Zuko told himself when he left the infirmary that he needed to go back out and join the fight. Those were his friends, his allies, out there laying their lives on the line for him, for his throne.

But as he walked further from the infirmary, the more Zuko's bravado wavered, until he found himself leaning against the wall as tears streamed down his face.

His sister was dead. He needed to find his mother and tell her what had happened. He needed to see Kiyi and make sure that she was alright.

Zuko pushed himself off of the wall and dried his tears as he started in the direction of the Royal Suites. He didn't know if his mother and Kiyi would be there, but he didn't know where else to go.

The hallways and corridors were empty. All of the servants were likely hiding, or had been dismissed by Azula when she took over. It didn't really matter to Zuko. He was grateful for the silence.

He made his way to his mother's suite first, but no one answered when he knocked at the door. Zuko stepped inside, and found the room dark and empty. He tried Kiyi's room next. He knocked on the door, and heard the faintest sound of shuffling on the other side.

"Mom? Kiyi? It's me." Zuko waited a moment longer. He tried the knob, but it was locked. "It's Zuko."

He heard more shuffling, and then the lock turned. The door cracked open fractionally, and Zuko saw Kiyi's governess, Kayo, peeking out at him. When she confirmed that it was him, she pulled the door open wider.

"Fire Lord Zuko, bless the spirits. It really is you," Kayo breathed. "When Lady Mai told me you were alive, I almost couldn't believe it."

"Zuzu!" Kiyi bulled past her governess and knocked into Zuko, throwing her arms around him. "Zuzu, I was so scared. A mean lady named Azula had me, and she told me she was our sister, but then your friend, Princess Katara came, and Mai was with her, and they got me away from Azula, and Mai brought me to Kayo."

Zuko lifted her into his arms and hugged her closely as relief washed over him. Kiyi was okay. Azula hadn't hurt her. A single tear slipped from his eye and he brushed it away.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Kiyi." He held her in his arms as he looked up at Kayo. "Where is my mother?"

"I don't know, your Grace." Kayo spread her hands helplessly. "I was trying to escape the palace when Lady Mai found me. She told me to watch after Kiyi, to lock ourselves away until someone came to get us."

Zuko nodded as he digested that. There were only a handful of other places he thought his mother might be, but if he knew his mother as well as he thought he did, she would most likely have gone down to one of the bunkers beneath the palace.

"I'm going to go find my mother, and I'm taking Kiyi with me," Zuko said. "Stay here and keep the doors locked. I'll send for you once it's safe."

"Thank you, my lord."

Zuko turned and started back down the corridors, still holding onto Kiyi. "Can you walk, turtleduck?" He needed at least one hand in case any more attackers showed up.

"Yeah, okay." Zuko set her down, but Kiyi took his hand. "I was really scared, Zuzu."

"I know, Kiyi, and I'm really sorry I wasn't there." Zuko swallowed against the lump that had risen in his throat. He squeezed her hand gently. "But I'm here now, and no one is going to hurt you, okay?"

Kiyi looked up at him, her brow creased. "Is Princess Katara okay? I didn't want to leave her there with the mean lady, but I was so scared."

Zuko couldn't quite meet his sister's eye. "Princess Katara is fine. Come on, let's go find Mom."

They found Ursa in the bunker with the Kyoshi Warrior, Yoko. Kiyi threw herself into their mother's arms. Ursa swept her up into an embrace as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're alright, little one," Ursa murmured.

"Thanks to Princess Katara and Lady Mai." Kiyi pulled back and smiled at her mother. "And I found Zuzu!"

Ursa glanced at her son, a smile crossing her face. "I see that."

Zuko bowed to the Kyoshi Warrior. "Thank you for protecting my mother. The fighting is still going on, and you're needed up there. You may go now. I'll take over from here."

"Of course, your Grace."

She bowed before she departed, and for a moment Zuko stared after her. It felt so strange to be addressed so formally after weeks of being just Zuko.

"Zuko." Ursa came to him and embraced him, squeezing him tightly. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Zuko pressed his face into her shoulder. Suddenly he felt very young again, like a child. He gave into his emotions as hot tears leaked from his eyes and his shoulders shook with the weight of his grief.

