firebender kept her steady, keeping an arm around her as he steered Appa. He could feel her cheek lulling against his collarbone and one of her hands had a loose grip on the fabric of his shirt.
The banished prince didn't mind, after all, it was the least he could do as he directed Appa to Ember Island. His family's old vacation home was sitting in darkness and was thankfully still abandoned, just like it'd been when he last left it. It would be one of the safest places for them to hide now.
In the morning, Zuko planned to leave early and bring the others here. Hopefully, give Katara a few hours to herself to heal and think.
As they landed in the courtyard, Zuko was careful in making sure he would not wake the sleeping waterbender. Gently, he let her rest against Appa for a few more moments while off the bison. Once Zuko was certain Appa would be situated and well sleeping in the courtyard, he climbed back on to fetch the sleeping girl.
With whatever strength he had left today, Zuko managed to get Katara off the bison rather effortlessly. After biding Appa a quiet goodnight, he carried Katara's limp form towards the household. She felt oddly light in his arms as she curled further into him, nestling her head against his chest.
He brought her to one of the spare rooms, the one right beside his old room– that way he could be nearby tonight if she needed someone. He wasn't sure if she'd be running to him anytime soon for comfort again, but just in case.
With one hand, Zuko stripped back the sheets and carefully lay Katara on the soft bed. The waterbender's face showed a sense of contentment as he pulled the sheets up to her chin. He then headed to the trunk at the edge of the bed with the extra blankets and proceeded to place a nice, heavy, warm quilt over her body and tucked her in.
"Zuko?"
The firebender stopped what he was doing to see Katara's blue eyes were opened halfway.
"Thank you," she croaked before her heavy eyelids got the best of her and brought her back into a deep sleep.
Zuko didn't say anything. He simply nodded, brushing her loose hair out of her face for a moment before leaving the bedroom, allowing himself to finally get some sleep and for Katara to feel at peace.
It was in that pivotal moment, Zuko vowed nothing like that would ever happen to Katara again. When they'd win this horrid war, his nation would never inflict this kind of agonizing pain on another individual ever, ever again. He would help restore the Fire Nation to its former glory in whatever form he could. Whether that was under Iroh's rule or another…He would make the Fire Nation a place of respect. Of safety. They would no longer spill innocent blood and they would work towards bringing peace again. It's the least his country could do after tearing families apart for centuries.
As for Katara, he hoped they could become friends, and if she could find it in heart to forgive him, he'd make sure the Fire Nation or anyone else would never hurt her again. This went for any of Team Avatar– Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Suki…And Mai. Mai, who had sacrificed herself so he could get away. The moment this war is over he's going to have to gravel on his knees to get his ex-girlfriend's forgiveness as well, but she was worth it. They all were worth it.
He would fight to keep them safe. That was a promise.
And it was a promise he'd keep for the rest of his life. Even if it cost him his own life...
"ZUKO!" Katara screamed bloody murder the moment she watched his body lifelessly hit the ground. He lay there, unmoving, and despite being able to see the rise and fall of his chest, Katara knew his breathing was shallow and slow. The white snow beneath him was starting to be stained a bright crimson. He needed medical attention. Fast.
Katara tried to reach him in a blind furry. Her boots stomped hard against the ice and snow, but was stopped the moment an explosion blew up right in front of her face, all thanks to Combustion Lady. It kept her grounded as the mysterious group closed in on her and Korra.
"You have nowhere to go, Master Katara," Zaheer crooned as he and the three benders inched in on her. He stepped froward first and reached his arm out, as if he was offering Katara to take it. "Now, if you want to heal the Fire Lord, hand Korra over and we'll be on our way."
"Mr. Fire Lord," Korra whimpered as she hid behind Katara's legs, quivering as she looked up at Zaheer.
Katara growled, gritting her teeth as her chest heaved. "You will not take her. You'll have to pry her from my dead body before you ever take her."
Zaheer was dispassionate at her response. "Very well then, you leave us no choice."
And just like that, it seemed all three benders were about to blast Katara to smithereens. In fact, they probably should've, it was one against four. The waterbending master prepared for whatever was to come– whatever that fate may be.
That was until a boomerang hit right smack in the middle of P'Li's head, rendering the firebender unconscious. Katara blinked furiously and turned to see a crowd of people come running their way. Sokka was at the head of this battle with Suki. Koda, Anna, and Tonraq were among them as they ran towards their enemies.
"I did it again! Did you see that, Suki!?" Sokka exclaimed eagerly, jumping up and down like he was a kid again.
