AN: oh no!...yup, that about sums it up...

Chapter 21: The Comet

Iroh ordered the men to follow Zhao's ship, but it was an empty order as they had already sprung to their posts and the ship was moving. Katara ran to the side of the ship and used her water-bending to help the ship reach it's utmost speed faster. Ozai stared off to the horizon after Zhao's ship, which now held the world's only hope, and the key to the world's only demise.

Iroh scooped his unconscious nephew into his strong arms. The prince's arm was badly burn from fingertip to elbow. When Iroh picked him up, his head and arms hung limply. Iroh shifted the boy's weight and bore him to the infirmary, closely followed by Ozai.

Sokka knelt by Anzha and touched her hand hesitantly. Her eyes flew open, and she smiled at him.

"Hey Sokka." He tried to smile back at her, but only succeeding in grimacing. Then her eyes widened.

"Zuko! Where's Zuko?" Sokka sighed.

"Iroh just took him to the infirmary." Anzha nodded and held up her hand. Sokka grabbed it and pulled her to her feet, and together they headed down to the infirmary.

Katara had already joined the two brothers by her prince's side when Anzha and Sokka came in. Zuko's arm was actually looking worse and dark circles were forming beneath his eyes. Veins of darkness were spreading from the burn on up his arm.

Anzha traced the darkening skin with a gentle hand, and then hissed in anger. "Bastard."

They all looked at her, especially the doctor. "What's wrong with him?"

"Zhao's tainted his Source. Which means Zuko will die…unless it can be fixed."

Ozai's eyes went wide, and Katara gripped the arms of her chair until her knuckles went white. Iroh merely sighed, but his anguish showed in his worried glance towards Zuko.

"How do we fix it?"

Anzha turned to her adopted father.

"We can't, but I'll do the best I can."

Without hesitation, Anzha kneeled on the bed next to Zuko. She took his hands in her own, and closed her eyes. Immediately she slumped back and Ozai caught her, but she maintained her hold on Zuko, which was all she needed.

She didn't have to go far to find Zuko's Source, for it still poured through him. The taint stood out against the soft bright gold like a black cancerous tumor. She merged herself with his Source, and began pushing the taint away from her, as she would push away a cobweb, a heavy, steel, cobweb that fought back. The taint pushed back at her, testing her strength of will, and biting at her mind.

In reality, Anzha whimpered against Ozai's shoulder and shuddered. In the silent room, the sound echoed like a scream. Katara tensed and touched Zuko's shoulder. He didn't react.
She fought back against the taint, as it struggled to surge past her, feed off her energies to consume Zuko's heart. Realizing this, she pushed back even harder. If the taint reached his heart, it would flow with his blood and destroy him, mentally and physically. As she began to lose ground, memories, undeterred due to Zuko's weakened state, flooded her mind. Memories, of their childhood, of playing and learning together, that reminded her just what she was fighting for. I love you Zuko, my brother. She planted her non-existent feet and lunged against the taint, fighting it not only physically but mentally with her memories. It was a battle for who deserved Zuko more.
Ozai felt Anzha tense against him, and her hands clutched Zuko's. Katara gasped, her eyes on the black discoloration that had reached Zuko's shoulder in the moments passed. It was receding, slowly, but surely.
With a final push, Anzha threw everything she had at the taint. It screamed in defeat and surged away from her.
A flame burst from Zuko's burned palm, and they all turned away from the sudden light. When it receded, Zuko's arm looked no different than a normal burn, and Anzha slumped against Ozai, unconscious. He passed her into Iroh's waiting arms, and the doctor and Iroh took her to a separate room, closely followed by Sokka. Katara and Ozai were left alone with Zuko.
Aang fought against the chains holding him, but they resisted even his best attempts to fire-bend. He was finally able to create the fire, drawing on his anger at Zhao, who was standing nearby, watching his feeble attempts. The Avatar breathed fire through gritted teeth at the Admiral, who just playfully bended the flames away.

"You may be the Avatar, but you are still a child. Despite that, you are key to my plan."

Aang scowled. He was tired of hearing about this plan but nothing of what it really contained.

"Perhaps you can enlighten me?"

Zhao shrugged.

"Why not? I'm bored. Solzen's comet arrives today. It will peak over the world at a certain location. That's where we're heading, for only the Avatar can truly absorb the entire power of the comet."

Aang's eyes widened, and then narrowed. "I will use that power to destroy you Zhao. You'd give a weapon to your greatest enemy?"

The Admiral grinned. "Actually, the spot of greatest enemy has already been taken by a certain Fire Prince. And, over the next few hours, you will ingest this powder." He held up a packet. "This herb will put you under whoever wants to control you. In this case, me."

He giggled like a school girl, while Aang gulped. "It's over Avatar." He then turned and left the room. Plans rushed through Aang's head, each more ludicrous than the previous. All his hope lay with those he'd come to regard as his family. An image flashed into his mind of Zuko and Anzha lying motionless on the ship's deck. Hot tears fled his hazel eyes and steamed against the floor. He swore an oath to the empty room.

"I will kill myself before helping you Zhao."

Katara had slipped out to get both her and the Fire Lord something to eat. She'd run into her father while on the way back, but he had said nothing, merely smiled. She read the gratitude in his eyes, but she'd have to ask what for later.
Back in the infirmary, she placed the bowl of hot broth and noodles before the Fire Lord, but he didn't look up.