"Zuko, what is it?" Ursa rubbed his shoulders soothingly. "What's happened? Is Katara alright?"

"Azula is dead." His words were muffled by his mother's robes. "Katara killed her, Mom."

Ursa let out a shocked gasp and pulled back. Zuko wiped his tears away and forced himself to look at his mother. Ursa searched his eyes for the truth, and when she found it, her eyes grew damp.

"No," she breathed. Ursa turned away from him, and looked at Kiyi, who was watching both of them with an uncertain frown. Then she looked back at Zuko. "You're sure?"

He could only nod.

A tear rolled down her cheek, and Ursa closed her eyes for a brief moment before she met her son's feverish gaze.

"I wasn't there to protect her," Zuko choked out.

Ursa wondered if he knew who he was talking about, Katara or Azula. Maybe it was both. She cupped his cheek in her hand.

"Oh, Zuko," she said.

"I..I'm so angry," Zuko rasped out. He clenched his hands into fists. "And I don't know if I'm mad at Katara, or Azula…or myself." He turned his back to her.

Ursa rested her hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, your feelings are valid. You have been through much in these weeks you've been gone. We all have. But you mustn't let yourself get lost in your anger. It will affect the way you proceed."

"Zuzu, what's wrong?" Kiyi walked over to them, her small face creased into a frown. She grabbed his hand. "Why are you crying?"

Zuko looked down at his youngest sister. His only sister now. He forced out a watery smile and squeezed her hand.

"It's fine, turtleduck," he said. "I'm okay." Kiyi didn't look convinced, but he didn't give her an opportunity to question him as he turned back to Ursa. "I need to get back up there. I told Mai to have Aang and the Conduit stop the fighting, but there's still a matter of…"

He trailed off, his eyes flickering back to Kiyi. She was still too young to hear all of the horrors that had transpired.

Ursa nodded in understanding. She put her arm around Kiyi's shoulders.

"I'll take her to my rooms," Ursa said. "You do what you need to do."

"I'll walk you there first," Zuko told her. "Then I'll go see how things are looking."

"What about Katara? Where is she?"

"She's in the infirmary." He pressed his mouth into a thin line.

"Perhaps you should go see her as well," Ursa said.

Zuko shook his head, averting his gaze. "I...not now. I don't think I could bear it."

Ursa looked at him imploringly. Then she took a deep breath. "I know...I understand how you must feel right now, Zuko, for I feel very much the same. But I also know and understand what Azula had become." She shook her head sadly. "You weren't there...she took Kiyi from me. I tried to stop her…"

Ursa held up her injured hand. Zuko swallowed hard as he took in the haphazardly-wrapped bandages.

"But I couldn't." Ursa closed her eyes. "She tried to kill me. She tried to kill Sokka. I was so scared, Zuko." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I didn't know if I would ever see Kiyi alive again after that." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I was so scared."

She watched Zuko as he tried to absorb what she was trying to tell him. He shook his head slowly, his cheeks paling as he looked between Ursa and Kiyi. Hopefully he understood what Azula had done. What she had tried to do.

"Azula was my daughter too, and I loved her very much. But she was also sick. She wanted my other children dead. And that's not okay, Zuko. It's just not okay." Ursa cupped his cheek in her uninjured hand. "I will always love her, and I will mourn her loss, but I can imagine what happened, Zuko. I'm sure Katara was only protecting herself, as much as she was trying to protect us."

Zuko raked his hand through his hair. "I…don't know, Mom. It's a lot to deal with right now. I'm not ready to see her yet."

Ursa considered that for a moment before she nodded again. "Alright. But don't leave it for too long, Zuko. You need to confront your feelings quickly, or they will fester like an infected wound."

He winced. "You sound like Uncle." He huffed out a breath. "But I won't. I'll see her soon."

"Alright. And please...remember what I said."

Ursa took Kiyi's hand and together, they left the bunker and started down the hidden passageway. It wasn't unlike the tunnel he had taken Katara down when they had left the palace all those weeks ago. How different things had been then. They had no idea what laid in store for them.

Not for the first time in his life, Zuko wished he could turn back time. Instead, he followed his mother and youngest sister.