Katara heard a large rumble above to see it was Druk alongside a giant steel blimp. At the head of the blimp was Toph in her metal bending police uniform. The earthbender stood at the helm with a giant grin on her face while members of the metalbending police team stood behind her.
"We got you surrounded!" Toph boomed from above, pointing a finger in Zaheer's general direction. "Hands up where I can see them or die trying!"
"Guess we have to," Zaheer spoke slowly to his group, his voice monotone.
"Give up now or face the severe consequences," Katara seethed, getting into a bender's stance as she summoned a stream of water around her– ready to fire it at any moment.
However, Zaheer just laughed. That's when he raised his arms up in the air, as if he was going to give up, when he motioned for his cohorts to attack instead.
Katara knew this was probably going to happen as Ming-Hua threw a couple of ice spikes in her direction, which was promptly blocked by Katara with an ice wall. The waterbending master then quickly turned to Korra, who was scared out of her mind.
"Go to Zuko. Stay with him. I need you to keep out of harm's way," Katara told the Avatar gently.
Korra shook her head furiously. "No! I won't leave you!"
"I know, but Lord Zuko needs someone to be with him right now, and I know you'll protect him," Katara said, cupping her cheek.
Korra's eyes widened in realization and then nodded. "I'll protect him with everything I got, Master Katara."
"Good girl." Katara managed to smile at her briefly before her face shined with fear as they began to break down the wall of ice. "Now go! Take cover!"
With that, Korra ran while Ghazan fired shots of his lava bending at Katara's protective ice wall, melting it right through. Katara deflected the shots as she battled against the strongest members of this group. P'Li was still knocked cold out and was being defended by Zaheer as he went head to head with Suki and Sokka. He was skilled with a blade, that's for sure.
Toph, who couldn't see too well with the snow, stayed aboard the deck of the airship. However, she directed members of the metalbenders, lead by Lin, to come swinging down on their cables. Katara felt relief seeing her best friend's daughter as Lin came running on the ground, instantly picking a fight with the lavabending earthbender.
"I've been dying to fight the world's best waterbender," Ming-Hua drawled as she inched towards Katara. The two waterbenders got into a fighting stance as they circled one another. "You should probably go save your little Fire Lord. He doesn't look too good," she cooed eerily, her lips forming into a vicious smile.
Katara didn't say anything as she held her ground, forming a water gimbal around her body. Ming-Hua seemed agitated by this as she extended her water arms and formed water whips, swirling around in an attempt to strike Katara. She had formed ice at the end of these tentacles, trying to hit the waterbending master in any way she could. As they fought, Ming-Hua managed to knick Katara right across the cheek. This caused the sensation of warm blood to flow down Katara's cheek and the wicked, echoing laugh of Ming-Hua to cackle through the air.
Ming-Hua was quick, that was certain. She was swift and much younger than Katara, so she had that advantage. However, Katara had skill and the strength.
With a defining push, Katara was able to sweep Ming-Hua by her feet with her own water whip, causing the woman to fall back hard against the snow. That stopped Ming-Hua momentarily as she broke the ice, only fighting back more furiously against Katara.
Katara then made eye contact with Suki, who seemed to know exactly what the waterbender would need help with. Her sister-in-law was currently trying to help her husband, son, and daughter defeat Zaheer. The older Kyoshi Warrior nudged Anna, who then looked towards her aunt and smiled.
Anna looked the most like Suki with her reddish-brown hair and green eyes, except with her father's dark complexion. As much as she was like her parents, especially her mother, she spent a lot of time studying under Ty Lee and grew to become a similar spirit as the Kyoshi Warrior. This included being extremely proficient in chi-blocking.
Ming-Hua delivered a forceful strike of a water whip to Katara's stomach. This smacked the air out of the waterbending master as she fell to the ground for a moment. Ming-Hua attempted to end her there and then with a spike of ice, but Katara quickly tumbled away before she could get her. Briskly, Katara jumped up and got into a fighting stance, smacking Ming-Hua with a water ship.
"Guess the world's best waterbender can be defeated," Ming-Hua challenged as she and Katara circle one another again.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Katara hissed, her hair now hanging loosely around the frame of her face as she breathed hard. "This battle is far from over."
The two women fought one another brutally. Katara wouldn't let this woman win and was determined to be the one to come on top. Ming-Hua had tried to go in for the kill several times, sending ice spikes in Katara's direction, but the waterbending master was able to deflect them every time.
