DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

"Azula. She knows Prince Zuko tricked her. She's on her way here."

The words echoed around Katara's mind as she stood, frozen to the spot. No one said anything for a moment, allowing the terrifying words that Hiro had just spoken to sink in.

No. Katara thought, panic-stricken. No. We've come this far, Azula can't ruin this!

"You son of a bitch, you told her didn't you?" Zuko shouted to Hiro, his eyes narrowing immediately in suspicion and anger.

"I swear I didn't." Hiro relied, so sincerely that Katara, Toph and Iroh believed him. Zuko however continued to glare disbelievingly at him, but said nothing more. He, like the others, understood the severity of the situation.

Cai, as always, took charge of the situation. He paused for a moment, and then turned to his brother.

"Hiro, how far are you prepared to go to avenge Father's death?" He asked, looking his brother straight in the eye.

"To the Spirit World and back. I would die to avenge him." Hiro replied seriously, returning his brother's gaze.

Cai nodded, then swiftly embraced his brother. Momentarily surprised, Hiro hugged him back before they broke apart.

"I need you to cut off Azula. Tell her that you saw the prisoners escape through the back of the palace. If she doesn't believe you then try to hold her off long enough to allow my friends a chance for freedom." Cai told his brother, who nodded then turned to the group in the catacombs and bowed.

"It has been an honour meeting you, even if it was under these circumstances."

"Thank you. Good luck." Katara replied, as everyone bowed in return. Even Zuko inclined his head, even if somewhat reluctantly.

"I'll see you shortly, brother." Cai said, as Hiro gave him a last glance before running down the corridor.

Cai remained silent for a few moments, staring after his brother, and unreadable expression on his face. Then he shook his head quickly, as though ridding unwanted thoughts from his mind and turned back to Katara.

"Wait here for awhile. I need to guide you out of the City without being seen, but I also need to get Azula off the trail if Hiro fails." Cai's voice cracked a little as he mentioned his brother's name.

"That could take too long." Zuko argued. "We need to get out of the city as soon as possible."

"You need to get out of the city without being spotted by Dai Li agents." Cai retorted. "Therefore I need to lead you. All I ask is that you wait down here for a short while."

"He has a point Zuko." Iroh murmured. Katara was glad that Iroh had said something, because she agreed with Cai, but didn't want to be the one to tell Zuko that.

Yes, they needed to get out of Ba Sing Se as soon as possible, but last time Appa had been waiting for Aang and Katara when they had escaped. This time Appa was a few miles away on the outskirts of the Outer Wall, and despite all the time that Katara and her friends had spent in Ba Sing Se, it was nowhere near enough time to figure out a route to freedom. They would simply have to wait it out, and pray to the all the Gods that they could think of that Azula would believe Hiro and go after them in the completely wrong direction. But by this time Katara knew Azula. She knew that Azula would not believe anything she did not see with her own eyes. It was for this reason that Katara knew Azula had come back. It would have taken her days if not weeks to get to Omashu, but Azula must not have gotten further than the Inner Wall until she realized that Zuko had tricked her.

And now she's back…Katara thought, with no particular emotion apart from the overwhelming fear that was coursing through her veins right now. Soon however, adrenaline would kick in, and she would be ready to fight if the worst came to the worst.

"Fine." Zuko said sharply, interrupting her thoughts. "We stay."

"Then I will see you soon. If Azula comes here I will not betray your whereabouts…and I have a very bad feeling that I will be seeing her shortly." Cai called down, before adjusting his arms in the position so as to raise the ramp up once more.

"Wait!" Katara shouted out. Cai looked down at her but didn't lower his arms. "Thank you," She said, smiling. "for everything."

"It has been an honour and a pleasure protecting you, Katara." Cai said, returning her smile. He then turned to the rest of the group in turn, nodding his head to each of them. "General Iroh thank you for your fascinating stories on the war, they will be something to tell my own children one day. Toph, you are the strongest, loudest twelve-year old Earthbender I have ever met." Cai turned to Zuko slowly. Zuko raised his eyebrows questioningly, the makings of a smirk curling onto his lips.

"Zuko…" Cai started, struggling for words. "You're a jerk."