Sokka ran into Aang on his way out of the palace as Aang was coming in.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked with a frown.

"It's over," Aang told him. "We won. How's Katara doing?"

Sokka looked away. "She's...not doing too well, Aang. And honestly, neither is Zuko."

"I heard about Azula," Aang said.

"Katara...killed her." Sokka took a deep breath. "Part of me still can't believe it. Katara. My sister is a seasoned fighter, but she's not a..." He squeezed his eyes shut.

Aang swallowed hard. "I'm sure she did what she had to do, Sokka."

Sokka shook his head slowly. Then he opened his eyes. "You...should go and talk to her. She's being hard on herself about it. I tried to help her, but I don't know if I did any good." He took another breath. "And Zuko...he's really upset. He said some pretty harsh things to her when she came to."

"Why would he do that?" Aang frowned. "I mean, I don't think he'd be happy about Azula being...well, you know. But why would he be mad at Katara? I'm sure she was just trying to defend herself."

"You just have to talk to them, okay? I don't know where Zuko went." Sokka looked at him. "A lot of things have changed, Aang."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Sokka went out the doors, and Aang continued on his way to the infirmary. The room was empty and quiet, but he knew it wouldn't be long before it was filled with people who needed to be tended to. From what he could tell, not many of their fighters had fallen, and for that he was thankful. He had seen the bodies of two Kyoshi Warriors, but no one else. But there were still plenty of injuries.

"Hello?" Aang called out. "Katara?"

He heard her voice through a door on the right. "Aang?"

Aang hurried over to it and pushed the door open. His heart stuttered anxiously in his chest and a small gasp escaped him at her appearance. She looked so different from the last time he had seen her.

Katara was in a bath, and she sat up slowly when she saw him come in. Her tunic had been cut away, and when she sat forward, he saw a jagged scar, angry and red, cutting across her shoulder. Her face was bruised and swollen, and there was a cut above her eye. Her eyes were red-rimmed and glassy, and he could tell she had been crying.

Aang quickly crossed the room and knelt beside her, cupping her cheek in concern. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." Katara offered him a watery smile. Tears slipped from her eyes, and she turned her face away from him, pulling away from his touch. "Alright, I'm not okay, Aang." Her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to speak around the lump that was choking her. "I killed Azula."

"I know. But I'm sure it was an accident. Or because you had no choice, right?"

Katara didn't say anything.

Aang watched her closely. "Katara, you didn't mean to, right?"

"I don't need any of your self-righteous pacifism right now, Aang." Katara sniffled and wiped her cheeks, but more tears fell. "It's bad enough Zuko yelled at me. I can't...I can't...I don't want to hear it from you too."

Aang's jaw dropped. "Wait, Zuko yelled at you?"

"I killed his sister! It's the least I deserve." Katara hung her head in shame. "I didn't know what else to do, Aang. She was...ruthless. I couldn't stop her. She tried to shoot me with lightning, and I caught it in a wave of water." Katara lifted her head, but her eyes were unfocused, staring at something far away. "Do you know what happens when lightning hits water? It...it becomes a conductor. The lightning stays in the water until the charge runs out, and then it just fizzles out." She made a gesture with her hand to demonstrate it. Aang saw how her fingers trembled when she did. "I had nothing left in me, Aang. I was about to lose consciousness. So I...I wrapped Azula in that water, and I killed her with her own lightning...before she could kill me."

Katara pressed a hand to her mouth as a high, keening sob left her. Aang reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, gentle with the freshly-healed scar, and pulled her to him. Katara pressed her head against his shoulder and cried, great heaving sobs that shook her body as her fingers knotted in his shirt.

Aang brought his other hand up and pressed it to her hair, trying to comfort her. But he knew that there was nothing he could offer her that would help the pain she was feeling. Katara would have to come to terms with what she had done on her own. All Aang could do, all any of her friends could do, was offer her kindness.

"You did what you had to do," Aang murmured.

Katara sniffled as she tried to calm down. "I know that. But I still feel so...so awful. Azula was this horrible person, but she was still a human being. And now I've hurt Zuko...and I don't know if he'll ever forgive me. Or himself."