She could see Anna approaching behind them very carefully and quietly. When Anna got close enough, Katara made her most primitive move. Swiftly, while Ming-Hua was preparing for another attack of spiked ice, the waterbender formed her own streams of water whips and coiled them around Ming-Hua's ankles. She then pulled the waterbender forward, knocking her enemy on the floor.
Ming-Hua fell with a thud on her face. Katara proceeded to bend her enemy's water arms to the snow floor, freezing them and causing them to freeze all the way up Ming-Hua's shoulders.
As Ming-Hua attempted to break free, Anna came forward and quickly performed the chi-blocking punches against the kidnapper's back. Their enemy let out a surprised gasp as she lost control of her water limps, despite being frozen to the ground.
"What did you do to me!?" Ming-Hua roared as she tried to break free– her body shaking in anguish. "Where's my bending!?"
"Don't worry about it," Katara growled, narrowing her eyes dangerously at the bender as she inched forward.
"Toph! Down here!" Anna shouted, waving at the earthbender from above. Toph grinned as she then directed one of her metalbenders to snatch Ming-Hua and bring her above on the airship.
"They should have a cell in there for her, to keep her away from water and to subdue her bending," Anna explained to her aunt as they watched the waterbender get taken away.
They could see Lin, Tonraq, and the metalbenders seemed to be overpowering Ghazan. That just left Zaheer for them to take down as he fought relentlessly against Sokka and Suki.
"Give it up, Zaheer! You're outnumbered!" Sokka barked at him as he held his sword up defensively.
"Never!" Zaheer cried out as he continued the fight. "This fight is over when I say it's over!"
Meanwhile, Zuko had been drifting in and out of consciousness. He tried opening his eyes several times, but he just felt weaker and weaker. His eyes managed to crack open the slightest just to see the innocent, scared face of Korra hovering over him.
"Mr. Fire Lord?"
Zuko tried to muster up some words of comfort for the little girl. That was until he could see P'Li inching forward in his field of view. The Fire Lord cried out as he reached out to weakly, but hastily, push Korra under his arm. As he shielded the child with his body, Zuko fired a bolt of fire at Combustion Lady. This stunned her a bit but not enough to keep her down.
"Try all you want, Fire Lord, but you're dying," P'Li remarked coolly as she prepared to yank Korra from under his grasp and then end him with one final blow.
The Fire Lord curled Korra tighter to his side, but before anything could happen, a massive blast of fire knocked the combustion woman to the side.
Zuko looked up to see it was Druk, growling over his bleeding master's form. The Fire Lord smiled with whatever strength he had left. "Good ah boy, Druk," he managed to breathe out haggardly before succumbing to unconsciousness again as he slumped forward into the snow.
P'Li had gone flying into a nearby bank of snow. The firebender growled as she dusted the snow off and looked to where the Fire Lord was passed out, yet again. He didn't look good at all as the young Avatar stayed glued to his side. His dragon, a big old scaly-looking thing, growled at P'Li with a ferociousness that only made the firebender angrier. She was ready to charge at them and end the Fire Lord once and for all– until she noticed her surroundings and her heart dropped.
Lin and Tonraq had just managed to defeat and capture Ghazan. His hands were now in chi-blocking cuffs and he was being quickly hauled up to the airship. That left Zaheer.
The love of P'Li's life was all by himself– battling with everything he had against the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and his family. He was holding them off, but he'd need help. They lost Ghazan and Ming-Hua, P'Li couldn't lose Zaheer. If she went to his aid now, they could escape and then try to break the others out of jail. They had Chief Unalaq on their side, they could find a way out of this.
P'Li made the ultimate decision to fire an explosion directly at the Chief and his wife–blasting them both into the snow.
Sokka was groaning as he laid sprawled out on his back while Suki was on her knees, stumbling to get up. Koda and Anna stopped what they'd been doing and began to run to their parents in a frenzied worry. P'Li was about to take another blast at them, one that would surely finish off the Chieftain and his family.
That wasn't going to work for Katara though. "Not my family!" she gritted through her teeth.
At that moment, Katara mustered all of her strength. She thought of everyone she'd ever loved– her children, her father, her brother, and Aang. She thought of Suki, Toph, her nieces and nephews. She thought of Korra, the rebirth of her husband's spirit. And she thought of Zuko. Her new found love.
With all of her might, Katara raised her arms and before P'Li or Zaheer could strike against anyone else in her family. The waterbender then summoned a massive wave that came crashing down on both Zaheer and P'Li. The force of the water was like a ton of bricks and took the two out immediately.
