Dear Aang,

I hope you are doing well. It's been a while since anyone has heard from you, though Suki wrote to inform us that you sent her a letter letting her know you got home safe. I realize you probably don't want to contact Katara or I at the moment, but we're all worried about you.

I understand that you are upset and angry with me right now, and I am truly sorry that you found out about Katara and I the way you did. We were actually planning on telling you and everyone else that morning, so it is very unfortunate that things played out the way they did. I get that you were hurt, and you have every right to be, but please stop punishing everyone because of this. Your friends miss you. I miss you.

I hope you know that nothing happened between Katara and I while you two were still together. Up until the ball, neither of us even realized we had feelings for each other. We grew close over the year she spent in the South, and when we finally saw each other in person again, everything just sort of… clicked. I got the feeling that you were not yet over her, so I definitely understand why you were so upset. But we can't just put our lives on hold while we wait for you to move on. I know it sounds harsh, but you can't be mad at Katara because she moved on before you, and it's not fair to be mad at me because she and I fell for each other. We did nothing wrong, and I truly hope you realize that and reach out to us. We are more than willing to put all of this behind us if you are.

That being said, if you need more time, I understand. I just hope you know that we still care about you, and I hope you at least reach out to Suki again so we all know you are doing okay. You have a habit of shutting people out when you are upset, but please don't forget that you have friends who are here for you.

I hope I hear from you soon, or at least hear that you have reached out to let us all know you are alright. Take care of yourself.

Your friend,

Zuko

Sitting back in his chair, Zuko sighed as he re-read his letter. He had been sitting at the desk in his room for over an hour, staring at a blank piece of parchment and trying to figure out what to write before he had finally put ink to paper. It had been several weeks since Aang's explosive departure, and the Avatar had seemed to have disappeared. He had heard news of Aang appearing in different cities, so he knew he was alive at least, but the only contact any of his friends had gotten from the Airbender was the single letter Suki had gotten about a week after he had left the Fire Nation. Frankly it angered Zuko to know that he was shunning all of this friends; he understood that he didn't want to contact he or Katara, but Suki, Sokka, Toph, Ty Lee, even Iroh had no involvement whatsoever, and they at least deserved to know that their friend was doing alright. Zuko had finally decided it was time for him to reach out to Aang himself. He had intended to anyway, though he wasn't sure the letter would even be read. He hoped that the passing weeks had calmed Aang's temper somewhat, and he would at least consider reading it.

After deciding that his letter was good enough, he rolled it up and sealed it before setting it aside to be sent. He stood up and stretched, then paced absentmindedly around his room. He had a Council meeting that afternoon, and as usual, he was dreading it. But it was a necessary part of his role, and he had something important to discuss with them anyway.

Despite Aang's silence, the past few weeks had been pretty fantastic. He and Katara seemed to grow more and more in love each day, and they spent all of their free time together. Though Katara had certainly kept herself busy; she had been making frequent visits to the clinics in both the Caldera city and the Harbour city, lending her healing skills to the sick and injured. People from all over the Fire Nation had been bringing their loved ones to the Capital lately, hoping that the Master Waterbender could help them. In addition to that, she had helped Ty Lee with the Kyoshi Warriors.

Ty Lee had found and purchased an abandoned villa on the outskirts of the Capital, which she had spent the past few weeks fixing up and getting ready to house and train new warriors. Katara had been helping her whenever she could, and together they had made the villa look like it was brand new. Over the past couple of days, young women had been arriving at the villa to start their training, including Kina, who had just arrived the day before. She had been thrilled to see Katara again, and was eager to meet Ty Lee and start her training. Overall there were a total of seven girls ready to be trained, and Katara had been spending the past few days at the villa, helping them get settled and making sure Ty Lee had everything she needed.

Overall, Zuko thought that she had really flourished. Katara had fit in immediately, and the people of the Fire Nation genuinely appreciated her eagerness to get to know them personally, and her willingness to lend a hand when necessary, even if it meant getting dirty. It was not uncommon to see her down in the Harbour city listening and laughing along to the stories of local fisherman while helping them gut fish, or finding her with rolled up sleeves in the clinic assisting a woman in labour. It had become obvious very quickly that Katara did not like to sit idle, and when Zuko was busy with Council meetings or greeting diplomats, she took that free time as a chance to do something productive.