"Because he wasn't there?" Aang frowned.

Katara shook her head. She pulled back and looked at him. "You know how we sent Iroh a letter saying we were going to a place called the Garden of the Desert?" Aang nodded. Katara breathed shakily. "We went there. There's this...pond. If you drink from it, it gives you the knowledge you most desire. We met an Oracle of Destiny, and she told us that there would be a price to pay."

She stopped talking and squeezed her eyes shut. Aang waited patiently for her to continue speaking, until she got her emotions under control.

"The price is the blood of someone you love," Katara said softly. "The Oracle told us that it didn't mean death...but she was wrong. Azula paid the ultimate price." She raked her hand through her hair. "I need to...get out of here. I need to find Zuko."

"Maybe you should give him some time," Aang said gently. "It sounds like he was pretty upset."

"He was." She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "He blames me, Aang. Because I didn't listen to him. He said we needed to face Azula together, but he was off helping you, and Azula had Kiyi, and...what was I supposed to do?"

"You did the right thing, going after her. Azula was dangerous," Aang murmured. He didn't agree that it was alright that she had taken a life, but Aang knew Katara had done it because she had no choice. "I'm sorry about what happened, though."

Katara shook her head. "He told me I had a choice. And maybe I did, but in that moment, I saw no other way. Azula would have killed me. She would've kept coming after me until I couldn't fight anymore."

"Zuko will forgive you. He's just upset and hurt right now." Aang rubbed her shoulder soothingly. "We won the fight though. It's over."

Katara let out a breath of relief. "That's good." She looked at him. "Do you know where Zuko is?"

"No, I don't. I haven't seen him since the crater."

Katara chewed her bottom lip. "Aang...there's something I need to tell you. And you deserve to hear it from me."

Aang frowned. What more did she have to tell him?

"What is it, Katara?"

She wouldn't look at him. "Zuko and I…we've been through a lot while we've been away. And...we've discovered some things about one another. Pretty big things." She took a shaky breath. "I'm in love with him, Aang."

It felt like someone had stolen the air from his lungs. Aang had wondered...but he hadn't been sure until this moment. He leaned back as his brow furrowed, and only then did Katara look at him. She looked apologetic, and that pulled at his heart more.

"But I promise, there was nothing before we left," she said quietly. "It just sort of...happened."

"I'm not mad, Katara," Aang told her gently. And he meant it.

She looked at him, puzzled. "You're...you're not?"

Aang shook his head. "I've done a lot of thinking. About us." Aang swallowed hard. "And you were right, about what you said to me the night of the ball. I wasn't very good to you, and you deserve better than that. And for that, I'm sorry."

Katara nodded. "Thank you, Aang." She met his gaze. "But we're still friends, right?"

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Aang smiled at her. "Even if you're not my girlfriend, I'll always love you, Katara. And that includes always being there for you as a friend."

Katara's heart swelled at his words. How could he be so forgiving? So understanding? After so long of wanting to be with her? She didn't understand it, but she was thankful for it.

"Thank you, Aang. That...that means a lot to me." Katara returned his smile, but it faltered after a moment. "I need to go find Zuko."

"I don't know if that's a good idea. Maybe you should heal yourself some more first," Aang said.

But Katara just shook her head as she climbed stiffly to her feet. Her hand came up to her left side, and fell across the fresh scar. Katara looked down. The skin across her ribs was a patch of angry red skin, freshly healed. It was puckered and ridged and it reminded her so much of the scar that marred Zuko's face. She spread her fingers out over the scar as her face twisted into a mask of grief.

But then Katara inhaled deeply through her nose and smoothed out her expression. When she looked at Aang, her eyes were cool and hard, like chips of ice. The tremor in her bottom lip was almost imperceptible.

Katara bent the water from her trousers and wraps before she gingerly climbed out of the tub, using Aang for support. For a moment she stood, looking at the door, breathing hard.

"Are you alright?" Aang asked.

"I'm fine," she gritted out.

Katara limped toward the door.

"Um, Katara? Maybe you should find a shirt?"

She glanced down. "Oh. Right. I...yeah."

