Never Let Me Go

by thevictorianghost

When Asami Sato, treasure hunter, stumbled upon a drawing buried at the bottom of the ocean, she found the love story of a lifetime. In 1912, when Zuko Kai and Katara La, a firebender and a waterbender from two different worlds, boarded Titanic, they had no idea that fate, destiny, or perhaps luck, would allow them to find each other. Just in time. Zutara Titanic AU.

11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me

And all this devotion was rushing out of me

"You did it!"

Joy filling her from her toes to the tip of her fingers, Katara wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck. He'd done it, he'd done it, he'd really done it! She pulled him close, his head resting in the crook of her neck. For just a second. Then, she looked him in the eye.

"I knew you could do it! Now come on, let's go!"

He took a step back, as if waiting for her. And she knew he was. Without hesitation, Katara dropped in Zuko's arms. Then, she screeched.

"SHIT! This is cold!"

Knives dug into her arms, her legs, her torso, her feet. Everywhere. She held onto him. Her hands clenched around his shirt. Zuko's strong arms steadied her. Always there, always willing to help. Katara righted herself.

"Shit, shit, shit…!"

Katara swallowed. No. Now wasn't the time to panic. She recovered quickly from her initial shock. Her body now freed from the pipe, she planted her feet on the ground. She pulled herself in a bending position. Katara breathed in. Breathing in the smells of salt and the cold air. Feeling the water all around her. Sensing its push and pull. Listening to its gurgling. She raised her arms. The water answered her call, flowing safely away in waves. It wasn't enough for all the water to leave the Master at Arms' room. It flooded too easily. Yet it was enough that the water didn't reach their chests anymore. With a chuckle, Zuko wrapped a blissfully warm arm around her neck. He kissed the top of her head.

"You're incredible, you know that? But don't do it too often, you need your strength."

"Don't worry about my strength. I have plenty."

They waded out into the hallway. The lights were low, almost nonexistent. Together, they looked at the water flowing freely at the end of the hallway. Rumbles came from under flickering lights. It would be completely flooded soon. There was barely a foot of air left between the water and ceiling. Katara hummed. Maybe with her bending… but then again, Zuko was right. She needed to keep her strength. And even if she did try to bend all this water away… where would it go?

Zuko started to go in the direction where he had left to find the axe, but Katara put a hand on his shoulder. This wouldn't do. They had to go the other way.

"There's a stairwell to get us up," he half-protested.

"Too deep. We gotta find another way out."

Zuko nodded. Katara took the lead. He followed after her.

Music.

Gurgling water.

Talking.

Shouting. Shouted orders. Shouted orders in the dark.

Those were the only sounds Mai heard. Filling her ears. She kept her head bowed, trying not to look at the sinking ship. It wasn't easy, to say the least. The grandest ship in the world. Rumoured to be unsinkable. And now it was sinking.

How ironic.

Mai tried not to think about what Zuko had said, about how he'd left her behind. Mai's hands gripped her knees tight. She pulled them to her chest. He'd left her behind for that peasant girl. And now she'd left behind Ozai, she'd left behind Azula. She'd left them all behind. She was going to survive… and yet she felt so alone.

And of course she only had that rude woman to keep her company

"Now there's something you don't see every day," said Molly Brown.

Mai almost snorted.

What else was there to say?

Mai cringed when a hiss filled the inky black sky once again. White light burst above them. Giving everything a ghostly wash. Another distress signal.

They were alone. So impossibly alone.

Iroh looked out upon the deck. It was getting chaotic up here, with more people piling in boats. Some crewmembers ran, others lowered the lifeboats with shaking hands. Iroh buried his hands in his sleeves. A woman was calling for a lost child. Chatter scattered, energy barely contained. Iroh breathed in. Breathed out. He couldn't allow himself to grow anxious.

"No, no!"

Iroh looked up. A woman with a flash of gray hair was holding on desperately to whom he assumed was her husband. Iroh's heart ached. The woman was almost thrown in the boat by one of the crewmembers. She buried her face in her hands as she was lowered to sea.

She was never going to see that man again.

And she knew it.

Iroh then saw Ozai pushing through the crowd. Looking for Zuko. Possibly.

"Is he here?"

"I haven't seen him."

Iroh looked out once more at the people - the women and children only - being piled into boats. That was when Azula arrived. Iroh blinked at her. Multiple times. What was she doing here? Why wasn't she in a lifeboat already?

"He's not on the starboard side either," said Azula.

"We're running out of time," grumbled Ozai. "And this strutting martinet…" He pointed at the officer with his chin. "...isn't letting any men in at all."

"I'm not going yet. I want to help you."

"Good. I knew I could count on you, Azula."

Iroh rolled his eyes. Spirits damned loyalty keeping this Spirits damned family together. At least Zuko had gotten away. Speaking of Zuko, he hoped he was all right. He hoped Katara was all right. He hoped they both were.

"There's a lifeboat on the other side and the officer is letting men in."

Iroh looked up at that. Hope sparked in his chest. If they found Zuko… He could...

"Then that's our play. But we're still going to need some insurance. Come on."

Iroh's nails dug into his arms, inside his sleeves. He stayed put as they started to walk away. Iroh pulled on his beard pensively. What to do, what to do, what to do? He didn't want to spend the last few hours of his life with Ozai and Azula.

Yet if it meant saving Zuko…

But then again if he strayed too far, maybe Zuko wouldn't be able to find him later.

Iroh looked around, face lined with worry.

Come on, Zuko, where are you?

"Please, Ida. Get in the boat."

Iroh turned around. He stood next to an old couple he'd seen at dinner once or twice. Ida and Isador Strauss. Isador was begging Ida to get in the lifeboat. She shook her head.

"No." Certainty steadied her voice. "We've been together for forty years, and where you go, I go. Don't argue with me, Isador. You know it does no good."

