A/N: Ah, this chapter took a lot to get going because it's action packed and really important. I'm loving all the reviews so please leave one about this chapter. Action is a challenge for me to write, so feedback is appreciated!
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender
The frost on the trees melted away, acquiescing to spring finally blooming. Flowers and leaves being reborn in vibrant colors as April approached rapidly. The near end of the school year was similar but different in many ways. Aang and Katara had continued their level of intimacy, with Aang feeling more confident and close to Katara than he ever thought was possible. Suki and Sokka even went on double dates with them sometimes at the bowling alley, the movies, or at restaurants. Aang couldn't have imagined that this time last year he would be accept his role as the Avatar, let alone have a girlfriend and finding fun again in a new city.
There was a sour side to this happiness, however. Things had not improved in the same way for Zuko. While the firebender was free from his dad, he still was living in the Order of the White Lotus hideout with Azula and his mom. He still talks to Zuko on the phone and at meetings with the Order of the White Lotus, but it wasn't the same. Aang couldn't just invite Zuko over to play video games and Zuko certainly couldn't go hang out in public with everyone in the gang. He was close to Zuko but still felt distanced by circumstance. Zuko was two months out from graduating so Principal Joo Dee allowed him to receive his diploma earlier than expected. Azula was already a master firebending prodigy with straight A's so she got a pass for the year and stayed at the hideout during the day with Zuko. Aang sometimes gets the feeling of resentment in Zuko's eyes, but Aang tells himself that he's imagining things. At least that is what he wanted to believe.
Today in History of the Earth Kingdom class, Aang kissed Katara goodbye as he entered the classroom. He and other students groaned at Mr. Zei randomly picking pairs for an assignment. Aang was surprised to see a glare on Mai's face when the teacher announced they would be working together. Aang gulped as he walked over to the empty seat next to Mai. They were cordial with each other but not as close as he was with everyone else in the gang. He would even consider Ty Lee a friend before Mai. This wasn't for any lack of trying on Aang's part. Mai usually rolled her eyes or scoffed at Aang's jokes and pranks.
"Hey, Mai, how's it going?", he asked with a crooked smile. Mai sighed deeply, "Fine, Aang. I need a good grade on this so can you not goof off?" He nodded and took out the worksheet for them to complete together. Aang's curiosity got the better of him while he was writing out the origins of badgermoles. "So, Mai, how's Zuko been?" Mai responded without looking up from her paper, "He's the same, moody. He'd be better if his father was gone once and for all." Aang noticed the sharp emphasis on the end of her sentence. He wondered if she was blaming him for Zuko's current situation. "Hey, I'm doing everything I can," he lowered his voice to a whisper, "I'm sorry Zuko has to be in the middle of it, but I will get Ozai, I promise you that."
Mai raised her head up and narrowed her eyes at Aang, "Look, I don't need your promise but I do care about Zuko. Maybe you should tell him that. Do you even have a plan?" Aang felt a pang in his heart at Mai's question. He furrowed his brow in thought, a wave of sadness coming over him. Aang still didn't have a plan for defeating Ozai that didn't involve killing him. He tried to smile without giving away what he had just remembered. "Yeah, I do. The eclipse will be happening soon and they will attack before that. I'll be ready." Mai lowered her head down and resumed writing, "Okay, can we finish this? I'm going to die of boredom if we spend the whole class on this." Aang quietly chuckled to himself, knowing Mai was now being "friendly" with him again.
As the bell rang at the end of the school day, Aang informed Katara as he drove that he had to go see the Order of the White Lotus after he dropped her off at home. She was frowning at him as her long, chocolate hair flowed with the wind in her hair. "Really? Is it just for you? I didn't get any message." Aang wanted to lie but remembered that he told himself he wouldn't lie to her anymore. "Yes, it's just me but...it's not actually a meeting. I want to go to see Zuko. I don't think he's doing too well and I think it's my fault. Ozai's not around but that doesn't mean he's safe. None of us are actually safe. I need to talk to Zuko, he would do the same for me." Katara sighed, "Aang…" He cut her off, "I know, it's stupid." She gently squeezed his hand with a smile, "No, I think it's what friends do. I can come if you want." Aang shook his head, "Thanks, but I'll be alright." He returned her smile, "Did I ever tell you that you're the best thing to ever happen to me?" She kissed him on the cheek, sending shivers down his spine. "Yes, but it doesn't hurt to say it more often."