Katara went out into the infirmary with Aang following behind her. She went to a cabinet and rifled through the linens until she came up with a spare nurse's top. She shrugged into it, wincing as it strained her still-tender ribs. They were mostly healed, but she still had some work to do on them. But first, she needed to see Zuko.

Katara cinched the sash loosely around her waist before she started for the door. Aang trailed after her, and she looked back at him.

"You don't have to come with me," Katara told him.

Aang shrugged. "You're not all healed. I don't want you to collapse or something."

Katara wanted to roll her eyes. She could take care of herself, and she was a lot better off than she had been immediately after the fight. But she sensed that Aang would dig his heels in if she tried to protest.

And really, she was glad he was there. She limped along slowly, her ribs pinching with each step, and she had to focus on breathing lightly so she didn't make them ache more.

They left the infirmary and started slowly down the hallway.

Katara was stiff and sore all over, and really, she probably should have spent more time in the water, but she didn't like the way she and Zuko had left things between them. She couldn't bear the thought of him being mad at her, although she truly didn't blame him.

She couldn't imagine what he must be feeling. His relationship with Azula was complicated. Even though she was manipulative and had tried to kill him—more than once—she was still his sister. He still loved her. And maybe a part of him had held on to the hope that Azula could be redeemed, that she could be good and kind. And by taking her life, Katara had dashed all hopes of that.

She frowned as she thought. "Ursa hid in a bunker beneath the palace after we set everyone free. She said Zuko would know she was there. Maybe that's where he went."

"Okay. Let's go look." Aang offered her a small smile.

"Thanks, Aang."

Tears stung her eyes again, and Katara blinked them away as they started down a corridor that would take them towards the dungeon below the palace. The weight of her guilt was eating at her, but she couldn't focus on it now. She needed to find Zuko and make things right with him.

If only she knew how.

Katara stumbled, and Aang caught her around the waist before she fell. He steadied her, and Katara looked at him gratefully as he traded her waist for her elbow. She was even more grateful now that he had come along.

Aang and Katara rounded a corner. Zuko, Ursa, and Kiyi were emerging from a hidden passageway, and they spotted Aang and Katara at the same time Aang and Katara saw them.

Kiyi's face lit up as she pulled out of her mother's hold and sprinted towards Katara, dark hair flying out behind her. "Princess Katara! You're really okay!"

Katara winced as Kiyi flew into her, wrapping her arms around Katara's middle. She hugged the girl back, surprised at the unexpected display.

"I'm alright, Kiyi," Katara told her. "Are you?"

"I am, thanks to you. You got me away from Azula. You and Lady Mai saved me." Kiyi pulled back and looked up at Katara. "But...your face. Did Azula do that to you?" The girl's mouth turned downwards as her brows knit with worry.

Katara tucked the girl's hair behind her ear and forced out a smile. "I'm alright, Kiyi. Don't worry about me."

Then she looked up. Ursa had approached them, and Kiyi went back to her mother. Katara could see the glassiness in Ursa's eyes, and her skin was pallid. She gave Katara a wan smile.

"Thank you, Princess Katara, for protecting Kiyi," Ursa said. The slight tremble in her voice was the only thing that gave away her emotions.

Katara nodded stiffly. "I...I'm sorry." It was inadequate for the horror she had caused, but it was all she could say.

Ursa gathered Kiyi under her arm and started toward the main part of the palace. She rested her hand on Katara's arm for a brief moment as she passed.

"You did what you had to do," she murmured quietly. Then she and Kiyi were gone.

Katara looked up at Zuko. He looked haggard. His eyes were red-rimmed and his clothes were torn and stained with blood. His knuckles were a bruised, bloody mess. Her heart pulled painfully as she took him in. He looked like he was trying not to fall apart.

She stepped toward him. "Zuko—"

He cut her off by raising his hand. "Don't, Katara."

Tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill over. "Zuko, please don't do this to me."

His eyes blazed. "Don't do this to you? What about what you've done to me? To my family?" His lip curled. "Or did you think you were doing me a favor?"

"I did it to protect you!" Katara cried out. The tears spilled over and down her cheeks. "I didn't want to do this. It's the last thing I wanted. But she was going to kill me. And then she would have come after you!"