Initially Zuko had been concerned that she would feel bored when he was busy, like she had with Aang. But he realized now more than ever that she had only been bored because she never had anything to do. She thrived on helping people and being useful, so being cooped up at an Air Temple or sitting on the sidelines while Aang made friends must have been agony for her. There were days when Katara and Zuko had both been kept so busy that they hadn't seen each other the whole day, but even then she would always sneak into his room and curl up next to him in bed, happily telling him all about her day. Though it was a rare night when she wouldn't sneak into his room. It would have been far easier if she had just moved into his room permanently, but the Council thought it would be improper and discouraged it, despite the fact that every resident of the palace knew she rarely slept anywhere else.

Zuko hoped that would change after the meeting however. He tied up his hair and fastened it with his golden crown, making himself look presentable, then headed out the door and down to the main floor. He strode down the hallways towards the Council room, where two guards were waiting by the heavy doors to let him in.

The Council was mostly made up of generals and diplomats of the Fire Nation, and all of them were already present and seated as he entered the room. He greeted them with a nod, then strode up to the raised dais and took his seat, facing the Council.

"Good afternoon," Zuko said, his greeting indicating that the meeting had officially begun. "I trust everyone is present?"

"Yes my lord. All present and accounted for," Iroh said from his seat, which was closest to the dais.

Zuko nodded, hating the required formality with his uncle. "Any new business?"

A woman halfway down the table raised her hand briefly to draw his attention. Her name was Shiza, and she was the ambassador to the other nations. "Fire Lord Zuko, there has been some trouble in a few of the Earth Kingdom villages that are still occupied by the Fire Nation."

"What sort of trouble? I thought that was resolved."

"Yes my lord, all of our soldiers have withdrawn and our authority over the villages diminished, but it seems that the Fire Nation residents who have chosen to stay behind with their families are facing some trouble with the government. I have received word from Ambassador Biran of the Earth Kingdom and he has informed me that there are still small insurgent groups of Earth Kingdom citizens who believe that all the Fire Nation citizens should be driven out, despite the fact that most of them have blended families now. So far no violence has been reported, but I have received word that the homes of the Fire Nation citizens, including the families who are both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, have been vandalized. Ambassador Biran is concerned that these actions will escalate to assault."

Zuko fell silent, pondering her words. It wasn't the first he had heard of Earth Kingdom citizens trying to rid their Kingdom of the Fire Nation entirely, but the instances of it had growing fewer and fewer over the years. It troubled him to hear of a resurgence.

"Has Ambassador Biran suggested any ideas to deal with the potential threat?" Zuko asked.

"Only that we double the guard in the blended villages," Shiza replied. "Though he doesn't think it is a good idea to add any Fire Nation guards."

"My lord, if I may make a suggestion?" Iroh asked, raising his hand.

"Go ahead, General."

"What if we arranged a tour of the blended villages? If we could get you and the Earth King to visit the villages together and make a show of unity and support for the people of the blended villages, it might stop any insurgent actions in their tracks."

Zuko nodded. "I like that idea. I refuse to tear families apart merely because of a few prejudiced trouble makers, so if we can get the Earth King on board, I will happily visit these villages and see what I can do personally. Ambassador Shiza, can you get in touch with Ambassador Biran and see if he can arrange such a tour?"

Shiza nodded. "Yes my lord, I will write to him immediately."

Once that was settled, a few other, more mundane issues were brought to his attention. Once everyone who wished to speak had been given their chance, it was Zuko's turn to address them. He steeled himself, feeling strangely nervous.

"If there is no other business, I have something I would like to announce," Zuko began, drawing the rapt attention of each Council member. He took a deep breath before continuing. "As you are all aware, Lady Katara and I have been courting for several weeks now. I am also sure you are all aware of how much she has contributed to the people of the Fire Nation since she decided to settle here permanently."

He stole a quick glance at his uncle, who seemed to be struggling to suppress a knowing grin. Zuko barely managed to avoid rolling his eyes' of course Iroh knew what he was about to say.

"I realize that it may seem too soon, but I have decided to ask Katara to marry me."

