Aang ducked out of the way, the knife barely an inch away from his face. The dagger sent sparks against the metal bars, causing his friends to jump back. He ran a good distance away, trying to come up with a plan, but it was so hard to think. Escape was impossible, his friends were stuck, and Azula was on a rampage. She would never be satisfied with just his death; everyone he cared about, those he loved, were going to pay the price for even knowing him.

Growling, Azula sprinted towards him, knife held behind her. Heart pounding in his throat, he ducked once more, cursing the fact that his own knife was in Suki's possession.

He had to get it back, but he had the feeling that Azula was leading him away from his friends. No matter which way he tried to get by, Azula was there, laughing maniacally. Aang gritted his teeth when his path was blocked once more.

Azula shook her head mockingly. "Oh, poor Aang. Are you at a lost? I can make this quick, if it pleases you."

Why did the crazy ones act polite when trying to kill people? "Don't try your mind games with me, Azula. I won't fall for it." The anger coursing through his body was white hot, but he knew if released, that would bring about his end, as well as his friends. He had to stay calm, just like he learned from Suki. No matter what, he had to get them out, even if he didn't.

Aang's eyes drew themselves to the switch that had activated the gate, blocking the others. It was on the other side of the chamber, with the bitch blocking his way. But if he could just get there, it would turn the tide of this fight...for his loved ones to escape.

Azula sneered at him, her knuckles whitening on the handle. "It won't matter, because in the end, I will be victorious." She slashed at him once more. Feeling trapped, he ducked away again, but this time wasn't very fast.

Azula feinted to the left, then swung the knife in the opposite direction, slicing into Aang's cheek. He cried out, falling down to the floor, and almost instantly the madwoman was on him. One hand went around his throat, the knife raised to deliver the killing blow. As his hands tried to pry off the fingers, a moment from the past flashed in his mind's eye. The Mistress straddling his hips before taking a precious piece of his innocence. The hands threatening suffocation. The smell of sex and sweat permeating the air.

Panic was beginning to set in. He couldn't die now; everyone would be let down. He wasn't going to let them be killed because of him. When the knife began to lower, time seemed to slow down. Instinct made him raise one hand, stopping the knife in its tracks. They paused there for a long moment and Aang could see the surprise in Azula's gold eyes when he began to push back.

"Not this time," he haltingly ground out through clenched teeth. From strength he didn't know he possessed, he lifted his other hand and punched her straight in the face. She fell off, crying out as blood began to pour from her nose. Aang took gasping breaths as he scrambled up and away, and that was when Suki called out.

"Aang, here!"

When he spun around to her, he saw the glint of his own knife. Sprinting over to her, he grabbed it, feeling the weight of it. He had never killed someone, not on purpose anyway, but if it came down to it, would he be able to do it? Could he live with himself if a life had been taken by his own hand, with his own intentions?

He wasn't sure, but it was a slight relief to have a weapon to defend himself with. Turning back to Azula, he saw she was struggling to her knees, the blood a river of crimson as it fell out of her nose. The knife had fallen when she fell, but ti was still close to her. Even attempting to take it might have ended his life. At least now he had a fighting chance.

Azula finally stood, grasping her blade and glaring at him. "You despicable pest!" she spat, wiping her face, which made it look more horrid then before. The manic gleam in her eyes grew stronger. "This game is over. I won't have another person defy me! Not you, not my brother, not even my mother!"

Her mother...

An idea flashed in his mind like lightning. It was risky, but it might just work.

"Why are you like this, Azula?" he called back.

"Aang, what are you doing?!" Sokka whisper/shouted.

Aang ignored him as he and Azula track each other's movements. "Why did you become a seductress?"

"It's my destiny to rule this Empire, long established by my forebears. My father made it so we could disappear, leaving the weak ones behind. Zuko and Ursa are those weaker fools."

"That's not true. Don't you know?" He was entering dangerous territory now, but there was no turning back.

"Know what?!" she yelled. "They never saw the potential greatness I was born with. My father did, and raised me accordingly. He faked our deaths to save me from the shameful life I would have succumbed to."

Aang shook his head, the pity in his heart growing listening this garbage coming out of her mouth. "Azula, Ursa and Zuko miss you, I know they do."

"You LIE!" she screamed, sprinting towards him and swiping once more at his jugular, but he lifted his hand in time and blocked the attack. They froze like that for a few moments. Both were breathing hard, Azula from her sprint and rage, Aang from the strain of stopping the knife. She continued, "They NEVER cared for me! Ursa always sided with Zuko, because he was her favorite!"

"I'm telling you, she loves you!" he strained to get out, then pushed her knife away to slash his own, but she backed away before contact was made. "I would know! Her and Zuko used to talk about you, back home!"

"Yeah, right," she snarled, eyes mere slits. "If they did, surely you would have recognized me." She jumped at him again, and once more he pushed her back, this time managing to to slice her upper left arm. Azula yelled out, rage coloring her face puce.

"After you supposedly died, Ursa hid all of your pictures. Zuko told me, because your memory alone is painful to them."

"THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME!" Azula screeched back at him, but he could see telltale signs of tears glimmering in her gold eyes. "I'LL BET THEY WERE HAPPY WHEN I "DIED"!"

They exchanged a few more blows before Aang was able to respond, both suffering from minor cuts. "She held a service to both of you," he panted. "Before coming to Detroit. You're father stole you."

"He did it to protect me," she snarled, panting as well, before striking once more. He stopped the blade, as well as her other hand when she went to slap him. "He made me into what I needed to be."

"You mean he beat you!" he said back, feeling the strength slowly ebb away from the fight and the blood-loss. "He turned you into his slave!"