Zuko's jaw clenched. "I could have dealt with her! I could have stopped her! But you took that choice away from me." His voice rose with each word he spoke until it echoed around the empty corridor.

"I didn't have a choice." Katara's voice broke along with her heart. How are we ever going to move past this? she thought abysmally. How can he ever forgive me? Then her jaw set. "If I had known that protecting myself would make you so...so angry, I would have just let her kill me so she could come after you. Would that have made you happier? If I died so Azula could live? Is that what you wanted to happen?"

Zuko stared at her, his eyes blazing with his emotions.

"There is always a choice, Katara," Zuko said, his voice low. "And you chose wrong."

He pushed past her and started down the hallway.

But Aang stopped him with a hand on his arm, his brow set.

"Zuko, I know you're upset right now, but you don't get to treat Katara like that," Aang bit out.

Zuko's eyes flashed to him. "Stay out of it, Aang."

"No." Aang set his jaw. "Both of you are my friends. And I know that Katara did this horrible thing, but you can't really believe she did it because she wanted to, can you?"

"I don't know what to believe right now," Zuko said darkly.

Aang gestured to Katara, his expression a mask of anger. "Look at her! She almost died. Azula almost killed her! And you're going to blame Katara for that? For saving herself?"

"Aang—" Katara started, but he pushed on, his voice rising until he was yelling too.

"I don't know what all has happened between the two of you, but if it's anything like what me and Toph have been through, it's pushed you to your limits. It's made your friendship stronger." His eyes bore into Zuko's. "Katara loves you. She would do anything for you. I think she has proven that."

Katara swallowed hard as she watched the exchange pass between the two of them.

"And I know that you're hurting right now, Zuko," Aang said quietly. "But don't let your pain get in the way of how you really feel."

Katara looked at Zuko as hope welled up in her chest. If Aang's words could get Zuko to see beyond his pain, maybe all was not lost. Maybe he could forgive her.

Zuko glanced at her. Then he looked away. "I can't do this right now," he said.

Then he stepped out of Aang's grasp and disappeared down the hallway. Katara stared after him as her heart shattered.

She buried her face in her hands as her sobs overtook her. Aang went to her and put his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Katara," he murmured. "I tried. Just...give him time"

His words were a hollow comfort. Katara knew nothing was going to make this better. The look in Zuko's eyes were burned into her mind, right along with the image of Azula's dying breath.

Katara would never forget it.

The dawn broke gray and somber. Pillars of smoke rose towards the clouds that spit rain down on the scene below, as if it could purge the air of blood and destruction.

The courtyard was a mess. Black scorch marks stained the stonework, and most of the grass had caught fire or been burned in the crossfire. The Dai Li had demolished most of the stone and several large craters were indentured in the ground where they had torn up the lawns. Crumpled bits of stone that had once made up walkways and pillars littered the scene.

All of the bodies had been moved off to one side. The undertaker and his assistants had been sent for, and soon they would arrive. Any bodies that could be identified would have their families notified; those who were unknown would be cremated in a mass funeral.

Iroh explained all of this to Sokka as the wee hours of the night bled into the morning while they transported the prisoners to the prison tower down by the harbor, and later as they went about the grisly work of moving the bodies.

Overall, the battle had favored their side. Only two Kyoshi Warriors had fallen. The rest of their people were alive, although there were several injured, some of them severely. The Conduit—Ryoko, as Sokka had learned was her name—was in charge of healing. With Katara out of commission, she was the only one who was able to. The Conduit worked tirelessly through the night until everyone who had been battling was healed.

Neither Katara, Zuko, or Aang had reemerged from the palace. He wanted to go back to the infirmary to see his sister. He knew Katara would be able to heal her physical wounds, but Sokka was most worried about the wounds she now carried inside. Sokka couldn't even imagine what Katara must be going through.

He himself had taken the lives of a dozen enemies last night, but this was different. This was Azula. Zuko's sister.

Sokka almost couldn't believe that Azula was dead, even though he had seen her body. She had looked so small lying there in the grass, peaceful...innocent. It was hard to connect that fragile-looking body to the merciless firebender who had taken her own sister captive to bring the regent Fire Lord and the rest of the palace to its knees. Azula had been a thorn in all of their sides for years, especially Zuko's.

