When Zuko, Katara, and Sela made it back into town, the sun was sinking towards the horizon, coloring the dusk in violent shades of yellow and orange. It seemed like the entire town had come out to see what was happening. Gow and his thugs had tied Lee to the base of a windmill, almost as if they were waiting for them. Zuko felt his anger surge up inside of him at the sight.

Lee looked up and saw them, and relief broke out across his face. "There he is!" He glared at Gow. "I told you he'd come!"

Zuko dismounted from Dusty with Katara right behind him. She uncapped her waterskin, ready for a fight.

"Let the kid go," Zuko said gutturally as he stared down the bully leader.

Gow laughed at him. "Who do you think you are, telling us what to do? Filthy half-breed."

Zuko appraised him coolly. "It doesn't matter who I am. But I know who you are. You're not soldiers. You're bullies, abusing your power." His eyes cut over the townsfolk. "Mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army. You're just cowards messing with a family who's already lost one son to the war."

Gow's lip curled before he looked at his cronies. "Are you gonna let this half-breed stand there and insult you like this?"

"Just let the boy go," Katara said, her voice cold and furious. She pulled a stream of water out of her pouch. "Last chance."

Gow looked between her and Zuko. "How does a waterbender end up with a Fire Nation mutt, huh? You both disgust me." He stepped back and gestured for his men to attack them. "Run 'em out of here, boys. Maybe we oughta string the half-breed up, make an example out of him."

Two of the soldiers approached. Zuko kept an eye on Katara from the corner of his eye as she whipped water at her opponent. But he couldn't focus on her; another soldier lunged at him. Zuko drove the hilt of his blades into the man's stomach, feeling the adrenaline rise in his blood. He lived for a good fight, and these cowards deserved to be knocked down a peg.

The soldier faltered backwards as the air left him in a rush. Zuko slid his foot out quickly and knocked the man to the ground. He unsheathed his swords, and watched as the soldier scrambled backwards through the dirt. His lip curled. Coward.

He glanced over to see how Katara was fairing. Her opponent had taken one good hit to the chest and lay in the road, his ratty clothes saturated by her water.

"Who else wants some?" Katara challenged as she held up her water, her eyes sparking fiercely.

The third soldier charged at them, brandishing a spear. Katara readied herself, but Zuko was pissed. These jerks needed to be taught a lesson, and he felt qualified to give it to them.

He brought his foot up and kicked the shaft of the spear. The weapon jerked upwards, and Zuko grabbed the man's face, forcing him to the ground before he stomped on the man's stomach. The soldier, not so easily swayed, climbed to his feet and swung the spear at him, but suddenly, Katara's water wrapped around it. She ripped it out of his grip and cast it aside. Zuko looked at her and nodded once. She returned the gesture before the second soldier came back, ready for round two.

Zuko stood waiting until the man got close enough. He brought his foot around and down on it, snapping the shaft in half. The soldier stopped short, eyeing Zuko for only a moment before he turned and fled like his companions. Lee laughed while the crowd watched in anticipation.

Zuko knew a thing or two about bullies. He'd had his fair share of encounters with them. They were weak cowards. And watching these men take advantage of a tired town, a town that had suffered because of his family's war, lit a fire in him that almost scared him with how hot he burned. These soldiers were like those thieves. They took and they took and they took, and they didn't give a damn who they hurt.

With the last of his cronies gone, Gow stood alone. His teeth flashed in a snarl as he looked at Zuko, hefting a pair of dual hammers. Zuko stood, outwardly calm, but inside, he was on fire.

"I've got him," Zuko said to Katara. "Go get Lee."

Katara studied him for a moment before she nodded and fed her water back into her pouch. Gow approached Zuko, his fury rolling off of him in tangible waves. Katara skirted the edge of the street, her eyes never leaving the soldier, but he only had eyes for Zuko.

"You half-breed punk," Gow spat. "I'm going to teach you a lesson."

Zuko brandished his dao blades and said nothing. Gow attacked first, hefting his hammer. Zuko was momentarily surprised when a large rock broke free of the dirt road, but he didn't have time to think about it as Gow sent it flying towards him.

Zuko cut through it with his swords, but Gow was quick to strike again, sending three rocks flying at him. Zuko cut down the first two easily, but the third collided with his stomach. He exhaled harshly as his breath left him. He stumbled backwards before he redoubled his efforts and charged at the soldier.

"Give him a left! A left!" an old man in the crowd shouted.

"It's not a fistfight," an old woman pointed out.

"He's got a left sword, don't he?"

Zuko tuned out the crowd as he faced Gow. The soldier raised three more rocks and sent them flying towards Zuko. Again, he blocked two of them, but this time, the third caught him in the chest. He felt sharp pain in his ribs as he was knocked off of his feet. He rolled across the dirt road, gritting his teeth against the sharp agony in his chest.

Zuko allowed himself one moment to recover, grimacing at the pain. The rock had surely fractured or even broken a few ribs. It hurt to breathe. Then he heard Katara's voice.

"Look out!" she shouted shrilly.