After dropping Katara off at her home, Aang sped away to the house on the hill. He found himself in the basement after the rigorous safety measures he still was not used to. He saw Zuko and Ursa sitting on the couch. They were both reading in a comfortable silence. Across the room in the corner, he saw Azula snuggling with Ty Lee as they were watching something on a laptop. Aang raised an eyebrow at seeing Azula actually appearing normal but refocused on the task he had come to fulfill. "Hi Zuko. Hi Mrs..Miss..Hitori," he stated while rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Zuko's mom smiled, "Please, call me Ursa. Are you here to talk to Zuko?" Aang nodded and smiled at his friend. "Okay, I have to go to talk to Iroh anyway," she stood up and placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, "Thank you so much for helping us." Aang looked at Ursa with a half smile, "Of course, I won't let you down." Ursa nodded at her son and Aang before walking away.
Aang sat down next to Zuko, who had his eyes fixed on his book. The airbender felt the imaginary wall his friend was building between them. Aang forged ahead with apprehension in his voice, "Hey Zuko...how are you holding up?" The firebender sighed forcefully as he slammed the book shut. Zuko gave his friend a pointed look, "Oh, just constantly worried that my dad is going to show up and kill me and my whole family. How are you, Aang?" Aang sucked in his breath and frowned. "Zuko, are you mad at me?" Zuko laughed bitterly, "What do you think, Aang? Here I am, being forced into hiding, waiting for you to get your shit together! Even though I'm not active online anymore, I can still see your instagram posts. Bowling? Restaurants? If those are Avatar strategies for defeating my dad then I guess you need to fill me in." Tears began to well in Aang's eyes. "I'm sorry, Zuko. I kind of got distracted for a little bit there, but I never forgot about you, or what I need to do. When I meet with Ozai, I will defeat him, I promise." Zuko scowled, "Yeah, how?"
That question hung in the air for a few minutes as Aang's heart raced. He had no idea how, honestly. Everyone he had consulted, even the airbender avatars, all said to be decisive and kill Ozai. The thought of murder made Aang sick. Even if he wanted to kill him, Aang didn't think he could actually go through it with. Aang wasn't sure being honest with Zuko right now was for the best. "Uh, well, you don't need to worry about it, but I promise you, I will." Zuko didn't seem convinced as he spat, "You're lying." Aang gave him an apologetic look, "Zuko, please. I swear, I will!" Zuko stood up, jaw tight with anger, "I'll believe it when I see it, Aang. I have to go practice my firebending. You can ask Iroh to show you out." Aang opened his mouth to speak but found Zuko quickly turned his back to him as he walked out of the basement.
"Ohhh, did Zuzu hurt your feelings, Avatar?", Azula mocked as she rested her head on Ty Lee's shoulder. Aang scowled as he walked over to them. He wanted to scream at her but all he felt was tears starting to roll down his cheeks. He wiped them away with the back of his hands. Ty Lee interjected, pushing Azula off her shoulder, "'Zula, look what you did," she crossed her arms and looked at Aang, "I appreciate what you're doing, Aang. I want you to know that and I apologize for 'Zula being rude." Aang exhaled a shaky breath and smiled weakly, "It's okay, Ty, I get it. I'm sure it hasn't been easy to be hiding out all these months. I just wish I had any idea of how to take him down without murder." Ty Lee raised an eyebrow and nudged Azula in the ribs. The firebender furrowed her brow but sighed in exasperation at Ty Lee's intense glare.
Azula looked at Aang with intensity, "Okay, Avatar, I have something but it's not much." Aang eyes opened wide at the lack of sarcasm in her voice. She continued, "I remember reading an email where my dad sent a possible secret location in case he gets caught. My dad was very stupid and didn't encrypt anything. I can give you the address and maybe...you can get to him before he comes to us." Aang smiled at seeing Azula acting like she was in pain after helping him. Her eyes avoided his gaze but he still reached out his arms and gave her a big hug. "Thank you, Azula!" She tensed up and pushed him off of her, "Ugh, gross. If you want help from me in the future, stop touching me." Aang laughed and gave Ty Lee a hug, who squeezed tightly and enjoyed it a little too much. She whispered in his ear, "Go get 'em, cutie!" Aang stiffened and broke away from the embrace with a blush across his face. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously before thanking them quickly and exiting the house.