He couldn't argue with her. Isador nodded.

They left soon after, hand in hand.

Iroh closed his eyes for just a moment. He hoped they'd be all right.

"You ready?"

"Always ready. Come on!"

CRASH!

Shoulders first, they pierced right through a wall. It cracked in a thousand pieces, flying everywhere. Katara and Zuko stumbled upon the widest passageway. Shocked passengers and mildly annoyed stewards stared at them. Wide eyed. Now wasn't the time to care about stares. Now was the time to find a way out. Katara took Zuko's hand and started leading him down the hallway. He followed without a word. One steward, it seemed, was more than mildly annoyed, though. He set out to run after them.

"Here you! You'll have to pay for that, you know."

His voice immediately grated her nerves. Katara rolled her eyes. They were on a sinking ship, for Spirits sakes! What was wrong with that man?

"That's White Star Line property!"

They both turned around at the same time.

"SHUT UP!"

"Will you hold on the boat for a moment? I just have to run back and…!"

The crewmember never let the woman finish.

With a growl, he grabbed her by the waist and physically pushed her in the lifeboat. The woman stared back at him. Face wide open with shock.

"Stay down!" ordered the man.

In any other circumstances, Iroh might have laughed.

He didn't. He couldn't.

They were sinking and no one was taking this seriously.

"She's the last!"

The lifeboat was lowered away.

Tensions were growing high, growing higher by the second. People were pushing, crewmembers were pushing back. Iroh, still pulling down on his beard, started to consider following after Ozai and Azula. Maybe… if he could get to the lifeboat that allowed men in… maybe along the way he'd be able to find Zuko. Maybe.

"Mr. Lightoller!"

Iroh looked up. That voice… He knew that voice. A man arrived, pushing his way through the crowd. A man Iroh knew well by now. Mr. Andrews.

"Why are the boats being launched half full?!"

Lightoller, the officer in charge, lifted his nose up.

"Not now, Mr. Andrews."

Undeterred, Mr. Andrews pointed out at sea.

"There! Look…! Twenty or so in a boat built for sixty-five. And I saw one boat with only twelve." His voice broke on the last word. "Twelve!"

"Well... we were not sure of the weight…!"

"Rubbish!" cut him off Mr. Andrews, face creasing with worry and anger. "They were tested in Belfast with the weight of seventy men!"

Lightoller opened his mouth to protest. Mr. Andrews didn't let him.

"Now fill these boats properly, Mr. Lightoller! And hurry up, man!"

Lightoller looked out at the lifeboats that were already upon the water. His face opened with shock. It seemed to dawn on he had done. Those people who could have boarded… they wouldn't be able to. And now… And now…!

"I need more women and children!" called Lightoller, his voice heavy.

Heavy with duty.

Sokka found a way out. At least, he thought he'd found a way out.

People were gathered around an opening. Some were shouting, looking for loved ones, but most were quiet. Waiting. Sokka pushed his way through the crowd. Crewmembers had opened a large door and cold air was blowing in. Sokka held tight on Suki's hand as he put his head through the door. Lifeboats were being lowered to sea. Water gurgled, officers shouted and more people screamed. Some lifeboats were going so fast. While others weren't. For a second, Sokka was filled with dread. Were those poor people going to get crushed?

There was a hissing sound. A distress signal flew into the sky. Light rushed in.

"Get back!" ordered the crewmember who had opened the door. "Get back in there!"

Sokka was pushed backwards. The door closed with a clank! Warmth filled Sokka again. Suki pulled him along after her.

They had to find another way out.

It only dawned on Sokka then that this was where he'd boarded with Katara only a few days ago. Had that been only a few days ago?

And Spirits, where was Katara?

"You can't keep us locked in here like animals! Spirits, this ship's sinking!"

"Take only the women and children!"

They were getting closer. She knew it, she knew it, she knew it. The rumbling of a crowd filled her ears. An anxious crowd. Growing anger. Katara turned at the corner of a hallway. Her heart filled with joy. They'd reached a stairwell and had found themselves amongst anxious Third Class people.

That's when she saw a familiar wolf tail.

"Sokka! Sokka!"

Sokka spun around. The widest smile she'd ever seen broke his face in half. He ran through the crowd and wrapped his arms around his sister. Katara fought back tears. He was warm, he was strong, he was there. For a moment, she recalled the older brother who had helped her get through their mother's death. The older brother who had made her smile when she cried. And the insufferable older brother who made sexist comments about women and sewing. She held on tight. Back there when she'd been tied against the pipe, she thought she'd never get to see him again.

"Are you okay, Katara?"

"Yeah. I'm fine, now. Zuko found me."

He looked up.

"Zuko!"

Sokka gave Zuko a one-armed hug. A "manly" hug, as Sokka would have called it. Sokka smiled that smile again, and he clapped a hand on his shoulder. Suki quickly followed, hugging them both one by one, then Aang, who pushed his way through the crowd, did the same thing. Finally, a high-pitched nickname was shouted in her ears.

"Sugar Queen!"

Katara wrapped Toph in a fierce hug. This whole ship was sinking, but at least they'd all found each other. There was a second of silence there, then...

"Hey… What's that on your wrists?"

Toph's hands grabbed Katara's shoulders tight, pushing herself away. Toph pulled at her wrists. Her mouth fell open.

"Are those… Are those…! Handcuffs?!"

"It's a long story. I'll explain later."

Toph opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it. She made a popping sound.

"I wish I could metalbend. I've tried practicing, but…"

"You wouldn't want to crush my wrists."

"Yeah, no, I wouldn't."

"It's okay, Toph. As long as you're safe, I'm happy."

But the joy Katara had felt when she'd seen Sokka quickly faded away when she realized they were still down here. Waiting. She waved her arm at the crowd.