"I'm touched." Zuko remarked dryly. "Your way with words is incredible."

Cai actually laughed. "I wasn't finished." when Zuko made the gesture for Cai to carry on, he did. "You're a jerk."

"You said that already." Zuko muttered, but Cai ignored him and continued.

"But you're strong enough to protect the group. When something happens to me, make sure you guard them."

"With my life." Zuko replied, a subtle glance at Katara as he said this.

Cai nodded, then turned back to Katara. "If I'm not back within the hour then go. These catacombs can be like a maze, so be careful which way you go. I'd prefer it if you waited so I can show you the safe way, but things don't always work out the way we plan."

"You're telling me." Katara murmured quietly.

"May the Gods be with you." Cai said to the group at large.

"And also with you." The group replied in unison. It was a form of goodbye that was usually reserved for travellers who would not see their families for months, but this farewell seemed just as fitting.

Cai nodded one last time, then lifted his arms sharply, raising the ramp and plunging the cavern into darkness. The eerie glow of the luminous crystals shone brightly suddenly, making the grotto lit, albeit dimly.

"Why did that sound like goodbye?" Toph asked quietly, to no one in particular.

With a heavy sigh, Katara sat down and brought her knees up to her chest, and resting her chin on them.

"Because it was." She told her young friend simply.

There was silence for what seemed like ages, but could not have been more than a few minutes, as each of them in turn sat down on the ground and shifted uncomfortably. All except for Zuko, who remained standing and alert, staring up at where the ramp had been. He barely moved for the next twenty minutes and only responded when the painful small-talk was directed at him. Even then he would only grunt or move his head a fraction in the form of an answer.

After awhile, muffled noises began to seep through the earthy ceiling. Zuko immediately held a finger to his lips as a signal for everyone to be quiet, then beckoned them to the furthest, darkest corner in the cavern. Here they stood, for how long none of them knew. Katara was surprised that they could hear anything through the thick earth above them, and wasn't sure if the fighting sounds they were hearing were a good or bad thing. Before she had a chance to make up her mind however, the noises stopped suddenly and a rumbling sound emitted from nearby. The source of this noise became clear as the ramp that Cai had disappeared from not too long ago once again made an appearance, this time sideways from the group's point of view. Zuko had chosen a good spot to hide; this way they would not be seen from the top of the ramp.

Zuko held up a hand again to stop anyone who was stupid enough to move forward, the way Katara desperately wanted to. But none of them moved forward, or barely even moved at all. They pressed themselves as far into the wall as possible, just in case anyone (mainly Azula) should choose to come down the ramp.

And although there was no sighting of Azula, they could all hear her cold voice, echoing from the top of the slope.

"Like father, like sons, both in life and in death."

These words chilled Katara's heart and her eyes went wide.

No,she thought in desperation, please no.

"Dispose of the bodies." Azula's voice rang out. "Throw them into the cavern for all I care."

"Yes Princess." Murmured several voices, simultaneously and obediently. A couple of grunts were heard, and then two objects rolled down the ramp, lying in an unmoving heap once they had reached the bottom. Katara bit her lip and shut her eyes, trying not to think of what would happen now.

"My brother and the prisoners are probably halfway out of the city by now. I suggest we head them off. Mai, Ty Lee, come with me. Agents, guard the Inner Wall. Make sure nobody gets in or out of the City tonight. And I mean nobody." Azula's venomous voice sounded so forceful that no one on the top of the slope spoke until they were sure the Princess was finished, and even then they were reluctant.

"Uh…Azula?" Came Ty Lee's unusually nervous voice. After a pause, in which Katara could only imagine that Azula was glaring at the acrobat, Ty Lee continued, "What's the plan?"

"The plan is to follow me." Azula snarled. "Unless of course you want to end up acting as a lightning rod."

"No thank you." Ty Lee squeaked timidly, and then said no more.

"If the prisoners escape Ba Sing Se then you will have the Fire Lord to deal with." Azula spat, presumably at the agents. "Now raise the ramp and get out of my sight."

Quickly the ramp rose, and the very distant sound of footsteps got fainter and fainter until they disappeared. As soon as the last footstep had vanished, Katara lunged forward, only to be jerked back by Zuko with such force that she slammed into his chest.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked angrily. "Let me go!"