"Woah," Korra breathed in awe, looking with blinking eyes at where the wave had crashed. She then turned to Katara, who was hunched over and resting the palms of her hands against her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Her heart pounded in her eyes and her vision was a bit blurry as she tried to regain her composure.
When the wave cleared, Zaheer and P'Li were left coughing and sputtering on the ground– trying to free the water from their lungs. In a split second, the metalbenders grabbed hold of Zaheer while Tonraq grabbed hold of P'Li from behind with Lin coming forth to bend a piece of metal around the combustion woman's forehead, blocking her eye while then subduing her bending with some chi-blocking handcuffs.
It was also then a ton of warriors from the Southern Water Tribe came running up the hill with Senna leading the way. The worried mother had noticed that the chief and his wife were hurt and ran to their side first to help heal them while the warriors ran to aid the others. By the looks of Senna's healing, Katara could tell her brother and sister-in-law's injuries were not severe.
"Katara?"
The waterbender looked to her side to see it was Korra. The young girl looked worried at the exhausted Katara as she approached her gently. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be okay," Katara confirmed, taking a deep breath as Korra placed a small hand on her forearm. "I just need a few minutes."
"I hope so because Mr. Fire Lord isn't looking too good and I'm scared," Korra sputtered, her bottom lip puffing out.
"Oh Tui and La. I'm such an idiot," Katara breathed out, her head darting to where the still form of the Fire Lord lay motionless before his beloved dragon. "Zuko!"
Katara didn't waste time as the others went to capture the powerful four kidnappers. Korra followed her close behind as the waterbender slid on her knees and fell at Zuko's side. Gently, she turned him over from where he was laying face first in the snow.
There was a bright crimson stain seeping across the pure white bank. Katara could feel her heart constricting and she cursed herself for not getting to him sooner. Instantly, she brought Zuko into her arms and peeled back his torn parka and tunic to see that blood was still pulsating from the wound at a fairly fast rate.
"Don't worry. I'm going to fix you. You're not going anywhere," Katara whispered fiercely, gingerly placing him on his back against the snow and steadily drawing out water from her water skin. The master waterbender's hands started to glow aqua blue, much to the amazement of Little Korra. The child's eyes grew wide as she gaped at Katara in pure amazement. She then watched as Katara proceeded to hover her glowing hands over Zuko's wound, the waterbender's eyes shut tightly as she used her healing abilities to bend his torn flesh and organs back together.
It took a couple of minutes before Katara felt satisfied with her work. Even though she was able to fix this, it didn't mean Zuko was out of the woods yet. He lost a lot of blood and his complexion was still very pale– it worried Katara greatly. He'd been out for longer than she'd like.
"Is he okay?" Korra's tiny voice asked, her small hand going to touch the Fire Lord's cheek.
"He should be," Katara reassured the child soothingly as she finished healing Zuko's injuries. The waterbender brought one hand to Zuko's scarred cheek while she placed the other against his neck. Katara could feel a steady but weak pulse thrumming under her fingertips, which brought her great relief. His chest rising and falling in an even rhythm.
A few moments later the firebender stirred and his eyelashes started to flutter, struggling to fully open. "Zuko?" Katara called out to him quietly.
"Mr. Fire Lord, sir?" Korra reiterated.
That's when a golden shade of amber made itself known. Excitement pooled in Katara as she watched her friend blink a few times and take in his surroundings. "Katara?" Zuko questioned weakly, his voice cracking.
"I'm right here, Zuko," Katara whispered, cupping his face into her hands. Her thumb stroked the rough tissue around his eye while the other went to brush his hair back. Tears streaked her cheeks as she gathered him in her arms. "I was so worried."
Zuko could see the distress in Katara's face and couldn't help but reach out to cup her cheek, showing her he was okay. "I'm alive, thanks to you."
"I should really be thanking you." Katara's lips formed into a small smile as she recited the words she once told him when they were teenagers. "You really have to stop taking hits for me like that, you foolish brave idiot."
"Protecting someone I love is always worth it," Zuko replied, his tone a little cocky. He proceeded to give her a playful, but loving grin back.
Katara just teared up and without really thinking much about it, leaned down so she could press a gentle but passionate kiss to the Fire Lord's lips.
Zuko was taken back by this, but embraced it happily. As they pulled apart, Katara rested her head against his forehead. "I love you too, but do not scare me like that again."