"Why are we here, anyway?"

"The boats are all gone," said Sokka.

"And we can't go that way," finished Suki.

"This whole place is flooding," said Zuko, his hand grasping Katara's. "We gotta get up there or we're gonna be gargling saltwater. And we gotta do it fast. "

"Aren't you a waterbender, Katara?" pointed out Toph. "Can't you help us with that?"

"Yes, but only for a short amount of time. I can't protect all of you. I'm… I'm not trained properly. I'm… I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Katara."

Katara nodded at Toph. Though that didn't do much. She turned to Aang, then.

"How are you guys?"

"Could be better," admitted Aang, grimacing.

He patted Appa's head as Momo clung to his shoulder.

Yeah. Could be better. Right.

She turned back to Sokka.

"Where's Jet?"

Sokka pointed at the top of the stairwell, where a metal gate was blocking the way. Fury bubbled inside of her. They had locked them in a cage like animals. Katara tried to push her way through the crowd. That only earned herself an elbow to the stomach.

"Ow!"

"Are you okay?" immediately asked Zuko.

"Yes. Yes, I'm okay."

Katara stayed put. For now.

"Women only, no men, no men!" said a steward.

Terrified people tried to push their way through the gate. A pair of hands - Jet's maybe? - gripped it. Tight. There was mumbling, shouting, yelling. Anxiety turned to panic.

"Come on, man! Open the gate!"

Katara thought she saw the steward nod. There was a second of… well, of nothing happening. Then the gate opened. Women and children started to file out of the stairwell. Until men followed after them. Pushing their way through the small opening. Katara held her breath. Tension clawed at her insides. This wasn't going to end well. The stewards shouted. Scared. One man raised a gun at the ceiling.

"Get back, get back, you lot! Lock it!"

The gate was closed again. People screamed. Others cried.

They were locked in again.

"Spirits, man," said Jet, his voice growing more tense and louder with each passing second. "There are women and children down here! Let us up so we can have a chance!"

The men didn't answer. They were scared, they were scared, and they were just following protocol. But that same protocol was going to get people killed. Katara watched as Jet walked all the way back to them. His signature strand of grass was gone. Righteous anger flashed in his eyes. He looked about ready to break something.

"It's hopeless, that way," said Jet.

He said it tersely. Not without a hint of despair.

It was hard. Not to succumb to despair. But Katara had to hold onto hope.

She had to. They had to.

"Well," Katara said, "whatever we're gonna do, we better do it fast."

The others nodded at her. Katara lead the way out of the crowd.

Azula's eyes flashed when people stood in their way. Stewards jumped aside, letting Father then Azula walk past. As they should. It felt so strange to be in these hallways again. As if nothing was happening. Except for the people wearing lifebelts. Of course. They stalked these hallways. Gilded, luxurious, extravagant. The First Class sections were fit for royalty. Fit for them. They were royalty amongst men. And these peasants needed to know their place.

Father and Azula walked past the grand staircase. Finally, they made it all the way back to their suite without much issue. Father pushed the door open. Azula walked in afterwards. He hadn't exactly told her why he needed to be here.

But she didn't need to be told why.

Azula knew already.

He unlocked the safe. Azula wanted to snicker at that. To think that Mai had been looking through her safe every night to see if everything was still in its place… No matter what Mai had thought, no secret could be kept from the Kais. Including her safe's combination. There, Father found a sketchbook that didn't belong there.

Azula smiled. Oh, he was in for a surprise.

With feigned curiosity, Father flipped through the sketchbook. His eyebrows shot to his hairline. Then Father laughed, eyes closed. He shook his head.

"Zuko, Zuko, Zuko. Always the family disappointment."

Azula snorted. She agreed to that.

Father put the sketchbook back in place. He grabbed the Heart of the Ocean and a stack of bills. They rested safely in his pocket when the safe clanked! Locked.

"I make my own luck," he said, turning to her.

Azula smirked. Electricity crackled at her fingertips.

"So do I."

Zuko followed Katara down the hallways. His heart ached when they walked past confused people, some looking at signs, others carrying children. A man was changing his baby's diaper on a steamer trunk. An elderly woman was on the ground. Refusing to get up. Letting into despair. These were people, scared people, good people. Not rats like those from his world believed. He'd known this for a long time, of course, but now he knew his own people were responsible for those who had trapped them down at the bottom of the ship. They had trapped them. Like animals.

What was the point of all that pain?

Pride? Superiority?

"This way," said Katara.

Zuko nodded. They turned at a hallway. They walked past a few more confused people, whispering in many languages. They walked past a family speaking - what he presumed - was Arabic as they tried to maneuver their way through the ship with an English-Arabic dictionary. Trying to survive.

"Come on, this way!"

Zuko followed after Katara. Always a step behind.

Finally, their group reached a narrow stairwell. Together, they climbed two decks before reaching another gate. This one was locked, too. Another crowd was gathered around the gate, though it was much smaller than the one in the main hallway. Men were shouting at the stewards to let them out. Zuko wanted to join them in screaming. So badly.

"Go to the main stairwell with everyone else," instructed a steward.

He was talking in such a condescending tone… Zuko was only reminded of the other steward who had grabbed his arm earlier. Trying to help poor little children. The steward waved his hands in appeasing gestures. Palms moving up and down.

"It'll all get sorted out there."

Zuko felt Katara tense at his side.

That was a lie. A blatant lie. They were lying. They were lying and she knew it. They all did. Zuko watched as she pushed her way through the crowd. Her hands wrapped around the gate. Zuko followed after her and stood by her side.

"Open the gate," ordered Katara.

"No, ma'am. You need to go back to the main stairwell."

"Open the gate. Right now!"

"Go back down the main stairwell like I told you!"