There was an outbreak of murmuring among the Council, and Zuko waited for them to compose themselves before continuing. "She already loves the people of the Fire Nation, and the people love and respect her. Her kind and generous spirit will help her empathize with them, and her humble upbringing will allow them to relate to her. She will be an excellent Fire Lady, and I know the people of the Fire Nation will be overjoyed to have her by my side. More importantly, I will be overjoyed to have her by my side. She makes me a better person, and she inspires me to constantly want to do better for my people. If she accepts, we will all be lucky to have her."

Most of the Council seemed unsurprised by his announcement, but Zuko did take note of a couple Generals who seemed to look unhappy at the news. One of them, General Kohoku, raised his hand to get his attention.

"My lord… with all due respect, are you certain this is a wise choice?" he asked, frowning.

"What makes you think it is not a wise choice, General?"

"Well my lord, traditionally the Fire Lord has married a young lady of the Fire Nation, usually one who comes from a noble family with a strong line of Firebenders. Breaking from tradition could be… disastrous."

"How so?"

"Lady Katara is a Waterbender."

"Yes, General, I am aware of that," Zuko replied, unable to hide his derision.

Kohoku ignored the Fire Lord's tone and continued. "If you are to have children with her, they could be Waterbenders. What if you only have Waterbending children, and not a single one of them is a Firebender?"

"Then the next ruler of the Fire Nation will be a Waterbender," Zuko said with a tone of finality.

The General stared at him for a moment, contemplating his next words carefully. Finally he spoke. "That would be impossible. Traditionally…"

"The past hundred years of 'tradition' has brought nothing but war and misery, not only to the Fire Nation, but to the whole world. It is time we break from tradition and do what is best for our Nation, lest we repeat the mistakes of the past," Zuko said, cutting Kohoku off.

He had his eyes fixed on the General, maintaining a stony, authoritative expression. But out of the corner of his eye, Zuko could see Iroh grinning proudly.

"General Kohoku," Ambassador Shiza started, her voice breaking the tense silence, "I appreciate your respect for the traditions of our Nation, as I am certain the Fire Lord does, however I must disagree with you on this as well. A marriage between the Fire Lord and a well-known and respected member of the Water Tribe is an excellent opportunity for a stronger political alliance."

"Ambassador Shiza makes an excellent point," Iroh agreed. "Elevating a member of the Water Tribe to Fire Lady will only further strengthen the bonds of peace we have worked so hard to establish."

Several of the Council members nodded in agreement, and General Kohoku was forced to concede. He fell silent with a nod, though Zuko could tell he was not satisfied.

"Thank you all for your Council today. Meeting adjourned," Zuko said, dismissing the group.

Everyone got to their feet and began to filter out of the room, and Zuko stood to follow suit. Iroh waited by the door for him, and together they walked down the hallway until they were out of earshot of the rest of the Council.

"That General Kohoku has always been a bit of an ass," Iroh said once they were alone.

Zuko chuckled, and shrugged. "He is entitled to his opinion. He's only trying to look out for the future of the Fire Nation, which I respect him for… even if he is wrong."

"Well, that aside, I must say that I am very happy for you Zuko," Iroh said with a cheeky grin.

Zuko glanced over at him, feeling a knot in his stomach. "Be happy for me if she says yes."

"Oh, I have no doubt that she will. You two are perfect for each other, and you will rule very well together. Have you thought about how you will ask her?"

Zuko blushed slightly and nodded. "Yeah, I've been thinking about it for a while."

"Are you not going to tell your poor uncle?"

"Nope," Zuko replied with a grin. "And you have to promise to keep quiet about this too. I want her to be surprised."

Iroh chuckled and patted Zuko on the shoulder. "I would never spoil this surprise. Although, I might not be able to refrain from writing to Suki and letting her know…"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "If she finds out before I actually ask her, I'm blaming you."

Iroh chuckled again. "Fair enough, nephew."

XXXX

Katara had spent the day at the Kyoshi Warrior villa. Ty Lee was starting to train the young women that had arrived, and after having breakfast with her friend, Katara sat nearby and watched her begin training. Most of their physical lessons were easy things like breathing techniques or core strengthening, but by the end of the afternoon, the warriors in training had learned a simple sparring exercise for them to practice.

