They were awoken by the sound of pounding footsteps through the corridors outside Zuko's room and muffled shouts of, "Katara? Zuko? Where are you? Are you ok?"
Katara jumped up instantly, leaping off the bed and running to the door wrenching it open.
"AANG!" She ran down the hall and the young airbender sped out of a corridor ahead.
"Katara!" he shouted, running full pelt at her, crashing straight into her arms.
"You're ok, you're ok!" she cried as he clung onto her. "What happened? Where is everyone?"
"They're all ok, everyone is fine," he said and she pulled away to look at him. "I defeated the Fire Lord," he said, a goofy smile spreading across his face.
She laughed and grabbed him again, "Yes you did, you did! I always knew you could!" she exclaimed, kissing his head and holding him tighter.
"Where are the others?" she asked, looking around, "and how did you know to find us here?"
Aang looked down and then back up at Katara. "When I said I defeated Ozai…. I didn't…..end him. I took away his bending." Katara's mouth opened in shock and her eyes grew wide. "After I had defeated him I brought him back to where the fight was ending with the others, at the White Lotus camp. Iroh said the safest place to put him for now would be the palace dungeons. I accompanied the White Lotus here to ensure everything went ok and a few of their men are patrolling his cell now. The others will be arriving any minute, I sped ahead. I need to ask Zuko what should be done with him, where is he? What happened with the two of you?"
Katara's reply was cut off by a shout of "Katara!" down the corridor.
"Sokka!" she shouted back and Sokka rounded the corner and pulled Katara into a crushing hug.
"Damn airbender, runs too fast…" he mumbled to himself and she laughed hugging him closer, feeling tears well up. "I'm so glad you're safe," he said sincerely, brow creasing together.
"And you're ok, you're ok…" she repeated into his chest and he hugged her tightly. She noticed Suki over his shoulder and reached out, pulling her into a hug too. Sokka let go, allowing the two girls to embrace, tears escaping from both warriors. The girls separated, laughing in relief.
"Toph!" Katara exclaimed at the young earth bender next to Suki, hugging her too.
"Ugh, Sugar Queen, you know I don't like hugs….," she mumbled, a smile tugging at her lips as she hugged Katara back. When she'd finally released the earth bender they all stood smiling giddily at each other.
"What happened?" Sokka asked.
"Yeah, where's Sparky?" asked Toph.
Katara's face fell slightly and they all suddenly looked concerned fearing the worst. "He's fine!" she reassured them at their expressions. "He's fine, he's still recovering…. he got shot by Azula's lightning."
Suki gasped, a hand flying to her face and Sokka's eyebrows rose in shock. Aang's eyes grew wide, aware of the feel of his own lightning scar on the sole of his foot against the cool marble palace floor. "Can you take us to see him?" he asked.
"Of course!" Katara blurted, turning and hurrying down the hall, motioning for them to follow.
Katara knocked on Zuko's door and heard him reply, "Come in." He must have heard the others were coming for he had managed to pull himself up into a sitting position.
Katara entered, quickly followed by everyone. "You're up!" she said, startled that he had managed to pull himself up and ran to his side to check the scar on his chest.
"Don't worry, Katara, I'm fine," he said laying a hand on her arm, grimacing as he hoisted himself further upright.
Aang came up to the bed. "How are you Zuko?" he asked concernedly.
"I've been better," he said with a slight chuckle that turned into a grimace as pain shot through his chest. "Are you all alright?"
"We're fine," said Sokka.
Zuko looked earnestly at Aang, not needing to ask the question.
"I defeated him… by taking away his bending."
Zuko's expression tensed and his eyes drifted out of focus as he took this in. Then he slowly nodded. "Ok," he said.
Everyone's gaze drifted unconsciously to Zuko's very obviously scarred chest. Katara noticed this and began to change the water pack, ignoring Zuko's weak protests.
"What happened?" Suki asked the question everyone was thinking.
Zuko looked at Katara as she looked at him. A bond seemed to have been established between the two which didn't go unnoticed by Suki who stored it to the back of her mind for contemplation later. Zuko nodded imperceptibly at her, and Katara sighed, sitting down in the chair by the bed as everyone else took up comfortable positions. She then relayed the events of the battle, how they had arrived at the palace, and Zuko had challenged Azula to an Agni Kai.
"It was terrible, I couldn't do anything but he was winning, and she knew that, and…" she faltered, looking down. "And then before I knew it, she'd directed her lightning towards me, and I froze, I couldn't do anything, I just waited for the lightning to strike me…. and Zuko jumped in front of me." She could feel her heart pounding in her throat as she told them, neither of the pair could bring themselves to look at each other. "He caught it in his hand but he couldn't redirect it and it went through his chest. He just lay there and I rushed forwards but Azula struck me back."
Zuko slowly looked sideways at her, his mouth dropping open as he heard what had transpired between Katara and his sister after he'd been struck. He unconsciously reached out and took her hand, holding it comfortingly as she finished the story through her rapidly forming tears.
When she was finished everyone fell into a shocked silence, eyes wide.
"You…. you did that…to save my sister?" Sokka asked, looking at Zuko. Zuko looked stoically back, his face set in a serious expression. Sokka rose from his place on the floor to beside Zuko's bed and clasped Zuko's forearm. "Thank you," he emphasised sincerely, looking him straight in the eyes. Zuko nodded in recognition.
Katara's hand slipped from Zuko's and she wiped away her tears with the heel of her hand while the attention was no longer directed on her. "What happened with all of you?" she asked the others, smiling blearily through her reddened eyes. Sokka began a very dramatic account of the airship destruction he, Suki and Toph had created, managing to procure a smile from all in the room at his antics, particularly his laments about his space sword. Katara smiled, immensely proud of everyone, before everyone's gaze turned to Aang. Aang told everyone what had happened since he had last seen them back on Ember Island, telling them about the Lion Turtle, his conversations with the past Avatars and finally, the battle with Fire Lord Ozai. He finished. Everyone sat in awed silence.
"I actually need to speak to Zuko about this," he said, looking up from his position on the floor at the prince in the bed. Zuko's expression met his and he nodded. Sensing he wasn't needed any more, Sokka rose, pulling Suki up from the floor with him.
"I vote we go and get some food while they talk this out," he said to the rest of the room in general, nodding at Zuko and making his way to the door while Toph and Suki followed. He stopped at the door frame turning to Katara, "You're coming too," he said, a stern look silencing her protests to stay with Zuko. She glanced at the fire bender.
"I'll be fine, Katara," he told her, "You go and eat, I've got to sort through some things with Aang." Katara flicked her gaze to Aang who nodded, before she left the room slowly. Sokka put his arms around her shoulders, whisking her from the room.
"Do you know if they've got any good meats in the Fire Nation? I know we were here before but this is the PALACE for crying out loud, there's GOT to be some really good food somewhere right?" She rolled her eyes at him, letting him lead her away from the royal suites.