Zuko looked at the others. Sokka, Suki, Toph, Aang, Jet… they all looked defeated. Eyes closed, shoulders slumped. Even Momo and Appa looked… sad. Dejected. They couldn't get out. They were stuck down here. They were trapped.

But this was Katara they were talking about.

And Katara never lost hope.

Her nostrils flared. She grabbed the metal bars with her bare hands. Rattling filled Zuko's ears. She pulled and shook. With all her strength. Violently.

"SPIRITS BE DAMNED, YOU SON OF A BITCH! THERE ARE KIDS DOWN HERE!"

Zuko's mouth hung open. His eyes widened. He stared at her. He'd never seen Katara so furious. Face contorted in self-righteous anger. In fury.

She looked breathtaking.

Katara pushed her way to the back of the crowd. She bent down to grab a bench bolted to the floor. It creaked and cracked. But nothing more. Katara pulled on it with all her might. The bench budged, but just a little. Barely. Sokka, Zuko and Suki gathered around her and started to pull on the bench, too. Meanwhile, the steward on the other side of the gate pleaded with them to stop. Toph, Aang and Jet pushed at the crowd. Urging them to separate. To move towards the walls. Leaving the middle of the stairwell empty. Free.

"Come on, you lot! Move aside, move aside!" ordered Toph.

"What are you doing? Hey, you stop that!"

"You really should have listened to her, man," said Aang.

"But I can't let you… no! Don't do that!"

CRACK!

The bench broke free. Parts of the floor followed after it. Broken. Torn apart. Zuko felt a rush of adrenaline in his veins.

They were doing this. They were doing this!

"Move aside!" Suki called over her shoulder. "Quickly, move aside!"

"It's okay, you can do this!" answered Toph. "Hurry up!"

Zuko saw Aang grab Appa and Momo and take a few steps back. Katara, Zuko, Sokka and Suki took a step back. Holding the bench perpendicular to the metal gate. Then, on the count of three, they rammed the bench against the gate.

It rattled, but didn't give in.

"Again!" ordered Katara.

They took more steps back. Counted to three. And with a growl, they rammed the bench against the metal gate on more time.

This time, they succeeded.

The metal gate fell apart, collapsing outward.

"Yeah!" Toph raised a fist in the air. "That was awesome!"

Toph jumped up and down. They were free, they were free, they were free! Those sons of bitches, they'd done it! They'd really done it! But her joy didn't last long. A rush of people pushed Toph against the gate. With a "wait, let me help!", Katara helped her cross to the other side. Toph stood aside, pushing herself against the wall.

"Hey, you can't…!" kept yapping the steward. "You can't go that way!"

With a "Shut up, man!" Jet socked him in the jaw.

Good for him.

Appa pressed himself against her leg. That was when Toph realized Aang had also walked around the gate. Sokka soon crossed over to the other side and stood next to Toph.

"My sister's pretty great. Isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's…"

Toph trailed off. An idea had sparked in her mind. Wait. If Katara could… If she could cut through those metal gates…. maybe… maybe she…!

"Wait!"

Toph's whole face set in determination. Jaw clenched. Mouth forming a line.

She had a plan.

"What?" asked Jet.

"I have a plan."

She ran away.

"Hey, wait! Toph, where are you going?!"

"Don't worry, I'm going after her. I'll get her back!"

Toph heard Katara follow after her. Sure. That was okay. As long as she didn't slow her down. Or didn't interfere with her plan. Toph stopped for a moment. She put her hand against the closest wall. Then, she listened. She listened to the ship, she listened to its creaks and groans. It tore her heart apart. Titanic was dying. And its metal sung, it spoke to her as it was gasping its dying breaths.

And Toph listened.

"What do you plan to do?"

"You'll see in a minute!"

Toph ran again. She guided Katara through the meandering hallways. She turned at a corner. Listened to the ship. Then turned at another corner. They soon found themselves back at the main stairwell they had been in just a few minutes ago. But this time, they were on the other side of the gate. Toph stopped once more. Listening to the metal gate. Toph stomped her foot. Metal cracked and groaned underneath.

As if she knew what Toph was going to do, Katara called:

"Step aside, step aside!"

As if in survival mode, the stewards spun around and backed away. A feral smile appeared on Toph's face. She walked past them and touched the metal gate with her hands. Toph breathed in. She breathed out. She listened to the metal, finding small imperfections inside. The smallest traces of Earth. Her foot slammed down on the ground.

Toph reached inside the gate. Her hands curled around the metal.

CRACK!

She ripped it apart.

Katara grabbed Toph's arm as chaos followed. She pushed the both of them against the wall. People ran through the gate. Past them. Wind flew in as they ran. Toph smiled.

They were free.

Katara chuckled.

"You couldn't do that before I had to pick up that bench?"

"Well, you know what? That was actually what inspired me to do it. Earthbending is dangerous when you don't know what you're doing. You can't botch the job or you'll get yourself killed. I've practiced metalbending before, but… well..."

Maybe Katara nodded, maybe she didn't. But there was a second of silence.

Then, she said:

"You didn't know you could do it."

Toph shook her head.

"Nope, I didn't."

Katara's hand squeezed her shoulder. Warm. Comforting. A big sister's grip. Or at least, Toph hoped that was what a big sister's grip felt like.

"I knew."

Toph turned to where the sound of her voice came.

Katara sounded proud.

"I knew you could do it. You can do anything you set your mind to, Toph."

Toph smiled even more. Something prickled behind her eyes.

Pride.

"Now come on. Let's get back to the others."

"Aw, yeah. Your boyfriend must be worried sick."

"You have no idea. And yours too, by the way."

"Yeah. Mine too."

Mai was doing something for the first time in her life.

It definitely wasn't dealing with being dumped. Mai would get back at Zuko for what he'd said to her. If he made it. She'd smack that grin off his face. For good measure.