"Promise," Zuko croaked as Katara slowly pulled away from him. The waterbender reached out to smooth the Fire Lord's hair back in a comforting manner before she pulled his upper body forward so that he could rest in her lap. One of her arms wrapped across his chest, allowing the palm of her hand to rest against his beating heart while the other hand continued to run her fingers soothingly through his hair.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Mr. Fire Lord!" Korra wailed, making her presence known as she flung herself at Zuko, much to the amusement of Katara.
"Shhh, don't worry about me, kid," Zuko soothed, weakly patting the child's back. He winced at her unintentional force, but kept his ground knowing she'd been concerned for him. After all, she was only four years old. This must've been absolutely terrifying for her. "I'm alright. Master Katara healed me."
"And he's not quite up to his strength still, so you might want to be gentle, dear," Katara instructed Korra softly, placing a comforting hand on the girl's back.
"Oh! Sorry," Korra squeaked, pulling away from Zuko to give him a warm smile instead. "I hope you feel better."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Zuko insisted, giving the child's shoulder a squeeze.
"Druk was also very worried," Korra spoke up, motioning to the dragon who let out a sad, low noise.
"I'm okay, buddy," Zuko reassured the dragon, managing to smile for him as the Druk bent down to nestle against his master's cheek. The Fire Lord chuckled as the dragon licked his cheek and then Katara's. "Yes, we're fine, Druk. Don't worry. You protected me and Korra well."
"Korra!"
The two adults and child looked up to see Senna and Tonraq rushing over to them in a feared hurry. Sokka and Suki were not too far behind– her brother limping as his wife helped him walk over to the group.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Korra exclaimed happily, running straight for her family. In one swift move, the worried parents scooped their daughter into a massive, comforting group hug. Senna and Tonraq were overjoyed by the fact their little girl was now safe.
"Katara! Zuko!" Sokka shouted before he wobbled over to kneel beside his sister and best friend. "Are you guys okay?"
"What happened?" Suki echoed, her voice full of worry as she knelt alongside her husband.
"Ming-Hua, the waterbender, pierced Zuko with a shard of ice," Katara explained worriedly to her family, motioning to the site of the wound. "I healed him, but it's imperative we bring him back as soon as possible. He needs rest and possibly another healing session.
"I'm fine," Zuko grunted from where he was laying tiredly in Katara's arms. "You healed me. I'm good as new."
"No. You're not," Katara retorted sharply, narrowing her eyes. "You lost a lot of blood and you can barely get up. You need plenty of rest."
Zuko blanched slightly at Katara's strict response, but couldn't help but also give away a glimmer of lovesickness towards her concern. "Aye, aye, captain," he replied earning a scowl from his girlfriend.
"Well thank the spirits you're safe now," Suki said, placing a hand on Zuko's forearm. "The two of you and Korra."
"Yeah, I'm so thankful that the kid's okay," Sokka said, looking to where the family was still hugging it out. "I don't know what I would've done if we lost her to that man or his crazy explosive girlfriend. I mean, did you guys see what she was capable of? Was that Mr. Sparky-Sparky-Boom Man Jr!? Or just Mrs. Sparky-Sparky-Boom-Woman?" the chieftain shook his head in his momentary clouded thought. "Anyway, that was insane!"
"Yes, dear," Suki replied with lackluster as she patted his shoulder supportively.
"Where are Toph and Lin? They're okay, right?" Katara asked, noticing they were nowhere in immediate sight now.
"Of course. She's being all police-chiefy, making sure that these jokers are under strict guard," Sokka explained, jerking to where the blimp was making it's way to the city center. "She and Lin will be keeping a close watch on them until we figure out what to do."
"That's good," Zuko answered, grunting in pain as she shifted in Katara's arms. A bead of sweat started to form his forehead. "I should call the Fire Nation. I'll have Izumi bring our guard. We're going to need all the help we can get and–"
"We'll handle it, Zuko," Suki promised, cutting him off.
"You need rest," Katara cooed, brushing his black locks back and causing him to slump further in her embrace. "You don't look so good."
"I don't feel very great," Zuko muttered, resting his tired head against the cozy but scratchy fabric of Katara's sleeve.
"Don't worry. We'll get you some help in no time, buddy," Sokka declared before turning around to order the tribe warriors to help his sister and friend out.