Aang entered his car and pulled up the directions to the location given by Azula. He felt invigorated to finally have some intel on Ozai but was also worried about what he would do when the time came. He shook himself from these thoughts as he tried to remain positive. Aang took a deep breath and repeated aloud, "I trust in myself. I will defeat Ozai." He was close to his destination as shown on the gps so he turned his car lights off and parked the car. He twirled his glider to open it. He jumped and glided towards the house with a red roof. He landed softly in the yard and walked slowly until a snapping of a twig startled the airbender to take a defensive stance.
"Aang! It's us!" Katara whispered as her piercing blue eyes made him instantly relax. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. He looked past Katara to see Sokka, Toph, and Suki. "Why are you all here?," Aang asked as he broke away from the hug. Sokka walked to stand in front of Katara, "We put two and two together. Katara said she couldn't reach you all afternoon and then Ty lee texted me saying that you left to find Ozai. I don't know how she got my number, it's so weird." Aang responding without thinking as a blush crossed his face, "Yeah, Ty Lee can be...persistent." Suki glared at Sokka as Katara looked at Aang quizzically. Aang cleared his throat, hoping to avoid a conversation about that, "So you all thought you could come spy on me? I don't want anyone getting hurt if he is here. Please go home, this is my fight." Toph spoke with a serious tone in her voice, "No offense, Twinkle Toes, but no shit. We're here to take care of Ozai's other goons. You didn't think he would just be here alone, did you?" Aang gulped and laughed nervously, "Oh, of course I didn't! I just didn't want you to worry," he smiled, "Okay, let's circle the house and see if anyone is here."
The gang quietly crept through the backyard, staying alert to any sounds or any anomalies. Toph was the first to notice a disturbance, "I feel a few people running through the house. Get ready." Suki saw a man in a red suit come out of the house with a sword. She yelled as she ran towards the guy, disarming him with her sword, "Cover Aang, now!" While Suki was fighting hand to hand with the man, a short man with long hair ran towards the group but Toph stomped the ground and raised a wall in front of the man, causing him to run into the wall and fall on the ground unconscious. Five more guys came running to the group, prompting Sokka to use his boomerang. Making deep cuts on four of the men, causing them to fall down as they bled on the grass.
Katara quickly took water from her pouch, moving her arms in front of one of the men in red but they were quicker than her and melted her ice with his fire. Aang saw this out the corner of his eye, startling him. He shouted as his heart pounded in his chest, "Katara!" Before Aang could reach them, the man grabbed Katara and propelled them up as fire came out from his feet. Aang jumped and glided up to the roof where the man held Katara and put metal handcuffs on her.
"Ah, the Avatar! You're not as powerful as I thought. Give yourself over to me, and we'll let your water peasant go," the man snarled. "Aang, don't do it," Katara cried. Aang scowled and screamed, "Don't call her that! Where's Ozai?" The man laughed bitterly, "You think the great leader of our revolution would stay here, in Republic City? He planted this address in an email when he found out his daughter was spying on him. He knew your plan all along. It's over, give yourself up now or I'll kill her." Katara whimpered as the man dug his fingers into her neck. "Stop! Don't hurt her!" The man took his free hand and generated lighting. Aang used his seismic sense to see this move before it happened. His eyes began to glow as his voice became layered with the voices of thousands of avatars. "I told you to leave her alone!" Aang stomped and flew a boulder into the man's chest, knocking him over. Aang pulled water from the stream below and moved his body into a stance to freeze the man from his feet to his neck.
Aang slowly walked over to the man, air swirling fiercely around the three of them. "Now, tell me, where is Ozai." The man whimpered at the scary appearance of the Avatar, "I-I don't know, he left with Zhao after you fought him. Follow Zhao and you'll find Ozai. Please, don't kill me!" Aang lifted his hand as he bended the biggest flame Katara has ever seen. She ran over to Aang before he did something he would regret. Katara's hair was messy and she had tears in her eyes. "Aang! Please, stop! We can leave now, we won." As Aang turned to look at Katara, he immediately felt a strong, hot flame knock him off balance, sending him falling from the roof. He heard the sound of Katara screaming his name before he felt excruciating pain, and then black.