No, it wasn't that.

What Mai was doing for the first time right now was working.

Being put in the same lifeboat as Molly Brown had its way of doing that to you. When First Class women had complained about rowing, she'd shut them up easily. It would have been hilarious if Mai hadn't been stuck with them to row. The Beifong woman had laughed, though. An empty kind of laugh. Before picking up her oar.

So now working was what Mai was doing. Doing a peasant's job while escaping the most luxurious ship in the world. The unsinkable ship. Sinking.

She still couldn't quite believe the irony.

Not quite.

Molly's attention turned to Mai as they rowed side by side. She felt her eyes digging through her skull. Looking for something. Mai didn't know exactly what.

"You know you deserve every single thing he said, right, missy?"

Mai's head snapped around to look at that rude woman. Her eyebrows shot to her hairline. What had she just said?

"I'm sorry?"

"He said you hit him. He didn't say you were mean, he didn't say you were snide, he didn't say you were scornful. He said that you hit him. And he said you threw things at him! Plural! Many things! Oh, and am I also forgetting the part where he said you forced a kiss on him? Don't you have any shame?"

Mai sniffed.

"I only slapped him once." She shrugged. "And isn't a fiancée entitled to a little something from her future husband every once in a while?"

Molly's hand reached over to grab Mai's arm. They looked in each other's eyes.

"Listen to me, Mai. A woman hitting her man's just as bad as a man hitting his woman. We just never talk about it 'cause it's seen as a sign of weakness on the guy's part. But it's not. And no, no one's entitled to anyone's affections. If they really love you, they're gonna stay. They'll want to spend time with you. To listen to you. And you should listen to them in return. Fifty-fifty. If you can't see that, well! You should be ashamed of yourself."

Molly's hand let go of Mai. She huffed.

"I'm glad Zuko dumped ya. He deserves better than you."

"What? He deserves a steerage girl?"

"As much as she deserves him. I hope those two are doing all right."

Molly looked at Titanic again. She squinted her eyes. Thinking. She was thinking. And nothing good came from when Molly Brown was thinking. That was what Mai had learned since being hauled in this lifeboat.

Molly Brown rose to her feet.

"We have to go back!" she told the officer.

The man's whole face frowned at her.

"The suction will pull us right down if we don't keep going."

"We got room for lots more. I say we go back!"

"No! It's our lives now, not theirs. And I'm in charge of this boat! Now row!"

Molly sat back down. She started to row. But Mai could see a storm brewing behind the woman's scowl. She was stubborn. Just like Zuko. Just like that peasant girl.

Mai started to row again.

Iroh pushed any remaining women and children towards the lifeboat. Soon enough, there would only be men standing outside in the cold on this deck.

And Iroh had a feeling Lightoller still wouldn't let them in.

One woman was thrown in a lifeboat. As the crowd grew agitated, a man was pushed forward. He pushed another woman off the side of the ship. With a shriek, she clung to the lifeboat. She clung for dear life. Others screamed. Terrified.

A crewmember grabbed a long piece of wood and started pushing the men back.

Meanwhile, the woman was grabbed by men on the lower deck and landed on solid ground. Safe and sound. Iroh breathed a sigh of relief.

"Step back, I say!"

People retreated away from Officer Lightoller. He was brandishing a pistol.

"Or I'll shoot you all like dogs!"

Iroh held his breath.

"Keep orders here! Order, I said! And now…" He turned to another officer, turning his back to the crowd. "Lower this boat."

"All right. Nobody panic!"

Iroh stayed put. Rooted to the spot.

The clicking sounds coming from Lightoller's pistol made him uneasy.

Everything was starting to fall apart.

People were screaming, panic had finally settled in people's bones. Officers were cutting ropes with pocket knives and almost dropping one lifeboat on top of another. Trying to get as much passengers off the ship. As quickly as possible.

"Stay back!" called an officer.

Ozai huffed. Looking out upon this mess.

"We're too late," Ozai told Azula.

"There are more boats up front," she said. "Stay with this one. Murdoch. He seems to be quite practical."

People shouted, screamed, panicked. One lifeboat was almost on top of another. Threatening to crush the passengers underneath. Other passengers desperately tried to jump in from the lower decks. An officer kept shouting "Step back, step back, step back!" Ozai leaned against the railing when he heard gunshots. The officer had taken out his pistol and was ordering them all to step back. Step back!

Ozai turned to Azula.

"It's starting to fall apart. We don't have much time."

Bark! Yap! Bark!

People froze. Dogs ran by. Tension was felt all around as it dawned on faces how bad everything... this must be. They had probably released the dogs from the kennels.

If the dogs were trying to save their hides...

That was when Ozai's eyes landed on Officer Murdoch, whom Azula had gestured at with a nod of her head. Ozai fell in step with him. The man visibly tensed, but Ozai wouldn't let him get away with this. He had a plan. A foolproof plan.

"Mr. Murdoch."

"Mr. Kai."

"I'm a businessman, as you know, and I have a business proposition for you."

Katara lead the way up the stairwell. Up and up and up and up… Footsteps echoed all around. Zuko was right behind her. Followed by Sokka, Suki, Jet, Aang and Toph. Who were followed by Momo and Appa. She pushed a metallic door open and emerged into cold air. Katara breathed in. Burning her lungs. Air, air! She didn't think she'd be able to see the sky again. Not after being chained to that pipe below deck.

"Wait, Katara!"

Katara spun around. Toph had curled a hand around her arm. She frowned.

"What is it, Toph?"

"Can I try something? I… I think I can do it, now."

"Um… sure. But what?"

Toph reached for Katara's wrists. It dawned on Katara then. Earthbending. Metalbending. Toph concentrated, mouth firmly set. Toph was calm, impossibly calm. She took a deep, deep breath. Katara saw Zuko look at her from the corner of her eye, as were all the others, but she was only looking at Toph.