But she was still his sister. The rest of them might have hated her, but Sokka doubted Zuko did. He couldn't imagine Katara ever doing something that would make him hate her. Not even killing Azula.

After weeks of unraveling Azula's plot, of being held hostage in the dungeons below the palace, it was hard to imagine that the reason behind it all was just...gone. Sokka was trying not to think about the fact that his sister was responsible for that.

It had been easier to do when there was work to be done. But now it was all over, and there was nothing more to do than watch the day break.

Toph, Suki, and Ryoko sat on the steps leading up to the palace. The members of the Order of the White Lotus had gone into the palace to seek out the remaining servants and guards. Everyone needed to be temporarily confined until it could be ascertained who had been a part of the plot to overthrow Zuko, and who was innocent.

Toph would be responsible for that part of it. The earthbender had a lot of work to do. Sokka was just grateful that the Conduit had been able to heal her.

Sokka limped across the courtyard and collapsed onto the steps beside his fiance. His body ached in a dozen places, and he was covered in small cuts and burns, but it wasn't anything he was worried about. Suki took his hand and looked at him, and Sokka nodded.

"I'm alright." He let out a breath. "I'm just glad this is...finally over."

"I don't think it is," Suki said quietly. "Maybe this fight is, but there's still a lot more work to do. From what we've seen here, this plot runs pretty deep."

"Yeah, it seems like half of the capital was in on it," Toph mused. She rubbed the sole of her freshly-healed foot with one hand. "It's gonna be a lot of work to figure out who was in on it and who wasn't."

"Looks like we aren't going anywhere for awhile then." Sokka scrubbed his hand over his face. He was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to wash off the grime of battle and fall into bed. He couldn't remember the last time he had gotten a decent night's sleep. "I mean, I wasn't going anywhere. I told Ursa I would stay and help Zuko. We knew everything was going to get turned upside down...but I didn't think it'd be this bad."

"I guess my academy will have to wait. Sparky needs me here." Toph shrugged. "No one can tell when someone is lying the way I can."

"Speaking of which, he's been gone for hours," Suki remarked. "Should we go look for him? And check in on Katara, too?"

"I can't believe she..killed Azula," Toph murmured. Her voice was some mix between disbelief and sounding impressed.

"I can't say I'm sorry about it," Suki muttered. "You have no idea what the last few weeks have been like since she took over."

"I must agree," the Conduit spoke up. Her lip curled. "I've never been on the receiving end of torture before, and I don't recommend it. I only wish that I had been the one to snuff out her life."

"Don't let Zuko or Aang catch you talking like that," Sokka warned her. "Zuko might kill you himself, and Aang will just lecture you about the value of human life."

The Conduit snorted.

Suki stood up. "I'm going to go see Katara. She must be feeling absolutely awful."

"I'll come with you," Sokka said. He dragged himself back to his feet. "She's...she wasn't doing so good the last time I left."

Ryoko got up with a grace that defied the exhaustion she had to be feeling. "I must go find my cat. Azula had him locked away."

"I'd hold off for a minute," Toph said. "Sparky's on his way out here."

"You can sense him already?" Sokka asked, surprised.

She tapped her feet against the stairs with a grin. "Our new friend here did a great job. It's like a whole new set of eyes."

Sokka turned toward the mouth of the palace. A moment later, Zuko emerged from the entrance. In the gray dawn, it was easy to see the drawn lines of his face and the sag of his shoulders. Sokka had never seen him like this, not in all their years of friendship. Even as a banished prince, Zuko had always stood tall and held his head high. He swallowed hard as Zuko made his way down the stairs.

Zuko stopped near his friends, his eyes combing over the scene before him. His expression was a neutral mask, but Sokka knew Zuko well enough that he could see the way his eyes burned.

Katara wasn't with him. Neither was Aang.

Iroh approached them. He had been working on identifying some of the bodies, and he looked exhausted too. He went to Zuko and studied him for a moment.

"Nephew," he said quietly. "Are you alright?"

Zuko's eyes flickered to his uncle for a moment, before they fell on the pile of corpses in the corner of the courtyard. He swallowed hard.