"Azula may still be there, waiting." Zuko replied, holding firmly onto the squirming Katara.

"Don't be paranoid!" Katara yelled, trying desperately to break free. "Cai and Hiro may still be alive, and if so I can help them!"

"Katara." Zuko said, in a much gentler tone. "You can't help them now. They're de-"

Suddenly Katara smashed her elbow as hard as she could backwards, smacking Zuko in the stomach in cutting his sentence off. He let go momentarily, and it was all Katara needed. She broke free of his grasp and flew towards the bodies on the floor, flinging herself onto the floor next to them. She quickly noticed the injuries that both had suffered; a small, smoking hole aimed directly at the heart gave it away immediately.

Turning both the men onto their backs, Katara unscrewed the top of her water flask, withdrawing water as quickly and carefully as she could, before turning to Cai. He wasn't breathing, and his face had gone unnaturally pale, but Katara ignored these factors as she determinedly placed her now water-covered hand over his wound.

The water began to glow, and Katara's heart leapt. But then the water lost its radiance and dropped from Katara's hand, splashing uselessly over Cai's clothes.

"No." Katara muttered through gritted teeth, bending the water back onto her hand and willing it to heal. This time the water didn't even glow, just enveloped her hand, making it cold and uncomfortably wet.

Refusing to give up, Katara flung the water covering her hand aside, and withdrew more water, this time turning to Hiro. He had the same wound, and was in the same predicament as his brother.

Again, the water splattered onto his clothes, accomplishing nothing apart from making his Dai Li uniform damp.

"No." Katara said again, although this time it was more of a plea. Turning back to Cai once more, she stared down at his expressionless face, her own face mirroring that of his. She tentatively outstretched her hand and lightly touched his cold cheek with her fingertips, before resting her entire palm there.

"Did it hurt?" She whispered, her haunted voice echoing around the cavern. "Your sacrifice?"

Someone came and sat down beside her, but Katara didn't take her eyes off Cai's face, nor did she move her hand. Only when a warm hand covered hers did she look up.

"I couldn't save them." She murmured to Zuko, even though this was evident.

"I'm sorry." Zuko replied, his tone matching Katara's. He squeezed her hand gently to show his support, but she responded by tearing her hand away and standing up.

As she looked around the cavern, her eyes showed no signs of tears, no evidence of the heartbreaking pain and guilt that was raging inside of her. But her voice revealed all.

"I-" She started, only getting a single syllable out before her voice cracked. She shook her head and walked off, leaving behind her soundless companions.

After a few moments of surprised silence, Iroh spoke up.

"Someone should go after her." He said, pointedly looking at Zuko. However, Zuko still had his back to his uncle, and wasn't aware his statement was directed at him. When Iroh coughed deliberately, Zuko turned around to see both his uncle and Toph looking at him. Well, in Toph's case she was facing him, her blind eyes fixing upon him.

"You want me to go?" He asked, incredulously.

"I believe that was the general idea." Toph replied, snappily.

Zuko sighed, before realizing that alone time with Katara might not be such a bad thing. It would give him chance to talk to her, as he had not been able to properly for too long now.

He began to walk in Katara's footsteps, already knowing where he was going to end up.

-------------------------------------------x----------------------------------------------

Katara didn't really know where she was going; she just let her feet carry her. In the place she had just vacated were the bodies of two young men, one whom Katara felt close to. They had both been willing to give up everything for the greater good, and they had ended up losing their lives just so three kids and on old man could have a slim chance to escape somewhere that would most likely prove impossible to escape from anyway.

Katara quickly shook herself for thinking this. She would not give up. Cai and Hiro had risked - and lost - everything to help her, and she would not let them down.

Thank you…Katara thought, aiming her words at the siblings. You saved our lives…I'll make sure your sacrifices weren't in vain.

It wasn't fair that Cai and Hiro would not be able to accompany them to freedom after everything they had done.

Still, Katara thought with a bitter laugh, when has life ever been fair?

Even though it was meant as a rhetorical question, the answer came screaming back as soon as Katara realized where she was. She stopped dead and looked around, and although her heart was racing, Katara was unable to breathe for a few moments as she took in her surroundings.