"You can do it, Toph," said Katara. "I know you can."

"I know I can, too."

Toph's fingers formed claws and she pulled. The handcuffs clinked to the floor. Katara couldn't stop the laugh that came out of her mouth. She wrapped Toph in a hug and lifted her off the ground. Toph laughed, too.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're amazing!"

"I know, I'm the best." Once Toph's feet touched the ground, she said: "Come on!"

"Come on?" parroted Sokka. "Where? The boats are gone."

They looked through the crowded deck. People pushed, ran, tried to live. At that moment, they stumbled upon a man Katara half-remembered being at dinner the other night.

"Colonel!" called Zuko. "Are there any boats left?"

"Yes, sir. There are a couple of boats all the way forward. This way, I'll lead you!"

They didn't have the time for that. No time to wait or follow him. Katara grabbed Zuko's hand and ran past the Colonel. Katara pushed her way through the crowd. Come on, come on, move aside, move aside…! Soon enough, they reached the band who were finishing a tune. One of the men, looking rather morose, said:

"What's the use? No one's listening anyway."

"Well, they don't listen at dinner either," pointed out another. The violinist.

The others looked at him. Seemingly not entirely convinced.

"Come on, let's play," the man said anyway. "It'll keep us warm."

They started to play again. A fast-paced, happy tune Katara didn't recognize. Their group ran past the band and she sent one of the musicians a nod of gratitude. He nodded back.

"Music to drown by," said Jet. "Now I know I'm in First Class!"

"Where is everyone?" asked Murdoch.

He looked around. There wasn't anyone around. The deck was oddly empty. Maybe not empty of passengers, but empty of other officers. Where was everyone else? Perplexed, Murdoch looked down a staircase. An empty staircase. Then, he turned to another sailor. Who told him they were further aloft. Murdoch nodded. He tried to walk past Mr. Kai.

Tried.

He damn tried, but the man monopolized his personal space.

"We have an understanding, then, Mr. Murdoch?"

He dropped a stash of money in his pocket. Murdoch wanted to laugh. Was that man really serious? He thought money, greed, would save his skin? Murdoch wanted to laugh. But he couldn't. He couldn't laugh at a passenger. Instead, he gritted his teeth.

He wanted to say no, he really did. But Mr. Kai wouldn't take no for an answer. And he didn't need him circling around him like a hawk.

Murdoch nodded. Then, he walked away.

Ozai found himself alone in a somewhat secluded part of the ship, away from the squirming passengers. When Ozai turned, he saw Azula arrive. She looked… grim.

There was no smirk on that face.

"I found Zuko on the other side of the ship. With her."

Ozai opened his mouth. Closed it.

"All right."

Murdoch looked around, his arms raised above his head. Come on, come on, come on, was there anyone else who had to get in this lifeboat? Come on...

"Any more women and children?" he called.

"They're all aboard, Mr. Murdoch," answered Bruce Ismay. "Except for that one."

He'd pointed at Mr. Kai's daughter. She looked at her father.

"Anyone else, then? Anyone else?"

He exchanged a glance with Mr. Kai. The man shook his head.

"Fire!"

Another distress signal hissed into the sky. Murdoch couldn't help the thought that came through his mind. The more distress signals were sent, the less likely someone was there to see them. But it was protocol. And he wasn't there to question protocol.

Murdoch helped the last few passengers in. Until he turned to… Bruce Ismay. Who had climbed into the boat. Murdoch froze.

"Ready on the left?"

He was silent for a moment. Then Murdoch raised his arms.

"Take them down."

Zuko, Katara and the others reached the other side of the ship. They'd found a lifeboat. Zuko breathed out in relief. Finally, finally, they'd found a lifeboat. A little girl was currently being hoisted in by a crewmember. When others tried to follow after her, an officer lifted his pistol up in the air. He shot three times in the sky.

People screamed. Zuko covered his ears.

When Zuko looked up, his hands fell away from either side of his head. His face broke into a smile. A familiar old man was pushing his way through the crowd.

"Uncle!"

"Zuko! I'm so happy to see you!"

He wrapped him in a strong hug. Zuko closed his eyes. He breathed him in. Uncle smelled of home. He smelled of home and of jasmine tea. He smelled safe. Uncle turned to Katara and hugged her, then with a jovial "Miss Toph!" he pulled her to him. Toph almost disappeared under the fabric of his sleeves.

"I'm so happy you found each other."

"I'm so happy we found you."

Zuko looked at Uncle. He looked at this man who had supported him for so long. To whom he owed his life, really. Who had picked up the pieces of the broken boy he had once been, who had made him the man he was now. Zuko looked at the only man who had ever been a father to him. A real father.

What else could Zuko say other than…?

"I could only do it thanks to you, Dad."

Uncle's whole face opened with surprise. Mouth hanging open, eyes wide. They stared at each other for what Zuko felt was a long time. But it was only a few seconds.

Uncle pulled him into a hug again.

"I knew you had it in you all along, son. I only pushed you in the right direction."

Someone put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. He looked up.

It was Katara.

"Can we join you?"

Iroh chuckled. "Of course, of course! Come here!"

Soon enough, they were all wrapped in a hug. A tangle of limbs. Zuko, Uncle, Katara, Aang, Toph, Sokka, Suki, Jet. Even Momo and Appa clung to their legs. Celebrating the fact that they were alive. And that they'd found each other. Even if for just a moment.

They didn't have much time to celebrate, unfortunately.

Chaos fell on their side of the ship. A man was propping up another woman to put her in the lifeboat. When he tried to jump on there after her, one of the officers raised his gun. He shot at the sky again. A woman screamed. Uncle pulled them down. Away from the bullet.

"Women and children only!"