"No," Zuko said. His jaw tightened. "But I'm the Fire Lord again, so I have to be." His eyes fell on Sokka, Suki, Ryoko, and Toph. "I want to thank all of you for the role you have played throughout this. I wouldn't...my throne wouldn't be mine if it weren't for all of you."

"We'll always stand by your side," Sokka told him.

"We're here for you, Zuko," Suki added.

"Always," Toph concluded.

The Conduit stood and approached the Fire Lord. She bowed to him before she straightened up and looked at him.

"And I must thank you," she said. "For I know the price you have paid to earn the knowledge the Avatar needed to set me free."

Zuko held her gaze for a moment, and to Sokka, it almost seemed like a conversation passed between them. Then Zuko looked back at the rest of them.

"I take it you've transported the prisoners already?"

Iroh nodded. "All of the survivors are there now, under the guard of the Kyoshi Warriors."

"We'll have to hold trials for them," Zuko said. He frowned as he glanced at Toph. "Who healed you?"

"I did," Ryoko spoke up. "I...can heal. It's not something I've ever really used before."

"She's a miracle worker, is what she is," Toph interjected. "I've never seen so well."

Zuko raised his brow at the Conduit. "As the Conduit, are your healing powers…?"

She seemed to understand what he was asking. The Conduit shook her head. "I'm sorry, Fire Lord. I can only heal what can be mended."

He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. Then he opened his eyes again and looked at Toph. "I'm glad you're healed. And I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Hey, no worries. I'm as good as new. Like it never even happened."

Zuko let out a breath of relief. "That's good. We'll need your seismic sense to sort out the traitors. I'll need your help with that, Toph."

"You got it, Sparky."

Behind him, two figures emerged from the palace. Sokka took in Aang and his sister, including the way Aang was supporting her and the way she limped.

"Katara!" Sokka rushed over to his sister, leaving the others behind. "You shouldn't be out of the infirmary. You should be resting—"

Katara looked around at the courtyard that had become a battlefield. "I had to...I had to see that it was really over." She dropped her tone as her face twisted with grief. "I needed to know...that what I did was worth it."

Sokka pulled her in for a hug. "It's really over." Then he pulled back and held her at arm's length. "You need to get some rest."

She looked over Sokka's shoulder at Zuko. He hadn't turned to look at her. "I will soon. Once I know he's okay."

Sokka pressed his lips into a thin line. "Katara...don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think Zuko wants to see you right now."

Tears welled up in her eyes again, and Katara bit her lip. She nodded her head.

"Yeah." Her voice was a soft whisper. "You're probably right."

Sokka pulled her in for another hug. He met Aang's gaze over her shoulder. The two of them shared a knowing look. They knew that things weren't going to go back to the way they were before. So much had happened. Too much had changed.

Sokka kept his arm around her shoulders as he turned her back toward the palace. "Let's go back inside, okay? You need to get some rest."

Katara looked up at Zuko again. The last thing she wanted was to go back into the palace. She felt like an intruder there. He was so angry, surely he didn't want her to stay. But who knew if the city was safe? And Katara certainly was too hurt to go anywhere else for the time being.

"Okay," she relented.

Katara let her brother lead her back inside. They didn't say anything as they walked past the gathered servants in the grand entrance hall, watched by the Order of the White Lotus. Sokka guided her down the hallways and corridors, and she was more than a little surprised when he took her to the apartment she had been staying in before she and Zuko had left on their quest. That felt like it was so long ago.

A lifetime ago.

Sokka tried to encourage her to get in a bath to heal more, but she said she just wanted to sleep. He offered to send the Conduit in, but again, Katara shut him down. Finally, he relented, and made sure she got into bed before he left and made his way back to the courtyard.

He didn't know what was going to happen next, but he knew that the road ahead of them—ahead of all of them—would be long. There were interviews to be conducted, and trials to be had. He was certain there would be more treachery uncovered the deeper they dug. There was even still Alasie to contend with.

But none of that weighed as heavily on his mind as Katara and Zuko did.

He had seen the haunted look in Katara's eyes, and had seen the pain in Zuko's. He knew that the two of them would never be the same.