"Behind you!" Lee cried out.

Zuko looked back in time to see Gow fling increasingly larger boulders at him. Zuko jumped quickly to his feet, raising his swords. He cut through them one by one, but Gow was no longer messing around as he kept up a steady barrage of rocks and boulders.

Zuko could feel his ribs protesting with each movement. Sweat poured down his face and ran into his eyes, but he wasn't going to give up. Katara stood by Lee and Sela, one hand on her waterskin. She was ready to intervene, but Zuko met her gaze and shook his head. She held back.

Gow suddenly raised a large mound of rock and sent it careening towards Zuko. He tried to get out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough. The wall of rock and dirt hit him hard, and Zuko went flying backwards. He landed on his back, his head smacking a chunk of rock. Darkness fell over his eyes.

He was sleeping in his bed. Suddenly, someone gently touched his shoulder. He woke up, blinking sleepily. His mother sat on the edge of his bed, wearing a dark cloak.

"Mom?" Zuko asked, confused.

She cupped his cheek. "Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done, I've done to protect you." She wrapped him in a tight hug. "Remember this, Zuko: no matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are."

Ursa stood up and walked towards the door. She looked back at him with a sad smile as she pulled up her hood and walked away.

The gathered crowd held its collective breath as they waited for Zuko to get up. Katara watched him, feeling her heart thudding in her chest. If he didn't get up, she would finish Gow off. But he needed to get up, so that she knew he was okay.

"Get up!" Lee whispered hoarsely behind her.

Gow approached Zuko with an arrogant swagger to his step. He lifted his hammer, prepared to deliver the final blow. Katara clenched her teeth as she started forward, already uncapping her waterskin.

Suddenly, Zuko moved. His hands wrapped around the hilts of his swords as he pushed himself into a crouch, whipping his blades through the air as he spun with a ferocious roar. Katara watched in awe and horror as hot flames burst from the ends of his swords, creating a vortex of fire around him.

The force knocked Gow over onto his back, his hammers falling from limp fingers. Zuko stood above him, teeth bared and shoulders heaving as flames danced along his blades. Katara watched, frozen in disbelief, as Gow got to his feet, apparently unwilling to surrender. He raised his fists.

Zuko's expression darkened, and for a moment, Katara was nearly afraid of the ferocity that she saw there. He lunged at the soldier, sending blasts of fire at him from the tips of his swords.

Gow stumbled backwards, using his earthbending to try to deflect Zuko's fire, but he was no match for the furious firebender. He stumbled and fell to the ground again, his last defense crumbling around him and burying him. Katara held her breath, still frozen halfway between Lee and the fight. She could feel the townspeople watching them, but she could only look at Zuko, wondering what he would do next.

Gow looked up at Zuko, dazed and scared. "Who...who are you?"

Zuko stopped in front of him and sheathed his swords. "I told you. It doesn't matter who I am. All that matters is that you and your soldiers are going to leave this town and never come back." He crouched down so his face was level with Gow's. "Or next time, I won't be so merciful."

Zuko reached forward, and Gow pulled back in fear. But Zuko only grabbed the dagger out of the man's belt before he stood up. Katara met his searing gaze as Zuko walked towards them.

"You're a firebender!" the old man who had spoken before cried out. "You're no better than Gow and his men! Bloody murderers and rapists, the lot of you!"

Katara saw the brief wince that passed over Zuko's face. The man's words incited the others gathered, and soon the whole crowd was shouting, their voices overlapping as they protested Zuko's very existence. Zuko ignored them all as he stopped in front of Sela.

"Not one step closer," she warned, her voice shaking as she protectively stood in front of her son.

Katara felt tears sting her eyes. She couldn't believe how fast the townspeople had turned on Zuko, just because he was a firebender. It didn't matter that he had just defended them. He had Fire Nation blood in his veins, and that made him an enemy in their eyes.

But she understood their fear. Hadn't she felt the same way until just a few weeks ago? All anyone knew about the Fire Nation was pain and bloodshed. Zuko represented that to them, just as he had to her. No one else knew the person that existed beyond his heritage, the person who was determined and compassionate.

Zuko didn't come any closer, but he knelt down in front of Lee and Sela. The boy peeked out from behind his mother, his brow knit. Zuko offered him the dagger.

"It's yours," he said. "You should have it."

Lee glared at him. "No! I hate you! You're a firebender."

"I think you both should leave," Sela told them coldly, her eyes briefly flickering to Katara.

Katara walked over to Zuko and put her hand on his shoulder. He'd hung his head after Lee's rejection, and he didn't look up at her now as he stood up and tucked the dagger back into his belt. She took his hand and pulled him towards Dusty. She wanted to get them out of here before the people did something wild, like attack them.

Zuko didn't speak as he pulled himself up on the saddle behind Katara. She took the reins and guided Dusty out of town.

A funeral pyre burned behind them as Ozai knelt down, dressed in white. The Fire Sages surrounded him, with the head Sage holding the five-pointed Flame of Agni in his hands as he read out Fire Lord Azulon's funeral rites.