Katara's scream was blood curdling as she looked down on the ground, seeing Aang's still, lifeless body. She turned around to see another man from the ground on the roof with them. Her heart raced as she stood defensively between the man who attacked Aang and the frozen man on the ground. A pillar shot up from the ground with Toph standing on it. Toph stomped and shacked the standing man with earth handcuffs before he could fight her. "Katara, come on!" The waterbender ran to Toph as the pillar collapsed to the ground. She ran over to Aang as fast as she could. Katara sobbing as she frantically tried to find a pulse. She barely felt a pulse, prompting her to sob into his chest. He felt cold, which was unusual because Aang was always running hot. She gagged at the sight of his right leg twisted in an unnatural position. Suki ran over to them and gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand. Sokka hugged Suki tight in his arms. Sokka appeared sad but kept his voice stern and calm, "I already called 911, they should be here soon."
While they waited, Toph earth bended all of Ozai's men in earth handcuffs and ankle shackles. Katara began healing Aang as best as she could while she fought back tears welling in her eyes. She hoped Aang would be okay as she ran her hands up and down his limp body. Her stomach knotted as she moved her hands, not feeling any chi moving through his body. She smiled briefly as she felt a weak pulse.
The ambulance showed up with multiple people coming out of the truck with a stretcher. "Miss, back up please. Did you move the body at all?" Katara gagged and turned her head to spit up into the grass. The thought of someone calling her boyfriend, who was once filled with life, "the body" made her sick. She apologized to the man after wiping her mouth. "Oh, no I didn't." The worker nodded solemnly as they carefully lifted Aang onto the stretcher into the ambulance. After screams filled with pain and visible shaking from her, the emergency workers finally allowed Katara to ride with Aang, despite her not being family.
The chaos of the ambulance ride receded as Aang was admitted to the hospital and brought to emergency surgery. Katara thanked Sokka for calling Gyatso and held back tears as she saw Aang's guardian enter the waiting area. She could barely look at him without thinking that she was the reason for Aang ending up here. "No", she told herself, she couldn't think of that right now. Katara had to hope that Aang was alive and would return to her as she knew him. A few hours passed with tension between the gang, Gyatso, and Hakoda. Katara had only spoken to decline food and water offered by multiple people. She finally was brought back to the present when a doctor walked to the group.
Katara held her breath and squeezed Sokka's hand hard as she watched the doctor begin to speak. "Who is Aang Bensen's guardian?" Gyatso stepped forward with a calm expression on his face. Katara was amazed and confused by how Gyatso could be so put together in this moment. "Hi Mr. Gyatso, I'm Doctor Kai. Aang is stable and did well in surgery. He is in a coma right now, and struggling to breath on his own. Unfortunately, we don't know when he will wake up. While he did fall from the second story, luckily there are no spinal injuries. He does have a pelvic fracture and a broken leg. He will need extensive physical therapy if he wakes up." The group was speechless at this information. The doctor gave everyone a few minutes to soak up what they just heard. Gyatso asked firmly, "Can we see him?" The doctor nodded and walked Gyatso, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Hakoda to Aang's room.
Katara gasped as she entered the room, seeing her boyfriend hooked up to tubes and beeping machines. She wanted to run to Aang but the shock of seeing him like this held her back. She cried into Sokka's shoulder, muttering inaudible words. Sokka embraced his sister, "I know, Katara. But, he's still Aang. He'd want to know you're here with him" After a few moments of sniffles and stifled sobs, Katara regained her breath. She anxiously walked over to Aang, quietly sitting in an empty chair. The hospital chairs were cold and sterile. She hated everything about this room. Gyatso had his eyes closed as he sat opposite to Katara, holding Aang's hand. Katara reached out tentatively to touch Aang's arm.
He was still cold and he struggled to breathe on his own. She winced at the iron lung that had been attached to Aang. Images of the future Katara had seen for her and Aang faded away from her mind. The thoughts of moving in together, getting married, traveling the world, and having kids were burned away as soon as she gently rubbed his limp, frigid arm. After a few seconds of running her fingers across his smooth skin, Aang gasped loudly. His chest rose and fell slowly as his eyes opened. He smiled at her briefly through a clear, medical mask before closing his eyes. Katara smiled with tears in her eyes at the glorious sight of Aang finally breathing on his own. She tried to talk to him, desperate for any connection. "Aang! Aang!" She was met with minutes of silence and steady breathing. She hung her head as she interlaced her fingers with his. He was alive but not here with her in this world, not really.
A/N: A reminder that this story will have a happy ending with Kataang, so don't hate me too much!