That gave her pause; he could tell by the slight widening of her eyes and the easing of her grip, but before he could take advantage her face hardened and she kicked him in the abdomen. The breath left him as he was propelled to the wall, where he slammed into it with a pained grunt. Somehow he was able to maintain his grip on the knife, but getting up seemed impossible. Blood dribbling from his mouth, he coughed, looking up at her.

"You know I'm right, Azula," he croaked, forcing himself to his knees. "You were forced to become something you weren't meant to be."

Azula shook her head. "You know nothing, Aang. Now shut up!" She tried to run, but even her anger could power up much more. Her next attack was slower than before; she was tiring, just as he was. And he still didn't get the chance to flick the switch to release the captives. He couldn't die until they were free. There was only one choice, but he didn't want to go through with it.

He rolled away, and managed to stand, though his legs felt weak. "Azula, you control what happens. Your dad can't hurt you anymore. You are free to choose your own destiny. None of this is worth it."

Shaking her head, she replied, "I never had a choice. I was meant to be this way." Suddenly she grabbed her head, grimacing. "GET OUT OF MY MIND, MOTHER!"

Suddenly understanding, he blurted, "You see; she still wants what's best for you. You're father turned you into this person, without letting you figure yourself out. Your mom never wanted that."

"SHUT UP!" she screamed hoarsely, raising her knife. "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MY LIFE WAS LIKE!"

"You're just as much of a victim as I was." The realization made his heart throb in sympathy, because despite everything she had done, this wasn't entirely her fault. Her dad, Ozai, was the reason she became like this, from cool and collected to wild and misguided. He was the true monster.

She screamed like a banshee, a broken look in her gaze, as she rushed him, and Aang, knowing this had to end, raised his blade. Adrenaline pulsed through his exhausted limbs, as they fought for the upper hand, but it took one folly on his part to give the woman an advantage. Azula ducked his swing, ramming her shoulder into his belly, both ending up on the floor. Her legs straddled his hips, hands gripping the blade higher. Just as she was about to slam the knife home, his own hand thrust upwards...

And slipped through her rib cage.

Azula froze with a gasp, eyes widening so large they looked ready to pop out. The hands lowered, releasing their grip. The blade clattered on the ground as she stared at him. They both breathed hard, both raggedly. She fell off of him, the knife still stuck where he had pushed it in. Swallowing back the bout of nausea that threatened his esophagus, Aang rolled over, tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Azula," he whispered, feeling his heart break at the pain etched on her face. "You didn't give me a choice."

She met his gaze, that broken look more pronounced as her own tears left tracks in the congealed blood. "It's...over..." she barely whispered.

He nodded, feeling the world on his shoulders, knowing he did what he had never wanted to do. "I wish it didn't have to end like this."

"Monster..." she breathed.

But he shook his head, gathering her dying form in his arms. "You're not a monster, Azula. Ozai is. He took you from a family that still loves you. If I could, I would take you to them, still alive. Ursa and Zuko would be glad to see you again."

Her lips trembled, the light beginning to fade from her gaze as blood trickled out of her mouth. "I'm...so-sorry..." she choked out.

Aang swallowed, throat clogged as he held her tighter. "I forgive you. For everything." And he meant it. To bring this fight to a peaceful end, for both of them. He just wished he could have saved her from this fate as well.

She met his gaze, for once clear of madness, a small smile curving her bloodied lips. "Tell...them...sorry...for...me..."

Tears escaped from his eyes, staining his cheeks as he wiped the blood from her mouth. "I will, Azula," he vowed. "I promise."

With a pleased look and a last gurgle, the mistress passed out, breath leaving her for the final time. He lowered his head, crying onto her silent chest, still reeling from what he did. He had killed someone else, someone who had been misguided by a truly malevolent being. Hiccups escaped as he raised his bloody fingers to her now empty gaze, closing the lids once and for all. A young life, gone in an instant.

After a moment he lowered her body gently to the floor, then stood shakily to get to the lever. He grasped his side, which had taken a bad hit during the fight, the pain doubling as he walked. Blood seeped from the larger wound. Aang felt like a well being emptied. The room swam in his vision, but after a few tries, he was able to lift the bars before collapsing against the wall.

His breathing became erratic as he began to fall, but someone caught him in order to help him to the floor. "Aang?" an angelic voice called to him, the sound coming from miles away.

The boy managed to open his eyes to see his girlfriend staring at him, crying. He wanted to reach up, to cup her cheek and calm her, but he didn't have any strength left. Instead he whispered, "She's dead."

She wiped his hair away from his eyes, nodding. "I'm so sorry, Aang."

"I forgave her," he murmured.

Katara smiled thinly. "That was a brave thing to do, sweetie. I'm proud of you."

Aang smiled slightly back, feeling his eyes begin to close. Alarm came to her face at seeing this and lifted her head. "Guys, we have to get him out of here. He's losing blood!"

He heard rapid footsteps and tried to pry his eyes back open, but Aang was bone-tired. Strength was gone, ice suffusing his blood. Sounds began to disappear as he faded from consciousness, but he heard Sokka say, "Let's wrap the worst wound in his side."

Some tearing sound, then another pair of hands wrapping something around his middle, before stronger arms lifted him gently from Katara embrace. "Don't worry, buddy," Sokka said, voice fading. "We'll get you home."

Home...

That was the last word he thought of before succumbing to darkness.

I'm sorry this took longer than normal, but I'm having a hard time right now. My father, Clyde, is dying from liver and kidney disease, has been declining for the past 2 weeks. There's nothing we can do for him. Forgive me for neglecting this story, but it's nearing completion. Thank you all for your patience and understanding.