"As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son," the Fire Sage said as he placed the crown in Ozai's topknot. "Hail Fire Lord Ozai!"

Zuko felt fear coil in his belly. When he looked over at Azula, he saw a wicked smile on her lips.

"That was very brave of you," Katara said quietly as they sat around their campfire later that night.

Zuko hadn't spoken since they'd left the village. He had seemed to retreat into himself, his eyes glazed over and far away. Katara was worried about him. The entire experience couldn't have been easy for him. It had been hard enough for her to watch.

"It was stupid," Zuko growled, his eyes never leaving the fire. "I should have let you step in."

Katara shook her head. "No, it was your fight, Zuko. You needed to do that."

"What, make an ass out of myself in front of an entire village by firebending?" he snapped. "What exactly did that accomplish? Sure, Gow and his soldiers were scared pissless of me, but so was that entire village. Lee was afraid of me."

He rubbed his eyes against his arm, folded over his knees. Katara's heart pulled painfully in her chest, and she crawled around the fire until she sat beside him. She put her hand on his shoulder, hoping to offer him comfort the way he had given it to her.

"Zuko, you did what was right," she told him earnestly, her voice soft. "Those soldiers were terrible people. We did the right thing by standing up to them. And yeah, the villagers were scared. All they've ever known from the Fire Nation is pain and fear. But it doesn't have to be this way."

Zuko finally lifted his head to look at her. His eyes were burning. "Don't say it, Katara. Please, don't say it."

She let her hand fall as she dropped her head. She could feel it right there on the tip of her tongue: you can join Aang and help him end this. Then the world won't be afraid of the Fire Nation anymore. But Katara could tell that he wasn't ready to hear it.

"Okay," she whispered.

Instead, Katara shifted closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. But she pulled back as soon as she heard his hiss of pain. She scrutinized him closely, suddenly noticing the way that he was favoring his right side.

"You're hurt," she said, a note of accusation in her voice.

"I'm fine," Zuko replied gruffly as he turned his face away.

"Let me help you," Katara told him gently. "If you're hurt, I can heal you."

Zuko looked at her as if he was considering arguing with her. But then he let out a sigh. "It's my ribs. I think they're fractured."

Her jaw dropped. "And you didn't say anything all night? Zuko!"

"It's fine," he insisted, even as he winced.

Katara shook her head as she clicked her tongue, her hands already moving over him as she moved into a more clinical state of mind. "I've definitely got to heal those if they're fractured or broken. Take your shirt off."

Zuko did as she told him, grunting and hissing in pain. He was clearly struggling, so Katara helped him take off his dusty tunic. Then she helped him lay down on his back, grimacing with each pained sound that he made. She uncapped her water skin and coated her hands with it.

Katara was too deep into her healing mentality to even register the fact that Zuko was shirtless, and her water-gloved hands were touching his skin. Her focus was entirely on the fractured bones she could feel under his pale skin, and she concentrated on stitching them back together.

"Definitely fractured," Katara muttered as she worked. Zuko grunted in acknowledgement.

She felt Zuko relax as his pain ebbed away. As the bones mended beneath her hands, she finally allowed herself a quick peek at his shirtless torso. He'd lost weight since she'd first met him, so he'd lost some of the bulky muscle he once had. But he was wiry and lean, with defined muscles on his chest and abdomen, and toned arms. He was...kind of attractive. Okay, really attractive. But now was definitely not the time to think about that.

Once his ribs were healed, Katara tore her eyes away from him as she fed her water back into her pouch. "How do you feel?"

Zuko sat up, poking his fingers against his chest. "Wow. I feel pretty good, actually. Like it never even happened." He looked up at her, his expression unreadable. "Thank you, Katara."

She offered him a small smile. "You're welcome, Zuko." She thought of something. "You know, I seem to recall offering to spar with you."

He pursed his lips. "I don't know. I'm kind of tired tonight."

Katara nodded in understanding. "Maybe tomorrow, then?"

"Maybe," Zuko said noncommittally.

Katara reached out and put her hand over his. "You don't always have to be 'Lee'. It's okay to be Zuko, too. And Zuko is a firebender. He should practice."

He seemed to consider that for a moment before he finally nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right." Zuko reached for his shirt and pulled it back on. "We should get some sleep."

"Yeah, okay."

They moved over to Dusty and settled down against the ostrich horse's side. Katara spread the blanket over them. She glanced over at him, and found that he was staring up at the sky. She shifted closer to him and found his hand under the blanket. He startled, looking down at her.

"You're more than where you're from, Zuko," she told him softly. "Being a firebender doesn't define who you are."

Zuko studied her face for a moment before he looked back up at the night sky. He didn't say anything, but he didn't pull his hand away either. Katara held onto him as she closed her eyes. Maybe tonight he wasn't ready for what she could offer, but she thought he might be soon.

She hoped that he would be, because she was realizing that she was getting a little attached to the firebender. But if the way he looked at her sometimes was any indication, he was getting a little attached to her, too.