Her eyes saw the extensive damage around her. Her ears heard the deathly silence. Her nose smelt the faint, lingering smell of burning. Her skin felt the single cool tear that ran down her cheek.

She was back in the large chamber where the fight between Aang, herself, Zuko and Azula had taken place. Shattered crystalline rocks were scattered haphazardly over the stone floor, and Katara had to practically tiptoe to miss stepping on any sharp bits. Carefully avoiding the pieces, she walked slowly around the chamber, terrifying flashbacks attacking her mind as she did so.

She remembered the pain of being thrown against a particular set of crystals by the force of a combined attack from Zuko and Azula, her eyes following the movement her body must have made as it slammed against the sharp glowing rocks. She remembered everything so vividly that she could recall every step she had taken, every attack she had flung, every hit she had endured.

Finally her eyes drifted over to the fateful spot that Aang had momentarily rested in order to each the Avatar State. Slowly, her gaze lifted until it reached the height that Aang had been when he had been shot down by lightning. Unwillingly, Katara remembered her smile draining from her face as tears spilled over her brimming eyes and she moved as fast as she could to try and save her friend. She had caught him just before he hit the floor, but it was too late. He was already dead. And if Katara hadn't had the Oasis Water, then he would've remained that way. Just like Hiro. Just like Cai.

"It's too much." Katara murmured to herself as she slowly sank to the floor. She had suffered enough in the last ten minutes, and suddenly the weight of the pain came crashing down around her, dragging her deeper into despair. Yet still she did not cry. She sat there for perhaps ten seconds, her mind blank, refusing to think about anything that had happened underneath the palace. Some would call it denial, but for Katara it was a coping mechanism.

So it was with her new-found denial that Katara pushed herself back up, intent on getting back to Sokka and Aang, and having her family reunited once more. She steadied herself and began to walk uneasily, trying to block out the memories that were flooding back with every step she took.

Stopping at the underground river, Katara crouched down at stared at the water for a few moments before bending the liquid into her pouch, just in case. Slowly standing back up, she remained facing the river and felt tears begin to prick at the corners of her eyes, although she did her best to fight them off. Staring at her reflection in the water did nothing to try to appease the tears starting to drip down onto her cheeks and eventually Katara just shut her eyes and allowed the tears to flow. She tried to make herself smaller, in a bid for comfort, although none came. None, that was, until:

"Katara?" A voice asked, ringing out from the other side of the chamber. It was Zuko, but Katara did not open her eyes. She heard his footsteps drawing closer until he was behind her, then he stopped. Opening her eyes, Katara turned around to face him.

"Bet you didn't expect to be back here anytime soon." He murmured, halfway between joking and being serious.

For a moment or so, Katara stood there, unsure of what to say. Then she began to cry. Wordlessly, Zuko moved closer and put his arms around her, drawing her closer. Now the tears came thick and fast, and she made no effort to quell them. Zuko was stroking the back of her head soothingly, his other arm still around Katara's waist. Katara just buried her head deeper into his chest, inhaling his scent until the tears ceased. She gently moved backwards, just enough so that she was still close to him.

"Thank you." She whispered, looking up at him. He nodded and kissed her forehead tenderly, making Katara smile. True, it was a watery smile, but it was better than nothing.

"Come on." Zuko said, taking her hand and gently leading her back in the direction of Toph and Iroh. However, they beat him to it.

Toph suddenly came skidding into the chamber, almost falling. It would have been quite comical if it were not for the look of panic on her face. Iroh came up behind her, panting for breath.

"What is it?" Zuko asked sharply, his grasp on Katara's hand becoming unconsciously tighter.

"Something's coming." Toph said, her voice wobbling in fear. "And whatever it is they brought an army with them."

------------------------------------------x-----------------------------------------------

A/N:

So I enjoy leaving you guys with cliff-hangers. Sue me.

…

(Please don't sue me, I have no money)

I'm sure you can all guess what - or more accurately who - is coming (no it isn't Aang or Sokka…so I pretty much narrowed it down there lol) but I'll save the "revelation" for the next chapter.

Thanks so much to my awesome reviewers, you guys rock :D

Please review and let me know what you thought :D

- Momo