They had to separate, not long after. People pushed, shoved, elbowed. The officers called for order once again. The crowd settled. Barely. Zuko's hand found its way to Katara's. He gripped her hand. Tight. She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles.

It would be time to leave soon.

Time to divide.

They knew it.

Two little girls cried as they were separated from their father. He tried to cheer them up. It wasn't working. They didn't believe him.

"Goodbye for a little while. Just for a little while. Go on! Go with Mummy."

They hugged their mother tight.

"Hold Mummy's hand and be a good girl. That's right."

He didn't put anyone at ease. Not at that moment.

An officer pointed at Toph.

This was it.

"Toph? I think it's time to go."

Zuko sent Toph a glance. She wrapped her arms around Aang's neck. Holding steadfast. Holding tight. So tight he was afraid she'd crush him.

"It's gonna be okay, don't worry," whispered Aang. "You're going."

"I'm not taking orders from you, Aang."

She didn't call him Twinkle Toes. Zuko knew Toph was trying to sound strong.

But her voice cracked.

"I'm not ordering you to do anything." Aang offered her a smile. "Okay? Do what you want. But I'd really, really want you to get in the boat. All right?"

"I think it would be a wise decision, Miss Toph," said Uncle.

There was a moment when Zuko feared she would say no. But then...

"... All right."

Toph climbed on board. Aang whispered something that Zuko couldn't catch, then he walked away, saying he wanted to find another lifeboat for himself on the other side. Appa and Momo were close behind him. Jet followed after them. In the lifeboat, Toph looked like she was about to burst into tears. Then she stopped and turned around.

"No, no, wait!"

"Toph," whispered Zuko.

Toph didn't listen. She turned to look in their general direction.

"Let my grandpa in."

Zuko took in a sharp breath. His heart tightened in his chest.

Was she… Was she trying to…?

"It's women and children only, ma'am," answered the officer automatically.

"Please! He's all I have left." Toph waved her hand towards Uncle. Her voice came out in splintering sobs. She was crying now. "I'm… I'm a blind girl, sir. Do you really want to leave a blind girl to go fend for herself? He's all I have left! And if… if you don't allow him to stay, well, I'm jumping off this boat and we're both going to drown! There's some room. We can move aside and make him fit."

A knot twisted in Zuko's throat.

Was she…

Was she really pulling out the blind card to save his uncle?

"No, no, no," immediately said Uncle. He looked at Zuko and put his hand on his shoulder. "I can't possibly... let this young man take my place! I…"

"You shut up, old man!" Toph cut him off. "You shut up and you get in this lifeboat! Right now!"

"No, YOU shut up!"

Zuko stiffened. Uncle never raised his voice. Never.

"Toph, listen to me. I'm not going to climb in that boat. I've lived a long, happy life. Someone else will take my place. You will be safe, Toph. I can't do this."

"But…"

"What did I tell you, this morning, when you asked me about pouring tea?"

Toph's mouth hung open. She seemed to search for words for a moment. As the officer seemed impatient next to her. Then, Toph said:

"You did it because you wanted to and for no other reason."

"That's right." Uncle's voice grew soft, his face full of lines. He looked every bit his age, at that moment. "And I'm doing the same thing now. Got it?"

"I…"

Toph nodded. Resolute.

"Got it."

Zuko wanted to cry. His uncle was… he was going to…! He pushed that thought away when he saw Katara share a glance with her brother. Sokka pulled her into a hug.

"Say hi to Gran-Gran, Dad and Bato for me, okay? Baby sis?"

Katara smiled. Though it was a wet kind of smile.

"You tell them yourself. Jerk brother."

When Sokka pulled away, Zuko saw him take a deep, deep breath. Then he turned to Zuko. Looking at him with a wide, wide smile. Almost too wide.

"What did I tell you? Earlier today?"

Zuko stared. He racked his brain… but he didn't have the time to remember just what he was talking about. Sokka spoke again.

"I trust you."

Zuko nodded. Then Sokka nodded. Then, he turned to…

"Suki?"

"You know I'm staying with you."

"But…"

She rested her hand against his chest. Kind, yet firm.

"You can never change my mind, Sokka La. You know that. Right?"

"I… I do know. I do."

Sokka sent Zuko another glance. They nodded at each other. Once again. After one last hug with Katara, Sokka left with Suki. Looking… shaken. Yet happy.

Then, the officer pointed at Katara. Her face grew tense as she looked at him.

This was it.

Her time to board.

Zuko took in a deep breath. He put his face close to hers.

"Katara, you have to go."

"I'm not going without you."

Zuko wanted to scream. But that wouldn't help. It would only make her more stubborn.

"No, no, no." Zuko's voice was soft, but firm. "Get in the boat. Now."

"No, Zuko. No, I'm not going."

"Katara, please. Get in the boat."

"Yes, you should get in the boat," said another voice.

Zuko froze. His stomach knotted, cold as ice, colder than the water way below deck. He turned around. Father and Azula were walking towards them. Zuko put himself between Katara and his father. Shielding her from him. But Katara only moved aside to stand next to him. Stubborn. He huffed through his nose. She was always so stubborn.

That was one of those reasons he loved her, of course.

Father, Azula and Uncle shared a glance.

"Ozai."

"Iroh."

"Azula."

"Uncle."

Then Father looked Zuko up and down. Zuko gritted his teeth. What was he going to say? Something scathing? Scornful? Zuko was surprised when he said:

"Look at you! Here, put this on."

Father removed his coat and gave it to Zuko.

Surprisingly kind. Suspiciously kind.

Even if Zuko wanted to protest, he still took the coat. At least it wasn't wet and it was warm. Warmer than Zuko's coat - the one he'd discarded below deck - had once been.

"You're never nice. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing! I just want to be nice to my son and his… her while we're dying."

"Hm, hm."