She knew Zuko would be busy in a Council meeting for most of the afternoon, so even after she left the villa she took her time wandering back to the Palace. She had been escorted by two guards as usual, but after nearly two months of having guards shadow her she had grown accustomed to their presence. She felt bad for them though, as she tended to wander far and long on an almost daily basis. Before heading back to the Palace she wandered through the city, making her way towards the market. She had no real need to purchase anything, but she liked perusing the stores and supporting the local shop owners when she could. By the time she left the city, she had bought a bouquet of fresh flowers, new silk shoes, and some barbequed fish which she munched on as she wandered out of the city towards the Palace.

It was growing dark by the time she returned, and after dropping off her purchases in her room, she headed straight back to the dining room for dinner. She and Zuko had lingered at the table for a while, catching each other up on what they had been up to over the course of the day, and then had gone for a walk through the garden as the bright, full moon began to rise in the sky. When they finally went inside it had grown quite late, and as they had both had a long day, they decided to retire early.

Katara fell asleep quickly, curled up against Zuko's chest. A cool, gentle breeze drifted in from the open doors on the balcony, shielding them from the warm night. However, for as fast as she had fallen asleep, she couldn't seem to rest peacefully. Even in sleep she could feel the pull of the moon, strengthening her Waterbending, and she couldn't help but dream of Hama. It happened every so often, and whenever the dreams came Katara never rested well.

At first she thought she was still asleep. A dark figure blocked the bright moonlight from the balcony doors, casting a shadow across the room. Something in the figure's hand caught the moonlight and glimmered with a flash of silver. She couldn't quite make out what it was, but she felt an overwhelming sense of danger. The shadowy figure suddenly crept closer, tiptoeing across the floor to the bed. She could feel Zuko breathing slowly, still blissfully asleep, laying between her and the shadowy person. It wasn't until the figure raised their arm and the silver object flashed again that she realized she was no longer dreaming, and the object now poised to strike at Zuko was a sharp dagger.

She reacted purely on instinct; she shot up and pushed herself to her feet, standing on the bed and catching the assassin off guard. Before they could regain their composure, Katara reached out with both hands, immediately finding the water in the blood that flowed through the figure's veins. With merely a twitch of her fingers, she took control, and the man let out a frightened cry as he felt his body constrict. Katara stepped over Zuko and closed the distance between her and the man, using her bending to force him to his knees. The sound and the movement across the bed made Zuko stir, and for a moment he too thought he was dreaming. But as Katara forced the man's arms to twist painfully behind his back he realized that what he was seeing was real, and he jumped to his feet.

"Who are you?" Katara said, her voice low and threatening.

The man laughed. "Like I will tell you anything, Water Tribe bitch."

Zuko felt a surge of anger at the insult, but before he could reply, the man let out another cry of pain as Katara forced his arms to twist further behind his back. Her expression was cold, detached, and deadly; he could count on one hand the number of times he had seen this expression on her face, and each of those times she had threatened somebody's life.

"Who sent you?" she said, stepping closer to the man.

He was not laughing now, but he answered her with a hateful, silent glare. Zuko gently touched her arm, trying to calm her.

"I'll summon the guards."

She barely seemed to hear him. Her eyes were fixed on the man as if he were prey, and as Zuko crossed the room to ring for the guards, he hoped they would get there before the assassin said something to make her snap.

As he turned back to return to Katara's side, he could see the man struggling to break free of her bending, but to no avail. She held him in place, eyes still locked on him. After a few moments he looked up to her with loathing.

"You may have stopped me from killing that sorry excuse for a Fire Lord, but I have accomplished what I came here to do nonetheless. After tonight, you will both meet your end. I am just sorry it was not my hand that dealt the blow."

"What do you mean? What did you come here to do?" Zuko asked.

"You will see soon enough," the man said, laughing one again.

"Answer his question!" Katara growled at him, taking another threatening step closer.

The man just laughed louder, and then he spat at Katara. "I hope you die slowly."

Before Zuko could stop her, Katara jerked her hand and with a sickening pop, he could hear the man's shoulder dislocate as she twisted his arm to an impossible angle behind his back. He let out a strangled scream just as the guards burst through the door. They froze as they caught sight of the scene before them, then looked to Zuko for orders once confirming that he was in no immediate danger.

Zuko gestured for them to wait, then touched Katara's shoulder again. "Katara, the guards are here. They can take him away for questioning."