"Fire Lord?" He didn't stir, his eyes fixed on his son. She sat down next to him, set her own bowl down, and gently shook him. His gaze didn't shift, but he did speak.

"My only son, my flesh and blood, look at him." She stared at him, not understanding.

"What?"

The Fire Lord opened his mouth to speak, but his voice broke. He hid his face in his hands and sobbed.

"Look at him! He's just a child and look at what I did to him! I taught him to love and to trust, to see the best in people, and then I threw it all back in his face! I destroyed everything he'd once held dear in front of the world! And his face, his beautiful face! Dear Agni, what have I done to my precious son?"

Strong arms pulled the sobbing Fire Lord close, and at first he thought it was the young water-bender, but then a cool hand enveloped his, and he jumped, startled. The Fire Prince smoothed back his father's hair as the man had done so often with him.

"It's all right father." Ozai shook his head, and Katara met Zuko's gaze worriedly, but he just nodded to her.

"No it's not. It will never be all right. What I have done is unforgivable."

"That's funny, because last time I checked, you already had been forgiven."

Ozai pulled away from them both.

"You shouldn't. I took everything you ever wanted! Your home, your friends, your pride, your honor, and your future, I took it all away from you with no intentions to give it back! I would've let you live your life in banishment, Avatar or no!"

Zuko sighed, and managed to stand. He swayed as he stood, but Katara steadied him with a touch. He walked shakily to his sire and reached up to place a hand on his father's stubbly cheek, his head filled with memories. Tears filled the prince's eyes, and as exhausted as he was from the effort of moving, he found the strength to speak once more.

"Everything I could ever want…I already have." With that, he fainted into his father's arms and Katara slipped out into the hall.

Sokka held Anzha's left hand, slowly stroking the back of it with his thumb. Iroh had gone above deck to see how the chase was going. When his hand brushed over something cold, he glanced down to see a gold band on Anzha's left ring finger, her wedding ring finger. In the center of the white gold band, an emerald, a sapphire, a diamond, and a ruby were placed in a diamond formation. Engraved along the band were simple characters.

'Like the nations, we should be one. From your spirit.'

Sokka had heard enough of her past to know just her 'her spirit' was. Tears sprang to his eyes as he dropped her hand as if it were molten metal.

"Sokka…" His head jerked up to meet her gaze.

Katara froze just outside the door when she heard her brother speak.
"Why didn't you tell me you were engaged to Zuko?"

"I…I didn't…You never gave me the chance."

"So it's my fault? Should I remind you that you kissed me too?"

"I didn't say it was your fault, and I don't regret kissing you! Let me explain!"

"You should've explained before you let me fall in love with you!"

"Sokka! I…"

"Save it! Save it for someone who cares!"

The door nearly hit Katara as Sokka burst through it, but he didn't notice her as he stormed above deck. The door bounced back and shut on itself, but it didn't block the sound of Anzha's sobs. Katara fought back tears of her own, and raced above deck to her brother.

She found him standing at the stern, looking at the waters behind them. He was gripping the railing hard enough to break it, and tears fell freely from his blue eyes. Katara wrapped her arms around her brother's waist and he stiffened at her touch.

"You love Anzha, and she loves Zuko."

Sokka turned and hugged his sister. "I'm glad they're happy. But he better take care of her."

She hugged him back, unable to control her tears any longer. "And vice versa."

Suddenly the whole ship lurched. The clouds and rain melted and a piercing light spread through, battering against their unprepared eyes.

Solzen's comet made the sun pale in comparison.

Ozai tucked the blanket around the sleeping prince firmly before heading above deck, after he'd given the doctor instructions to protect Zuko with his life. The doctor had stated firmly that Zuko would not wake for some time, and had forbidden further visitors. The man had also rewrapped Ozai's arm and the Fire Lord had strict order not to try to use it again. But as he burst above deck, joining the entire crew excluding Aang, Zuko, and Natalani, he saw that they were drawing up on Zhao. But Solzen's comet was searing through the sky, nearly directly above them.
Zhao watched the comet above them, smiling maniacally. "With the power of Solzen's comet, I will destroy the Royal Family, and then I will take the throne. With the Avatar as my prisoner, the world will fall to me."

A few soldiers brought Aang on deck. His face was smeared green, but his eyes were glazed, showing that he had ingested some of the herb. Zhao called to him, and he came without hesitation. Zhao's grin grew wider, and his eyes glowed inhumanly.

Solzen's comet peaked over Zhao's ship. The unimaginable power began to fill Aang's tender body, and he began to scream.

The helmsman on Zuko's ship did not slow down. In fact, he increased speed. The call came down to hold on, and the doctor tensed beside his unconscious patient.
The light of the comet faded as Aang absorbed its power. Zhao turned to his unwilling slave.

"Kill the Fire Prince."

The ships collided, and the doctor threw himself over his patient as the contents of the many cabinets spilled out.

For the second time that day, the battle began.

Aang stepped onto Zuko's ship, and all shied away from him. He went below deck, seeking the Fire Prince.
Anzha saw her sire, and lunged into him. Together, they fell back onto his ship, and both were on their feet instantly. Anzha drew her swords and flames lit the blades. Zhao grinned and raised his hands. The hatred of years would come out in a single battle. Only one would walk away.
The doctor carried his charge to the second boat. They could escape. Zuko would be safe in the Fire Nation. But a flash of blinding light and searing heat sent him tumbling into the far wall. Zuko stood shakily on his own, and turned to face the glowing creature once known as Avatar Aang.
Crumpness...