Zuko turned to Katara.

"Here, put on the coat."

"No, you put it on. It'll only weigh me down."

With a sigh, Zuko shouldered the coat. If he did something she wanted, maybe Katara would do something he wanted in return. Maybe. Just maybe.

"Quickly, ladies. Step into the boat. Hurry, please!"

"Go on," urged Zuko on. "Now don't worry about me. I'll take the next one. I'll be with Uncle. I'll be fine."

"No. I'm not going."

Father looked around. Then, he leaned close to Zuko and Katara.

"There is a boat on the other side that is allowing men in. Zuko, Iroh, Azula and I can get off safely. All of us."

"You're a liar. You're lying. I don't believe you."

"Katara…" Zuko breathed in. Breathed out. "I'll be alright. Hurry up so we can get going. We got our own boat to catch."

"Aren't you coming, Miss?" asked the officer standing in the boat.

Katara opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it.

"... No."

Katara spun around. She rounded on the officer.

"I'm a waterbender!"

The man blinked.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm a waterbender! I can survive out there. I'm giving him my place. And only to him." She turned to Zuko, who was looking right back at her. "Only to him."

His eyes pleaded with her. No, no, no, no, no…

"Take him instead of me."

Don't do this, don't do this…

"But it's women and children only."

"I. TOLD. YOU. I'm a waterbender!"

To prove her point, Katara put herself in a bending stance. A ball of water rose up from the ocean into her open palm. It twirled around. The lifeboat's passengers and the crowd looked at her with oooohs and aaaahs. Zuko didn't look at anything but her face.

"See?" She cracked a smile and dropped the water overboard. It splashed with a belated sound. Almost comical. Almost. "I'll be fine. Take him."

Zuko shook his head. No, no, this wasn't going the way he wanted… No, no, no...

A pair of hands curled around his shoulders.

Uncle spun him around. Gentle. Looking at him with kind eyes. Pleading eyes.

"Zuko… maybe Katara's right."

"What?" Zuko's mouth hung open. "But you just said…"

"I'm old." Uncle closed his eyes. "And I'm tired." When he looked again at Zuko, there was nothing but determination in his eyes. "But you're young. You're wild, you deserve to be free. Do as Katara says. Go."

"But…"

"Katara will protect me. We'll be fine. Okay?"

"I…"

Katara put herself in between Uncle and Zuko. He could only look at her.

"You're going to listen to me, Zuko Kai! Okay? Listen to me. You just saved my life down there. If you hadn't come for me, I'd be dead. Drowned! A drowned waterbender, can you imagine? Now you're going to allow me to give you my seat because I'm the waterbender and I can save you now. You saved me. I'm going to save you."

Father snorted.

"You're going to let this girl talk all over you?"

Katara rounded on him.

"And you listen, you piece of sh…"

"Katara!"

"What?"

Zuko swallowed. He squeezed her hand.

"Okay. I trust you. I'm going."

Zuko kissed her forehead and stepped in the lifeboat. Women and girls eyed him not with unkindness, but with sympathy. They knew how it felt to be separated. Toph leaned into his side. To the officer, Zuko said:

"Thank you. And sorry, sir."

"Don't thank me! Your girlfriend is scary, boy!"

Zuko sent a look at Katara. He hoped it said everything.

"Yeah, I know."

There was some fumbling around with the ropes. Then...

"There's no more room, sir."

"Good. Get them down."

The lifeboat shuddered. They were going down.

Toph pushed herself away from Zuko and turned her back to him. Her shoulders shook. He didn't have to see the tears to know she was crying again. Zuko himself only focussed on Katara. Her hands rested against the railing, Uncle on one side and Father on the other. They were talking. But Zuko couldn't understand what was being said.

Katara stopped talking to Father and looked at him. Straight at him. She nodded. He barely saw it; he could only look at those eyes. Those blue eyes. Gleaming with unshed tears.

They were going down. And down. And down.

Katara never looked away.

Zuko watched as a life flashed before his eyes. A life where she hadn't stumbled in his path. A life where she hadn't found him. A life without her.

At first, he saw himself clinging to the back of the ship. Then, he saw a version of himself - one amongst many, but a version of himself that made one amongst many choices - climbing back over the railing. Refusing to jump but refusing to live.

He saw his fire die out.

He saw himself as a man living in fear of everyone and everything. A shadow. A secondary character in his own life. He saw Father's sneers and Azula's mocking smirks.

He saw himself marrying Mai. He saw a shell of himself wade through life, kicked and pushed and shoved. He saw her hitting him; he saw himself hiding the bruises. He saw himself in Mai's bed. Looking at the ceiling while she did whatever she wanted with him.

He saw his own reflection in the mirror. Hating itself more and more with each passing day. Zuko saw the barrel of a gun.

Sooner or later, he would have done it.

A distress signal hissed into the sky. It exploded in a burst of light. Falling slowly, oh so slowly, behind Katara's head. The tears she was shedding now shone like stars. Light outlined her hair, her shoulders, her eyes. She looked ethereal.

A Spirit on Earth.

His Painted Lady.

Zuko then saw another life flash before his eyes. He saw a life with her. A life where they both made it off this ship. A life filled with cool days and scorching nights. A life of mutual respect, of listening and being listened to. A life of happiness and laughter and art and wonder. A life of love. A tranquil, happy life. A life with her.

A life with Katara.

Zuko swallowed hard. He swallowed down the lump in his throat. All that time, during those endless seconds, he kept his eyes on her. On nothing but her.

He blinked. Salt burned his eyes and down his cheeks.

That was when he realized…

What was he…?

What was he doing?

He couldn't let her go. He couldn't allow himself to let her go. He couldn't.

Zuko chose her. He chose Katara.

Like he always did.

Without fear, without hesitation…

Zuko jumped.