A/N

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Sokka stood over his sister, who was sleeping on the rain soaked bench. He grunted as he lifted her and walked towards her room.

He rested her on her bed, grunting as he laid her down on the red sheets.

"Katara, are you back yet?" Sokka whispered. He left the room, closing the door behind him.

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Iroh came into Zuko's room and saw the diamond ring cracked on the ground. He gasped silently as he took the ring in his hand and gently nudged his nephew awake.

"Zuko…."

Zuko groaned as he got up, blinked twice and straightened his bangs so they covered his scar.

"Zuko, you really should….."

"I really don't want to…." He muttered sleepily.

Iroh sighed, "If that's what you wish Zuko, just came to tell you the counsel needs you at their meeting right now."

Groaning, he got up and went to the door, before he could open it however, he stared at his hand. Clenching it in a fist, he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Something the matter nephew?"

"No…..nothing is…." He muttered quietly, stepping out of the room and walked towards the meeting.

On the way, he saw Aang and Toph earth bending, Toph shouting at him, although, Aang seemed to be day dreaming.

He sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling, clearing his scarred eye from his bangs.

Why can't life be as simple as that…..

He continued to walk towards the meeting and stopped at the front of the door. Slowly, he opened the door and saw the counsel, who was staring at where his scar was.

His hair certainly grew out a lot, although the counsel disapproved of the side bang.

Zuko ignored their lecture about trimming the front a bit and thought about what to do now, between him and Katara.

"Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko snapped back to the real world and sighed, "Yes?"

"When will Miss Katara sign the treaty?"

He paused a while and tightened his grip on the arm rests.

"She…..one of you go ask…."

"Why sir? She'll be your bride soon…"

"Are you questioning me? I said, one of you go and ask her….." Zuko whispered in a threatening voice.

"Ye….yes sir." A counsel member stood up and hurried out the room.

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Katara woke up very dizzy. She tried standing up, but fell to the ground. Grunting, she stood up again, only to pant as she fell down on the ground.

"Miss Katara?"

Katara blinked at the door, trying to focus on the doorknob.

Sweat forming on her forehead, she blinked more, trying to get a hold of the doorknob.

"Miss Katara?" This time the voice had a more panicked tone.

"I…..I'm……here….." She stuttered out.

"Fire Lord Zuko requests that you go and sign the treaty."

"I…I will…..just…..wait for a while…." Katara stumbled to the desk and wiped her forehead and slung her bag over her head.

Katara opened the door, and slowly slugged out.

"Miss Katara, you don't look too well, would you…."

"No…..I'm far from sick……I'll be fine…." Katara tried to focus on the spinning hallway in front of her, coughing a bit into her sleeve, only to have a dark red spot where she had coughed. Katara gasped silently.

"If you say so…." The counsel member led her to the meeting room, opening it.

Katara staggered in, narrowing her eyes, trying to grip the spinning room in front of her.

"Fire Lord Zuko, Miss Katara….." The counsel member bowed and ran back to his seat.

Zuko watched as Katara started swaying and blinking hard.

"Katara….." He stood from his seat and walked over to her.

Katara grunted as she fell to the floor, the roof spinning on top of her. Breathing heavily, she started to lose focus of the world once more, oxygen being more limited through her nose.

"Katara!" Zuko hurried to her and held her as she blinked slowly, breathing limited.

"Z….Zuko…..I….I'm sorry…..." Katara looked at him, blurring every second, coughing, blood splattered on the ground, making Zuko more and more guilty ever time she coughed in pain, every time the blood contacted the floor. Letting out a heavy breath, she lost connection to the world, relishing the feeling of the last breath she ever takes.

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Zuko panted as he held her in his arms, her light body, panting as her eyelids fluttered open and close.

"Z….Zuko….I….I'm sorry…."

The words slashed through his heart as he was washed head to toe with guilt.

Guilt that made him feel rotten like month old fish.

"Katara….." He held her close, the counsel members gathering around and watched as the young woman in the Fire Lord's arms, didn't move or breathe at all.

"Sir, we must get her to the infirmary as quick as possible." A counsel member said.

Zuko stood up and carried Katara to the infirmary, running, trying to get there as fast as he could.

Iroh watched as his nephew passed him.

"Oh no…." Iroh muttered and followed him, the counsel members hurrying as well.

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The doctor shook his head sadly and sighed. "She must've been out in the rain, she had too much stress and shock. To add to that, she caught pleurisy, (A/N Makes you cough and breath shortness and a sharp pain in the chest) which caused heart failure, which was why she was coughing up blood, I'm afraid it's too late…..I'm sorry….there's nothing I could do."

The doctor and shook his head and silently left the room.

Iroh came into the room, along with the counsel members.

"She's gone uncle, gone forever….I could've given her……a great day, walking around the gardens, anything….but I had to give her…..sorrow….instead….." Zuko cried silently into his hands, as his uncle placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"I'm sorry Zuko, it's not your fault."