Meanwhile, Suki observed from the background at the way Katara and Zuko were interacting with one another. The waterbender had taken the Fire Lord's hand in hers and squeezed it tightly, while Zuko gazed lovingly up at her. Suki was the only one who saw this, and before questioning it, she was distracted by her husband yelling out orders.
"We can't thank you enough for this," Senna said gratefully as she and Tonraq approached Katara and Zuko. Her eyes were shimmering with tears as she cradled Korra close to her.
"Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko, Master Katara," Tonraq added, bowing respectfully at the two of them.
"Of course!" Katara smiled the young parents before turning her attention to Zuko who was still resting against her lap. His lips couldn't help but part into a small, reassuring smile at the family. Despite Zuko still being very weak, Katara could see some flush had started to slowly form in his cheeks, which was a good sign. However, she knew by his haggard breathing and obvious pain at the injury site, he'd still need some time to recover. She managed to repair all of his internal organs that had been damaged in the fight, but Katara needed to work on the site of the wound itself.
It wasn't long before were all back in the city and in their respective homes. Korra was safe and sound with her parents tonight. Unfortunately, since their home had been blown up, Katara offered them to take her residence for the night. Her igloo was right beside Suki and Sokka's Chief home, which allowed the family to be close by. It would also be guarded by trusted Southern Water Tribe warriors until the White Lotus and other leaders could figure out what's best for the new Avatar's protection.
Katara couldn't help but feel relief as she finished cleaning the teapot she used to make a calming tea for everyone– something she learned from Iroh a long time ago. The waterbender's body ached from all the fighting and her mind felt terribly stressed. She had immediately sent out word to Zuko's daughter and her own children to tell them what happened. Katara didn't want to worry them, but she knew this may only be the beginning of Avatar Korra's journey.
As for what the future entailed, Katara felt a great deal of uncertainty, but all she wanted was peace. At this point in her life, she was too old for more war or rebellions or problems. She spent most of her youth fighting in a century-long war and most of her adult life helping rebuild the rubble.
It was time for her to have a simple life now with Zuko. Her second chance. Someone who had been there all along…
"How are you feeling?"
Those were the words Katara spoke as she stood before Zuko on the windy shore of Hira'a.
The events of the last forty-eight hours had been exhausting, to say the least. Zuko had been reunited with his long lost mother, met his half-sister and step-father, and Azula had tried to end them before running away. It was definitely a lot to process.
Katara found Zuko all by himself. He was sitting down in the middle of the sandy beach. His arms had wrapped around his knees and brought them to his chest as he stayed focused on the ocean before him.
The waterbender noticed he slipped out in the middle of the dinner chaos. Everyone was trying to enjoy their last night together. Aang had been entertaining an enthralled Kiyi with his airbending tricks, Toph was teasing Sokka mercilessly, while Suki helped Noren and Ursa prepare for dinner. Katara had been in the middle of helping out with dinner preparations when she noticed Zuko had gone missing. So, quietly, she slipped out into the night and followed her instincts to the shoreline of the village. It wasn't a surprise that the Fire Lord would find comfort there– any friend of Zuko knew he was most at peace on the beaches of Ember Island. It made sense to find him processing everything under the shimmering, moonlight.
"I'm feeling good," Zuko told Katara simply as she approached him from behind. "I feel…At peace."
Katara nodded before she settled in the spot next to him. It'd been a long time since the friends had a moment to catch up. Zuko's been busy with all of his Fire Lord work and Katara with trying to rebuild the world with her brother and Aang. However, they still managed to send letters when they could. The friends usually penned back and forth about upcoming projects, funny stories, or their worries. Even if they didn't see each other as often as they did during the war, they tried to keep their distancing friendship strong.
"Look at us." Katara jokingly nudged her friend in the ribs. "Two motherless kids getting closure with their trauma."
Zuko chuckled at this. "I guess so…." he then grew quiet, licking his lips for a brief second before mustering the words to speak. "Katara…I'm sorry we couldn't do this for you."
"Do what?" the waterbender questioned, tilting her head to look at Zuko. Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion.
"Bring your mom home," Zuko blurted out. She could see the guilt very evident on his face as he nervously looked down at the ground and burrowed his hand in some sand– to pacify his anxious, awkward hand movements.
"Zuko, you thought your mother was dead for years," Katara stated slowly, now looking at him bewildered. "This is a day of celebration. Not a day to say who is luckier and who is not."
"Still, I feel like I'm rubbing something in your face," Zuko confessed, looking away from her. "You and Sokka."