Katara could feel her heart pounding and her blood pumping through her. She stared down at the man groaning in pain before her, every instinct telling her to rip the blood right out of his body. But something about Zuko's touch, firm and supportive, drew her back. She thought of Hama again, and how her anger and hatred towards her enemies had twisted her into a sadistic monster. This was not her. This darkness within her was not something she wanted to fuel, and she knew she had to fight the temptation to let the deadly power of Bloodbending go to her head and take over her sense.

She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, trying to ground herself. As she exhaled she relaxed, releasing the man from her control. He fell to his side, clutching his injured shoulder with his good hand, but otherwise he remained still. Katara opened her eyes again and immediately locked them on Zuko, who was still clinging to her supportively.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Katara searched his eyes, expecting him to be disgusted with her. But all she found was concern and strength. She felt ashamed of her actions, and frightened that she had lost control so easily. But she couldn't help but feel immense appreciation for Zuko. She gave a noncommittal shrug, then glanced over his shoulder towards the guards.

Zuko understood the gesture, realizing she would rather talk in private, and turned back to the waiting guards.

"Take this man into custody and question him," Zuko commanded.

The guards nodded and moved to apprehend the assassin. Just as they had pulled the man to his feet and began marching him towards the door, there was a sudden explosion in the distance.

"What the…?" Zuko said, rushing out onto the balcony.

The assassin began laughing again, almost maniacally. A chorus of horns began to sound, alerting the guard to danger. The guards paused, waiting for Zuko to confirm their orders. From the balcony, he could see smoke rising in the distance beyond the palace walls. If he was not mistaken, it was coming from the prison. He turned back into the room and addressed the guards.

"Put him in a cell for now… keep two guards on him just in case he tries anything. I'm going to go find out what is going on."

"My lord, would it not be wise for you to stay here until we know the palace is safe?" one of the guards asked.

"I will not sit locked up in my room while my people are in danger," Zuko replied, his tone clearly implying that he would hear no argument.

The guard nodded, realizing he was being dismissed. They hauled the assassin out of the room, and once they were gone Zuko quickly turned to Katara.

"Are you okay to come with me?"

Katara took another deep breath, and nodded. She still felt shaken, but she knew she could pull herself together until she had a moment alone to break down. Zuko grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, then together they dashed out into the hall. As they made their way down the stairs they were met with chaos; the servants had left their rooms and were milling about, confused and scared. Guards were running to and fro, though none of them seemed to know what was happening. It was pandemonium.

They headed towards the entrance hall, looking for one of the guard captains. As they approached they finally spotted Iroh, who was shouting orders to guards and servants alike. They pushed through the crowd towards him, ignoring the startled apologies of servants who had not recognized either of them and had stood in the way. Zuko did not blame them; he was only wearing silk sleep pants, and Katara was in a simple nightgown. They both had their hair down and loose, and in the chaos it was easy to not realize whose path you were blocking. But he didn't have time to placate anyone.

Iroh spotted them moving through the crowd. He turned and gave a final order to the guard standing next to him, who bowed and ran off, then he moved towards Zuko and Katara.

"Uncle! What's going on?" Zuko asked as they met up in the crowd.

"There was an explosion at the prison, and several of the prisoners have escaped. I've ordered the guards to make a sweep through the city and ensure that the citizens are safe, and the guards at the prison are trying to ensure there are no more prisoners loose."

"What about the prisoners who got away?"

"They were spotted fleeing west into the mountains, but they successfully fought off the guards who pursued them and disappeared. For now, regaining order and keeping the people safe are the first priorities, as I am sure you would agree."

"Yes, of course. Has the Palace been secured? It would be best to send the servants back to their rooms until we have the all clear," Zuko asked.

"I agree, however the servants are scared to be alone. Assassins managed to break into the Palace, including into my room. Unfortunately for him, I am a light sleeper."

"We had someone break into our room too," Zuko said with a glance at Katara, who stood silently next to him, her arms crossed over herself protectively. "If someone was sent after you as well, we should have the rest of the Council checked up on."

Zuko grabbed the nearest guard, who snapped to attention. "Send any available guards out to check on the Council members. Check on the ones saying at the Palace first, then check on the ones that live in the city. If they don't answer the door, break it down."

"Yes my lord!" The guard replied. He have a salute, then ran off to obey his orders.