"What….are you saying uncle, I……caused her to die, I caused her to…." He gritted his teeth as he buried his head in his hands again.

Iroh looked at Katara, looking like she would wake up any minute.

Sprits…..please…..bring her back…..it's too early for her to die.

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Katara gasped as she saw what she thought she saw. It was herself, on the bed, Zuko next to her grieving, Iroh standing next to him and staring at her.

"Is….is that me? But how?" Katara saw Iroh leaving the room.

"Katara….please come back, I…..should've given you the best day of your life, doing whatever you wanted to do….."

She walked over to Zuko and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Zuko, I'm here……or……" Katara stopped at the realization of what happened.

She's a sprit now….no longer living.

"Katara….honey…."

Katara whipped around and saw her mother and another lady, with fire nation noble clothes.

"Wha….mom?"

"Yes…..oh it's so good to se you honey." Her mother embraced her tightly, as did Katara.

"So, you must be Katara, how my son is lucky to have you."

"Who…."

"Katara….this is Zuko's mother, Ursa."

"But mom…."

"Shhh, honey, let me explain."

"But……"

"Honey, you are lucky that you have met a wonder man like him, he really cares….about you." Her mother sighed as the two watched Zuko take her lifeless hand and gently caressed it.

"Mom, I've caused him so much…..hurt…..I've made him a wreak, like what….Sokka said…." Katara mumbled out the last part.

"He is…but it's all because, my son….he loves you….he wouldn't beat himself up for nothing would he?" Zuko's mother laughed lightly. "I'm….just so glad…that my son was able to find someone like you…..after my husband banished him, I thought there was just no hope."

Her mother laughed, "Oh but Katara, you've changed just….so much….more mature now…..but….you're growing up way too fast….."

"Mom, I feel like the weight of the whole world has been dumped on my shoulders and given to me into a stone bowl! There's….no way I could take care of all that….." Katara let out a deep breath.

"Katara…..you…should take things one at a time……taking on the whole world isn't an easy job, but…..if you take them on with someone else…..then…it's a much easier task." She stroked Katara's hand softly.

"What do you mean mom?"

"You'll see….you'll see…"

Katara looked in confusion and watched as her mother walked over to her body.

"Katara….honey…listen to me….you need to go back…"

"What? But….I want to stay here with you mom….." Katara hugged her mother tightly, as if she would suddenly fly away.

"No Katara, you're time on earth….isn't up yet…." Her mother smiled and embraced her daughter once more.

"No, it isn't." Ursa replied.

"Bye Katara, I'll always be in here." Her mother placed a hand on her head, and her heart.

"Remember that…."

Katara watched as she was thrown back into the real world, into her own body.

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"I should've treated you better….." Zuko whispered into her hand as her body was still as a rock.

"You already do…..it's more than I could ask for…."

Zuko gasped silently and watched as Katara's eyes fluttered open and revealed those pristine blue eyes, that he thought he'd never ever see again.

"Ka….Katara….." He was stunned speechless.

He embraced her, crying into her shoulder.

"The doctor said….." Zuko said, choking on his tears.

"He said, that there was no hope for you….."

"Well….there was……" Katara coughed more.

Zuko pulled away and motioned for Katara to rest.

She coughed more, but this time, no blood.

"You need to rest…." Zuko whispered, pulling the sheets up to her neck.

"Thank you…" She whispered out, coughing more.

"I'm sorry Katara…..I shouldn't have been a…..a….jerk."

She shook her head slowly, "No, it's my fault….." She coughed.

"I shouldn't have, been so cold all this time…..I haven't been open…" She coughed more.

Zuko took and placed a kiss on her hand, lightly and left the room.

"Zuko! What happened?" Iroh stood up hastily and his eyes demanded for an answer.

"Don't worry uncle….she's fine….just fine…." He whispered.

Iroh sighed and thanked the sprits.

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"Oh, Zuko!"

He stopped and turned to the origin of the voice. It was Aang, holding a necklace.

"I found this by the stone bench outside, since it was broken I figured I should put it back together, so I did!" Aang grinned as he showed a perfectly intact necklace.

"Thanks Aang."

Aang muttered, "Uh…..um….is Katara….ok? I heard she's….."

"She was…but….she's alright now…." Zuko looked at the corner, shining with light, forming two noticeable figures, one, his mother, the other woman, presumably Katara's mother.

"It looks like me and Katara have two guardian angels with us." Zuko smiled.

A/N Yeah I know a bit of a sappy ending for this chapter...but...hey I couldn't think of anything...XD

So thanks to all those people who replied and stuffers.

Ok, so things are going to look up for the two and there will be tons of fluff coming up! Stay tuned!

(dodges tranquilizer darts from Zuko)

Me: MUWHAHAHAHH! ME! I beat you! I beat you! (sings over and over again)

IBeat you I beat y-(drops to floor)

Zuko: MUWHAHAHAHHA! Dart king! 0.o