"Please. Far from it." Katara rolled her eyes at his foolishness, but paused for a second and adopted a more serious tone. She bit her lip before she spoke next– her voice soft like the gentle ocean breeze, "You will never know how much you bringing me to face Yon Rha meant to me. And although there's no way to bring my mother back…Being able to see you live every motherless kid's fantasy makes me feel whole. Happy."
Zuko clasped his hand over her arm and nodded. "Thank you, Katara. For coming on this journey and for being such a good friend."
"Of course," she replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Despite this, Katara could still see there was more bothering her firebending friend. By the way his shoulders were still tensed up and his face was scrunched up together, she knew there was something eating away at his thoughts. And Katara had a feeling what it was. "Are…Are you scared about Azula?"
Zuko blinked at his friend in surprise. "I guess, well...Yes. I am. For a lot of reasons. One, she's out there doing Agni knows what…But…."
"But….?"
"I'm worried about her. She's not herself," Zuko explained her sadly. The stress heavy in his voice."Not that my sister and I were close to begin with, but I still manage to worry about her and I don't know why."
"Naturally. She's your sister at the end of the day, even after she hurt you like she did," Katara pointed out reassuringly. "You loved her at one point. You cared for her."
Zuko nodded stiffly, running a hand through his hair as he took a deep inhale of breath. "I need to notify Ty Lee and…and Mai about this. They need to know she's out there again."
That was another pressure point that had the Fire Lord scrunching up in further anxiety. Katara could see this as she placed a hand on top of his. "Hey, I'm sorry about what happened between you and Mai."
"It's– it's okay. Really, I'm fine. Perfectly fine," Zuko rambled, trying to shake it off. However, it wasn't hard to figure out that the firebender was lying. He was the worst liar Katara and the gang had ever met.
"And it's also okay to miss her, you know?" Katara said, shrugging casually. "Besides, I'm sure you two will find your way back to each other."
Zuko was quiet for a moment. "I don't know about this time," he said, his voice filled with sadness. "I…I really messed up. I pushed away the one person who's always stood by me."
"I think you're wrong," Katara retorted. "You two always find a way back– you both love each other too much. I think you just need to find yourself first, Zuko, and she does as well."
"Find myself?" Zuko huffed at his friend's comment. "I don't need to find myself! I've spent most of my teenage years doing that!"
Katara rolled her eyes. "Yes, you found yourself, but not as the Fire Lord. You're still dealing with all the trauma from the war and the after effects. So is Mai. You think she's had a lot of time to process everything? Her dad's still blind devotion to Ozai? Her boyfriend becoming a workaholic Fire Lord who doesn't take care of himself?"
Zuko narrowed his eyes at Katara. "I take care of myself–"
"Well, you haven't done a great job, have you?" Katara countered, raising an eyebrow. Her chiding expression had instantly silenced the firebender as she continued. "Look, Zuko…You both need time to heal. Yes, you went through something traumatic together, but that doesn't mean it'll make everything better than you have each other. You both need to breathe and learn your places in this world. I'm sure it's even daunting for Mai to be Fire Lady– even if she grew up the daughter of a noble."
"What if she doesn't come around?"
"It'll hurt at first, but then you'll learn to let go," Katara responded, clasping both of his hands in hers now and making sure to look at him in the eye. "You'll find someone who loves you for you, Zuko. Someone that will make life worthwhile. I promise. The world is filled with second chances."
The young Fire Lord nodded at this sadly before looking back at the darkened shoreline.
"Come on," Katara said, lifting herself off her spot in the sand. She gently brushed off any sand still on her tunic before reaching a hand out to her friend. "Let's go back inside. Spend time with your mother before this moment of peace comes crashing down when you return to Caldera City."
Zuko chuckled at her comment as he gratefully took the waterbender's hand.
"What would you do without me, Lord Hotman?" Katara teased, looping her arm around his.
"Probably drown."
"You got that right."
"In all fairness, we'd probably all drown without you, Katara," Zuko remarked. The waterbender chuckled and smiled brightly at this before she rested her head against his shoulder. The two proceeded to tease and laugh to themselves as they headed back to Ursa and Noren's for dinner….
"How's he doing?"
Katara turned around to see Sokka walking into the kitchen. He yawned as he patted over to his sister in his fur-lined, moccasin slippers. The entire home seemed to be asleep at this point and the only sound that could be heard the crackling of fire and echoes of the air swirling outside.
"Is Zuko feeling any better?"
"He is, but I'm going to keep a close eye on him," Katara explained as she placed the teapot she'd been washing on her brother's kitchen counter to dry. "Just to be safe."