Zuko turned back to his uncle, a frown on his face. "Do you know who escaped from the prison?"

Iroh shook his head, but the look on his face confirmed that he had come to the same conclusion Zuko had. "We will know for sure once the prison has been secured. Until then, let's try and direct this chaos."

The three of them spend the next hour issuing orders to displaced guards and funneling all of the servants into the ballroom, which was the only room big enough to hold the whole staff in once place. Iroh had been right when he had said none of the servants wanted to be alone, so they had conceded to corral them together in one place instead. Over the course of the hour, the Council members and other dignitaries staying at the Palace joined the servants in the ballroom, looking scared and disheveled, but otherwise unharmed. Luckily, nobody in the Palace seemed to have been harmed, though they had caught another assassin. After a final sweep through the halls, the guards informed Zuko that the Palace was clear and secure. The chaos had settled, though the people within were still shaken. Katara walked among them all, doing her best to bring comfort to the people and alleviate their fear.

As the sun began to appear over the horizon, one of the guard captains found Zuko in the ballroom and greeted him with a salute. Iroh and Katara joined them, eager to hear news.

"My lord, the city has been secured. Unfortunately, two of the Council members were killed and another injured during the attack. It seems it was an organized strike against the Council and high ranking members of the Fire Nation. However not all of the Council seem to have been attacked. My theory is the assassins were interrupted and ran before they had a chance. Either way, we have posted guards at every home in the city that was or may be targeted."

Zuko sighed, saddened by the news that two people had been killed. But he didn't have time to grieve yet. "Do we have word on the prison?"

"Yes my lord, they just checked in. They have secured the remaining prisoners and have provided a list of the escapees… there was about twenty in total…" the guard hesitated, shooting Zuko a nervous glance. "Including Princess Azula."

Zuko felt his blood run cold. He had suspected as much, but he had hoped his suspicions were wrong. "How did this happen?"

"We don't have all the details yet, but it seems they had inside help. Someone let the assassins into the Palace, we assume to cause more of a distraction than a genuine attempt. The prisoners only escaped because someone let a group of infiltrators through the gates, and they had freed at least a dozen people before the guards even knew something was happening. The explosion came when the infiltrators and prisoners were fleeing… it seems they used an explosive device to blast their way through to the exit. Unfortunately, there were casualties."

Zuko suddenly felt Katara's hand on his shoulder, and he was more grateful than ever that she was there. It had been a rough night, and the news that people had died made his heart wrench.

"Thank you for the report.I need you to double the guard around the Palace, and keep a constant patrol through the city. I don't imagine they will come back for more prisoners… I'm sure Azula was their primary target. But I'd rather not take that chance. Also, can you please tell the Head of Staff to start funneling the servants back to their rooms? Tell her that the staff can have the day off to rest and recover. I will also need a list of the casualties; I intend to talk to the families of the deceased personally and offer my condolences."

"Yes my lord," the captain said, giving him a salute. "Any further orders?"

"That is all, thank you."

The man saluted again, then turned on his heel and marched away to carry out his orders. Zuko felt exhausted and longed for sleep, but he didn't want to retire until he had all the details and could formulate a plan. Iroh seemed to read his mind, and he sidled up to Zuko with a calm smile.

"Zuko, you should go to bed. We can gather the Council as soon as everyone has rested and come up with a plan then, but for now, you need to rest. You will accomplish nothing if you are too tired to think straight."

Katara took his hand and nodded in agreement. "He's right; there's nothing more we can do right now, so you should rest while you can. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and you will want to have a clear head."

Zuko sighed, defeated. "Damn you two and your logic," he said. He knew they were right, and he was grateful that he had them around to force him to slow down and rest when he needed to. "Alright then, let's head to bed. But let me know immediately if anything changes."

"Of course. Sleep well, nephew."

Zuko bade his uncle a good night, and then he and Katara made their way back to his room, both completely drained. The hallways were deserted, which was unusual at this time. Normally by the time the sun was rising, the servants had already begun their day, but now all they saw was the occasional guard. Zuko didn't expect to see much of the staff over the next day anyway.