"Sounds good," Sokka said, nodding his head. He was quiet for a few moments before looking at his sister with soft blue eyes. "I think Aang wanted the two of you to find Korra…I think this has been his way of saying it's okay."
"What do you mean by that?" Katara asked, playing dumb as she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell her brother anything yet.
"I think you know exactly what I mean, sis." Sokka reached out to give her shoulder and comforting squeeze. "Anyway, it's been a long day and I could use some sleep. You as well."
"Don't worry, I'll rest," Katara reassured her brother, smiling tiredly at him. "Goodnight, Sokka."
"Night," Sokka said, giving his sister a peck on the top of her head before retiring to his bedroom with Suki. Once her brother was gone, Katara headed to her room to quickly change into a nightgown before going to the guest chambers where Zuko was currently resting.
When she entered, Katara couldn't help but feel relieved seeing him lying in the bed, safe and sound. He was propped up against the pillows and dressed in a pair of sleeping pants and no shirt, that way Katara could check the area around his wound easily and keep it bandaged well until he felt better. Zuko would need a few more healing sessions until he was back to full strength. There was also a soft fire crackling in corner fireplace, allowing heat to fill up the room and make the Fire Lord closer to his element.
Katara noted that Zuko seemed to be asleep by the way his eyes were shut and his breathing was soft and even. So, she quietly walked to his side and took a seat at the edge of the bed. Delicately, she took one of his hands in hers and rubbed it soothingly.
"You know, I've been wondering when you'd show your face in here," Zuko teased under his breath as he partially opened his eyelids, heavy with exhaustion.
"Zuko, you should be sleeping," Katara chided softly.
"How can I sleep when I know you haven't stopped and rested yet?" Zuko pointed out.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she said as Zuko reached up with all his strength to cup Katara's cheek. She smiled at this, reveling in the warmth from his touch. She reached up to grab his hand and pressed a kiss in the middle of his palm before holding his hand tight to her face, nuzzling against it lovingly.
"Stay with me tonight," Zuko whispered, his thumb brushing right beneath her eye.
"What?" Katara blurted out, her cheeks tinted pink. She carefully removed his hand from her cheek but kept both of his hands tightly in her grasp. "Together? In here? We couldn't…"
"We've slept together before," Zuko retorted innocently. "And besides, it's just sleeping…I want you near me tonight."
"Why? Do you want to keep me safe?" Katara quipped before looking down at their entwined hands. "If I get caught sleeping in the same bed as the Fire Lord, that might cause quite the scandal…"
"Let it cause scandal. Who cares anymore at this point. We're both happy," Zuko declared, giving her hands a small squeeze. "Might as well embrace what makes us joyful. If anything, Mai and Aang taught me that life is short and we should value everything in our life that makes us happy while we can. We shouldn't spend the rest of our lives alone."
Katara gently smiled at this as she reached over to press a kiss to Zuko's lips. The Fire Lord's mouth was soft and tender. She wished to kiss him some more, to take him in her arms and let the feelings she'd repressed for so long completely free, but the exhaustion was getting to the both of them, and she knew it was time to retire for the night.
Without skipping a beat, Katara proceeded to crawl under the heavy quilt and curled next to Zuko's warm form. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to him so that he could nuzzle his face into her thick, chocolate curls. Katara smiled at this as she cuddled up to his chest, her head resting beneath his collarbone where his heartbeat echoed in her ears. She flung her arm gently across his body so that she could rest her hand against his chest.
"I could really get used to this," Katara murmured, her eyelids flickering with sleep.
Zuko chuckled at this as he pressed a soft kiss against the top of Katara's head. "Me too…"
It'd been so long since either of them had shared a bed with someone intimately like this. The lonely feeling they used to get from going to bed every night without their partner suddenly vanished and was replaced with something new– a face to come home to after a long evening, someone to bear burdens and share joys with, hands to hold in moments of affection, a pair of lips to kiss, arms to be held in during moments of heartbreak, and a warm body to cuddle up to under thick covers. This was something familiar, but so new and enthralling at the same time.
Without another word, the two fell into a well-deserved sleep, finally feeling as if the weight of the world was off their shoulders…
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that! It's my first time writing a fighting scene like that so hopefully it wasn't too bad lol. I also know the flashbacks seemed a bit random but I thought the parallels of them dealing with their mothers made a nice connecting factor for this chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading, keep a look out for the next update, and please review!