Once they arrived back at Zuko's room, they entered silently, closing and locking the door behind them. Zuko shuffled over to the bed and flopped down on the mattress with an excausted sigh, while Katara moved to the balcony. She shut the doors and locked them, and then drew the curtains shut to drown out the dawn. Finally she crossed the room and crawled into bed next to Zuko, wrapping her arms around him tightly. After a few minutes of silent comfort, he looked up at her, reaching up to stroke her hair.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you?" she replied, giving a wary sigh.

Zuko shrugged. Truthfully he was scared; it was bad enough that there was a mass break out and an attempt on his life, but what scared him the most was the fact that his sister was free. By the time he and Katara had defeated her and locked her away, Azula had lost her grip on her sanity. He could only imagine what five years' worth of imprisonment had done to her. She was a very dangerous person, even more so when she had no restraint.

But at the moment he was more concerned for Katara. She had seemed genuinely shaken by her actions against the assassin, and he could tell she was afraid. She rarely spoke about how she learned Bloodbending; in fact she rarely talked about Bloodbending at all. But he knew the memories were deeply traumatic for her, and it was an ability she deeply regretted having. The only time he could recall her using it was against the man who had killed her mother, but even then she had chosen mercy.

"I'll be fine," he answered finally. "We can deal with me later, I am more concerned about you."

Katara sighed again and turned her eyes away, ashamed. "I honestly don't know what came over me," she whispered.

She gave a little sniff, and Zuko could tell she was crying. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, letting her nuzzle up against his chest while she cried. After a few minutes she managed to calm herself, and she swallowed hard.

"I was dreaming about Hama… I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but when I woke up and saw that man there… I just… lost control. My instincts took over, and my instincts told me to kill that man. I got lost in rage and fear, and I almost did something horrible. Well, more horrible than what I did do."

Zuko just held her and listened. He knew Katara had a kind, loving heart and that she was not a bad person in the slightest. He had done things he had deeply regretted before, so he understood how it felt to feel so ashamed and so afraid of yourself. But he also knew that even good people had darkness inside them, and sometimes that darkness took over.

"I hate this… I hate Bloodbending so much. I hate that I have this power within me, tempting me every time the moon is full. I don't want to be like Hama… I don't want to turn into a horrible person and do awful things."

"Katara… your regret for your actions proves that you are quite the opposite of a horrible person. From what you told me, Hama believed that the people she hurt and abducted deserved what she did to them. She thought she was justified, and took pleasure in it. You are nothing like that. You fight the temptation to use Bloodbending, and you constantly strive to be a good person, despite having this power available to you."

"But… I really hurt that man tonight. I wanted to kill him," Katara whispered, her voice quivering.

"I have done awful things in the past. I have hurt people; I have tried to kill people. Do you think I am a horrible person?"

"No… but…"

"There is no 'but' about it. Sometimes people make mistakes, including good people like you. It's how we move forward that determines what kind of person you are. And judging by how upset you are, I know you will move forward with a determination to not lose control again. And even if you slip again, but that doesn't make you a bad person."

Katara did not reply, but she nodded once against his chest and gave a loud sniff. He made a good point and she really couldn't argue with his logic, especially since he knew better than anybody what it was like to do something terrible and regret it horribly.

Zuko kissed the top of her head and pulled away to look at her, smiling reassuringly. "And don't forget, that you will always have me to catch you if you fall."

Katara smiled at him, reaching up to wipe away her tears. "Thank you Zuko. I don't know what I would do without you."

"That sentiment goes both ways. Having you here tonight kept me sane, not to mention that you saved my life.

She kissed him gently, more grateful than ever that he was in her life. They lay silently, wrapped in each other's arms and taking comfort in the presence of the other until they finally managed to drift off to sleep. This time it was Zuko who was plagued by nightmares; he dreamt of his sister and her piercing golden eyes. He dreamt she was chasing him, firing blasts of blue flame and hot lightning his way while he desperately ran for his life, alone and vulnerable against her. And in the end, she stood over his bruised and broken body, smirking down at him sadistically as lightning crackled between her fingers. 'Goodbye, Zuzu. Say hi to mom for me.'

Zuko awoke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat. Katara was sleeping peacefully beside him, he could see the morning sun through the crack in the curtains, and the whole Palace was silent around them. Azula was far away by now, and he was safe. Though as he settled back down next to Katara, he couldn't help but feel like he was not safe at all, not while his sister was free.